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Libyan authorities have recovered a large bronze wolf statue that once sat atop a pillar in central Benghazi before disappearing decades ago, found on a farm whose owner said he bought the sculpture as scrap.Authorities were alerted to the colonial-era statue after a tip off and discovered it in a farm near Benghazi belonging to Saied Mohammed Bourabida, who told them he had bought it from a metal yard because he liked the way it looked. "I remembered this statue in its position near the port from when I was young ... I had a smelting workshop and when I saw it by chance at the scrap dealer's I liked its shape and the quality of work so I bought it," he said.Bourabida, 80, kept the statue, a replica of the famous Capitoline Wolf sculpture that depicts a legendary scene of ancient Rome, in plain view under a spreading tree next to the terrace of his house.Khaled al-Aqouri, head of the tourism and antiquities department in the Benghazi police, said he was confident that Bourabida had not known that it was still public property.Italian colonial authorities erected the statue in the new Benghazi city centre they were building in the 1930s, promoting a connection between ancient Roman settlement of Libya and their modern colonial rule over the country.After Libya won independence, the authorities removed the wolf from its pillar and it disappeared following Muammar Gaddafi's seizure of power in 1969, a revolutionary period when relics of foreign colonial rule were banished from sight.At some point the statue lost its front legs as well as the figures of two human infants suckling underneath, representing Romulus and Remus the mythical founders of Rome who were said to have been raised by a wolf.It is now outside the antiquities department in Benghazi, propped on concrete blocks while it awaits possible restoration.Libya was an important Roman province, home to the great port cities of Sabratha and Leptis Magna whose imposing stone temples and theatres still stand on the Mediterranean shore.However, many priceless Libyan antiquities have disappeared: pillaged by Europeans in colonial times, appropriated after independence or looted in the chaos that has followed a 2011 NATO-backed uprising.Khaled al-Hadar, a Libyan researcher on stolen antiquities, said heritage monitoring remained weak in Libya and had not been started until 1974 - after the wolf had disappeared.

TORONTO — Spin Master Corp. says it earned US$28 million in the second quarter, down from US$88.1 million a year earlier. The Toronto-based toy and entertainment company says revenue was US$420.7 million, down from US$506.3 million during the same quarter last year. Sales for toy products declined due to lower order volume, as Spin Master says customers reduced retail inventory levels. This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 2, 2023. Companies in this story: (TSX:TOY)The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Shopify Inc. says it recorded a US$1.3 billion loss in its most recent quarter as the company laid off 20 per cent of staff and sold its logistics business. OTTAWA — Shopify Inc. says it recorded a US$1.3 billion loss in its most recent quarter as the company laid off 20 per cent of staff and sold its logistics business. The Ottawa-based e-commerce company says the net loss in its second quarter compared with a net loss of US$1.2 billion a year earlier. The results for the company, which reports in U.S. dollars, worked out to a net loss of $1.02 per share compared with a loss of 95 cents per share a year ago. The company's revenue hit almost US$1.7 billion in the quarter compared with roughly US$1.3 million in the same quarter a year ago.

"Even after 17 years and all the changes we have made recently, we know the opportunities for Shopify are only growing." The transaction closed about two months ago, but Shopify is still working through the terms of its agreement with Flexport, said Jeff Hoffmeister, Shopify's chief financial officer. It also includes Sidekick, a chatbot the company's merchant customers can use to ask questions about business operations. As a result of these changes, some existing staff will see their earnings grow next quarter, Hoffmeister said. "That said, we will continue to be extremely disciplined regarding our approach to talent and compensation," Hoffmeister pledged.

SOUTHWOLD, Ont. says it will open a new robotics-backed fulfilment centre south of London, Ont. The e-commerce giant says the new fulfilment centre is expected to open in Southwold on Oct. 1. SOUTHWOLD, Ont. says it will open a new robotics-backed fulfilment centre south of London, Ont.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay is bringing his burger and steak outlets to a Vancouver casino and nearby resort. Gordon Ramsay Burger is set to open its doors at Hard Rock Casino Vancouver this fall, and Gordon Ramsay Steak will follow next year at River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, B.C. Ramsay's restaurant brands include Ramsay's Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay Street Pizza and Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips. As the name suggests, Gordon Ramsay Burger features comfort food including gourmet burgers, scratch-made sauces, handcrafted shakes and sides. Gordon Ramsay Steak is described as a fine dining establishment that features steaks and specialties including beef Wellington.

Suncor says on its website that operations there continue to be impacted by political unrestA Suncor Energy Inc. logo is shown at the company’s annual meeting in Calgary on Thursday, April 27, 2017. The federal government is trying to reclaim $347 million in insurance paid to Suncor in the wake of political unrest in Libya. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntoshThe federal government is trying to reclaim $347 million in insurance paid to Suncor Energy Inc. in the wake of political unrest in Libya. The Federal Court ruling says Canada’s export credit agency wants to recover all $347 million, which includes interest, paid out in connection with the assets. Suncor, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment, says on its website that operations there continue to be impacted by political unrest.

Last week, nearly 3,700 frontline store employees at 27 Metro grocery stores rejected a tentative agreement that had been reached by their union bargaining committee just after a strike deadline. Grocery store food prices were up 9.1 per cent on an annual basis, nearly unchanged from May. Unifor Local 414, the union representing the striking workers, said wages of full-time and senior part-time Metro store clerks have not kept up with inflation over the past decade. But Unifor said Wednesday that the grocery chain is halting striking workers' access to benefits during the labour dispute. To access benefits, workers must complete an enrolment form that is available at local picket lines.

REGINA — Saskatchewan's Crown corporations are reporting sizable earning losses this year, with the government-owned electrical utility facing its biggest financial hit yet. REGINA — Saskatchewan's Crown corporations are reporting sizable earning losses this year, with the government-owned electrical utility facing its biggest financial hit yet. The province's other Crown corporations made money this fiscal year, but not as much as they did last year. "The Crown corporations’ annual reports were not ready to be tabled prior to the call of the byelections," it said. In its report, SaskPower said it plans to get back to black by next year, budgeting a $23-million surplus.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Fitch Ratings has downgraded the United States government's credit rating, citing rising debt at the federal, state, and local levels and a “steady deterioration in standards of governance” over the past two decades. WASHINGTON (AP) — Fitch Ratings has downgraded the United States government's credit rating, citing rising debt at the federal, state, and local levels and a “steady deterioration in standards of governance” over the past two decades. A lower credit rating, over time, could raise borrowing costs for the U.S. government. It's only the second time in the nation's history that its credit rating has been cut. Fitch had warned May 24 that it could remove the government's triple-A rating as Congress again struggled to raise the borrowing limit.

Feds try to reclaim $347 million insurance payout to Suncor linked to Libya unrest Aug 2, 2023 | 11:29 AMVANCOUVER — The federal government is trying to reclaim $347 million in insurance paid to Suncor Energy Inc. in the wake of political unrest in Libya. In a ruling this week, a Federal Court judge says the oil giant claimed $300 million in risk mitigation payments for losses linked to Libyan energy assets after fighting between rival political factions spread to the country’s oil crescent region in 2015. But Export Development Canada, which insures against losses caused by political violence, says Suncor’s oil production facilities continue to boast significant value and generate revenue for the Calgary-based company. The Federal Court ruling says Canada’s export credit agency wants to recover all $347 million, which includes interest, paid out in connection with the assets.

Libyan House of Representatives Speaker Aguila Saleh met with UN Special Envoy for Libya Abdoulaye Bathily on Wednesday to discuss efforts to hold long-delayed elections. According to House spokesman Abdullah Blehiq, Saleh renewed calls for forming a unified transitional government to oversee elections. The Speaker stated the need for “taking information about the House of Representatives from its official sources,” Blehiq said. The meeting comes amid rising tensions between the UN envoy and Libya’s rival parliamentary bodies. In recent press statements, Bathily accused the parliamentary bodies of obstructing the UN-led peace process and efforts to organize elections.

CAIRO – 2 August 2023: Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Untied States is keen to coordinate with Egypt to end the crisis in Sudan as he made a phone call on Wednesday with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Blinken praised Egypt’s important role within the Sudan neighboring states mechanism, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. A Sudan neighboring states summit chaired by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi was held in mid-July in Cairo to contribute to resolving the crisis in Sudan and avoid risks of regional instability. Blinken highlighted the importance of the strategic partnership between Egypt and the US, stressing keenness to enhance their bilateral cooperation in various fields, including economic, development, military and security cooperation. The ministers also discussed the two countries’ stances on a number of regional issues, including Sudan, Libya and the Palestinian cause.

ITA Airways (AZ, Rome Fiumicino) operated its first commercial flight to Libya in almost ten years on July 24, 2023, albeit as a charter. The carrier is studying the resumption of scheduled services following a recent diplomatic agreement between Italy and Libya. Italy and Libya reached an agreement to reopen direct flights in early July 2023, becoming the third EU member state to do so. As such, despite the agreement between Libya and Italy, only European carriers will benefit from the move for now. The current scheduled EU-Libya network is limited to flights operated by Marathon Airlines (3x weekly Athens-Benghazi) and Malta MedAir (4x weekly Malta International-Tripoli and weekly Malta-Misurata).