Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) sent messages to all members of Congress terminating their positions, stating “Your performance has not been adequate to justify further employment.” All Democratic and independent members of Congress, as well as two Republicans, found themselves locked out of their offices after everything inside had been confiscated.   read more

The case has created a fissure among environmentalists in this liberal state with a reputation for green thinking, pitting those who see wind energy as key to reducing reliance on pollution-spewing fossil fuels against those convinced audible noises and inaudible "infrasound" present health threats to those living nearby. More than 100 doctors, other scientists and activists worldwide have signed a letter urging the World Health Organization to recommend new sound guidelines for wind turbines.   read more

Three years ago, on behalf of beleaguered American air travelers, the Obama Justice Dept filed suit to block a mega-merger between two major airlines. Its case went well beyond one merger. But an abrupt reversal came after the airlines tapped former Obama officials to launch an intense lobbying campaign. One of the deal’s biggest champions was Rahm Emanuel, Obama's first chief of staff, who was in regular contact with the CEOs and lobbyists for both airlines.   read more

The ruling handed a victory to the banking industry, which has viewed the agency as a thorn in its side and accused it of overreaching in its regulation of consumer financial activities. The agency has taken legal action against banks, mortgage companies, credit card issuers, payday lenders, debt collectors and others. CFPB says that over five years it has recovered $11.7 billion that it returned to more than 27 million harmed consumers.   read more

This week 90% of recent water samples in Flint were below concerning lead levels. Yet the fears over using the water have scarcely subsided for Flint residents. They are deeply suspicious of government officials, who for much of 2014 and 2015 reassured them that the water flowing from the Flint River into their taps was perfectly safe, despite its foul odor and appearance and how it made people sick. Many who live here are convinced that the water will never be acceptable again.   read more

These moves go toward closing what has been an intractable divide between broadband haves and have-nots. About 20 percent of Americans do not have a mobile data plan or broadband at home because the services are too expensive or they live too far from the networks, among other reasons. That often leaves such households in a worse-off position for basic tasks like doing homework and applying for jobs, all of which have moved online over the years.   read more

The Standing Rock Sioux wants construction halted because of concerns about potential contamination of its water supply and says the pipeline will encroach on tribal burial sites and other cultural artifacts. A state archaeologist's inspection found no such artifacts on the private land where construction will resume, but the tribe disputes that. Dozens have been arrested at construction sites, including actress Shailene Woodley and Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein.   read more

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo have given millions of dollars to nearly 100 prominent health groups in recent years, while simultaneously spending millions to defeat public health legislation that would reduce Americans’ soda intake. In numerous instances, influential health groups accepted beverage industry donations and then backed away from supporting soda taxes or remained silent about them. Nonprofit Save the Children, which had supported soda taxes, did an about face and withdrew its support.   read more

Today in Slovakia, Hussein al-Marfadi describes permanent headaches and disturbed sleep, plagued by memories of dogs inside a blackened jail. In Kazakhstan, Lutfi bin Ali is haunted by nightmares of suffocating at the bottom of a well. In Libya, the radio from a passing car spurs rage in Majid Mokhtar Sasy al-Maghrebi, reminding him of the CIA prison where earsplitting music was just one assault to his senses. And then there is the despair of men who say they are no longer themselves.   read more

Two Native American tribes in Nevada won an emergency court order late Friday in a federal lawsuit accusing the Republican secretary of state and two counties of discriminating against them under the Voting Rights Act. Like most minorities, Native Americans in general are more likely to vote for Democrats than Republicans. Nevada is considered a key swing state in the upcoming presidential election. A tight contest for the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Harry Reid also hangs in the balance.   read more

Illinois is billions in debt, has billions in overdue bills and can't seem to remove itself from a budget morass, yet it's the nation's worst in reclaiming hundreds of millions of dollars in overpaid unemployment benefits. The abysmal performance is one reason the U.S. Labor Dept said that it would step in to help Illinois meet standards for management, record-keeping and timeliness. Illinois' 37% recovery rate is the worst among all U.S. states and territories.   read more

Its founder president, Ashok Chauhan, was charged with fraud in the 1990s by authorities in Germany, where he ran a network of companies. He returned to India and was never extradited. A plastics company in the U.S. also sued Chauhan in 1995 for failing to pay $20 million in debts. "They are a subsidiary of a conglomerate of companies," said Barmak Nassirian of the American Association of State College and Universities. "This is by no means reassuring, if you ask me."   read more

The attack on the funeral killed 140 people and wounded 525 in the latest in the wave of bombings of hospitals and markets. "The place has been turned into a lake of blood," said a rescuer, Hundreds of body parts were found strewn everywhere and collected in sacks. The strike left the building little more than a shell, with most of its walls and roof gone. The U,S. has backed the coalition with multi-billion dollar arms sales and provided logistical and intelligence support.   read more

Across the nation, 1 in 13 African-American adults cannot vote because of a felony conviction. Three swing states — Florida, Iowa and Virginia — have some of the harshest laws; they impose a lifetime voting ban on felons. “The message that comes across to them is: Yes, you have all the responsibilities of a citizen now, but you’re basically still a second-class citizen because we are not permitting you to be engaged in the political process,” said Christopher Uggen.   read more

Technology companies contend that court-imposed gag orders are being used too often by law enforcement and they violate the Bill of Rights. The companies also complain that law enforcement is casting a wide net over online communications — often too wide — in their investigations. “The Justice Dept is pushing the envelope,” said Jennifer Granick. Big companies like Apple and Microsoft have the wherewithal to push back, but smaller companies may cave rather than risk an expensive fight.   read more

The aviation measure will be voluntary for the first six years, and even countries that commit to it voluntarily will be allowed to opt out on relatively short notice. Some environmental groups said the plan did not go far enough, forecasting that it would fall short of the goal originally set by the aviation organization to offset all of the growth in emissions from air travel after 2020. The measure also exempts many smaller countries that do not have large international air carriers.   read more

An egg industry group's discussions about thwarting the sale of an eggless vegan spread were inappropriate, a yearlong investigation by the USDA has found. The investigation also determined that the American Egg Board should not have paid for pro-egg ads to appear online. While some of the antics involving the egg board and Hampton Creek may seem comic, the investigation underscores the murky and often contentious space occupied by checkoff programs, and the gaps in the USDA's oversight.   read more