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Japan’s Sogo & Seibu department stores are being sold to a US fund as 900 workers go on strike

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:39 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese retailer Seven & i Holdings Co. is selling department store chain Sogo & Seibu Co. to a U.S. investment fund, even as the labor union went on strike ahead of the announcement Thursday.The transfer to Fortress Investment Group will be completed Friday, according to Seven & i Holdings. The decision came at a board of directors meeting. The proposed sales price is 220 billion yen ($1.5 billion) but won’t be final until the transfer’s completion set for Friday.Separately, some of Sogo & Seibu’s debts, or nearly 92 billion yen ($630 million), will be forgiven, the company said in a statement. Some 900 striking employees were marching, holding signs and handing out leaflets on the streets near the main Seibu department store in Tokyo, where the shutters were closed.Disorderly strikes and protests are rare in Japan, and the strikers apologized on camera in Japanese TV news reports, for any inconvenience they may be causing the public. Some train ...

Charlotte Cardin on Juno wins, overcoming relationship hurdles and facing her own ego

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:39 GMT

TORONTO — A little over a year ago, Charlotte Cardin was standing at the finish line of Juno Awards weekend, her arms full of golden statuettes.With a leading four wins in some of the Canadian music award show’s top categories, including artist, single and album of the year for her 2021 debut “Phoenix,” the Montreal singer-songwriter was the show’s breakout star.All eyes seemed fixed on what she would do next.But Cardin says she didn’t feel much pressure as she readied her sophomore album “99 Nights,” which was released last week.“I never had time to stop and think, ‘Oh, the stakes are so much higher now,’” Cardin recalled in a recent interview in the Toronto offices of her record label.“It took us four years to write ‘Phoenix’ and when it came out, I was already working on this album. And right now I’m already on to the next project.”The 28-year-old’s career has been in a state of constant motion ever since she landed a spot in the Top 4 of French CanadaR...

Woman accusing ex-NDP MP Roméo Saganash of sexual assault in Winnipeg goes public

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:39 GMT

OTTAWA — The woman accusing former New Democrat MP Roméo Saganash of sexual assault is going public, saying she wants to support others.Carmen Roy, who works for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, is alleging that she was sexually assaulted on May 1 in Winnipeg, and police say they arrested the former MP on June 27.In a written statement to The Canadian Press, Roy says she is pondering a civil suit.Her lawyer says Roy was at work when the alleged incident happened, but she is not able to provide more details.The lawyer representing Saganash says in a statement that his client is presumed innocent and requested that his privacy be respected.None of the allegations have been tested in court.Roy, who does not want her identity to be protected by a publication ban, says she has had a “traumatic experience” but thanked those who have supported her.“I don’t want to be silent, and I think it is important to use my voice to help other victims of sexual...

How wildfire in British Columbia’s Shuswap is fanning political flames

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:39 GMT

VICTORIA — The wildfire that has been rampaging through the Shuswap region of the B.C. Interior has also sparked a fight over whether local Opposition MLAs have been encouraging residents to disobey firefighters, or if the government is refusing to listen to critics of its response to the fires.The Bush Creek East fire has destroyed or significantly damaged nearly 170 properties, and authorities have called it a major front in the province’s worst fire season on record. A BC Wildfire Service official said the blaze swept through the Shuswap like a tornado.But it has also been in focus because of some residents’ decision to defy evacuation orders and instead stay to defend their homes from the flames.The New Democrat government accused the Opposition BC United of supporting residents who refused to obey the North Shuswap evacuation order, while the Opposition denied the accusation and said it was calling on the government to work with the community, which it eventually di...

Mother of Canadian man detained in Syria ‘overjoyed’ to get word of son

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:39 GMT

OTTAWA — Sally Lane says she is “overjoyed” to hear news of her son Jack — even if he’s barely hanging on in a Syrian prison — after years of silence.Lane says a civil society delegation messaged her from northeastern Syria to report that members had met with Jack after authorities managed to locate him within the prison system.Jack Letts, a Canadian citizen, is among the many foreign nationals in ramshackle Syrian camps and jails run by Kurdish forces that reclaimed the war-ravaged region from militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.More details about Letts and other detained Canadians are expected to emerge today when members of the delegation discuss their recent five-day visit at a news conference in Ottawa.The four-person delegation says it held meetings with officials and saw a number of Canadian men, women and children, as well as non-Canadian mothers of Canadian children, held in camps and detention centres.Delegation members, including Sen. Kim Pate, said ...

Daily horoscope for August 31, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:39 GMT

Moon Alert: There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions today. The Moon is in Pisces.Happy Birthday for Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023:You are energetic, enthusiastic and fun! You have a knack of making things look easy. This year is the beginning of a nine-year cycle, which means it’s time to be courageous and flexible so you can entertain new directions and new ideas. Be ready to open any door!ARIES(March 21-April 19) ★★★Be open to new and different opportunities to boost your earnings today, because they exist. It might be something different from what you had anticipated, but hey, you are the pioneer of the zodiac, and you love to tackle something new. Do your homework, but wait until October to act. Tonight: Restless feelings.TAURUS(April 20-May 20) ★★★★This is a fortunate day for you. In particular, you will enjoy touching base with friends and interacting with members of clubs, groups and organizations. Someone unusual might entertain you. Or perhaps, they wil...

Peer review report on Italy now online

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:39 GMT

Eurostat is pleased to announce that another peer review report within the third round of European Statistical System (ESS) peer reviews — the peer review report on Italy — is now publicly available on Eurostat’s dedicated web page and on the web page of the Italian National Insitute of Statistics.The report was produced following the peer review visit to Italy by a dedicated team of four experts, including one from Eurostat. The visit took place from 28 November to 2 December 2022 in a face-to-face format.The peer reviews of national statistical systems are conducted by external experts (from both inside and outside the ESS) and follow the same methodology. This includes the completion of self-assessment questionnaires by several statistical authorities followed by a peer review visit. The results are a peer review report containing expert recommendations for improvement, and an action plan to address these recommendations that is developed by the national statistical institute of ...

FinTech innovations to improve security and data protection in online casinos – Bet B2B

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:39 GMT

Fintech plays a key role in many sectors of the economy today, and online casinos are no exception. “Security and data protection are priority issues for casino operators and players, and the use of FinTech innovations can significantly improve the situation,” says Bet B2B fintech expert.Let's take a look at some high-impact FinTech innovations that help keep online casinos safe and secure.Biometric authenticationBiometric authentication is a technology that uses the physical or behavioural characteristics of users to identify themselves.In an online casino, this can be used to verify the identity of players and keep their data safe. Examples of biometric authentication are fingerprint scanners, face or voice recognition. These methods provide a high level of security, as biometric data is difficult to fake or steal.Multi-factor authenticationMulti-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a process in which a user must provide several independent factors to verify their identity. In an online...

Miss Manners: How should I warn my neighbors about months of noise?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:39 GMT

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We will be moving out of our house for 10 months during a major renovation. Although we will escape the noise and the chaos, our neighbors will not. There will be the usual trucks, mess and noise that go with any construction project.Related ArticlesAdvice | Miss Manners: I cringe when I picture my dear friend in our house Advice | Miss Manners: Is the fundraising tactic of my child’s school tacky or smart? Advice | Miss Manners: Will foreigners just assume I’m a nuisance? Advice | Miss Manners: I won’t be going on the cruise. How do I explain my absence? Advice | Miss Manners: Can I poke them if they sleep during my son’s performance? We’re going to follow all the legal guidelines for the project (permits, neighborhood notifications, etc.). But in the interest of being a courteous neighbor, what other things should we do? Drop off earplugs? Send apologies...

Dear Abby: My friend’s personality changed, and now she’s stalking me

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:55:39 GMT

DEAR ABBY: “Stacy” and I have been friends for more than 20 years.Related ArticlesAdvice | Dear Abby: Should I consider this my husband’s strike three? Advice | Dear Abby: I want to leave my wife but I’m afraid she’ll hurt somebody if I do Advice | Dear Abby: I’m sick of explaining I have a plain phone, not an expensive toy Advice | Dear Abby: She sat in our backyard and refused to join us for dinner Advice | Dear Abby: I never thought the driver would be so stupid, but I was stuck with him Ten years ago my husband, children and I moved back to our hometown. At that time, I was afforded the opportunity to be a stay-at-home mom. Stacy has one child and never married, so she had to work.A few years ago, she was in a terrible auto accident. I took care of her afterward and drove her to her medical appointments for six months.When Stacy was released to return to work, she ...