US says Guantanamo detainee can pen letter about torture
The Biden administration says it will allow a Guantanamo Bay detainee to provide information to Polish officials about his torture in CIA custody following the 9/11 attacks.
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FDA panel endorses lower-dose Moderna COVID shot for booster
U.S. health advisers said Thursday that some Americans who received Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months ago should get a half-dose booster to rev up protection against the coronavirus.
FDA backs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for seniors, high-risk
The U.S. moved a step closer Wednesday to offering booster doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to senior citizens and others at high risk from the virus as the Food and Drug Administration signed off on the targeted use of extra shots.
Biden requiring federal workers to get COVID shot
President Joe Biden on Thursday is toughening COVID-19 vaccine requirements for federal workers and contractors as he aims to boost vaccinations and curb the surging delta variant that is killing thousands each week and jeopardizing the nation’s economic recovery.
Feds report most rental assistance has still not gone out
States and localities have only distributed 11% of the tens of billions of dollars in federal rental assistance, the Treasury Department said Wednesday, the latest sign the program is struggling to reach the millions of tenants at risk of eviction.
Report details mishandling of police emergency system on 1/6
U.S. Capitol Police didn’t adequately respond to frantic calls for help from officers when they pressed panic buttons on their radios seeking immediate backup as scores of rioters beat officers with bats, poles and other weapons, an inspector general’s report found.
US regulators give full approval to Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
The U.S. gave full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, a milestone that may help lift public confidence in the shots as the nation battles the most contagious coronavirus mutant yet. The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech now carries the strongest endorsement from the Food and Drug Administration, which has never before had so much evidence to judge a shot’s safety.
Federal judiciary seeks public comment on proposed changes to emergency rules
How can the judiciary better respond to future declared emergencies that impair federal court operations? That’s a question the U.S. Courts are hoping members of the public are willing to offer their opinions on.
Legal workload expected to increase in ‘return to work world’
With offices reopening and employees relearning how to conduct themselves in a professional workspace, in-house attorneys and human resources leaders are not expecting the transition to a pre-pandemic normal to be easy. Decision-makers anticipate a rise in administrative claims and lawsuits related to labor and employment matters over the next year.
Federal agency blocks Indiana’s Medicaid work requirements
The Biden administration has revoked the federal authorization for Indiana’s planned work requirements for low-income residents who receive their health insurance through Medicaid.
Supreme Court won’t sidetrack plans for natural gas pipeline
The Supreme Court sided Tuesday with a pipeline company in a dispute with New Jersey over land the company needs for a natural gas pipeline.
Judge dismisses gov’t antitrust lawsuits against Facebook
A federal judge on Monday dismissed antitrust lawsuits brought against Facebook by the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of state attorneys general, a significant blow to attempts by regulators to rein in tech giants.
CDC extends eviction moratorium a month, says it’s last time
The Biden administration on Thursday extended the nationwide ban on evictions for a month to help millions of tenants unable to make rent payments during the coronavirus pandemic, but said this is the last time it plans to do so.
High court: Congress erred in patent dispute board setup
The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Congress erred when it set up a board to oversee patent disputes by failing to make the judges properly accountable to the president.
Prison break: 29 inmates escape federal lockups in 18 months
Over the past 18 months, 29 prisoners have escaped from federal lockups across the U.S. — and nearly half still have not been caught. At some of the institutions, doors are left unlocked, security cameras are broken and officials sometimes don’t notice an inmate is missing for hours.
Indiana among states suing Frontier for delivering slow internet
The Federal Trade Commission and six states including Indiana are suing Frontier Communications for not delivering the internet speeds it promised customers and charging them for better, more expensive service than they actually got.
Applegate: A new little-known benefit to help families of COVID victims
COVID-related deaths are part of a national emergency. As a result, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) just began accepting applications for COVID-19 Funeral Assistance on April 12.
Rural, urban interests compete in redistricting
Legislative and congressional districts have been drawn across Indiana so that slivers of urban areas are attached to large swaths of rural land. As a result, voters are not given true representation because their elected officials are representing segments of different communities of interest rather than a segment with common interests.
Reversing Trump, US restores transgender health protections
The U.S. will protect gay and transgender people against sex discrimination in health care, the Biden administration announced Monday, reversing a Trump-era policy that sought to narrow the scope of legal rights in sensitive situations involving medical care.
Union leaders decry Indiana’s high rate of worker deaths
Indiana labor union leaders are calling for improved workplace safety enforcement with the state’s rate of deaths while working about one-third higher than the national average.