SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, good afternoon, everyone. And for those of you who were traveling, welcome home. Accurate information is vital to the health of any democracy. It helps citizens understand the issues and effects – and events that are affecting their lives. It empowers them to engage meaningfully in their communities, their country, the world. When state or non-state actors spread disinformation, material deliberately meant to deceive or divide our public, they attack the very foundations of our free and open society. In March, I laid out the comprehensive steps the administration is taking to address this threat to our…
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Today, at the Silesian Museum in Katowice, the European City of Science 2024, two prestigious European science competitions concluded with the announcement of their winners. The 35th EU Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) and the 2nd EU TalentOn brought together over 250 promising young minds from across the globe to present innovative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges of our time.EUCYS 2024Meanwhile, 146 young scientists aged 14 to 20, from 37 countries, showcased their projects at the 35th EUCYS. Competing in a range of scientific fields including biology, chemistry, computer science, and engineering, the participants impressed the international…
US Department of Labor found Los Cocos locations violated overtime, minimum wage, tip rulesKANSAS CITY, KS – A federal jury in Kansas has awarded $957,324 in back wages for 168 workers at three Wichita-area restaurants jointly operated by three owners who willfully violated federal laws by using tips earned by servers to pay hosts and bussers and denying workers minimum and overtime wages.The favorable verdict, rendered on Aug. 30, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas comes in response to a U.S. Department of Labor lawsuit against Los Cocos Mexican Restaurant after the department’s Wage and…
The MVA-BN vaccine from the Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic was prequalified by the WHO on Friday and has already been approved in Europe and the United States, for use by adults. WHO approval will accelerate access for millions, to reduce transmission and help contain the outbreak. WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the prequalification of this vaccine is an important step in the fight against the mpox virus in Africa and for the future. “We now need urgent scale up in procurement, donations and rollout to ensure equitable access to vaccines where they are needed most, alongside other public health…
The government’s plan to restrict pensioners’ winter fuel payment to households getting pension credit has been easily if grudgingly passed by parliament. This was despite a strong case for delaying the move to explore better ways to target the money and to improve take-up of pension credit (which will now be the benchmark for qualifying for the payment). But the government estimates the move will cut public spending by £1.4 billion a year. Winter fuel payment is a tax-free grant of £200 or £300 per household depending on age. Last winter it amounted to around 13% to 20% respectively of…
Displacements in this Caribbean country have reached record levels, with nearly 600,000 people forced to leave their homes this year – double the number from last year. This makes Haiti the country with the highest number of displacements due to violence. Support from the NGO TOYA Louise and Chantal* both received support from the Haitian NGO TOYA, a partner of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the regional branch of the World Health Organization (WHO). © UNICEF/Ralph Tedy Erol People continue to flee their homes in Port-au-Prince due to gang-related violence. Louise, 47, is a single mother of five children.…
On September 18, 2024, at 10:30a.m. ET in Washington, D.C., Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez will deliver remarks alongside Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Đurić at an official signing ceremony between the U.S. and Serbia to advance energy cooperation. The Under Secretary and Minister will provide opening remarks before signing an agreement on strategic cooperation in the field of energy in Serbia, which will expand opportunities for U.S. companies to invest in Serbia’s energy sector, including promoting U.S. investments that will strengthen the U.S.-Serbia relationship. Media representatives wishing to attend the remarks must RSVP…
The European Union, its Member States and countries associated to its research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, have joined forces in a new European Partnership on Rare Diseases (ERDERA). Launched under Horizon Europe, ERDERA’s aim is to transform the landscape of rare disease research across the continent and deliver significant health benefits to the estimated over 30 million people in Europe affected by rare diseases through improved prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: “Millions of Europeans suffer from one of the rare diseases, but we lack a good understanding of their condition as…
Strauss Feeds LLC in Watertown failed to protect employees against recognized dangersWATERTOWN, WI – Federal workplace safety inspectors found a Wisconsin animal food producer exposed employees to the risks of explosions, fires and long-term respiratory illnesses from excessive amounts of airborne dust, among two dozen safety and health violations they identified. The findings follow an inspection by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration at Strauss Feeds LLC of Watertown in February 2024 after the agency received complaints of unsafe working conditions. OSHA inspectors found the company’s poor housekeeping, its failure to evaluate spaces for dust hazards, and an absence…
The crisis in Yemen, which worsened in 2014 after Houthi rebels (known officially as Ansar Allah) seized the capital, has been marked by complex political and military tensions. More than 18 million people – half the country’s population – remain dependent on humanitarian assistance and protection. Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, told the Security Council that while violence remains below pre-2022 truce levels, clashes in regions like Hudaydah and Ta’iz continue to claim lives. “The current dynamic is a stark reminder that the threat of a return to full-scale war remains ever-present,” he warned. Regional tensions continue…