News from August 2024
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE: PLTR) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced today a significant advancement in their partnership to deliver sophisticated and secure cloud, AI, and analytics capabilities to the U.S. Defense and Intelligence Community. This collaboration introduces an integrated suite of technology enabling critical national security missions to operationalize Microsoft's large language models (LLMs) via Azure OpenAI Service within Palantir’s AI Platforms (AIP) in Microsoft's government and classified cloud environments.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
PHOENIX — Acting Deputy Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis announced the distribution of $325 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Stateside Assistance Program to all 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. This marks the largest annual distribution from the program since 1979. Investments from the LWCF support the Biden-Harris administration’s America the Beautiful initiative by funding locally led outdoor recreation and conservation projects.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
On the one-year anniversary of the Maui wildfires, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), through its Federal Housing Administration (FHA), announced new measures to support homeowners in Maui County, HI, whose properties were destroyed during the August 2023 wildfires. Effective immediately, eligible borrowers and renters in Maui County can continue to use FHA’s 203(h) Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims program to receive up to 100 percent financing.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
A superseding indictment was returned yesterday charging two Iranian citizens, brothers Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab) and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunis), and one Pakistani citizen, Muhammad Pahlawan, for conspiring to provide and providing material support to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program resulting in death and conspiring to commit violence against maritime navigation and maritime transport involving weapons of mass destruction resulting in death. Pahlawan is currently awaiting trial, while Shahab and Yunus remain at large.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $20 million in grant funding for the Houston Health Department and its partner, Black United Fund of Texas (BUFTX), to address environmental and climate justice challenges. This initiative is part of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and represents the largest single investment in environmental justice to date.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida has returned an indictment charging three executives of an election voting machine and service provider company and a former Chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) of the Republic of the Philippines. The charges pertain to their alleged involvement in a bribery and money laundering scheme related to the 2016 Philippine elections.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
The U.S. Department of State has announced the selection of USA Expo Partners to engage corporate America and recruit sponsors for the USA Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka. International expos, also known as World’s Fairs, provide an opportunity to showcase American values, enterprise, innovation, culture, and global leadership while promoting collaboration with international partners to address shared global challenges.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
On Thursday, the fourth and final season of "The Umbrella Academy" premieres, and Tudum provides comprehensive coverage to prepare fans for the series' conclusion.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced $19,944,576 in grant funding for Dillard University and its partner United Way of Southeast Louisiana. The grants aim to assist disadvantaged communities in addressing environmental and climate justice challenges by reducing pollution, increasing community climate resilience, and building community capacity. This funding is part of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, which represents the largest single investment in environmental and climate justice to date.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
West Coast Dental Administrative Services LLC (formerly West Coast Dental Services Inc.), which operates a network of dental offices in Southern California, and its founders and former owners, Drs. Soleyman Cohen-Sedgh, Farid Pakravan, and Farhad Manavi, have paid $6.3 million to resolve allegations that they knowingly violated the False Claims Act in connection with seven improper loans that West Coast Dental Services Inc. (West Coast Dental) and affiliated dental offices received under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Additionally, City Real Estate Holdings Inc., a...
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized updates to strengthen the Safer Choice and Design for the Environment (DfE) Standard, which sets the requirements that products and their ingredients must meet to earn EPA's Safer Choice label or DfE logo. These updates aim to enhance the criteria for products qualifying for the voluntary Safer Choice label, promoting safer chemicals in the marketplace.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
As a result of a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit, two defendants who helped operate a sprawling business opportunity scheme known by several names, including Blueprint to Wealth, have agreed to settlements that include lifetime bans from pitching money-making and investment opportunities.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda, Ypsilanti is joining communities across the country to accelerate the replacement of lead service lines.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
On August 8, 2024, Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Uzra Zeya announced nearly $536 million in humanitarian assistance from the United States. This includes nearly $516 million through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and nearly $20 million through the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. This brings total U.S. humanitarian assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa to nearly $3.7 billion so far in Fiscal Year 2024.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced today that the Minneapolis Public School District in Minnesota has entered into an agreement to ensure compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 concerning its high school athletics programs. The OCR investigation examined whether the district effectively accommodated female students' interests and abilities in interscholastic athletics and provided equal competitive and practice facilities, as well as locker rooms.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
Two years ago on August 9, President Joe Biden signed into law the CHIPS and Science Act, marking a significant step in semiconductor manufacturing within the United States. The Biden-Harris administration has since announced more than $30 billion in proposed direct funding for 23 semiconductor projects across 15 states, alongside over $8 billion allocated to new research and development initiatives.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
On August 5, 2024, AUKUS partners signed the trilateral Agreement Among the Government of Australia, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Government of the United States of America for Cooperation Related to Naval Nuclear Propulsion (the “Agreement”).
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
Overtime pay increases workers’ paychecks and helps protect their time for personal and family obligations. When workers aren’t eligible for overtime, employers can require them to work 60-to-70-hour workweeks without any extra pay.
By Federal Newswire | Aug 8, 2024
A former Syrian government official was indicted today in Los Angeles on criminal charges for lying to U.S. immigration authorities about his time running a Syrian prison where prisoners, including political dissidents, were physically mistreated.
