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Former CDC director arrested, accused of sexual misconduct

Caitlin Owens, author of Vitals

Tom Frieden. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Tom Frieden, who led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under President Obama, was arrested this morning on allegations of forcible touching, sex abuse and harassment, CNBC reported. He is expected in court later today.

The details: A woman "filed a complaint against Frieden in July, accusing him of grabbing her buttocks against her will" in his apartment last year, according to Reuters.

Go deeper

Courtenay Brown
14 mins ago - Economy & Business

Banks cash in as Wall Street blows out Main Street

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

America’s big banks capped off a winning year, led by soaring Wall Street-facing business lines.

Why it matters: Banks cashed in on the white-hot IPO market, record debt issuance, and sky-high trading volume — all of which played out as economic peril softened the consumer side of their businesses.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Hans Nichols, author of Sneak Peek
Updated 17 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Biden to attempt "emergency economic relief" by executive order

President Biden. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

President Biden will continue his executive action blitz on Friday, issuing two more orders in an attempt to provide immediate relief to struggling families without waiting for Congress.

Why it matters: In his second full day in office, Biden is again resorting to executive actions as he tries to increase payments for nutritional assistance and protect workers' rights during the pandemic.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow
Joann Muller, author of Navigate
29 mins ago - Economy & Business

What Biden's EV push could mean for jobs

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

President Biden's swift effort to re-establish stricter fuel efficiency mandates, along with his broader push toward vehicle electrification, is as much about creating new jobs as it is protecting the environment.

Why it matters: The U.S. lags far behind the rest of the world in electric vehicle adoption. Catching up will require big investments in EV production — including battery cell manufacturing and mining of raw materials — to avoid dependence on imports and foreign supply chains.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow