OP-ED: The Missing Truth in the BP Oil Disaster

More than a year after a private company operating in public waters retched 170 million gallons of crude and two million gallons of toxic dispersants into the Gulf of Mexico, creating an environmental catastrophe, we still lack reliable statistics on the BP oil disaster's impact on the health of residents.

OP-ED: New Pipeline to Challenge Obama’s Promises

It took some serious digging in the sock drawer, but eventually I found my 'Environmentalists for Obama' button left over from the '08 campaign. I needed it because I'm headed to Washington in a couple of weeks to get arrested in front of the White House, and I wanted to make sure I wouldn't be misunderstood.

U.S.: Tribal Council Resists Homophobia

Heather Purser, a member of the Suquamish tribe, whose reservation sits in Washington State, came out to her family at the age of 16, but has never felt completely accepted by her people.

Ethnocentric Fishing Practices Threaten Hawaiian Communities

As the world gears up to celebrate the International Day of the World's Indigenous People on Aug. 9, a joint lawsuit filed Wednesday in Hawaii's Federal District Court against the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reveals the interconnectedness of environmental destruction and violations of native people's rights.

Climate Changes Bring Harsh Reality for Native Americans

In Shishmaref, an Inupiaq village on an Alaskan barrier island north of the Bering Strait, a way of life is gradually disappearing due to higher temperatures, rising sea levels, declining numbers of sea animals to hunt, and shrinking shorelines wrought by climate change.

Q&A: “The Threat of Default Was a Crisis for Wall Street, Not Workers”

After weeks of political wrangling over a budget proposal to settle the country's 14-trillion-dollar debt, U.S. President Barack Obama Tuesday signed into law a bill that would slash 2.1 trillion dollars from the deficit over the next decade.

U.S.: Assault on Reproductive Health Services Shifts to States

With Republican-led efforts to divert funding from the reproductive health provider Planned Parenthood stumbling in Washington, the battle has moved to the states, with mixed results.

U.S.: Military Hawks Upset with Debt Deal

As both houses of Congress began debating the 11th-hour debt limit deal hashed out Sunday night by senior lawmakers and the White House, neo-conservatives and other national security hawks complained bitterly Monday that the final package may force major cuts in defence spending in the coming years.

U.S.: New Clean Air Rules Force Some Coal Plants to Close

Utility companies across the U.S. have announced plans to shut down and retire several coal-fired power plants following a new rule published by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intended to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

U.S.: BP Disaster a Year Later, Healthcare Crisis Worsens

When news of the disastrous BP oil well explosion reached the residents of Jean Lafitte, Louisiana last April, Mayor Tim Kerner did the only thing he could think of to stop the oil from destroying his community. He encouraged everyone in his town to join him on the water, working day and night throughout the disaster to clean-up the spill.

U.S.: Recession Turned Back Clock for Blacks, Hispanics

While recession in the U.S. delivered a series of record lows, from crashing property prices to residual birth and marriage rates, an analysis of new census data suggests it accomplished at least one record high - the wealth gap between whites and minorities.

Obama’s Immigration Rhetoric at Odds with Record

"Our American family will only be as strong as our Latino community," U.S. President Barack Obama said in his address at the National Council of La Raza's annual conference in Washington on Monday.

U.S.: Laws “Not Enough” to Tackle Violence Against Native Women

Juana Majel Dixon, first vice president of the National Congress of American Indians, said earlier this year that, "Young women on reservations live their lives in anticipation of being raped...They talk about 'how I will survive my rape‚' as opposed to not thinking about it at all."

U.S.: Coal Ash New Focus of Dispute Over Health Hazards

Survey your surroundings and you'll discover that coal ash - waste from coal burned to produce electricity - is more present in everyday life than you might expect. To name a few places: toothpaste, cosmetics, wallboard, cement, and agricultural and winter de-icing products.

U.S.: A Lifesaver That Fits in Your Pocket

How much good can a small red pouch, zip tie and sheet of paper do for someone living on the streets? Turns out, a lot.

U.S.: In Shifting Political Landscape, Gay Couple Granted Two More Years

A California immigration judge has allowed Alex Benshimol, a Venezuelan citizen, and his U.S.-born husband Doug Gentry to remain together in the United States for at least two more years, in another victory for same-sex bi-national couples.

U.S.: Homeless Fall Through Health Care Cracks

While Americans are taking sides in the ongoing battle about the future of American healthcare, one underrepresented group is especially vulnerable to the change - or lack of change - that may be afoot: the homeless community.

US: Calls Mount to Investigate Bush Era Officials for Torture

Senior officials under the former George W. Bush administration knowingly authorised the torture of terrorism suspects held under United States custody, a Human Right Watch (HRW) report released here Tuesday revealed.

Marriage Victory Leaves Gay Immigrants in Limbo

Henry Velandia, an immigrant from Venezuela, will not be deported, federal immigration officials informed him last week. Now he and his husband, Josh Vandiver, will be able to remain together in the United States.

U.S.: Floods and Wildfires Trigger New Fears over Nuke Safety

Just 100 days after a deadly earthquake and tsunami devastated the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, concerns are being raised about several U.S. nuclear stations that are facing natural disasters of their own.

U.S.: Public Workers Fight to Preserve Pensions

Municipal workers across the United States are fighting to preserve their pensions amidst a concerted campaign by corporate interests coupled with budget shortfalls facing all urban areas in the current recession.