Announced in June 2019—and spearheaded by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law—the members have been tasked with analyzing how each company uses, or exploits, their position to compete. It will examine if the vast tech firms are engaging in any anti-competitive conduct and assess if existing U.S. laws are enough to keep up with their practices. Broadly, antitrust legislation aims to promote fair business by stopping companies from abusing dominance over an industry to force out smaller competitors....

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed the American Rescue Plan Act, sending the $1.9 trillion relief package to President Joe Biden for signing. Among the provisions in the bill is the allocation of $672 million to help ensure federal employees can take time off work during the pandemic without incurring financial hardship. As part of the Emergency Federal Employee Leave Fund, federal employees can receive up to $2,800 biweekly in paid leave....

For over a century, telehealth services have languished in a policy quagmire. Even as technology revolutionized our communication systems, telehealth struggled under the weight of stringent regulations and expensive, proprietary software that made widespread adoption challenging for patients and health care providers. The COVID-19 pandemic changed all that. Thanks to emergency regulations from the Trump administration, Medicare patients now have the option of receiving health care via commonly available software and phone apps, while gaining access to many additional types of health care professionals....

When it comes to education, far too many of our nation’s students are living without basic broadband internet connections. Today, this lack of access adversely impacts more than 20 million Americans, including 600,000 in my home state of South Carolina. After the onset of COVID-19 closed schools and libraries that typically provide free internet access, 40,000 students in the Palmetto State faced academic challenges due to at-home connectivity issues....

“An agreement is within arm’s length, and we are hopeful that we can come to a framework agreement by the end of today, but we must continue working a little more to make sure it is the best deal possible for the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, said from the Senate floor Wednesday morning. But hours later, key proposals within the massive overhaul of the social safety net, dubbed the Build Back Better agenda, already started to fizzle....

Eric Arlia, senior pharmacy director for Hartford HealthCare in Connecticut, said that the vaccinated kids, most of whom were children of Hartford Hospital staff, were waiting on standby for the CDC to announce its approval. “It feels like another important step on the journey to being able to vaccinate as many people as we can and put the pandemic to an end,’’ Arlia said. An additional three children were vaccinated at Hartford Hospital early Wednesday....

There is no evidence that Betts, 24, targeted the nine people he shot and killed outside a crowded strip of nightclubs in Dayton, according to the investigative report released by Dayton police on Friday. His 22-year-old sister, Megan, was among the victims. The FBI, though, said this week that it has made no final conclusion on if Betts meant to shoot his sister. It announced the end of its investigation late last year....

The Republican presidential candidate said on Twitter he was glad Ronda Rousey lost to Holly Holm at UFC 193 because she’s not a nice person. McGregor backed his colleague when TMZ pulled out its cameras at Los Angeles International Airport. MORE: Athletes who became politicians | Tyson endorses Trump | Is that all you got, Conor? “It’s easy for someone that’s not in there to comment, but it’s different when you’re in there....

TMZ first reported on Monday and Sporting News has confirmed after obtaining a copy of the complaint that UFC lightweight Michael Chiesa filed a lawsuit Monday in New York against the former two-division world champion. The complaint states that “Chiesa is accusing McGregor of negligence, emotional distress, assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent hiring, retention and supervision and respondeat superior.” However, the complaint doesn’t specify how much Chiesa is seeking from McGregor....

The Irishman returns to the Octagon against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at UFC 246 on Jan. 18. A rematch against lightweight world champion Khabib Nurmagomedov is also on McGregor’s agenda further down the line. But if he gets past Cerrone, then the prospect of becoming a three-weight champion will be more appealing to former featherweight and lightweight titleholder McGregor than a meeting with Masvidal. “I’m not going to 170 just for Jorge,” McGregor said to the Mac Life about Masvidal, who defeated Nate Diaz last year when their fight was stopped due to a cut....

On Monday, the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, and Save the Manatee Club filed a notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) over violations of both the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). In the letter shared by the Center for Biological Diversity, the groups alleged that FWS failed to update designated critical habitat areas for the Florida manatee in accordance with federal law....

To understand why, I’d like to introduce you to the conservative—pro-life, anti-tax, pro-Mexican-fence, pro-“surge”—“director of campus activism” for the Georgia College Republicans. This Georgia Tech business major is worlds away from earlier waves of “CR’s”—the Skull and Bones of the Reagan-built GOP, and hungry young men such as Ralph Reed and the late Lee Atwater. First of all, she is a she: Ruth Malhotra, who just turned 23. Her parents were born in Calcutta and New Delhi....

American Enterprise Institute economic policy director Michael R. Strain was widely derided on social media Tuesday after floating the patronizing suggestion that college students should get credit cards instead of struggling in financial straits. Critics immediately pounced on what they described as a “condescending” question after Strain pushed back against a Temple University professor who tweeted that college students often drop out because they can’t afford an unexpected bill of $200....

Premier League champions Chelsea welcome La Liga leaders Barca and Lionel Messi to Stamford Bridge for the opening leg on Tuesday. It has been a difficult season for Conte and Chelsea amid uncertainty over the Italian’s future following back-to-back defeats in the league, though the Londoners have responded with wins over West Brom and Hull City. Conte, however, insisted Chelsea face a huge challenge against Barca, who stayed undefeated in Spain courtesy of Saturday’s 2-0 win at Eibar , which moved Ernesto Valverde’s men 10 points clear....

The England defender was criticized after his team suffered a 3-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium, with the Blues having conceded two or more goals in each of their last four games. Conte remains without John Terry for his side’s visit to Hull City on Saturday and insists he will stick with Cahill despite his recent struggles. Wenger totally focused on Arsenal, not England “Cahill is a good player, a great player and a great defender,” Conte told the media....

Conte coached Chiellini at Juventus between 2011 and 2014 and then subsequently at international level with Italy. At a news conference ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League trip to Arsenal on Wednesday, the Blues boss discussed the vagaries of transfer market speculation before distancing himself from a move for the 33-year-old centre-back. “No, no – I must be honest,” he said. “Giorgio is a fantastic player but I think he wants to finish his career at Juventus and I think it’s right to finish his career in this way....

Moses the perfect wing man for Chelsea Goals in each half from Eden Hazard and Diego Costa secured a fourth win and clean sheet in as many games in the Premier League and moved the Blues to within a point of Manchester City. Conte was delighted with another strong defensive showing and a clinical edge in attack and believes that confidence at Stamford Bridge will only continue to grow after such a display....

Chelsea fell behind to an Antoine Griezmann penalty in the Champions League Group C match at Wanda Metropolitano, before Alvaro Morata’s seventh of the season and a close-range finish from substitute Michy Batshuayi secured a memorable 2-1 triumph . Chelsea 11/1 to beat City & O4.5 goals But Conte’s focus was soon trained back upon his domestic schedule at the post-match news conference, as he noted the workload handed to his defending champions did not tally favourably with early-season leaders City, who beat Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 at home in their own European assignment on Tuesday....

Chelsea face Qarabag in Group C on Wednesday before travelling to Anfield to take on Liverpool in a key Premier League clash on Saturday. Chelsea 17/20 to beat Qarabag to nil No English clubs have reached the final of the Champions League since Chelsea defeated Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga giants’ Allianz Arena home in May 2012. And Conte has called on sides in continental competitions to be given more help when it comes to scheduling their league matches around European trips....

Nigeria international Wilfred Ndidi was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 62nd minute, and with his side two goals down. Benteke atoned for midweek’s mistake by getting the visitors to a perfect start after scoring a header off Andros Townsend’s cross in the 19th minute. Five minutes before the interval, Zaha doubled their lead off an error from the Foxes’ lynchpin Riyad Mahrez. The Algeria winger lost possession of the ball in the build-up and his side suffered the consequences by going two-goal down....