Three people have been hospitalized with Covid-19 and 46 others have contracted the coronavirus after a fellowship event at a church in a small town in Maine, according to the state’s top health official. A total of 49 cases have been linked to an outbreak at the Brooks Pentecostal Church in Waldo County, the Maine…
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ICE plans to target undocumented immigrants who didn’t voluntarily leave the US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to launch an operation to find and deport undocumented immigrants who failed to voluntarily depart the United States despite previously committing to do so, according to a draft memo obtained by CNN. It’s the latest in a string of operations launched by ICE, the enforcement arm of the Department of…
Goldman Sachs unit pleads guilty in Malaysian bribery case and agrees to pay $2.9 billion
Goldman Sachs’s Malaysian subsidiary has pleaded guilty to charges that it conspired to violate US anti-bribery laws in a massive scheme involving the Southeast Asian country’s sovereign wealth fund, known as 1MDB. Goldman has agreed to pay about $2.9 billion to various authorities. About $1.3 billion of that will go to the US Justice Department,…
Social distancing limited Covid-19 spread for Major League Baseball teams
When the Philadelphia Phillies met the Miami Marlins on the field last July, a batch of Marlins players were infected with coronavirus, although they didn’t know it. One case led to 19 other cases — a superspreader event, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. But with no fans in the stands…
For Covid-19 vaccine recipients, CDC to roll out cell phone-based monitoring system
Once a Covid-19 vaccine becomes available in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to monitor vaccine recipients for any health problems through text messages and online surveys, as part of a new program called V-SAFE. “V-SAFE is a new smartphone-based active surveillance program for Covid-19,” Dr. Tom Shimabukuro, deputy director…
70% of Americans support same-sex marriage — a new high — a new survey finds
A new survey indicates there’s been a sea change in public support for same-sex marriage. More than two-thirds of Americans support same-sex marriage — record-high numbers, according to the 2020 American Values Survey. In the survey, published this week by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), a random sample of over 2,500 respondents from every…
Bubba Wallace’s new NASCAR team reveals Michael Jordan inspired team name, number and logo
NASCAR racer Bubba Wallace will be sporting a new number and car while racing with a new team in 2021. Wallace will be racing with the number 23 for the newly-formed racing team owned by former NBA superstar Michael Jordan and racer Denny Hamlin. The team was named 23XI Racing — pronounced twenty-three eleven —…
Senior administration officials on the road to sell Trump’s ‘law-and-order’ campaign message
In the run up to the presidential election, Attorney General William Barr and acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf have been traveling around the country to underscore the administration’s accomplishments, particularly as they relate to President Donald Trump’s core “law-and-order” message. Trump ran on the promise to crack down on immigration and a little over…
Morgan Stanley to cover tuition for 60 students at three HBCUs
Morgan Stanley announced a new program to provide full scholarships for 60 students at three historically Black colleges and universities, known as HBCUs — the latest move by a major bank to try to confront racial inequalities in the United States. The scholarships are part of the bank’s HBCU Scholars program, which will provide four-year…
Santa is skipping Macy’s for the first time in 159 years
There will be no miracle on 34th Street this year. Santa Claus won’t be visiting any Macy’s stores in 2020, ending a 159-year holiday season tradition. The department store’s tradition started in 1861, but Santa meet-and-greets won’t be happening this year because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, Macy’s is creating an interactive virtual…
Elton John is getting his own Barbie doll
Elton John is getting his very own Barbie doll. And while the doll won’t look like the Rocket Man, it will be styled in his likeness. The limited-edition Barbie doll, which was released on Mattel’s website on Thursday, will have a glittery top and flared denim complete with the singer’s initials. Her multi-colored “Elton” bomber…
University of Texas band won’t play its alma mater because it was once performed at minstrel shows
Members of the University of Texas Longhorn band are refusing to play the university’s alma mater because of the song’s history of being performed at racist minstrel shows. Earlier this month, the band’s director asked its members to fill out an internal survey asking whether they would be willing to play “The Eyes of Texas”…
Remdesivir becomes first Covid-19 treatment to receive FDA approval
The US Food and Drug Administration approved remdesivir for the treatment of coronavirus infection, the drug’s maker, Gilead Sciences, said Thursday. The drug, sold under the brand name Veklury, has been used under emergency use authorization. It is the first drug to be approved for treating Covid-19. “In the United States, Veklury is indicated for…
The father of a seventh-grader says his son was warned of possible arrest after missing three Zoom sessions
A seventh-grader in California was threatened with arrest after missing three Zoom classes, his father says. Mark Mastrov says he recently received a letter from Stanley Middle School in Lafayette, California, saying that his son had been absent for more than 30 minutes on three occasions without a valid excuse. And under California law, the…
Democratic turnout advantage in pre-election vote narrows in key states
Democrats continue to maintain their lead over Republicans in pre-Election Day ballots cast in the battleground states of North Carolina and Florida, but that gap is narrowing as in-person early voting ramps up. In North Carolina, the margin between Democrats and Republicans who have already cast their ballot has been cut in half since last…
How to watch tonight’s presidential debate
Less than two weeks from Election Day, Joe Biden and Donald Trump are scheduled to appear onstage for the final general election presidential debate of 2020. Thursday’s televised event may be the last opportunity for both candidates to reach a massive national audience before November 3. Biden is currently ahead of Trump in both national…
Trump’s case of coronavirus changed the conversation
Coronavirus remains the most prominent thing Americans have seen, read or heard about President Donald Trump, but the details and the tone of what they have heard about it have shifted following Trump’s own case of the virus. All told, roughly 40% of respondents mentioned something related to coronavirus, which has raged throughout the US…
Biden and Trump prepare for a final showdown with lessons from the first debate
Inside Joe Biden’s house in Wilmington, Delaware, Bob Bauer, the typically soft-spoken veteran Democratic attorney, goes on the attack against the former vice president. Bauer interrupts and shouts down Biden, who is trying to formulate his arguments for why he should be president. Bauer is playing the role of Donald Trump during mock debate prep…
US considering declaring major human rights organizations are anti-Semitic
The US State Department is considering declaring that several widely respected human rights organizations are anti-Semitic, according to multiple sources who have been made aware of the conversations. The organizations include Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Oxfam with sources telling CNN that many diplomats believe a declaration would be dangerous and undercut US policy…
‘Legally Blonde 3’ pushed to 2022
Elle Woods fans are going to have to wait a bit longer for another “Legally Blonde” movie. MGM announced on its Twitter account this week that the film is coming — just later than fans expected. “Elle Woods is back! Legally Blonde 3 coming May 2022. We rest our case.” Reese Witherspoon played Woods in…
Jill Duggar Dillard explains why she broke away from her famous family
Jill Duggar Dillard says she never expected to be distant from her large family. Duggar Dillard, who with her parents and siblings found fame on the TLC series “19 Kids and Counting,” talked to People magazine about how her life has taken a turn since she and her husband, Derick Dillard, pulled away from the…
NYC, Seattle and Portland sue Trump administration over ‘anarchy’ designation and threat to withhold funding
New York City, Seattle and Portland filed a complaint Thursday challenging the Trump administration’s designation of the Democratic-led cities as “anarchist” jurisdictions in hopes of blocking the President’s threat to withhold federal funding. In a news conference earlier Thursday, New York City Corporation Counsel Jim Johnson said the city is taking legal action now because…
Stimulus negotiations: House Democrats aren’t ruling out a vote but obstacles remain
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that a vote could still happen ahead of Election Day on a stimulus package to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic, but signaled that work remains to get an agreement, write legislation and put it on the floor before November 3. “If we can get an agreement, I think we…
CBS News calls out White House for breaking agreement and posting Trump’s ’60 Minutes’ interview online
CBS News on Thursday called out the White House for violating an agreement it had with the network and posting President Trump’s full “60 Minutes” interview online ahead of its Sunday air date. “The White House’s unprecedented decision to disregard their agreement with CBS News and release their footage will not deter ’60 Minutes’ from…
Faulty US Covid-19 response meant 130,000 to 210,000 avoidable deaths, report finds
The Trump Administration’s faltering response to the coronavirus pandemic has led to anywhere between 130,000 and 210,000 deaths that could have been prevented, according to a report released Thursday by a team of disaster preparedness experts. Insufficient testing, a lack of national mask mandates or guidance, a delayed overall response and outright mocking of basic…
Hormel is giving away bacon-scented face masks so you can smell bacon everywhere you go
Bacon makes everything taste better, but does it make everything smell better? Hormel, the food company typically known for its pre-packaged meat, is putting that theory to the test with its “Breathable Bacon” face mask. Yes, you read that right: Hormel makes a bacon-scented face mask. This is right up Homer Simpson’s alley, no doubt.…
Kobe and Gianna are two rising baby names of 2020. Karen’s on the decline
Baby names typically trend as a reflection of the times, and it should come as no surprise that two names have experienced a major boost in popularity: Kobe and Gianna. The rise is no doubt propelled by the tragic deaths of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna earlier this year. Kobe, Gianna and seven…
GOP rushes to Feinstein’s defense after her praise of Barrett hearings prompts Democratic fury
Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, under fire from the left over Amy Coney Barrett‘s confirmation proceedings, is now getting support from some unlikely quarters: Senate Republicans. Top Senate Republicans are expressing their dismay at the treatment of Feinstein after she praised Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham’s handling of the Barrett hearings, trying to characterize…
Portrait of a loyal Jeffrey Epstein defender emerges from unsealed Ghislaine Maxwell deposition
The words of Jeffery Epstein’s former girlfriend and alleged accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell emerged Thursday from the hundreds of pages of an unsealed 2016 deposition. The documents, unsealed after she lost an appeal this week to keep them from the public, paint a portrait of a fiercely loyal defender of a man accused of operating a…
Inside the search for the parents of 545 children separated at the border
Dora Melara heads into remote parts of Honduras, looking for clues in cases she never imagined would take this long to solve. Sometimes, the people she’s seeking are nowhere to be found. “There are places where you practically have to climb mountains to get there. And when you arrive, they say, ‘He doesn’t live here…
White supremacist group talked about paramilitary training in secret vetting calls
Young men hoping to join a White supremacist group spoke about hosting paramilitary trainings and how to legally bring firearms to those events, according to secret recordings of vetting calls published by the Southern Poverty Law Center Thursday. Some 83 hours of calls with more than 100 participants linked to The Base group were analyzed…
Six California firefighters lost their homes while battling the flames. Days later, a CNN Hero provided RVs for them to shelter them
As a wildfire tore through Berry Creek, California, last month, it destroyed the homes of six of the community’s seven volunteer firefighters along with the department’s fire station. Yet that did not stop the team from working around the clock, evacuating neighbors, extinguishing the flames, and fighting to save remaining homes. Within days, 2019 CNN…
Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Dreams’ returns to the charts, thanks to viral TikTok video
All because of renewed attention from a viral TikTok video, “Dreams” has entered the Top 10 on Billboard‘s streaming songs chart. “Dreams” earned 16.1 million US streams in the week ending Oct. 15, according to Billboard. The hit from the group’s “Rumours” album reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1977.…
Adele gets us ready for her ‘SNL’ performance
We are so ready Adele. The singer is set to host “Saturday Night Live” this weekend, and she stirred anticipation late Wednesday with a photo she posted on social media. The picture on her verified Instagram account shows Adele wearing a mask and appearing to be going over a script. “3 days to go,” the…
First large-scale US Covid-19 vaccine trial reaches target enrollment of 30,000 participants
Moderna, the first company to start US clinical trials of a Covid-19 vaccine, on Thursday finished enrolling all 30,000 of its participants. All 30,000 have received their first shot, and most of them have also received the required second shot. The company’s president says it’s now on track to apply to the US Food and…
Judge drops third-degree murder charge against former officer Derek Chauvin in George Floyd’s death, but second-degree murder charge remains
A Hennepin County judge has dropped a third-degree murder charge against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the killing of George Floyd. Chauvin still faces charges of second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death on May 25, which sparked nationwide protests and a reckoning over race and policing this summer. Chauvin, who…
As another wave of the pandemic approaches, the nation’s food banks are being hit on three fronts
Stephen Reifenstein never imagined he’d find himself relying on the services of a food bank. He and his wife Kristina live with their two young children in Orange County, California — one of the wealthiest areas in the nation. For nearly two decades, he worked in project control in the oil and energy sector. The…
Spanish newspaper journalist apologizes after racist remark about Barcelona’s Ansu Fati
Spanish journalist Salvador Sostres has apologized and denied any racist intent after comparing Barcelona football star Ansu Fati to a “young, black street vendor” running away from the police through the Catalan city’s streets. Fati’s Barcelona teammate Antoine Griezmann posted the section of the ABC article on his Twitter page, sparking an outcry on social…
Second court rules against excluding undocumented immigrants from census count
A second federal court is blocking the Trump administration from removing undocumented immigrants from the 2020 census count used to reapportion seats in Congress among the states. The Thursday order from the Northern District of California blocks the Census Bureau and Commerce Department from implementing a July order from President Donald Trump. The Supreme Court…
Viagogo’s $4 billion purchase of Stubhub is in trouble
The $4 billion takeover of US ticketing resale platform StubHub by its European rival Viagogo was thrown into jeopardy on Thursday after Britain’s competition watchdog said it could require the companies to part ways. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said in a statement that the deal is “likely to result in a substantial lessening…
Invisalign maker gets big boost from TikTok star Charli D’Amelio
Invisalign maker Align Technology just blew past Wall Street’s forecasts, thanks to endorsements from one of TikTok’s biggest stars. Align Technology said in its third quarter earnings report Wednesday that sales of its Clear Aligner cases for teenagers rose nearly 26% from a year ago. That helped lift overall revenue and earnings, which topped Wall…
It’s shocking that Jamie Dimon is urging a peaceful transfer of power. Here’s why
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon is urging all Americans this election to respect the democratic process, especially the peaceful transfer of power. “The peaceful and stable transition of power ― whether it is to the second administration of a president or a new one ― is a hallmark of America’s 244-year history as an independent…
Jamie Lynn Spears drops new ‘Zoey 101’ theme song
Jamie Lynn Spears is working on that “Zoey 101” reboot, ya’ll. The former Nickelodeon star told CNN in a recent interview that she gets asked by fans of the show all the time when there will be some sort of reunion. She says that’s why she decided to re-record the theme song from the show…
Guinness may actually be good for you now: There’s a non-alcoholic version
Every Guinness Irish stout has contained alcohol for the past 261 years. Until next week. Guinness announced 0.0, a non-alcoholic version of its famous stout, will go on sale in the UK and Ireland Monday at select retailers, and it will go on sale elsewhere — including pubs — in the spring. The drink isn’t…
‘The Queen’s Gambit’ doesn’t make all the right moves, but Anya Taylor-Joy does
If Anya Taylor-Joy is on the cusp of major stardom — with a “Mad Max” prequel in her future, and “The New Mutants” and “Emma” in her recent past — “The Queen’s Gambit” should advance her several moves ahead. The tale of a troubled chess prodigy, Taylor-Joy’s magnetic presence is enough reason to watch this…
Time replaces its logo for the first time in its history. Now, it says ‘Vote’
For the first time ever, Time magazine’s logo will be replaced with an imperative — “VOTE.” It’s both a call to action for readers and a mission statement for the November 2 double issue, which covers the final days of the 2020 presidential election. “Few events will shape the world to come more than the…
‘The Witches’ brews up a weak remake of Roald Dahl’s dark story
“The Witches” serves up a strange brew that doesn’t work, but it’s mildly fascinating for the reasons why, from the people responsible for making it to contrasting this movie with the graphic novel and 1990 film based on Roald Dahl’s dark children’s tale. The Warner Bros. release has been swept over to stream on HBO…
Scott Baio is not happy with ‘Happy Days’ Democratic fundraiser
It’s a definite “no” for Scott Baio joining his former fellow “Happy Days” cast members for Sunday’s planned virtual fundraiser. Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Don Most, Anson Williams and Marion Ross are reportedly set to reunite to raise money for the Wisconsin Democratic Party. The popular “Happy Days” series, which ran from 1974 to 1984,…
James Randi, famed magician and skeptic, dies at 92
James “The Amazing” Randi loved magic. He was a celebrated escape artist who broke records set by Houdini and performed everywhere from the White House to Niagara Falls (dangling upside down over the falls in a straightjacket, naturally). And with his long white beard, he certainly fit the part of a wizard. But he had…
Tesla is knocking on the door of the S&P 500
Tesla could have been added to the S&P 500 earlier this year. Instead, it was snubbed, shocking the bullish investors that have driven the company’s shares up more than 400% this year. But the electric carmaker’s pitch for joining the exclusive index of top US companies appears to be strengthening. What’s happening: Tesla reported its…
American Airlines and Southwest trim losses but still lose billions of dollars
American Airlines and Southwest Airlines both reported billions of dollars in losses Thursday, but that’s what passes for an improvement in the battered industry these days. American, the world’s largest airline, reported it lost $2.8 billion in the third quarter excluding special items. That’s down from the $3.4 billion it lost in the second quarter…
Christie urges Americans to wear a mask and says they are not a ‘partisan or cultural symbol’
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie wrote Wednesday that mask wearing is not a “partisan or cultural symbol,” urging Americans to wear one to guard against the coronavirus. Christie, who was hospitalized and spent seven days in the ICU after contracting coronavirus earlier this month, wrote that while he has been careful to follow guidelines…
Voters wait on delayed mail-in ballots as Election Day nears
With less than two weeks to go before Election Day, many voters around the country have still not received their mail-in ballots. Printing errors, mail delivery delays and the sheer volume of requests have left many states across the country scrambling to get ballots into the hands of voters ahead of the fast approaching deadline.…
North Carolina is the center of the political universe as the state’s demographics shift dramatically
Donald Trump has a math problem in North Carolina. The state the President won by more than 3 percentage points four years ago has continued its gradual political transformation, moving away from the red states to its south and toward its bluer neighbors to the north. The transformation has been propelled by a mix of…
Election advice from the voter hotline expert
American democracy feels at full-on risk. There are threats people face when trying to vote by mail, the potential for voter intimidation, voter suppression, the threat of voting during a pandemic and more. CNN reached out to the nonpartisan group that tracks problems at the polls — the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights. They’re also…
This 5-year-old wrote a book to help kids battle the stress of the coronavirus pandemic
A 5-year-old from Georgia wrote a book to inspire kids to stay positive during the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic. When the Covid-19 pandemic began, preschooler Wade Williams had a lot of questions. But his biggest ask was how he could help. “It all started by him saying ‘Dad I really want to help. I…
Wendy’s just released a new fried chicken sandwich
Wendy’s is reentering the fried chicken sandwich battle with a new competitor. The chain has a rolled out the Classic Chicken Sandwich, which features a crispier and juicier fried-chicken filet compared to its predecessor and is topped with mayo, a slice of tomato, lettuce, and pickles — all placed on a toasted bun. The sandwich…
HBO Max has added 8.6 million US subscribers
HBO Max — WarnerMedia’s answer to Netflix, Disney+ and the like — is catching on quickly. The company doubled the number of HBO Max subscribers last quarter and now has 38 million HBO and HBO Max customers. That’s enough to surpass HBO’s year-end target. AT&T, which owns CNN parent company WarnerMedia and the fledgling streaming…
‘Selfish and reckless.’ More than 700 economists strongly oppose Trump’s reelection
More than 700 economists, including seven Nobel Prize winners, are urgently warning against the reelection of President Donald Trump, citing what they describe as a “sustained assault” on democracy, a fumbled response to the pandemic and the spread of “dangerous misinformation.” “In just one term in office, Donald Trump has rendered the United States unrecognizable,…
After leaving Venezuela, one will vote for Trump, the other Biden
American politics have taken on a déjà-vu feeling for Venezuelan-Americans, many of whom say the 2020 race recalls the decades-long political fractures experienced back home by millions of Venezuelans. Ever since former president Hugo Chavez took power in 1998, Venezuelans have been divided between those who supported him, dubbed chavistas, and those who opposed him,…
5 things to watch for in the final Trump-Biden presidential debate
Time is running out on President Donald Trump. He is trailing Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden in most national and battleground state polls, making Thursday night’s debate the incumbent’s last best chance to change the trajectory of a race that, with less than two weeks to run, appears to favor the challenger. After an initial…
Senate Judiciary Committee advances Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett despite Democratic boycott
The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to advance the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, setting up a final vote for confirmation on Monday. Though the vote was 12-0, the 10 Democratic senators on the panel boycotted the vote, and filled their seats with pictures of people who rely upon the…
Marcus Rashford clashes with lawmakers as UK parliament votes against free school meals proposal
Marcus Rashford has vowed to continue representing “vulnerable children” after members of the UK parliament voted against providing free school meals to low-income families over the holidays. The Manchester United striker had called for the government to extend a scheme to provide 1.5 million children with food vouchers during holidays until Easter 2021 but the…
Colorado officials are warning that two major wildfires could merge
A rapidly growing wildfire prompting mandatory evacuations in northern Colorado is threatening to merge with the state’s largest wildfire in history, fire officials said. The Rocky Mountain National Park closed Thursday, and mandatory evacuations were issued for parts of Estes Park, as firefighters continue battling the East Troublesome Fire. The blaze started on October 14…
This is what Burger King’s new reusable packaging looks like
Burger King is planning to test reusable containers starting next year as part of its efforts to reduce waste. The trial is part of a partnership with TerraCycle’s zero-waste delivery platform, Loop. Customers can opt in for reusable packaging for menu items such as sandwiches, soft drinks and coffee. They can then return the reusable…
How the campaigns are preparing to deploy thousands of poll watchers
For the first time in decades, the Republican National Committee can deploy thousands of poll watchers on Election Day. Democrats are turning to technology in an effort to up their own poll-watching efforts amid concerns about how President Donald Trump’s supporters will respond to his calls to “go into the polls.” Republicans and Democrats are…
The film and TV industry has got Black characters wrong for decades. Meet the Black British creatives rewriting the script.
For a long time, the film and TV industry has relied on stereotypes to portray Black people. In Britain, a lack of authentic stories both about Black people, and by Black people, meant that generations of audiences turned to US exports like the films of Spike Lee, and TV programs like “My Wife and Kids.”…
Olympic fencer Ysaora Thibus: ‘I’m an athlete, but first I’m a woman, I’m a Black woman’
When she started to fence at the age of seven on the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe, Ysaora Thibus never dared dream of becoming an Olympian. “I didn’t know anything about it before. I just entered the room and I was like ‘oh, what is this sport?’” Thibus tells CNN Sport from her family home.…
Strengthen your knees with this 5-minute workout
If you suffer from knee pain like one-quarter of adults in the United States, according to research, you may feel weak, debilitated and even worse off from being more sedentary since the pandemic. Perhaps you feel pain in your knee joints when you stand up or walk, or maybe it’s something like patellofemoral pain —…
Breaking up in the time of Covid-19 brings new challenges
There comes a moment in many relationships where the partnership is no longer viable, and where separation — or, for married couples, divorce — is the unavoidable next step. And while divorcing or going separate ways is rarely easy, couples dissolving their households during Covid-19 are facing new woes. The jury is still out regarding…
The US just topped 1,100 coronavirus deaths a day. One state is getting National Guard help, and others keep breaking records
You know Covid-19 is out of control when health officials are so overwhelmed, they can’t notify close contacts who may be infected. That’s what’s happening in North Dakota, one of 31 states suffering more new Covid-19 cases this past week compared to the previous week. Contact tracing is crucial to finding possible carriers of coronavirus,…
US designates six more Chinese media companies as foreign missions
The United States government has labeled six more Chinese media companies operating in the US as foreign missions in the latest round of tit-for-tat between Beijing and Washington over restrictions on journalists. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the decision at a press briefing on Wednesday, saying that the six media companies were “substantially…
The latest on the coronavirus pandemic
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A ‘building distrust’ in public health agencies is ‘the elephant in the room,’ Fauci says
There is a “building distrust” in public health agencies as the coronavirus pandemic resurges in large parts of the United States, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s leading infectious disease official, in a recent interview. Public transparency in public health information is “absolutely essential,” Fauci said in an interview with the Council of Inspectors General…
Senate Republicans defend Barrett against new report highlighting her time on board of school system that reportedly has anti-LGBTQ policies
Senate Republicans are defending Judge Amy Coney Barrett a day before her Senate Judiciary Committee vote against Democratic criticism of her record and a new report from the Associated Press that highlights her previous position on the board of an private Christian school system that the AP reports has anti-LGBTQ policies. Republicans have signaled that…
Covid-19 vaccine trials won’t tell us if the shots save lives, expert notes
The most advanced trials for coronavirus vaccines cannot tell researchers if the shots will save lives, or even if they’ll prevent serious disease, a drug development expert pointed out Wednesday. The ongoing trials are only designed to show if the vaccines prevent infection — and most infections are mild infections, Peter Doshi, an associate editor…
Rheumatoid arthritis drug falls short as treatment for hospitalized Covid-19 patients in three studies
Tocilizumab, a repurposed rheumatoid arthritis drug once considered a promising treatment for hospitalized patients with Covid-19, generally did not increase patients’ chances of survival or help them get better faster, according to three trials published this week. However, a fourth trial did find the drug increased the chances of survival, but because it was an…
Former Blue Bell Creameries CEO faces charges in connection with alleged listeria contamination coverup
A Texas grand jury charged Paul Kruse, Blue Bell Creameries’ former CEO and president, was charged with wire fraud and conspiracy in connection with an alleged cover-up of the company’s 2015 listeria outbreak, the Department of Justice announced on Wednesday. Kruse, who served as the company’s CEO and president from 2004 to 2017, was charged…
Supreme Court clears the way for Alabama to bar curbside voting
The Supreme Court granted a request Wednesday from the state of Alabama to prohibit voters from casting their ballots curbside, an accommodation sought by Covid-vulnerable voters in the state. The 5-3 order was unsigned, but Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by the other liberal justices on the bench, Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer, dissented. A federal…
Report: LSU bans Odell Beckham Jr. and self-imposes penalties as NCAA investigates rules violations
Louisiana State University is self-imposing penalties on its football program as the NCAA investigates the team for rules violations, according to a report in Sports Illustrated. The NCAA is reviewing payments made to the father of a football player, according to the report. The report says the school will dock the football program eight scholarships…
McAfee goes public…again
Cybersecurity company McAfee made its return to Wall Street on Thursday. McAfee priced its initial public offering late Wednesday at $20 a share and raised $740 million from the sale of 37 million shares. But the stock opened Thursday morning below $19, a 6% drop. At that price, McAfee is worth $8 billion. The company…
Feds say Russia and Iran have interfered with the presidential election
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said Wednesday both Iran and Russia have obtained US voter registration information in an effort to interfere in the election, including Iran posing as the far-right group Proud Boys to send intimidating emails to voters. “This data can be used by foreign actors to attempt to communicate false information…
An ‘angry’ Trump enters final debate as advisers hope for some chill
After his abrasive debate performance in September, President Donald Trump walked off stage believing he had won. It was only in the ensuing hours, as he watched clips of his constant interruptions and irate demeanor play on television, that he recognized how poorly his conduct came across. The President mostly shrugged it off, declaring his…
US Army base updates that its Twitter account was not hacked and says administrator posted lewd messages
The US Army said Thursday that lewd messages were posted to Fort Bragg‘s Twitter account by an administrator and it had not been hacked as was claimed on Wednesday. “This morning, at the initiation of an investigation into yesterday’s incident regarding inappropriate tweets on the Fort Bragg Twitter account, an administrator for the account identified…
White woman caught on video yelling obscenities at a Black Starbucks barista over face mask
A White female customer was caught on video shouting a string of obscenities at a Black Starbucks barista in Southern California, after the customer refused to properly wear a face covering inside the store. The encounter, which took place on Sunday in the suburban San Diego city of Santee, escalated after the barista, 19-year-old Alex…
A mom in Utah had a heart attack. The life-saving care she needed was in short supply because of Covid-19
In the predawn hours of a recent Tuesday morning in a suburban Salt Lake City hospital, Laurie Terry’s doctor made a disturbing discovery: Utah’s record setting Covid-19 outbreak had become more dangerous than many knew. The virus now had the ability to potentially kill a patient — his patient — even if she wasn’t infected.…
Charlotte removes the name of a white supremacist North Carolina governor from a branch library
The public library system in Charlotte, North Carolina, is renaming one of its branches that was named after a former state governor with ties to a white supremacy group. Library officials conducted an audit of its 20 branches last year to identify items on display that represented racism and injustice. The results of that audit…
A Colorado woman cited after her pet deer gored a woman walking her dog
A Colorado woman was cited with two misdemeanors for illegally raising a young deer that attacked and gored one of her neighbors, according to state wildlife officials. The buck attacked a woman walking her dog on Friday in Black Forest north of Colorado Springs, according to a statement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The victim…
A California Black Lives Matter chapter is fundraising to get some of its members trained in gun safety
Black Lives Matter’s Sacramento chapter wants to sponsor 10 Black people for gun safety training in an effort to keep its organization members safe. “As Black folks we have learned that we are running out of resources when it comes to being protected,” the organization wrote on Facebook on Wednesday. “Police are killing us. White…
The legendary Mel Brooks takes to social media to share his support of Joe Biden
Comedian and filmmaker Mel Brooks has never made a political video, until 2020. Brooks’ son Max posted an endorsement message from his father to his Twitter account Wednesday. “My father, @MelBrooks, is 94. He has never made a political video. Until now,” it said. Brooks is seen sitting in a chair in front of a…
Doctors say this will be the worst surge yet. From treatments to testing to PPE, is the US better at handling Covid-19 now?
Dr. Joseph Varon hasn’t taken a day off in 214 days. “It’s not that I don’t want to. But the patients keep on coming,” said Varon, a critical care doctor and chief of staff at United Memorial Medical Center in Houston. It used to be worse. After Covid-19 crushed the hospital earlier this year, his…
Judge considering DOJ request to represent Trump in rape defamation lawsuit
A federal judge is set to decide whether to accept the Justice Department’s argument that President Donald Trump acted in his official capacity when denying a rape claim made by a longtime magazine columnist, after planned oral arguments to discuss the matter were thwarted Wednesday when a department lawyer was barred from entering the courthouse…
Weird science: How a ‘shoddy’ Bannon-backed paper on coronavirus origins made its way to an audience of millions
It was a blockbuster story. A respected Chinese virologist appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show on Fox News in mid-September to share the results of her just-completed report. The conclusion: The novel coronavirus that causes Covid-19 was likely engineered in a Chinese lab. On Carlson’s show, she claimed it was intentionally released into the world. Then,…
Biden swamps Trump on the airwaves ahead of final debate
Joe Biden is off the campaign trail as he prepares for Thursday night’s debate, but his campaign is pressing its advantage on the airwaves, where he is vastly outspending President Donald Trump across the map in the presidential race’s final two weeks. Biden’s campaign is set to air an ad during Wednesday night’s second game…
Census officials face challenge of tallying population in half the time they expected
The Census Bureau is relying on faster technology working exactly as planned to produce a set of final 2020 Census figures in about half the time it usually takes. Officials laid out their plans Wednesday to crunch the tally of some 330 million people, a process that has been dramatically condensed by order of the…
Trump administration notifies Congress of $1.8B in proposed weapons sales to Taiwan
The US formally notified Congress of a proposed $1.8 billion in advanced weapons systems sales to Taiwan — a move sure to increase tensions with Beijing. The notice released Wednesday says the State Department has approved the sales to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States of 135 Standoff Land Attack…
Democrats planning to boycott Senate Judiciary vote to advance Barrett nomination
Senate Judiciary Democrats, facing criticism from the left that they have not done more to question the legitimacy of the Supreme Court confirmation proceedings for Amy Coney Barrett, plan to take the extraordinary step of boycotting a key committee vote on Thursday. Republicans said they can still hold the committee vote Thursday and advance the…
Obama delivers a blistering rebuke of Trump in his return to the campaign trail
Former President Barack Obama delivered a blistering account of his successor’s first four years in office on Wednesday in Philadelphia, arguing that President Donald Trump has proved he is “incapable of taking the job seriously” and has shown no interest in “helping anybody but himself and his friends.” The event is Obama’s first stump speech…
A pandemic didn’t deter this 102-year-old from voting
Ora Smith was born the same year that a deadly infection overtook the country and turned life upside down. The 102-year-old was born in 1918, when a deadly strain of influenza plagued the US and led to over 675,000 deaths in the country. So when one of the most pivotal elections of her lifetime fell…
Investigators find a mass grave while searching for 1921 Tulsa race massacre victims
A mass grave was found this week in the cemetery where archeologists have been searching for victims of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, an Oklahoma state archaeologist announced Wednesday. The outlines of at least 10 coffins were found at the Oaklawn Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and state archaeologist Kary Stackelbeck said she has a “high…
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