The following is the Joint Statement of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken after their meeting in Berlin, October 18, 2024: Yahya Sinwar was a brutal murderer and terrorist who was bent on eradicating Israel and its people. As vicious mastermind of the October 7 terror attacks, he brought death to thousands of people and immeasurable suffering across an entire region. Sinwar stood in the way of a ceasefire in Gaza. His death can create a momentum to end the conflict. All hostages must be released. At the same time, humanitarian aid must be…
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Grant supports employment, humanitarian assistance, training in affected communitiesWASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the approval of up to $5 million in initial emergency grant funding to Tennessee to support disaster-relief jobs and training services in 12 counties to help respond to Tropical Storm Helene. On Sept. 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm and quickly moved across the Southeast, weakening to a tropical storm that inundated eastern portions of Tennessee with floodwaters. The flooding led to deaths and damaged and destroyed businesses, homes and critical infrastructure. Lifesaving and safety operations continue…
Mozambique ranks in the bottom 20 of the human development index. This measures a country’s progress based on key dimensions such as a long and healthy life and a decent standard of living. Nearly two-thirds of Mozambicans – 18.9 million people – live below the national poverty line of US$0.70-a-day. The country also struggles to finance public spending, consistently running state budget deficits . At the same time it also fails to spend all the money that’s been budgeted. Mozambique’s frequent budget deficits are no surprise. The country has a rapidly growing population, increasing needs of the poor populations, dilapidated…
Here is what you need to know about UNIFIL, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon: Security Council mandate UNIFIL was created by the Security Council in March 1978 following Israel’s invasion of Lebanon. Its mandate was to confirm the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area. A UNIFIL convoy travels close to the Blue Line in southern Lebanon. It was not until 2000 that Israel withdrew from Lebanon. In the absence of an agreed border, the UN identified a 120km line of withdrawal…
Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya will travel to Ukraine, Poland, and the United Kingdom from October 18-22, 2024. In Ukraine, Under Secretary Zeya will reaffirm steadfast U.S. commitment to robust civilian security and humanitarian support, and strengthening Ukraine’s democratic resilience in the face of Russia’s continued brutal aggression. In her engagements with government, humanitarian, and civil society leaders, she will emphasize continued partnership on anti-corruption and rule of law reforms, a strong civil society and independent media, and advancing victim- and survivor-centered justice and accountability for Ukrainians. In Poland, the Under Secretary will…
HUNTSVILLE, AL – A U.S. Department of Labor workplace safety investigation has found that a Huntsville countertop installation company could have prevented a 33-year-old employee from being struck by a stone slab weighing thousands of pounds by following federal safety standards at a Huntsville job site.Investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration determined that employees of Huntsville Granite and Marble LLC were using a forklift to take stone slabs off a storage rack when the slab became unsecured and struck the worker. OSHA found that an improperly secured load and a damaged rigging hook with a missing safety latch contributed…
The finding comes in the latest update to the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI), jointly published by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Conflict disrupting lives The MPI was launched in 2010 and this year’s edition features research across 112 countries and 6.3 billion people. It found that 1.1 billion are living in acute poverty and a staggering 455 million are in countries experiencing war or fragility. “Conflicts have intensified and multiplied in recent years, reaching new highs in casualties, displacing record millions…
“Families I spoke with had run for their lives and have no idea what tomorrow may bring after an exhausting, dangerous journey to the border. They arrive with few means and in need of urgent relief,” UNHCR chief Mr. Grandi said, visiting the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing. The exodus comes as the conflict between Israel and Lebanon escalates, forcing Lebanese refugees to seek safety across the border. The arrival of refugees in Syria adds another layer of complexity to an already strained humanitarian situation. The Syrian civil war which began in 2011 has resulted in one of the world’s largest…
The United States is today imposing sanctions on three entities and one individual involved in the development and production of Russia’s Garpiya series long-range attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), which has been deployed in Russia’s brutal war against Ukraine. The Garpiya, designed and produced in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in collaboration with Russian defense firms, has been used to destroy critical infrastructure and has resulted in mass casualties. These sanctions targets were involved in the development and production of military equipment for a U.S.-sanctioned Russian defense firm for use by the Russian military in Ukraine. While the United States previously imposed sanctions on PRC entities providing critical inputs to Russia’s military-industrial base, these are the first U.S. sanctions imposed on PRC entities…
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the release of comprehensive Artificial Intelligence Best Practices designed to ensure that emerging technologies such as AI enhance job quality and benefit workers when they are used in the workplace.The department’s AI Best Practices provide developers and employers with a detailed roadmap to implement the department’s AI and Worker Well-being: Principles for Developers and Employers, which were released under President Biden’s Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence. These guidelines further the department’s commitment to centering worker empowerment and well-being, particularly workers in underserved communities,…