Georgia
Factory and health care workers strike, protest in Russia and Georgia
Your entire shopfloor on the Urals Compressor Manufacturing unit (UKZ) in Yekaterinburg, Russia, walked off the job on Tuesday in protest towards the failure of the corporate’s house owners to pay them a number of months’ value of wage. The plant’s 316 staff, who make elements for medical and navy tools, are owed in whole 13.4 million rubles—about $233,000—in excellent wages.
The strike is simply the most recent motion taken by staff within the meeting, foundry, warmth therapy, device and mechanical sections on the enterprise, which since October 2021 has repeatedly didn’t pay salaries. In March 2022, staff laid down their instruments after which once more in Could 2022, resuming work solely after UKZ promised to provide them their pay, as ordered by the native prosecutor. They’ve gotten nothing, nevertheless, for 2 months, other than 1,000 rubles final week out of 100,000 they had been speculated to obtain.
We don’t come up with the money for to even get to work,” one employee instructed the press. “You may’t even get on a bus for a ruble.”
The plant, which has holes within the roof, is evidently falling aside. In a video posted on the Telegram social media channel Ural Mash, one can see piles of rubble on the manufacturing unit ground. “You get refreshing drops of rain in your head,” one employee reported.
The corporate claims it’s owed thousands and thousands by prospects and is saddled with large money owed, having didn’t pay its taxes and for provides. Staff report a steep fall in manufacturing, with every day output just lately dropping to simply two items a day from 60.
However UKZ’s insistence that it abruptly doesn’t have the means to pay its staff simply due to poor market situations and authorities taxes is unconvincing. “I labored there,” wrote one particular person on Telegram. “The fits looted it and that is the unhappy end result.” “Let the epaulets [an ornamental decoration pinned to the uniform of a high-ranking person] dig into them. Then they’ll discover the salaries, the [money for] the utility payments and all the pieces else,” stated one other. Referring to the wholesale theft of publicly-owned trade by the newly-emerging wealthy within the Nineties, one employee declared, “It’s time to take again the vegetation and factories.”
The strike in Yekaterinburg follows walkouts and slowdowns in April and Could by sanitation staff in Novosibirsk, medical doctors, nurses, and emergency medical technicians in Bashkortostan, taxi and supply drivers in Tver and Moscow, and poultry staff in Sakhalin.
Within the former Soviet nation Georgia, which borders Russia to the southwest, staff at a mineral water bottling firm are additionally on strike. They too haven’t been paid for 2 months. Your entire 800-person workforce at two Bojomi vegetation walked off the job on Could 31, demanding cost of again wages, a 25 % wage enhance, a collective bargaining settlement, an finish to what staff describe as “blackmail and threats of layoff” for individuals who criticize the corporate, and the reinstatement of fifty personnel beforehand laid off for protesting.
On Tuesday, laborers threw eggs at police vehicles that sought to deliver strikebreakers into the plant. Staff say the corporate is providing their jobs to Georgians from different elements of the nation, in addition to Ukrainians and Russians, making an attempt to draw them with guarantees of a wage that’s three to 4 instances what they at the moment pay with a purpose to break the strike.
The day earlier than the battle with police broke out at Bojomi’s manufacturing unit gates, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili introduced that the federal government can be shopping for a majority stake within the concern, taking up possession of the corporate from the Russian-based Alfa Group, whose head, Mikhail Fridman, is below anti-Russian sanctions, the instant explanation for the monetary disaster on the firm.
Georgia’s head of state insisted that it will guarantee the tip of “the struggling and oppression” at Bojomi, a doubtful promise on condition that Georgia’s common month-to-month wage is $356 a month, greater than 20 % of its inhabitants lives in poverty, and its main industries, akin to mining, are well-known for being loss of life traps.
Within the nation’s capital on Tuesday, medical staff protested towards horrible working situations and low wages. Senior emergency personnel make about $61 a shift, junior employees about $48, and drivers simply $36. Medical doctors, nurses and ambulance groups are demanding a 100% wage enhance and the reinstatement of a month-to-month bonus, about $180, that had been stripped from them as a result of the federal government in Tbilisi just lately declared the COVID-19 disaster to be over, terminated all public well being measures, and ended all additional funds for well being care staff. Staff insist, nevertheless, that the variety of emergency calls has not decreased.
Refusing to extend wages, the Georgian Ministry of Well being is as an alternative proposing that emergency well being care staff’ hours be modified such that they work 12-hour days, versus 24-hour days spaced 3 days aside—in different phrases, that they commerce one distress for an additional.
Discontent amongst staff is widespread all through the previous Soviet sphere. During the last seven months, hundreds of well being care staff, taxi drivers, railway, fertilizer plant, oil and agricultural staff have protested and gone on strike in international locations akin to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Situations are solely worsening as a result of US/NATO-Russia conflict in Ukraine. No matter claims the governments of those states, significantly the Baltic international locations, make in regards to the willingness of their folks to sacrifice to wage conflict towards Moscow, thousands and thousands of staff can’t and won’t settle for the break of their livelihoods in order that Russia could be carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey and handed out to the wealthy.
Russia too is dealing with a rising jobs disaster, regardless of the Kremlin’s insistence that the unemployment fee is the bottom ever. The nation’s Central Financial institution simply acknowledged Wednesday that job vacancies have been declining for the previous a number of months, with March exhibiting 17 % fewer accessible positions in comparison with the earlier month. HeadHunter, a labor market evaluation agency, reported the subsequent day that one-third of Russia’s staff are fearful they may lose their jobs.
Layoffs proceed to be introduced at industrial enterprises throughout Russia. Volkswagen is attempting to dismiss a whole bunch of staff at its plant in Nizhni Novgorod by providing them six wage funds in the event that they voluntarily depart. In Tikhvin in Leningrad Oblast, a automotive plant and an IKEA facility using 7000 folks will shut. The Barnaul Machine Device Plant in Altai goes to let go 500 staff, greater than beforehand deliberate. In Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, 1,200 staff on the residential development firm Sibpromstroi will lose their jobs.
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Georgia
Georgia president vetoes ‘foreign agents’ law
President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili on Friday vetoed a controversial “foreign agents” law that has been decried as “Russian-style” legislation and has sparked massive protests in the country.
Zourabichvili took to her Twitter account to announce the veto, saying, “Today, I vetoed the Russian law. This law, in its essence and spirit, is fundamentally Russian, contradicting our constitution and all European standards. It thus represents an obstacle to our European path.” Zourabichvili said the veto was legally sound because the law was not “subject to any changes or improvements.”
Georgia’s parliament adopted the controversial law on May 14th, which would have designated civil society organizations that receive funding from abroad as “foreign agents.” The law, which is known as the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, would require any organization in Georgia that receives more than 20% of its income from foreign sources to register as a foreign agent.
The adoption by parliament sparked widespread protests as critics viewed the bill as directly inspired by Russia and said the government was trying to isolate Georgia from the rest of the world. The backlash has been so severe that several Georgian officials have stepped down in protest, most notably Gotcha Javakhishvili, the current ambassador to France.
The legislative process has spurred local protests and provoked the ire of international advocacy groups, which argue the law stifles civil society and fundamental freedoms. Marie Struthers, Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at Amnesty International, stated the law “contravenes Georgia’s international obligations on the rights to freedom of expression and association and strikes at the heart of civil society’s ability to operate freely and effectively.”
Georgia
Georgia softball live score updates in NCAA Athens Regional vs. Liberty
Georgia softball advances to the second round in the NCAA Athens Regional after defeating UNCW 8-0 on Friday afternoon.
The Bulldogs will face Liberty at 11 a.m. Saturday on ESPN+. The Lady Flames defeated Charlotte in game one Friday afternoon 6-3.
Since this is a double elimination tournament, the winner of Georgia’s second round matchup will head to the finals and the loser will get one more shot at glory at 6 p.m. against the winner of UNCW/Charlotte’s 3:30 p.m. game.
The winner of the entire Athens Regional will advance to the Super Regionals against the winner of the Los Angeles Regional, which houses national No. 6 seed UCLA, Grand Canyon, San Diego State and Virginia Tech.
This is the second time Georgia has hosted back-to-back regionals, dating back to the triple host gig they had between 2014-2016. It is the 23rd straight NCAA Tournament made by Georgia, not including the canceled 2020 season. Georgia had advanced to last year’s super-regional rounds. The Bulldogs have advanced to the Women’s College World Series five times, last in 2021, never bringing home the title.
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What channel is Georgia vs. Liberty?
TV channel: ESPN+
Livestream: WatchESPN
Georgia softball start time vs. Liberty
Date: Saturday, May 18
Time: 11 a.m. ET
Location: Jack Turner Stadium; Athens, Ga.
Georgia softball live score updates vs. Liberty
Georgia softball 2024 schedule
Date & Time | Opponent | Location | Results |
---|---|---|---|
Feb. 9 (Red & Black Showcase) @ 3:30 p.m. | Murray State | Athens | W, 11-0 (5 inn.) |
Feb. 9 (Red & Black Showcase) @ 6 p.m. | South Dakota | Athens | W, 4-0 |
Feb. 10 (Red & Black Showcase) @ 1 p.m. | Murray State | Athens | W, 2-0 |
Feb. 10 (Red & Black Showcase) @ 3:30 p.m. | Purdue | Athens | W, 6-1 |
Feb. 11 (Red & Black Showcase) @ Noon | Purdue | Athens | W, 5-1 |
Feb. 15 (Shriners Children’s Clearwater Inv.) @ 1 p.m. | Wisconsin | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 7-6 (10 inn.) |
Feb. 16 (Shriners Children’s Clearwater Inv.) @ 1 p.m. | Oklahoma State | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 7-4 |
Feb. 16 (Shriners Children’s Clearwater Inv.) @ 1 p.m. | UCLA | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 7-2 |
Feb. 17 (Shriners Children’s Clearwater Inv.) @ 1 p.m. | Florida State | Clearwater, Fla. | W, 20-10 (5 inn.) |
Feb. 17 (Shriners Children’s Clearwater Inv.) @ N/A | Minnesota | Clearwater, Fla. | Canceled |
Feb. 23 (Georgia Classic) @ 5:30 p.m. | Virginia Tech | Athens | L, 4-5 |
Feb. 24 (Georgia Classic) @ 12:30 p.m. | Virginia Tech | Athens | W, 7-5 |
Feb. 24 (Georgia Classic) @ 3 p.m. | Radford | Athens | W, 10-1 (6 inn.) |
Feb. 25 (Georgia Classic) @ 1 p.m. | Dartmouth | Athens | W, 8-1 |
Feb. 28 @ 5 p.m. | Clemson | Athens | W, 2-1 (8 inn.) |
March 1 (DeMarini Inv.) @ 3 p.m. | Cal | Palo Alto, Calif. | W, 4-2 |
March 1 (DeMarini Inv.) @ 5:30 p.m. | Boise State | Palo Alto, Calif. | W, 4-1 |
March 2 (DeMarini Inv.) @ 4:30 p.m. | Cal | Palo Alto, Calif. | L, 2-7 |
March 2 (DeMarini Inv.) @ 7 p.m. | Stanford | Palo Alto, Calif. | Canceled |
March 3 (DeMarini Inv.) @ 3 p.m. | Stanford | Palo Alto, Calif. | L, 1-3 (9 inn.) |
March 8 (Bulldog Classic) @ 6 p.m. | Miami (OH) | Athens | W, 13-2 (5 inn.) |
March 9 (Bulldog Classic) @ 1 p.m. | Jacksonville State | Athens | W, 9-0 (5 inn.) |
March 9 (Bulldog Classic) @ 3:30 p.m. | Miami (OH) | Athens | W, 6-4 |
March 10 (Bulldog Classic) @ 1 p.m. | Jacksonville State | Athens | W, 8-6 |
March 10 (Bulldog Classic) @ 3:30 p.m. | Furman | Athens | W, 7-0 |
March 13 @ 6 p.m. | Georgia Tech | Athens | W, 6-3 |
March 15 @ 6 p.m. | Alabama | Athens | W, 4-2 |
March 16 @ Noon | Alabama | Athens | W, 11-3 (5 inn.) |
March 17 @ Noon | Alabama | Athens | L, 4-5 |
March 20 @ 6 p.m. | Georgia Southern | Athens | W, 17-1 (5 inn.) |
March 23 @ 2 p.m. | Ole Miss | Oxford, Miss. | W, 7-0 |
March 23 @ 5 p.m. | Ole Miss | Oxford, Miss. | W, 10-7 (8 inn.) |
March 24 @ 2 p.m. | Ole Miss | Oxford, Miss. | W, 4-1 |
March 27 @ 6:30 p.m. | Kennesaw State | Kennesaw | W, 10-1 (5 inn.) |
March 30 @ Noon | Arkansas | Athens | L, 2-3 |
March 31 @ Noon | Arkansas | Athens | W, 8-2 |
April 1 @ 7 p.m. | Arkansas | Athens | L, 2-8 |
April 3 @ 6 p.m. | Mercer | Athens | W, 8-1 |
April 5 @ 6 p.m. | Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. | L, 1-5 |
April 6 @ Noon | Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. | W, 3-2 |
April 7 @ 11 a.m. | Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. | L, 1-3 |
April 10 @ 6 p.m. | Georgia Southern | Athens | W, 5-0 |
April 12 @ 6:30 p.m. | Kentucky | Lexington, Ky. | L, 5-7 |
April 13 @ 2 p.m. | Kentucky | Lexington, Ky. | W, 6-4 |
April 14 @ 2 p.m. | Kentucky | Lexington, Ky. | L, 2-6 |
April 17 @ 6 p.m. | USC-Upstate | Athens | W, 8-0 |
April 19 @ 6 p.m. | Missouri | Athens | L, 2-4 |
April 20 @ Noon | Missouri | Athens | W, 4-2 |
April 21 @ Noon | Missouri | Athens | W, 4-2 |
April 26 @ 6 p.m. | Florida | Athens | L, 1-9 (5 inn.) |
April 27 @ 11 a.m. | Florida | Athens | W, 11-6 |
April 28 @ Noon | Florida | Athens | L, 7-10 |
May 3 @ 5 p.m. | Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. | L, 0-2 |
May 4 @ 1 p.m. | Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. | W, 5-0 |
May 5 @ Noon | Mississippi State | Starkville, Miss. | L, 1-2 |
May 8 (SEC Tournament, round 1) @ 5 p.m. | Auburn | Auburn, Ala. | W, 6-5 |
May 9 (SEC Tournament, round 2) @ 5 p.m. | Florida | Auburn, Ala. | L, 4-9 |
May 17 (NCAA Regionals, round 1) @ 3:50 p.m. | UNCW | Athens | W, 8-0 (5 inn.) |
May 18 (NCAA Regionals, round 2) @ 1 p.m. | Liberty | Athens | |
May 24-26 (NCAA Super Regionals) | TBA | Campus sites | |
May 30-June 6 (Women’s College World Series) | TBA | Oklahoma City |
Georgia
Georgia 400 tolls: Express lanes proposed for busy state highway
ATLANTA – Tolls could make a comeback to Georgia 400. The Georgia Department of Transportation took a step closer to making toll lanes a reality on one of the busiest highways in metro Atlanta. The agency is looking at proposals to build the express lanes. GDOT says this will help ease congestion.
The agency is considering proposals from potential contractors to build the toll lanes. Under the proposal, which is still in the early stages, GDOT would build two new express lanes in each direction on a 16-mile stretch. These lanes would extend from the North Springs MARTA station at Exit 5C in Fulton County to McGinnis Ferry Road in Forsyth County, and one lane in each direction from McGinnis Ferry Road to McFarland Parkway at Exit 12.
“The path forward for managing congestion within metro-Atlanta is the express-lane system,” said GDOT spokesperson Natalie Dale.
Drivers could still travel on GA-400 for free, but would have to pay to ride in the express lanes. “They would similarly to how the other express lanes work,” Dale said. “The more people who choose to use it, the more the price would increase for the use in that corridor.”
GDOT says a private-sector partner would construct, finance, operate and maintain the express lanes. GDOT has not placed a final price tag on the project. But it would cost “in the billions,” Dale said.
Tom Smith, an economist and finance professor at Emory University Goizueta Business School, says tolls pay for things like highway maintenance and construction. “It can drive up direct revenue, revenue that can be used directly for the roads, for road reconstruction,” Smith said. “Toll roads definitely do generate revenue.”
Paying extra could frustrate some motorists. “People don’t like paying tolls. As a consumer who drives those roads, I would be annoyed. But I understand the need to have generating elements and a tax is an easy way to do that,” Smith said.
Drivers who spoke with FOX 5 are split over the possibility of tolls making a comeback along GA-400. It grinds Kimberly Mitchell’s gears. “I’m kind of against it,” Mitchell said. “It’s just one more expense that we have to pay, and people can’t afford it.”
Anika Corpuz says tolls ride fine with her if they remain optional. “I’m okay with it,” Corpuz said. “It doesn’t really bother me. If you can choose to take it or not take it, it’s not going to bother me.”
GDOT tried to build toll lanes three years ago. That got delayed when the proposal came in at $1.7 billion. The agency says it would like to pick a contractor by the fall and start construction by the end of 2025.
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