Jun 16 Executive order to protect LGBT federal contractors against discrimination By Julie Pace, Associated Press The move follows years of pressure from gay rights groups for Obama to act on his own while a broader employment non-discrimination measure languishes on Capitol Hill. The Senate passed the legislation last year but the bill stalled in the… Continue reading
Jun 16 What Social Security’s Survivors Planner won’t tell you about taking widows benefits By Laurence Kotlikoff Thanks to one of Social Security's nasty "gotchas," the survivor benefits that a widow(er) collects depend on when the late spouse took retirement benefits. Social Security expert Larry Kotlikoff shows how the collection strategy of one deceased husband makes all… Continue reading
Jun 16 Many new patients overwhelmed by health care jargon By Anna Gorman, Kaiser Health News Health officials have spent much of the past year promoting the Affordable Care Act and enrolling people in coverage. Now they need to help consumers understand the basics of health insurance and how to use their policies, health care providers… Continue reading
Jun 16 Supreme Court sides with gun control groups on straw purchase law By Sam Hananel, Associated Press The ruling settles a split among appeals courts over federal gun laws intended to prevent sham buyers from obtaining guns for the sole purpose of giving them to another person. The laws were part of Congress' effort to make sure… Continue reading
Jun 16 Kerry signals U.S. willing to cooperate with Iran to end violence in Iraq By Matthew Lee, Associated Press Kerry said Washington is "open to discussions" with Tehran if the Iranians can help end the violence and restore confidence in the Iraqi government. Asked about possible military cooperation with Iran, Kerry said he would "not rule out anything that… Continue reading
Jun 15 Southeast especially vulnerable to tornadoes, study shows By Vic Pasquantonio A new study says four out of five U.S. states that are most vulnerable to “killer twisters” are in the Southeast, with Florida topping the list. Continue reading
Jun 15 Some high-risk oil and gas wells not inspected by feds By Associated Press Four in 10 new oil and gas wells near national forests and fragile watersheds or otherwise identified as higher pollution risks escape federal inspection, unchecked by an agency struggling to keep pace with America's drilling boom, according to an Associated… Continue reading
Jun 14 Honda, Toyota add vehicles to defective airbag recall By Deepashri Varadharajan Honda and Toyota have issued recalls due to problems related to airbag inflators manufactured by Takata Corp. Continue reading
Jun 14 FOIA request reveals brutal photos of dolphins, turtles and sharks caught in Pacific gill nets By Brian Epstein Recently obtained photos of dead sea mammals and fish that were caught in fishing nets have outraged conservationists. The photos were obtained by Oceana, an international organization that focuses on ocean conservation, through a freedom of information request. Continue reading
Jun 14 Watch Swordfishing practices under scrutiny on California’s coast By PBS News Hour A major clash in California is taking place between environmentalists trying to protect the abundant wildlife off shore and commercial fishers who depend on the ocean's bounty for their livelihood. Recently released images of sea life killed by drift gill-nets… Continue watching