Lydia is a reporter on the Political Capital Team from Philadelphia and an Emory University graduate in French and economics. Previously an IBTimes breaking news writer specializing in business, she has written for CNN, Consumer Reports, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Allentown Morning Call.
Private Prisons See Opportunity In Halfway Houses For Inmate Addicts
GEO Group is building its rehabilitation brand, buying halfway houses and day-reporting centers — positioning itself to treat many of the victims of America's opioid crisis.
When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Start Lobbying
In a new study, researchers quantify the way firms respond to political risks. The results may scare proponents of a government free of private sector influence.
Can An Uptick In Sales Save Tesla?
Elon Musk's brainchild is counting on a pickup in auto and residential solar panel sales to pick up the tab for his company's exorbitant expenditures.
The Price Tag On The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The total costs of the event amount to roughly 2 percent of the department store's annual net income, but plenty of the materials are recycled year after year.
The Evolution Of The Presidential Turkey Pardoning
From the birds' musical preferences and hotel stay bills to the tradition's origins and social media augmentation, get the low-down on the annual turkey pardoning ceremony.
Your Retirement Cash May Be In The Caymans. Are You Sure You Can Get It Back?
Pensions, universities and nonprofits are stashing public money offshore, despite secret documents that acknowledge the risks.
Climate Change Is Costly For Manufacturing, Study Says
Much of the private sector lobbied President Donald Trump to stay in the Paris Climate agreement. New research shows why he probably should've listened to them.
Trump’s HHS Pick Worked For Groups Suing To Keep Drug Pricing Secret
President Donald Trump vowed to bring down high drug prices. Now he’s nominated Alex Azar, a veteran of a major drug company and a key lobbying organization for the biotech industry, for secretary of Health and Human Services.
Some CEOs Have A Few Bones To Pick With Trump, Congress
At a New York Times conference Thursday, several business leaders made plain their views of the businessman-turned-president and his administration.
WATCH: How Late Night Reacted To Louis C.K. Allegations
In the wake of five women's accusations that Louis C.K. engaged in sexual misconduct with them, the comedian was the butt of a few tepid but critical jokes from late night hosts.
Can Insurers Of Puerto Rico's Debt Avoid Payouts?
A group of bond insurers is pushing to avoid billions of dollars in payments to owners of Puerto Rico's debt, as the country struggles in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
The Last Hours Of The Marc Fliedner Campaign
As New Yorkers headed to the polls, Cyrus Vance Jr.’s write-in opponent and his "scrappy campaign" made a last-ditch effort to oust the incumbent.
The Puerto Rico Contract’s Lack Of Transparency? It’s Not Unusual
The controversial contract with Whitefish Energy limited labor-costs auditing. That’s commonplace on the federal level, “placing taxpayer dollars at risk,” said a recent report.
Here’s Why Your Health Insurance Premiums Are Rising
As the GOP works to take apart the Affordable Care Act, they may want to keep in mind a yearly fee that Obamacare imposes on insurers — the cost of which they pass to their policyholders while their profits continue to rise.
Why Banks Want To Save The National Flood Insurance Program
As Hurricanes Harvey and Irma battered America's eastern coasts, banks and financial industry advocacy groups flocked to Capitol Hill to push for reauthorization of the taxpayer bailout program for the country's flood-prone waterfront real estate.
Networking Is The Social Safety Net For Millennials
Kelly Hoey, who literally wrote the book on networking, sees the practice as the best bet for young professionals navigating a fast-evolving economy. “We already said, ‘Well, everyone should learn to code,’” the tech investor said. “But machines may do coding for us, so what’s next?”
Mass Shootings Create Demand For ‘Active Shooter Insurance’
Underwriters and insurers may profit from a disconnect between the perceived risk of mass violence like the Las Vegas shooting and the actual probability of such attacks.
New Mexico Handed $2.2 Billion In Pension Investments To Governor's Donors
Even as Gov. Martinez backed legislation to remove elected officials from the state investment council, a continuing IBT investigation found that four additional investment managers made donations to the governor, the RGA and other affiliated campaign groups.
States Hand Out Corporate Subsidies As Their Pensions Suffer
Study: While states debate how to reduce the costs of their public pension benefits, those same governments have awarded local companies with tax subsidies and credits, or allowed them to dodge tax payments by taking advantage of loopholes.
Trump Administration Leaked Video Shows HHS Trying To Stop Insider Leaks
“Don’t do it,” says a department official in the video. Before former Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned, his office sent staff an urgent mandate on spotting and outing potential leakers.