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The Departments of Justice and Commerce, in collaboration with Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), held the first high-level trilateral summit in Washington, D.C. to launch the Disruptive Technology Protection Network. The summit aimed to strengthen collaboration on technology protection measures and enhance connections between the enforcement agencies of the three countries.Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division emphasized the global importance of preventing sensitive technology from falling into the wrong...

The American education system is set to be the focus of the upcoming 2024 CAP Summit on Education: Reset. Reframe. Reform. The summit aims to bring together experts and policymakers from various sectors of education to discuss the future of education in the United States.Confirmed speakers for the event include prominent figures such as Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association, and Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, among others. These speakers will contribute their insights on the challenges and opportunities facing...

Assistant Secretary of the State Department Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations Anne A. Witkowsky and U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues Dr. Geeta Rao Gupta are set to embark on a joint travel to Papua New Guinea and Australia from April 26 to May 10.During their visit to Papua New Guinea, Assistant Secretary Witkowsky and Ambassador-at-Large Rao Gupta will engage with various stakeholders. According to the official statement, they will meet with government representatives, civil society, private sector stakeholders, and women-led organizations...

WASHINGTON – Today, April 26, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is wrapping up Earth Week by highlighting the work the agency is doing to prevent plastic pollution."Plastic waste is growing and so is the impact it has on public health and the environment," said Cliff Villa, EPA Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management. "This Earth Week, I challenge everyone to do their part to reduce plastic waste to protect our health and ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy a safe and healthy planet."The agency's efforts...

The Department of Defense has unveiled the Calendar Year 2022 Annual Report on Civilian Casualties in Connection with United States Military Operations. According to the report, no civilian casualties were caused by U.S. military operations in 2022.In compliance with Section 1057 of the FY18 National Defense Appropriations Act, the Department is mandated to produce an annual report on civilian casualties related to U.S. military operations. The report details each U.S.-caused civilian casualty incident, including date, location, operation type (air or ground), and the...

Law360: Privacy Hawks Plot What’s Next After FISA Passage Apr 25 2024Privacy advocates are strategizing their next moves following the passage of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Sean Vitka, policy counsel at Demand Progress, and Chris Baumohl, a law fellow at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, are key figures in this discussion.Vitka and Baumohl, along with others, are focusing on accountability. Vitka emphasized the importance of holding officials accountable, stating, "Accountability is crucial in ensuring transparency and protecting privacy...

Microsoft Corp. has made public its fiscal year 2024 third-quarter financial results, which are now accessible on its Investor Relations website. The direct link to the earnings press release can be found at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Investor/earnings/FY-2024-Q3/press-release-webcast.This announcement was made on Thursday, April 25, 2024, with Microsoft encouraging investors and interested parties to review the detailed information provided in the released report.As the company continues to navigate through the fiscal year, the availability of these financial...

Commissioner Kristin N. Johnson delivered opening remarks at the FIA L&C Panel on the future-proofing of financial markets through AI and derivatives markets on April 25, 2024. In her address, she emphasized the transformative potential of innovations like generative AI, stating, "Innovations such as generative AI have the power and the potential to alter many aspects of our markets and lives."Johnson highlighted the importance of policing derivatives markets, a cornerstone of the CFTC's mission, and advocated for heightened penalties for the misuse of AI in activities...

WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the expansion of its Close to Me cancer care program as part of the Biden Cancer Moonshot initiative. This expansion aims to bring cancer diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance services closer to thousands of Veterans across the country.Under the Close to Me program, VA clinicians travel to provide Veterans with comprehensive cancer care at community-based outpatient clinics, reducing the need for extensive travel to medical centers. VA Secretary Denis McDonough highlighted the importance of this expansion,...

Pending home sales increased 3.4% in March.Month over month, contract signings rose in the Northeast, South and West but dropped in the Midwest.Compared to one year ago, pending home sales declined in the Northeast and South while the Midwest and West improved.WASHINGTON (April 25, 2024) – Pending home sales in March climbed 3.4%, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The Northeast, South and West posted monthly gains in transactions while the Midwest recorded a loss. Year-over-year, the Northeast and South registered decreases but the Midwest and West...

The United States, in collaboration with the United Kingdom and Canada, has taken decisive action against entities and individuals facilitating the illicit transfer of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in support of Iran's Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL).Among the targets of the sanctions is Sahara Thunder, identified as a key front company for MODAFL's illicit financing and a central player in Iran's UAV design, development, manufacture, and sale activities. The company has been involved in the transfer of thousands of UAVs to Russia, which have...

Commissioner Summer K. Mersinger has been announced as a participant in the Commodities/End-User Panel at FIA’s Law and Compliance Division Conference. The event is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 25, 2024, from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. (EDT) at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, MD 20745.The panel discussion is anticipated to be a significant aspect of the conference, focusing on commodities and end-user perspectives in the industry. Commissioner Mersinger's involvement is expected to bring valuable insights and expertise to the...

Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the finalization of several rules and standards to reduce harmful emissions from the power sector. These actions will:Reduce carbon emissions for new gas power plants and existing coal power plants.Control and clean up coal ash, a toxic byproduct from coal-fired power plants that can pollute air and water.Strengthen the wastewater discharge standards of toxic metals and other pollutants that apply to coal-fired power plants.Limit the amount of mercury and other toxic emissions from power...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced significant revisions to its Environmental Review Rule, aimed at reducing costs and delays for key grid resilience and clean energy projects. The amendments focus on simplifying the environmental review process for certain energy storage systems, transmission line upgrades, and solar photovoltaic systems.In a statement, DOE highlighted its commitment to supporting the development of clean energy and infrastructure, stating, "DOE is taking these steps to reduce the cost and time for environmental analysis...

The Department of Labor has announced that it will be offering online seminars in May and August on prevailing wage requirements for federally funded projects. The seminars aim to educate contracting agencies, contractors, unions, workers, and other stakeholders on meeting federal requirements for paying prevailing wages on construction and service contracts.According to Wage and Hour Administrator Jessica Looman, "Prevailing wage laws empower workers by ensuring that federally funded construction and service jobs are good jobs with fair wages and benefits." The online...

The first high-level trilateral summit of the Disruptive Technology Protection Network was held by the Justice Department, bringing together delegations from Japan and the Republic of Korea. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco set the tone by delivering the opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of preventing critical technologies from falling into the wrong hands. Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen and other senior government officials also spoke at the summit, highlighting the joint efforts to safeguard such technologies from...

Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Counselor for International Affairs, Bruce Swartz, recently delivered remarks at the Disruptive Technology Protection Network Trilateral Summit. In his address, Swartz emphasized the importance of cooperation and information sharing among key partners.Swartz began his speech by greeting his colleagues and acknowledging the strong foundation on which the cooperation between the United States, the Republic of Korea, and Japan is built. He highlighted the positive relations in terms of mutual legal assistance and extraditions, stating,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) has taken a strong stance following the fatal raid conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in Little Rock, Arkansas. In a letter addressed to ATF Director Steven Dettelbach, Chairman Jordan demanded transparency regarding the ATF's actions leading to the death of Bryan Malinowski during the execution of a search warrant.Describing the events of the early morning raid on March 19, 2024, Chairman Jordan expressed concerns about the ATF's handling of the situation. He...

NAIROBI, Kenya – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo engaged in discussions with Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Investment, Trade, and Industry, Rebecca Miano. The meeting focused on exploring opportunities to enhance bilateral commercial ties across various sectors. The discussions encompassed the digital economy, infrastructure, agriculture, clean energy, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence.During the meeting, Secretary Raimondo commended Kenya's progress in digital transformation, stating, "Kenya as a leader on the continent on digital...

The American Medical Association (AMA) has praised the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for introducing new rules aimed at enhancing access to care for Medicaid patients. The AMA expressed gratitude for the Administration's dedication to addressing longstanding barriers to care.One of the newly implemented rules, referred to as the 'Managed Care Rule,' focuses on ensuring timely access to care for Medicaid patients. This rule establishes maximum appointment wait-time standards, mandates annual payment analyses, enforces quality reporting for essential...

The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project has taken a significant step in their pursuit of transparency and accountability by urging a Manhattan judge to compel Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to produce long-overdue records. The Oversight Project's chief counsel, Kyle Brosnan, expressed frustration over the delay in receiving the requested information, stating, “Enough is enough. President Trump is currently sitting trial in a Manhattan courtroom because of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s politicized lawfare."The records in question pertain to...

OVW conducted a live web-based pre-application information session for its Fiscal Year 2024 Demonstration Program and Trauma-Informed, Victim Centered Training for Law Enforcement on Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking (Abby Honold) Program solicitation. During the presentation, OVW staff reviewed this program’s requirements, discussed the solicitation, and allowed for a brief question-and-answer period.

WASHINGTON—Last night, the United States Senate passed a foreign aid package totaling $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. President Joe Biden is expected to sign the legislation into law shortly.In response to the Senate passage, Heritage Foundation Vice President Victoria Coates expressed her concerns about the implications of the aid package. She stated, “Proponents of Congress’ latest foreign aid package believe that it sends a strong message to Communist China. They’re right—but it may not be the message the supporters of the supplemental imagine it...

NAIROBI, Kenya – Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo engaged in a roundtable discussion with prominent women technology leaders in Kenya. The meeting centered on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Digital Transformation with Africa initiative.During the discussion, participants highlighted both the successes and challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and technology leaders in Kenya's digital sector. Secretary Raimondo emphasized the potential opportunities that the Digital Transformation with Africa programming could bring to the region. She also underlined...

Senior officials from the Philippines and the United States recently concluded the 11th Philippines-United States Bilateral Strategic Dialogue in Washington, D.C. During the dialogue, both countries reiterated their commitment to cooperation and partnership across various domains.Reflecting on the past year, both sides highlighted significant milestones in their partnership, including high-level meetings, joint dialogues, and collaborative initiatives. The joint statement emphasized the importance of enhancing the breadth of partnership, modernizing alliance cooperation,...