CDC leader adds people with risky jobs to COVID booster list
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signed off on a series of recommendations from a panel of advisers late Thursday, but she also included one recommendation that the panel had rejected.
Associated Press
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Democrats see tax ‘framework’ to pay for huge $3.5T package
Staring down a self-imposed Monday deadline, lawmakers said they would work nonstop to find agreement on specifics. Democrats’ views on those vary widely, but they largely agree with Biden’s idea of raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
U.S. sets the stage for COVID booster shots for millions
Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said boosters should be offered to people 65 and older, nursing home residents and those ages 50 to 64 who have risky underlying health problems.
Four companies seek to revive stalled Terre Haute casino plans
Gaming Commission executive director Greg Small said the agency hoped to select a company for the Terre Haute license by the end of this year.
EPA rule sharply limits hydrofluorocarbons, gases used as refrigerants
The HFC provision in the new law was supported by an unusual coalition that included major environmental and business groups, including the National Association of Manufacturers, American Chemistry Council and the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute.
U.S. jobless claims tick up for second straight week
The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week swings, registered its sixth straight drop—to a pandemic low of 336,000.
Once-hot SPAC investments return to earth
Not only are fewer SPACs going public through IPOs, the ones already in the market and still hunting for targets have seen their share prices drop.
Target, in a tight labor market, lowers holiday hiring goal
About 100,000 seasonal workers will be hired nationwide, the retailer said Thursday, about 30,000 less than last year. Many of those workers will be offered jobs beyond the holiday season.
Biden presses fellow Dems to resolve party split on $3.5T plan
The intense focus on Biden’s big-money domestic proposal showcases how much is at stake politically for the president and his party in Congress.
COVID-19 exacerbates ongoing problem with teacher shortages
Now that schools have welcomed students back to classrooms, they face a new challenge: a shortage of teachers and staff the likes of which some districts say they have never seen.
FDA backs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for seniors, high-risk
However, more regulatory hurdles lie ahead before the dispensing of boosters can begin.
Federal Reserve foresees potential rate hike as soon as next year
The Fed also said it will likely begin slowing the pace of its monthly bond purchases “soon” if the economy keeps improving. The bond purchases have been intended to lower longer-term loan rates to encourage borrowing and spending.
United Airlines say 97% of U.S. employees have been vaccinated
Last month, United set a deadline of Sept. 27–next Monday–for its 67,000 U.S.-based employees to get vaccinated or face termination.
Reusable packaging set to go mainstream at major grocers, restaurants
Loop, a two-year-old company that collects and sanitizes reusable containers, is partnering with Kroger, Walgreens, McDonald’s, Burger King and Tim Hortons.
U.S. COVID-19 deaths climb to highest level since early March
The increasingly lethal turn has filled hospitals, complicated the start of the school year, delayed the return to offices and demoralized health care workers.
Feds, states sue to stop deal between American Airlines and JetBlue
The Justice Department said Tuesday that the agreement between the airlines will eliminate important competition in New York and Boston and reduce JetBlue’s incentive to compete against American in other parts of the country.
House OKs debt and funding plan, inviting clash with GOP
The federal government faces a shutdown if funding stops on Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year—midnight next Thursday. Additionally, at some point in October, the U.S. risks defaulting on its accumulated debt load if its borrowing limits are not waived or adjusted.
Tight job market causing costs to rise at FedEx
The package delivery company said Tuesday that its costs are up $450 million in the most recent quarter, as it paid higher wages as it got harder to find new workers and demand for shipping increased.
Biden ready to bet on rapid COVID tests, but they can be hard to find
The latest shortage is another painful reminder that the U.S. has yet to successfully manage its COVID-19 testing arsenal, let alone deploy it in the type of systematic way needed to quickly crush outbreaks in schools, workplaces and communities.
Treasury targets ransomware payment ‘enablers’
The Biden administration took aim Tuesday at the financial marketplace for criminal ransomware gangs, announcing sanctions against a Russia-based virtual currency brokerage that officials say has processed illicit transactions for attackers.