Page 3 - Us Government

Trump signs order seeking oversight of AI models for security risks

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on oversight of artificial intelligence Tuesday, less than two weeks after postponing a White House ceremony over his concerns that a similar policy could dull America's technological edge. The order establishes a framework for the federal government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to a month before their public release. Participation by AI developers would be voluntary, the order says. "Advanced AI capabilities make our Nation stronger, but also introduce new national security considerations that require coordinated action across executive departments and agencies," the order says. It was not immediately clear to what extent the order differed from the one Trump declined to sign on May 21. The order says the government would have only 30 days to review an AI system, a shorter time frame than some in the industry were expecting. A longer time period might have been seen as too burdensome for

Trump admin proposes 25% tariffs on Brazil despite US trade surplus

The Trump administration proposed 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Brazil, charging that the world's 10th-biggest economy engages in trade practices that are "unreasonable'' and that "burden or restrict US commerce.'' Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he received the decision "with indignation." He also blamed the decision by the US administration on his rival in October's elections, Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, who visited Washington last week. The senator is the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, once nicknamed "the Trump of the Tropics" by his allies. The announcement late Monday came after an investigation by the Office of the US Trade Representative, charging Brazil with lax anti-corruption enforcement and unfair tariffs of its own, among other things. The US has had a goods trade surplus with Brazil for years. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said that he and President Donald Trump had "constructive'' meetings with Lula and other Brazilian officials. B

US labels Brazil's 2 biggest drug gangs as foreign terrorist organisations

The US State Department designated two Brazilian criminal groups as foreign terrorist organisations on Thursday. With Brazil's presidential election set to take place in October, supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro have called for the designation as they target President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's public security policies. The two gangs -- First Command of the Capital, or PCC, and Red Command, or CV -- likely have more than 50,000 members combined, according to experts. Designating criminal cartels in Latin America as foreign terrorist organisations is a strategy that Trump's administration has used as it turns to military activity and other aggressive steps to combat drug trafficking in the Western Hemisphere, notably carrying out a campaign of deadly boat strikes against those it calls "narcoterrorists" in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean. Lula, who is seeking reelection and is trying to boost his anti-crime credentials, has openly opposed labelling ...

Washington paper mill implosion leaves 2 dead, 9 workers still missing

Crews were set to resume searching Wednesday for nine workers at a Washington paper mill where a tank imploded, releasing a highly destructive chemical mixture called "white liquor" and causing at least two confirmed deaths. Authorities said there was no hope of finding more survivors of Tuesday's tank implosion at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co in Longview, which also injured eight other people, including a responding firefighter. But before any bodies can be recovered, crews on Wednesday must first stabilize the tank, which was at risk of collapsing further and leaking more of the caustic liquid. The implosion caused the huge circular tank to buckle and collapse on one side, and officials said they would only work during daylight because of the dangers. While the cause remains unknown, authorities said there was no threat to the community, a Columbia River city of about 40,000 people with long ties to the Washington and Oregon paper and lumber industries. It was the second notable

Approx $20.6 billion of tariff refunds on way to importers: US govt

However, the govt's latest declaration to the US Court of International Trade also included an admission of a significant error in its last report to federal judge overseeing the tariff refund process

Dangers from damaged California chemical tank persist: Here's what to know

Authorities scrambled to find a safe resolution as a damaged tank at a Southern California aerospace facility containing a hazardous chemical used to make plastic parts prompted an evacuation order affecting thousands of residents. The storage tank at GKN Aerospace with about 22,713 to 26,498 litres of methyl methacrylate overheated last week and began leaking vapours into the air around Garden Grove, a city in Orange County. Officials said over the weekend the tank could leak all the chemical or even explode if it overheats. No injuries have been reported, but more than 50,000 residents were under an evacuation order over the Memorial Day weekend. Firefighters sprayed the tank with water in an effort to cool the chemicals heating up inside. Why is this chemical dangerous? ------------------------------------ Methyl methacrylate is a flammable, colourless liquid used in the production of resins, plastics and plastic dentures and is a hazardous substance regulated by the federal ..

'Hello Greenland!': Trump posts image against Nuuk skyline amid tensions

This comes after Greenlanders held a spirited protest on Thursday against the opening of a new American Consulate building in downtown Nuuk, Greenland's capital

Trump to sign order on AI, cybersecurity amid push for tighter oversight

MAGA activists, including ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon and right-wing political organiser Kremer, have been pressing to require AI developers to submit their most capable models for security tests

Trump's settlement in IRS lawsuit includes dropping tax cases, audits

IRS was barred by the Justice Department from continuing any 'known and unknown' probes into his tax returns

Crew members eject safely after 2 US Navy jets crash during Idaho air show

All four crew members ejected safely after two Navy jets collided and crashed Sunday during an air show at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in western Idaho, officials said. The collision involved two US Navy EA18-G Growlers from the Electronic Attack Squadron 129 in Whidbey Island, Washington, said Cmdr Amelia Umayam, spokesperson for Naval Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet. The aircraft were performing an aerial demonstration when the crash occurred, Umayam said in a statement. The four crew members from both jets safely ejected, and the crash was under investigation, she said. The crew members were in stable condition, base officials said. Nobody at the military base was hurt, said Kim Sykes, marketing director with Silver Wings of Idaho, which helped to plan the air show. "Everyone is safe, and I think that's the most important thing," Sykes said. Planes fell to the ground together ----------------------------------- The base said in a social media post that it was locked down .

Agree 100% with Xi that US was on decline, but under Biden: Trump

US President Donald Trump said his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping was "100 per cent correct" in his assessment that the US was a nation in decline, but the remarks referred to the years of his predecessor Joe Biden. "When President Xi very elegantly referred to the United States as perhaps being a declining nation, he was referring to the tremendous damage we suffered during the four years of Sleepy Joe Biden and the Biden Administration, and on that score, he was 100 per cent correct," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. He said the US "suffered immeasurably with open borders, high taxes, transgender for everybody, men in women's sports, Diversity-Equity-Inclusion (DEI), horrible trade deals, rampant crime, and so much more!" Trump asserted that the US has seen "an incredible rise" during the first 16 months of his administration and pointed to record stock markets and 401(k)s, military victories, renewed economic strength and what he described as a booming job market. Trump als

Anthropic's dispute with US govt emerges as risk factor for Figma, others

Design software maker Figma Inc. said it may harm its ability to sell to the government if Anthropic continues to be declared a 'supply chain risk'

Donald Trump nominates David Cummins as TSA chief amid staffing concerns

President Donald Trump on Monday nominated David Cummins to head the Transportation Security Administration - which has had a rocky few months as employees went without paychecks and security lines grew long at airports across the country. Cummins, who worked as a senior vice president at Serco, a government contractor that works with local and federal agencies, would take over a TSA bruised by the longest partial government shutdown in history which ended late last month. During periods of the shutdown, employees at the TSA, currently overseen by acting administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill, went without pay, thousands didn't show up to work and hundreds quit entirely. It left travellers frustrated over delays and missed flights and politicians pointed fingers over who was to blame for shutting down the Department of Homeland Security. Cummins has experience in transportation at Serco, and says on a LinkedIn profile, which appears to have been taken down, that he was co-awarded a "dozen

Build in US to access markets, says Lutnick; offers L-1 visas for business

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on Monday asked businesses to manufacture in the US to access local markets and offered companies L-1 visas to bring employees to launch projects here. Addressing the SelectUSA Investment Summit at National Harbour in Maryland, Lutnick said the US has flipped the script and was now encouraging companies to set up shop in the US instead of outsourcing production to other countries. "If you want to successfully sell in the United States, build here. Build here. If you want to access our markets..., hire our workers and do it here," Lutnick said. He described it as the "old model" where the US exported its intellect and intellectual property and all other countries built the factories. "We sort of outsourced production everywhere else in the world, but with Advanced manufacturing, we can bring it back," he said. "Our trade agenda has made it clear. If you build here, and you hire here, and you strengthen our industrial base, we will help you. We w

Funds to pay TSA, Homeland Security workers will soon run out: White House

The White House is warning Congress that funding to pay Department of Homeland Security personnel will "soon run out," sparking new threats of airport disruptions and national security concerns as the House slow-walks legislation to end what has been the longest-ever lapse in agency funding. In a memo late Tuesday to lawmakers, the Office of Management and Budget said money that President Donald Trump tapped to pay Transportation Security Administration and other workers through executive actions will be exhausted by May. It called on the House to quickly approve the budget resolution senators approved in an all-night session last week that would pave the way for full funding for the department. "DHS will soon run out of critical operating funds, placing essential personnel and operations at risk," the memo said. The pressure from the Trump administration could help House Speaker Mike Johnson, whose narrow Republican majority has been stalled out, tangled in internal party disputes

US does not plan to renew Iranian, Russian oil waivers, says Scott Bessent

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Friday that the US does not plan to renew a waiver allowing the purchase of Russian oil and petroleum products that are currently at sea. And, he said, a renewal of the one-time waiver for Iranian oil at sea is totally off the table. "Not the Iranians," Bessent told The Associated Press. "We have the blockade, and there's no oil coming out." "And we think in the next two, three days, they're going to have to start shuttering production, which will be very bad for their wells." Bessent's statements come as the world is on edge over the US-Israeli war in Iran, and global energy markets have been ensnarled by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The US originally issued a waiver for Russian oil sales and petroleum products in March with the intent of stabilising global energy markets after crude oil prices surged above USD 100 per barrel. The Treasury Department renewed the waiver two days after Bessent said at the White House that he had no plan

US sanctions target Iranian weapons and UAV procurement networks

The action was announced by the US Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control, which said those designated are based in Iran, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates

US starts tariff refunds; Indian exporters need to engage with buyers: GTRI

The US has initiated the process of refunding reciprocal tariffs from April 20, and Indian exporters should proactively engage with American buyers to seek a share of the refunded duties, think tank GTRI said on Tuesday. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that the engagement will be important as the refunded payments go only to US importers, and exporters have no legal right to claim them. Indian exporters will have no direct legal route to claim refunds, it said. The US tariffs, imposed from April 2, 2025, affected export of many Indian products, it said, adding that the total refund is about USD 166 billion, with roughly USD 12 billion linked to goods from India. To get refunds, US importers must file detailed claims online with shipment data, tariff lines and proof of payment. The reciprocal tariff regime began at 10 per cent on April 2, 2025 and was rapidly escalated. Rates for India rose to 25 per cent by Aug. 7, 2025 and to 50 per cent by August 28, remaining a

US Labour Secy exits Trump's Cabinet after allegations of power abuse

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is out of President Donald Trump's Cabinet, the White House said Monday, after multiple allegations of abusing her position's power, including having an affair with a subordinate and drinking alcohol on the job. Chavez-DeRemer is the third Trump Cabinet member to leave her post after Trump fired his embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in March and ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month. Unlike other recent Cabinet departures, Chavez-DeRemer's exit was announced by a White House aide, not by the president on his social media account. "Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer will be leaving the Administration to take a position in the private sector," White House communications director Steven Cheung said on the social media site X. "She has done a phenomenal job in her role by protecting American workers, enacting fair labor practices, and helping Americans gain additional skills to improve their lives." He said Keith ...

RFK Jr announces new podcast to expose 'lies' that have made Americans sick

US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr is launching a new podcast that he says will begin "a new era of radical transparency in government," according to a teaser video first obtained by The Associated Press. The show, titled 'The Secretary Kennedy Podcast', will launch next week and feature Kennedy, a longtime anti-vaccine crusader who has reshaped the country's health policy, in conversation with doctors, scientists and agency staff, US Department of Health and Human Services officials told the AP ahead of the launch. In the teaser video, in a slick HHS-branded studio with ominous music playing in the background, Kennedy bills it as a new way to expose corruption and lies that have made Americans sick. "We're going to name the names of the forces that obstruct the paths to public health," Kennedy says in the nearly 90-second clip. Joining the Trump administration last year gave Kennedy a new platform for his views, some of which contradict the overwhelming consensus of scientist