Welcome to this edition of The Hindu on Books Newsletter. Last October, following the Hamas attack on Israel and the furious response by the latter on Gaza, the Frankfurt Book Fair “postponed” a prize ceremony it had scheduled for Palestinian writer Adania Shibli. Her book, Minor Detail, translated into English by Elisabeth Jaquette, had won Germany’s 2023 LiBeraturpreis, a prize that honours women writers from Africa, Asia, Latin America or the Arab world. Shibli said she would have reflected on the role of literature in “these cruel and painful times”. Many writers across the world protested the Frankfurt Book Fair’s stance, saying different…
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Incremental funding provides disaster recovery, workforce training in 33 countiesWASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $6.6 million to support continued disaster-relief employment and workforce training for eligible residents in Florida as the state’s recovery after Hurricane Idalia continues.On Sept. 18, 2023, the department announced a National Dislocated Worker Grant of up to $20 million – with an initial award of $6.6 million – to the Florida Department of Commerce to provide people with temporary employment focused on debris removal, water damage cleanup and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those affected by the storm, and…
The Secretary-General expressed his appreciation to Turkmenistan for hosting the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia in Ashgabat, and commended Turkmenistan’s generosity in granting citizenship to stateless people. He also thanked the President for providing the UN Country Team with a new building. Regional challenges Later at a press encounter, Mr. Guterres told journalists that “Turkmenistan is playing a very important role in international relations”, particularly in cooperation with the UN. “In these troubled times, I commend Turkmenistan’s policy of neutrality,” he said. The Secretary-General is on an official visit to Central Asia, which covers Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan,…
Ambassador at Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy Nathaniel C. Fick traveled to Chisinau, Moldova from August 15 to 17, 2024. In Moldova, Ambassador Fick met with senior Moldovan officials as well as private sector and civil society representatives. They discussed deepening the U.S.-Moldovan partnership on cybersecurity amid current hybrid threats designed to destabilize and undermine democratic processes and societies, including Russian government efforts currently underway to influence the outcomes of Moldova’s Fall 2024 presidential election and EU referendum. Ambassador Fick commended Moldova’s leaders for addressing these threats, building resilience, and maintaining peace and security, while driving forward democratic reforms and strengthening…
Date of action: Aug. 6, 2024Type of action: Decision and order Defendants: Kwiat Eye and Laser Surgery PLLC Dr. David Kwiat 100 Holland Circle Drive, Amsterdam, NY Allegations: After an Occupational Safety and Health Administration whistleblower investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Solicitor filed suit against Dr. David Kwiat and his practice…
Last year was the deadliest so far, with 280 aid workers killed in 33 countries – an “outrageously high number”, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The figure represents a 137 per cent increase compared to 2022, when 118 aid workers were killed. UN chief António Guterres said in his message for the day that a climate of imunity meant perpetrators of violence and disinformation campaigns against humanitarians “do not fear justice.” “We demand that governments put pressure on all parties to conflict to protect civilians”, he added. “We must all do more to protect…
Ethiopia’s recent macroeconomic reforms, supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, could have profound implications for the country and the region. The key reforms include the use of a floating exchange rate system and of interest rates as a policy tool. They were introduced just ahead of the approval of a financial package that could eventually amount to about US$20 billion by the IMF and the World Bank. Ethiopia is also expected to save about US$5 billion from its credit restructuring following the IMF deal. The financial package aims to tackle pressing issues such as inflation,…
The international airport had been closed due to rampant gang violence in the country. The flight carried nearly 15 metric tonnes of medicine and medical supplies to be added to the resources of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Mr. Dujarric said this will “support critical, lifesaving operations as insecurity continues to restrict people’s access to healthcare, mainly in the metropolitan area of the capital Port-au-Prince and in the Artibonite department.” Funding shortfall The Secretary-General’s spokesperson said that local non-governmental organizations along with WHO are providing many services to displaced civilians, including “screening for malnutrition,…
Date of action: June 28, 2024Type of action: Consent judgmentEmployer name: Ikaros Gourmet Co., operating as Simon’s Food ConcessionsAddress: 1412 Chelton Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15226Allegations: Prompted by the findings of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, the department’s Office of the Solicitor filed suit in September 2023 against Ikaros Gourmet Co., a food stand operating as Simon’s Food Concessions, citing numerous violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The division determined that the company failed to pay overtime wages to six employees for hours over 40 in a workweek; instead paying straight-time wages for all…
The sharp increase is being driven by diseases, including cholera and malaria, high food insecurity, and limited access to safe drinking water and other essential services, according to the analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Technical Working Group. Yemen has been mired in conflict and economic collapse for nearly a decade. As Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, and Houthi rebels, continue to battle, more than 18 million people, over half the population, require humanitarian aid to survive. Young children going hungry The report covers the period from November 2023 to October 2024. It found that…