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VOL. 45 | NO. 24 | Friday, June 11, 2021
SPECIAL EMPHASIS: PERSONAL FINANCE

Lessons learned from scary 2020

Plunge a shock to investors used to an ever-rising market

Much of the fear that struck the country in early 2020 had more to do with the financial effects of COVID-19 than the medical. It began in late February and continued into March with record-setting Dow plunges March 9 (2,013 points), 12 (2,352 points) and 16 (2,997 points).

Parents should leave college loans to students

For parents who want to make sure their children graduate college debt-free, taking out loans themselves might seem like a better option. But a recent article by The New York Times highlights the problems with the federal Parent PLUS loans that can be made without consideration of the borrower’s ability to repay, and with little protections if they can’t.

PERSONAL FINANCE

What to do if you save too much for retirement

Many Americans don’t save enough for retirement, but it’s entirely possible to save too much – at least according to the IRS.

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
44.1°F
Overcast
Wind: Northwest at 8.1 mph
Humidity: 73%

EVENTS

GYP Let’s Get Lunch. Join Gallatin Young Professionals to help grow your network. This event takes place monthly at various locations. Dos Bros, 1650 Nashville Pike, Gallatin. Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Information

more events »

MILLENNIAL MONEY

Trial, error, what I learned in about finance in my 20s

Your 20s are a time of self-exploration, finding your footing as an adult – and likely making some money mistakes.

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

Sellers cashing out, heading to lakes, beaches, mountains

Where have all the sellers gone? Long time passing. Actually, it’s a fairly recent phenomenon that has large numbers of Middle Tennesseans cashing out of the real estate frenzy and going far, far away to work remotely.

REAL ESTATE

Many Americans moved to less pricey housing markets in 2020

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Many Americans who moved last year relocated to areas where homes were, on average, bigger and less expensive.

Davidson County real estate trends for May 2021

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

Top Davidson County residential sales for May 2021

Top residential real estate sales, May 2021, for Davidson County, as compiled by Chandler Reports.

US average mortgage rates tick lower; 30-year loan at 2.96%

Mortgage rates remained near historic lows this week. The benchmark 30-year home loan held below the 3% mark amid further signs of the economy's recovery from the pandemic recession.

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

How much do you really know about Tennessee? Take the quiz

Happy 225th birthday, Tennessee! You don’t look a day over 210!

NEWSMAKERS

Bass names Blackshear to executive committee

Bass, Berry & Sims has appointed Lillian M. Blackshear from the firm’s Nashville office to its executive committee.

BRIEFS

Engel & Völkers partners with Pareto

Engel & Völkers Nashville has partnered with Pareto Realty and will collectively do business under the Engel & Völkers name. Led by license partner Neal Clayton, this announcement adds 18 real estate advisers to Engel & Völkers Nashville, expanding its real estate service into Williamson County.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

5 fully loaded cars worth the extra expense

The average transaction price for new vehicles has been steadily rising over the past few years, jumping to $40,545 in April, a 3% increase from the prior year, Edmunds data shows. Some of this jump can be chalked up to people buying pricier trucks and SUVs, but another part of the story is their desire to get all the “bells and whistles,” often found on the top trim levels.

CAREER CORNER

Job offers are like buses; don’t take express to bad gig

The headline of this week’s column might sound a bit confusing. It comes from one of my own mentors.

BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW

Compass founder shares business lessons learned

Everything you know, you learned from Mom. And Dad. And Grandma, Grandpa, six cousins, three playmates, a neighbor, 31 teachers, a coach somewhere along the line, your spouse and a kid or two.

AUTO RACING

Nashville Superspeedway welcomes Cup debut as track reopens

Erik Moses attended his first NASCAR race in 2019 as an XFL executive looking to poach marketing ideas during a trip to Dover International Raceway. One year later, Dover poached Moses and sent him to Tennessee to reopen Nashville Superspeedway.

SPORTS

Analysis: Breaking down the College World Series teams

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A look at the eight teams competing in the College World Series, which starts Saturday at TD Ameritrade Park. (Capsules in order of CWS opening games. Coaches' records through super regionals):

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans work on D with Dupree, Farley unavailable in minicamp

NASHVILLE (AP) — Janoris "Jackrabbit" Jenkins broke up two passes, and Denico Autry worked on the defensive line Tuesday on the Tennessee Titans' first day of minicamp Tuesday.

NASHVILLE AREA

Amazon allots $300 million for housing near mass transit

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Amazon is providing $300 million in low-interest loans to support housing located near mass transit in the Washington, D.C., area and the Seattle and Nashville, Tennessee, regions.

RELIGION

Southern Baptists vote to debate sex abuse investigation

NASHVILLE (AP) — Delegates at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to have a floor debate on a proposed investigation into the denomination's handling of sexual abuse.

Southern Baptists pick president who worked for racial unity

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Southern Baptist Convention tamped down a push from the right at its largest meeting in decades on Tuesday, electing a new president who has worked to bridge racial divides in the church and defeating an effort to make an issue of critical race theory.

New Southern Baptist leader has long career as bridge builder

As ideological divisions wracked the Southern Baptist Convention this year ahead of a pivotal national meeting, one of the leading candidates for its presidency, Ed Litton, embraced a role as the man best equipped to build bridges and promote unity.

COURTS

DA eyes Floyd case expert for Nashville officer's trial

NASHVILLE (AP) — Prosecutors in Tennessee who are preparing for the first-degree murder trial of a Nashville police officer next month may try to call a law enforcement expert witness who served similarly in the case against Derek Chauvin in George Floyd's death.

Applicants sought for judicial opening in Tennessee

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's Trial Court Vacancy Commission says it's accepting applications for a circuit court judge seat in the 24th Judicial District, which encompasses Benton, Carroll, Decatur, Hardin and Henry counties.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Self-driving car pioneer Waymo gets $2.5B to fuel ambitions

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — Waymo, the self-driving car pioneer spun off from Google, isn't allowing a recent wave of executive departures to detour its plans to expand its robotic taxi service.

GM, Ford outdo each other with electric vehicle investments

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors will raise spending on electric and autonomous vehicles and add two U.S. battery factories as it gambles that consumers will eagerly switch from gasoline to the new technology.

REAL ESTATE

Millions fear eviction as housing crisis worsens

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 4 million people say they fear being evicted or foreclosed upon in the coming months just as two studies released Wednesday found that the nation's housing availability and affordability crisis is expected to worsen significantly following the pandemic.

US home construction up a moderate 3.6% in May

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. home construction rose 3.6% in May as builders battled a surge in lumber prices that have made homes more expensive

TECHNOLOGY

Security flaw found in 2G mobile data encryption standard

BERLIN (AP) — Cybersecurity researchers in Europe say they have discovered a flaw in an encryption algorithm used by cellphones that may have allowed attackers to eavesdrop on some data traffic for more than two decades.

ENVIRONMENT

Experts: UK is losing race to adapt to climate change

LONDON (AP) — Britain is losing the race to adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change, including worsening heat and floods, a government-appointed panel of experts said Wednesday.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

COVID-19 cases delay long-awaited Royal Caribbean cruise

MIAMI (AP) — Royal Caribbean International is postponing for nearly a month one of the highly anticipated first sailings from the U.S. since the pandemic began because eight crew members tested positive for COVID-19, the company's CEO said.

France eases mask rules; will end nightly virus curfew

PARIS (AP) — France on Wednesday eased several COVID-19 restrictions, with authorities saying it's no longer always mandatory to wear masks outdoors and halting an 8-month nightly coronavirus curfew this weekend.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks dip, yields rise as Fed hints at dialing back support

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks fell on Wall Street and bond yields rose Wednesday after Federal Reserve officials signaled they may start easing off the accelerator on their massive support for markets and the economy earlier than previously thought.

Fed sees faster time frame for rate hikes as inflation rises

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve signaled Wednesday 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.

Yellen: Administration is watching inflation closely

WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen assured Congress that the recent jump in inflation is being monitored very carefully by the Biden administration, but said again that any increase will prove temporary.

China releasing metals stockpiles in bid to cool inflation

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese government said Wednesday that it will release copper, aluminum and zinc from stockpiles to increase market supplies in a fresh effort to restrain surging prices that officials warn might disrupt a business revival.

UK inflation up more than expected amid COVID fluctuations

LONDON (AP) — British consumer prices rose by more than expected last month as fuel and clothing costs surged following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Sen. Manchin proposes changes to Democrats' voting bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Joe Manchin is proposing an extensive list of changes to his party's sweeping elections and voting bill, raising hopes among Democrats that they could unite behind the legislation even if the measure is nearly certain to be blocked by Republicans in a showdown Senate vote next week.

Putin hopes for 'productive' meeting with Biden

GENEVA (AP) — GENEVA — Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked President Joe Biden and expressed wishes for a "productive" meeting as the two kicked off their meeting in Geneva Wednesday.

What They Want: Divergent goals for Biden, Putin at summit

GENEVA (AP) — An American president won't side with Moscow over his own intelligence agencies. There will be no talk of a "reset" in Russian relations. And it is highly doubtful that anyone will gaze into Vladimir Putin's eyes and discuss his soul.

Impatient Democrats prepare to go-it-alone on infrastructure

WASHINGTON (AP) — Patience running thin, Democratic leaders are laying the groundwork for a go-it-alone approach on President Joe Biden's big jobs and families infrastructure plans even as the White House continues negotiating with Republicans on a much more scaled-back $1 trillion proposal.

Senate Democrats press ahead on voting bill despite dim odds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats pledged to forge ahead with a likely doomed vote on their sprawling elections and voting bill next week, even as it faces universal opposition from Republicans, as well as from a key senator in their own party.

Biden elevates energetic critic of Big Tech as top regulator

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday installed an energetic critic of Big Tech as a top federal regulator at a time when the industry is under intense pressure from Congress, regulators and state attorneys general.


TUESDAY, JUNE 15
PREDATORS

Predators' Rinne wins Clancy Trophy for leading on, off ice

NEW YORK (AP) — Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne has won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy that annually honors an NHL player for leading on the ice and off it with humanitarian work.

RELIGION

Southern Baptists hold annual meeting amid push from right

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Southern Baptist Convention held its largest gathering in decades Tuesday amid debates over race and sexual abuse, a concerted effort to push the conservative denomination even further to the right and a bellwether election to pick its next president.

COURTS

US antivirus software creator fights extradition from Spain

MADRID (AP) — Detained antivirus software entrepreneur John McAfee testified in a Spanish court Tuesday as part of his fight against extradition to the United States, where he is wanted on tax-related criminal charges that carry a prison sentence of up to 30 years.

Ikea fined $1.3 million over spying campaign in France

VERSAILLES, France (AP) — A French court ordered home furnishings giant Ikea to pay some 1.1 million euros ($1.3 million) in fines and damages Tuesday over a campaign to spy on union representatives, employees and some unhappy customers in France.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Order: Union can't limit vote to 87 Tennessee Nissan workers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Federal regulators have denied a union's push to try to organize fewer than 100 employees at the Nissan assembly plant in Tennessee, ruling instead to set a union election of 4,300 plantwide production and maintenance workers that the union says it will not pursue.

MEDIA

Media consumers may be reaching limit of streaming services

A British research company may have discovered a magic number for American media consumers — and it's seven.

EU court leaves Facebook more exposed to privacy challenges

LONDON (AP) — Facebook is subject to EU privacy challenges from watchdogs in any of the bloc's member states, not just its lead regulator in Ireland, the bloc's top court ruled Tuesday, in a ruling that has implications for other big tech companies.

News executives protest Trump-era probe with Garland

WASHINGTON (AP) — Executives from CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post met Monday with Attorney General Merrick Garland to protest the Trump-era Justice Department's efforts to seize phone and email records of journalists.

NONPROFITS

Charitable giving in the U.S. reaches all-time high in 2020

Galvanized by the racial justice protests and the coronavirus pandemic, charitable giving in the United States reached a record $471 billion in 2020, according to a report released Tuesday that offers a comprehensive look at American philanthropy.

TECHNOLOGY

Robotic ship sets off to retrace the Mayflower's journey

SWANSEA, Wales (AP) — Four centuries and one year after the Mayflower departed from Plymouth, England, on a historic sea journey to America, another trailblazing vessel with the same name has set off to retrace the voyage.

Behind in quantum computer race, Germany gets boost from IBM

BERLIN (AP) — IBM on Tuesday unveiled one of Europe's most powerful quantum computers in Germany, boosting the country's efforts to stay in the race for what's considered a key technology of the future.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

US stocks dip from records ahead of Fed decision on rates

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks eased back below their record heights Tuesday as investors waited to hear whether the mixed bag of data coming in about the economy will push the Federal Reserve to let up on its massive support for markets.

Harris announces $1.25 billion for community lenders

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris announced Tuesday that the Biden administration is distributing $1.25 billion to hundreds of community lenders in an effort to help boost the economic recovery from the coronavirus for small businesses and disadvantaged business owners.

Want a job? Employers say: Talk to the computer

A day after her interview for a part-time job at Target last year, Dana Anthony got an email informing her she didn't make the cut.

May retail sales fell 1.3% as Americans spend less on goods

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.

US industrial production up 0.8% in May, factory output 0.9%

WASHINGTON (AP) — Surging output of cars, trucks and auto parts pulled U.S. factory production up 0.9% in May.

Record rise in US wholesale prices over the past year

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wholesale prices, driven by rising food costs, increased 0.8% in May and by a unprecedented amount over the past year as the U.S. economy emerges from pandemic lockdowns and pushes inflation higher.

EU chief: EU-UK should put long-term relationship first

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union's top official urged both sides to think about their long-term relationship and put an end to the bloc's spat with the U.K. over post-Brexit trade arrangements.

H&M says sales up 75% as more people get vaccinated

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Low-cost fashion brand Hennes & Mauritz AB said Tuesday sales had increased 75% in Q2 and early June, affecting both online purchases and physical stores, adding that 1,300 stores were temporarily closed at the start of the period due to the pandemic.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Pelosi says House to move forward with Jan. 6 investigations

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will move forward with investigations of the Jan. 6 insurrection now that legislation to create an independent commission has stalled in the Senate, saying "we can't wait any longer" to probe the attack.

White House gives infrastructure talks a week to reach deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House plans to give the bipartisan infrastructure negotiations another week to 10 days before assessing next steps, which could include pursuing a Democrats-only approach to pass President Joe Biden's sweeping jobs and families investment plans.

Emails show Trump pressured Justice Dept. over 2020 election

WASHINGTON (AP) — During the last weeks of his presidency, Donald Trump and his allies pressured the Justice Department to investigate unsubstantiated claims of widespread 2020 election fraud that even his former attorney general declared without evidence, newly released emails show.

Biden administration pushes plan to combat domestic terror

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration says it will enhance its analysis of threats from domestic terrorists, including the sharing of intelligence within law enforcement agencies, and will work with tech companies to eliminate terrorist content online as part of a nationwide strategy to combat domestic terrorism.

Justice Department to tighten rules on seizing Congress data

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department will tighten its rules around obtaining records from members of Congress, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Monday, amid revelations the department under former President Donald Trump had secretly seized records from Democrats and members of the media.

White House to host July 4 'independence from virus' bash

WASHINGTON (AP) — Cue the fireworks. President Joe Biden wants to imbue Independence Day with new meaning this year by encouraging nationwide celebrations to mark the country's effective return to normalcy after 16 months of coronavirus pandemic disruption.

After Senate review, questions persist about Jan. 6 attack

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan Senate report released last week details security failures surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol and recommends how to fix them. But it has only added to the unanswered questions about the attack, when hundreds of former President Donald Trump's supporters broke through windows and doors and interrupted the certification of President Joe Biden's win.

Rep. Greene apologizes for comparing safety masks, Holocaust

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene apologized Monday for affronting people with recent comments comparing the required wearing of safety masks in the House to the horrors of the Holocaust.


MONDAY, JUNE 14
UT SPORTS

Vols end Mainieri's run, reach Omaha for 1st time since 2005

NASHVILLE (AP) — Jake Rucker hit two home runs in Game 2 of the Nashville Super Regional, and No. 3 national seed Tennessee advanced to the College World Series with a 15-6 win over LSU, concluding the career of Tigers coach Paul Mainieri on Sunday.

Tennessee, Arizona, NC St, Texas lock up CWS bids; Hogs out

North Carolina State, Texas, Tennessee and Arizona locked up spots in the College World Series on Sunday, with the Wolfpack knocking out No. 1 national seed Arkansas.

COURTS

High court rejects 2 Virginia white nationalist rally cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is leaving in place the convictions of two men who as members of a white supremacist group participated in a white nationalist rally in Virginia in 2017 that turned violent.

Justices defer Harvard case on race in college admissions

WASHINGTON (AP) — With abortion and guns already on the agenda, the conservative-dominated Supreme Court is considering adding a third blockbuster issue — whether to ban consideration of race in college admissions.

Justices rule against low-level crack cocaine offenders

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that low-level crack cocaine offenders convicted more than a decade ago can't take advantage of a 2018 federal law to seek reduced prison time.

Gov. Lee picks 2 for district judgeships

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has appointed two judges in different districts.

RELIGION

Southern Baptists meet amid controversy over leaked letters

NASHVILLE (AP) — As Southern Baptists prepare for their biggest annual meeting in more than a quarter-century, accusations that leaders have shielded churches from claims of sexual abuse and simmering tensions around race threaten to once again mire the nation's largest Protestant denomination in a conflict that can look more political than theological.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Smyrna Nissan plant union election set; small unit denied

NASHVILLE (AP) — Federal regulators have denied a union's push to try to organize fewer than 100 employees at the Nissan assembly plant in Tennessee, ruling instead to set a union election of 4,300 plantwide production and maintenance workers next month.

GM exec: Company to announce more battery plants this week

DETROIT (AP) — The president of General Motors says his company plans to announce more U.S. battery factories later this week.

Lordstown Motors' rough road continues; CEO, CFO are out

The top two executives at Lordstown Motors have resigned as problems at the Ohio electric truck startup mount.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Novavax: Large study finds COVID-19 shot about 90% effective

Vaccine maker Novavax said Monday its COVID-19 shot was highly effective against the disease and also protected against variants in a large study in the U.S. and Mexico, potentially offering the world yet another weapon against the virus at a time when developing countries are desperate for doses.

As infections rise, England braces for delay in reopenings

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to disappoint many people across England later Monday by saying that restrictions on social contact will remain for a few more weeks because of rising infections due to the delta variant.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Gains for some tech giants nudge S&P to another record high

Gains in several big-name tech companies including Apple helped nudge the S&P 500 to another record high Monday, even as other parts of the market faltered.

Delicate task for Fed: When to pull back on low-rate support

WASHINGTON (AP) — With inflation rising in a fast-rebounding economy, the Federal Reserve is poised this week to discuss when it will take its first steps toward dialing back its ultra-low interest rate policies.

Thinner Mints: Girl Scouts have millions of unsold cookies

The Girl Scouts have an unusual problem this year: 15 million boxes of unsold cookies.

Shop owner's plea as California reopens: 'I need customers'

LOS ANGELES (AP) — During the darkest days of the coronavirus pandemic, Martha Medina would occasionally slip into her shuttered store on Los Angeles' oldest street to ensure everything was secure.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

US intel report warns of more violence by QAnon followers

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new federal intelligence report warns that adherents of QAnon, the conspiracy theory embraced by some in the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol, could target Democrats and other political opponents for more violence as the movement's false prophecies don't come true.

Senate set to elevate judge on Biden's high court short list

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is expected Monday to narrowly confirm the first appellate court judge of President Joe Biden's tenure, elevating a judge with strong prospects of landing on the president's short list should a Supreme Court should a vacancy arise.

Justice official resigning amid uproar over Dems' subpoena

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department's top national security official is resigning from his position after revelations that the department under President Donald Trump secretly seized records from Democrats and members of the media.

Odds of settling US-EU trade rifts? Hope may outrun progress

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has vowed to mend America's trade relations with its European allies, which were stretched to the breaking point by President Donald Trump's mercurial behavior, combative policies and aversion to multinational alliances.

Cabinet secretaries launch roadshow to sell the Biden plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — Marty Walsh remembers what it was like when a Cabinet secretary would come to town.


FRIDAY, JUNE 11
VANDERBILT SPORTS

Vandy wins pitchers' duel to begin Nashville Super Regional

NASHVILLE (AP) — Kumar Rocker struck out 11 in 7 2/3 innings, while allowing just three hits, and Vanderbilt held off East Carolina 2-0 on Friday to begin a best-of-three series in the Nashville Super Regional.

SPORTS

Play ball: Things to know about NCAA super regionals

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Super regionals are the next stop on the NCAA baseball tournament's Road to Omaha.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Jones says 'stay tuned' as he proves he's still fast, strong

NASHVILLE (AP) — Julio Jones turned 32 in February, missed seven games with a nagging hamstring issue in his 10th year in the NFL and now finds himself with a new team in the Tennessee Titans.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee approves comprehensive litter study

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations voted Wednesday to begin a comprehensive study of litter pollution in the state.

AUTO INDUSTRY

GM to recall some 2021 cars for faulty air bag warning light

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government's highway safety agency approved a request by General Motors to recall four 2021 vehicle makes due to a malfunctioning air bag warning light.

RELIGION

Racial tensions simmer as Southern Baptists hold key meeting

NASHVILLE (AP) — Race-related tensions within the Southern Baptist Convention are high heading into a national meeting next week. The election of a new SBC president and debate over the concept of systemic racism may prove pivotal for some Black pastors as they decide whether to stay in the denomination or leave.

Secret recordings show Southern Baptist dispute on sex abuse

NASHVILLE (AP) — Releases of leaked letters and secret recordings from within the Southern Baptist Convention intensified Thursday as critics sought to show top leaders were slow to address sexual abuse in the nation's largest Protestant denomination and worried more about its reputation and donations than about victims.

ENVIRONMENT

Energy Secretary says US wants 'responsible' lithium mining

NORTH LAS VEGAS (AP) — Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said the Biden administration wants to see lithium needed for electric cars to be mined "in a responsible way" that respects the environment and Native American tribes.

MEDIA

End of an era: American will drop its in-flight magazine

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — After more than half a century in airplane seatback pockets, the American Airlines in-flight magazine American Way is going away.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

US vaccine surplus grows by the day as expiration dates loom

In Tennessee and North Carolina, demand for the COVID-19 vaccine has slowed down so much that they have given millions of doses back to the federal government, even though less than half of their total populations are vaccinated.

G-7 nations gather to pledge 1B vaccine doses for world

CARBIS BAY, England (AP) — Leaders from the Group of Seven industrialized nations are set to commit at their summit to sharing at least 1 billion coronavirus shots with struggling countries around the world — half the doses coming from the U.S. and 100 million from the U.K.

China's children may be next in line for COVID-19 vaccines

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — If China is to meet its tentative goal of vaccinating 80% of its population against the coronavirus by the end of the year, tens of millions of children may have to start rolling up their sleeves.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks notch modest gains; 3rd winning week for S&P 500

Stocks shook off a wobbly day of trading and ended modestly higher on Wall Street, giving the S&P 500 its third weekly gain in a row.

EXPLAINER: Curbing tax avoidance by multinational companies

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — How can governments keep multinational companies from avoiding taxes by shifting profits to subsidiaries in low-tax countries?

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Biden to return diverted border wall money, spend down rest

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump's signature border wall project would lose much of its funding as well as the fast-track status that enabled it to bypass environmental regulations under a Biden administration plan announced Friday.

Senators eye $579B in new infrastructure spending, $1T plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan group of senators is eyeing an infrastructure deal with $579 billion in new spending as negotiators try to strike a nearly $1 trillion deal on President Joe Biden's top priority, according to those briefed on the plan.

Lucky number: Biden is 13th US president to meet the queen

LONDON (AP) — Imagine trying to make an impression on someone who's met, well, almost everyone.

Congress, Justice Dept. probing Trump seizures of Dems' data

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department's internal watchdog launched an investigation Friday after revelations that former President Donald Trump's administration secretly seized phone data from at least two House Democrats as part of an aggressive leaks probe. Democrats called the seizures a "shocking" abuse of power.


THURSDAY, JUNE 10
VANDERBILT SPORTS

Young Vanderbilt squad not the same team that won 2019 title

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Vanderbilt Commodores are two wins away from returning to the College World Series and the chance to bookend the coronavirus pandemic with national championships.

SPORTS

College Football Playoff considering expansion to 12 teams

The College Football Playoff announced Thursday that it will consider expanding from four to 12 teams to settle the national championship, with six spots reserved for the highest-ranked conference champions and the other six going to at-large selections.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Underwood wins at CMT Awards; Gladys Knight, H.E.R. perform

NEW YORK (AP) — Carrie Underwood has another reason to rejoice — she extended her record as the most decorated artist in the history of the CMT Music Awards, thanks to her song "Hallelujah."

List of winners at the 2021 CMT Music Awards

A list of winners at the 2021 CMT Music Awards, held Wednesday in Nashville, Tennessee.

COURTS

Judge Lyle won't seek reelection

NASHVILLE (AP) — A longtime Tennessee judge who drew backlash from Republican officials for ordering an expansion of absentee voting during the COVID-19 pandemic won't seek reelection next year, saying it's a decision she made before GOP lawmakers unsuccessfully tried to remove her from office early this year.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Wife of late Tennessee lawmaker appointed to his seat

NASHVILLE (AP) — The wife of a Tennessee lawmaker who died after a battle with pancreatic cancer is taking his place ahead of a special election to fill his seat.

WEST TENNESSEE

County order further reduces mask restrictions in Memphis

MEMPHIS (AP) — Health officials in Tennessee's most populous county are lifting most existing face mask usage requirements enacted as precautions in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

AUTO INDUSTRY

GM delivers affordable luxury with new IMSA Corvette Stingray

DETROIT (AP) — What would you splurge on if you won the lottery? Most people have a dream car or two on their list, but alas, most people never win the lottery.

Culture of Corruption: ex-UAW leader gets 28-month sentence

DETROIT (AP) — He plotted to steal up to $1.5 million in union dues, and the money he diverted was spent on golf clubs, vacation homes, booze and lavish meals, fostering a culture of corruption within the United Auto Workers union.

MEDIA

Russia fines Facebook, Telegram over banned content

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian authorities on Thursday ordered Facebook and the messaging app Telegram to pay steep fines for failing to remove banned content, a move that could be part of growing government efforts to tighten control over social media platforms amid political dissent.

China says US revoking of China apps ban a 'positive step'

BEIJING (AP) — China's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday that a U.S. move to revoke the Trump administration's executive orders intended to ban apps like TikTok and WeChat was a "positive step," amid strained relations between the two countries.

TECHNOLOGY

Own an Echo? Amazon may be helping itself to your bandwidth

NEW YORK (AP) — Do you own an Amazon smart device? If so, odds are good that the company is already sharing your internet connection with your neighbors unless you've specifically told it not to.

HEALTH CARE

Medicare copays for new Alzheimer's drug could reach $11,500

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new $56,000-a-year Alzheimer's drug would raise Medicare premiums broadly, and some patients who are prescribed the medication could face copayments of about $11,500 annually, according to a research report published Wednesday.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

New federal COVID-19 safety rules exempt most employers

NEW YORK (AP) — The Biden administration has exempted most employers from long-awaited rules for protecting workers from the coronavirus, angering labor advocates who have spent more than a year lobbying for the protections.

US extends expiration dates for J&J COVID vaccine by 6 weeks

WASHINGTON (AP) — Johnson & Johnson said Thursday that U.S. regulators extended the expiration date on millions of doses of its COVID-19 vaccine by six weeks.

Sales pitch summer? Dems aim to showcase virus relief effort

MAIDENS, Va. (AP) — When Sherry Brockenbrough and her family opened a distillery on a leafy vista overlooking the James River on March 5, 2020, the coronavirus still seemed like a distant threat.

Asia welcomes US vaccine donations amid cold storage worries

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Health officials and experts in Asia have welcomed U.S. plans to share 500 million more doses of the Pfizer vaccine with the developing world, but some say it would take more than donations alone to address huge vaccination gaps that threaten to prolong the pandemic.

Germany starts rolling out a digital EU vaccination pass

BERLIN (AP) — Germany on Thursday started rolling out a digital vaccination pass that can be used across Europe as the continent is gets ready for the key summer travel season.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

US stocks end higher, erasing weekly loss for the S&P 500

Stocks closed higher Thursday, bringing the S&P 500 index to another record high and out of the red for the week.

US budget deficit for current year hits record $2.1 trillion

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. budget deficit hit a record $2.06 trillion through the first eight months of this budget year as coronavirus relief programs drove spending to all-time highs.

Wray: FBI frowns on ransomware payments despite recent trend

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI's director told lawmakers Thursday that the bureau discourages ransomware payments to hacking groups even as major companies in the past month have participated in multimillion-dollar transactions aimed at getting their systems back online.

Stores expect strong sales as children return to classrooms

NEW YORK (AP) — As more children go back to the physical classroom, families are expected to spend robustly on a wide range of items, particularly trendy clothing like cropped tops, for the critical back-to-school season, according to one key spending measure.

US unemployment claims fall to 376,000, sixth consecutive drop

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell for the sixth straight week as the U.S. economy, held back for months by the coronavirus pandemic, reopens rapidly.

Another jump in prices tightens the squeeze on US consumers

WASHINGTON (AP) — American consumers absorbed another surge in prices in May — a 0.6% increase over April and 5% over the past year, the biggest 12-month inflation spike since 2008.

Bruised but unbowed, meme stock investors are back for more

NEW YORK (AP) — After feeling the thrill of victory early this year by singlehandedly causing GameStop's stock to soar — only to get crushed when it quickly crashed back to earth — armies of smaller-pocketed and novice investors are back for more.

Europe leaves stimulus running hot ahead of recovery

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank left its key pandemic support for the economy running full blast even as the economy shows signs of recovery thanks to lower virus cases and fewer restrictions on activity in the 19 countries that use the euro currency.

EU vows a firm response as Brexit tensions rise anew

BRUSSELS (AP) — Top European Union officials vowed Thursday to use all measures available to ensure that the United Kingdom respects the terms of its Brexit agreement with the bloc as tensions rise over trade involving Northern Ireland.

Meat company JBS confirms it paid $11M ransom in cyberattack

The world's largest meat processing company says it paid the equivalent of $11 million to hackers who broke into its computer system late last month.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

For infrastructure deal, Biden eyes 'multiple paths forward'

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is pursuing "multiple paths forward" as he looks to muscle his big infrastructure package through Congress — dialing up lawmakers from both parties in search of a bipartisan deal while imploring Democrats to be ready to go it alone if necessary.

The new guy? Biden debuts at democracy's most exclusive club

WASHINGTON (AP) — Angela, Boris, Emmanuel, Justin, Mario, Yoshihide and a relative newcomer: Joe.

Homicides are up, but GOP misleads with claims about blame

WASHINGTON (AP) — "SKYROCKETING MURDER RATES," claimed the National Fraternal Order of Police. "An explosion of violent crime," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. "Democrat-run cities across the country who cut funding for police have seen increases in crime," tweeted U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C.

Biden embraces a Trump policy in backing Arab-Israeli deals

The Biden administration is laying the groundwork for a renewed push to encourage more Arab countries to sign accords with Israel and working to strengthen existing deals after last month's devastating war in the Gaza Strip interrupted those diplomatic efforts.

McGahn: Effort to get Mueller fired was 'point of no return'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former White House counsel Don McGahn told lawmakers in a closed-door interview last week that he regarded President Donald Trump's effort to have special counsel Robert Mueller fired as "a point of no return" for the administration if carried out.

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