Archive - Illinois
Lobbyists Promote Asbestos Use in the Developing World
Though it is banned or restricted in many countries, asbestos still has flourishing markets in Russia, China and elsewhere. An investigation looks at the lobbying effort behind it.
In Financial Regulation Bill, Increased Transparency for Loan Mod Program
The formula for testing homeowners’ eligibility for a mortgage modification will not be a secret anymore. The Treasury Department will now have to post the details online.
The Transocean Testimony You Didn’t Hear Today
Sickness, time constraints and Fifth Amendment rights--just a few of the reasons BP and Transocean workers have declined to testify at this week's hearings.
Federal Agencies Bolster Transparency Plans
After first failing to follow an open-government directive from the White House, some agencies make changes. They include the Justice Department, which coordinates federal FOIA training.
Worker: BP Didn't Stop Drilling After Leaks on Blowout Preventer
Weeks before the Gulf oil disaster, leaks on the blowout preventer should have halted drilling. But neither BP nor MMS responded to a worker's report on the problem.
Information From Gas-Drilling Companies Isn't Coming Easily, Congressmen Say
A congressional committee has been trying – without success -- to get some answers from gas companies involved in hydraulic fracturing. The quest for information shows how responsibility for drilling operations can be diffused among a variety of contractors.
As Congress Votes on Unemployment Insurance Extension, Deeper Problems Remain
Congress is expected to reinstate extended unemployment benefits, but state unemployment trust funds are still in a shambles.
New Safety Training Finally Begins for Offshore Cleanup Workers
Prodded by OSHA, BP begins increased training for Gulf oil spill cleanup workers. The training has doubled in length and includes new topics such as exposure to weathered oil and dispersant safety.
BP Attorney: Rig Had 390 Overdue Maintenance Items
Testimony from this week's Marine Board hearings sheds light on maintenance lapses aboard the sunken Deepwater Horizon rig. BP appears to be trying to push responsibility onto Transocean, the rig's owner.
BP's Broken Well Is Still Releasing Oil, but From Where?
Continued oil seepage from BP's capped well in the Gulf of Mexico could mean complications for the final fix.
New BP Data Shows Payments on Less Than a Third of Claims
Many Gulf Coast residents with claims against BP are still waiting for their first checks. New statistics from the company show that thousands of claims are being sent back for more information.
States Fail to Report Disciplined Caregivers to Federal Database
Hundreds of state agencies have failed to tell the federal government about health professionals they disciplined, ProPublica has learned, meaning frontline workers who have a record of on-the-job misconduct, incompetence or criminal acts aren't flagged to potential employers.
BP Lags in Reimbursing Local Governments for Cleanup
Counties along the Gulf Coast have been frustrated in their efforts to have BP cover their expenses from the oil spill. Even money that BP has given to the states has been slow to trickle down.
Man Indicted for Alleged Racial Attack in Post-Katrina New Orleans
A former New Orleans resident was charged with federal hate crimes for his alleged role in a racially motivated shooting of three black men in the days after Hurricane Katrina.
Feds Charge Man as New Orleans Inquiry Turns to Vigilante Violence
The federal investigation into what occurred in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina entered a new phase with civil rights charges against Roland J. Bourgeois Jr., a white man who prosecutors said opened fire on a trio of African-American males.
Goldman's SEC Settlement by the Numbers: We Do the Math
How much does the "largest-ever penalty paid by a Wall Street firm" really affect a financial behemoth like Goldman Sachs?
Drilling Company Says It Will List Hazardous Chemicals Used in Fracking
Range Resources plans to disclose details of the chemicals it uses to drill for natural gas in Pennsylvania. Some believe that chemicals used in the drilling process, called hydraulic fracturing, are contaminating drinking water.
