U.S. unemployment claims decline to a still-high 900,000
Economists say one factor that likely increased jobless claims in the past two weeks is a government financial aid package that was signed into law in late December.
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High-tech indoor farmer AppHarvest starts shipping tomatoes
AppHarvest—an indoor farming company backed by Indianapolis-based Novus Capital Corp. and celebrity Martha Stewart—thinks the agriculture sector is ripe for disruption. And now, its tomatoes are ripe for eating.
Pence returns to Indiana hometown as vice presidency ends
Former Vice President Mike Pence hasn’t revealed his plans, but told the crowd gathered outside the airport terminal in Columbus that he and his wife would be moving back to Indiana this summer.
Keystone XL pipeline halted as Biden revokes permit
Keystone XL President Richard Prior said over 1,000 jobs, the majority unionized, will be eliminated. The premier of the oil-rich Canadian province of Alberta called the decision an “insult” and said the Canadian government should impose trade sanctions.
Some COVID-19 mutations might dampen vaccine effectiveness
The coronavirus has been growing more genetically diverse, and scientists say the high rate of new cases is the main reason. Each new infection gives the virus a chance to mutate as it makes copies of itself.
Quilt artists create textiles to admire or cozy up with
An artistic quilt might be displayed prominently on a wall, thrown over a couch, or just folded and hung from the rungs of a ladder. (Or you could cozy up with it.)
7 credit card perks to prioritize in 2021
An annual fee is worth paying on a credit card only if the rewards and perks more than offset the cost.
Wall Street hits records as hopes build for more stimulus
The hope on Wall Street is that such stimulus will help carry the economy until later this year, when more widespread COVID-19 vaccinations get daily life closer to normal.
States report vaccine shortages, cancel appointments
The push to inoculate Americans against the coronavirus is hitting a roadblock: A number of states are reporting they are running out of vaccine, and tens of thousands of people who managed to get appointments for a first dose are seeing them canceled.
Biden sworn in as nation’s 46th president
Joe Biden took the oath of office just before noon Wednesday during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol. The presidential oath was administered by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
Vice President Harris: A new chapter opens in U.S. politics
Kamala Harris became the first female vice president—and the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to hold the role. She was sworn in Wednesday by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the Supreme Court.
Trump bids farewell to Washington, wishes new administration ‘great luck and success’
President Trump declined to participate in any of the symbolic passing-of-the-torch traditions surrounding the peaceful transition of power, including inviting the Joe and Jill Biden to the White House for a get-to-know-you visit. But he did leave a note.
Indianapolis Colts QB Rivers to retire from playing football
Philip Rivers, 39, will end his playing career ranked fifth all-time in the NFL with 63,440 passing yards and 421 touchdown passes.
Pence heading to Indiana hometown after Biden inaugural
The Republican former Indiana governor and his wife, Karen, are expected to attend Joe Biden’s inauguration and will then fly into the Columbus Municipal Airport, where they will be greeted by some supporters.
Federal court strikes down major Trump climate rollback
The decision is likely to give the incoming Biden administration a freer hand to regulate emissions from power plants, one of the major sources of fossil fuel emissions.
NCAA announces tighter schedule for March Madness
The much-anticipated opening Thursday of March Madness this year will belong to the play-in teams, part of a scrambled and modestly condensed schedule for the 2021 tournament released Tuesday.
GM teams up with Microsoft on driverless cars
In the partnership announced Tuesday, the companies said Microsoft’s Azure cloud and edge computing platform would be used to “commercialize its unique autonomous vehicle solutions at scale.”
Women-led race team gearing up to run in Indianapolis 500
A new IndyCar racing team dedicated to giving women opportunities to work in motorsports has submitted an entry for this year’s Indianapolis 500. Simona de Silvestro, the 2010 Indy 500 rookie of the year, will drive the No. 16 car.
Panel: China, WHO should have acted quicker to stop pandemic
A panel of experts commissioned by the World Health Organization has criticized China and other countries for not moving to stem the initial outbreak of the coronavirus earlier and questioned whether the United Nations health agency should have labeled it a pandemic sooner.
Yellen urges Congress to do more to fight pandemic recession
Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen is calling on Congress to do more to fight a deep pandemic-induced recession, saying the threats of a longer and even worse downturn are too great to cut back on support now.