VA whistleblowers faced greater risk of retaliation by officials: watchdog
Whistleblowers who reported wrongdoing at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs between 2010 and 2014 faced greater risk of disciplinary action than other employees, according to a study released on Thursday by a congressional watchdog.
More firefighters join battle against Yosemite blaze
Reinforcements arrived on Thursday to engage a dangerous wildfire burning in steep, difficult terrain at the edge of Yosemite National Park in California that has already killed one firefighter and injured two others, fire officials said.
U.S. agency enters $1.5 million judgment on payday lender but slashes return of funds
The U.S. consumer finance watchdog ordered an Alabama-based payday lender on Thursday to return $500,000 to borrowers who were overcharged, a fine that people familiar with the matter said was only a third of what the prior Obama-era head of the agency…
A tenth of U.S. veteran coal miners have black lung disease: NIOSH
More than 10 percent of America’s coal miners with 25 or more years of experience have black lung disease, the highest rate recorded in roughly two decades, according to a government study released on Thursday that showed cases concentrated heavily in central Appalachia.
Asbestos from New York steam pipe blast forces evacuations
Residents and workers from 49 buildings near the site of an early-morning steam pipe explosion in Manhattan were evacuated, many for at least two days, on Thursday after lung-damaging asbestos was found on debris from the blast, officials said.
Operation Troop Aid charity shuts down after probe by U.S. states
A Tennessee charity created to send care packages to military personnel deployed overseas, and featured by media including NBC Nightly News and the Fox Business Network, has agreed to shut down to resolve a probe by 16 U.S. states into its fundraising….
New York brings internal charges against officer in Garner chokehold death
New York City began disciplinary proceedings on Thursday against the police officer who in 2014 applied a fatal chokehold to Eric Garner, an unarmed black man, the Civilian Complaint Review Board said.
Women who sued J&J declare victory after $4.69 billion talc verdict
A woman who claimed her cancer was caused by using Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder for decades said she believes justice was served after a jury found the company should pay her and 21 other women $4.69 billion in damages.
Immigration defense group rejects Salesforce.com donation
A leading nonprofit group helping immigrant families reunite at the U.S. border on Thursday rejected a $250,000 donation from Salesforce.com Inc in protest at the cloud-computing company’s contract with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency.
U.S. aims to meet deadline on reuniting migrants, government says
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is working to meet a court-set deadline to reunify migrant children with their parents next week but would not take shortcuts to do so, the head of the department said on Thursday.
