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Lupton Petroleum Products, Inc. and Brad Hall Associates, Inc. fined $1M for failing to meet multiple requirements that protect air quality

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced today that the Colonial School District near Wilmington, Delaware, has entered into a resolution agreement to ensure compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This agreement focuses on providing students with disabilities equal access to Advanced Placement (AP) courses.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $64,656 in back wages from LaLobe Inc., a family-owned piercing salon in Dallas, Texas. The recovery follows an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division, which found that the employer had illegally withheld tips from three employees.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in collaboration with Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), released the Border 2025 mid-term Highlights Report on July 18. This report details accomplishments from 2021 to 2023 within border communities through the Border 2025 program.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) for April 2024, detailing airline operational data on on-time performance, mishandled baggage, and mishandled wheelchairs and scooters. The ATCR aims to provide consumers with information about the quality of airline services.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has announced proposed changes to existing resource management plans aimed at conserving wildlife corridors and priority big game habitats on public lands in Colorado. The plan includes the management of oil and gas activities, incorporating the best available science.

The following statement was released by the Government of the United States of America and the European Commission on July 18, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Labor has recovered $288,979 in back wages and liquidated damages for 92 employees after its investigation found an Atlantic Beach property management group’s improper pay practices denied them overtime wages they earned.

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the 1994 Iran-backed Hizballah bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. "We honor the memory of the 85 Argentines – Jews and non-Jews – killed in the attack and recall the scores who were injured," said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. "We also remember the five Israelis and a Bulgarian national killed 12 years ago today in another Hizballah bombing in Burgas, Bulgaria. We are committed to holding the perpetrators of these vicious attacks to account."

An indictment was unsealed yesterday containing criminal charges against the alleged leader of a human smuggling organization responsible for unlawfully bringing thousands of migrants into the United States. Along with the organization, the defendant, who was arrested in Mexico at the request of the United States, has also been designated for financial sanctions by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. These developments were made possible through extensive bilateral coordination and cooperation efforts between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated and identified as blocked property a dozen individuals and vessels involved in financing the Houthis' regional activities through Sa’id al-Jamal's network. The designations include Indonesia-based Malaysian and Singaporean national Mohammad Roslan Bin Ahmad, and China-based Chinese national Zhuang Liang, both of whom facilitated illicit shipments and engaged in money laundering for the network.

Two foreign nationals pleaded guilty today to participating in the LockBit ransomware group, which has been one of the most prolific ransomware variants globally. They admitted to deploying LockBit attacks against victims in the United States and worldwide.

The Biden-Harris Administration has announced a $90 million investment in 53 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) projects aimed at developing new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands. This year's funding increase is attributed to President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which specifically supports projects addressing climate change with a focus on reducing livestock emissions of enteric methane.

An indictment was unsealed yesterday containing criminal charges against the alleged leader of a human smuggling organization responsible for unlawfully bringing thousands of migrants into the United States. Along with the organization, the defendant, who was arrested in Mexico at the request of the United States, has also been designated for financial sanctions by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. These developments were made possible through extensive bilateral coordination and cooperation efforts between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement authorities.

AT&T has informed its customers of a recent data breach, highlighting ongoing challenges in protecting personal information. Data privacy laws currently exist in 19 states, covering at least 150 million Americans, though these laws vary significantly in scale and scope. Federal regulations address specific areas of privacy, such as medical data or information about children, and agencies like the FCC regulate telecommunications. However, there is no comprehensive federal data privacy law.

The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the availability of $99 million in funding to support pre-apprenticeships in high-demand industries, including construction, clean energy, healthcare, infrastructure, information technology, and hospitality.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation announced that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in Philadelphia has scheduled a vote for July 17 to decide if employees at Philadelphia International Airport can remove Unite Here Local 274 union officials. This decision follows nearly five months of litigation initiated by employee Kale Mulugeta with assistance from the foundation's attorneys.

The Defense Innovation Board (DIB) held its summer board meeting at the Pentagon on July 17, 2024.

The Bureau of Reclamation has announced four additional contract negotiation sessions with the Placer County Water Agency (PCWA) to discuss terms and conditions for a long-term Warren Act contract. This agreement involves the conveyance and temporary storage of up to 47,000 acre-feet of non-Central Valley Project water annually, utilizing excess capacity in Folsom Reservoir and the Folsom South Canal. The contract aims to support PCWA commitments under the American River Basin Water Forum Agreement and facilitate water transfers through the Lower American River to the East...

The U.S. Department of State, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), has announced the CHIPS ITSI Western Hemisphere Semiconductor Initiative. This initiative, supported by the CHIPS Act International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund, aims to enhance semiconductor assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) capabilities in Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica.

U.S. Representative Christopher Smith and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley have addressed a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, expressing concerns over the convictions of pro-democracy advocates in Hong Kong,...

The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) has submitted comments on Brazil's proposed child online safety measures. This submission responds to the Brazil National Data Protection Authority’s request for feedback on various issues, including privacy, data processing, and age verification for children online.

The Justice Department, in close coordination with the Department of Education, announced today the continued success of a process instituted in November 2022 for handling cases where individuals seek to discharge their federal student loans in bankruptcy. Data tracking the effectiveness of the process over the last year and a half show that it is achieving its goal of providing a more transparent, equitable, and streamlined mechanism for borrowers to request a discharge of their student loans in consumer bankruptcy cases. The process has resulted in increasing numbers of...

Sue Mi Terry, 54, of New York, New York, was arrested yesterday and presented on criminal charges related to offenses under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

Hemisphere GNSS (USA) Inc., a satellite global positioning system manufacturer based in Arizona and acquired by CNH Industrial in 2023, has agreed to pay $2.6 million to settle allegations of violating the False Claims Act. The company allegedly provided false information to secure forgiveness for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan it was not entitled to receive.