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Mar 17 2026FINANCE

Bitcoin Loans Let Firms Earn While Mining

Maestro has launched a new way for big investors to earn money from their Bitcoin holdings. The company’s “Mezzamine” platform partners with a mining‑as‑service firm called Sazmining to offer loans that are paid back using the profits miners earn from finding new blocks. The goal is to give investor

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Mar 17 2026POLITICS

Mayor’s Bid to Grab Finance Head Sparks Budget Tension

The mayor is eyeing the council’s finance chief for a new role, stirring friction during budget talks. The move comes as the city’s leaders are already at odds over spending plans. By hiring the finance chief, the mayor could add a new layer of strain to an already tense relationship. The c

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Mar 17 2026FINANCE

Possible Big Sale for Texas Auto Lender

A private‑equity group is weighing the idea of selling a Texas‑based auto loan company that helps people buy cars on credit. The buyer could pay between $2. 5 billion and $3 billion, sources say. The company was bought by the group in 2021 from another major investor for an undisclosed sum. It wo

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Mar 17 2026POLITICS

Future Skills: Why Gen Z Must Be Heard

The promise of a computer‑science degree was once the surest path to success. Many students took loans, earned degrees and found high‑pay jobs. That certainty disappeared as artificial intelligence grew faster than anyone expected. Today, almost half of all code is written by machines and major tech

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Mar 17 2026SPORTS

The Players: A Major? Not Needed

Golf fans often call The Players Championship the “fifth major, ” but not everyone agrees. Two well‑known figures in the sport, Wayne Riley and Dame Laura Davies, recently voiced their opinions on whether the event should officially join the ranks of the four traditional majors. Riley, who values t

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Mar 17 2026EDUCATION

College Costs: Most Think It’s Not Worth It

A recent nationwide survey of 1, 456 adults shows that a majority—about 59 percent—believe a four‑year college degree does not justify its price. Only 24 percent see it as worthwhile, while the rest are undecided. The finding signals a sharp decline from earlier decades when most people viewed highe

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Mar 17 2026BUSINESS

Future Firefighters Get a Boost in Ponchatoula

Air Products has given $18, 000 to the Ponchatoula Volunteer Fire Department’s High School Program. The money will help ten students start a career in emergency services during the 2025‑2026 school year. The grant comes from Air Products Lake Maurepas Community Fund, a local charity arm of the co

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Mar 17 2026POLITICS

EU Leader Urges US and Israel to End Iran Conflict

The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, told reporters in Brussels that the war involving Iran must stop. She said the EU is talking with Middle‑East governments to find a diplomatic way out of the fighting. Kallas added that Europe would not block naval traffic through the Strait of Horm

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Mar 17 2026ENTERTAINMENT

Fun Night at the Opera House Helps a Local Food Bank

Gardiner’s Johnson Hall Opera House is hosting an entertaining evening on March 21 to raise money for the Chrysalis Place Food Bank. The show, starting at 7:30 p. m. , mixes music, comedy, circus tricks and dance. Attendees can enjoy acts such as the Cowboy Angels, juggler Shane Miclon, the band B

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Mar 17 2026BUSINESS

Money Talk: A New AI Coach Is Paying a Lot to Learn Finance

Elon Musk’s new venture, xAI, is looking for people who know money to help train its chatbot, Grok. The company wants real bankers and traders to act as tutors so the AI can understand how financial decisions are made. In its job ads, xAI asks for experts in investment banking, portfolio manageme

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