All articles tagged with #government
North Carolina’s State Health Plan board voted to restore Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina as the plan’s manager (and for a separate pharmaceutical benefits contract) starting in 2028, reversing the 2023 move to Aetna. The switch could influence premiums, covered services, and who’s in-network, and may spark legal disputes as political priorities shift under Treasurer Brad Briner.
Palantir CEO Alex Karp says some U.S. government customers have shifted to open-source AI, arguing that enterprises want Palantir as a trusted intermediary between buyers and big AI firms like OpenAI and Anthropic to govern data and costs; he also accused those firms of stealing data and overcharging, pitching Palantir’s platform as an essential 'application layer' to protect government and business users.
Police criticised the government's late decision to extend pub opening to 05:00 BST for England's World Cup last-16 match against Mexico, saying it will strain resources and require longer hours. The government says it acted quickly after England's progression and consulted policing partners. With a 01:00 kickoff, crowds could spill into the early hours and raise concerns about alcohol-related violence, even as many venues plan to stay open and hospitality groups welcomed the move.
The Agriculture Department is pursuing a nationwide reorganization that relocates thousands of Washington, D.C.-area staff to five regional hubs, with many employees asked to move or resign. Unions have filed suit seeking a preliminary injunction, arguing the plan would degrade key programs and violate congressional funding restrictions, while noting attrition could parallel a large workforce reduction. USDA officials say the move is not intended as a large-scale reduction, but internal documents indicate substantial staffing cuts across multiple agencies as part of the plan.
Seven EPA workers fired during their probation last year are suing the agency, claiming their terminations for signing a public 2025 dissent letter violated their First Amendment rights and seeking reinstatement and back pay; the suits come as part of broader challenges to the EPA following the June 2025 declaration of dissent, with support from Senate Democrats and ongoing appeals, though these plaintiffs could not appeal to the MSPB due to their probationary status.
Palantir shares jumped about 4% after announcing a joint AI initiative with Nvidia to help U.S. government agencies and critical infrastructure deploy advanced AI models in highly secure, air‑gapped environments, using Nvidia’s AI infrastructure alongside Palantir platforms (AIP, Foundry, Apollo, Ontology) with built‑in security, data isolation and deployment support for mission‑specific use cases.
Michigan is spending $37.5 million to reduce SNAP payment errors (FY2024 error rate about 9.53%, FY2025 9.89%), aiming for the 6% federal target to avoid a potential $300 million penalty in FY2028. Funds are allocated to an ad campaign, IT upgrades, staffing, and a McKinsey contract, though the state has not shared SNAP data with the federal government; MDHHS leadership is also undergoing a change, with Elizabeth Hertel leaving and Amy Epkey set to replace her.
San Francisco state Sen. Scott Wiener was chased out of the Trans March during the Pride weekend kickoff after protesters criticized his Israel/Gaza stance. Wiener said he faced verbal and physical harassment and left for safety. The video of the confrontation circulated widely, underscoring a pattern at Trans March of politicians being booed or pressed to leave, including past incidents with Ed Lee and Mark Leno; Connie Chan appeared unchallenged. The episode feeds into broader national attention around Israel-Palestine debates within local LGBTQ+ communities.
OpenAI launches GPT-5.6 in Sol, Terra, and Luna with enhanced reasoning and a multi-agent ultra mode; access is limited to about 20 government-approved partners before broader rollout as regulators prepare a cyber Executive Order framework, signaling a transition period between private release and wide adoption while highlighting defense-oriented uses and ongoing safeguards; Anthropic is likewise negotiating safeguards, and OpenAI cautions that broad government access should not be the long-term default.
The Trump administration reportedly asked OpenAI to stagger the release of its next model, GPT-5.6, by testing it in a limited preview with select partners after a government review; OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said access would be approved customer-by-customer during the preview, with a broader rollout hoped for a few weeks later.
The Postal Service has delayed employer contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System to fund current operations, averting an immediate cash crisis but signaling long-term financial instability. USPS now projects a cash shortfall could reemerge between fiscal 2031 and 2035, rather than by 2027, while Postmaster General David Steiner warns the agency remains out of cash and far from sustainable. The carrier hasn’t turned a profit since 2006, posted a $2 billion Q2 2026 loss (following a $9.5 billion loss in fiscal 2025), and has cut nonessential spending as it pursues reform. Lawmakers remain skeptical of further aid, even as USPS has hired Alvarez & Marsal to study options, including potential service cuts and structural changes, with reforms ranging from price increases to removing the regulator. Steiner indicated Congress will receive detailed five-year projections and data on cost-cutting measures, and the agency is preparing to respond by Friday.
Trump advisers are weighing how to structure possible government equity stakes in major AI companies, considering options such as funneling stakes to a Trump Accounts or directing them to a sovereign wealth fund. The discussions are in early stages with no decision yet, and a meeting with industry CEOs has not yet materialized. Ongoing export controls on Anthropic and industry skepticism complicate the idea, and analysts say any plan would require guardrails and new legislation, while questions remain about how returns would be paid given high valuations.
NDPer Jenny Kwan is demanding explanations from Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab after IRCC abruptly suspended citizenship certificates issued under Bill C-3, the 'lost Canadians' law, for an unknown number of people worldwide; the department has not disclosed how many are affected or what triggered the review, which will assess, on an individual basis, whether each certificate was properly issued and may be returned if valid. Diab has stressed that Canadian ancestry does not guarantee citizenship, and some affected individuals are considering legal action; more than 4,000 people have received proof of citizenship by descent since the law was enacted.
A U.S. District Judge in Boston, Leo Sorokin, struck down former President Trump’s $100,000 fee for new H‑1B visas, ruling it was an unlawful tax not authorized by Congress; the fee, intended to deter skilled-immigrant petitions, had barely been collected (only about 85 payments by February) and was challenged by 20 Democratic state attorneys general. Sorokin said the charge is a tax in substance regardless of its label, and the White House did not comment.
A federal lawsuit filed by the Public Integrity Project seeks to block a UFC event on the White House South Lawn, arguing the private, for-profit fight and its 92-foot ring were erected without proper approvals and would use public spaces for a private event; the suit names the National Park Service and Interior Department and claims the UFC and its partners could profit from the arrangement. The White House promoted the event, while UFC officials have not commented.