Top General News
Biden orders tough new vaccination rules for fed government
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday announced sweeping new pandemic requirements for millions of federal workers as he denounced an “American tragedy” of rising-yet-preventable deaths among unvaccinated U.S. employees and others. Federal workers will...
Olympic sponsors praise Simone Biles after withdrawal
Simone Biles’ sponsors, including Athleta and Visa, are lauding her decision to put her mental health first and withdraw from the gymnastics team competition during the Olympics. It's the latest example of sponsors praising athletes who are increasingly open about...
US economy surpasses pre-pandemic size with 6.5% Q2 growth
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fueled by vaccinations and government aid, the U.S. economy grew at a solid 6.5% annual rate last quarter in another sign that the nation has achieved a sustained recovery from the pandemic recession. The total size of the economy has now surpassed its pre-pandemic level....
Ex-Cardinal McCarrick charged with sexually assaulting teen
BOSTON (AP) — Former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who was defrocked after a Vatican investigation confirmed he had sexually molested adults as well as children, has been charged with sexually assaulting a teenage boy during a wedding reception in Massachusetts in 1974, court records show. ...
Group: Jailed Belarus journalist needs urgent hospital care
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Belarusian Association of Journalists on Thursday called on authorities in Belarus to transfer a jailed journalist to a civilian hospital so he could get treatment for a coronavirus-induced pneumonia he has reportedly developed in detention. ...
Robinhood CEO tells AP it's eyeing expansion beyond trading
NEW YORK (AP) — Robinhood has already changed how people trade stocks and who's doing it. Now its sights are on the rest of the financial industry. Shares of Robinhood Markets traded for the first time on the Nasdaq Thursday, following the highly anticipated initial...
'Happy tears': Lee's gold sparks joy at home in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — There were cheers and screams and “happy tears” for one of their own, and unending delight for what many saw as an “Only in America” story. Sunisa Lee captured the women’s all-around gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Thursday, a triumph...
Congress passes bill to fund Capitol security, Afghan visas
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress overwhelmingly passed emergency legislation Thursday that would bolster security at the Capitol, repay outstanding debts from the violent Jan. 6 insurrection and increase the number of visas for allies who worked alongside Americans in the Afghanistan war. ...
Scarlett Johansson sues Disney over ‘Black Widow’ release
Scarlett Johansson is suing the Walt Disney Co. over its streaming release of “Black Widow,” which she said breached her contract and deprived her of potential earnings. In a lawsuit filed Thursday morning in Los Angeles Superior Court, the “Black Widow” star and...
What is a COVID-19 vaccine 'breakthrough' case?
What is a COVID-19 vaccine “breakthrough” case? It’s when a fully vaccinated person gets infected with the coronavirus. In studies, the two-dose COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna were around 95% effective at preventing illness, while the...
Latest General News
Kentucky state officials refuse to enforce virus mask rule
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear defended his mask requirement for state workers Thursday, brushing off criticism by state GOP officials who announced that they would not enforce the mandate in their offices. “Listen, I care more about my people...
Health Department recommends three counties mask up again
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut's Health Department issued a recommendation Thursday that residents go back to wearing masks indoors when in Hartford, New Haven or New London Counties. The department said all three counties have been downgraded into the category of...
Sheriff: 3 dead at Wisconsin quarry were shot over $600 debt
LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) — Three men who were found dead last week at the entrance of a Wisconsin quarry were forced to kneel on the ground before they were shot multiple times over a $600 debt, officials said Thursday. Khamthaneth Rattanasack, 44, and Nya Thao, 33, have...
Idaho man sues Boy Scouts over alleged childhood sex abuse
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — An Idaho man is suing the Boy Scouts of America for failing to warn children that took part in the youth program that they could be exposed to sex abusers. The man, who uses the name Mark Doe 14 in the federal lawsuit because he was a victim of...
COVID kills a few vaccinated high-risk Missouri patients
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — More than a dozen high-risk Missouri residents who were vaccinated against COVID-19 were among those who died amid a surge of cases that has led the University of Missouri to reinstate a mask mandate and some St. Louis restaurants to permit only the immunized to eat...
Man accused of killing detective ordered held without bail
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — A man accused of fatally shooting a Clark County sheriff’s detective in Vancouver, Washington, has been ordered held without bail. Guillermo Raya Leon, 26, made his first appearance in county court Thursday on suspicion of aggravated murder in...
State's top court: Detroiters can vote on city constitution
DETROIT (AP) — The Michigan Supreme Court cleared the way Thursday for a vote next week on major changes to Detroit's constitution that critics claim could ruin the city's delicate finances. The state Supreme Court, in a 4-3 order, said the ballot question isn't doomed...
Child porn plea for NZ man accused of kidnapping attempt
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A New Zealand man accused of trying to kidnap a 14-year-old Virginia girl he met online pleaded guilty Thursday to production of child pornography, federal prosecutors announced in a news release. Troy George Skinner, 28, of Auckland, New Zealand,...
Trump supporters raise $5.7M for Arizona election audit
PHOENIX (AP) — Groups connected to prominent supporters of former President Donald Trump's movement to cast doubt on the 2020 election results have raised $5.7 million for Arizona Republicans' election audit. Doug Logan, CEO of Cyber Ninjas, the little-known firm hired...
In Robinhood's stock debut, a tumble and then sharp swings
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street gave Robinhood a cool reception Thursday in the online broker's debut in the stock market that it helped reshape by bringing millions of new investors. Shares of Robinhood Markets Inc. slumped 8.4% in their first day of trading on the Nasdaq...
