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VOL. 45 | NO. 28 | Friday, July 9, 2021

Advantage workers in post-COVID power shift

Employers struggle to find employees in abnormal normal

In normal times, a high unemployment rate would mean that those offering jobs would be swamped with qualified candidates. But this is the post-COVID economy, and the old rules don’t seem to apply.

Tennessee continues to reel in new companies

A couple of months into a season of reopening, Tennessee is faring well in terms of existing companies coming back online and the influx of new operators, says Bob Rolfe, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

Smart USA to establish headquarters in Nashville

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Wednesday announced that Smart USA Co. is locating its U.S. headquarters in Nashville.

JOE ROGERS: MY TAKE

TN Health officials have some nerve doing their jobs

A Tennessee legislator has accused the Tennessee Department of Health of “targeting” young people and threatened the agency with the prospect of being “dissolved and reconstituted.”

Local Weather
Currently
Nashville, TN
44.1°F
Overcast
Wind: North at 9.2 mph
Humidity: 71%

EVENTS

Industry Roundtable. A new way to network. Industry Roundtables meet once a quarter, grouped by industry to promote community over competition. Coffee will be provided and a Chamber team member will be at each meeting, in an effort to better connect our members to resources. First United Methodist Church, 149 W Main Street, Gallatin. Thursday. Insurance and financial services, 8-9 a.m. Real estate and lending, 9-10 a.m. Information

more events »

RICHARD COURTNEY: REALTY CHECK

Newcomers, return to offices bring worsening traffic woes

Nashgeddon! It’s coming! During the pandemic, as traffic slowed, the woes and moans of the drivers dropped into eerie silence. With the decrease in cars skirting about the roads and bridges of the county, travelers were once again happy, safe in their little COVID hideaways traveling down the highways.

REAL ESTATE

US average mortgage rates continue to fall; 30-year at 2.90%

WASHINGTON (AP) — Mortgage rates continued to fall this week, tracking a decline in yields on Treasury securities as the bond market continues to signal concerns over the strength of the recovery from the pandemic recession.

NEWSMAKERS

Waller adds 6 to Nashville corporate practice

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP has made several hires to strengthen the firm’s corporate practice in Nashville. They are:

BRIEFS

Tennessee’s sports betting in decline

Tennessee’s sports betting volume declined to its lowest level since the first month of legalized wagering in the state.

BEHIND THE WHEEL

Demystifying advanced driver aids in new vehicles

There’s some hesitancy from the public regarding the future of self-driving cars. For example, A survey by Autolist reports most shoppers are split about whether having self-driving capability on a vehicle makes it safer.

BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW

Keep reading to find best parts of ‘Where you are’

Start small, plan big. You don’t have to have much for the former, just a little love and a place to launch. The latter, though, that takes some work. You have to see the goal, hold your confidence tight and know yourself well.

MILLENNIAL MONEY

What will you teach your children about money?

Hey, internet: Remember millennials? Many of us have graduated from our lattes and leisurely brunches to become parents with jobs, car loans and perhaps even a mortgage.

UT SPORTS

Vols extend 9 coaches including Vitello, Barnes, Harper

KNOXVILLE (AP) — Tennessee has extended the contracts of nine coaches, including Tony Vitello, who took the Volunteers to their first College World Series in 16 years.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Smart strategies to fight back against inflation

Few economists predict we’ll return to the double-digit price increases of the late 1970s and early 1980s. But knowing some of the ways consumers coped back then – and how things are different now – can help you formulate a plan to deal with rising prices.

TENNESSEE TITANS

Titans adding Phillips, Fisher, former GM to ring of honor

NASHVILLE (AP) — Bum Phillips, Jeff Fisher and former general manager Floyd Reese will be the newest members of the Tennessee Titans' ring of honor.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Ex-Tennessee health official: State backed off vaccine push

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee health officials will not acknowledge that August is National Immunization Awareness Month per an order from the state's health commissioner, emails show.

Officials: Feds not alerting Tennessee about migrant kids

NASHVILLE (AP) — The federal government will not alert Tennessee when unaccompanied migrant children are brought to the state to be placed with sponsors, officials with Gov. Bill Lee's administration told lawmakers on Tuesday.

STATEWIDE

National Guard command sergeant major retires in Tennessee

SMYRNA (AP) — Tennessee Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Gentry, who was the senior enlisted leader responsible for nearly 10,000 Army National Guard soldiers in the state, has retired.

COURTS

Watchdog: FBI seriously mishandled Nassar-sexual abuse case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI made numerous serious errors in investigating sexual abuse allegations against former USA Gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar and didn't treat the case with the "utmost seriousness," the Justice Department's inspector general said Wednesday. The FBI acknowledged conduct that was "inexcusable and a discredit" to America's premier law enforcement agency.

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 in the state's Third Judicial District, which encompasses Greene, Hamblen, Hancock and Hawkins counties.

BANKING

Wells Fargo beats expectations with $6 billion profit in 2Q

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Wells Fargo had its most profitable quarter in two years, easily beating Wall Street estimates as the global economy continues its rapid improvement in the wake of the virus pandemic.

Citigroup profits soar due to fewer bad loans

NEW YORK (AP) — Citigroup profits jumped more than five fold from a year earlier, helped by an improving economy that resulted in fewer bad loans on the bank's balance sheet.

Bank of America's 2Q profit jumps, helped by fewer bad loans

NEW YORK (AP) — Bank of America's second quarter profit more than doubled from a year earlier, as the consumer banking giant was able to move more loans onto the "good" side of its balance sheet as the pandemic wanes.

TOURISM

Going abroad? US government says passport waits top 3 months

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans hoping to travel abroad this summer may have to delay their plans if they need new or renewed passports.

AUTO INDUSTRY

GM warns some Bolt owners to park outdoors due to fire risk

DETROIT (AP) — General Motors is telling owners of some older Chevrolet Bolts to park them outdoors and not to charge them overnight because two of the electric cars caught fire after recall repairs were made.

TRANSPORTATION

Rail officials push 15-year plan to boost Northeast Corridor

WASHINGTON (AP) — As Congress eyes an infrastructure package, a coalition of transportation agencies and Amtrak on Wednesday released a 15-year plan of rail improvements for the congested Northeast Corridor that would boost daily train routes and significantly speed travel on Acela express lines.

With taxpayers' help, Delta posts $652 million profit in 2Q

Delta Air Lines is reporting a $652 million profit in the second quarter, helped by hordes of vacation travelers in the U.S. and money from taxpayers, positioning the airline for stronger results once business and international flying recover from the pandemic.

American Airlines forecasts better-than-expected 2Q results

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — American Airlines said Tuesday it expects to report roughly break-even results for the second quarter thanks to $1.4 billion in special items, mostly federal pandemic aid that covered most of the airline's payroll costs.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

As COVID rises, a vexing hunt for nursing home vaccine stats

WASHINGTON (AP) — With COVID-19 on the rise again and many nursing home staffers unvaccinated, families still lack easy access to crucial Medicare immunization data that will help them pick the right facility for their loved one.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Fed survey: US economy strong but hindered by bottlenecks

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve's latest nationwide business survey found that the economy strengthened further in late May and early June, despite supply-chain bottlenecks that led to price hikes.

Stocks end a wobbly day mixed and just shy of record highs

Stocks ended a wobbly day on Wall Street with mixed results Wednesday as investors weighed the latest corporate earning reports and the Federal Reserve chair's comments on inflation.

Powell says inflation, though elevated, will likely moderate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that inflation, which has been surging as the recovery strengthens, "will likely remain elevated in coming months" before "moderating."

Lego tells US company to stop making guns look like its toys

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Danish toymaker Lego said Wednesday it had asked a Utah-based gun company to stop producing a product that makes a pistol look like it is covered with the famous multi-colored building brick.

Wholesale inflation posts record increase compared to past year

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation at the wholesale level jumped 1% in June, pushing price gains over the past 12 months up by a record 7.3%.

EU unveils tough climate rules, eyes tax on foreign firms

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Wednesday unveiled sweeping new legislation to help meet its pledge to cut emissions of the gases that cause global warming by 55% over this decade, including a controversial plan to tax foreign companies for the pollution they cause.

US regulators criticize Buffett's failed $1.3B pipeline deal

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Federal regulators say Berkshire Hathaway's $1.3 billion deal to buy a natural gas pipeline from Dominion Energy that fell apart this week should have never been attempted because a similar deal drew strong opposition in the past.

UK inflation rises to highest level in nearly 3 years

LONDON (AP) — Official figures show inflation in the U.K. rising to its highest level in nearly three years because of increases in the prices of food and motor fuel.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Senate leader lends clout to marijuana legalization push

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate's top Democrat is backing a bill that would strike down a longstanding federal prohibition on marijuana, embracing a proposal that has slim chance of becoming law yet demonstrates growing public support for decriminalizing the drug.

AP FACT CHECK: Trump stokes Jan. 6 conspiracy theories

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump is falsely describing the circumstances of Ashli Babbitt's death as he foments conspiracy theories about the siege of the Capitol on Jan. 6 and all the "love in the air" that day.

Cuba, Haiti stir fresh political pressures for US president

WASHINGTON (AP) — They are two tiny Caribbean states whose intractable problems have vexed U.S. presidents for decades. Now, Haiti and Cuba are suddenly posing a growing challenge for President Joe Biden that could have political ramifications for him in the battleground state of Florida.

Senate Democrats reach $3.5 trillion budget agreement

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats announced late Tuesday that they'd reached a budget agreement envisioning spending an enormous $3.5 trillion over the coming decade, paving the way for their drive to pour federal resources into climate change, health care and family-service programs sought by President Joe Biden.

Biden meets Dems at Capitol to firm up support for spending

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden stepped up his bid to push his multitrillion-dollar domestic plans through Congress Wednesday, lunching with Senate Democrats a day after party leaders announced a compromise for pouring federal resources into climate change, health care and family service programs.

House Republicans post record fundraising ahead of 2022 race

WASHINGTON (AP) — The committee charged with helping Republicans wrest control of the House in 2022 raised $45.4 million over the last three months, a record quarterly haul during a year without a national election.


TUESDAY, JULY 13
PREDATORS

Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne retiring after 15 seasons

NASHVILLE (AP) — Pekka Rinne made sure to stick around Nashville longer than usual after the season ended with the Predators' first-round playoff exit.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Tennessee fires top vaccination official amid pandemic

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee officials have fired the state's top vaccination official, who had been facing scrutiny from Republican state lawmakers over her department's outreach efforts to vaccinate teenagers against COVID-19.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Electrify America to double EV charging stations by 2025

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) — Electrify America, an electric vehicle charging network funded with money paid by Volkswagen as punishment for its emissions cheating scandal, says it plans to more than double its number of charging stations throughout the United States and Canada.

TECHNOLOGY

Russia-based ransomware gang offline but cause not clear

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Russia-based criminal syndicate behind a devastating series of recent ransomware attacks was offline on Tuesday, but cybersecurity experts said that it was premature to speculate why and that there was no indication of a law enforcement takedown.

Bezos' Blue Origin gets OK to send him, 3 others to space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Jeff Bezos' rocket company has gotten government approval to launch people into space, himself included.

Firm hacked to spread ransomware had previous security flaws

For 21 years, the software company Kaseya labored in relative obscurity — at least until cybercriminals exploited it in early July for a massive ransomware attack that snarled businesses around the world and escalated U.S.-Russia diplomatic tensions.

Google fined $592 million in dispute with French publishers

PARIS (AP) — France's competition regulator fined Google 500 million euros ($592 million) on Tuesday for failing to negotiate in good faith with French publishers in a dispute over payments for their news.

HEALTH CARE

Medicare evaluating coverage for $56,000 Alzheimer's drug

WASHINGTON (AP) — Medicare on Monday launched a formal process to decide whether to cover Aduhelm, the new Alzheimer's drug whose $56,000-a-year price tag and unproven benefits have prompted widespread criticism and a congressional investigation.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

Summer camps hit with COVID outbreaks — are schools next?

The U.S. has seen a string of COVID-19 outbreaks tied to summer camps in recent weeks in places such as Texas, Illinois, Florida, Missouri and Kansas, in what some fear could be a preview of the upcoming school year.

Immunized but banned: EU says not all COVID vaccines equal

LONDON (AP) — After Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor and his wife received two doses of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine in Nigeria, they assumed they would be free to travel this summer to a European destination of their choice. They were wrong.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks ease below recent records as earnings reports roll in

Stocks closed lower on Wall Street Tuesday, bringing major indexes slightly below the record highs they set a day earlier.

US deficit for current budget year climbs to $2.24 trillion

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government's deficit for the first nine months of this budget year hit $2.24 trillion, keeping the country on track for its second biggest shortfall in history.

US consumer prices surged in past year the most since 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) — Prices for U.S. consumers jumped in June by the most in 13 years, extending a run of higher inflation and fueling concerns that the rapidly rebounding economy is making goods and services increasingly expensive.

Goldman Sachs 2Q profits beat forecasts; boosts dividend

NEW YORK (AP) — Goldman Sachs had the second-best quarterly profit in the firm's history in the quarter ended in June, helped by a strong performance in its investment banking division that more than made up for a decline in trading revenues.

JPMorgan's 2Q profits more than double, beating expectations

NEW YORK (AP) — JPMorgan Chase said its second quarter profits more than doubled from a year ago — a reflection of the improving global economy and fewer bad loans on its balance sheet. But the bank's revenues fell noticeably in the quarter, due partially to the fact that interest rates have fallen sharply the last three months.

EU nations approve a dozen pandemic recovery plans

BRUSSELS (AP) — In what European Union nations hope will be a tipping point in economic recovery from the pandemic, finance ministers from the the bloc have approved the EU-funded recovery plans of a dozen of the 27 member states.

China's June exports surge 32%, import growth slows

BEIJING (AP) — China's exports surged in June while import growth slowed to a still-robust level as its economic rebound from the coronavirus leveled off.

Bank of England ditches dividend limits on UK banks

LONDON (AP) — The Bank of England on Tuesday ditched limits on banks to pay dividends to their shareholders that were first introduced at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic as part of a package of measures to shore up the British economy.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Sanders, Biden meet as infrastructure bill swells past $3.5T

WASHINGTON (AP) — Emerging from a private meeting at the White House, Sen. Bernie Sanders said Monday that he and President Joe Biden are on the same page as Democrats draft a "transformative" infrastructure package unleashing more than $3.5 trillion in domestic investments on par with the New Deal of the 1930s.

Pressured by allies, Biden escalates fight for voting rights

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will lay out the "moral case" for voting rights as he faces growing pressure from civil rights activists and other Democrats to combat efforts by Republican-led state legislatures to restrict access to the ballot.

Left-leaning groups pressure Schumer to act on voting bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dozens of left-leaning organizations are asking Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to schedule a new vote this month on Democrats' sweeping voting and elections bill, a top priority for the party that Republicans blocked from debate last month.

Democrats push $3.7B bill to secure Capitol; GOP offers less

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats are proposing $3.7 billion in emergency spending to bolster security at the Capitol, repay outstanding debts from the Jan. 6 insurrection and help the federal government defray costs from the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation met immediate opposition from Republicans who floated a much narrower version.

Democrats eye immigration action in budget, but outlook hazy

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional Democrats and immigration advocates are staring at their best chance in years to overcome Republican opposition and give millions of people in the U.S. without legal authorization a way to become citizens.


MONDAY, JULY 12
NASHVILLE AREA

Nashville hotels ramp up hiring efforts with ads, virtual job fair

In an effort to fill more than 1,600 open hotel jobs in Nashville, the American Hotel & Lodging Association and its charitable giving arm, the American Hotel & Lodging Foundation, are launching an ad campaign and hiring fair.

MUSIC INDUSTRY

Stars commit to downtown Nashville CMA Summer Jam July 27-28 i

The Country Music Association will host “CMA Summer Jam,” a new, two-night summer concert experience at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater Tuesday, July 27, and Wednesday, July 28. The live event also will be filmed as part of a three-hour prime time TV special airing later this summer on ABC.

ENVIRONMENT

US drilling approvals increase despite Biden climate pledge

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Approvals for companies to drill for oil and gas on U.S. public lands are on pace this year to reach their highest level since George W. Bush was president, underscoring President Joe Biden's reluctance to more forcefully curb petroleum production in the face of industry and Republican resistance.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

US officials flag "small" reaction risk with J&J vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP) — Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine may pose a "small possible risk" of a rare but potentially dangerous neurological reaction, U.S. health officials said Monday.

Pfizer to discuss COVID-19 vaccine booster with US officials

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer says it plans to meet with top U.S. health officials Monday to discuss the drugmaker's request for federal authorization of a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine as President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser acknowledged that "it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely" that booster shots will be needed.

UK's Johnson set to confirm England unlocking will go ahead

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to confirm Monday that all remaining lockdown restrictions in England will be lifted in a week's time while urging people to remain cautious amid a resurgence of the coronavirus.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stock indexes notch more records ahead of earnings reports

Banks led stocks to modest gains on Wall Street Monday, nudging the major stock indexes to more record highs ahead of a busy week of corporate earnings reports from big U.S. companies.

China vows retaliation after US blacklists companies

BEIJING (AP) — China on Sunday said it will take "necessary measures" to respond to the U.S. blacklisting of Chinese companies over their alleged role in abuses of Uyghur people and other Muslim ethnic minorities.

EU puts on hold digital levy plans in face of US criticism

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has put on hold work on plans for a digital levy for the moment to concentrate on finalizing the historic tax decision endorsed by the Group of 20 nations over the weekend, officials said Monday.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Biden calls Cuba 'remarkable' protests a 'call for freedom'

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday called protests in Cuba "remarkable" and a "clarion call for freedom," praising thousands of Cubans who took the streets to protest food shortages and high prices amid the coronavirus crisis — one of the island's biggest antigovernment demonstrations in recent memory.

Cuba's internet cutoff: The go-to tactic for global despots

Cubans facing the country's worst economic crisis in decades took to the streets over the weekend. In turn, authorities blocked social media sites in an apparent effort to stop the flow of information into, out of and within the beleaguered nation.

Biden to talk crime with city, police leaders nationwide

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host New York City's Democratic mayoral candidate and other city and law enforcement leaders from around the country to talk about reducing crime.


FRIDAY, JULY 9
NASHVILLE SC

Conway scores 1st MLS goal, Atlanta ties Nashville 2-2

NASHVILLE (AP) — Jackson Conway scored his first MLS goal six minutes after entering as a second-half substitute and Atlanta United tied Nashville 2-2 on Thursday night.

STATE GOVERNMENT

Lee to visit southern border, meet with Tennessee troops

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Lee will visit the United States border with Mexico this weekend to meet with Tennessee National Guard troops.

STATEWIDE

Tennessee blackberries, blueberries are ready for picking

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee farms have plenty of blueberries and blackberries available for picking during the summer months, according to a news release from the state Agriculture Department.

HEALTH CARE

FDA head calls for probe into Alzheimer's drug review

WASHINGTON (AP) — The acting head of the Food and Drug Administration on Friday called for a government investigation into highly unusual contacts between some of her agency's drug reviewers and the maker of a controversial new Alzheimer's drug.

ENVIRONMENT

Pandemic garbage boom ignites debate over waste as energy

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — America remains awash in refuse as new cases of the coronavirus decline — and that has reignited a debate about the sustainability of burning more trash to create energy.

TRANSPORTATION

United sees more travel rebound, adds flights to warm spots

United Airlines said Friday it will add nearly 150 flights this winter to warm-weather destinations in the U.S. and will also add flights to beach spots in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

AUTO INDUSTRY

China's auto sales up 27% in 2021, hurt by chip shortage

BEIJING (AP) — China's auto sales rose 27% in the first half of 2021 from a year earlier but still were below pre-pandemic levels, and production and sales fell in June due to global shortages of processor chips, an industry group reported Friday.

MEDIA

Critics: Postal Service plans imperil community newspapers

The U.S. Postal Service's plan to raise mailing rates could present one more damaging blow to community newspapers already reeling from the coronavirus pandemic and advertising declines, a trade group says.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

IMF approves $650 billion expansion to fight pandemic

WASHINGTON (AP) — The executive board of the International Monetary Fund approved a $650 billion expansion in resources to support economically vulnerable nations as they battle the coronavirus pandemic.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Stocks close higher, capping a 3rd consecutive week of gains

Stocks closed with solid gains on Wall Street Friday, ending a holiday-shortened week with their third straight weekly gain.

Federal Reserve pledges 'powerful support' for economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve says its low interest rate policies are providing "powerful support" for the economy as it recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.

Biden signs competition order targeting big business

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday targeting what he labeled anticompetitive practices in tech, health care and other parts of the economy, declaring it would fortify an American ideal "that true capitalism depends on fair and open competition."

UK economy takes another step toward pre-pandemic level

LONDON (AP) — The British economy took another step toward its pre-pandemic level following the latest easing of lockdown restrictions, though the 0.8% growth recorded in May was around half that expected by economists as a microchip shortage hurt car production.

G20 ministers take up plan to deter cross-border tax dodging

A sweeping effort to deter cross-border tax dodges by multinational companies that have cost governments billions tops the agenda as finance ministers from the world's major economies meet in Venice.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Watchdog: 2 Trump EPA appointees defrauded agency of $130K

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two high-ranking Trump political appointees at the Environmental Protection Agency engaged in fraudulent payroll activities — including payments to employees after they were fired and to one of the officials when he was absent from work — that cost the agency more than $130,000, a report by an internal watchdog says.

Police testimony will lead off panel's first Jan. 6 hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol is expected to hold its first public hearing this month with police officers who responded to the attack and custodial staff who cleaned up afterward, chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson said Friday.

Biden tells Putin Russia must crack down on cybercriminals

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a Friday phone call that he must "take action" against cybercriminals acting in his country and that the U.S. reserves the right to "defend its people and its critical infrastructure," the White House said.

Schumer wants Senate votes soon on Biden's domestic agenda

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Friday he wants his chamber to vote on pivotal budget and infrastructure legislation before lawmakers break for their August recess, and warned he may delay that summer break to allow more time for work on President Joe Biden's top domestic goals.

QAnon has receded from social media – but it's just hiding

On the face of it, you might think that the QAnon conspiracy has largely disappeared from big social media sites. But that's not quite the case.

Amid growing frustration, White House pushes voting rights

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing a call to "save American democracy," the Biden administration has unveiled new efforts to help protect voting rights amid growing complaints from civil rights activists and other Democrats that the White House has not done enough to fight attempts by Republican-led state legislatures to restrict access to the ballot.

'Overdue': Biden sets Aug. 31 for US exit from Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says the U.S. military operation in Afghanistan will end on Aug. 31, delivering an impassioned argument for exiting the nearly 20-year war without sacrificing more American lives even as he bluntly acknowledged there will be no "mission accomplished" moment to celebrate.


THURSDAY, JULY 8
VANDERBILT SPORTS

Pippen withdraws from draft, returning to Vandy

NASHVILLE (AP) — Scotty Pippen Jr. has decided to return to Vanderbilt for his junior season after testing his options for the NBA draft.

NASHVILLE AREA

Historic suffrage marker to be unveiled in downtown park

NASHVILLE (AP) — A "Campaign for the Vote" historic suffrage marker is set to be unveiled in a park in downtown Nashville.

EDUCATION

Scholarship programs to assist health, science students

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee State University and two other historically Black colleges and universities will benefit from scholarship and grant programs being started by a medical products company.

COURTS

Michael Avenatti faces sentencing in Nike extortion scheme

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Avenatti, the brash California lawyer who publicly sparred with then-President Donald Trump before criminal fraud charges on two coasts disrupted his rapid ascent to fame, faces sentencing in one of those cases Thursday.

Giuliani's DC law license suspended until NY case resolved

WASHINGTON (AP) — The District of Columbia Court of Appeals suspended Rudy Giuliani's D.C. law license Wednesday pending the disposition of his New York suspension.

ENVIRONMENT

Ted Turner to give land to nonprofit but keep paying taxes

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Media mogul and billionaire bison rancher Ted Turner is donating an 80,000-acre ranch he owns in western Nebraska to his own nonprofit agriculture ecosystem research institute and says he might do the same with four other ranches in Nebraska's Sand Hills.

TECHNOLOGY

Billionaire Blastoff: Rich riding own rockets into space

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Two billionaires are putting everything on the line this month to ride their own rockets into space.

Tennessee, dozens others target Google's app store in antitrust suit

SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) — Dozens of states are taking aim at Google in an escalating legal offensive on Big Tech.

AUTO INDUSTRY

Stellantis: Most models to have electric versions by 2025

DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis is a little late to the global electric vehicle party, but on Thursday it pledged to catch up and pass its competitors.

HEALTH CARE

FDA trims use of contentious Alzheimer's drug amid backlash

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators on Thursday approved new prescribing instructions that are likely to limit use of a controversial new Alzheimer's drug.

VIRUS OUTBREAK

At many companies, changes from COVID-19 are now permanent

NEW YORK (AP) — The vending machine outside Pinch Spice Market dispensing packets of herbs and seasonings isn't a sales gimmick — it helped cater to customers as the company struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fans face ban at Olympics; Tokyo under state of emergency

TOKYO (AP) — Fans are likely to be banned from the Tokyo Olympics following a state of emergency on Thursday aimed at containing rising COVID-19 infections in the capital.

Free samples are back at Costco, but with safety in mind

NEW YORK (AP) — When Pat Curry spotted bite-sized wood-fire rotisserie chicken with portabella mushroom at her local Costco in early June, she felt "giddy." After a 14-month hiatus, free samples were back.

Do I need to take precautions at hotels if I'm vaccinated?

Do I need to take precautions at hotels if I'm vaccinated?

Global COVID-19 deaths hit 4 million amid rush to vaccinate

The global death toll from COVID-19 eclipsed 4 million Wednesday as the crisis increasingly becomes a race between the vaccine and the highly contagious delta variant.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS

Business groups, unions join together on infrastructure plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — Major business and union groups have formed a new coalition designed to add momentum for a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package that the Senate is expected to take up this month.

Stocks pull back from record highs as bond yields sink again

Stocks pulled back from the record highs they've been setting as bond yields continued to fall and investors turned cautious.

As economy reopened, US consumer borrowing surged in May

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. consumer borrowing surged by $35.3 billion in May as Americans, bolstered by a reopening economy and rising job levels, went back to using credit in a big way.

US jobless claims tick up to 373,000 from a pandemic low

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose slightly last week even while the economy and the job market appear to be rebounding from the coronavirus recession with sustained energy.

Europe's central bank intensifies focus on climate change

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The European Central Bank has adopted a new approach to managing the economy that would tolerate transitory periods of consumer inflation moderately above its 2% goal — and take greater account of climate change in its forecasting and stimulus programs.

China tries to quell investor fears about internet companies

BEIJING (AP) — China's government tried Thursday to quell investor fears about tighter controls on internet companies that caused share prices to plunge, saying Beijing supports their growth.

NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL POLITICS

Biden relaunches council of governors with bipartisan group

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday will relaunch the council of governors, an advisory board of governors and a number of key Cabinet secretaries and top administration officials focused on strengthening federal and state collaboration on major national security issues.

Biden says U.S. war in Afghanistan will end August 31

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday said the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on Aug. 31, saying "speed is safety" as the United States seeks to end the nearly 20-year war.

Latest hack to test Biden's vow for consequences for Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said he would "deliver" a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the latest ransomware attacks targeting American businesses, setting up a test of Biden's ability to balance his pledge to respond firmly to cyber breaches with his goal of developing a stable relationship with Russia.

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