Labor and public-interest groups are arguing that permitting Mexican truckers to drive US roads under NAFTA raises safety concerns. But the facts suggest otherwise, and some activists see a deeper problem.
Published: Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Reported By: Michelle Chen
Section: Work and Money
Topics: Corporate Globalization, Labor Issues, Foreign Policy / International Relations, Economy
More than a half-million tons of hazardous waste annually could escape federal environmental regulations under a new proposal from the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Published: Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Reported By: Catherine Komp
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Environment / Ecology
The federal office that has occasionally accused the US Environmental Protection Agency of manipulating science for political reasons is now dismissing staff in anticipation of budget cuts not yet approved by Congress.
Published: Friday, March 23, 2007
Reported By: Jessica Azulay
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Politics / Legislation, Environment / Ecology
The federal government yesterday announced the removal of Yellowstone’s grizzly bears from its threatened and endangered species list, much to the chagrin of conservationists.
Published: Friday, March 23, 2007
Reported By: Megan Tady
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Animal Rights, Environment / Ecology
A watchdog group is challenging the US government’s stance on food from cloned animals, accusing regulators of downplaying evidence of health risks in order to serve industry interests.
Published: Thursday, March 22, 2007
Reported By: Michelle Chen
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Food / Nutrition, Health / Safety, Science / Technology, Agriculture
As the federal government continues to push forward the controversial Real ID Act, a growing number of states and public-interest groups are taking measures to block the initiative.
Published: Thursday, March 22, 2007
Reported By: Catherine Komp
Section: Civil Liberties and Security
Topics: Privacy / Surveillance, Civil / Human Rights, Poverty / Class Issues, Immigration / Refugees
Legislation passed or under consideration in numerous states would raise punishments for bias-motivated attacks on homeless people, but activists say shelter and opportunities would do much more.
Published: Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Reported By: Shreema Mehta
Section: U.S. News
Topics: Poverty / Class Issues, Law Enforcement / Prison System
While promoting energy security, senators introduced a corporate-backed bill last week that would allow for off-shore oil drilling.
Published: Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Reported By: Megan Tady
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Energy
Civil libertarians say that security measures and the presence of police officers in New York City schools have created "hostile and dysfunctional environments" for students and teachers.
Published: Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Reported By: Megan Tady
Section: Civil Liberties and Security
Topics: Age / Ageism, Education / Schools, Law Enforcement / Prison System
A new analysis has found that some 44 million American jobs – about one out of every three positions in the United States – pays $11.11 per hour or less.
Published: Monday, March 19, 2007
Reported By: Jessica Azulay
Section: Work and Money
Topics: Poverty / Class Issues, Business
With two controversial trade deals awaiting ratification, Congress is taking stock of the White House’s free-trade agenda, and activists are seizing the moment to call for policies that respond to the social needs of all countries involved.
Published: Monday, March 19, 2007
Reported By: Michelle Chen
Section: Work and Money
Topics: Economy, Corporate Globalization, Labor Issues, Civil / Human Rights
As the United States ushers in a fourth year in Iraq on Monday, growing shame, anger and grief over the war is prompting some active opponents to "step it up a notch."
Published: Friday, March 16, 2007
Reported By: Megan Tady
Section: U.S. News
Topics: Social Movements / Activism, Military / War, Elections / Democracy
Three public-interest groups have identified yet another disparity in the US healthcare system: a lack of services, research and education for bisexual people.
Published: Friday, March 16, 2007
Reported By: Catherine Komp
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Health / Safety, Gender / Sexism
Six months after the US Department of Agriculture announced that the US long-grain rice supply had been contaminated with illegal rice, the genetically modified grains are still showing up in unexpected places.
Published: Thursday, March 15, 2007
Reported By: Jessica Azulay
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Corporate Globalization, Agriculture, Food / Nutrition, Environment / Ecology
Largely because few laws limit their mistreatment by employers, US housekeeping staff are underpaid and underappreciated. A new survey details their conditions and their predicament.
Published: Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Reported By: Megan Tady
Section: Work and Money
Topics: Labor Issues, Gender / Sexism, Immigration / Refugees
In a multi-state experiment designed to test whether the public could access emergency-planning information for their communities, more than half of local officials failed to provide the full documentation required by law.
Published: Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Reported By: Jessica Azulay
Section: U.S. News
Topics: Secrecy / Corruption, Media
Immigrant-rights groups are backing a bill introduced this week that could extend health coverage through already-underfunded programs to non-citizens who are under 21 or pregnant and are in the country legally.
Published: Friday, March 9, 2007
Reported By: Megan Tady
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Immigration / Refugees, Health / Safety
In reporting on the human rights abuses around the world, the State Department has neglected facts and claims from its sources that implicate the US in the very abuses it decried.
Published: Thursday, March 8, 2007
Reported By: Jessica Azulay
Section: U.S. News
Topics: Foreign Policy / International Relations, Civil / Human Rights, Terrorism / Terror War, Law Enforcement / Prison System
A growing movement to curb junk mail for ecological and privacy reasons is meeting stiff opposition from marketing associations, businesses and a postal workers’ union.
Published: Thursday, March 8, 2007
Reported By: Megan Tady
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Environment / Ecology, Privacy / Surveillance, Labor Issues, Business
Every year since 1989, members of Congress have pushed for a study into how the US might atone for slavery, its aftermath and legacy. And every year, the white majority says the subject is off limits.
Published: Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Reported By: Michelle Chen
Section: U.S. News
Topics: Race / Racism, Politics / Legislation
The nation’s largest public power system could be held liable for violating the Clean Air Act due to a federal court ruling last week.
Published: Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Reported By: Megan Tady
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Environment / Ecology, Health / Safety
An ‘elite’ commission that has reviewed President Bush’s keystone education policy avoided difficult issues and has recommended an expansion of standardized testing.
Published: Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Reported By: Livia Gershon
Section: U.S. News
Topics: Education / Schools, Politics / Legislation, Age / Ageism
A private firm that may have ties to chemical companies is helping to run a US government agency tasked with investigating how chemicals adversely affect reproductive health.
Published: Friday, March 2, 2007
Reported By: Megan Tady
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Health / Safety, Business
As the ice they depend on for their way of life melts away around them, indigenous people of the Arctic are taking a crack at Washington in international court.
Published: Thursday, March 1, 2007
Reported By: Megan Tady
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Civil / Human Rights, Environment / Ecology, Indigenous Issues, Foreign Policy / International Relations
Unions representing graduate teaching assistants recently filed a complaint with a United Nations agency over a federal ruling that disqualified them from collective bargaining.
Published: Thursday, March 1, 2007
Reported By: Shreema Mehta
Section: Work and Money
Topics: Labor Issues, Foreign Policy / International Relations
A human rights group is calling for the Bush administration to reveal the whereabouts of all suspects once detained by the CIA in secret prisons scattered across the globe.
Published: Thursday, March 1, 2007
Reported By: Shreema Mehta
Section: Civil Liberties and Security
Topics: Civil / Human Rights, Terrorism / Terror War
A government audit has found that a federally funded literacy initiative has been run more like a sales pitch for private interests than an education-reform effort.
Published: Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Reported By: Michelle Chen
Section: U.S. News
Topics: Education / Schools, Politics / Legislation, Secrecy / Corruption
As the White House touts efforts to protect Americans from religious discrimination, advocates of church-state separation say the Bush administration is supporting organizations and policies that trample religious freedom.
Published: Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Reported By: Michelle Chen
Section: Civil Liberties and Security
Topics: Religion, Politics / Legislation, Law / Courts
Taxi-cab drivers in Oakland, California are demanding that their employer recognize them as direct employees and guarantee them the right to negotiate workplace conditions through their union.
Published: Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Reported By: Shreema Mehta
Section: Work and Money
Topics: Labor Issues, Social Movements / Activism
A pending merger in the cotton-seed industry is prompting sharp legal and environmental criticisms of biotechnology in US agriculture.
Published: Monday, February 26, 2007
Reported By: Michelle Chen
Section: Environment and Health
Topics: Food / Nutrition, Agriculture, Environment / Ecology, Business
