US & World News Archives - Page 35 of 76

US Adds a Solid 850,000 Jobs as Economy Extends Its Gains

July 2, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – America’s employers added 850,000 jobs in June, well above the average of the previous three months and a sign that companies may be having an easier time finding enough workers to fill open jobs. Friday’s report from the Labor Department was the latest sign that the reopening of the economy is propelling a powerful rebound from the…

US Jobless Claims Fall to 364,000, a New Pandemic Low

July 1, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid fell again last week to the lowest level since the pandemic struck last year, further evidence that the job market and the broader economy are rebounding rapidly from the coronavirus recession. Jobless claims dropped by 51,000 to 364,000. Applications for unemployment benefits have fallen more or less steadily since…

Trump Organization CFO Surrenders Ahead of Expected Charges

July 1, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP) – The Trump Organization’s longtime chief financial officer has surrendered to authorities ahead of an expected court appearance on the first criminal indictment in a two-year investigation into business practices at Donald Trump’s company. Allen Weisselberg was photographed walking into the complex that houses criminal courts and the Manhattan district attorney’s office at around 6:20 a.m. Thursday. New York…

Family: Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld Dies at 88

June 30, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Rumsfeld, the two-time defense secretary and a one-time presidential candidate whose reputation as a skilled bureaucrat and visionary of a modern U.S. military was soiled by the long and costly Iraq war, died Tuesday, his family said in a statement. He was 88. Regarded by former colleagues as equally smart and combative, patriotic and politically cunning,…

Bill Cosby’s Sex Assault Conviction Overturned by Court

June 30, 2021

The Associated Press,

(Montgomery County Correctional Facility via AP) PHILADELPHIA (AP/Fox 9) – Pennsylvania’s highest court has overturned comedian Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction. The court said Wednesday that they found an agreement with a previous prosecutor that prevented him from being charged in the case. The 83-year-old Cosby has served more than two years at a state prison near Philadelphia. He has…

Four More Bodies Found in Condo Rubble; at Least 16 Dead

June 30, 2021

The Associated Press,

SURFSIDE, Florida (AP) – A fire official says the bodies of four additional victims have been found in the rubble of a collapsed condo tower, raising the death toll to 16 people. Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah told family members at a morning briefing that rescuers found the bodies Tuesday night. He said the victims’ next of kin had…

Charges Expected Thursday for Trump’s Company, Top Executive

June 30, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP) – Donald Trump’s company and his longtime finance chief are expected to be charged Thursday with tax-related crimes stemming from a New York investigation into the former president’s business dealings. That’s according to people familiar with the matter who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The charges against the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer,…

Crews Spend 5th Day Atop Shaky Pile of Collapsed Concrete

June 28, 2021

The Associated Press,

SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) – Rescuers searching for a fifth day for survivors of a Florida condo building collapse used bucket brigades and heavy machinery as they worked atop a precarious mound of pulverized concrete, twisted steel, and the remnants of dozens of households. Authorities said Monday it is still a search-and-rescue operation, but no one has been found alive since…

Judge Dismisses Gov’t Antitrust Lawsuits Against Facebook

June 28, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Monday dismissed antitrust lawsuits brought against Facebook by the Federal Trade Commission and a coalition of state attorneys general, dealing a significant blow to attempts by regulators to rein in tech giants. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ruled Monday that the lawsuits were “legally insufficient” and didn’t provide enough evidence to prove that…

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Frozen Cooked Shrimp, CDC Says

June 28, 2021

KQDS Staff,

(FOX TV) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened multiple people is linked to frozen cooked shrimp. The shrimp, made by Avanti Frozen Foods, has since been recalled nationwide. As of June 25, the CDC said six adults from Nevada and Arizona have been infected with the particular strain of Salmonella…

Supreme Court Won’t Revive School’s Transgender Bathroom Ban

June 28, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Virginia school board’s appeal to reinstate its transgender bathroom ban. Over two dissenting votes, the justices left in place lower court rulings that found the policy unconstitutional. The case involved former high school student Gavin Grimm, who filed a federal lawsuit after he was told he could not use the…

Crews Hear “Tapping Noises” As Search Continues Following Florida Complex Collapse

As of Friday Morning, 159 People Are Still Unaccounted For in Surfside, Florida

June 25, 2021

The Associated Press,

SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) – Search and rescue teams are trying to detect any sounds coming from survivors of the collapse of a beachside condominium complex near Miami. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava says 159 people are still unaccounted for. The mayor says it’s “incredibly motivating” to watch the search and rescue teams risking their lives to find victims. Crews…

Many Feared Dead After Florida Beachfront Condo Collapses

June 24, 2021

The Associated Press,

SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) – Authorities say nearly 100 people are still unaccounted for after part of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed in a town outside Miami. The collapse in the community of Surfside killed at least one person and trapped others in rubble and twisted metal. Rescuers pulled dozens of survivors from the tower Thursday morning and continued to…

‘We Have a Deal’: Biden Announces Infrastructure Agreement

June 24, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden has announced that “we have a deal” – a bipartisan agreement on a $953 billion infrastructure plan. The agreement, reached in a meeting Thursday at the White House, means a breakthrough after arduous negotiations on the president’s top legislative priority. Biden invited members of the bipartisan group to discuss the pared-down plan that has…

New York Court Suspends Rudy Giuliani’s Law License

June 24, 2021

The Associated Press,

NEW YORK (AP) – An appeals court has suspended Rudy Giuliani from practicing law in New York because he made false statements while trying to get courts to overturn Donald Trump’s loss in the presidential race. An attorney disciplinary committee said in its motion to suspend Giuliani’s license that there was “uncontroverted evidence” that Giuliani had made false statements to…

Report 751 Bodies Found at Indigenous School in Canada

June 24, 2021

The Associated Press,

REGINA, Saskatchewan (AP) – Leaders of Indigenous groups in Canada say investigators have found 751 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school for Indigenous children in Saskatchewan. The discovery follows last month’s report of 215 at another school in British Columbia. Chief Cadmusn Delmore of the Cowessess First Nation made the announcement at a news conference Thursday….

Biden Administration Extends Eviction Moratorium for 30 Days

June 24, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has extended the nationwide ban on evictions for 30 days to help tenants who are unable to make rent payments during the coronavirus pandemic. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, extended the evictions moratorium until July 31. It had been scheduled to end on June 30. The White…

Wing of Miami-Area Condo Collapses; at Least 1 Person Dead

June 24, 2021

The Associated Press,

(Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP) SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) – A wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building has collapsed in a town outside Miami, killing at least one person while trapping residents in rubble and twisted metal. Scores of rescuers pulled survivors from the debris Thursday as a cloud of dust floated through the neighborhood. Surfside Mayor Charles…

Britney Spears Asks Judge to Free Her From Conservatorship

June 23, 2021

The Associated Press,

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears asked a judge Wednesday to end court conservatorship that has controlled her life and money since 2008. The dramatic request at a Los Angeles hearing came with her first words in open court in the conservatorship in its 13-year existence. Spears called the conservatorship “abusive,” and condemned her father and the others who have…

Lab Test of Subway Tuna Sandwiches Fails to Detect Tuna DNA, Report Says

June 23, 2021

KQDS Staff,

LOS ANGELES – A lab analysis commissioned by the New York Times found no identifiable tuna DNA in Subway’s tuna sandwich, according to the newspaper. In its own statement, the fast-food giant fired back at the report and said it was not a “reliable way” to test processed tuna. A Times reporter bought more than 60 inches of Subway tuna…

Harris to Visit US-Mexico Border Area Regarding Migration

June 23, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File) WASHINGTON (AP) – Vice President Kamala Harris is set to make her first visit to the U.S. Mexico border since taking office. The visit to El Paso is planned for Friday and it comes after she’s received criticism from members of both parties for failing to go there despite taking on a leading role in the…

Biden Urges Shots for Young Adults as Variant Concern Grows

June 22, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. government is stepping up efforts to get younger Americans vaccinated for COVID-19 amid growing concern about the spread of a new variant that threatens to set the country back in the months ahead. The push is underway as the delta variant has come to represent more than 20% of coronavirus infections in the U.S. in…

American Airlines Cutting Flights as Summer Season Starts

June 22, 2021

The Associated Press,

DALLAS (AP) – American Airlines is cutting flights to protect its network from getting overloaded as summer travel season arrives. American scrubbed more than 130 flights by Tuesday afternoon, according to tracking service FlightAware. An American Airlines spokeswoman says the cancellations will average 50 to 60 flights a day the rest of June and between 50 and 80 a day…

US Hitting Encouraging Milestones on Virus Deaths and Shots

June 21, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP) – The U.S. is reaching a pair of encouraging milestones as the COVID-19 pandemic’s grip on the nation continues to loosen. COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have dipped below 300 a day for the first time since the outbreak’s early days in March 2020. Meanwhile, nearly 150 million Americans are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. COVID-19 was the third…

Child Tax Credit 2021: Here’s Who Will Receive Monthly Payments

June 21, 2021

KQDS Staff,

WASHINGTON (Fox 9) – The Biden administration is working to make sure eligible families are aware of the upcoming monthly child payments, part of the expanded child tax credit under President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package. Automatic payments from the Child Tax Credit will begin hitting bank accounts and mailboxes on July 15. The Treasury Department said last…

High Court Sides With Ex-Athletes in NCAA Compensation Case

June 21, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) – In a ruling that could help push changes in college athletics, the Supreme Court has unanimously ruled the NCAA can’t enforce certain rules limiting the education-related benefits that colleges can offer to athletes – things like computers and graduate scholarships. The high court ruled Monday that NCAA limits on the education-related benefits that colleges can offer athletes…

Juneteenth Celebrated in Duluth for First Time as Federal Holiday

Organizers say it's important the day and the struggles of slavery and racism people of color went through are recognized federally.

June 19, 2021

Arman Rahman,

DULUTH, Minn.- Juneteenth celebrations across the country and in Duluth held a different meaning after President Joe Biden signed a bill making it a federal holiday this week. At One-Roof Community Housing in Duluth today there was free food, games, different black owned businesses and community resources. June 19th 1865 is the day the nation’s last slaves in Galveston, Texas…

The Latest: Michigan Lifts Indoor Capacity Restrictions

June 17, 2021

The Associated Press,

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan will lift all indoor capacity restrictions and mask requirements next week, 10 days sooner than planned amid vaccinations and plummeting COVID-19 infections, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Thursday. The state’s main coronavirus order will expire at the end of Monday instead of July 1, bringing an end to mandatory 50% occupancy limits inside restaurants, gyms and entertainment…

Biden to Sign Bill Making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday

June 17, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States will soon have a new federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery. President Joe Biden is scheduled to sign into law on Thursday a bill to make Juneteenth, or June 19th, the 12th federal holiday. The House approved the bill 415-14 on Wednesday. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when Union soldiers brought the news…

US Jobless Claims Tick up to 412,000 From a Pandemic Low

June 17, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits rose last week for the first time since April despite widespread evidence that the economy and the job market are rebounding steadily from the pandemic recession. Jobless claims rose 37,000 from the week before. As the job market has strengthened, the number of weekly applications for unemployment aid has…

Fed Sees Faster Time Frame for Rate Hikes as Inflation Rises

June 16, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve signaled that it may act sooner than previously planned to start dialing back the low-interest-rate policies that have helped fuel a swift rebound from the pandemic recession but have also coincided with rising inflation. The policymakers forecast that they would raise their benchmark short-term rate — which affects many consumer and business rates, from…

Biden Reveals 9 Ambassador Nominations, Including Duluth Native Thomas Nides

June 15, 2021

Site Staff, KQDS Staff,

(courtesy: United States Department of State) DULUTH, Minn. (Fox) – President Biden unveiled a slate of nominations for nine ambassadorial positions on Tuesday, including a Duluth native to serve as U.S. ambassador to Israel. Thomas Nides, a Morgan Stanley executive and former senior State Department official, has been tapped to hold the key diplomatic post. On Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Senator…

US COVID-19 Deaths Hit 600,000, Equal to Yearly Cancer Toll

June 15, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP) – The U.S. death toll from COVID-19 has topped 600,000, even as the vaccination drive has slashed daily cases and deaths and allowed the country to emerge from the gloom. That’s according to the toll recorded by Johns Hopkins University. The number of lives lost is greater than the population of Baltimore or Milwaukee. It is about equal to…

May Retail Sales Fell 1.3% As Americans Spend Less on Goods

June 15, 2021

The Associated Press,

NEW YORK (AP) — Retail sales fell in May, dragged down by a decline in auto sales and a shift by Americans to spend more on vacations and other services instead of goods. Total sales dropped a seasonal adjusted 1.3% in May from the month before, the U.S. Commerce Department said Tuesday. Wall Street analysts expected a smaller decline of…

UK’s Johnson Delays Lockdown Easing for England by 4 Weeks

June 14, 2021

The Associated Press,

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that the next planned relaxation of coronavirus restrictions in England will be delayed by four weeks until July 19, as a result of the spread of the delta variant. In a press briefing Monday, Johnson said he is “confident that we won’t need more than four weeks” as millions of…

Thinner Mints: Girl Scouts Have Millions of Unsold Cookies

June 14, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan) (AP) – The Girl Scouts have an unusual problem this year: 15 million boxes of unsold cookies. The 109-year-old organization says the coronavirus shut down in-person sales at cookie booths. “This is unfortunate, but given this is a girl-driven program and the majority of cookies are sold in-person, it was to be expected,” said Kelly Parisi,…

Justice Official Resigning Amid Uproar Over Dems’ Subpoenas

June 14, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, pool) WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department’s top national security official is resigning from his position after revelations that the department secretly seized records from Democrats and members of the media. John Demers will leave his position by the end of next week. That’s according to a Justice Department official who spoke to The Associated Press on…

AP Source: J&J Doses to be Released, But Many Will be Tossed

June 11, 2021

The Associated Press,

U.S. regulators are allowing for the release of 10 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine from a troubled Baltimore factory. But material to make many more must be thrown out because of possible contamination. That’s according to a person familiar with the decision. The FDA announced Friday that it had determined that two batches from the plant could…

US Drops Trump Order Targeting TikTok, Plans Its Own Review

June 9, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House dropped Trump-era executive orders intended to ban the popular apps TikTok and WeChat and will conduct its own review aimed at identifying national security risks with software applications tied to China, officials said Wednesday. A new executive order directs the Commerce Department to undertake what officials describe as an “evidence-based” analysis of transactions involving apps that are manufactured…

Aaron Rodgers Not Present As Packers Open Mandatory Minicamp

June 8, 2021

The Associated Press,

Aaron Rodgers (AP) GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers wasn’t with the Green Bay Packers for their first mandatory minicamp session. This marks the latest chapter in the standoff between the team and its MVP quarterback. Rodgers also hadn’t participated in the Packers’ voluntary organized team activities. That represented a change from his usual offseason routine. The Packers have…

US Has Recovered Ransom Payment Made After Pipeline Hack

June 7, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Chris Carlson,File) WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has recovered the majority of a multimillion-dollar ransom payment to hackers after a cyberattack that caused the operator of the nation’s largest fuel pipeline to halt its operations last month, officials said Monday. The operation to recover the cryptocurrency from the Russia-based hacker group is believed to be the first of…

FDA Approves Much-Debated Alzheimer’s Drug Panned by Experts

June 7, 2021

The Associated Press,

(courtesy: Biogen via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) – Government health officials have approved the first drug that they say may help slow Alzheimer’s disease. The surprise decision came after the agency’s independent advisers said the treatment hadn’t been shown to help treat the brain-destroying disease. The Food and Drug Administration is not required to follow their advice. The agency approved the…

Supreme Court Rules Against Immigrants With Temporary Status

June 7, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) — A unanimous Supreme Court has ruled that thousands of people living in the U.S. for humanitarian reasons are ineligible to apply to become permanent residents. Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the court Monday that federal immigration law prohibits people who entered the country illegally and now have Temporary Protected Status from seeking “green cards” to remain in…

Facebook Suspends Trump for 2 Years, Then Will Reassess

June 4, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP) – Facebook said it is suspending former President Donald Trump’s accounts for two years following its finding that he stoked violence ahead of the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection. The two-year suspension is effective from Jan. 7, so Trump has 19 months to go. In a press release, the former president called Facebook’s decision “an insult.” “They shouldn’t be allowed…

Reports: Facebook to End Rule Exemptions for Politicians

June 4, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP) – Facebook plans to end a contentious policy championed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg that exempted politicians from certain moderation rules on its site, according to reports from the tech site The Verge, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. The company’s reasoning for the policy was that what political leaders say is newsworthy and in the public interest…

US Adds 559K Jobs as Firms Still Struggle to Fill Positions

June 4, 2021

The Associated Press,

(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added a modest 559,000 jobs in May, an improvement from April’s sluggish gain but still evidence that many companies are struggling to find enough workers as the economy rapidly recovers from the pandemic recession. Last month’s job gain was above April’s revised total of 278,000. The unemployment rate fell to 5.8%…

Biden Announces International COVID-19 Vaccine Sharing Plan

June 3, 2021

The Associated Press,

(courtesy: Facebook/Biden) WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is unveiling President Joe Biden’s plans to share COVID-19 vaccines with the world, including directing 75% of excess doses through the UN-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing program. The White House has previously stated its intent to share 80 million vaccine doses with the world by the end of June. The administration says…

Biden Pushes for US Voting Rights Law as Restrictions Mount

June 2, 2021

The Associated Press,

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has used the 100th anniversary of Tulsa’s race massacre to plea for sweeping legislation in Congress to protect the right to vote. Biden’s message comes as Republican-led state governments pass new restrictions making it tougher to cast ballots. Biden called out lawmakers in Congress — including two senators in his own party — for…

Moderna Seeks Full FDA Approval for Its Vaccine

June 1, 2021

The Associated Press,

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — American pharmaceutical company Moderna says it has begun the process to win full U.S. regulatory approval for the use of its COVID-19 vaccine in adults. Moderna announced Tuesday it has begun a “rolling submission” to the Food and Drug Administration of data from its studies of the two-dose vaccine. Moderna’s vaccine already has been cleared for emergency…

Sen. Tina Smith Introduces Mental Health Legislation As Demand For Therapists Skyrockets

May 30, 2021

Alexandra Burnley,

WASHINGTON, D.C./DULUTH, Minn. — U.S. Senator Tina Smith, a Democrat representing Minnesota, wants to expand and support mental health resources with several proposals in Congress as clinics are seeing their patient lists fill up like never before. For Mental Health Awareness Month, Senator Smith posted several tweets on her Twitter page about her own journey with depression. “Having that opportunity…