Civil Law

Further UK warnings about additives in American snacks

Devon County Council has become the latest authority to warn about the safety of American snacks, sweets and fizzy drinks.

Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, which covers Devon, Plymouth, Somerset, and Torbay, said imported sweets not approved for sale are increasingly being seen in shops across the region.

Officers have carried out unannounced inspections of stores looking for non-compliant sweets, cereals, bakery goods, snacks and canned/carbonated drinks. They identified and removed products containing unauthorized additives or with non-compliant … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Trump asks justices for pause in four cases to reconsider Biden policies

Trump asks justices for pause in four cases to reconsider Biden policies

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The Trump administration on Friday asked the Supreme Court to pause the briefing in four cases slated for argument during the 2024-25 term. In filings by Acting Solicitor General Sarah Harris, the government told the justices that, with the change in administrations from former President Joe Biden to President Donald Trump, government officials had determined that federal agencies in each case – the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Education – should take another look at the regulations, … Read the rest

Supreme Court

The morning read for Wednesday, Jan. 22

The morning read for Wednesday, Jan. 22

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The justices will hear oral arguments in Barnes v. Felix and Cunningham v. Cornell University this morning. Each weekday, we select a short list of news articles and commentary related to the Supreme Court. Here’s the Wednesday morning read:

  • Cop kills driver in routine stop. Supreme Court weighs whether it’s justified. (Maureen Groppe, USA Today)
  • US Supreme Court weighs police conduct in fatal Houston shooting (Andrew Chung, Reuters)
  • Cornell Case May Be Bellwether For ERISA Transaction Claims (Kellie Mejdrich,
… Read the rest
Civil Law

Government Accountability Office finds problems with FDA inspection rates

In response to a report from the Government Accountability Office, the FDA says the biggest stumbling block to conducting inspections of food facilities is understaffing.

The Food and Drug Administration hasn’t met targets for inspections of domestic and foreign food facilities since 2018, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The FDA is responsible for 80 percent of the U.S. food supply, including domestic and imported food.

The FDA conducted thousands of routine surveillance food safety inspections of domestic and … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Menthol vapes and forum shopping, FDA tobacco control comes before justices

Menthol vapes and forum shopping, FDA tobacco control comes before justices

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The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Tuesday in a clash over whether a North Carolina-based company can challenge the Food and Drug Administration’s denial of its application to market e-cigarettes in the conservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, based in Louisiana. The company, R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company, joined a lawsuit by retailers based in Texas and Mississippi – two states covered by the 5th Circuit.

Although the dispute may seem like a technical one, … Read the rest

Civil Law

FDA announces new strategy to prevent contamination of fresh and frozen berries

The FDA has developed a new strategy to prevent the contamination of fresh and frozen berries with viruses such as hepatitis A and norovirus.

“Collaboration between regulators, the global berry industry, and other interest holders has been critical for the development of this strategy. We look forward to ongoing collaboration to ensure the success of this strategy, and others, for the prevention of foodborne illness,” said Conrad Choiniere, director of the Office of Microbiological Food Safety at the FDA’s Human … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices take up Maryland parents’ challenge to LGBTQ books in schools

Justices take up Maryland parents’ challenge to LGBTQ books in schools

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The Supreme Court will decide whether a group of Maryland parents can opt to have their children exempted from LGBTQ-themed storybooks. The justices on Friday afternoon granted Mahmoud v. Taylor, in which a coalition of parents from Montgomery County, Md., contend that requiring their children to participate in instruction that violates their religious beliefs violates their First Amendment right to freely exercise their religion.

The announcement once again puts the justices in the center of the culture wars. … Read the rest