News published on Federal Newswire in May 2024

An Ohio man, Ronald P. Bedra of Etna, has pleaded guilty to creating and distributing videos that depict extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys. The plea agreement was unsealed today.

NAR invites tech startups to apply for Pitch Battle competition at iOi Summit

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) has announced that applications are now open for the "Pitch Battle" competition. The contest is set to take place at the 2024 Innovation, Opportunity & Investment (iOi) Summit, a premier event for real estate technology. The iOi Summit, now in its sixth year, will be held from August 28-29 in Chicago, Illinois.

Binance CEO: 'We always place users’ interest first'

Richard Teng, Chief Executive Officer of the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, has announced that nearly 355,000 users have been removed from its platform in an effort to maintain compliance and market fairness. Teng made this statement in a post on the Binance website dated May 9.

Report finds heightened risk of mismanagement of U.S. aid funds in Nigeria

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report indicating that the risk assessment processes of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for countries affected by violent conflict, including Nigeria, are insufficient. This deficiency leads to a "heightened risk of corruption, fraud, mismanagement or unauthorized use of U.S. aid funds" and "fraudulent financial reporting." The GAO released its report on April 30 after examining USAID's risk management in Nigeria, Somalia, and Ukraine at the behest of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

U.S. Rep. Grothman to hold classified hearing on CCP infiltration of American military bases

U.S. Representative Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs, is set to conduct a classified hearing addressing policy shortcomings that have enabled the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and other malign entities to infiltrate U.S. military installations. The hearing, entitled "Intruder Alert: Assessing the CCP’s Ongoing Infiltration of U.S. Military Installations," will not be open to the public.

U.S. Forest Service contractor pleads guilty to bid rigging

The U.S. Justice Department (DOJ) has announced that a former owner of contractor companies providing fuel truck services to the U.S. Forest Service’s wildfire fighters pleaded guilty to violating the Sherman Antitrust Act. This announcement comes in the wake of a wiretap investigation that led to the indictment of two executives in December 2023.

DEA releases its 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has released the 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment (NDTA), providing a comprehensive strategic assessment of illicit drug threats and trafficking trends across the nation.

Secretary Blinken discusses Gaza conflict on CBS's Face the Nation

Secretary Antony J. Blinken, in an interview with Margaret Brennan of CBS’s Face the Nation, discussed the complexities and challenges of the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Brennan questioned Secretary Blinken on President Biden's past statements regarding Israel's military actions and the potential pause in delivery of 3,500 bombs to Israel.

NVIDIA's new era: Nine global supercomputers powered by Grace Hopper

NVIDIA has announced a significant shift in the high-performance computing industry towards AI-powered systems. The company revealed that nine new supercomputers worldwide are utilizing NVIDIA Grace Hopper™ Superchips to expedite scientific research and discovery. Collectively, these systems deliver 200 exaflops, equivalent to 200 quintillion calculations per second, of energy-efficient AI processing power.

NVIDIA boosts global supercomputing centers with CUDA-Q platform

NVIDIA, the multinational technology company, has announced its plans to boost quantum computing at global supercomputing centers with the use of its open-source NVIDIA CUDA-Q™ platform. This initiative will be implemented in supercomputing sites located in Germany, Japan, and Poland. These sites will utilize the platform to power the Quantum Processing Units (QPUs) within their NVIDIA-accelerated high-performance computing systems.

Secretary Blinken affirms US commitment to Israel's security in call with Minister Gallant

Spokesperson Matthew Miller reported that Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken had a conversation with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. During the call, Blinken reaffirmed the U.S.'s unwavering commitment to Israel's security and their mutual goal of defeating Hamas. The two officials discussed the current situation in Gaza and ongoing efforts to secure the release of hostages.

Blinken discusses Israeli actions and US policy on NBC's Meet the Press

Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently participated in an interview with Kristen Welker on NBC's Meet the Press. During the discussion, Blinken addressed a recent State Department report on Israel's actions and compliance with international law. The report has been criticized by Amnesty International and Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen for its lack of definitive conclusions.

North American railroads tell FCC they’ll make 2025 communications tech update deadline

By Special to Federal Newswire | May 11, 2024

The nation’s largest railroad trade association told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) its members will make a Sept. 2025 deadline to transition to new communications technology, enabling freight trains to finally access modern, high-bandwidth software applications that will improve safety.

Assistant Secretary Stewart to discuss arms control in Germany, Belgium

By Federal Newswire | May 11, 2024

Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability, Mallory Stewart, is set to travel to Garmisch, Germany, and Brussels, Belgium from May 13-18.

DOJ’s Antitrust Division creates a healthcare monopolies and collusion task force

The U.S. Justice Department has recently set up the Task Force on Health Care Monopolies and Collusion (HCMC) to spearhead its Antitrust Division’s enforcement strategy and policy direction in healthcare markets. The primary aim of the task force is to foster policy advocacy, investigations, as well as civil and criminal enforcement in the healthcare sector.

CFTC to Hold a Commission Open Meeting on May 10

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman, Rostin Behnam, has announced that the Commission will be holding an open meeting on Friday, May 10 at 10:00 a.m. (EDT) at the CFTC’s Washington, D.C. headquarters. Members of the public are invited to attend the meeting in person, listen by phone, or view a live stream at CFTC.gov.During the meeting, the Commission will be considering the Proposed Rule regarding Event Contracts. The meeting will take place at the CFTC Headquarters Conference Center located at Three Lafayette Centre, 1155 21st Street N.W., Washington, D.C....

HUD announces co-presenters for 2024 Innovative Housing Showcase

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced the International Code Council (ICC), the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), and the Structural Building Components Association (SBCA) as co-presenters for the 2024 Innovative Housing Showcase. This event aims to highlight innovative building technologies and housing solutions that reduce costs and increase climate resilience for American families.

Assistant Secretary O'Brien's diplomatic tour of Georgia and Montenegro

Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, James C. O’Brien, is set to travel to Tbilisi, Georgia, and Podgorica and Kotor, Montenegro from May 14-17. During his visit to Georgia, he plans to meet with representatives from the government, civil society, and the private sector. The purpose of these meetings is to express the United States' enduring commitment to the Georgian people and support for Georgia's aspiration for a peaceful, prosperous, and secure Euro-Atlantic future.

US and Spain sign MOU on foreign state information manipulation

On May 10, 2024, Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares convened in Washington D.C. to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on foreign state information manipulation.

Financial Stability Oversight Council convenes meeting on May 10, 2024