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VOL. 45 | NO. 45 | Friday, November 5, 2021

A mother’s long-silent voice returns to inspire

A guiding presense in Stevens’ latest book

Becca Stevens shares intimate details about her life’s journey, in books, in sermons, in friendly conversation. They flow as generously as the fragrant oils she uses to anoint her children’s feet, the wounded women she loves and serves, and the congregants at her little chapel at Vanderbilt University.

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

Throw the book at thieves hitting li’l free libraries

Maybe some shadowy group with an anti-book agenda is behind the shameful deeds. Bibliophobes in Action, say. Illiterates United.

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

Paying too much to relocate? It depends on your options

In the past 30 days, 76 homes sold in Davidson County for $1 million or more with 60 of those being homes built since the turn of the century. That number is slightly down from the 83 sold during the same period last year when 50 of those sales were for homes built since 2000.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
39.9°F
Mostly Cloudy
Wind: South at 5.8 mph
Humidity: 47%

EVENTS

CMA Awards. The 55th CMA Awards honors the best in country music with star-studded performances, presenters and more. Two-Time CMA Entertainer of the Year and “American Idol” judge Luke Bryan will host this year’s event broadcasting live from Bridgestone Arena. Wednesday, 7 p.m.

more events »

REAL ESTATE

Davidson County real estate trends for October 2021

October 2021 real estate trends for Davidson County, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

Average US long-term mortgage rate ticks back down this week

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — The average long-term mortgage rate in the U.S. ticked back down this week following several weeks of increases.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans lean on Tannehill with Henry out of picture

Now what? In less than 24 hours, the Tennessee Titans climbed to the top of the AFC playoff standings and learned running back Derrick Henry – the primary factor in getting there – would be undergoing foot injury.

Weaker schedule softens blow of Henry’s loss

If there is any good news for the Titans in the wake of the Derrick Henry injury it is that the schedule does soften a bit after Sunday night’s game in Los Angeles against the powerful Rams.

Titans at Rams: What to watch

The Titans are 6-2 and in control of the AFC South, but the challenge of going forward without Derrick Henry begins Sunday night in Los Angeles. The Rams provide a stern test for a wounded Titans team, now missing its biggest piece.

Peterson savoring chance at playing in NFL again with Titans

NASHVILLE (AP) — Adrian Peterson had been working out regularly to stay in football shape, even dipping around corners to test his eyes as he mimicked cutting back toward a sliver of daylight.

UT SPORTS

Vol QB Hooker happy for UT chance, not sure about staying for 2022

Hendon Hooker’s passion for football was never in question. But even the most dedicated athlete can use a reminder of how much the sport means.

GUEST COLUMNIST

What we don’t know about economic development

Four years ago, an investigative journalist in Nashville examined the cash grants and tax breaks given to companies as part of the state’s economic development deals to create jobs.

NEWSMAKERS

Baker Donelson names health group leaders

Baker Donelson has named two attorneys to leadership roles within its Health Law Group.

BRIEFS

Clarksville’s Customs House earns awards

The Customs House Museum & Cultural Center is the recent recipient of multiple awards in 2021 from the Southeastern Museums Conference.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Kia Telluride tops new Jeep Grand Cherokee L on value

Jeep’s Grand Cherokee has long been a solid choice for shoppers looking for an upscale and rugged SUV. Now there’s something new: the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, which kicks off the model’s full redesign and debuts a third-row seat, something the Grand Cherokee never had.

PERSONAL FINANCE

There are limits to what your will can accomplish

A will allows you to distribute your worldly goods, select a guardian for minor children and name an executor to carry out your wishes.

MILLENNIAL MONEY

What happens to all your crypto riches when you die?

If you’re merely dipping your toe in cryptocurrency, it can be hard to imagine your crypto as something worth talking to an estate attorney about. But that $100 in fun money could grow to a significant percentage of your total investments, sometimes overnight. Sorry to be a downer, but YOLO – so make a plan for your crypto in the event you die.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Artists, historians examine country music's past and future

NASHVILLE (AP) — As country music's biggest stars prepared to celebrate the annual CMA Awards, a group of artists, academics and historians gathered to correct the record on the genre's past and offer ideas on how it can expand outside its typical white lines.

Stapleton, Church to take stage, vie for top awards at CMAs

NASHVILLE (AP) — Chris Stapleton and Eric Church are the top nominees, Luke Combs could be in for a big night, and all three will take the stage to perform Wednesday at the CMA Awards.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Disgraced former Tennessee speaker won't seek reelection

FRANKLIN (AP) — State Rep. Glen Casada, who resigned as House speaker in 2019 amid scandals after serving only months in the position, announced on Wednesday that he would not seek reelection to the state legislature.

SPORTS

Middle Tennessee staying in C-USA after league additions

MURFREESBORO (AP) — Middle Tennessee State is sticking with Conference USA after the league announced the addition of four new members starting in 2023.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Revised injured reserve rules keeping Titans, other NFL teams competitive

NASHVILLE (AP) — The day after making final roster cuts, the Tennessee Titans put three players on injured reserve.

Cards return to top spot in AP Pro32 poll; Titans at No. 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Despite being short-handed, the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans both found success on the road in California in Week 9.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Gov. Lee plans to sign bill to limit COVID rules

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said Wednesday he plans to sign a wide-reaching bill strictly limiting what governments and companies can require to address the COVID-19 pandemic, despite opposition from prominent business interests.

STATEWIDE

Tennessee offers grants for tree planting along rivers

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's wildlife agency is offering grants to help cities, schools, community groups and environmental organizations buy seedlings for planting trees along rivers and streams.

COURTS

US sues Uber, saying wait fees discriminate against disabled

The federal government is suing Uber saying it discriminates against disabled people by charging fees when drivers have to wait for passengers to board their vehicles.

Tennessee taking applications for Supreme Court vacancy

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee officials have begun taking applications to fill a state Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Justice Cornelia Clark.

Federal judge refuses Trump request to block Jan. 6 records

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge rejected former President Donald Trump's request to block the release of documents to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

REAL ESTATE

US average long-term mortgage rates fall; 30-year at 2.98%

WASHINGTON (AP) — Average long-term mortgage rates in the U.S. fell this week, as the key 30-year rate again retreated below the 3% mark.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Electric truck maker Rivian zooms to $90B market value

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Shares of Rivian Automotive jumped in their debut Wednesday, rising as much as 53% as investors look for the next big winner in the electric vehicle market.

ENVIRONMENT

Efforts to cut car, plane and ship emissions get small boost

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Several countries and companies announced plans Wednesday to stop selling cars that run on gasoline or diesel over the next two decades, as part of efforts to clamp down on a significant source of planet-warming emissions.

MEDIA

Google loses appeal of huge EU fine over shopping searches

LONDON (AP) — A top European Union court on Wednesday rejected Google's appeal of a 2.4 billion euro ($2.8 billion) fine from regulators who found the tech giant abused its massive online reach by giving its own shopping recommendations an illegal advantage in search results.

Facebook parent Meta to remove sensitive ad categories

Facebook's parent company Meta says it will remove sensitive ad targeting options related to health, race or ethnicity, political affiliation, religion or sexual orientation beginning on Jan. 19.

HEALTH CARE

Real Medicare drug savings in Dems' bill — but not overnight

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare enrollees who take expensive medicines could save thousands of dollars a year under the Democrats' sweeping social agenda bill, but those dividends won't come overnight. Instead, they'll build gradually over the decade.

Bloomberg pledges $120 million to curb drug overdose deaths

Michael Bloomberg will spend $120 million in an effort to reduce the soaring numbers of deaths from drug overdoses, he announced today at a healthcare summit he organized. The pledge more than doubles the $50-million philanthropic commitment he made toward the same goal in 2018.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

'Strong' start to kids vaccine campaign, but challenges loom

WASHINGTON (AP) — The campaign to vaccinate elementary school age children in the U.S. is off to a strong start, health officials said Wednesday, but experts say there are signs that it will be difficult to sustain the initial momentum.

Study: Fox viewers more likely to believe COVID falsehoods

NEW YORK (AP) — People who trust Fox News Channel and other media outlets that appeal to conservatives are more likely to believe falsehoods about COVID-19 and vaccines than those who primarily go elsewhere for news, a study has found.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Hot inflation report slams bond market, sends stocks lower

NEW YORK (AP) — An eye-opening report on inflation that was hotter than expected slammed into the bond market on Wednesday, sending yields jumping, and helping knock stocks lower.

Soaring prices a heavy burden for consumers as holidays near

WASHINGTON (AP) — A worsening surge of inflation for such bedrock necessities as food, rent, autos and heating oil is setting Americans up for a financially difficult Thanksgiving and holiday shopping season.

US budget deficit eases to $165B in October, down 42%

The U.S. monthly budget deficit fell in October as the government collected more taxes from individuals and corporations thanks to a much improved economy emerging from the coronavirus pandemic.

US jobless claims drop to pandemic low of 267,000

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to a new pandemic low 267,000 last week as the job market recovers from last year's sharp coronavirus downturn.

US consumer prices soared 6.2% in past year, most since 1990

WASHINGTON (AP) — Prices for U.S. consumers jumped 6.2% in October compared with a year earlier as surging costs for food, gas and housing left Americans grappling with the highest inflation rate since 1990.

Rare Starbucks union vote set to begin in Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Never in its 50-year history has Starbucks relied on union workers to serve up frothy lattes as its U.S. cafes. But some baristas aim to change that.

Germany's economic advisers cut 2021 growth forecast

BERLIN (AP) — The German government's panel of independent economic advisers on Wednesday cut its 2021 growth prediction for Europe's biggest economy to 2.7%, the latest in a series of downgrades by forecasters.

DoorDash buys Wolt to expand in Europe as Q3 sales rise

DoorDash is buying Finnish delivery service Wolt Enterprises, expanding its reach into Europe and other markets.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

House Jan. 6 panel subpoenas 10 former White House aides

WASHINGTON (AP) — House investigators issued subpoenas to 10 former officials who worked for Donald Trump at the end of his presidency, an effort to find out more about what the president was doing and saying as his supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in a bid to overturn his defeat.

APEC finds agreement on vaccines, carbon but tensions remain

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Making coronavirus vaccines more accessible and reducing carbon emissions were two key pledges that Pacific Rim senior officials could agree to Wednesday.

US-funded child care aid nearing reality with Biden bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Women — and some men — in Congress have been fighting for government child care assistance for almost 80 years. With President Joe Biden's $1.85 trillion social services package, they are as close as they have ever been to winning.


TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9
COURTS

Oklahoma court overturns $465M opioid ruling against J&J

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a $465 million opioid ruling against drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, finding that a lower court wrongly interpreted the state's public nuisance law in the first case of its kind in the U.S. to go to trial.

Court seems reluctant to sweep Puerto Rico into SSI program

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appeared reluctant Tuesday to rule for a resident of Puerto Rico who claims it's unconstitutional to be excluded from a welfare program that's available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

High court to hear Texas case about prayer during executions

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is to hear arguments in a case about whether Texas must allow a chaplain to pray audibly and touch a prisoner during an execution.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Nissan returns to profit, ups forecast despite chips crunch

TOKYO (AP) — Nissan reported a profit for the July-September quarter, managing to reverse earlier losses despite challenges that include shortages of computer chips and rising costs for materials.

Congress mandates new car technology to stop drunken driving

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress has created a new requirement for automakers: Find a high-tech way to keep drunken people from driving cars.

MEDIA

Philanthropies planning a nonprofit newsroom in Cleveland

A coalition of philanthropies announced plans Tuesday to launch a nonprofit newsroom that will provide coverage of Cleveland, kicking off an effort to help fill a void left by the shrinking of news organizations in Ohio.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Pfizer asks FDA to OK COVID-19 booster shots for all adults

Pfizer asked U.S. regulators Tuesday to allow boosters of its COVID-19 vaccine for anyone 18 or older, a step that comes amid concern about increased spread of the coronavirus with holiday travel and gatherings.

Whistleblowers to play key role in enforcing vaccine mandate

WASHINGTON (AP) — To enforce President Joe Biden's forthcoming COVID-19 mandate, the U.S. Labor Department is going to need a lot of help. Its Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesn't have nearly enough workplace safety inspectors to do the job.

Biden to continue FEMA virus aid for states until April 1

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is extending the federal government's 100% reimbursement of COVID-19 emergency response costs to states, tribes and territories through April 1, 2022, the White House is announcing Tuesday.

Despite reopening, the US is still closed to many in world

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. says that it's inviting the global community to visit now that the government has ended the ban on travelers from 33 countries.

Government: Vaccine rule should remain while cases play out

The Biden administration framed its vaccine mandate for private employers in life-and-death terms Monday in a legal filing that sought to get the requirement back on track after it was halted by a federal court.

Railroads fight with unions in court over vaccine mandates

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Another major railroad has gone to court to determine whether it has the authority to require all its employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Virus deaths in Russia hit daily record after work limits

MOSCOW (AP) — Coronavirus deaths in Russia hit a new record Tuesday and new confirmed cases remained high two days after a nine-day non-working period ended in most of the country's regions.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks end lower on Wall Street, ending 8-day winning streak

U.S. stocks closed lower Tuesday, ending the market's longest winning streak in more than two years.

Casinos have best quarter ever; 2020 total exceeded already

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — The nation's commercial casinos won nearly $14 billion in the third quarter of this year, marking the industry's best quarter ever, and pushing U.S. casino revenue past what it was for all of 2020, according to figures released Tuesday.

Powell highlights Fed's commitment to 'inclusive' recovery

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inequality can prevent the U.S. economy from reaching its potential, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday, and he underscored the Fed's commitment to reducing unemployment as broadly as possible, including among disadvantaged groups.

Producer prices rise 8.6%, matching September record high

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation at the wholesale level rose 8.6% last month from a year earlier, matching September's record annual gain and offering more evidence that inflationary pressures are not yet easing.

APEC leaders meeting to chart path forward from pandemic

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will have a rare virtual encounter this week as they gather online with other Pacific Rim leaders to chart a path to recovery out of the crisis brought on by the pandemic.

Fed: Risks to US financial system ease as economy recovers

NEW YORK (AP) — The risks to the U.S. financial system have eased significantly compared to a year earlier, the Federal Reserve said Monday.

Storied General Electric to split into 3 public companies

The storied American company General Electric will divide itself into three public companies focused on aviation, healthcare and energy.

Taiwan's TSMC to build first chip plant in Japan amid crunch

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese electronics maker Sony and TSMC of Taiwan said Tuesday they plan to jointly build a computer chip plant in Japan with an initial investment of $7 billion.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

White House rushes with infrastructure fixes for US economy

BALTIMORE (AP) — The Biden administration is relying on infrastructure dollars to help fix the clogged ports and blanket the nation with internet access — but a series of initiatives rolled out on Tuesday show that the urgent pace might not be fast enough to address the immediate needs of an economy coping with a supply chain squeeze and a shift to remote work.

House Jan. 6 panel subpoenas 10 former White House aides

WASHINGTON (AP) — House investigators have issued subpoenas to 10 more former officials who worked for Donald Trump at the end of his presidency, an effort to find out more about what the president was doing and saying as his supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in a bid to overturn his defeat.

No joke: Comedians, cannabis companies push pot legalization

NEW YORK (AP) — Big cannabis companies are backing a new, celebrity-infused campaign to enlist marijuana users to pressure members of Congress to legalize pot nationwide.

Biden asking Democrats do so much with so little in Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rarely have the leaders of Congress been asked to do so much, with so little, as in navigating President Joe Biden's big domestic vision into law.


MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8
TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans off to best start under Vrabel at NFL's halfway mark

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans like to play physical football and call themselves resilient.

Defense carries Titans past Rams 28-16 for 5th consecutive win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — On two snaps 20 seconds apart, Jeffery Simmons and Kevin Byard forced Matthew Stafford into a pair of terrible decisions. The stunning sequence ended with Byard sprinting to the end zone carrying the second of Stafford's back-to-back interceptions.

PREDATORS

DeBrincat scores in OT, Blackhawks win 2-1 in King's debut

CHICAGO (AP) — Alex DeBrincat scored 37 seconds into overtime to give the Chicago Blackhawks a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Sunday night in Derek King's NHL coaching debut.

NASHVILLE SC

Red Bulls tie 1-1 with Nashville and secure a playoff spot

NASHVILLE (AP) — Fábio Roberto Gomes Netto scored in the opening seconds to help the New York Red Bulls tie 1-1 with Nashville on Sunday and clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs on the final day of the regular season.

STATE GOVERNMENT

TN business groups want some COVID legislation reversed in '22

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee business leaders unhappy with recent efforts by the Republican-led Legislature to unravel COVID-19 prevention requirements hope to convince lawmakers to revisit some changes when they reconvene in January.

COURTS

High court struggles with government secrets case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court struggled Monday with whether to allow a lawsuit by Muslim men claiming religious bias by the FBI to go forward despite the government's objection that doing so could reveal national security secrets.

U.S. charges two suspected major ransomware operators

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two suspected criminal hackers have been charged in the United States in connection with a wave of ransomware attacks, including one that led to the temporary shutdown of the world's largest meat processor and another that snarled businesses around the globe on the Fourth of July weekend, U.S. officials said Monday.

High court to hear secrets case over Muslim surveillance

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is preparing to hear a case about the government's ability to get lawsuits thrown out of court by claiming they would reveal secrets that threaten national security.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Musk: I'll sell 10% of Tesla stock based on Twitter poll

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Tesla shares were down 3% in midday trading Monday after CEO Elon Musk said he would sell 10% of his holdings in the electric car maker — more than $20 billion worth by most calculations — based on the results of a poll he conducted on Twitter over the weekend.

AP FACT CHECK: Biden hypes $1T bill impact on electric cars

WASHINGTON (AP) — Boasting about his $1 trillion infrastructure package, President Joe Biden overstated its reach by claiming it would result in 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations and meet his pledge to nudge half of U.S. drivers into EVs by decade's end.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Biden team defends worker vaccine rule, wants cases combined

Its private employer vaccine mandate on hold, the Biden administration wants the multiple challenges to its workplace rule consolidated in a single federal court and has asked for a decision by early next week.

EXPLAINER: How US rules on international travel are changing

More than a year and a half after COVID-19 concerns prompted the U.S. to close its borders to international travelers from countries including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and much of Europe, restrictions are shifting to focus on vaccine status.

Biden vaccine mandates face first test with federal workers

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is pushing forward with a massive plan to require millions of private sector employees to get vaccinated by early next year. But first, he has to make sure workers in his own federal government get the shot.

Feds urge schools to provide COVID-19 shots, info for kids

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is encouraging local school districts to host clinics to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to kids — and information to parents on the benefits of the shots — as the White House looks to speedily provide vaccines to those ages 5 to 11.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

More records for stocks as S&P 500 notches 8th straight gain

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks notched some modest gains on Wall Street Monday, enough to mark more record highs for major U.S. indexes.

Fed's Powell: Pandemic recession has particularly hurt women

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell expressed concern Monday that the pandemic recession has had an unusually harmful economic effect on women, who have been forced to shoulder additional responsibilities for childcare, forcing many of them to leave work.

Quarles to leave Fed's board, giving Biden another slot

WASHINGTON (AP) — Randal Quarles announced Monday that he will resign from the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors at the end of the year after completing a four-year term as its top bank regulator, opening up another vacancy on the Fed's influential board for President Joe Biden to fill.

China's exports stay strong, trade surplus tops $80 billion

BEIJING (AP) — China's exports remained strong in October, a positive sign for an economy trying to weather power shortages and COVID-19 outbreaks.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Jan. 6 panel subpoenas 6 more Trump associates in probe

WASHINGTON (AP) — A committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has issued subpoenas to six associates of former President Donald Trump who were involved in his efforts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election, further escalating the panel's probe into the origins of the violent attack.

Biden faces fresh challenges after infrastructure victory

WASHINGTON (AP) — He has been here before.


FRIDAY, NOVEMER 5
UT SPORTS

Tennessee probe done, won't self-impose postseason bowl ban

Tennessee will not self-impose a postseason bowl ban after wrapping up its investigation into the recruiting issues that led to the firing of coach Jeremy Pruitt and nine others in January.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Governor extends school mask opt-out order again

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Friday again extended an executive order that allows parents to opt students out of school COVID-19 mask requirements that federal judges have blocked from applying in three counties.

Governor puts 2 on new board overseeing Ford plant site

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has selected two people for a new government panel that oversees the site where Ford plans to establish a massive electric vehicle and battery complex.

COURTS

Court to hear cases of docs convicted in pain pill schemes

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court agreed Friday to hear appeals from two doctors who were convicted of illegally distributing pain medication after writing thousands of prescriptions in short periods.

States sue to block vaccine mandate for federal contractors

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky's attorney general pushed back Thursday against President Joe Biden's coronavirus vaccination mandate for private employers, filing a lawsuit claiming the requirement amounts to government overreach.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Honda lowers profit, vehicle sales forecast over chip crunch

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automaker Honda lowered its profit and vehicle sales forecasts for the fiscal year, pointing Friday to shortages of computer chips and rising material costs.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

More vaccines, fewer mask rules as US keeps fighting COVID

The United States is steadily chipping away at vaccine hesitancy and driving down COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations to the point that schools, governments and corporations are lifting mask restrictions yet again.

Pfizer says COVID-19 pill cut hospital, death risk by 90%

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer Inc. said Friday that its experimental antiviral pill for COVID-19 cut rates of hospitalization and death by nearly 90% in high-risk adults, as the drugmaker joined the race for an easy-to-use medication to treat the coronavirus.

Report: US cancels vaccine maker's multimillion dollar deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal government has canceled a multimillion dollar deal with Emergent BioSolutions, a Maryland-based vaccine manufacturer with facilities in Baltimore that were found to have produced millions of contaminated Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses this spring, the Washington Post reported.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

S&P 500 sets seventh straight all-time high on Wall Street

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks pushed further into record heights on Friday following an encouraging report on hiring across the country, though trading was shaky as the bond market was hit with another day of sharp swings.

Peloton hits the wall after sprinting through pandemic

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Peloton suffered its worst day as a publicly traded company Friday after telling investors that it will likely lose more money than it had expected in fiscal 2022.

US employers shrugged off virus, stepped up hiring

WASHINGTON (AP) — America's employers boosted their hiring last month, adding a solid 531,000 jobs, the most since July and a sign that the recovery from the pandemic recession is overcoming a virus-induced slowdown.

Japan game maker Nintendo sees no quick fix for chips crunch

WASHINGTON (AP) — America's employers stepped up their hiring in October, adding a solid 531,000 jobs, the most since July and a sign that the recovery from the pandemic recession may be overcoming a virus-induced slowdown.

Airbnb reports $834 million 3Q profit as revenue soars

Airbnb said Thursday that it earned $834 million on record revenue in the third quarter as more people got vaccinated and went back to traveling.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Biden's bet that economy would boost Democrats falls flat

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy was supposed to help President Joe Biden and Democrats, but as of late it's been hurting them with voters.

House Dems delay huge social bill, plan infrastructure vote

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Democrats abruptly postponed an expected House vote Friday on their 10-year, $1.85 trillion social and environment measure, as infighting between progressives and moderates once again sidetracked the pillar of President Joe Biden's domestic agenda.

Biden's big bill on brink of House votes, but fights remain

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats in the House appear on the verge of advancing President Joe Biden's $1.85 trillion-and-growing domestic policy package alongside a companion $1 trillion infrastructure bill in what would be a dramatic political accomplishment — if they can push it to passage.

What's in, and what's out, as House nears vote on Biden bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's now- $1.85 trillion plan to boost social and education programs as well as protect against global warming continues to be fine-tuned by Democrats in Congress with a new goal of completing work before Thanksgiving.

Colin Powell remembered as a model for future generations

WASHINGTON (AP) — Colin L. Powell, the trailblazing soldier-diplomat who rose from humble beginnings to become the first Black secretary of state, was remembered by family and friends Friday as a principled man of humility and grace whose decorated record of leadership can serve as a model for generations to come.


THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4
PREDATORS

Draisaitl has 2 goals and an assist, Oilers beat Predators

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl had two goals and an assist to take the NHL scoring lead — a point ahead of teammate Connor McDavid — and the Edmonton Oilers beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 on Wednesday night.

STATE GOVERNMENT

State mulls $183M facelift to former legislative complex

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee officials are proposing a $183 million facelift to turn the former complex for state lawmakers into a Capitol visitors center, state war museum, office space and a conference center.

Tennessee prisons add body scanners aimed at contraband

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee officials say they have begun installing new body scanners at state correctional facilities to fight against contraband.

COURTS

Groups sue Tennessee over law against trans school athletes

NASHVILLE (AP) — Two civil rights groups filed a federal court challenge Thursday against a Tennessee law that bars transgender athletes from playing public high school or middle school sports aligned with their gender identity.

Judge questions Trump lawyers trying to shield Jan. 6 papers

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge expressed skepticism Thursday when attorneys for former President Donald Trump asked her to prevent the handover of documents sought by a House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Tennessee man accused of violence in Capitol riot

NASHVILLE (AP) — A Tennessee man is accused of being violent during the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, federal officials said.

Analyst who aided Trump-Russia dossier charged with lying

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Russian analyst who contributed to a dossier of Democratic-funded research into ties between Russia and Donald Trump was arrested Thursday on charges of lying to the FBI about his sources of information, among them an associate of Hillary Clinton.

Tennessee court reschedules executions postponed by pandemic

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Supreme Court on Wednesday set two execution dates for 2022, a move that comes after executions in the state were put on hold due to the pandemic.

ENVIRONMENT

No arm-twisting: Kerry says corporates back plan to cut CO2

GENEVA (AP) — A new project trumpeted by U.S. President Joe Biden in which companies underpin development of low-carbon technologies through their buying power amounts to a "big transformation," U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said Thursday.

Is it green, or forever toxic? Nuclear rift at climate talks

SOULAINES-DHUYS, France (AP) — Deep in a French forest of oaks, birches and pines, a steady stream of trucks carries a silent reminder of nuclear energy's often invisible cost: canisters of radioactive waste, heading into storage for the next 300 years.

US government works to 'cocoon' old nuclear reactors

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Costs to clean up a massive nuclear weapons complex in Washington state are usually expressed in the hundreds of billions of dollars and involve decades of work.

AUTO INDUSTRY

New Mazda cars will stop if driver suffers health problem

TOKYO (AP) — Cars already know how to park themselves, warn drowsy drivers, steer back into the right lanes and propose map routes to destinations. The cars Mazda has in the works for next year in Japan know when drivers have a stroke or heart attack.

Toyota lifts forecast despite pandemic's supply chain damage

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's top automaker Toyota reported Thursday a 33% jump in second fiscal quarter profit, as it raised its full year forecast despite supply chain woes related to the coronavirus pandemic.

TECHNOLOGY

Justice Dept. conducting cyber crackdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is stepping up actions to combat ransomware and cybercrime through arrests and other actions, its No. 2 official told The Associated Press, as the Biden administration escalates its response to what it regards as an urgent economic and national security threat.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

GOP pushback on employer vaccine mandate underway in states

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — President Joe Biden's mandate for many private employers to require their workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 is facing a wall of opposition from state Republican officials who are passing laws and signing orders to exempt workers, threatening businesses that comply and preparing a legal fight over rules that were announced Thursday.

Key takeaways as US sets Jan. 4 vaccine mandate deadline

Millions of U.S. workers now have a Jan 4. deadline to get a COVID vaccine.

Roll up your sleeves: Kids' turn arrives for COVID-19 shots

Hugs with friends. Birthday parties indoors. Pillow fights. Schoolchildren who got their first COVID-19 shots Wednesday said these are the pleasures they look forward to as the U.S. enters a major new phase in fighting the pandemic.

UK authorizes Merck antiviral pill, 1st shown to treat COVID

LONDON (AP) — Britain granted conditional authorization on Thursday to the only pill shown to successfully treat COVID-19 so far. It is the first country to OK the treatment from drugmaker Merck, although it wasn't immediately clear how quickly the pill would be available.

Moderna lowers forecast for 2021 COVID-19 vaccine deliveries

Moderna is scaling back expectations for the number of COVID-19 vaccine deliveries it expects to make this year and the revenue it will record from them.

Russia sets another COVID-19 daily death record with 1,195

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia has set another record for daily coronavirus deaths as it struggles through a long surge of infections that has prompted restrictions throughout the country.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Despite a mixed finish, S&P 500 and Nasdaq notch records

Stocks wound up a mixed bag on Wall Street Thursday, but big gains in several technology giants helped push the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq indexes to more record highs.

'Burned out'? Why won't more women return to the job market?

NEW YORK (AP) — There was a time when Naomi Peña could seemingly do it all: Work a full-time job and raise four children on her own.

Unemployment claims drop to 269,000, another pandemic low

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell to a fresh pandemic low last week, another sign the job market is healing after last year's coronavirus recession.

US trade deficit hits record of $80.9 billion in September

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. trade deficit hit an all-time high of $80.9 billion in September as American exports fell sharply while imports, even with supply chain problems at American ports, continue to climb.

OPEC+ keeps cautious oil production despite Biden pressure

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — OPEC and allied oil-producing countries rebuffed pressure from U.S. President Joe Biden to pump significantly more oil and lower gasoline prices for American drivers, deciding Thursday to stick with their plan for cautious monthly increases even as prices surge and the global economy is thirsty for fuel.

Supply chain delays disrupt California agriculture exports

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Amid an historic drought posing threats to future harvests, California farmers now say they have no way to export the crops they do have because of a kink in the global supply chain that has left container ships lined up off the Southern California coast with nowhere to deliver their goods.

Fed pulls back economic aid in face of rising uncertainties

WASHINGTON (AP) — If you find the current economy a bit confusing, don't worry: So does the nation's top economic official, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Bank of England holds rates steady, confounding expectations

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England has confounded market expectations and held interest rates steady, saying it wanted to see more information about what happens to unemployment after the government recently ended a program that subsidized worker pay during the coronavirus pandemic.

Nintendo's profit drops from last year's pandemic boom

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese video game maker Nintendo's profit dropped 19% in the first half of its fiscal year from the previous year, when it received a big lift as people stuck at home by the coronavirus pandemic turned to its products.

Germany reports record number of new coronavirus cases

BERLIN (AP) — Germany's disease control agency on Thursday reported the highest number of new coronavirus infections since the outbreak of the pandemic.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Japan's pricey whisky gift to Pompeo still missing

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department's internal watchdog said Thursday that a nearly $6,000 bottle of Japanese whisky given to former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that was reported missing remains unaccounted for.

House prepares to debate, vote after bolstering Biden's bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is preparing to debate and vote on a revised draft of President Joe Biden's now-$1.85 trillion-and-growing domestic policy package  as well as a companion $1 trillion infrastructure bill, with Democrats eager to show voters they can deliver on priorities.

All eyes on vulnerable House Democrats after election losses

WASHINGTON (AP) — For many House Democrats, 2021 is looking a lot like 2009, a year when a Republican elected governor in Virginia foreshadowed a dreadful blowout in the next year's midterm elections.

Analysis: After tough election, Biden dismisses danger signs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The hazard lights are blinking for President Joe Biden after Democratic setbacks in this week's elections, but the president professes to see no reason for panic.

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