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Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, was updating ambassadors in the Security Council. The United States has not returned to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as the deal is formally called. Washington has not lifted or waived the unilateral sanctions it reimposed after its withdrawal in May 2018 nor has it extended waivers over oil trading with Iran. As for Tehran’s policies, the government has not reversed any of the steps it has taken since May 2019 which are inconsistent with its nuclear-related commitments. The 2015 JCPOA lays out the rules for monitoring Iran’s domestic nuclear…

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Over the last year, Special Representative Penny Pritzker has been a tireless advocate of Ukraine’s economic recovery. She has traveled to Ukraine six times, leading multiple CEO delegations to Kyiv, and making stops across Europe, all with the primary objective of helping the people of Ukraine lay the groundwork for full-scale economic recovery and EU accession. I am grateful for Penny’s public service, and for re-joining government and stepping into this role at such a critical time. Penny’s accomplishments are numerous. She championed the cause for approximately $9 billion in economic assistance to Ukraine in the most recent supplemental; helped launch the G7+ Multi-agency Donor Coordination…

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The IRFU have announced the appointment of Aled Walters as head of athletic performance for Ireland.The appointment is considered somewhat of a coup considering Walters is one of the most decorated coaches in world rugby. He joins from England where he has been head of strength and conditioning since 2023. Before that he was head of athletic performance for South Africa’s Rugby World Cup-winning squad in 2019.Walter has worked in Ireland before as he was Munster’s head of athletic performance for almost six seasons starting in 2012. He was also head of physical performance for Leicester Tigers between 2020 and…

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Port-au-Prince has been in the grip of armed groups for several years now, and roughly two months ago they launched coordinated attacks which paralyzed the metropolitan area. Since then, UNICEF, alongside the National Directorate for Water and Sanitation (DINEPA) and partners, has provided more than 2.6 million litres of safe drinking water to children and families across 20 sites housing those displaced. Dire conditions, disease threat The recent escalation of violence has compounded the already dire situation faced by children and families, who already lack essential support and facilities. The current rainy season has only added to their plight, leading…

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A new report from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) confirmed that each year, hundreds of thousands of people risk their lives to migrate from sub-Saharan countries in Africa without access to immediate assistance, shelter or information about the dangers they may face including from traffickers – even though the location of major movement hubs is well known. Avoidable dangers Vincent Cochetel, UNHCR Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean, said that the absence of critical services placed refugees and migrants “at great risk of harm and death” and also triggered dangerous secondary journeys. “Our capacity to partner directly with local authorities…

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Bring your appetite for Friday food trucks Head over to Perkins Rowe on Friday, Aug. 9, for the Food Truck Round-Up at the Rowe. Food trucks will be lined up from Barnes & Noble to Kendra Scott. Perique will perform live music in Town Square. The event is rain-or-shine, but the music will be moved to The Great Hall in the event of rain. Featured food trucks include Joel’s Lobster Rolls, Louisiana Lemonade, Capitol Seafood, Bayou BBQ, Carnival Concessions and more. Food Truck Round-Up is from 6-8 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. Perkins Rowe is…

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M&H Crates Inc. faces $254K in penalties after 2024 follow-up inspectionJACKSONVILLE, TX – Despite receiving warnings and citations for more than a decade, a Jacksonville pallet manufacturer’s history of failing to protect employees from the risk of amputation continues, a U.S. Department of Labor follow-up inspection has found. Inspectors with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration returned to M&H Crates Inc. in February 2024 and found lockout/tagout violations similar to those discovered during inspections in 2012 and in subsequent visits in 2014, 2020 and 2022. The company now faces $254,527 in proposed penalties.During two inspections in February 2022, OSHA cited…

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The experts said they have received allegations that migrants are being deceived about “working and living conditions and the nature of their agreements with employers in the agricultural or care sectors.” “This is unlawful and highlights the need for urgent reform of the current system governing labour migration, to ensure effective protection of the rights of migrant workers,” they said. Exploiting migrants The UN experts are concerned about shortcomings of the Seasonal Worker Scheme – a system implemented in response to labour shortages in the UK. These specialists say some “scheme operators” which are licensed recruitment companies will recruit migrants…

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The United States hosted Sweden for a dialogue on the Indo-Pacific August 5 in Washington, D.C.  Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Jan Knutsson co-chaired the dialogue.  The U.S. delegation included senior government officials from the Department of State, the National Security Council, and the Department of Defense. The United States and Sweden discussed joint priorities in the region to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, including upholding international law and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, enhancing maritime and security cooperation in the…

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WASHINGTON – The Department of Labor and the General Services Administration today announced a collaborative effort to centralize government benefits information on USA.gov and USAGov en Español, which will offer a new benefits experience for the public in English and Spanish. Benefits.gov, a website managed and hosted by the department since 2002, will shut down in September 2024. In alignment with Executive Order 14058, USA.gov will ensure users can continue to connect with government benefits programs, while also improving government services.“For over 20 years, Benefits.gov was a leading example of interagency collaboration, technological innovation and a focus on customer experience,” said the Department of Labor’s Chief Information Officer…

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