News Briefs

J’cans among 39 nabbed in US as human rights violators

WASHINGTON (CMC):

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says nationals from Jamaica and Haiti are among 39 fugitives arrested for their roles in known or suspected human-rights violations during a nationwide operation.

On Wednesday, ICE said that the operation, which led to the detention of 30 males and nine females, took place from August 27 to 29 in several cities, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Miami, New Orleans, and New York City.

Besides Haiti and Jamaica, ICE said the other persons arrested are from El Salvador, Guatemala, China, Liberia, Cambodia, Chad, Chile, Colombia, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone and Sudan.

ICE said that the foreign nationals arrested during the operation “all have outstanding removal orders and are subject to repatriation to their countries of origin.”

 

 

FTC warns consumers about ‘unlimited’ plans

The Fair Trading Commission is urging consumers to be particularly vigilant when the word ‘unlimited’ is used in advertisements, and are encouraged to obtain full information from their telecommunications service providers on the details of calling plans prior to purchase.

The FTC said it has received several complaints regarding restrictions placed on unlimited calling plans by telecommunication service providers and has launched investigations pursuant to Section 37 of the Fair Competition Act, which deals with misleading advertising.

In particular, the FTC will be treating advertisements promoting calling plans which are capped or otherwise qualified, and which are referred to as ‘unlimited’ or any other word which may convey a similar meaning, as being misleading or likely to mislead the public.

The commission said that the complaints from the public, which concern the unlimited calling, text and data plans being advertised, would be vigorously pursued as breaches of the Fair Competition Act.

 

 

Trump administration sued over immigrant medical care

BOSTON (AP):

Civil rights groups are suing President Donald Trump’s administration over its decision to stop considering requests from immigrants seeking to remain in the country for medical treatment and other hardships.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts and Lawyers for Civil Rights filed a lawsuit in Boston federal court yesterday, challenging the August 7 decision by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to end its deferred action programme.

The programme allows foreign nationals to work legally and receive health benefits for up to two years while they or their family members receive medical treatment.

The USCIS announced Monday that it would continue processing deferral requests that were pending as of August 7 after doctors, immigration lawyers and civil rights groups objected.

 

 

Johnson seeks UK election bid as political foes push back

LONDON (AP):

Boxed in by opponents and abandoned politically even by his own brother, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson struggled yesterday to keep his Brexit plans on track, and he accused lawmakers of thwarting democracy by blocking his call for a new election.

Johnson remained determined to secure an election after lawmakers rejected his attempt to trigger a snap poll and moved to stop him taking the UK out of the European Union next month without a divorce deal.

It’s uncertain whether next Monday’s vote on a motion calling for an election in October will pass, with opposition parties divided over whether to agree to an election now.

Johnson said he would “rather be dead in a ditch” than delay Brexit any further, and insisted that whether or not Britain left the EU as planned on Oct. 31 must be “a matter for the people of this country to decide”.

His brother, Jo Johnson, dramatically quit the government Thursday, saying he could no longer endure the conflict “between family loyalty and the national interest”.