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Thailand’s caretaker government criticized for holding meeting to discuss military-ruled Myanmar

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:55 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand on Monday will host a meeting of regional nations to discuss the violent political deadlock in Myanmar, an initiative that has been criticized for potentially undermining regional peace efforts and for being carried out by a caretaker government.A statement released Sunday by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the purpose of its informal dialogue, being hosted by Thailand for the third time, is to discuss a range of topics to complement the efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to resolve the situation in Myanmar.It said it will will be attended by representatives from Laos, Cambodia, India, China, Brunei and Vietnam, as well as Myanmar — a highly contentious issue because ASEAN leaders had agreed to exclude the ruling generals from their meetings. Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore are among ASEAN members not attending the meeting. They’re among those pushing hardest for more pressure on Myanmar’s military government to implemen...

‘The Flash’ opens to $55 million, a step off the typical superhero pace

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:55 GMT

DC and Warner Bros.’ long-in-the-works superhero movie “The Flash” opened to $55 million in its first three days in North American theaters, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Though a fair amount of money by normal standards, a sizable jump from DC’s last release, the “Shazam!” sequel, and enough for a first place start, it’s also muted by superhero standards where $100 million debut weekends are almost commonplace.It was a crowded weekend at the multiplex overall. In addition to “The Flash” there was the new Pixar family film “Elemental” and the horror-comedy “The Blackening.” The only big win was Wes Anderson’s starry “Asteroid City” which earned $720,000 from just six theaters and the distinction of having the highest per-theater average ($132,211) since the start of the pandemic. “The Flash” faced more complications than marketplace conditions. It has been in the headlines often over the past year, not because of the movie itself but because of its star Ezra Miller’...

Canada, Ontario reach historic $10 billion proposed First Nations treaty settlement

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:55 GMT

Leaders of the Robinson Huron Treaty Litigation Fund say they’ve reached a proposed $10-billion settlement with the governments of Ontario and Canada over unpaid annuities for using their lands.The fund, which represents the 21 Robinson Huron First Nations, announced Saturday that the proposal will resolve claims only tied to past unpaid annuities which stretch back more than 170 years.The Robinson-Huron Treaty was signed in 1850 and committed to paying the First Nations groups annual amounts tied to resource revenues.But the annuity only increased once in 1875 when it rose from about $1.70 per person to $4 per person. It hasn’t increased since.The proposed out-of-court settlement will see the federal government pay half the sum, while the other half will come from the province.Spokesperson Duke Peltier, who represents the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, noted the 21 First Nations came together in 2012 to seek a settlement through the courts, but that ultimately one was ...

South Carolina GOP sets Feb. 24 date for first-in-the-South presidential primary

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:55 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Republicans have set Feb. 24 as the date of their 2024 presidential primary, a move that, if approved, the party says will give GOP White House hopefuls more time to campaign in the first-in-the-South state.The state GOP executive committee voted unanimously to approve the measure on Saturday, party executive director Hope Walker told The Associated Press. The selection still needs approval from the Republican National Committee to be official, and Walker said that a formal submission will be sent ahead of an October deadline.The move comes as both major parties make moves to solidify their voting calendars ahead of the 2024 nominating process. The RNC voted last year to maintain its voting order, with Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada going ahead of other states. By setting South Carolina’s vote on Feb. 24, Walker told AP that candidates would have more time after Nevada votes on Feb. 6 to focus their attention on the state, where s...

High risk 14-year-old missing from Albany Park: CPD

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:55 GMT

CHICAGO -- A 14-year-old has been missing from Albany Park since early Saturday morning and is considered high risk, police said. According to police, Julius Noriega was last seen near the 5000 block of Ridgeway Avenue around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. Police said the boy is currently taking medication but has failed to take it. Man shot in head in River North, suspect in custody He is described weighing around 120 pounds and being 5 feet and 4 inches tall.If any information is recovered on his whereabouts, contact detectives at (312) 746-6554.

Man shot in head in River North, suspect in custody

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:55 GMT

CHICAGO -- A man is in custody after a shooting left a man in critical condition and led to a car crash in River North Saturday evening.According to police, a 27-year-old man was walking near the sidewalk around the 300 block of West Erie Street around 6:36 p.m. when an unknown individual fired shots at him. 20 wounded including 1 fatal in shooting in Willowbrook: Police The man took a shot to the head and self-transported to Stroger Hospital reported in critical condition. Police reports state the offender fled in a jeep which struck another car near Ashland and Van Buren. Officers placed the offender in custody and charges are pending.

Trader Joe’s store managers reveal their all-time favorite items

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:55 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Looking for a new special treat to toss into your cart? You can give into your impulses in the grocery aisle, or you can turn to the experts. The experts in this case are Trader Joe's store managers – or captains, as the company calls them. When the 537 or so store leaders gathered for the Annual Captains' Meeting in late 2022, they were asked about their favorite items from the iconic grocery chain by the company's podcast, Inside Trader Joe's.Their picks run the gamut, from crunchy snacks to classic candies, unusual condiments and frozen section hidden gems. Trader Joe’s addresses ‘conspiratorial theories’ about its small parking lots Brown Sugar Oat Creamer was a popular choice. Rachel, a manager of a North Carolina Trader Joe's store, suggested frothing the non-dairy coffee creamer before adding it to your cup of joe. Two frozen aisle items came up a few times: Orange Chicken and the Fettuccine Alfredo. Another favorite from the frozen section was the Ch...

Will mail be delivered on Juneteenth?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:55 GMT

(WHNT) — Monday, June 19, marks Juneteenth, a federally-recognized holiday in the U.S. That also means you won't be getting any mail on June 19, at least not from the U.S. Postal Service.Juneteenth commemorates when the last enslaved people in the United States learned they were free – two months after the end of the Civil War and more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Google’s $23M settlement: How to file a claim and how much you may get In 2021, President Joe Biden signed a law designating Juneteenth as the 12th federal holiday in the United States.You can learn more about the history of Juneteenth here.Regular USPS mail services will resume on Tuesday, June 20.Amazon, FedEx, and UPS will remain fully open on Juneteenth.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

New Texas law will help first responders track overdoses in real-time 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:55 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Lake Travis Fire Rescue Chief Robert Abbott knows the heartache.Families in his community including his department impacted by overdoses and fentanyl. "Hits home — I mean you start going, is this in my backyard — no, it's your front yard," Abbott said. In 2021, his Assistant Fire Chief, Mike Prather, lost his son to a fentanyl overdose. Prather recalled a frantic call from his wife saying she couldn't wake up their son, Kyle. "I've been in the fire services for 23 years — here in my mind being a healthy 25-year-old kid — this could be an overdose. All I could think about was my wife was about to try to resuscitate her son the same way I've tried to resuscitate people for years." Prather said emotionally. The department started raising awareness through PSAs about the tragic losses and the need to better track overdoses. "There wasn't any data that public safety agencies could easily see and access to see where these trend...

CicLAvia takes over South L.A. for Juneteenth celebration 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:52:55 GMT

CicLAvia is celebrating Juneteenth by closing down part of Vermont Avenue in Gramercy Park on Sunday so that pedestrians, bicyclists and people of all ages and mobility levels can enjoy what the vibrant neighborhood has to offer. Vermont Avenue between Exposition Boulevard and Century Boulevard will be closed from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. to allow participants to enjoy live performances, food trucks and fun for the entire family.In addition, on-site record expungement, mental health services, tenant support and more will all be available at the event.The festivities are in collaboration with the Office of Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who is putting on her 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration & Resource Fair. The first CicLAvia took place in 2010. Since then, there have been 44 more events attended by over 1.8 million people, according to the CicLAvia website. For more information on Sunday’s CicLAvia Juneteenth celebration, click here.