Free Beer is Latest Incentive for Americans to Get Vaccinated
Anheuser-Busch is willing to give away free beer if the nation reaches the goal of having 70% Americans partially vaccinated by July 4.
In time for summer, Europe sees dramatic fall in virus cases
ROME (AP) - Coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths are plummeting across much of Europe. That's after second and third surges over the winter and spring claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and led to more rolling lockdowns, distance learning and…
Travel numbers climb as Americans hit the road for holiday
It's going to be crowded at airports and on the road this Memorial Day weekend. Americans are hitting the road in near-record numbers at the start of the holiday weekend. More than 1.8 million people went through U.S. airports Thursday.…
Covid-19 Cases are the lowest in 11 months
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - Coronavirus cases across the country have plummeted to the lowest rates in more than 11 months, sparking optimism that vaccination events are slowing both the spread of the virus and the number of severe…
Activists blockade McDonald's distribution centers in UK
LONDON (AP) - Animal rights protesters are blockading four McDonald’s distribution centers in the U.K. in an attempt to get the burger chain to commit to becoming fully plant-based by 2025. Animal Rebellion said Saturday that trucks and bamboo structures…
21 die in extreme weather in China cross-country race
BEIJING (AP) - Twenty-one people running a mountain marathon cross-country race have died in northwestern China after hail, freezing rain and gale winds hit the high-altitude track. The rescue headquarters quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency says the participants…
New COVID-19 cases plummet to lowest levels since last June
New coronavirus cases across the United States have tumbled to rates not seen since June last year. It's sparking optimism that vaccination campaigns are stemming both severe COVID-19 cases and the spread of the virus. As cases, hospitalizations and deaths…
Biden won't allow Justice Dept. to seize reporters' records
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Joe Biden says he won’t allow the Department of Justice to seize journalists’ phone records and emails, calling the practice “wrong” in a significant departure from his predecessors. His comments come as CNN reported Thursday that…
Covid-19 and HIPAA: Is a business asking for proof of vaccination a HIPAA violation?
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn (WDEF) - As life begins to return to normal, Americans are wondering if employers, or even businesses , can demand proof of vaccination. This has raised questions about the legality of such inquiries and whether HIPAA…
Experts predict busy Atlantic storm season but not like 2020
Thursday's forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts 13 to 20 named storms.
Trump Organization Under Criminal Investigation
The Trump Organization is now facing a criminal investigation. At issue is whether the Trump Organization used misleading information to get loans and tax benefits.
NYC Pride parade bans police; Gay officers 'disheartened'
NEW YORK (AP) - Organizers of New York City's Pride events say they are banning police officers and other members of law enforcement from marching in an annual parade until at least 2025. NYC Pride announced Saturday that the sense…
2 men wrongfully sent to death row awarded $75M in damages
RALEIGH, N.C. - A jury in a North Carolina federal civil rights case has awarded $75 million to two Black, intellectually disabled half brothers who spent decades behind bars after being wrongfully convicted in the 1983 rape and murder of…
Sen. Hagerty calls for urgent approach to bridge shutdown
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty is calling on President Joe Biden to take an “urgent, all-hands” approach to the shutdown of a bridge that connects Tennessee and Arkansas. The Republican says in a letter to the president…
Pipeline operator says "normal operations" have resumed
ATLANTA (AP) - The operator of the nation’s largest gasoline pipeline that was hit with a ransomware cyberattack says it has resumed normal operations and is now delivering millions of gallons of fuel per hour. The Georgia-based Colonial Pipeline had…
Disney CEO says attendance caps at parks being raised
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Disney’s top executive says the CDC’s decision to ease up mask-wearing requirements for fully vaccinated people is “very big news for us.” During an earnings call on Thursday, Disney CEO Bob Chapek hinted that there could…
CDC: Fully vaccinated people can largely ditch masks indoors
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is easing indoor mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, allowing them to safely stop wearing masks inside in most places.
McDonald's raising US workers' pay in company-owned stores
McDonald’s is raising pay at 650 company-owned stores in the U.S. as part of its push to hire thousands of new workers in a tight labor market.
Scramble on for new fuel routes after Colonial Pipeline hack
State and federal officials are scrambling to find alternate routes to deliver gasoline in the Southeast U.S. after more than 1,000 gas stations are running out of fuel.
Authorities: Fake vaccination cards sold at California bar
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - Authorities say they have arrested the owner of a Northern California bar where made-to-order fake COVID-19 vaccination cards were being sold to undercover state agents for $20 each. Officials said Friday they're unaware of any other…
Facebook board upholds former President Trump suspension
Facebook's Oversight Board voted to uphold former President Trump's ban from the platform after his account was suspended four months ago for inciting violence that led to the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
Tornadoes cause damage in Mississippi; Tupelo hit at night
Multiple tornadoes have caused damage across Mississippi, destroying homes and uprooting trees.
NKorea warns US of 'very grave situation' over Biden speech
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea has warned the United States will face “a very grave situation” because President Joe Biden “made a big blunder” in his recent speech by calling the North a security threat and revealing his…
Disneyland reopening marks California's COVID-19 turnaround
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Disneyland has reopened after a 13-month closure. The iconic theme park in Southern California that was closed under the state's strict virus rules swung open its gates Friday, and some visitors came in cheering and screaming…