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Should I buy a house now or wait? Experts weigh in on the current market

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:10 GMT

Ruben Caginalp | Bankrate.com (TNS)Prospective homebuyers across the U.S. are feeling the squeeze amid high home prices and steep mortgage rates. Up against these challenging conditions, many homeowners are disinclined to sell, further restricting the already-short supply of homes on the market.“The unintended consequence of the so-called lock-in effect has limited the supply of homes for sale, because most owners have relatively low mortgage rates and don’t want to move,” explains Mark Hamrick, Bankrate’s senior economic analyst.As a result, today’s housing market looks different than it has in past years. “Buyers and sellers both typically take a step back in the fall, but mortgage rates now near 8% are cooling the market faster than normal,” says Jeff Tucker, a senior economist at Zillow. “A lack of competition from other buyers is offering opportunities to those still in the market, as many listings are lingering after the summer shopping season.” Read on to learn all about the ...

What’s the likelihood Patriots make a deal at next week’s NFL trade deadline?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:10 GMT

FOXBORO — The 2-5 Patriots are a popular team ahead of next week’s NFL trade deadline.The Patriots have received calls on many of their impending unrestricted free agents, a source said. The Patriots’ top UFAs next offseason are left tackle Trent Brown, tight end Hunter Henry, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne and members of the 2020 NFL Draft class: safety Kyle Dugger, offensive lineman Mike Onwenu and edge defender Josh Uche.Sources polled last week believe the Patriots could get a Day 2 draft pick in exchange for Dugger or Uche.Related ArticlesNew England Patriots | Patriots rookie finds starting role after offseason shake-up New England Patriots | Patriots’ cornerbacks group still has potential ‘through the roof’ New England Patriots | Patriots mailbag: What’s JuJu Smith-Schuster’s future with Demario Douglas emerging? New England Patriots | Callahan: What is the Patriots’ next move at wid...

‘I can’t breathe:’ Report says Quebec hockey player forced to mimic George Floyd

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:10 GMT

GATINEAU, Que. — Quebec Sports Minister Isabelle Charest says she was “deeply shocked” by a report that a young Black hockey player in the province was made to say, “I can’t breathe,” as a teammate knelt on his neck.The racist incident drew on the words uttered by George Floyd, a Black man who died while a white police officer in Minneapolis pressed a knee to his neck in May 2020, sparking protests around the world.According to a report in Gatineau, Que., daily Le Droit, a teammate placed his knee on the back of the Black teenager’s neck for about 15 seconds, only releasing him after he spoke the words.The newspaper obtained a report commissioned by Hockey Quebec that outlined the incident — just one of several during the 2021-22 season involving the under-15 AAA team on which the Black child played.The independent report dated last December found at least 14 “racist gestures and remarks” involving six players from the Gatineau team, t...

Randal Dooley’s father, convicted of killing son, gets full parole

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:10 GMT

 A father convicted of killing his son in a horrific case of child abuse has been granted full parole and is set to be deported back to Jamaica on his release.Edward Dooley was convicted, along with his wife, of second-degree murder in 2002 for the death of his seven-year-old son, Randal.Dooley was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 13 years.In a recent decision, the Parole Board of Canada said it was granting Dooley full parole, saying it found he would not present an undue risk to society if released.A release plan in the decision says that Dooley would be taken into the custody of the Canada Border Services Agency upon release and would be deported shortly after.The Parole Board decision says Dooley is expected to live with his sister in Jamaica until he finds his own accommodations.At the trial for Dooley and his wife, court heard Randal was brutally abused for months after he and his brother came from Jamaica to live with their father and stepmother in Tor...

Unifor talks with Stellantis head into final weekend before deadline

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:10 GMT

TORONTO — Unifor is heading into the final weekend of its negotiations with Stellantis before a strike deadline, as the United Auto Workers in the U.S. also move into a new stage of talks.Unifor has set Oct. 29 at 11:59 p.m. as the deadline for talks with the automaker.The union says it is working to secure the same gains it established at Ford Motor Co. and General Motors, as well as specifics from Stellantis on its electric vehicle plans for its Canadian plants. While talks in Canada continue, the UAW announced a breakthrough Wednesday with a tentative deal with Ford that came after about six weeks of escalating strikes.Barry Eidlin, an associate professor of sociology at McGill University, says that based on the details released so far, the UAW deal looks to be better than what Unifor secured here.He says the Unifor pattern is still quite good, and that the UAW had much more ground to make up because of past concessions.  This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct....

Doubts raised over Sainte-Marie’s past roil First Nations, raise questions on harms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:10 GMT

Doubts raised over Buffy Sainte-Marie’s First Nations bona fides are roiling the community she claims to be part of. A CBC story saying the singer’s ancestry may not be Indigenous has renewed debate about who gets to speak for whom.Eleanore Sunchild, an Indigenous lawyer and professor, says that Sainte-Marie hasn’t used her claims of identity to gain advantages, unlike other so-called “pretendians.”Tracy Robinson, a member of an Indigenous group that has spoken out in similar cases, says Sainte-Marie has a long history of involvement with the Cree Piapot community in Saskatchewan, which is defending her.Indigenous writer Drew Hayden Taylor says the singer-songwriter is deeply loved by many First Nations people, and her music and life have become part of Indigenous culture.Others say if Sainte-Marie is lying about her past, it would insult and betray people who did suffer wrongs. Sainte-Marie said Thursday ahead of the CBC report that she doesn’t know wh...

Persons of interest in custody after 17-year-old killed in Carpentersville triple shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:10 GMT

CARPENTERSVILLE, Ill. —Two persons of interest are in police custody after a 17-year-old boy was killed during a triple shooting Wednesday night in Carpentersville.A 19-year-old male and a 16-year-old male, both of Carpentersville, are being held by area police in connection with the Oct. 25 shooting in the 60 block of Birch Street. Woman, 16-year-old boy killed in Matteson double shooting Police discovered a 17-year-old boy laying in the road with a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.Two other shooting victims were expected to survive. Police said Thursday that they believe the victims were shot while inside a vehicle near the 30 block of Robin Road. Officers said the vehicle was driven to Birch Street, where help was called.The police department believes the triple shooting to be an isolated incident.The names of the persons of interest are being withheld until charges have been authorized by the Kane County State’s A...

'Lives lost, voices silenced:' 22 Palestinian journalists killed, internet blackout from Israeli airstrikes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:10 GMT

CHICAGO -- Twenty-two Palestinian journalists have been killed and communication has been cut off with the outside world due to Israeli bombardments, in efforts to silence the reality in Gaza, a Chicago journalist says. About 27 journalists are confirmed dead, 22 Palestinian, 4 Israeli and one Lebanese. Eight more journalists were reported injured, and nine others are missing or detained, according to data collected by the Committee to Protect Journalists. All the deaths are reported as 'dangerous assignments' on their website as opposed to 'murderer or in crossfire combat,' which Chicago-based Journalist Deanna Othman says is a disparity in the reporting of Palestinian journalist deaths -- despite heavily targeted Israeli attacks. "Some of them are not even receiving the support from their workplaces after they have been killed," Othman said.Issam Abdullah, a Beirut-based videographer for Reuters was killed in an Israeli shelling attack near the Lebanon border on Oct. 13. In this p...

How a Chicago company's charity helps build future generations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:10 GMT

CHICAGO — Simple acts of charity by one of Chicago's most well-known companies are having a major impact on the success of others. You can find proof of that in an organization that was started in the Grand Crossing neighborhood. During a fall afternoon at the Old Chicago Post Office, employees of Pepsico spend the day filling backpacks with supplies to be distributed to a number of community-based organizations in the city. Workers from a few divisions in the company took time away from their day jobs to take part in this event for Pepsico's "Give Back" month. "For us here who spend most of our time in the office, it's great to be able to come out and do something like this, and pack the meals for those who need it," said Pepsico employee Chris Mountain of this particular effort. There is also Pepsi's "PREP" program that provides internships, workplace opportunities, and other aid to organizations in Chicago's south and west sides. "We were intentional about serving grassroots orga...

Pritzker issues disaster proclamation for Cook County due to severe weather, flooding

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:10 GMT

COOK COUNTY, Ill. – Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation Friday for increased access to state resources and emergency personnel for Cook County residents impacted by severe weather and flooding. Severe storms passed through Cook County on Sept. 17, producing heavy rainfall, flash flooding, low visibility and nine inches of precipitation. The severe storm system caused substantial flooding, extensive property damage, power outages and blocked roadways. IDOT: New ramp closures on Kennedy Expressway starting Monday According to a report by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security, local resources have been exhausted, prompting the need for assistance at the state and federal levels."Many areas in Cook County suffered extensive damages due to last month’s torrential rain and flooding," Pritzker stated. "To support those impacted across the state, I have signed a disaster proclamation to mobilize every available resource, accelerating...