Search for news, organizations and people The Federal Newswire

The Governments of the United States and the Philippines co-hosted the sixth Indo-Pacific Business Forum (IPBF) on May 21, 2024, in Manila. The IPBF is a significant U.S. government commercial diplomacy event in the region, bringing together CEOs, project developers, government officials, and financing sources for priority infrastructure projects in emerging Indo-Pacific economies. Participants engaged through keynote remarks, plenary panels, breakout sessions, and business matchmaking to discuss trends, opportunities, and solutions for critical projects across various sectors.

BOSTON (May 22, 2024) – Air quality forecasters in New England predict unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups due to elevated ground-level ozone levels. Sensitive groups include individuals with lung diseases such as asthma, older adults, children and teenagers, and those who are active outdoors.

Two alleged members of a transnational money laundering organization were arrested on criminal charges related to their involvement in laundering millions of dollars in illegal drug proceeds for Mexican drug trafficking organizations, including the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels.

Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), has stated that the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels have an extensive network of affiliated groups in the United States involved in drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl. Milgram made this assertion in the DEA’s National Drug Threat Assessment report, which was released on May 9.

On May 20-21, 2024, delegations from the United States and the United Kingdom convened in London for the inaugural Joint Committee Meeting (JCM) on science and technology cooperation. This meeting builds upon the Atlantic Declaration’s commitment to bilateral research and development cooperation. The JCM focused on synthetic biology, quantum technology, and artificial intelligence as outlined in the June 2023 Action Plan for a Twenty-First Century U.S.-UK Economic Partnership. It builds upon existing bilateral and multilateral science and technology cooperation spanning...

The National Retail Federation (NRF) announced the recipients of the 2024 NRF PROTECT Awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in asset protection and cybersecurity within the retail industry. The awards will be presented on June 5 during the annual NRF PROTECT conference in Long Beach, California.

Last week, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Deputy Secretary Don Graves delivered opening remarks at the Minority Business Development Agency’s (MBDA) second annual AANHPI Business Summit. They reiterated the Biden Administration’s commitment to an equitable and prosperous future for Asian American (AA) and Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (NHPI) workers, entrepreneurs, and businesses.

The U.S. Department of Labor has secured a consent judgment requiring MKK Holding Inc., operating as Blue Fish Asian Cuisine in Dearborn, Michigan, to pay $38,602 in back wages and liquidated damages to 17 employees. The judgment also finds owner Sung Hee Kim in contempt of a 2018 court order to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, marking the start of summer, outdoor meals become more frequent. To help prevent foodborne illnesses during these activities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued several food safety tips.

A Georgia man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for laundering more than $4.5 million derived from business email compromise (BEC) schemes, including a scheme that defrauded a health care benefit program, and romance fraud schemes.

The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a complaint and proposed consent decree to resolve allegations that the city of Anoka, Minnesota, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act by denying tenants with mental health disabilities an equal opportunity to receive emergency assistance.

Ahead of the Illinois General Assembly’s hearing on the proposed Journalism Preservation Act, the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) has submitted a coalition letter opposing SB 3591.

On May 20, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York issued a consent judgment and order against P & B Heating & Air Conditioning Corp., based in West Babylon, New York. The court mandated the company to pay $15,000 in punitive damages to employees and permanently enjoined it from violating the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) anti-retaliation provisions.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken delivered opening remarks before the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs regarding the FY25 Department of State Budget Request on May 21, 2024.

Altus Group Limited (Altus) has terminated its efforts to acquire Situs Group LLC’s (Situs) commercial real estate valuation and advisory services business, REVS. In response, FTC Deputy Director of the Bureau of Competition, Kyle Mach, issued a statement.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $2 million in grant awards aimed at expediting the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites in Virginia, as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. This initiative is funded by a $1.5 billion investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, intended to address legacy pollution, advance environmental justice, and create healthier communities.

On May 21, 2024, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra issued a statement regarding the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) new request for information. The NIH has introduced a draft policy proposal aimed at promoting equitable access to products derived from NIH-owned inventions.

Yesterday, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members elected April Verrett as their new international president, succeeding Mary Kay Henry, who announced her departure earlier this year. Patrick Gaspard, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, issued a statement following the election.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 has partnered with AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) to launch the Green VISTA Corps program, marking a first-of-its-kind effort for the agency. This initiative aims to provide new opportunities for volunteers and community organizations to advance environmental justice and anti-poverty efforts in historically underserved areas.

The Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the filing of a felony criminal charge and related civil complaint and consent decree under the Clean Air Act (CAA) against TPC Group LLC, a Texas petrochemical company. TPC Group entered a plea of guilty to a one-count information charging the company with a violation of the Clean Air Act before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn for the Eastern District of Texas.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that low-income Oklahoma residents recovering from severe storms and tornadoes beginning April 25, 2024, could be eligible for assistance through the USDA’s Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP).

The U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut issued a permanent injunction today against Juan Carlos Frias, a Connecticut tax return preparer, and his businesses: USA Tax LLC, Multi Latin Services LLC, and Connecticut Tax and Services Inc. The court order permanently bars them from preparing federal tax returns for others.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is allocating $300 million to 66 U.S. organizations under the new Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP). This initiative aims to build demand for American food and farm exports in high-potential markets globally.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached a settlement with Navisun, LLC, a solar energy company based in Hingham, Massachusetts, for alleged violations of the Construction General Permit (CGP) related to stormwater discharges from construction activities. Under the settlement, Navisun will pay a penalty of $25,000 to resolve two alleged violations.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Petroleum Reserves announced today a solicitation for the sale and liquidation of 1 million barrels (42 million gallons) of gasoline from the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve (NGSR). This measure aims to impact gasoline prices positively as Americans begin their summer travel.