DeSantis and Florida surgeon general warn against new COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday criticized recent efforts across the U.S. to tamp down a recent jump in COVID-19 cases through temporary restrictions or masking and his state surgeon general warned against getting the latest COVID-19 vaccine, which is expected to be available this month.
UK was ill-prepared for pandemic because resources were diverted to Brexit, ex-health chief says
Britain's former health secretary has told an official inquiry that the U.K. was ill-prepared for a pandemic partly because government resources had been diverted away from pandemic planning to brace for a possibly chaotic no-deal Brexit.
Japan to lift COVID-19 border controls before holiday week
Japan will lift most of its coronavirus border controls, including a requirement that entrants show proof of three vaccinations or a pre-departure negative test, beginning Saturday as the country’s Golden Week holiday season begins and a large influx of foreign tourists is expected.
Foundations, major donors tackle nation’s nursing shortage
As more nurses leave their jobs in hospitals and health-care centers, foundations are pouring millions of dollars into efforts to ensure that more stay in the profession and get more out of the job than just the applause and pats on the back they got during the bleakest days of the pandemic.
House panel says lax screening helped facilitate PPP fraud
A House investigations panel says financial technology firms “abdicated” their responsibility to screen out fraud in applications for a federal program designed to help small businesses stay open and keep workers employed during the pandemic.
Chinese users play cat-and-mouse with censors amid protests
Word of anti-lockdown protests in China spread on domestic social media for a short period last weekend, thanks to a rare pause in the cat-and-mouse game that goes on between millions of Chinese internet users and the country’s gargantuan censorship machine.
Dallas Habitat for Humanity helps staff purchase homes
The Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity is using part of the $9 million gift it received from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott in March to provide its staff members a new employee benefit — $13,500 in the form of a forgivable loan to help with a down payment or closing costs on a home.
Australian Parliament censures former prime minister
Australia’s former Prime Minister Scott Morrison has listed his achievements in government including standing up to a “bullying" China as he unsuccessfully argued against being censured by the Parliament for secretly amassing multiple ministerial powers.
Hundreds at Harvard, NYC, Chicago protest China's actions
Hundreds of people have gathered at Harvard University and near Chinese consulates in New York and Chicago to support protesters who have called for that country’s leader to step down amid severe anti-virus restrictions in the biggest demonstrations against the government in Beijing in decades.