Tag Archives: feds

The Associated Press reports: Thousands of intelligence officers could soon face dismissal for failing to comply with the U.S. government’s vaccine mandate, leading some Republican lawmakers to raise concerns about removing employees from agencies critical to national security.  Several intelligence agencies had at least 20% of their workforce unvaccinated as of late October, said U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart, a Utah …

New York City’s NBC News affiliate reports: New York City’s response plans for a chemical or biological attack will be put to the test starting Monday as part of a federal preparedness study. The MTA says the Department of Homeland Security working alongside a team of researchers and city agencies will deploy a non-toxic gas on five separate days between …

The Hill reports: Federal employees who lie on a form attesting to their coronavirus vaccination status could be fined, removed from their position or even prosecuted, according to a copy of the form published Friday. President Biden announced last week that his administration would require federal employees and onsite contractors to attest that they are vaccinated or, if they are …

CNBC reports: Thomas Barrack, who served as chairman of the 2017 inaugural fund for then-President Donald Trump, has been arrested on federal charges, several law enforcement officials told NBC News on Tuesday. The charges against Barrack, which apparently are not connected to the inauguration-related fund, are expected to be unsealed soon. Barrack is a longtime friend of Trump’s. A spokeswoman …

The New York Times reports: American intelligence officials have found no evidence that aerial phenomena witnessed by Navy pilots in recent years are alien spacecraft, but they still cannot explain the unusual movements that have mystified scientists and the military, according to senior administration officials briefed on the findings of a highly anticipated government report. And while a forthcoming unclassified …

CNN reports: Federal agencies are investigating at least two possible incidents on US soil, including one near the White House in November of last year, that appear similar to mysterious, invisible attacks that have led to debilitating symptoms for dozens of US personnel abroad. Multiple sources familiar with the matter tell CNN that while the Pentagon and other agencies probing …

CBS News reports: Dr. Anthony Fauci said in an interview released Monday that the federal government won’t be mandating vaccine passports for travel and businesses. The White House has indicated that any potential passports would come from the private sector, with little direct involvement from the government. “I doubt that the federal government will be the main mover of a …

Cincinnati’s ABC News affiliate reports: Federal officials said they found around 44 pounds of cocaine-coated corn flakes, seized in Cincinnati from incoming freight from Peru. U.S. Customs agents said they intercepted the smuggled narcotics, with an estimated street value of $2,922,400. K-9 Bisco picked up the scene, federal officials said, alerting agents to a large shipment of cereal heading to …

1010 WINS reports: Dr. Anthony Fauci and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Secretary Alex Azar will receive their COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday. In a tweet, Azar said he, Fauci and National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins would get vaccinated on Tuesday, without providing an exact time. Tomorrow I’ll receive my COVID-19 vaccine @NIH alongside @NIHDirector, @NIAIDNews Dr. …

The Stars & Stripes reports: Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., introduced a bill Wednesday that would ban the use of camouflage uniforms by federal law enforcement following criticism during the summer that federal agents assigned to control racial protests looked like National Guard troops. “The Trump administration’s decision to deploy federal law enforcement officers outfitted in camouflage uniforms in response to …

The New York Daily News reports: The Health and Human Services Department said Thursday it had distributed some 192,000 N95 respirator masks and a large haul of other scarce medical supplies that the FBI had seized during the arrest of a Brooklyn man. Baruch Feldheim, 43, was arrested Monday after he allegedly coughed on FBI agents and told them he …

Bloomberg News reports: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy said the state needs more capacity to store bodies amid increasing deaths from the new coronavirus. “Those numbers are going to continue to rise,” Murphy said at a Trenton news conference. Refrigerated trucks for the bodies will be needed ‘soon’ in New Jersey, the governor said, adding that he is talking to …

The Washington Post reports: The Justice Department’s second-highest ranking official on Tuesday told federal law enforcement officials across the country that they should consider using terrorism laws to investigate and prosecute those who try to intentionally infect others with covid-19. The guidance came in a memorandum from Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen [photo], addressing the many potential crimes prosecutors …

The Washington Post reports: U.S. airlines are asking for more than $50 billion in federal assistance amid the economic uncertainty caused by the dramatic decrease in passenger traffic due to the coronavirus outbreak. The aid would come in the form of grants, loans and tax relief. Among the asks is nearly $30 billion in grants for passenger airlines and cargo …

Via press release: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), International Mail Facility (IMF), intercepted a package containing suspected counterfeit COVID-19 test kits arriving from the United Kingdom. On March 12, 2020, CBP officers discovered six plastic bags containing various vials, while conducting an enforcement examination of a parcel manifested as “Purified Water …

The Associated Press reports: The National Security Agency has discovered a major security flaw in Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system that could allow hackers to intercept seemingly secure communications. But rather than exploit the flaw for its own intelligence needs, the NSA tipped off Microsoft so that it can fix the system for everyone. Microsoft released a free software patch …

Bloomberg News reports: A possible ban on flavored e-cigarettes appears to be back on the table, as the White House is currently reviewing a new guidance from the FDA. The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) began reviewing the guidance from FDA on Dec. 26. The administration finished reviewing an earlier version of the guidance in November, but …

The Associated Press reports: Change is afoot for the official measuring stick used to size up big places in America. The reason? There are actually two different definitions of the 12-inch measurement known as a foot. Some land surveyors use what’s known as the U.S. survey foot. Others use the definition that’s more accepted by the broader world: the international …

The Associated Press reports: The Federal Communications Commission is setting up a new three-digit number to reach a suicide prevention hotline. Once it’s implemented, people will just need to dial 988 to seek help, similar to calling 911 for emergencies or 311 for city services. Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline uses a 10-digit number, 800-273-TALK (8255). Callers are routed …

The Center for Public Integrity reports: Federal Election Commission Vice Chairman Matthew Petersen announced his resignation today. This means the agency that enforces and regulates the nation’s campaign finance laws will effectively shut down — something that hasn’t happened since 2008 — because it won’t have the legal minimum of four commissioners to make high-level decisions. Petersen’s resignation, first reported …