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Hudson’s Bay Liquidation Marks End of an Era, Thousands of Jobs at Stake

  Hudson’s Bay, Canada’s oldest retail company, is set to liquidate the majority of its stores, leaving thousands of employees facing layoffs. The company, which has been a cornerstone of Canadian retail for over 350 years, recently filed for creditor protection due to financial challenges, including reduced consumer spending and post-pandemic downtown traffic. Starting today, liquidation sales will begin at all but six Hudson’s Bay locations across the country. The six stores spared include flagship locations in Toronto and Montreal, among others. However, the company has warned that these stores could also face closure if a restructuring solution is not found quickly. The liquidation process is expected to impact over 9,000 employees directly, with additional effects on contractors and brand shop-in-shop staff. Many employees, some with decades of service, are grappling with the emotional and financial toll of the closures. The liquidation sales are set to run until June 15, with...

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Israel Approves New Parcel of West Bank Land for Settlement

 

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has declared 800 hectares in the occupied West Bank as state land. This move aims to facilitate the use of the ground for settlement building. The announcement comes on the same day that U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite growing international opposition, the Israeli government remains determined to press ahead with settlement construction in the West Bank.

The designation of 1,976 acres of land in the Jordan Valley as state land follows a similar decision regarding 300 hectares (740 acres) in the Maale Adumim area of the West Bank. The latter area is crucial to the Palestinians’ vision of a future independent state.

Last month, the United States stated that Israel’s expansion of settlements in the West Bank was inconsistent with international law, aligning with the global consensus that considers these settlements illegal. Israel, however, disputes this view, citing historical and Biblical ties to the land. Meanwhile, the Palestinians view the expansion of settlements as a deliberate Israeli policy aimed at undermining their aspiration for an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned this latest move, describing it as “a continuation of the extermination and displacement of our people from their homeland.”

Despite the controversy, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s declaration underscores the government’s commitment to settlement building in the West Bank. The situation remains highly contentious, with implications for regional stability and peace efforts.

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