News published on Federal Newswire in March 2020

News from March 2020


2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Madagascar

Release: Madagascar is a semipresidential democratic republic with a popularly elected president, a bicameral legislature (Senate and National Assembly), prime minister, and cabinet. A presidential election was held on November 7, 2018, with a two-candidate run-off on Dec. 19, 2018. The winner, Andry Rajoelina...


News Release: The Republic of Korea (South Korea) is a constitutional democracy governed by a president and a unicameral legislature. Observers considered the presidential election in 2017 and legislative elections in 2016 free and fair. Moon Jae-in was elected president in an early election following the impeachment of former president Park Geun-hye. The government held free and fair local elections in June 2018.


News Release: WASHINGTON - The Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration today announced the results of Project Python, a DEA-led multilateral interagency operation encompassing all global investigations and related disruption activities targeting the Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).


News Release: The Principality of Liechtenstein is a multiparty constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government. Prince Hans Adam II is the official head of state, although in 2004 Hereditary Prince Alois assumed the day-to-day duties of head of state, exercising the rights of office on behalf of the reigning...


News Release: Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew has sentenced Felix Antequera Rivera, Jr. (33, Lakeland) to 30 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.


News Release: Romania is a constitutional republic with a democratic, multiparty parliamentary system. The bicameral parliament consists of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, both elected by popular vote. Observers considered presidential elections held on November 10 and 24 and parliamentary elections in 2016 to have been generally free and fair and without significant irregularities.


Lewiston Man Sentenced For Possession With Intent To Distribute Cocaine

News Release: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Frank Rowles, 60, of Lewiston, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to serve 15 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.


2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Canada

Release: Canada is a constitutional monarchy with a federal parliamentary government. In a free and fair multiparty federal election held on Oct. 21, the Liberal Party, led by Justin Trudeau, won a plurality of seats in the federal parliament and formed a minority government.


News Release: BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Harold Alexis Ortiz Cosme, 21, and Luis G. Candelario, 25, both of Puerto Rico, with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5,000,000 fine.


Ranking Member Graves and Katko Statements from Hearing with FEMA Administrator Gaynor

News Release: Opening remarks, as prepared, of Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) and Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Ranking Member John Katko (R-NY) from today’s Subcommittee hearing entitled, “FEMA’s Priorities for 2020 and Beyond: Coordinating Mission and Vision":


2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Togo

Release: Togo is a republic governed by President Faure Gnassingbe, whom voters re-elected in 2015 in a process that international observers characterized as generally free and fair. In December 2018 parliamentary elections took place under peaceful conditions. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)...


2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Greece

Release: Greece is a constitutional republic and multiparty parliamentary democracy. Legislative authority is vested in a unicameral parliament, which approves a government headed by a prime minister. On July 7, the country held parliamentary elections that observers considered free and fair. A government formed by the New Democracy party headed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis leads the country.


Senator Murray Statement on the Trump Administration’s Apprenticeship Rule

News Release: (Washington, D.C.) - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), released the following statement on the Department of Labor’s (DOL) newly released apprenticeship rule that will undermine the highly effective, bipartisan registered apprenticeship programs by creating a duplicative, unnecessary, and lower-quality “industry-recognized apprenticeship programs" (IRAPs), that do not provide crucial benefits and protections.


News Release: Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy with a democratic parliamentary government. Under the constitution the king is head of state but does not actively participate in political activities. The prime minister is head of government and has executive authority. In 2017 former prime minister Pakalitha Mosisili...


Release: Zambia is a constitutional republic governed by a democratically elected president and a unicameral national assembly. In 2016 the country held elections under an amended constitution for president, national assembly seats, and local government, as well as a referendum on an enhanced bill of rights.


2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Dominica

News Release: Dominica is a multiparty parliamentary democracy. In the December general election, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s Dominica Labour Party (DLP) prevailed over the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) by a margin of 18 seats to three. The prime minister is the head of government. The House of Assembly...


2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Haiti

News Release: Haiti is a constitutional republic with a multiparty political system. Voters elected Jovenel Moise as president for a five-year term in national elections held in November 2016, and he took office in February 2017. The most recent national legislative elections were held in 2016; international observers...


Release: Congressman David Price (D-NC), Chair of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's hearing on the Fiscal Year 2021 budget request for the Federal Aviation Administration.


News Release: The Republic of Croatia is a constitutional parliamentary democracy. Legislative authority is vested in the unicameral parliament (Sabor). The president serves as head of state and nominates the prime minister, who leads the government, based on majority support of parliament. The latest presidential...


News Release: PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Lukeen Gerald, 31, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to 56 years’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker for a series of armed robberies in Philadelphia. The Court further ordered the defendant to serve three years’ supervised release and to pay $4,330 in restitution and a special assessment of $1,500.