USDA moves to end employee union contracts, documents show
The notices sent to union leaders at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Food Safety and Inspection Service said the move was aligned with President Donald Trump's March executive order to exclude some federal workers from collective bargaining because their agencies have national security missions, the documents show.
The Trump administration has also moved to terminate union contracts at the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Veterans Affairs and other agencies under the executive order.
The USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Geeky Gadgets
12 minutes ago
- Geeky Gadgets
How To Use Grok 4 AI : Personas, Workflows, Creativity and More
Have you ever wished for a tool that could seamlessly juggle your to-do list, draft a flawless report, analyze complex data, and even create stunning visuals, all in one place? Enter xAI's Grok 4 AI, a innovative platform that promises to transform the way you work, create, and solve problems. Whether you're a seasoned professional or someone just dipping their toes into the world of artificial intelligence, Grok 4 AI offers an intuitive yet powerful suite of features designed to simplify your life. From generating text and analyzing data to managing projects and even offering emotional support through customizable AI personas, this tool is as versatile as it is innovative. But how do you unlock its full potential? That's where this step-by-step primer comes in. In this guide, Manizha & Ryan, take you through everything you need to know to master Grok 4 AI. We'll walk you through setting up your account, exploring its robust dashboard, and using its standout features like voice commands and AI-driven project management. But that's just the beginning. You'll also discover how Grok's customizable personas can transform not only your workflows but also your personal interactions with AI. Whether you're looking to boost productivity, unleash your creativity, or simply make your day-to-day tasks more manageable, this guide will equip you with the insights to make Grok 4 AI work for you. So, what role will this AI play in your life? Let's explore the possibilities. Key Features of Grok 4 AI How to Get Started Getting started with Grok 4 AI is a simple process. To begin, you need to create an account by signing up on the official website, You can register using your Google, Apple, or email credentials. Once your account is set up, you gain access to a variety of AI models, including the free 'Fast' version and the advanced 'Gro 4' version, which is available through paid subscription plans. These models are designed to handle a wide spectrum of tasks, from answering basic queries to solving complex problems, making sure that users can find the right tools for their specific needs. Grok 4 AI offers a comprehensive array of features tailored to meet diverse user demands. Its core functionalities include: Text Generation: Generate detailed and contextually accurate responses for tasks such as drafting articles, answering questions, or conducting research. Generate detailed and contextually accurate responses for tasks such as drafting articles, answering questions, or conducting research. Image Creation: Design and edit images with customizable styles, making it an ideal tool for creative projects and visual content creation. Design and edit images with customizable styles, making it an ideal tool for creative projects and visual content creation. Cloud Integration: Seamlessly access and manage files by integrating with popular cloud services like Google Drive and OneDrive. Seamlessly access and manage files by integrating with popular cloud services like Google Drive and OneDrive. Data Analysis: Analyze datasets to uncover actionable insights, whether for business, academic, or personal purposes. Analyze datasets to uncover actionable insights, whether for business, academic, or personal purposes. Document Scanning: Digitize and organize physical documents efficiently using advanced scanning tools. These features make Grok 4 AI a versatile platform capable of addressing a wide range of professional and personal challenges. How to Use Grok 4 AI and Unlock its Full Potential Watch this video on YouTube. Here are more guides from our previous articles and guides related to xAI's Grok that you may find helpful. Streamlining Workflows with the Dashboard The Grok 4 AI dashboard is designed with user convenience in mind, offering intuitive navigation and tools to optimize workflows. Key sections of the dashboard include: Voice Commands: Perform tasks hands-free by issuing voice instructions, allowing for greater efficiency and multitasking. Perform tasks hands-free by issuing voice instructions, allowing for greater efficiency and multitasking. Files and Tasks: Organize your files and track tasks in dedicated sections, making sure that your projects remain structured and accessible. Organize your files and track tasks in dedicated sections, making sure that your projects remain structured and accessible. Project Management: Create project spaces, assign tasks, and monitor productivity with built-in task trackers. 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The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
Ukraine strikes Russian ship ‘carrying ammunition from Iran' on day of Trump-Putin summit
Ukraine has struck a large Russian oil refinery and key port, hitting a ship that had been transporting drone parts and ammunition from Iran, its military has confirmed. Kyiv said on Friday that Ukraine struck the Syzran oil refinery in Russia 's Samara region in an overnight attack and also hit the Caspian Sea port of Olya in the Astrakhan region the previous day, including the cargo vessel travelling to Russia. The strikes came hours before US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin meet for a crucial summit in Alaska to discuss the war in Ukraine – to which Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has not been invited – and as Russia grinds out gains in Ukraine's east. Facing regular Russian missile and drone attacks, Ukraine has directed the majority of its deep strikes against Russian oil refineries and unspecified 'storage facilities' this year, according to new general staff data published on Friday. The Ukrainian military, as usual, did not confirm if it used drones for its latest two long-range attacks. It says its deep strike campaign aims to degrade Russia's capacity to wage the full-scale war it launched in February 2022. The Ukrainian military's claims could not be independently verified. In a statement on the Telegram messaging app, Kyiv's military said its strike caused a fire and explosions at the Syzran refinery, which it said produces a range of fuels and is one of the biggest in oil company Rosneft's network. Samara's regional governor said a drone attack caused a fire at an unspecified "industrial enterprise" in his region, but that it had been put out quickly. The Russian defence ministry said it had shot down Ukrainian drones over nine regions. The Ukrainian military also said it struck the Caspian port of Olya in Russia's Astrakhan region on Thursday, hitting a ship that had been transporting drone parts and ammunition from Iran. The vessel "Port Olya-4" regularly transits the Caspian Sea, bringing cargo between Iran and Russia, according to the US treasury department and Ukrainian military intelligence. Russia uses the Olya port as an important logistics hub for the supply of military goods from Iran, the Ukrainian military said in a statement on Friday. Meanwhile, Moscow's forces breached Ukrainian lines in a series of infiltrations in the country's industrial heartland of Donetsk this week. The advances amount to only a limited success for Russia, analysts say, since it still needs to consolidate its gains before achieving a true breakthrough – but it is still seen as a potentially dangerous moment for Ukraine. In other developments, Russian strikes in Ukraine's Sumy region overnight on Wednesday resulted in numerous injuries, Ukrainian regional officials said. A missile strike on a village in the Seredyna-Budska community wounded a 7-year-old girl and a 27-year-old man, according to regional governor Oleh Hryhorov. The girl was taken to hospital in a stable condition. In Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack damaged several apartment buildings in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, near the border with Ukraine, where 13 civilians were wounded, according to acting governor of the region, Yuri Slyusar. Two of the wounded were hospitalised in serious condition, he said.
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The Independent
13 minutes ago
- The Independent
Pete Hegseth does believe in a woman's right to vote, Pentagon says after video controversy
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth does believe in a woman's right to vote, the Pentagon has insisted, a week after he ignited a controversy by posting a video on X of a Christian evangelist suggesting that right should be repealed. Hegseth, 45, posted a seven-minute CNN segment on his account last Friday profiling Christian nationalist pastor Doug Wilson, who founded the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches and whose congregation the secretary belongs to, with the comment: 'All of Christ for All of Life.' The video features a brief interlude in which journalist Pamela Brown also interviews two other pastors, Toby Sumpter and Jared Longshoreman, in which the latter expresses his support for scrapping the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which granted American women suffrage in 1920 after a fierce campaign by contemporary feminists. 'I would support it on the basis that the atomization that comes with our current system is not good for humans,' Longshoreman states. Hegseth's post attracted a swathe of withering responses and personal attacks, one of which quoted the fourth president, James Madison's famous remark of 1803: 'The purpose of separation of church and state is to keep forever from these shores the ceaseless strife that has soaked the soil of Europe in blood for centuries.' Asked about the clip by reporters on Thursday, Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Wilson said: 'Of course, the secretary thinks that women should have the right to vote.' She declined to be drawn on why he had felt compelled to post it. 'He appreciates many of [Pastor Wilson's] writings and teachings,' the spokesperson said. 'I'm not going to litigate every single aspect of what he may or may not believe in a certain video.' Hegseth is mentioned in the segment as an attendee at Wilson's services and over his introduction of monthly prayer sessions at the Pentagon. In the film, Brown also interviews Jennifer Butler, founder of the progressive Faith in Democracy group, who expresses disquiet about Wilson's close connection to the Donald Trump administration via the defense secretary. 'He is rapidly gaining in power,' she warned. 'He has hundreds of churches established around the country. They actually literally want to take over towns and cities and they have access to this administration.' Wilson himself is forthcoming in the film about his opinion, which he insists is based on scripture, that women should not be in certain leadership positions, and doubles down on a claim he first made in the 1990s that the relationship between masters and slaves in 19th-century America was often affectionate and not necessarily adversarial. According to The Huffington Post, Hegseth's views on women 'drove tension' while he was a student at Princeton.
