News from May 2024
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
The Department of Labor in Louisiana has successfully recovered $422,484 in back wages and damages for 219 workers employed by home care providers in Baton Rouge, Greensburg, and Shreveport. The workers, employed by five companies - Assisted Hands LLC, Joy PCA Services LLC, Our Grace LLC, Quality Community Homes LLC, and We Care Sitting Services LLC - were found to have been shortchanged due to improper employment practices in the industry.According to Wage and Hour Division District Director Troy Mouton in New Orleans, the misclassification of employees as independent...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced disaster assistance for Kansas survivors affected by a severe winter storm earlier this year. According to President Biden's major disaster declaration, assistance will be provided to counties including Butler, Chase, Cloud, Edwards, and more.In a recent statement, HUD outlined various forms of assistance available to those impacted by the disaster. Homeowners are encouraged to reach out to their mortgage or loan servicers for support, with a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures in place for certain...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – A recent U.S. Department of Labor inspection has revealed concerning safety lapses at Detyens Shipyards Inc. in North Charleston, resulting in the tragic death of a 41-year-old worker. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found that the shipyard's negligence led to the fatal fall, marking the fourth employee fatality in five years.OSHA Area Office Director Kim Morton expressed grave concern over the recurring safety issues at Detyens Shipyards, stating, "For the fourth time in five years, Detyens Shipyards failed in its primary...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
The United States has strongly condemned the actions taken by the Georgian government regarding recent legislation and its treatment of protests. The US criticized the "Kremlin-inspired 'foreign influence' legislation" and accused government officials of adopting a false narrative to defend it. The US expressed concern that the law aims to silence critical voices and undermine Georgia's civil society, which is essential for a democratic nation.According to the United States, this legislation, coupled with the Georgian Dream party's anti-Western rhetoric, is putting...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its partnership with two communities through the Energy Communities Technical Assistance Pilot program, aimed at supporting community-driven energy transition and economic revitalization goals. EPA Associate Administrator for Policy, Vicki Arroyo, highlighted the importance of programs like the Inflation Reduction Act in providing incentives for low-carbon and renewable energy generation.According to Arroyo, the Energy Communities pilot is designed to deliver assistance to communities to help bring their vision...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently investigated a tragic incident at an Arcadia worksite where a 31-year-old steel erector lost his life due to a fall. The investigation revealed that the employer, Landmark Erecting Inc. of Hahira, failed to enforce safety regulations, leading to the fatal accident.According to OSHA Area Director Danelle Jindra in Tampa, Florida, "Landmark Erecting’s repeated failure to follow required safeguards to protect employees from falls, especially after we cited the company less than a...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
Foundation model developers are being urged to enhance their practices in benchmarking and transparency when it comes to non-English languages. The push for improvement stems from concerns that the claims made about the effectiveness of these models in languages beyond English often do not align with reality. This discrepancy is particularly noticeable in "low resource" languages, which lack sufficient text data for model training.According to a recent article, foundation model developers tend to test their models extensively in English but fall short when it comes to...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
(Hengyang, Hunan Province – May 1, 2024) The case of Chen Wensheng, who was charged with “organizing and funding illegal gatherings,” was tried in the Hengyang City Shigu District People’s Court on the morning of April 18, 2024. Chen Wensheng, a prominent figure known for his street evangelism, has been at the center of a legal battle that has garnered significant attention. His trial, however, was not without controversy as authorities took stringent measures that obstructed the attendance of his relatives and supporters.Chen Wensheng's arrest in September of the...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
Arthur's Adam Wenchel recently shared valuable insights on Explainable AI during a public event on May 1, 2024.Wenchel emphasized the importance of transparency and interpretability in AI systems, stating, "Explainable AI is crucial for building trust and understanding in artificial intelligence." He highlighted the need for AI systems to provide clear explanations for their decisions to users and stakeholders.During the event, Wenchel discussed the challenges and opportunities associated with Explainable AI, noting that "Balancing transparency with performance remains...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
The U.S. Department of Energy has announced more than $26.9 million in funding to support clean energy projects in 37 state, local, and tribal governments. The grants are part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda, aimed at upgrading public infrastructure and deploying cleaner, more affordable power while enhancing energy resilience.U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm emphasized the importance of energy-efficient upgrades, stating, "Energy efficient upgrades are a surefire way to bring down costs and shore up resiliency for communities across the...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
Charitable giving among Realtors® and Realtor® associations has shown a significant increase, as revealed in the 2024 Community Aid and Real Estate Report issued by the National Association of Realtors®. The report highlights the enhanced monetary and volunteer contributions made by NAR members, broker-owners, and AEs or MLS staff in the past year.According to NAR President Kevin Sears, a broker-partner of Sears Real Estate, Realtors® have shown remarkable dedication to giving back to their communities. Sears stated, "Realtors® are intertwined with and engaged in their...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
ChatRTX has recently announced the introduction of new AI models and features in its latest update, aiming to revolutionize virtual interactions for users. According to a ChatRTX spokesperson, "The new AI models introduced in ChatRTX's latest update will revolutionize the way users interact in virtual environments." The spokesperson further added, "We are excited to bring these cutting-edge features to our users and enhance their overall experience."The updates are expected to provide users with enhanced capabilities and improved functionality within the platform. With...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
The Justice Department has filed a statement of interest in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, backing the right of private citizens to bring lawsuits to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke emphasized the importance of this right, stating, “The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy, and it is the right on which all other rights depend.” She highlighted the role of private parties in enforcing the Voting Rights Act, enabling countless Americans to vote free from discrimination.U.S....
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has announced a comprehensive 10-point housing plan aimed at addressing the ongoing housing affordability crisis in the United States. NAHB Chairman Carl Harris emphasized the critical need to increase the supply of homes to improve affordability, stating, “The lack of homes is the primary cause of growing housing affordability challenges.”Shelter inflation, which includes rent and homeownership costs, has been on the rise, with more than half of overall inflation in the economy attributed to rising housing costs. Harris...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
Senior government officials from various countries gathered in Washington, DC for the third Senior Officials Meeting of the Resettlement Diplomacy Network (RDN). Assistant Secretary Julieta Valls Noyes led the meeting, which aimed to assess the impact of the RDN's work and prioritize collective action on refugee resettlement and complementary pathways.During the meeting, participants discussed the use of the Emergency Coordination Platform within the RDN, known as the "Red Phone" mechanism, to collaborate on situations of shared concern, such as providing safety to Afghan...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
A California man, Michael Deon Fulcher, 54, of Gardena, has been sentenced to life in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution. Fulcher was found guilty by a jury in January.Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division emphasized the severity of Fulcher's actions, stating, “This significant sentence imposed by the court reflects the severity of the defendant’s abuse and exploitation of the victim.”U.S....
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
WASHINGTON DC — In case you missed it, Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party engaged in their first joint interview on Fox News' Special Report with Bret Baier.Moolenaar highlighted the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party, stating, "You have to realize China is undergoing a massive arms buildup. They are subsidizing the fentanyl that's coming across and killing American citizens. They're spying. They're doing all sorts of nefarious activities. The Chinese Communist...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
In August 2023, the Department of Defense (DoD) 2040 Task Force (D2T) launched an innovation challenge aimed at improving talent management within the organization, with a focus on recruiting, retaining, and promoting a diverse workforce. The challenge received over 200 innovative ideas from Service members and civilians around the globe, addressing various talent management challenges.After a rigorous review process, thirty-three ideas advanced to the semi-final round, where teams presented their concepts to a panel of senior leaders and subject matter experts from the...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
London, May 1, 2024 - Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell engaged in a series of crucial bilateral meetings with key officials in the United Kingdom on May 1st. The discussions were held with high-profile figures including Permanent Under Secretary Sir Philip Barton, National Security Advisor Sir Tim Barrow, and Deputy National Security Advisor Sarah Macintosh, among others.According to a statement by Spokesperson Matthew Miller, the meetings primarily focused on various pressing issues, including challenges and opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region. The...
By Federal Newswire | May 1, 2024
Washington, D.C., for example, was using nearly 30 automated decision-making systems to surveil, screen, and score District residents in areas such as public benefits, health care, policing, and housing, according to an investigation by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) in 2022. “Automated decision-making is threaded throughout a wide variety of public services in D.C.,” EPIC points out in its report “Screened and Scored in the District of Columbia.”
