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Human Times
North America
Weekly jobless claims dip to seven-week low

The number of Americans filing new applications for jobless benefits unexpectedly fell to a seven-week low last week, the Labor Department reported on Thursday, suggesting employers may be holding on to workers despite other indications of a cooling labor market and creating no urgency for the Federal Reserve to resume its interest rate cuts. initial claims fell for a fourth straight week in the seven days to July 5th, slipping 5,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 227,000. Economists were expecting claims to move higher to 238,000, according to FactSet. The four-week moving average fell to 235,500, the lowest since late May, while continuing claims, reported with a one-week lag, rose by 10,000 to 1.965m. “It’s difficult to find a new job right now. Young people are struggling to get their first jobs and anyone who has been laid off is having a hard time landing their next role,” Heather Long, chief economist at Navy Federal Credit Union, wrote Thursday. “The labor market is frozen outside of healthcare, education and law enforcement jobs. Hiring is anemic in other sectors as companies remain cautious in this environment.”

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Human Times
UK
GPs shift focus from sick notes

GPs will pilot a scheme replacing automatic sick notes with tailored support to help patients stay employed. Health Secretary Wes Streeting criticised the current approach as a “bureaucratic dead end,” noting that 93% of the 11m fit notes issued last year declared patients unfit without offering alternatives. Under the £64m WorkWell scheme, 15 regions will fund in-practice teams, including employment advisers and social prescribers, to assist patients. “We simply can’t afford to keep writing people off,” said Streeting, highlighting the pilot's aim to reduce economic inactivity linked to health issues. The initiative will include physiotherapy, counselling, and even gym memberships to support physical and mental health. It also empowers non-GP staff, such as occupational therapists, to issue fit notes, aiming to reduce GP workload and guide more people back into employment with appropriate accommodations.

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Human Times
Europe
Border checks strain German policing

Germany's heightened border controls have sparked legal and operational concerns, particularly affecting federal police staffing and morale. Federal Police Commissioner Uli Grötsch reported over 2.8m overtime hours since March 2024, largely driven by just 285 asylum-related rejections. Officers face poor infrastructure, such as winter use of portable toilets, and unresolved legal ambiguity, as the Berlin administrative court ruled pushbacks illegal under EU law. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt maintains the policy despite criticism. Grötsch also addressed 19 racial profiling cases, urging greater empathy from officers balancing security duties with sensitive identity checks targeting individuals from the Global South. The redirection of officers to border posts has also depleted riot police units and weakened regular police operations nationwide, increasing strain on already overburdened local forces.

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Human Times
Middle East
Kuwait ramps up deportation efforts

Kuwait's Ministry of Interior deported around 6,300 expatriates during May and June 2025 as part of a campaign to enforce residency and labour laws. The Deportation and Detention Department reported that many deportees were referred by various internal sectors and some were subject to judicial rulings. The department aims to expedite deportation procedures while ensuring humane treatment for detainees. Ongoing security operations target expatriates living or working illegally, with those arrested processed for further action. The Ministry has intensified enforcement efforts to regulate the labour market and uphold immigration laws, as stated by Khitam Al Amir.

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