Lizzo sued by former dancers, accused of creating hostile work environment

By Danielle Broadway LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Three former dancers for Grammy-winning singer Lizzo accused her of creating a hostile work environment, including weight shaming and sexually denigrating behavior, in a lawsuit released on Tuesday. The lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court named Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, her production company…

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Biden officials protest ‘bizarre’ Fitch downgrade, cite Trump-era woes

By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Biden administration officials complained on Tuesday about ratings agency Fitch’s downgrade of the top U.S. government credit rating, saying the group used flawed methodology and ignored a resilient economy. Leading the charge was U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who issued a statement declaring “I strongly disagree with Fitch Ratings’ decision”…

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Victoria’s wage enforcement agency charges Woolworths for underpaying ex-employees

(Reuters) -The wage law enforcement agency of the Australian state of Victoria on Wednesday said it has filed more than 1,000 charges against top grocer Woolworths Group, alleging failure to pay A$1 million ($659,000) in long-service leave to over 1,200 former employees. The Wage Inspectorate Victoria (WIV) said that between 2018 and 2021, Woolworths did…

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China releases package of tax relief measures to support small firms

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s finance ministry on Wednesday unveiled a package of tax relief measures to support small businesses and rural households, as the world’s second-largest economy struggles with a post-COVID recovery. Amid weak demand both at home and abroad, China’s economic recovery has lost steam since April, adding pressure on policymakers to revive the…

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Brazil now main holdout against BRICS expansion, sources say

By Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazil has resisted gathering momentum in the BRICS group of major emerging economies to add more member countries, but debate over admission criteria seems inevitable at this month’s summit, three Brazilian government officials told Reuters. The group including Russia, India, China and South Africa, has been hailed by some…

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Vice President Harris rejects DeSantis invite to debate slavery curriculum

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday rejected an invitation from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to discuss the state’s new Black history curriculum and said she will not be debating the topic of slavery with him. DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, on Monday invited Harris to Florida to…

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Taiwan boosts counter-espionage effort after suspected China infiltration

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s military vowed on Wednesday to step up counter-espionage efforts as authorities investigated several serving and former military officers suspected of spying for China. China, which is pressing the island to accept its sovereignty, has in recent years mounted a sustained espionage campaign to undermine democratically governed Taiwan’s military and civilian leadership,…

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