US to ‘chart own course’ on N. Korea if China can’t help

These American strikes in Syria came as President Trump, as we have reported , was hosting the president of China for their first summit - the chief issues, North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and trade between the world's top two economies. "They agreed to increase cooperation and work with the worldwide community to convince the DPRK to peacefully resolve the issue and abandon its illicit weapons programs", Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after the two-day summit in Florida, referring to the acronym of North Korea's formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Trump set to roll back federal fuel-economy requirements

In this Feb. 21, 2017 file photo, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt speaks to employees of the EPA in Washington. The Trump administration is moving to roll back federal fuel-economy requirements that would have forced automakers to significantly increase the efficiency of new cars and trucks.

Trump to roll back fuel-economy requirements

The Trump administration is moving to roll back federal fuel-economy requirements that would have forced automakers to increase significantly the efficiency of new cars and trucks, a key part of former President Barack Obama's strategy to combat global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency is close to an announcement reversing a decision made in the waning days of the Obama administration to lock in strict gas mileage requirements for cars and light trucks through 2025.

Julian Zelizer:

Given the major fallout over his travel ban, ranging from the spontaneous protests that have broken out worldwide to a federal judge ruling that the ban needed to be stopped, it seems as though Trump is struggling. Over the past few days, many commentators have pointed to the president's abysmally low approval ratings, with 53 percent of Americans unhappy with the way that he has handled the job, as evidence that his power may be vastly limited by his unpopularity.

State, feds want meeting on Pilgrim safety

PLYMOUTH  - State and federal officials are calling on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to hold a public meeting to answer questions on the safety of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant.  The letter, which was sent Wednesday , was signed by Gov. Charlie Baker, Attorney General Maura Healey, Senator Edward Markey and the entire state Congressional delegation, Senate President Stan Rosenberg and legislators from Plymouth, Cape Cod and the islands, They call on the commission to communicate directly with the public about the safety of the nuclear power plant and provide details about recent shutdowns at a meeting in Massachusetts..   "The NRC has an obligation to address the operation of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant and the increased public concerns that continue to plague the plant at a time when it should be showing significant improvements," Healey said in a ... (more)

Whistleblower protections expanded to include government contractors

A bill to strengthen protections for employees who blow the whistle on fraud, waste and mismanagement in government contracts has gained congressional approval and now will head to the president's desk to be signed into law. The bill, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri, permanently expands whistleblower protections to nearly all contractors and subcontractors for the federal government, except for those who work in the intelligence community.

Massachusetts to get nearly $131 million in initial heating assistance

Senator Edward J. Markey commended the Obama administration for releasing the initial batch of funding under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program . The Department of Health and Human Services today released more than $3 billion, 90 percent of the funding made available under the Continuing Resolution funding the government.

Federal Regulation Saves Millions of Lives

Fifty years ago this month , President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety laws that launched a great life-saving program for the American People. I was there that day at the White House at the invitation of President Johnson who gave me one of the signing pens.

Maine majority leader blasts gov’s anti-Lowell remarks

The majority leader of Maine's House of Representatives wrote to elected officials from Lowell and Lawrence Tuesday to disagree with comments made Monday by Maine Gov. Paul LePage, who said drug dealers from Lowell and Lawrence are supplying Maine with opiates. LePage was attending a conference of governors in Boston on Monday when he said that black and Hispanic drug dealers from Lowell, Lawrence, and several other communities supply the majority of opiates to Maine residents.

Young detainees are being escorted to an area to make phone calls at a placement center in Arizona.

Nationwide, a majority of unauthorized immigrants are from Mexico, but in Massachusetts, immigrants from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras are among the largest groups facing deportation in immigration court, according to Trac, a Syracuse University organization that tracks immigration court filings. "I would hope that the president would take whatever action he can take .

Blumenthal: Feds Should Deny Both ‘Mega-Mergers’

Without addressing recent conflict-of-interest allegations against state insurance regulators, Connecticut's senior senator wrote Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Justice should deny the mergers of Aetna with Humana and Anthem with Cigna. "These mega-mergers have potentially far-reaching and severely harmful effects on Connecticut, but they raise issues of national importance as well," U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal wrote.

Senator: Why is the US backing India’s NSG membership?

Making nuclear exemptions for India, says Senator Edward Markey, 'only infuriates Pakistan and leads them to further increase their own nuclear capacities.' Aziz Haniffa/ Rediff.com reports from Washington, DC on a lively exchange in the US Senate over the Obama administration's decision to back India for NSG membership.

FAA compromise bill drops key drone privacy provisions

A Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that was passed by the Senate on Wednesday has excluded key privacy provisions, including a requirement that commercial and government users of drones must disclose if they collect personally identifiable information of a person. The bill, which is a compromise short-term extension to ensure continued funding at current levels to the FAA, was passed by the Senate and goes to President Barack Obama to be signed into law, two days before the current authorization is to expire.