National News
National News

More Than Half Of U.S. Adults Have Gotten At Least One COVID-19 Vaccine Dose
After a year of grim milestones, Sunday marked a hopeful statistic in America’s fight against the coronavirus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than half of all American adults have now gotten at least one vaccine dose.

White House Walks Back Order On Refugee Limits After Backlash
The White House has walked back its announcement that it will keep this year’s historically low refugee ceiling of 15,000 set by the Trump administration, saying its earlier statement Friday, which was panned by fellow Democrats, was meant only to ease restrictions from countries from which refugees are currently banned.

Indianapolis FedEx Shooting Victims Identified; Police Say Suspect Obtained Guns Legally
The victims of the attack have been identified as Matthew R. Alexander, 32; Samaria Blackwell, 19; Amarjeet Johal, 66; Jaswinder Kaur, 64; Jaswinder Singh, 68; Amarjit Sekhon, 48; Karlie Smith, 19; and John Weisert, 74.

How The U.S. Could Halve Climate Emissions By 2030
Next week, President Biden will announce a number that could shape the rest of his presidency: a new goal to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. The announcement marks the country’s renewed commitment to the Paris accord, the international climate change agreement that former President Trump withdrew from.

Gunman Kills 8 At FedEx Warehouse In Indianapolis
A man opened fire inside a FedEx warehouse facility late Thursday night in Indianapolis, killing eight people and injuring several others. The suspect is believed to have shot himself and is among the nine dead, according to police.

Democrats Unveil Long-Shot Plan To Expand Size Of Supreme Court From 9 To 13
Liberal congressional Democrats unveiled a proposal Thursday to expand the number of seats on the U.S. Supreme Court from nine to 13 — a move Republicans have blasted as “court packing” and which has almost no chance of being voted on after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she has “no plans to bring it to the floor.

Epic Drought Means Water Crisis For Parts Of The West Coast, Though Much Of Northwest Is OK
Hundreds of farmers who rely on a massive irrigation project that spans the Oregon-California border learned Wednesday they will get a tiny fraction of the water they need amid the worst drought in decades, as federal regulators attempt to balance the needs of agriculture against federally threatened and endangered fish species that are central to the heritage of several tribes.

Signs Of Economic Boom Emerge As Retail Sales Surge, Jobless Claims Hit Pandemic Low
Signs of an economic boom are emerging as Americans open up their wallets to spend freely. Retail sales soared 9.8% in March, according to a report Thursday from the Commerce Department. The increase follows a 2.7% slump in February, which analysts blamed partly on severe winter weather.

Scientists Create Early Embryos That Are Part Human, Part Monkey For Organ Transplant Research
The embryos, described Thursday in the journal Cell, were created in part to try to find new ways to produce organs for people who need transplants, says the international team of scientists who collaborated in the work. But the research raises a variety of concerns.

Ex-Officer Who Shot Daunte Wright Charged With 2nd-Degree Manslaughter
BY BECKY SULLIVAN Kim Potter, the former Brooklyn Center, Minn., police officer who shot Daunte Wright, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, according to Minnesota authorities. The Washington County Attorney’s

Bernie Madoff, Financier Behind Notorious Ponzi Scheme, Dies At 82
As a money manager, Madoff defrauded thousands of investors out of tens of billions of dollars over the course of nearly two decades. His scheme wiped out the savings of individuals, charities, municipal governments and college endowment funds, and he was so hated at the time of his 2009 trial that he wore a bulletproof vest to and from the courthouse.

What You Need To Know: 6 Reported Blood Clot Cases In 7 Million From Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the blood clots are extremely rare but that it is reviewing the cases. The agency says it expects this pause to last for “a matter of days.”