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US Government Blocks British Court Hearing on Diego Garcia Citing Security Concerns
According to official records, the US government has refused to hold a British court hearing on British territory due to security concerns.
The highest court of the British Indian Ocean Territory (Biot) was scheduled to hold a hearing this week, attended by the BBC, to determine whether a group of migrants was being unlawfully imprisoned on the island of Diego Garcia.
The island is home to a classified UK-US military installation, and entry is strictly restricted.
According to official emails, the US announced last week that it was “withdrawing its consent” for lawyers representing migrants and “members of the press”—the BBC—to visit the island.
It stated that it would not allow hearing participants to board US military flights to Diego Garcia and would not provide “housing, transportation, and food for the visit”.
The US stated that it would be “willing to reconsider” if the visit was “conducted in a manner” that met its “security and operational concerns”.
Dozens of migrants arrived on the island in October 2021, claiming to have been fleeing persecution and attempting to sail to Canada to seek refuge when their boat became stuck near Diego Garcia.
Late last Thursday night, hours before the judge, UK government lawyers, refugees’ representatives, and the BBC were scheduled to board flights for the first leg of the journey, the court issued an order canceling the hearing.
The US security concerns stem from a site visit slated for the island as part of the hearing, which was to include the migrant camp and numerous other parts of Diego Garcia.
In a message dated July 3, headlined “United States Notification to the United Kingdom of denial of the 6-12 July 2024 visit by the Biot Supreme Court to Diego Garcia,” US authorities stated that the site visit posed “risks to the security and effective operation” of the facility.
It has previously stated that it was willing to allow access to locations such as the migrant camp, the surrounding beaches, and a chapel where children receive education.
However, it stated that it would not grant access to areas “open to civilian contractors and other non-military personnel,” such as a movie theater, a barbershop, and a bowling alley, the airport terminal, and “all US-controlled areas occupied by the Biot administration, the Royal Overseas Police, and the Royal Navy.”
According to court filings filed on behalf of Biot’s commissioner, the reasons for the island’s US military commander’s decision were “confidential and based on the US’s assessment of its own national security needs”.
Tom Short, a lawyer with the UK company Leigh Day, representing some migrants, said the cancellation of this week’s hearing was “a devastating blow to our vulnerable clients” and urged it to be rescheduled as soon as possible.
“Our clients have agreed to US demands that the site visit exclude certain US-controlled buildings (such as the gym and swimming pool where US cheerleaders and celebrity chefs visited earlier this year), as well as facilities such as the Turner Club and Golf Club (which Biot and FCDO civil servants frequent).”
“It is of paramount importance to our clients that the Judge see the detention camp and that they attend a hearing in person,” he claimed.
A virtual court session on Tuesday, attended by lawyers in London and migrants in Diego Garcia, aimed to establish the next steps in the case as talks between the UK and US governments continued.
After the hearing, migrants told the BBC they were disappointed that this week’s hearing had been canceled.
“It has taken away all our hope,” one woman stated. “We’ve been locked here for about three years. We hoped that this hearing would bring us some relief.”
In 1965, the UK acquired the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, which include Diego Garcia, from its then-colony, Mauritius. It then evicted its population of over 1,000 to make a place for the military base.
Agreements struck in 1966 authorized the United States to exploit the region for an initial 50 years, followed by an additional 20 years. The agreement was subsequently “rolled over” in 2016, and according to the Biot website, it will now expire in 2036.
Biot is managed from London but is said to be “constitutionally distinct” from the UK.
Mauritius, which gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1968, claims ownership of the islands, and the United Nations’ highest court has decided that the UK’s administration of the area is “unlawful” and must terminate.
The US controls most of the troops and resources on Diego Garcia, including most of the island’s accommodation, transportation, restaurants, and businesses.
For security considerations, the US military commander may prohibit access to US military-operated or controlled places.
In a witness statement, Biot’s deputy commissioner, Nishi Dholakia, stated that it would be impossible to “make alternative arrangements to replace the logistical support which the US was due to provide” in time for the scheduled court hearing this week.
He stated that the chamber where the hearing was set could only be used if the United States cooperated.
According to Biot’s official website, only “those with connections either to the military facility or the Territory’s Administration” can visit the island.
Diego Garcia has been referred to as a significant strategic base for the US. Two B-52 bombers were sent there to conduct training drills earlier this year.
In recent decades, US planes have flown from the facility to strike Afghanistan and Iraq.
The UK government revealed that rendition flights landed on the territory to refuel in 2002. However, former CIA director Michael Hayden disputed that it was ever used to detain and interrogate terror suspects.
The first asylum petitions on Biot were filed by dozens of Sri Lankan Tamils who arrived in October 2021. Approximately 60 people, including at least 16 children, remain there, guarded by private security company G4S, as intricate court fights over their destiny play out.
This week’s session was scheduled for their first in-person meeting with their counsel. There have been many suicide attempts on the island, as well as claims of sexual harassment and assaults reportedly perpetrated by migrants in the camp.
Some migrants have been airlifted to Rwanda for medical treatment following self-harm and suicide attempts, while those who have successfully filed claims are awaiting the identification of a “safe third country” in which to resettle.
Last year, United Nations representatives visited the camp and found arbitrary detention conditions.
During Tuesday’s virtual session, one of the island’s migrants fainted repeatedly.
The Foreign Office has previously informed the BBC that the island is unsuitable for migrants to reside on and is “working tirelessly to process the migrants’ claims for protection and to find a suitable third country for those whose claims are upheld”.
“At all times, the welfare and safety of migrants on Biot has always been our top priority,” it stated earlier this year.
Source: BBC
(VOR News) – The results of a recent study suggest that telehealth therapy may lower the risk of suicide. In the United States, a study was conducted.
The results of a study that was published in the journal JAMA Network Open on November 12 indicate that cognitive behavior therapy can help lower the number of suicide attempts and thoughts.
US Telehealth researchers conducted the study.
This predicament is still true even when therapy is delivered via telehealth for a little period of time. As a result of the information they discovered during the investigation, the researchers finally reached this conclusion.
According to a study conducted by clinical psychologist Justin Baker, a researcher at Ohio State University, this is information that should be promoted.
According to Baker, this is a result of the fact that, at this specific point in history, therapy is increasingly being delivered via the use of virtual methods.
Baker was said to have stated, “The nearly overnight shift from mostly in-person to mostly virtual therapy appointments following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic was the impetus for this research question.” Ohio State published a press release that contained this message.
In making this claim, Baker was alluding to the fact that the shift occurred very immediately after the outbreak began. Baker was referring to the changes brought about by the pandemic outbreak spreading significantly.
It has long been thought that patients who are deemed to be at high risk are not suitable candidates for virtual healthcare. This is because the use of virtual healthcare is linked to both accountability and the possibility of harm.
We randomly assigned the following telehealth programs to 96 Americans:
They received instruction on how to control and alter the disturbing ideas and bad notions they were experiencing through telehealth cognitive behavioral therapy, with a special emphasis on suicide. They received this instruction while participating in the activity.
A treatment method called present-centered therapy is used to help patients deal with the difficulties they are currently confronting in their life.
The results of the study conducted by the researchers demonstrated that a present-focused approach to treatment is a successful way to reduce depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. Research has shown that therapeutic approaches that focus on the present moment are useful.
However, the results of this study show that when it came to reducing the proportion of patients who attempted suicide while getting telehealth services, cognitive behavioral therapy outperformed present-centered therapy.
Furthermore, the results showed that both treatments were effective in lowering the number of suicidal thoughts that patients thought about taking their own lives. The effectiveness of both therapies served as evidence for this.
Craig Bryan, a researcher and the chairman of telehealth Ohio State University’s Suicide Prevention Program, says, “We have good, tested treatments that will lead to significant symptom reduction and improved quality of life for those who are suffering from suicidal thoughts and behaviors.”
In addition, Bryan is currently the program’s leader. Additionally, Bryan is currently in charge of the program. “We have treatments that have been proven to be effective.”
Bryan said that a considerable percentage of therapists are still maintaining some aspect of their telemedicine practice following the epidemic, even though limitations are being loosened.
This leads to the scenario even when boundaries are being loosened. “The results of this study have the potential to expand access to essential treatments that are supported by evidence for people living in rural and difficult-to-reach areas.”
You should call the telehealth Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 if you or a loved one is experiencing an emotional or suicide crisis if you are experiencing emotional distress. They are available to listen to your issues as well as offer support.
SOURCE: USN
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The Main US Inflation Tracker Increased For The First Time Since March.
(VOR News) – The challenging road to lower levels is demonstrated by the fact that one of the most important measures of inflation in the United States has increased for the first time since March.
The consumer price index (CPI), a metric that gauges price inflation across a variety of goods, at an annual rate of 2.6% as October reached its peak. The CPI has never been higher than it was at this time.
According to reports, the rate was 2.4% last month, the lowest in over three years. This rate is higher than the one that was noted the month before.
Eliminating food and energy, “core” inflation stayed at 3.3%.
This occurred upon completion of the computation. Following this stage, the index underwent a thorough analysis. A reading was considered accurate if it agreed with the estimates provided by economists.
Even though inflation has somewhat decreased since reaching its greatest level in four decades in the summer of 2022, many Americans still face financial hardship as a result of years of rising prices. This can be attributed to the fact that inflation peaked in the summer of 2022.
According to exit poll results, a significant number of Republican voters expressed dissatisfaction with their own financial circumstances as well as the state of the US economy.
Their voiced displeasure was a reflection of their dissatisfaction. A significant factor that contributed to the election was the ire generated by the rising cost of living. This rage was among the most important factors.
Concerns have been expressed regarding the real effects that these reforms would have on the inflation rate. Donald Trump proposed tax cuts and tariffs as workable answers throughout his campaign, but there have been questions raised over the real effects of these measures.
The next president has promised to levy tariffs on all U.S. imports that are at least 10 percent higher than the current rate, according to the results of a research by Yale’s Budget Lab.
The implementation of this strategy, which many industry experts believe would almost surely result in an increase in inflation of up to 5.1%, has already been made public.
It was the first time in four years that the Federal Reserve started lowering interest rates in September, which marked the first time in four years they had done so.
This was the first time they had ever implemented inflation.
The Federal Reserve has reached a significant turning point in its attempts to control inflation at this particular moment. Additional interest rate cuts were implemented Monday, lowering them to their lowest point since February 2023. Since February 2023, they have not been this low.
The Federal Reserve’s chairman, Jerome Powell, said the Fed “has gained confidence that we’re on a sustainable path down to 2%,” the target it has set for its inflation rate.
He hosted a news conference where he made this declaration. Considering the previously mentioned, he added that “the task is incomplete.”
As part of its “dual mandate,” the Fed is working to keep inflation from rising while also keeping the unemployment rate from rising. This is being done from the Federal Reserve’s point of view.
Over the past few months, the labor market has been significantly slowing down; in October, the United States created just 12,000 new jobs.
This suggests that there is a downturn in the labor market. In October 2023, the unemployment rate was 4.1%, which was a low figure that was similar to levels before the sickness started. Since the illness had not yet spread, this was the situation. This occurred following a reduction in the rate, which came to 3.4% in February 2023.
In response to a query concerning the impact of the election on the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decisions, Powell said that officials “do not know the timing or substance of any policy changes.”
Powell was questioned on the significance of the election. As a consequence, we are unable to determine the possible economic impact of this. The current circumstances are to blame for this.
SOURCE: TG
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Trudeau Government Forces Port Workers Back to Work
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The Trudeau government has invoked federal authority to halt union strike actions at the ports of Vancouver, Prince Rupert, and Montreal, claiming economic damage and the loss of trading partners.
This is the second time in a few months that the Trudeau government has intervened to end a labor conflict. In August, Trudeau ordered work stoppages at the country’s two main railway corporations to cease.
Canadian Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon stated that the supply chain has been damaged and that it will take weeks to clear the container congestion affecting Canadian and US companies. He informed reporters that he had ordered the country’s industrial relations board to end the strike and impose binding arbitration.
“As the economic losses threaten the country and begin to mount, it is up to the government to ensure that … we can get on with the economic life of this country and avoid layoffs and other carnage,” he stated during a news conference.
“Canadians have a limited tolerance right now for economic self-harm.”
The issue, which MacKinnon claimed was hurting more than C$1.3 billion ($932 million) in goods every day, has already hampered shipments of canola oil, forest products, and other goods. Business organizations applauded the announcement.
Union Strike Action Heads to Court
International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 514, representing supervisory longshore workers at the core of the British Columbia conflict, has announced that it will submit a legal challenge to the minister’s instructions.
“We will fight this order in the courts,” stated Frank Morena, president of ILWU Local 514.
“And we will not forget how these employers and this federal Liberal government have attacked not only the ILWU but all of labor.”
MacKinnon said the Canada Industrial Relations Board, which is independent but reports to Ottawa, will issue the required orders in a few days.
The left-leaning government has previously declared that it prefers to resolve labor problems through collective bargaining. MacKinnon said he was forced to interfere when federal mediators reported that discussions in Montreal and Vancouver had reached a stalemate.
The left-of-center opposition New Democrats, a pro-union group supporting the minority Liberal administration, accused Ottawa of giving in to employers.
“Back-to-work orders suppress wages for all Canadians, so billionaires get richer, and the rest of us fall further behind,” leader Jagmeet Singh said in a statement but did not mention bringing the Liberals down.
Trudeau Government Sends Dangerous Message
The Teamsters union, representing employees at the two major train companies, has launched court challenges to labor board judgments that ordered them back to work.
“The government is sending a dangerous message: employers can bypass meaningful negotiations, lock out their workers, and wait for political intervention to secure a more favorable deal,” the Canadian Labour Congress said.
After rejecting a final offer for a new labor deal, the Montreal Longshoremen’s Union called a lockout. As a result, canola oil and forest products exports from West Coast ports, including Vancouver, have ceased.
“These work stoppages are impacting our supply chain, hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs, our economy, and our reputation as a reliable international trading partner,” said MacKinnon, who said employers and unions had not acted quickly enough.
“I’ve directed the Canada Industrial Relations Board to order that all operations and duties at the ports resume and to assist the parties in settling their collective agreements by imposing final and binding arbitration,” he told reporters.
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