The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Canada and the United Kingdom, and the European Union. Four years on from the fraudulent 2020 presidential election and the appalling human rights crackdown in Belarus, the United States of America, Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom stand in solidarity with the people of Belarus who, in spite of continued repression by the Lukashenka regime, have peacefully and courageously pressed for democratic change, respect for human rights, and the release of all political prisoners. We affirm that the sanctions we have recently announced represent…
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Employers: Dada Guru Hospitality Inc. operating as Quality Inn, Jackson, Michigan Prakash Patel Pratyush Patel Actions: U.S. Department of Labor Fair Labor Standards Act consent judgment Courts: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of MichiganCourt Action: The U.S. Department of Labor recovered $11,969.50 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages for a total of $23,939 for two front desk employees. An investigation by the Wage and Hour Division found Dada Guru Hospitality Inc. and its owner/operators Prakash Patel and Pratyush Patel paid two front desk workers a flat monthly rate ‒ regardless of the number…
Kinshasa – With record levels of internal displacement, acute food insecurity, and gender-based violence, urgent and concerted action is needed to stem the worsening humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), warned Amy Pope, director general of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at the end of a three-day visit to the country. “In eastern DRC, I met with people who have been affected by conflict their whole lives – displaced multiple times, living in the most challenging conditions in makeshift camps. The situation facing women and girls – who are bearing the brunt of this conflict…
OKLAHOMA CITY – An Edmond contractor with a history of workplace safety violations dating back to 2018, including three related to the dangers in underground trenches, was found disregarding U.S. Department of Labor regulations.In February 2024, investigators with the department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration learned a 61-year-old pipe layer employed by Jerlow Construction Co. suffered fatal injuries when a 9-foot deep trench collapsed at a residential work site near Shawnee. The agency determined the employer allowed their employees to work in an excavation without proper protections, including shielding, benching, sloping or other devices. The incident occurred as employees worked…
Employers: Old Woodward Ventures LLC, operating as Luxe Bar & Grill Kara Bongiovanni Grand Lux Café, Troy, Michigan Court Action: Consent judgment and orderCourt: U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, Southern DivisionInvestigation findings: An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recovered $45,428 ‒ representing $22,714 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages ‒…
On a seemingly typical day in Semarang, Indonesia, a few train passengers have started to feel nauseous. Others nearby are saying they cannot breathe. Five have fainted. One is not responding. A few minutes in, a miniature car wheezes by them, followed by a group of people dressed in full astronaut-like orange suits. They’re looking for bombs. This is what a fictional chemical terrorist attack simulation exercise looks like. “The threat of chemical terrorism is real,” said Niki Esse de Lang, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC’s regional counter-terrorism coordinator for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. “To counter…
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…
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…
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…
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…