A United Airlines passenger jet takes off with New York City as a backdrop, at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey. Chris Helgren | Reuters It’s time to say goodbye to the $200 ticket-change fee. United Airlines on Sunday said that it will permanently scrap fees to change domestic flights, a big bet that more flexible
Month: August 2020
A pig with a Neuralink implant. Screengrab of live demo Elon Musk’s brain-machine interface company, Neuralink, conducted a live demo of its technology on Friday, showing a coin-sized device without wires. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO brought along three pigs, who had varying levels of interest in cooperating. Eventually, the audience was shown real-time neural
Gavin Newsom, governor of California. Rich Pedroncelli | AP | Bloomberg via Getty Images California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Friday a new framework for individual counties to reopen, outlining the possibility of non-essential indoor businesses and schools to return depending on the coronavirus’ spread in the area. The state will adopt a four-tiered approach
A sign displays a new rapid coronavirus test on the new Abbott ID Now machine at a ProHEALTH center in Brooklyn on August 27, 2020 in New York City. The portable Abbott ID Now uses a nasal swab to detect acute and infectious cases of COVID-19. ProHEALTH is offering the new service, which can deliver
Firefighters make a stand in the backyard of a home in front of the advancing CZU August Lightning Complex Fire Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, in Boulder Creek, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Marcio Jose Sanchez | AP Photo Historic wildfires tearing through California have so far burned nearly 1.3 million acres, destroying hundreds of structures
A Spirit Airlines jet comes in for a landing at McCarran International Airport on May 25, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller | Getty Images Spirit Airlines pilots’ union on Tuesday said it reached an agreement to avoid involuntary furloughs of around 600 pilots when federal aid that has helped protect airline jobs runs out
Scientists are expressing some doubts about the Food and Drug Administration’s emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma as a treatment for Covid-19 patients. In a Sunday news briefing, President Donald Trump touted the treatment as a “breakthrough.” Former FDA chief Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CNBC that while there was enough data to justify the authorization, the
US President Donald Trump speaks to the press in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 10, 2020. Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is considering fast tracking an experimental coronavirus vaccine developed in the U.K. for use in the United States ahead of
Shannon Axelsson takes a break from sitting on the beach to be tested for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Revere, Massachusetts, August 11, 2020. Brian Snyder | Reuters New coronavirus cases in the U.S. grew by nearly 48,700 on Friday, marking seven consecutive days the daily count fell below 50,000 as the nation gradually descends
The U.S. reported more than 44,000 new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, marking an 11% drop in the seven-day average of daily new cases compared with last week. CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said Thursday that cases will continue to fall as communities continue to practice public health guidelines to bring the virus under
A convoy of emergency vehicles drives along an emptied Interstate 80 during the LNU Lighting Complex Fire on the outskirts of Vacaville, California, U.S., August 19, 2020. Stephen Lam | Reuters Kena Hudson’s 7-year-old son Clarence has asthma that’s sometimes landed him in the hospital. Typically, when wildfire season starts in Northern California, he’ll stay
A Boeing 737 MAX sits outside the hangar during a media tour of the Boeing 737 MAX at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington. Matt Mills | Reuters Boeing on Wednesday said it scored its first orders for its beleaguered 737 Max planes since November, selling two of them to a Polish charter airline with options
U.S. coronavirus cases appear to be ticking lower, with the seven-day average of newly reported infections falling below 50,000 for the first time in nearly a month. The U.S. reported 35,112 new cases of the virus on Monday, bringing the average over the past seven days to 49,132, down nearly 10% compared with a week
Former Secretary of State and Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Getty Images WASHINGTON — Former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton bashed the Trump administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and slammed its decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization. “There’s a lot of really important work that needs to be
Evelyn Gosnell is considering a Covid-19 test ahead of a camping trip. Evelyn Gosnell Evelyn Gosnell and some friends are planning a camping trip next month for a birthday celebration. Gosnell, a Bay Area-based behavioral scientist in her 30s, said the group has agreed to quarantine for two weeks ahead of the trip to reduce
A bipartisan group of House lawmakers spoke with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Saturday morning in an effort to advance stalled discussions on the coronavirus economic stimulus package, a person at the meeting told NBC News. Seven members of the bipartisan “Problem Solvers Caucus,” who have previously met twice to try to
Negotiations around the next round of coronavirus aid looks likely to drag on, potentially for weeks, after Democrats and Republicans described themselves as hopelessly far apart on a deal. The Senate wrapped up its session on Thursday and will not return this month unless negotiators strike an agreement. The country reported an additional 51,443 new cases of the
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, prepares to testify during a House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis hearing in Washington, D.C., July 31, 2020. Kevin Dietsch | Pool | Reuters White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said he is not pleased with the current state of the
Louis, a Las Vegas resident, signed up for Moderna’s vaccine trial Source: Louis When Louis, a 45-year-old Las Vegas resident, heard that Moderna was looking for volunteers to enroll in its Covid-19 vaccine trial, he eagerly accepted. Moderna, a Massachusetts-based biotechnology company, kicked off its Phase 3 clinical trial for its mRNA-1273 vaccine this summer.
Former Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes (L) leaves the Robert F. Peckham U.S. Federal Court on June 28, 2019 in San Jose, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Eight months and nine days from now Elizabeth Holmes will face charges that she defrauded investors of her blood-testing company Theranos. That was the decision on
The good news: The United States has a window of opportunity to beat back Covid-19 before things get much, much worse. The bad news: That window is rapidly closing. And the country seems unwilling or unable to seize the moment. Winter is coming. Winter means cold and flu season, which is all but sure to
Medics transfer a patient on a stretcher from an ambulance outside of Emergency at Coral Gables Hospital where Coronavirus patients are treated in Coral Gables near Miami, on July 30, 2020. Chandan Khanna | AFP | Getty Images The United States has surpassed 5 million Covid-19 cases, a grisly milestone that represents roughly a quarter
Young elementary school students and their parents attempt to get the attention of passing motorists on Church Street in Winchester, MA on July 30, 2020. A group of Winchester parents hold an event on the town common, voicing their concerns about younger students being able to learn remotely and advocating for the full return of
Director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci testifies before the US Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing to examine COVID-19, “focusing on lessons learned to prepare for the next pandemic”, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on June 23, 2020. Kevin Dietsch | Pool | AFP |
Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks during a news conference on the situation of the coronavirus (COVID-2019), in Geneva, Switzerland. Denis Balibouse | Reuters The World Health Organization’s top official said Thursday he hopes the United States will reconsider its decision to leave the United Nations’ health organization, saying
Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on efforts to get back to work and school during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Washington, D.C., June 30, 2020. Al Drago | Reuters White House coronavirus advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci
Getty | South_Agency As politicians debate whether or not to extend federal aid to millions of out-of-work Americans, school districts are debating if there will be a traditional school year. This means parents working at home will once more have the added distraction of supervising and teaching their kids, possibly throughout 2021. Add to that
The U.S. is in a “new phase” of its battle against the coronavirus, which is “extraordinarily widespread” in both urban and rural communities, White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx warned on Sunday. Meanwhile, Congress is still in disagreement over extended unemployment benefits as part of further virus relief. Lawmakers will continue negotiations this week. The