Social Security recipients stand to lose more than a fifth of their annual benefits beginning in 2033 because of significant reserve depletion in the federal program, according to a recent report released by a nonpartisan policy analysis organization. “The Social Security program is currently paying out more in benefits than it collects in payroll tax […]

More than 10,000 employees associated with the Unite Here union began a multi-day strike on Sunday against two dozen American hotels, demanding higher wages and increased staffing. Affected hotels include those run by Hilton, Hyatt, Sheraton, Westin (Marriott), and Fairmont, the union said in a Sept. 1 press release. In most hotels, the strikes are […]

Former President Donald Trump posted videos of family members of fallen soldiers responding to Vice President Kamala Harris’s criticism of his recent visit to Arlington National Cemetery. On Aug. 26, President Trump laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery to mark the third anniversary of the United States’ withdrawal from […]

A gauge measuring pending home sales activity fell to the lowest level in more than two decades last month amid an environment of high mortgage rates and political uncertainty, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Pending home sales declined 5.5 percent in July, with all four U.S. regions—Northeast, Midwest, South, and West—reporting monthly […]

Illinois-based Asli Fine Foods is pulling out batches of ground cinnamon from the market after samples showed the presence of lead, according to a company announcement reposted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The recalled item, “Asli Cinnamon Powder 7 oz,” comes in a plastic bag with Lot number “DDDLUS” and UPC number […]

Nevada-based Sierra Stain is recalling several bottles of tattoo inks amid concerns of microbial contamination, according to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration notice. The recalled products are Bloodline-branded 15ml Carolina Blue, 30ml All Purpose Black, and 15ml UV China Pink “water based tattoo pigments,” according to an Aug. 24 agency recall notice. The products […]

The United States Postal Service (USPS) proposed a host of measures aimed at saving the agency billions of dollars annually, but which could increase delivery times in some regions of the country. One of the proposals made by USPS is adjusting the pick-up and drop-off times of mail between post offices and processing plants when […]

The Social Security Administration (SSA) made nearly $72 billion worth of improper payments over a period of seven years, with almost a third yet to be recouped, according to the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG). “SSA issues over $1 trillion in benefit payments annually. Even the slightest error in the overall payment process […]

A survey conducted by the New York Fed shows that more than a quarter of respondents were searching for jobs in July, the highest level in a decade, with a significant proportion of workers reporting a decline in job satisfaction. The proportion of respondents in the SCE Labor Market Survey who reported searching for a […]

Georgia-based Perdue Foods is recalling large quantities of chicken products after consumers complained about contamination, according to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The recall is applicable to roughly 167,171 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat chicken breast nuggets and tenders that are potentially contaminated with metals, according to an FSIS announcement on Aug. 16. “The problem […]

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced a new coalition with members of the tax industry on Friday seeking to counter the growth of scams threatening tax systems and taxpayers. The new “Coalition Against Scam and Scheme Threats” (CASST) initiative was convened at the request of IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. It will “work to expand outreach […]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) identified another cucumber grower involved in an outbreak of salmonella that has infected nearly 450 people across the United States. In June, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced it was investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella linked to cucumbers. Last month, the FDA identified […]

The United States is moving ahead with the sale of almost $20 billion in arms to Israel, including fighter jets and advanced missile launchers, which is expected to boost the Jewish state’s military capabilities. The secretary of state approved the sale, and Congress has been notified about the deal, according to an Aug. 13 statement […]

LL Flooring, a specialty retailer of hard-surface flooring, has filed for bankruptcy and is looking to sell its business after facing liquidity issues. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy request was filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on Sunday. The company is pursuing a “going-concern sale” of its business, indicating LL Flooring […]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a ban on the use of the herbicide DCPA, also known as Dacthal, in a bid to protect the health of unborn infants. DCPA is registered for use in the United States to control weeds in both agricultural and nonagricultural processes. It is mainly sprayed on crops such […]

Soft drink manufacturer Coca-Cola has been ordered by a court to make billions in payments to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to cover back taxes. On July 31, the U.S. Tax Court ruled that there were deficiencies in income tax dues payable by Coca-Cola to the IRS for the 2007–09 period to the tune of […]

Bankruptcy filings in the United States increased over the past year among both individuals and businesses, according to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. “Annual bankruptcy filings totaled 486,613 in the year ending June 2024, compared with 418,724 cases in the previous year,” reads a July 25 news release. This is a 16.2 percent […]

Furniture retailer Conn’s filed for bankruptcy and is shutting down outlets nationwide after experiencing a slowdown in recent years that negatively affected the firm’s sales and liquidity. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy was filed on July 23 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Founded in 1890, Conn’s operates 553 retail stores […]

Meta removed tens of thousands of Instagram accounts and Facebook groups linked to “sextortion,” a type of blackmail whereby the scammers threaten to expose sexual images of individuals if they are not paid ransoms. “We’ve removed around 63,000 Instagram accounts in Nigeria attempting to target people with financial sextortion scams, including a coordinated network of […]

A computer hacking incident in June aimed at drugstore chain Rite Aid has affected more than 2 million customers, the company announced Monday, adding that it has begun notifying customers. The data breach occurred on June 6 when an “unknown third party impersonated a company employee to compromise their business credentials and gain access to […]