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Economic Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Mass job cuts, layoffs soon in U.S? Check who will be fired?
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way on Tuesday for President Donald Trump's administration to resume carrying out mass job cuts and the restructuring of agencies, elements of his campaign to downsize and reshape the federal government. The justices lifted San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Susan Illston's May 22 order that had blocked large-scale federal layoffs called "reductions in force" affecting potentially hundreds of thousands of jobs, while litigation in the case proceeds. Trump in February announced "a critical transformation of the federal bureaucracy" in an executive order directing agencies to prepare for a government overhaul aimed at significantly reducing the federal workforce and gutting offices and programs opposed by the administration. Workforce reductions were planned at the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State, Treasury, Veterans Affairs and more than a dozen other wrote in her ruling that Trump had exceeded his authority in ordering the downsizing, siding with a group of unions, non-profits and local governments that challenged the administration. "As history demonstrates, the president may broadly restructure federal agencies only when authorized by Congress," Illston judge blocked the agencies from carrying out mass layoffs and limited their ability to cut or overhaul federal programs. Illston also ordered the reinstatement of workers who had lost their jobs, though she delayed implementing this portion of her ruling while the appeals process plays ruling was the broadest of its kind against the government overhaul being pursued by Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency, a key player in the Republican president's drive to slash the federal spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, DOGE has sought to eliminate federal jobs, shrink and reshape the U.S. government and root out what they see as wasteful spending. Musk formally ended his government work on May 30 and subsequently had a public falling out with San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a 2-1 ruling on May 30 denied the administration's request to halt the judge's 9th Circuit said the administration had not shown that it would suffer an irreparable injury if the judge's order remained in place and that the plaintiffs were likely to prevail in their lawsuit."The executive order at issue here far exceeds the president's supervisory powers under the Constitution," the 9th Circuit wrote, calling the administration's actions "an unprecedented attempted restructuring of the federal government and its operations."The 9th Circuit's ruling prompted the Justice Department's June 2 emergency request to the Supreme Court to halt Illston's the personnel of federal agencies "lies at the heartland" of the president's executive branch authority, the Justice Department said in its filing to the Supreme Court."The Constitution does not erect a presumption against presidential control of agency staffing, and the president does not need special permission from Congress to exercise core Article II powers," the filing said, referring to the constitution's section delineating presidential plaintiffs urged the Supreme Court to deny the Justice Department's request. Allowing the Trump administration to move forward with its "breakneck reorganization," they wrote, would mean that "programs, offices and functions across the federal government will be abolished, agencies will be radically downsized from what Congress authorized, critical government services will be lost and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will lose their jobs."The Supreme Court in recent months has sided with Trump in some major cases that were acted upon on an emergency basis since he returned to office in cleared the way for Trump's administration to resume deporting migrants to countries other than their own without offering them a chance to show the harms they could face. In two cases, it let the administration end temporary legal status previously granted on humanitarian grounds to hundreds of thousands of also allowed Trump to implement his ban on transgender people in the U.S. military, blocked a judge's order for the administration to rehire thousands of fired employees and twice sided with his Department of Government Efficiency.A1. The full form of DOGE is Department of Government Efficiency.A2. President of USA is Donald Trump.
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mass job cuts, layoffs soon in U.S? Check who will be fired?
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way on Tuesday for President Donald Trump's administration to resume carrying out mass job cuts and the restructuring of agencies, elements of his campaign to downsize and reshape the federal government. The justices lifted San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Susan Illston's May 22 order that had blocked large-scale federal layoffs called "reductions in force" affecting potentially hundreds of thousands of jobs, while litigation in the case proceeds. Trump in February announced "a critical transformation of the federal bureaucracy" in an executive order directing agencies to prepare for a government overhaul aimed at significantly reducing the federal workforce and gutting offices and programs opposed by the administration. Workforce reductions were planned at the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State, Treasury, Veterans Affairs and more than a dozen other wrote in her ruling that Trump had exceeded his authority in ordering the downsizing, siding with a group of unions, non-profits and local governments that challenged the administration. "As history demonstrates, the president may broadly restructure federal agencies only when authorized by Congress," Illston judge blocked the agencies from carrying out mass layoffs and limited their ability to cut or overhaul federal programs. Illston also ordered the reinstatement of workers who had lost their jobs, though she delayed implementing this portion of her ruling while the appeals process plays ruling was the broadest of its kind against the government overhaul being pursued by Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency, a key player in the Republican president's drive to slash the federal spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk, DOGE has sought to eliminate federal jobs, shrink and reshape the U.S. government and root out what they see as wasteful spending. Musk formally ended his government work on May 30 and subsequently had a public falling out with San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a 2-1 ruling on May 30 denied the administration's request to halt the judge's 9th Circuit said the administration had not shown that it would suffer an irreparable injury if the judge's order remained in place and that the plaintiffs were likely to prevail in their lawsuit."The executive order at issue here far exceeds the president's supervisory powers under the Constitution," the 9th Circuit wrote, calling the administration's actions "an unprecedented attempted restructuring of the federal government and its operations."The 9th Circuit's ruling prompted the Justice Department's June 2 emergency request to the Supreme Court to halt Illston's the personnel of federal agencies "lies at the heartland" of the president's executive branch authority, the Justice Department said in its filing to the Supreme Court."The Constitution does not erect a presumption against presidential control of agency staffing, and the president does not need special permission from Congress to exercise core Article II powers," the filing said, referring to the constitution's section delineating presidential plaintiffs urged the Supreme Court to deny the Justice Department's request. Allowing the Trump administration to move forward with its "breakneck reorganization," they wrote, would mean that "programs, offices and functions across the federal government will be abolished, agencies will be radically downsized from what Congress authorized, critical government services will be lost and hundreds of thousands of federal employees will lose their jobs."The Supreme Court in recent months has sided with Trump in some major cases that were acted upon on an emergency basis since he returned to office in cleared the way for Trump's administration to resume deporting migrants to countries other than their own without offering them a chance to show the harms they could face. In two cases, it let the administration end temporary legal status previously granted on humanitarian grounds to hundreds of thousands of also allowed Trump to implement his ban on transgender people in the U.S. military, blocked a judge's order for the administration to rehire thousands of fired employees and twice sided with his Department of Government Efficiency.A1. The full form of DOGE is Department of Government Efficiency.A2. President of USA is Donald Trump.
The Hindu
23-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Special camp for recording farmers' details commenced
The enrolment of details about the farmers' holdings, their Aadhaar number, mobile phone number, bank account number etc. commenced on Monday to simplify the distribution of welfare schemes meant for the agriculturists. During the special registration camp to be organised across the district for 15 days from Monday, the farmers will have to submit the details about their lands, area of the holding, Aadhaar number, mobile phone linked to the Aadhaar number, bank account number, crop cultivation etc. Officials from the Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Agricultural Marketing, Agro Business and ATMA (Agriculture Technology Management Agency) will record these information. After recording the details, each farmer will be given an identity number so that these agriculturists can easily avail the benefits of Prime Minister's Kisan Scheme and other welfare schemes meant for them. Hence, the farmers of Tenkasi district should make use of these camps to submit all relevant information during the camp for getting their identity number. The farmers may contact the nearby Agricultural Officers or Horticultural Officers for more information, District Collector A.K. Kamal Kishore said in a statement.
India Gazette
29-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Haryana CM launches 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' from Kurukshetra
Kurukshetra (Haryana) [India], May 29 (ANI): As part of the nationwide Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini launched the state-level campaign from Kurukshetra on Thursday. According to an official release, the objective of the campaign is to improve the agricultural sector by connecting farmers with new technologies, schemes, and innovations. It aims to educate farmers on scientific techniques for Kharif crops, highlight the importance of soil health cards, and provide access to government schemes and policies. Through direct interaction with farmers, feedback will be gathered to guide future agricultural research. This campaign, running across the state until June 12, is a testament to the government's commitment to empowering farmers. Addressing farmers from across the state at a joint event organised by Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Fisheries, and Animal Husbandry along with ICAR at Kurukshetra University campus, CM Saini said that India has achieved self-reliance in food grain production due to the hard work and dedication of its farmers. He emphasised that this campaign will turn every farmer into a policy participant and an innovation partner and it is not just a program, but a public movement that will be a major step toward empowering farmers with knowledge, innovation, and technology. 'It is a triveni, where agricultural scientists, officers from agriculture and allied departments, and farmers will engage in direct dialogue,' he said. The Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi considers farmers the backbone of his vision for a Viksit Bharat. A developed, strong, and prosperous India is only possible when our farmers are self-reliant. He stated that under this mega campaign, more than 2,000 teams of agricultural scientists and officers have been formed across the country. These teams will visit villages and directly interact with around 1.5 crore farmers - making it the largest outreach programme in the history of Indian agriculture. During the campaign, farmers will receive advice based on local climate, soil, and crop conditions. The Chief Minister said that Haryana is an agriculture-dominated state, but faces challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, declining soil fertility, and changing market demands. The Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan will empower farmers to address these issues. It will act as a bridge from lab to land, bringing agricultural research directly to the farmers' fields. Scientists, officers, and progressive farmers will work together to cover 1,380 villages and 109 blocks across the state. He added that digital tools have revolutionised farming. During the campaign, information about digital technologies will also be shared to help farmers transition towards smart agriculture while retaining traditional methods. The Chief Minister said the Haryana government is consistently launching farmer-friendly welfare schemes. The state has given a bonus of Rs. 2,000 per acre for Kharif crops, amounting to Rs 1,345 crore, a first in Haryana's history. The long-standing colonial-era system of abiyana has been abolished, and pending dues worth Rs133 crore have been waived. He said the compensation policy for high-tension electricity lines passing through farmland. Farmers are now entitled to 200 percent of the market rate for tower area land and 30 percent for land under power lines. Additionally, the government has granted ownership rights to tenant farmers. The Chief Minister called on farmers to switch from water-intensive crops to alternatives and adopt natural farming practices, which are essential for today's environmental needs. He echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to conserve every drop of water and promote micro-irrigation. He urged farmers to turn this campaign into a people's movement and take decisive steps toward making India a developed nation once again. Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister, Shyam Singh Rana said that the 15-day campaign aims to boost crop production by providing farmers with land-related information, benefits of government schemes, and a platform for voicing their concerns. Scientists will interact directly with farmers to understand and respond to their needs. Recently, 15 lakh farmers in the state received their soil test reports via mobile, giving them valuable insights into their farm health. He highlighted the success of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, which provides Rs 6,000 per year directly into farmers' accounts, with 19 installments released so far. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana ensures compensation for crop losses due to natural disasters, requiring farmers to pay only 1.5 percent to 2 percent of the premium while the government covers the rest. The Minister said that to tackle the issue of declining groundwater levels, the Mera Pani Meri Virasat scheme was implemented, under which farmers growing crops other than paddy receive Rs 8,000 per acre. 'The government also supports natural farming by offering Rs 30,000 per acre as a subsidy to purchase indigenous cows and providing assistance for drums used to make compost from cow dung,' said Shyam Singh Rana. During the event, CM Nayab Singh Saini released five departmental magazines and officially launched the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan poster prepared by ICAR by signing it. (ANI)
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Technologists Welcome Executive Order on AI in Schools But Say More Detail is Needed
This article was originally published in States Newsroom. Education software experts say they're cautiously optimistic about a Trump administration drive to incorporate AI into classrooms, but such a program needs clear goals, specific rules — and enough money to fund the costly systems. 'AI is, inherently, really expensive,' said Ryan Trattner, CEO of AI-assisted studying tool Study Fetch. 'It's not something that scales like a normal piece of software where it might be the same price for 1,000 people to use it as 100,000.' Among a handful of education-related executive orders last week, President Donald Trump released an order to incorporate artificial intelligence education, training and literacy in K-12 schools for both students and teachers. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter The move is in line with other actions Trump has taken to promote quick growth of artificial intelligence in the U.S., including rolling back the 2023 Biden administration executive order that aimed to promote competition within the AI industry while creating guidelines for responsible government use of the technology. Introducing AI to grade school children is meant to create an 'AI-ready workforce and the next generation of American AI innovators,' the order said. A task force made up of members from various federal departments — like the Departments of Agriculture, Education, Energy and Labor, as well as the directors of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation and other federal agency representatives — will be developing the program over the next 120 days. Some makers of AI tools for students said they are cautiously optimistic about more widespread use of AI in schools, saying it would better prepare kids for the current workforce. But they say success with this program hinges on the ability to measure outcomes for AI learning, an understanding of how AI plays a role in society and a set of clear federal guidelines around AI, which the U.S. does not currently have. Many students, parents and teachers are already using AI in some portion of their learning, often through AI-powered tutoring, counseling, training, studying or tracking tools mostly available from private companies. Bill Salak, chief technology officer at AI learning and studying platform Brainly, said that many AI tools built for education right now aim to fill gaps in schools where teachers are often spread thin. They may be using AI tools to help them make lesson plans, presentations or study guides. Brainly was founded on the idea of simulating student-run study groups, and is a supplement to classroom learning, Salak said. Salak is happy to see an initiative that will prompt educators to incorporate AI literacy in schools, saying he feels we're in a 'rapidly changing world' that requires much of the workforce to have a baseline understanding of AI. But he says he hopes the task force gets specific about their goals, and develops the ability to measure outcomes. 'I do think there will be further mandates needed, especially one in which we revisit again, like, what are we teaching?' he said. 'What are the standards that we're holding our teachers to in terms of outcomes in the classroom?' Specific objectives may come after the 120 day research period, but the executive order currently says that the initiative will develop online resources focused on teaching K-12 students foundational AI literacy and critical thinking skills, and identify ways for teachers to reduce time-intensive administrative tasks, improve evaluations and effectively teach AI in computer science and other classes. It also seeks to establish more AI-related apprenticeship programs targeted at young people. Trattner of Study Fetch said he's eager to see a green light from the administration for schools to invest in AI education. The Study Fetch platform allows students and teachers to upload course material from a class, and receive customized studying materials. Trattner said that initially many educators were worried that AI would allow students to cheat, or get through classes without actually learning the material. But he said in the last year or so, teachers are finding specific tasks that AI can help alleviate from their long to-do lists. Generative AI chatbots are probably not the best fit for classrooms, but specific AI tools, like platforms that help students learn their curriculum material in personalized ways, could be. 'Everybody knows this, but teachers are extremely overworked, with multiple classes,' Trattner said. 'I think AI can definitely help educators be substantially more productive.' But cost is something the committee should consider, Trattner said. The executive order calls for the development of public-private partnerships, and said the committee may be able to tap discretionary grant funding earmarked for education, but it didn't outline a budget for this initiative. AI tools are often more expensive than other software that schools may be used to buying in bulk, Trattner said. Some AI tools are targeted toward other parts of the school experience, like College Guidance Network's Eva, an AI counseling assistant that helps users through the college application process, and helps parents with social and emotional dynamics with their children. Founder and CEO Jon Carson said he's not sure that this executive order will make a big impact on schools, because schools tend to follow state or local directives. He also feels like the current administration has damaged its authority on K-12 issues by attempting to shut down the Department of Education. 'In another era, we might actually even bring it up if we were talking to a school district,' Carson said. 'But I don't think we would bring this up, because the administration has lost a lot of credibility.' Carson hopes the committee plans for security and privacy policies around AI in schools, and folds those principles into the curriculum. Federal guidance on AI privacy could help shape everyone's use, but especially students who are at the beginning of their experience with the technology, he said. A successful version of this program would teach students not just how to interact with AI tools, but how they're built, how they process information, and how to think critically about the results they receive, Salak said. Educators have a right to be critical of AI, and the accuracy of information it provides, he said. But critical thinking and validating information is a skill everyone needs, whether the information comes from a textbook or an algorithm. 'In a world where there's so much information readily accessible and misinformation that is so readily accessible, learning early on how to question what it is that AI is saying isn't a bad thing,' Salak said. 'And so it doesn't need to be 100% accurate. But we need to develop skills in our students to be able to think critically and question what it's saying.' The specific recommendations and programing stemming from the Artificial Intelligence Education Task Force likely won't come until next school year, but Salak said he feels the U.S. workforce has been behind on AI for a while. 'I really hope that we're able to overhaul the agility at which the education institution in America changes and adapts,' Salak said. 'Because the world is changing and adapting very, very fast, and we can't afford to have an education system that lags this far behind.'
