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Epoch Times
10-08-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Trump Administration Slaps Higher Tariffs on Canadian Lumber
AD The Commerce Department says the higher tariffs offset unfair subsidies, while Canadian officials warn the move will fuel inflation. Wood is processed at a sawmill in Lachute, Canada, on April 10, 2025.8/10/2025 | Updated: 8/10/2025 replace text here and make top news Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education. Author's Selected Articles
Epoch Times
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Education Department Finds $90 Million in Improper Student Aid Payments
The U.S. Department of Education has The agency released the findings on May 28 as part of a broader effort to restore oversight tools and reduce fraud in federal student aid programs. Officials said the improper payments occurred over the past three years and were tied in part to lapses in verification systems that had been paused. 'From start to finish—filling out the FAFSA [Free Application for Federal Student Aid] form to loan repayment—the American taxpayer underwrites federal student aid programs,' Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. 'We are committed to protecting and responsibly investing their hard-earned dollars.' According to the department, more than $30 million went to recipients who were listed as deceased. A cross-check with the Social Security Death Index flagged the error. Officials said they have strengthened real-time data-sharing with the Social Security Administration to help prevent similar mistakes in the future. Other cases involved identity fraud and immigration-related ineligibility. In March, the department resumed flagging suspicious FAFSA applications using data models designed to catch inconsistencies or signs of identity misuse. A recent review found that nearly $40 million in Direct Loans and $6 million in Pell Grants were issued to people who did not qualify. Officials said individuals granted immigration parole status—temporary permission to remain in the country—are not immediately eligible for aid. To better identify these cases, the department said it has received updated data from the Department of Homeland Security. Related Stories 5/22/2025 5/8/2025 An additional $10 million in improper Direct Loan payments was linked to a pause in a system known as the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) post-screening. The NSLDS process alerts financial aid offices when a student has reached federal limits or had a change in eligibility. That tool was restored earlier this year, the department said. The department added that many of the protections and processes being resumed were in place before the COVID-19 pandemic but had been delayed or deprioritized in recent years. The statement also noted that the Office of Federal Student Aid is working with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute fraud cases. The agency encouraged students and parents to visit While the department did not provide a full breakdown of how the errors occurred or how many recipients were involved, it said the new oversight measures would help close existing gaps. The announcement comes as the federal student aid system faces renewed With millions of borrowers now past due or in default, the Education Department has also resumed involuntary collections, including tax refund seizures and upcoming wage garnishments for those who remain in default. Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
Epoch Times
06-05-2025
- Health
- Epoch Times
DOJ Asks Court to Dismiss States' Lawsuit Challenging Abortion Pill Regulations
The Department of Justice on May 5 asked a district court to dismiss a lawsuit filed by three Republican-led states that sought to challenge federal rules allowing access to the abortion pill mifepristone. Missouri, Idaho, and Kansas filed the In a 'The states are free to pursue their claims in a district where venue is proper, but the states' claims before this court must be dismissed or transferred pursuant to the venue statute's mandatory command,' government lawyers wrote. The three states had brought their initial lawsuit against the FDA by On Jan. 16, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk Related Stories 6/13/2024 1/17/2025 Government attorneys argued that the states cannot 'piggyback' on the coalition's lawsuit filed in Texas, as the coalition itself lacked standing and had voluntarily dropped the case. The lawyers also stated that the case is time-barred, as the states were challenging the FDA's actions from 2016, which fall outside the six-year statute of limitations. 'Regardless of the merits of the states' claims, the states cannot proceed in this court,' they stated in the court filing. In their amended They pointed to the agency's actions from 2016 that allowed pregnant women to take the abortion drug up to 10 weeks' gestation, rather than seven weeks, enabled non-doctors to prescribe chemical abortions, and stopped requiring in-person doctor office visits. In 2021, the agency allowed abortion providers to dispense abortion medication by mail. These policy changes, the states argue, increase the potential for complications and strain health care systems, as more patients may require emergency care due to adverse reactions. 'Women face severe bleeding, ruptured ectopic pregnancies, and life threatening infections because the FDA recklessly removed in-person safety standards that it once provided,' the amended complaint states. The states also argued that the FDA's actions infringed on their sovereignty, noting that its policies enabled out-of-state abortion drug providers to evade state regulations. The Epoch Times reached out to attorneys general of Missouri, Idaho, and Kansas for comment but did not receive a response by publication time. Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
