US & World News

Biden to Pledge 500M Free COVID-19 Tests to Counter Omicron

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden plans to deliver 500 million free COVID-19 tests to Americans, increase support for hospitals and expand the availability of vaccines to confront a winter surge of coronavirus cases driven by the fast-spreading omicron variant. Biden will stress in a Tuesday speech the importance of getting vaccinated to protect from a wave of infections as…

Dec. 15 Storms Across North-central US Classified as Derecho

O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) – A line of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that swept across the north-central U.S. last week has been classified by the National Weather Service as a serial derecho – the first on record December. At least 45 tornadoes have been preliminarily confirmed in the Dec. 15 storms that crossed the Great Plains and Midwest amid unseasonably warm…

With Christmas in the Balance, Nations Eye UK Omicron Surge

LONDON (AP) – Britain’s main nurses’ union has warned that exhaustion and surging coronavirus cases among medical staff are pushing them to the breaking point. That is adding to pressure on the government for new restrictions to curb record numbers of infections driven by the omicron variant. The warning Monday throws into stark relief the unpalatable choice Prime Minister Boris…

Manchin Can’t Support Dems’ $2T bill, Potentially Dooming It

(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. Joe Manchin says he can’t back his party’s signature $2 trillion social and environment bill. That would deal a seemingly fatal blow to President Joe Biden’s leading domestic initiative heading into an election year when Democrats’ narrow hold on Congress was already in peril. The West Virginia senator said on “Fox News…

OSHA Vaccine Mandate Penalties to Start Jan. 10

The federal agency separately says there will be no citations of companies regarding its testing requirements before Feb. 9.

UNDATED (AP)- The Occupational Health and Safety Administration says it will not issue citations tied to its coronavirus vaccination mandate before Jan. 10. This will give companies time to adjust to and implement the requirements. The federal agency separately says there will be no citations of companies regarding its testing requirements before Feb. 9. Saturday’s announcement came after the U.S….

Strong Winds in Midwest Whip up Dust, Blow Over Semitrailers

(Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP) OMAHA, Neb. (AP) – A powerful storm system blew through the Great Plains and Midwest, combining with unusually warm temperatures to close highways and prompt numerous tornado warnings. The winds gusting up to 80 mph hit parts of Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa. The strong winds whipped up dust that reduced visibility to zero west…

US COVID Death Toll Hits 800,000, a Year Into Vaccine Drive

(AP) – The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 has topped 800,000. That is according to the count kept by Johns Hopkins University. The once-unimaginable milestone was hit Tuesday. It’s seen as doubly tragic, given that more than 200,000 of those lives were lost after the vaccine became available practically for the asking last spring. The death toll is about equal…

Judge Delays Case Against Michigan School Suspect’s Parents

(Oakland County Sheriff’s Office via AP, File) ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (AP) – A judge has granted a Michigan prosecutor more time to collect and share additional evidence against the parents of a boy charged with killing four students at Oxford High School. It’s partly because prosecutor Karen McDonald wants to give the Michigan community “time to heal” during the holiday…

Data Indicate Omicron Is Milder, Better at Evading Vaccines

JOHANNESBURG (AP) – An analysis of data from South Africa shows the omicron variant appears to cause less severe disease than previous versions of the coronavirus, and the Pfizer vaccine seems to offer less defense against infection from it but still good protection against hospitalization. While the findings are preliminary and have not been peer-reviewed, they line up with other…

Thousands Without Heat, Water After Tornadoes Kill Dozens

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) – Kentucky’s governor said that at least 64 people were killed in the state during a devastating cluster of tornadoes. At least 14 people are dead in four other states: Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Missouri. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear told reporters Monday that it could take days more to tally a final death toll…

Kentucky Hardest Hit as Storms Leave Dozens Dead in 5 States

The storms hit a candle factory in Kentucky, an Amazon facility in Illinois, and a nursing home in Arkansas.

MAYFIELD, Ky. (AP) – Kentucky’s governor says tornadoes may have killed 70 people in the state and the death toll may exceed 100. Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday that a twister had touched down for more than 200 miles in the state. Severe storms moved through the area Friday night and caused catastrophic damage across multiple states. The storms hit…

Court Won’t Stop Texas Abortion Ban, but OKs Clinics’ Suit

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court has ruled that Texas abortion providers can sue over the state’s ban on most abortions, but the justices are allowing the law to remain in effect. The court acted Friday, more than a month after hearing arguments over the law that makes abortion illegal after cardiac activity is detected in an embryo. That’s around…

US Consumer Inflation up 6.8% In Past Year, Most Since 1982

WASHINGTON (AP) – Prices for U.S. consumers jumped 6.8% in November compared with a year earlier as surging costs for food, energy, housing, and other items left Americans enduring their highest annual inflation rate since 1982. The Labor Department also reported Friday that from October to November, prices jumped 0.8%. Inflation has been intensifying pressure on consumers, especially lower-income households…

Reality TV’s Josh Duggar Convicted of Child Porn Possession

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) – A federal jury in Arkansas has convicted former reality TV star Josh Duggar of downloading and possessing child pornography. Jurors on Thursday found Duggar guilty of the charges, and Duggar was immediately taken into custody. He faces up to 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 for each of the two counts when…

Uber Unveils New Audio Recording Feature During Rides as Part of Safety Enhancements

WASHINGTON (FOX TV Digital Team) – Uber is launching a new audio recording option for drivers and riders during trips. This new feature is part of several new safety initiatives the company is starting. According to a press release from the company, a rider and driver can enable the audio recording feature by choosing to record audio by pressing the…

Pfizer Says COVID Booster Offers Protection Against Omicron

(AP) – Pfizer says a booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine appears to offer important protection against the new omicron variant. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech tested how well vaccine-produced antibodies could neutralize omicron in lab dishes. They found significant weakening after the standard two doses. But a booster dose increased antibody levels by 25-fold. The companies said two doses…

Omicron Variant May Be Less Dangerous Than Delta, US Health Officials Say

(AP) — U.S. health officials say that while the omicron variant of the coronavirus is rapidly spreading in the country, early indications suggest it may be less dangerous than delta, which continues to drive a surge of hospitalizations. President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, told CNN’s “State of the Union” scientists need more information before drawing conclusions…

Senate Leader, Presidential Candidate Bob Dole Dies At 98

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Bob Dole, who overcame disabling war wounds to become a sharp-tongued Senate leader from Kansas, a Republican presidential candidate and then a symbol and celebrant of his dwindling generation of World War II veterans, died Sunday. He was 98. His wife, Elizabeth Dole, said in an announcement posted on social media that he died in his sleep. Dole…

Michigan School Shooting Suspect’s Parents Found in Building; Bond Set at $500K Apiece

James and Jennifer Crumbley entered not guilty pleas to each of the four involuntary manslaughter counts against them.

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) – A judge has imposed a combined $1 million bond for the parents of the Michigan teen charged with killing four students at Oxford High School, hours after police said they were caught hiding in a commercial building. James and Jennifer Crumbley entered not guilty pleas to each of the four involuntary manslaughter counts against them during…

CNN Fires Chris Cuomo for Helping Brother Deal with Scandal

Cuomo issued a statement on Twitter calling the decision disappointing.

NEW YORK (AP) – CNN has fired anchor Chris Cuomo after details emerged about how he assisted his brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, as the politician faced sexual harassment allegations earlier this year. The network suspended Chris Cuomo earlier in the week to investigate his involvement with his brother’s defense. CNN hired a law firm for the review….

Manhunt Underway for School Shooting Suspect Ethan Crumbley’s Parents After Charges Announced

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Michigan authorities say they’re searching for two parents charged with involuntary manslaughter in a high school shooting. Jennifer and James Crumbley are the parents of Ethan Crumbley, who is charged with murder and terrorism in the deaths of four students at Oxford High School on Tuesday. Crumbley’s parents were charged Friday. A prosecutor says they gave…

Suspect’s Parents Charged in Michigan School Shooting

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) – A prosecutor has filed involuntary manslaughter charges against the parents of a 15-year-old accused of killing four students and wounding seven other people at a Michigan high school. James and Jennifer Crumbley were charged Friday with four courts each. Authorities have said Ethan Crumbley opened fire shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday at Oxford High School, roughly…

US Employers Added a Sluggish 210,000 Jobs in November

WASHINGTON (AP) – America’s employers slowed the pace of their hiring in November, adding a still-solid 210,000 jobs, the fewest in nearly a year. Friday’s report from the Labor Department also showed that the unemployment rate fell sharply to 4.2% from 4.6%. That is a historically low level though still above the pre-pandemic jobless rate of 3.5%. Overall, the November…

Michigan Teen Charged in Oxford High School Shooting

(Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP) OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan teenager has been charged with murder, terrorism, and other charges for a shooting that killed four fellow students and injured others at Michigan’s Oxford High School. Charges against 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley were announced Wednesday, a few hours after authorities reported the death of a fourth teen from…

Us Official: 1st Case of Omicron Variant Identified in US

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) WASHINGTON (AP) — A person in California became the first in the U.S. to have an identified case of the omicron variant of COVID-19, a U.S. official told The Associated Press on Wednesday. It comes as scientists continue to study the risks posed by the new strain of the virus. The Biden administration moved late last month…

Fourth Student Dies From Michigan High School Shooting

(Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP) OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) – Authorities say a 17-year-old boy has become the fourth student to die from a school shooting in Michigan. The Oakland County sheriff’s office identified the teen Wednesday as Justin Shilling. The shooting occurred Tuesday at Oxford High School in Oakland County. The suspect remains in custody. Seven other people…

Abortion Rights at Stake in Divided Supreme Court Arguments

(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) WASHINGTON (AP) – Abortion rights are on the line at the Supreme Court in historic arguments over the landmark ruling nearly 50 years ago that declared a nationwide right to end a pregnancy. The justices on Wednesday are weighing whether to uphold a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks and overrule the 1973 Roe v….

Authorities: Student Kills 3, Wounds 6 at Michigan School

UPDATE: OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Authorities say eight people were wounded in an attack at a Michigan high school in which three students were killed. Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe said at a news conference that two of the wounded were undergoing surgery as of 5 p.m. Tuesday and that the six others were in stable condition. He identified…

Bill Cosby Prosecutors Ask US Supreme Court To Review Case

Bill Cosby (Reuters) PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Prosecutors asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review the decision that overturned Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction. In a petition filed Monday, they wrote that courts should not equate a supposed promise made by a former prosecutor to lifetime immunity. They believe the Pennsylvania Supreme Court erred when it overturned Cosby’s conviction in June…

Merriam-Webster Chooses Vaccine as the 2021 Word of the Year

NEW YORK (AP) – It’s an omnipresent truth: Merriam-Webster has declared vaccine its 2021 word of the year. Peter Sokolowski, editor at large for the dictionary company, tells The Associated Press that lookups for the word vaccine increased 601% over 2020. Even more telling, searches on the Merriam-Webster website increased by 1,048% over 2019, before the COVID pandemic took hold….

Wary, Weary World Slams Doors Shut, Fearing Omicron Variant

BRUSSELS (AP) – Nations around the world sought to keep the new omicron variant at bay with travel bans and further restrictions, even as it remains unclear what it means for the COVID-19 pandemic. Japan announced Monday it would suspend entry of all foreign visitors. New cases of the variant identified days ago by researchers in South Africa appeared as…

All 3 Defendants Found Guilty of Murdering Ahmaud Arbery

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) – All three men charged in the death of Ahmaud Arbery were convicted of murder Wednesday. The jury reached its decision after more than 10 hours of deliberations following a trial in which prosecutors argued that the defendants provoked a confrontation with Arbery and defense attorneys said their clients were acting in self-defense. Father and son Greg…

US Jobless Claims Hit 52-Year Low After Seasonal Adjustments

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits plummeted last week to the lowest level in more than half a century, another sign that the U.S. job market is rebounding rapidly from last year’s coronavirus recession. Jobless claims dropped by 71,000 to 199,000, the lowest since mid-November 1969. The drop was much bigger than economists expected. The…

Brian Laundrie Autopsy: Forensic Anthropologist Says Laundrie Died of Suicide

(Fox News) – Deceased fugitive Brian Laundrie died of suicide, a forensic anthropologist told Laundrie family attorney Steven Bertolino on Tuesday. Laundrie took his own life with a gunshot wound to the head, Bertolino said. “Chris and Robert are still mourning the loss of their son and are hopeful that these findings bring closure to both families,” he said. Laundrie…

US to Release 50 Million Barrels of Oil To Ease Energy Costs

(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden has ordered 50 million barrels of oil released from the strategic reserve to help bring down energy costs, in coordination with other major energy-consuming nations, including China, India, and the United Kingdom. The move is aimed at global energy markets but also aimed at voters who are coping with higher inflation…

Official: More Than 90% Of Fed Workers Got Shots by Deadline

WASHINGTON (AP) – More than 90% of federal workers have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by Monday’s deadline set by President Joe Biden. Biden announced in September that all federal workers were required to undergo vaccination, with no test-out option, unless they secured an approved medical or religious exemption. A U.S. official said the vast majority…

Harris To Announce $1.5B Investment in Health Care Workforce

WASHINGTON (AP) – Vice President Kamala Harris will announce the Biden administration is investing $1.5 billion from the coronavirus aid package to address the health care worker shortage in underserved communities. The funding being announced Monday will go to the National Health Service Corps, Nurse Corps, and Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery programs. They’re all federal programs that offer…

In Kenosha And Beyond, Guns Become More Common On US Streets

As Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted in two killings that he said were self-defense, armed civilians patrolled the streets near the Wisconsin courthouse with guns in plain view. In Georgia, testimony in the trial of Ahmaud Arbery’s killers showed that armed patrols were commonplace in the neighborhood where Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was chased down by three white men and shot. The…

Dems’ Sweeping Social, Climate Bill Passes Divided House

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) WASHINGTON (AP) – A sharply divided House has approved the Democrats’ sweeping social and environment bill, a big victory for President Joe Biden. Republicans solidly opposed the measure, but Democrats prevailed after the party’s progressives and moderates ended months of disputes over its size and scope. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where moderates like…

US Expands COVID Boosters to All Adults, Final Hurdle Ahead

(AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) WASHINGTON (AP) – The Food and Drug Administration has opened up COVID-19 booster shots to all adults, letting them choose another dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The move expands the U.S. government’s booster campaign to shore up protection and get ahead of rising coronavirus cases that may worsen with the holidays. But there’s…

State Attorneys General Probing Instagram’s Effects on Kids

(AP) – A group of state attorneys general are investigating Instagram and its effects on children and young adults, saying its parent company Facebook – recently renamed Meta Platforms – ignored research about the harms it causes to young people. The investigation is led by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee,…

U.S. Jobless Claims Drop Seventh Straight Week to 268,000

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell for the seventh straight week to a pandemic low of 268,000. U.S. jobless claims dipped by 1,000 last week from the week before, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The applications for unemployment aid are a proxy for layoffs, and their steady decline this year – after topping 900,000…

Americans Ramped up Retail Spending a Strong 1.7% Last Month

WASHINGTON (AP) – Americans sharply boosted their spending last month, pushing up retail sales and giving the economy a lift. Much of the gain reflected the fact that shoppers are also paying higher prices. Retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 1.7% in October from September, the U.S. Commerce Department said Friday. That’s up from 0.8% in the previous month. Solid…

Trump Ally Bannon Taken Into Custody on Contempt Charges

WASHINGTON (AP) – Longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon has surrendered to federal authorities to face contempt charges after defying a subpoena from a House committee investigating January’s insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Bannon was taken into custody Monday morning. He’s expected to appear in court later in the afternoon. The 67-year-old was indicted on Friday on two counts of criminal…

Minnesota Gov. Walz Departs for Europe Trade Mission

He will also be joined by over 40 executives from Minnesota businesses and organizations at various points of the trip.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is leaving for a six-day trip to Europe to promote the state’s businesses. The Democratic governor said says he will travel to the United Kingdom and Finland to promote trade with a focus on health care, environmental technology, agriculture, and education. Walz will spend the first three days of the tour in London,…

Court Temporarily Delays Release of Trump’s Jan. 6 Records

WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked the release of White House records sought by a U.S. House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, granting – for now – a request from former President Donald Trump. The administrative injunction issued Thursday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit effectively bars until the…