Jeff Bezos Heading Into Space in July
Jeff Bezos will ride his own rocket into space next month, joining the first crew to fly in a Blue Origin capsule.
Senators say US donating vaccines to Taiwan amid China row
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Three American senators visiting Taiwan say the U.S. will give the island 750,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, part of President Joe Biden’s move to share millions of jabs globally. Taiwan has complained that China is hindering…
Nigerian government-enforced Twitter suspension takes effect
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) - Millions of Nigerians were unable to access Twitter after the government enforced an indefinite suspension of the microblogging platform’s operations in Nigeria. The Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria said in a statement Saturday that…
Biden turns to Obama to help boost health care enrollment
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Joe Biden has turned to his old boss for help encouraging Americans to sign up for the Obama-era health law during an expanded special enrollment period in the pandemic. Biden is using his weekly address for…
Royal Caribbean sets 2021 cruises in Florida, Texas, Alaska
MIAMI (AP) - Royal Caribbean is announcing a U.S. summer schedule for eight of its cruise ships. The cruise line said Friday that the ships will sail in July and August from Florida, Texas and Washington state. It also announced…
Hawaii sets vaccine thresholds for lifting travel quarantine
HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaii's governor says the state will drop its quarantine and COVID-19 testing requirements for travelers once 70% of the state’s population has been vaccinated against the disease. Hawaii will also lift its requirement that people wear masks…
Experts look into possible cyberattack at Florida hospitals
Experts are investigating after the computer systems of two central Florida hospitals showed signs of unusual activity. News outlets report that the Villages Regional Hospital and the UF Health Leesburg Hospital shut down multiple systems to protect patient information during…
Facebook suspends Donald Trump for 2 years, then will reassess
Facebook says it will suspend former President Donald Trump's accounts for two years following its finding that he stoked violence ahead of the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection.
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…