Concrete contractor COLAS Djibouti SARL (Colas Djibouti), ­has agreed to resolve for $3.9 million civil allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by selling substandard concrete used to construct U.S. Navy airfields in the Republic of Djibouti, the Department of Justice recently announced.

Colas Djibouti, a French limited liability company, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Colas SA, a French civil engineering company.

The civil settlement announced resolves allegations that Colas Djibouti knowingly provided contractually non-compliant concrete that did not meet gradation requirements, contained excessive alkali-silica reactive material, and contained elevated chloride content. These conditions had the potential to promote early-age cracking, surface defects, and the corrosion of embedded steel, and thus, could significantly impair the long-term durability of the concrete utilized on U.S. military bases.

In addition to the civil settlement, U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer for the Southern District of California announced a separate Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) with Colas Djibouti pursuant to which Colas Djibouti will admit to the underlying facts and accept responsibility to a one-count information for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and pay a $12,542,002 monetary penalty, comprised of a fine, forfeiture, and restitution. The civil settlement will credit $1,957,998 of Colas Djibouti’s payment under the DPA, and require an additional payment of $1,957,998.

“Government contractors that supply substandard materials to our armed forces not only cheat the American taxpayers but also impose added costs and burdens on the military,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates our commitment to ensure that those who do business with the government comply with their contractual obligations.”

This civil settlement was the result of a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section), the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, the DCIS, the NCIS, and the Defense Contract Audit Agency – Operations Investigative Support Division.

The food crisis in Ethiopia has caused a spike in malnutrition and could get worse very soon. Samaritan’s Purse is airlifting supplemental food for children and families, which could solve the issue for thirty more days.

Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief organization, is airlifting life-saving food to children suffering in northern Ethiopia. Months of internal conflict within the country have left millions without access to basic necessities. The situation is dire, and tens of thousands of children are at risk of acute malnutrition.

Atlanta-based sports technology company Supersapiens and Team Qhubeka ASSOS, a UCI WorldTeam cycling team based in South Africa, have partnered for the 2021 race season.

Supersapiens, the first direct-to-consumer energy management ecosystem, utilizes the Abbott Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biosensor, the first glucose sport biosensor designed specifically for athletic performance, to help the team manage their fueling strategies in training, racing, and recovery.

Team Qhubeka ASSOS, formerly NTT Pro Cycling, is Africa’s only UCI-registered WorldTour cycling team. In 2020, the global outfit won the first virtual Tour De France. The team signed some of the world’s best athletes for 2021 including Domenico Pozzovivo (Italy), Giacomo Nizzolo (Italy), Sergio Henao (Colombia), and Fabio Aru (Italy).

With the Supersapiens app paired to the Abbott Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biosensor, Team Qhubeka ASSOS riders and staff will learn and train with real-time fueling data and powerful retrospective analysis tools. Continuous glucose monitoring will allow team riders to better understand their body’s individual fueling requirements, discover stable and sustainable fuel sources, dial in their pre-race glucose loading strategy, and maintain their optimal fuel ranges during races — allowing their body to put out it’s maximum effort without concern for running out of energy.

“Our team name Qhubeka means ‘to progress’ or ‘to move forward’ in Nguni,” said Doug Ryder, team founder and principal. “Not only will our team be focused on raising funds to purchase bicycles that will be used to improve lives, our partnership with Supersapiens also gives us new insight to better glucose management. This information and what we learn, will be shared with the company and improve performance for athletes around the world. All of this is true progression.”

Team Qhubeka ASSOS will also kick off an affiliate program with Supersapiens. Athletes in the eight countries where Supersapiens is available can purchase the ecosystems and a portion of the sales will support the team and their mission to improve lives via bicycles.

The Supersapiens ecosystem includes the Abbott Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biosensor, the Supersapiens app, and a wrist wearable device in the final stages of development that displays data from the biosensor in real time. The app continuously tracks glucose data and allows athletes to create Events — workouts or races, meals, and rest — so they can correlate specific glucose levels with their body’s physiological performance during racing, training, and recovery. And the Education Hub offers deep and insightful information to help athletes better understand glucose and the impact it has on performance, so anyone can learn how to optimize fueling for sustained performance.

GE announced that it has secured an order to supply gas power generation equipment for West Africa Energy’s 300 megawatt (MW) combined-cycle power project in Cap des Biches, Dakar, Senegal.

Upon completion, the Cap des Biches plant will be the biggest power plant in the country and is expected to generate nearly 25% of the power consumed, providing the equivalent electricity needed to power up to 500,000 Senegalese homes.

The plant is expected to begin operations in phases starting in 2022, enhancing universal access to electricity and supporting the Senegalese Government’s target to increase its generation capacity with a greater utilization of natural gas and renewables.

“We are pleased to collaborate with GE to deliver reliable and efficient gas turbines to Senegal, aligned with the country’s strategy on gas to power under the leadership of President Macky Sall to develop the energy sector that will be critical for the development of strategic sectors of the economy, while actively driving localization initiatives,” said Samuel Sarr, CEO of West African Energy. “Once completed, the project will also go a long way in reducing the cost of electricity in the country,” he added.

GE will supply two 9E.03 gas turbines, one STF-A200 steam turbine, three A39 generators, two Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSG) and additional balance of plant equipment as part of the project scope.

Cap des Biches combined-cycle gas turbine power plant is being developed by Senegal’s West African Energy and will be built by Turkish engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) company, Calik Enerji. 

Choosing a health insurance plan can be tricky if you don’t know the differences between the various types. Each one comes with unique pros and cons, costs, and other factors that’ll ultimately affect your decision.

An HMO and a PPO plan are the most popular kinds, but there are also HDHPs, POS’s, and EPOs. In this guide, we’ll explain the top two in more detail. Once you know what to expect, you’ll be able to decide what’s better for your lifestyle, your pocket, and your needs.

What to Consider

When you’re comparing health plan options, there are a few factors to keep in mind. After all, it’s a personal decision that’ll impact every aspect of your life.

Your Health

If you’re immunocompromised or suffer from a chronic condition, you’ll likely need more comprehensive cover. If not, you might prefer an option that’s cheaper but has fewer benefits.

Your Family’s Health

Similarly, you’ll need to consider your family’s health requirements. That’ll help you decide whether a group or individual plan is best for your loved ones.

Finances

Apart from your monthly premium, the healthcare plan you choose will also come with deductibles and co-payments. Extra expenses could derail your budget, so it’s vital to consider all financial aspects.

Generally, a higher monthly payment means lower out-of-pocket costs and vice versa. If you’re opting for a plan on the Health Insurance Marketplace, then it’s also worth finding out if you qualify for any premium tax credits.

Flexibility

If you need to see a specialist regularly, then you’ll probably want a plan that doesn’t require a referral each time. Similarly, you might have your own doctor and other health care providers. Do they accept the kind of insurance you have?

What Is an HMO Plan?

A health maintenance organization (HMO) plan makes up more than half of all marketplace options, but only around 19% of employee healthcare offerings. Generally, it comes with lower premiums than a PPO, but a smaller network of hospitals and medical professionals.

You’ll also have to choose a primary care physician (PCP) who coordinates your care. This means you’ll need a referral to see a specialist. If you already have a doctor, it’s a good idea to check whether they’re included in your network.

If not, then start by exploring your options and choosing a PCP carefully. They’ll be responsible for all your medical needs, so it’s crucial to find one that ticks all the boxes.

An HMO plan doesn’t usually allow you to seek medical care outside of your network or without a referral. If you do, then you’ll be liable to pay the expenses yourself. However, you’ll still be covered in an emergency.

HMOs typically come with deductibles, which is the amount you pay before your coverage kicks in. However, it’s usually lower than other plans.

An HMO might be the right choice, if:

• Your doctor or specialists are already a part of the network
• You seldom need referrals
• You’re content with the limitations

What Is a PPO Plan?

A preferred provider organization (PPO) plan ordinarily has much higher premiums and deductibles than an HMO. However, it offers more flexibility when it comes to choosing healthcare providers.

Around 49% of the workforce uses an employer-based PPO. Individual plans are significantly lower, at about 15%.

A PPO plan allows you to use both in and out of network providers, although the latter will still cost you more. You can also see a specialist without getting a referral.

However, expensive services might require pre-authorization. This means you’ll first need to get approval from your insurance provider.

PPOs also include an out-of-pocket maximum for in-network treatment or care. The amount varies, so it’s prudent to check this when you’re looking for a plan.

This kind of healthcare policy is less restrictive than an HMO but more expensive. While you’ll have a much more extensive list of available providers, your cover will only kick in once the deductible limit is reached.

It’s up to you to decide whether the costs justify the flexibility or if you’ll still get sufficient coverage with an HMO plan that has lower premiums.

PPOs could be an ideal choice if:

• You prefer the freedom to choose healthcare providers from a wider network
• You see specialists regularly and don’t want a referral every time
• You’d rather pay a higher premium to get more flexibility

Choose the Plan That’s Right for You

Health insurance can seem confusing at first, but you can refine your options once you understand the fundamentals. HMO and PPO plans are two of the most common types, although they differ significantly.

Before making a decision, consider your health, your family’s medical needs, finances, and the kind of flexibility you want. An HMO plan might be cheaper, but it comes with restrictions. Conversely, a PPO costs more but gives you greater freedom.

Do your homework, compare options, and find out what in-network providers are close by. This will help you choose the plan that suits your needs, your budget, and your lifestyle.

The death of a Ghanaian domestic worker in Lebanon has brought the Kafala system into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.

The Kafala system is an exploitative system used to monitor migrant laborers, working primarily in the construction and domestic sectors in the Gulf cooperation council member states and a few neighboring countries like Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The system gives the employer total authority over the employes. They have the power over the visa and legality of the employee by the basis of being the employee’s in-country sponsor. In most cases, this has led to employers confiscating the passports of their employees and abusing them. The kafala system leaves the employees vulnerable to their employers who provide them with accommodation food and sponsor for their visas.

the domestic worker’s salaries are withheld during the first months of employment as a way of repaying the employer for the visa and flight tickets. This means the employee works for food and shelter in their first month. Most migrant workers in the region are found in Africa and Asia. It is evident that the conditions under which the employees work and live in are extremely similar to slavery. They are being subjected to physical abuse, having no autonomy over movements within the country of and sometimes work without being paid.

Faustina Tay, a Ghanaian domestic worker’s death is just one of many deaths that occur to the domestic workers tied down in the Kafala system. Her body was found between 3 – 4 am on the 14th of March 2020 under her employer’s fourth storey room home in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Fewer than 24 hours earlier, Tay had been sending messages to an activist group for domestic workers under the kafala system, about the abuse she was suffering at the hands of her Lebanese employers. Her death was ruled out by investigating authorities as suicide. Tay’s story is not unique but just reveals the lengths the authorities are willing to go to sweep the deaths of migrant workers under the kafala system under the carpet. According to the country’s intelligence agency, two domestic workers die every week, but the judiciary is never seen to serve justice for these deaths. Despite the messages and pictures, Tay sent along with over 40 minutes of voice messages documenting her abuse the police will not investigate the death or the alleged abuse.

Authorities with the requisite power to investigate and serve justice for the abusive system are nonchalant and do not want to decisively tackle the matter.

Amnesty International has termed the system as “inherently abusive” because if the employer chooses to terminate the contract, even in cases of abuse, the visa sponsorship is immediately revoked, turning the migrant workers into illegal aliens, and leaving them at the risk of being arrest and deportation.

The late Faustina Tay used to run a small noodle business in Accra (Ghana). Her messages to her family and the activist group shows that she regretted her decision.

If the kafala system is not abolished it will leave multiple people who are unaware of the evils within it vulnerable to be victims of the same. Africans sign up and are recruited in hope of making an honest living but instead find themselves reduced in value and self-worth. Faustina’s story tells a story that is way too familiar to African history. She was abused even by her employer’s children and occasionally had her phone confiscated.

States like Bahrain have repealed the Kafala system giving the migrant workers a bit more autonomy because their visas are sponsored by the Labour Market Regulation Authority. Although there are still practical aspects that still require attention it is a step in the right direction.

The kafala system should be abolished because it is clearly modern-day slavery and constantly subjects African migrant workers to an experience that should be left in a sad part in the history of mankind.