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Members of Canada’s first video game industry union vote in favour of strike action

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:15:32 GMT

EDMONTON — Video game industry workers in Edmonton have voted unanimously in favour of strike action.The Edmonton workers at Irish company Keywords Studios, who are represented by UFCW Canada Local 401, made history in summer 2022 by becoming the first video game industry union in Canada.They were laid off last month amid efforts to negotiate their first collective agreement that had gone on for over a year.The team had been working on quality assurance and testing for Edmonton-based developer BioWare, which is owned by American video game giant Electronic Arts.BioWare, which is behind the critically acclaimed “Mass Effect” and “Dragon Age” series, declined to renew its contract with the Edmonton team, which the union says resulted in the layoffs.The president of UFCW Canada Local 401 says in a statement that the strike “is about holding the company to account rather than allowing them to abandon the collective bargaining process.”“The video game indust...

Rio de Janeiro deploys helicopters in extra security after a criminal gang torches 35 buses

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:15:32 GMT

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Authorities deployed helicopters and other extra security Tuesday in Rio de Janeiro after members of a criminal gang set fire to at least 35 buses in apparent retaliation for the police slaying of one of their key members. The attack late Monday on public transport buses took place in a western section of Rio far from its tourist districts and caused no casualties, but it represented significant defiance of the government.Rio’s state Gov. Cláudio Castro said Tuesday after a meeting with his security officials that the city was on “maximum alert” with helicopters and drones reinforcing the police presence on the streets.Police arrested 12 people in the arson attacks, but six were released due to a lack of evidence as the investigation continues, Castro said.Authorities said the arson attacks were in retaliation for the police slaying earlier Monday of a man identified as Matheus Silva Resende, the nephew of a criminal leader of the largest militia group in the s...

The 1st major snowstorm of the season is expected to hit the northern Rockies after a warm fall

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:15:32 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The first major snowstorm of the season is expected to hit the northern Cascades and Rockies and move into North Dakota this week, sending residents searching for their winter coats, gloves and boots and facing much different driving conditions after a warm fall in many places.The National Weather Service is warning of hazardous travel on snowy mountain passes and ice on some highways when snow initially melts and then freezes as road temperatures drop. The storm is forecast to begin Tuesday with rain at lower elevations in Washington and snow in the mountains before spreading snow across northern Idaho, Montana, northwestern Wyoming and North Dakota.Cold air moving down from northwestern Canada will combine with a moist Pacific weather system leading to freezing temperatures and snowfall amounts up to 18 inches (46 centimeters) in the mountains of Montana, the National Weather Service forecasts. Some higher elevations in the northern Rockies could see snow tota...

Music Review: K-pop group SEVENTEEN find nirvana on new mini-album ‘SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN’

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:15:32 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — How does a group follow up their biggest release to date? In the case of K-pop act SEVENTEEN, they continue to grow their successes — and release another mini-album in the same year.In April, the 13-member group (WOOZI, DK, JOSHUA, JEONGHAN, SEUNGKWAN, VERNON, S.COUPS, WONWOO, MINGYU, DINO, HOSHI, JUN, THE 8) released “FML,” their highest charting release. It spent nine weeks on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 2 and sold millions of copies.On the group’s 11th mini album six months later — titled “SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN,” a play on the English maxim “seventh heaven,” referring to a state of extreme elation — the group build off that exciting foundation across seven tracks.And there’s a lot to love, particularly in the first two tracks. “SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN” opens with an all-English language track, the Jersey club-meets-pop rock “SOS,” co-produced by American DJ Marshmello. Contrast that with “God of Music,” the sunshine-y pop single with bright brassy tou...

No charges for man who fired gun near pro-Palestinian rally outside Chicago, prosecutor says

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:15:32 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Charges will not be filed against the man who fired a gunshot into the air near pro-Palestinian demonstrators outside an Israel solidarity event in Chicago’s northern suburbs, prosecutors said Monday evening after determining that he acted in self-defense.A group of about 200 pro-Palestinian protesters had rallied Sunday evening outside a banquet hall in Skokie, where people were gathered to show solidarity with Israel, according to police.Witnesses told the Chicago Sun-Times that a man drove his car toward the group. Lincolnwood Police, who were called to assist Skokie Police, have previously said in a statement the 39-year-old man fired a shot into the air before officers took him into custody. A witness told the newspaper that the man’s car had been covered in Israeli flags.After reviewing surveillance video and witness statements, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office said in an emailed statement that prosecutors will not file charges against ...

MPs want big tech held responsible for misinformation spread online by foreign actors

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:15:32 GMT

OTTAWA — A parliamentary committee is calling on Canada to hold tech giants accountable for publishing false or misleading information online, especially when it is spread by foreign actors. That was among 22 recommendations the House ethics committee made in its study of foreign interference by China and Russia.Bloc Québécois MP and committee vice-chair René Villemure says Canada needs to take a firm position on this similar to the European Union, which has a digital misinformation law that curbs hate speech and propaganda.The federal Conservatives were the only party to disagree with that recommendation, saying it will endorse censorship online. But Villemure says holding social media companies such as Meta and Google accountable has nothing to do with freedom of expression. The committee began its study in 2022 before public allegations that China tried to meddle in the last two federal elections. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 24, 2023.The Canadian Press

Why fall’s arrival hasn’t shaken off the impact of B.C.’s ‘exceptional’ drought

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:15:32 GMT

Climate geoscientist Joseph Shea didn’t have to go far to find evidence of what he calls “exceptional” hot and dry weather in British Columbia this year.He says he was still gathering raspberries in his garden in Prince George in central B.C. last week as temperatures neared 20 C, at a time when the historical average maximum is about 9 C. “That was kind of fun to pick raspberries, but it has been a really dry fall,” said Shea.An atmospheric river did bring some much-needed rain to parts of southern B.C. last week, and seasonal cool weather has also finally arrived, along with some early snow. But experts say the province has yet to escape the repercussions of hot, dry weather in spring, summer and fall. River levels remain dire, almost half of the province’s water basins continue to suffer drought impacts, and hundreds of wildfires still burn — some deep in the parched ground — as the worst fire season on record drags on.They say the protracted conditions sh...

Police investigating homicide after locating remains of Ontario man missing since 2018

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:15:32 GMT

York Regional Police are investigating a homicide after officers discovered the human remains of a Richmond Hill man missing for over five years.Authorities said 30-year-old Kevin Bonada Rosas was last seen at his Elmwood Avenue residence in Richmond Hill on June 21, 2018. He was reported missing by his family five days later, on June 26, 2018.Rosas’ disappearance was deemed suspicious, and the homicide unit assumed control of the investigation in April 2021.In an update from police, a spokesperson said human remains were found buried in the yard of the man’s residence on Elmwood Avenue on June 5, 2023. A forensic examination determined that the remains were Rosas, and his death is now considered a homicide. Investigators would not reveal the cause of death. There is currently no information on a suspect or suspects. Police continue to appeal to members of the public for information into this case.

Music Review: Poppy grows up and goes dark pop-y with genre-blending album ‘Zig’

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:15:32 GMT

Not quite dark pop, not quite techno, not quite any genre at all, Poppy’s fifth studio album, “Zig,” is rather a mix of several different styles and an example of how far she’s come since her debut five years ago.“Zig” strays far from Poppy’s old bubblegum pop sound for those who remember her 2017 debut, “Poppy.Computer,” which followed her earliest introductions to the cute-but-strange, pseudo-AI Poppy character — first discovered via surreal performance art YouTube videos in 2015. The bleach-blonde android is nowhere to be seen in “Zig,” but that’s not a surprise — she’s been gone for some time now.Poppy’s style and sound started to shift with her second album, 2018’s “Am I a Girl?” which started to take a heavy metal turn, followed by the even darker “I Disagree” in 2020. She scaled it back for the more alternative “Flux,” and now she’s back with “Zig,” the evolved combo of her past works. Backed by synths and elec...

NHL rescinds ban on rainbow-colored Pride tape, allowing players to use it on the ice this season

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:15:32 GMT

NHL players will be allowed to use Pride tape this season after all with the reversal of a ban that sparked a backlash around hockey and among LGBTQ+ advocates in sports.The league, players’ union and a committee on inclusion agreed to give players the option to represent social causes with stick tape during warmups, practices and games. The move announced Tuesday rescinds a ban on rainbow-colored Pride tape for on-ice activities that was provided to teams earlier this fall as guidance for theme nights.“We are so very grateful to everyone who believes hockey should be a safe, inclusive and welcoming space for all,” the makers of Pride Tape said on social media. “We are extremely happy that NHL players will now have the option to voluntarily represent important social causes with their stick tape throughout season.”Pride nights became a hot-button issue in hockey after six players chose not to participate in pregame warmups last season when their team wore rainbow-themed jersey...