All posts tagged: govt

Trump to shut down all 8,000 EV charging ports at federal govt buildings

Trump to shut down all 8,000 EV charging ports at federal govt buildings

Published by skeptic

Photo by Kindel Media on Pexels.com The Trump administration is shutting down EV chargers at all federal government buildings and is also expected to sell off the General Services Administration‘s (GSA) newly bought EVs. GSA, which manages all federal government-owned buildings, also operates the federal buildings’ EV chargers. Federally owned EVs and federal employee-owned personal EVs are charged on those 8,000 charging ports. The Verge reports it’s been told by a source that plans will be officially announced internally next week, and it’s seen an email that GSA has already sent to regional offices about the plans: “As GSA has worked to align with the current administration, we have received direction that all GSA-owned charging stations are not mission-critical.” The GSA is working on the timing of canceling current network contracts that keep the EV chargers operational. Once those contracts are canceled, the stations will be taken out of service and “turned off at the breaker,” the email reads. Other chargers will be turned off starting next week. “Neither Government Owned Vehicles nor Privately Owned Vehicles …

Instagram unveils new feature as govt tightens online safety rules | Science, Climate & Tech News

Instagram unveils new feature as govt tightens online safety rules | Science, Climate & Tech News

Published by skeptic

Instagram is releasing a feature that will let users easily reset their algorithms, as the government strengthens its regulation of online safety. With the new reset feature, users can clear their recommended content from Explore, Reels and their feed, potentially reducing the amount of harmful content they are exposed to. It’s all part of Meta’s push to make the app safer for young people, after announcing more private Teen accounts in September. The feature, which will soon be rolled out globally, was announced as the government outlined its priorities for online safety. Peter Kyle, Labour’s technology secretary, said Ofcom should ensure the concept of “safety by design” is being followed by tech companies from the outset. That would ensure more harm is caught before it occurs. Image: Peter Kyle (L). Pic: Reuters He also pushed for more transparency from tech giants on what harms are occurring on their platforms. “From baking safety into social media sites from the outset, to increasing platform transparency, these priorities will allow us to monitor progress, collate evidence, innovate, and …

Why South Africa’s ANC wants a national unity gov’t after election setback | Elections News

Why South Africa’s ANC wants a national unity gov’t after election setback | Elections News

Published by Sam

Johannesburg, South Africa — Reeling from its worst electoral performance in 30 years, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Thursday said it would seek to stitch together a “Government of National Unity” to administer the nation. After days of internal debate within the party, President Cyril Ramaphosa told a meeting of the ANC’s top leadership structure, the national executive committee (NEC), late on Thursday, that South Africa was at a moment of “fundamental consequence” and that the country required extraordinary leadership. In last week’s elections, the ANC lost its majority in South Africa’s parliament for the first time since the end of apartheid. “We therefore agreed to invite political parties to form a Government of National Unity as the best option to move our country forward,” Ramaphosa said. In effect, that means that the ANC – instead of entering into a direct coalition agreement with its main rival parties, the market-friendly and right-leaning Democratic Alliance (DA) or the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) – will seek a broad multiparty alliance. And while Ramaphosa …

Covid inquiry examines Northern Irish govt, RAJARs

Covid inquiry examines Northern Irish govt, RAJARs

Published by skeptic

Northern Ireland’s Parliament Buildings at the Stormont Estate. Picture: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda next week, from the team at Foresight News. Leading the week: Michelle O’Neill’s role in the Covid-19 pandemic as then-Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland is set to be closely examined next week as she appears at the UK’s pandemic inquiry for an all-day session on Tuesday (May 14). The now-First Minister is likely to face questioning over her attendance at the funeral of senior IRA figure Bobby Storey in June 2020 – an event which Alliance Party leader Naomi Long told the inquiry last week led to a loss of “cohesion” in the Executive amid suggestions lockdown rules were broken for the occasion. O’Neill may also be asked about the absence of Conor Murphy, a former finance minister who she appointed to the economy brief after the reformation of the Executive earlier this year, after he told the inquiry this week that he wouldn’t appear on medical grounds.  Former DUP leader …

US Gov’t set to spend million to electrify container ports

US Gov’t set to spend $46 million to electrify container ports

Published by skeptic

Multi-million-dollar grants adding up to more than $46 million from the US Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will help support electrification efforts at several American ports. The Long Beach Container Terminal (LBCT) in Long Beach, California has received a $34.9 million grant from the FHWA to replace 155 on-site commercial trucks and buses with zero-emission vehicles (ZEV). The grant will fund both the purchase of new electric trucks and the necessary charging infrastructure to support them. LBCT said the grant dollars will allow it to continue its multi-billion dollar investments in more sustainable logistical operations. “Our vehicle electrification project, coupled with previous investments, enables LBCT to achieve a unique status that is reframing the way the world views sustainable goods movement, enhancing community quality of life and climate change,” said Anthony Otto, CEO of LBCT. Real progress at Port of Long Beach Long Beach Container Terminal, photo by LBCT. Back in 2018, Power Progress reported that the Port of Long Beach had plans to install zero-emissions cranes and cargo handling equipment at its terminals. True to …

Kremlin Says Staff of Some Govt Departments Are Subject to Foreign Travel Bans

Kremlin Says Staff of Some Govt Departments Are Subject to Foreign Travel Bans

Published by skeptic

MOSCOW (Reuters) – The Kremlin said on Friday that staff in some government departments were banned from travelling abroad for security reasons, while some departments required people to provide advance notification of any foreign travel plans. Reuters reported on Thursday that Russia was making overseas travel harder for some officials due to fears that foreign powers may try to gain access to state secrets during the worst crisis in relations with the West for more than 60 years. “All organisations have nuances when it comes to the current regime of approving trips abroad,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a daily call with reporters. “There are departments where travel for employees is indeed not allowed. There are agencies and departments where there is a notification procedure for approval,” he said. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Andrew Osborn) Photos You Should See – April 2024 The Latest Photos From Ukraine Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters. Source link

US Submits ‘Assurances’ To UK Govt Over Assange Extradition 

US Submits ‘Assurances’ To UK Govt Over Assange Extradition 

Published by skeptic

Via Consortium News The United States Embassy on Tuesday filed two assurances with the British Foreign Office saying it would not seek the death penalty against imprisoned WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange and would allow Assange “the ability to raise and seek to reply upon at trial … the rights and protections given under the First Amendment,” according to the U.S. diplomatic note.   Assange’s wife Stella Assange said the note “makes no undertaking to withdraw the prosecution’s previous assertion that Julian has no First Amendment rights because he is not a U.S citizen. Instead,” she said, “the US has limited itself to blatant weasel words claiming that Julian can ‘seek to raise’ the First Amendment if extradited.”    The note contains a hollow statement, namely, that Assange can try to raise the First Amendment at trial (and at sentencing), but the U.S. Department of Justice can’t guarantee he would get those rights, which is precisely what it must do under British extradition law based on the European Convention on Human Rights.  Via AP The U.S. Department of Justice …

‘You start to believe you’re ill’: Fight to free autistic people from hospitals – as govt misses crucial target | UK News

‘You start to believe you’re ill’: Fight to free autistic people from hospitals – as govt misses crucial target | UK News

Published by skeptic

The government has missed a long-standing target to reduce the number of people with autism and learning disabilities detained in hospitals. Some 2,045 people with autism or learning disabilities are currently detained in psychiatric facilities in England, many of them sectioned under the Mental Health Act. People with a learning disability and autistic people can be sectioned even if they do not have a mental health condition. According to learning disability charity Mencap, the average time people stay in hospital is nearly five years. The government pledged that by the end of March 2024 they would reduce the number of people with a learning disability or autism in mental health hospitals by 50% to no more than 1,445 inpatients. Not only has the government missed that target by 600 people – more than 40% – Mencap predicts it will not reach it until 2030, six years later than promised. Adrian Lochhead is among the parents who have spent years fighting for their children’s freedom. His daughter Maeve, 28, who has autism and learning disabilities, has …

Aussie Govt Orders Facebook And X To Remove Muslim Knife Attack Video

Aussie Govt Orders Facebook And X To Remove Muslim Knife Attack Video

Published by skeptic

Parishioners and live stream audience members for the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney, Australia were enjoying a sermon by popular conservative Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel when a young male Muslim assailant entered the church and stabbed him repeatedly with a knife.  The live stream clip was immediately shared far and wide on social media with X and Facebook being the easiest sites to view the video. Bishop Mari Mari Emanuel stabbed by a muslim shouting “allah akbar” in Sydney apparently for previously stating that following mohammed or any religion other than Christianity will send you to hell which is the truth. Islam teaches the extermination of all non muslims. Evil lie. pic.twitter.com/4qjpGLm8jX — Lincoln Russ (@LincolnTDRuss) April 15, 2024 Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel is a leader of the Assyrian Orthodox sect who has a global following. He has expressed stalwart conservative views on Islam, the LGBT community, and was vocal in his sermons against lockdowns and vaccinations during COVID-19.  Four other member of the church were injured while subduing the attacker; the young …

UK govt under pressure to suspend arms export licenses to Israel

UK govt under pressure to suspend arms export licenses to Israel

Published by Sam

Gaza’s health ministry collects data from the enclave’s hospitals and the Palestinian Red Crescent. The health ministry does not report how Palestinians were killed, whether from Israeli airstrikes and artillery barrages or errant Palestinian rocket fire. It describes all casualties as victims of “Israeli aggression”. The ministry also does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.  Throughout four wars and numerous skirmishes between Israel and Hamas, UN agencies have cited the Hamas-run health ministry’s death tolls in regular reports. The International Committee of the Red Cross and Palestinian Red Crescent also use the numbers. In the aftermath of war, the UN humanitarian office has published final death tolls based on its own research into medical records. The UN’s counts have largely been consistent with the Gaza health ministry’s, with small discrepancies.  For more on the Gaza health ministry’s tolls, click here. (FRANCE 24 with AP)  Source link