Most Americans could file their taxes for free, but don’t
The GAO report, issued Thursday, found that while 70% of taxpayers were eligible for the Internal Revenue Service’s free-filing program, only 3% of taxpayers actually use the service.
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FDA issues plan to ban menthol in cigarettes, cigars
The Food and Drug Administration said eliminating menthol cigarettes could prevent between 300,000 and 650,000 smoking deaths over 40 years.
New deal to help USA Track & Field simplify abuse reporting
The Indianapolis-based organization has signed on to use technology that will give athletes and members an additional method to anonymously report sexual abuse and other forms of misconduct.
Yellen says more shocks likely to ‘challenge the economy’
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday in an address at the Brookings Institution that countries need to build in “recession remedies” to protect people in the U.S. and globally going forward.
U.S. economy shrank by 1.4% in first quarter, but consumers kept spending
The economy’s overall decline in the January-March quarter does not mean a recession is likely in the coming months. Most economists expect a rebound this quarter as solid hiring and wage gains sustain growth.
Moderna seeks to be first with COVID shots for littlest children
Moderna on Thursday asked U.S. regulators to authorize low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 6, a long-awaited move toward potentially opening shots for millions of tots by summer.
Lawmakers question beef executives over soaring food prices
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill aggressively questioned the chief executives of the country’s four major beef producers, accusing them of engaging in anti-competitive practices that have financially harmed cattle ranchers and driven up the price of meat.
Ideas on mute? Study: Remote meetings dampen brainstorming
Video meetings dampen brainstorming because we are so hyper-focused on the face in that box that we don’t let our eyes and minds wander as much, a new study found.
CDC estimates 3 in 4 children have had coronavirus infections
More than half of all Americans have signs of previous infections, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention researchers estimated in a report Tuesday.
Brainard wins Senate confirmation to be Fed’s vice chair
The relatively close vote reflects the increasingly partisan atmosphere in Congress that is now engulfing the nomination process for the Fed, an independent institution that has sought to remain above politics.
Era of change: Mark Emmert’s tenure at NCAA
The 12-year tenure of President Mark Emmert was one of the most controversial and active tenures in the history of the NCAA.
Incandescent light bulbs being phased out again to save energy
The Trump administration had slowed an earlier phaseout of incandescents, saying it was targeting rules that burden businesses.
IndyCar adds shootout segment to Indianapolis 500 qualifying
Roger Penske has tweaked qualifying for next month’s Indianapolis 500 to add a shootout that will determine the first four starting rows for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Mark Emmert to step down as NCAA president in ‘mutual agreement’ with board
The decision comes at a rocky time for the NCAA, which for decades has controlled college sports. But in recent years, universities, athletics conferences and individual athletes have tried to wrest some of that control away, dragging the NCAA into a series of changes.
Indiana poet named first Black editor of Poetry magazine
Adrian Matejka, who grew up in Indianapolis, is the Ruth Lilly Professor of Poetry at Indiana University Bloomington.
Administration expanding availability of COVID antiviral pill
Paxlovid, when administered within five days of symptoms appearing, has been proven to bring about a 90% reduction in hospitalizations and deaths among patients most likely to get severe disease.
U.S. consumers still confident, but slightly less so
U.S. consumer confidence dampened slightly in April but remains high even as inflation continues to cloud optimism about the rest of the year.
White House: Without funding, U.S. will lose out on COVID treatments
Officials are expressing increasing alarm that the U.S. is also losing out on critical opportunities to secure booster doses and new antiviral pills that could help the country maintain its reemerging sense of normalcy.
White House seeks more power to counter use of drones in U.S.
The White House on Monday released an action plan that calls for expanding the number of agencies that can track and monitor drones flying in their airspace.
UPDATE: Elon Musk buying Twitter for $44B, plans to privatize company
The outspoken Tesla CEO, who is also the world’s wealthiest person, has said he wanted to buy and privatize Twitter because he thinks it’s not living up to its potential as a platform for free speech.