American’s gift to Climate Research
The Republican-controlled House has approved a measure that would effectively force government agencies to stop studying climate change. The measure calls on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and related bodies to focus on forecasting severe weather — but not explore one of its likely causes. The vote comes as the U.N.’s top climate panel issued a report this week calling on governments to prepare for global warming’s worsening impact and to cut emissions in order to prevent it from getting worse.
Senate Report Finds Caterpillar Evaded Billions in Taxes
The equipment giant Caterpillar is being accused of hiding billions of dollars in profits offshore to avoid paying taxes. A new Senate report says Caterpillar has exploited a tax loophole in Switzlerland to avoid taxes of $2.4 billion in the United States. Instead, Carterpillar was able to pay just $55 million.
UPS Fires 250 Workers for Staging 90-Minute Walkout
The delivery company UPS is firing 250 unionized drivers for staging a 90-minute walkout in February to protest the dismissal of a longtime worker. The New York Daily News reports UPS has already fired 20 workers from a facility in Queens, New York, and told the remaining 230 they will be dismissed as soon as their replacements are trained.