The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against Rite Aid Corp, accusing the pharmacy chain of illegally filling hundreds of thousands of prescriptions for controlled substances, including opioids, without recognizing "red flags". Vanita Gupta, Associate Attorney General, said that Rite Aid's pharmacists filled prescriptions with obvious red flags and intentionally deleted notes about suspicious prescribers. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department is using every tool to confront the opioid epidemic. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties and other relief to ensure Rite Aid complies with all applicable laws and regulations in the future.
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Two large banks catering to the tech industry have collapsed after a bank run enabled by digital banking and fueled by panic on social media. In response, the U.S. government has seized the two financial institutions and President Joe Biden has reassured Americans that their money is safe. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank is the largest bank failure since Washington Mutual in 2008, and the government is taking steps to ensure the financial system remains stable.
President Joe Biden and former President Jimmy Carter have a long history of friendship and mutual respect, with Carter endorsing Biden in the 2020 election and presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. At a fundraiser in Rancho Santa Fe, California, Biden announced that Carter had asked him to deliver his eulogy when he passes away. Carter, 91, is currently the longest-living president in United States history and has been in hospice care since 2015.
President Joe Biden is expected to sign an executive order on Tuesday to increase background checks and promote better firearms storage. The order will direct Attorney General Merrick Garland to clarify the statutory definition of who is “engaged in the business” of selling firearms. The order is part of a larger effort by the Biden administration to reduce gun violence in the United States, including a ban on so-called “ghost guns” and a requirement for buyers to undergo background checks for all firearms purchases.
At least seven of the eight people killed in a maritime migrant smuggling operation off the San Diego coast were Mexican migrants, according to Mexican officials. A Spanish-speaking woman called 911 to report that 15 people were on a boat that overturned, and the Mexican consulate in San Diego has said it is working with local authorities to investigate the cause of the accident. Outrage has been sparked in the Mexican community over the tragedy.
The U.S., U.K. and Australia have announced a trilateral agreement to develop a next-generation submarine, SSN-AUKUS, based on the U.K.'s design and incorporating U.S. technologies. The submarine is part of a larger effort to modernize Australia's fleet and counter China's growing influence in the region. China has criticized the agreement, but the U.S., U.K. and Australia are sending a clear message that they will continue to work together to ensure a secure and prosperous future for the Indo-Pacific region.
A major spring nor'easter is set to hit the Northeast and New England this week, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and even snow to some areas. This follows an unusually quiet winter season and a tornado in California over the weekend. Residents in the affected areas should be prepared for potential flooding, power outages, and other disruptions, and should monitor the latest forecasts and have an emergency plan in place.
Former President Donald Trump has blamed "wokeness" for the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, rather than the law he signed in 2018 that gutted the Dodd-Frank federal regulations. This has become a cautionary tale for the future, as the government must be able to respond to a financial crisis without the interference of politics in order to protect the economy.