Archive - Illinois
Govt's Loan Mod Program Crippled by Lax Oversight and Deference to Banks
The Obama administration’s $75 billion foreclosure prevention program has been weakened, perhaps fatally, by a posture of cooperation—rather than enforcement—with the nation’s biggest banks.
Many California Dialysis Technicians Fail Federally Mandated Competency Test
At least in California, new rules fon testing have cut down the number of technicians working in an industry that is already stretched in terms of staffing.
In Houston, Rep. Giffords Could Receive Brain Injury Treatment Thousands of Troops Do Not
Brain injury experts have said that as Congresswoman Giffords recovers from a gunshot wound to the head, she’ll need cognitive rehabilitation, a treatment that isn’t covered by the Pentagon’s health program for troops.
Pakistan and the Mumbai Attacks: The Untold Story
The 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai offer a rare picture of the ties between Pakistan’s intelligence service and the militant group Lashkar-i-Taiba. The trail of two key figures, an accused Pakistani mastermind and his American operative, traces the rise of a complex, international threat.
Kindle Singles from Amazon Features ProPublica Content
Amazon.com is today launching Kindle Singles, ebook versions of narrative writing longer than almost all magazine articles, but shorter than traditional books. We're delighted to report that ProPublica stories will be included in the Kindle Singles collection.
In States Where Foreclosures Bypass Judges, New Evidence of Robo-Signers
In a case in Nevada, a title officer testified that he signed default notices—which start the foreclosure process in most states—without knowing who had the right to foreclose.
Climate Benefits of Natural Gas May Be Overstated
New emissions estimates by the Environmental Protection Agency cast doubt on the assumption that gas offers a quick and easy solution to climate change.
Late Settlement Averts First Jury Test For Allegations Against General Electric’s Omniscan
The last-minute deal keeps confidential company documents that could shed new light on claims that GE’s drug, used to enhance MRIs, caused a crippling disease in patients with bad kidneys and that the company hid its risks
Inspectors Flagged Leaky Alaska Pipeline for Replacement Two Years Prior
The troubled Trans-Alaska Pipeline System has had more than 20 spills since 2001, the pipeline operator has disclosed.
As Pennsylvania Implements New Wastewater Rules, Some State Waterways Still Face Problems
Many of Pennsylvania’s waterways suffer from high levels of contaminants found in gas drilling wastewater. New state regulations are supposed to help, but their immediate effects are hard to gauge.
Why a Gruesome Pennsylvania Abortion Clinic Had Not Been Inspected for 17 Years
According to a new grand jury report, Pennsylvania stopped regularly inspecting abortion clinics in the mid-1990s. That policy continued until just last year.
Congress to Investigate Pentagon Decision to Deny Coverage for Brain Injured Troops
Sen. Claire McCaskill's committee wants to examine a contract between Tricare, the Pentagon's health plan, and ECRI Institute, which found insufficient evidence to support cognitive rehabilitation therapy.
History Repeats Itself: Wall St. Wants a Part of Fannie and Freddie’s Gov’t-Guaranteed Deal
Wall Street, which took more risks than Fannie and Freddie did in the heyday of the mortgage boom, hope to cash in as the Obama administration looks to reform the mortgage giants.
General Electric Faces First Jury Test in Omniscan Litigation
An elderly Minnesota woman and her husband claim General Electric hid the risks of the company’s MRI drug Omniscan, causing her to contract a crippling disease.
Why the Massachusetts Supreme Court Voided Two Foreclosures and What It Could Mean for Banks
A court in Massachusetts found that banks couldn't prove their legal standing to foreclose. Here's a look at why--and what it could mean.
Guantanamo As Prison and Courtroom: Is a White House Policy Unraveling or Coming Together?
According to a story in the New York Times, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will authorize new military commission trials for detainees facing charges brought by the Obama administration. The question now is whether this signals a shift from the administration’s long-standing commitment to prosecutions in federal court.
