Government

CNBC reports: The Federal Aviation Administration on Friday said Elon Musk’s SpaceX must keep its Starship Super Heavy rocket grounded, saying the company needs to take 63 corrective actions before it is cleared for another test flight. The FAA has now wrapped its probe into the April launch, which saw the rocket explode mid-flight. The corrective actions include: “redesigns of …

Via press release from the United States Postal Service: The United States Postal Service is proud to announce the dedication ceremony for a new Forever stamp honoring Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, celebrating her groundbreaking contributions to justice, gender equality and the rule of law. The Ruth Bader Ginsburg stamp features an oil painting of her in her black …

Reuters reports: Fitch made its decision to downgrade the U.S. credit rating due to fiscal concerns and a deterioration in U.S governance as well as polarization which was reflected in part by the Jan. 6 insurrection, Richard Francis, a senior director at Fitch Ratings, told Reuters on Wednesday. In a move that took investors by surprise, Fitch downgraded the United …

Politico reports: Congress is deeply divided on whether Washington should push more Americans to buy electric vehicles. But more than two dozen lawmakers have made the leap themselves, according to a first-of-its kind tally by POLITICO’s E&E News — including at least two House Republicans who oppose President Joe Biden’s climate policies. Conservative Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is a longtime …

Reuters reports: Twitter, which has asked a court to terminate a consent order struck last year with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) related to data breaches, said in a court filing on Thursday that it planned to subpoena Senator Elizabeth Warren in connection with the fight. Twitter asked last week for the consent order to be scrapped, accusing the FTC …

The Hill reports: The House on Thursday overwhelmingly approved a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for five years. The measure — formally titled the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act — passed in a bipartisan 351-69 vote. It now heads to the Senate, where lawmakers are considering their own bill to reauthorize the FAA. …

The New York Times reports: The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved a birth control pill to be sold without a prescription for the first time in the United States, a milestone that could significantly expand access to contraception. The medication, called Opill, will become the most effective birth control method available over the counter — more effective at …

The Associated Press reports: Bank of America must pay more than $100 million to customers for doubling up on some fees, withholding reward bonuses and opening accounts without customer consent. Bank of America will pay $90 million in penalties to its organization and $60 million in penalties to the OCC, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Tuesday. The Office of …

The Hill reports: Nearly 30 percent of American households comprise a single person, a record high. The U.S. Census shows that “solitaries” made up 8 percent of all households in 1940. The share of solo households doubled to 18 percent in 1970 and more than tripled, to an estimated 29 percent, by 2022. The solo-living movement intersects with several other …

NPR reports: The Food and Drug Administration has fully approved the first drug shown to slow down Alzheimer’s disease. The action means that Leqembi, whose generic name is lecanemab, should be widely covered by the federal Medicare health insurance program, which primarily serves adults age 65 and older. So more people who are in the early stages of the disease …

The Washington Post reports: Fake reviews are ruining the web. But there’s some new hope to fight them. The Federal Trade Commission on Friday proposed new rules to take aim at businesses that buy, sell and manipulate online reviews. If the rules are approved, they’ll carry a big stick: a fine of up to $50,000 for each fake review, for …

CNBC reports: The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday sued Amazon, alleging the nation’s dominant online retailer intentionally duped millions of consumers into signing up for its mainstay Prime program and “sabotaged” their attempts to cancel. The agency claims Amazon violated the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act by using so-called dark patterns, or deceptive design tactics meant …

Roll Call reports: Lawmakers are beginning to consider ways in which artificial intelligence systems are involved in inventive processes like discovery of new drugs, and how the use of such technologies affects what is, and is not, patentable. The issue is fast becoming critical because U.S. law allows patents to be issued only to human inventors, whereas technologists and scientists …

CNN reports: A team of federal investigators has begun a probe into the tanker truck fire that led to the collapse of an Interstate 95 overpass in Philadelphia, leaving a portion of the East Coast’s primary highway with major damage that could take months to repair. Investigators are on scene monitoring the emergency response, as crews sift through rubble to …

The New York Times reports: After weeks of political impasse, tense negotiations and mounting economic anxiety, the Senate gave final approval on Thursday night to bipartisan legislation suspending the debt limit and imposing new spending caps, sending it to President Biden and ending the possibility of a calamitous government default. The approval by the Senate on a 63-to-36 vote brought …

CBS News reports: The House has passed legislation to suspend the debt ceiling and limit spending, as time runs short to avoid a catastrophic default. The bill will still need to pass the Senate. A majority of Democrats and a majority of Republicans voted “yes” on the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 on Wednesday night, for a final tally of …

Via press release from the FDA: A single mistake can prove fatal. We continue to receive reports of people dying or being severely injured after consuming poppers that resemble, and often mistaken for, popular energy shots. Drinking or inhaling poppers seriously jeopardizes your health. Health care providers are reporting increases in deaths and hospitalizations related to intentional ingestion or inhalation …

Reuters reports: The U.S. Treasury Department reiterated Monday it expects to be able to pay the U.S. government’s bills only through June 1 without a debt limit increase, leaving just 10 days for White House negotiators and congressional Republicans to reach a deal. In her third letter to Congress in three weeks, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said it was “highly …

NBC News reports: A bipartisan bill set to be unveiled Thursday by Reps. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., would block members of Congress from getting paid if the U.S. enters debt default or if the government shuts down. The No Pay for Congress During Default or Shutdown Act, shared in advance with NBC News, would withhold lawmakers’ pay …

The Associated reports: President Joe Biden and congressional leaders will likely resume talks on Tuesday at the White House over the debt limit, the President said Sunday, as the nation continues to edge closer to its legal borrowing authority with no agreement in sight. The meeting was initially supposed to be Friday, but was abruptly postponed so staff-level talks could …