What’s all this talk about a “second wave” of U.S. coronavirus cases? Scientists generally agree the nation is still in its first wave of infections, albeit one that’s dipping in some parts of the country while rising in others.
Stories by Associated Press
Trump Suggests US Slow Virus Testing to Avoid Bad Statistics
President Donald Trump said Saturday he’s asked his administration to slow down coronavirus testing because robust testing turns up too many cases of COVID-19.
Trump Looks to Reset Campaign Amid Pandemic with Tulsa Rally
Hours before the evening rally, the Trump campaign said six staff members who were helping setting up for the event had tested positive for the virus.
AMC Theaters Reverses Course on Masks After Backlash
The nation’s largest movie theater chain changed its position on mask-wearing less than a day after the company became a target on social media for saying it would defer to local governments on the issue.
Ex-Businessman Facing Murder Charges in Mumbai Terror Attack
A former Chicago businessman imprisoned for aiding terrorist groups has been arrested in Los Angeles to face murder charges in India for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed more than 160 people, U.S. prosecutors said Friday.
Amid Protests for Racial Justice, Juneteenth Gets New Renown
In addition to the traditional cookouts and readings of the Emancipation Proclamation — the Civil War-era order that declared all slaves free in Confederate territory — Americans were marching, holding sit-ins or car caravan protests.
Trump Says He Will Renew Effort to End DACA Protections
President Donald Trump said Friday he will renew his effort to end legal protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the United States as children.
TSA Insider Faults Agency’s Response to Coronavirus
A Transportation Security Administration official is accusing the agency of failing to adequately protect airport screeners from the new coronavirus, endangering both the officers and the traveling public.
US Warns 3 Companies Over Illegal At-Home COVID-19 Tests
U.S. health regulators are cracking down on three companies for selling at-home blood tests for coronavirus, warning that the products have not been shown to safely and accurately screen for COVID-19.
Juneteenth: A Day of Joy and Pain — And Now National Action
Friday’s celebrations will be marked from coast to coast with marches and demonstrations of civil disobedience, along with expressions of Black joy in spite of an especially traumatic time for the nation.
Activists Push for New Police Oversight Board in Chicago
A couple hundred activists gathered outside of Chicago City Hall on Wednesday to call on the mayor and City Council to create a new elected board that would have the power to investigate and fire police officers.
Officer Who Shot Rayshard Brooks Charged With Felony Murder
Prosecutors brought murder charges Wednesday against the white Atlanta police officer who shot Rayshard Brooks in the back, saying that the black man posed no threat when he was gunned down.
Watchdogs Warn of Strain on Agencies from Pandemic Response
The report emphasizes a few core concerns, including the financial management of more than $2 trillion in new spending and protecting the health and safety of government workers deemed essential during the pandemic.
Poll: Black Americans Most Likely to Know a COVID-19 Victim
Eleven percent of African Americans say they were close with someone who has died from the coronavirus, compared with 5% of Americans overall and 4% of White Americans.
Trump Signs Executive Order on Police Reform
In Rose Garden remarks, President Donald Trump stressed the need for higher standards and commiserated with mourning families, even as he hailed the vast majority of officers as selfless public servants and held his law-and-order line.
Researchers: Cheap Drug Improves COVID-19 Survival
Researchers in England say they have the first evidence that a drug can improve COVID-19 survival: A cheap, widely available steroid reduced deaths by up to one third in severely ill hospitalized patients.
Poll: Americans Are The Unhappiest They’ve Been in 50 Years
This bold — yet unsurprising — conclusion comes from the COVID Response Tracking Study, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago. It finds that just 14% of American adults say they’re very happy, down from 31% who said the same in 2018.
Academy Delays 2021 Oscars Ceremony Because of Coronavirus
For the fourth time in its history, the Oscars are being postponed. The 93rd Academy Awards will now be held April 25, 2021, eight weeks later than originally planned because of the pandemic’s effects on the movie industry.
US Revokes Emergency Use of Malaria Drugs for Treating COVID-19
U.S. regulators have revoked emergency authorization for malaria drugs promoted by President Donald Trump for treating COVID-19 amid growing evidence they don’t work and could cause serious side effects.
Justices Rule LGBT People Protected From Job Discrimination
The Supreme Court ruled Monday that a landmark civil rights law protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in employment, a resounding victory for LGBT rights from a conservative court.
Perils of High-Speed Police Chases Spur Calls for More Reform
Movies have helped create a perception that high-risk, daredevil police chases are vital for catching bad guys and rarely have dire consequences for officers or bystanders. Statistics suggests otherwise.
Protesters in US Call Attention to Deaths of More Black Men
The fatal shooting of a black man by a white Atlanta police officer and the death of another black man found hanging from a tree outside a city hall in California ignited new anti-racism protests over the weekend.
Police Disciplinary Records Are Largely Kept Secret in US
Citizen complaints against police across the U.S. are largely kept secret, either under the law or by union contract — a practice some criminal justice experts say deprives the public of information that could be used to root out problem officers before it’s too late.
Temperature Spike: Earth Ties Record High Heat May Reading
Last month the global average temperature was 60.3 degrees, tying 2016 for the hottest May in 141 years of record keeping, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Trump Administration Revokes Transgender Health Protection
In a move applauded by President Donald Trump’s conservative religious base, his administration on Friday finalized a rule that overturns Obama-era protections for transgender people against sex discrimination in health care.
