US economy may be stalling out as viral outbreak worsens
WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy is stumbling as the viral outbreak intensifies, threatening to slow hiring and deepening the uncertainty for employees, consumers and companies throughout the country.
CDC chief sticking to school-opening guides Trump criticized
ATLANTA — Federal health officials won’t revise their coronavirus guidelines for reopening schools despite criticism from President Donald Trump, the chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.
What they will do, he said, is provide additional information to help states, communities and parents decide what to do and when.
“Our guidelines are our guidelines,” Dr. Robert Redfield declared.
No peeking, voters: Court keeps Trump taxes private for now
WASHINGTON — Rejecting President Donald Trump’s complaints that he’s being harassed, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday in favor of a New York prosecutor’s demands for the billionaire president’s tax records. But in good political news for Trump, his taxes and other financial records almost certainly will be kept out of the public eye at least until after the November election.
Trump faced issues with Asian Americans even before virus
SEATTLE — Sonny Vinuya hasn’t decided if he’ll vote again for Donald Trump in the battleground state of Nevada.
Primary Hawaii virus testing lab loses services of supplier
HONOLULU — One of Hawaii’s largest COVID-19 testing laboratories lost its continental U.S. supplier of chemicals needed to continue to conduct tests.
Court official to oversee damages for Hawaiian homesteads
HONOLULU — The price of land in a specific area of Oahu will be used to determine damages owed to Native Hawaiian plaintiffs who have waited years for property administered by the state.
‘A hot mess’: Americans face testing delays as virus surges
AUSTIN, Texas — With a cough and shortness of breath, it took Austin, Texas, resident Sam Lee three tries to get a COVID-19 test.
Harvard, MIT sue to block ICE rule on international students
BOSTON — Colleges and universities pushed back Wednesday against the Trump administration’s decision to make international students leave the country if they plan on taking classes entirely online this fall, with Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology filing a lawsuit to try to block it, and others promising to work with students to keep them on campus.
State briefs for July 9
A brief look at other news from throughout the state.
Court: Some employers can refuse to offer free birth control
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ruled broadly Wednesday in favor of the religious rights of employers in two cases that could leave more than 70,000 women without free contraception and tens of thousands of people with no way to sue for job discrimination.
Trump to US schools: Reopen or you may lose federal funds
WASHINGTON — Determined to reopen America’s schools despite coronavirus worries, President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to hold back federal money if school districts don’t bring their students back in the fall. He complained that his own public health officials’ safety guidelines are impractical and too expensive.
News briefs for July 9
A brief look at other news from Wednesday.
Honolulu City Council urges delaying pre-travel test plan
HONOLULU — The Honolulu City Council on Wednesday urged Gov. David Ige to consider delaying a plan to allow travelers to use a negative COVID-19 test to bypass quarantine until the number of new cases on the U.S. mainland and in Hawaii drop significantly.
McConnell eyes virus aid as evictions, benefits cuts loom
WASHINGTON — An eviction moratorium is lifting. Extra unemployment benefits are ending. Parents are being called to work, but schools are struggling to reopen for fall as the COVID-19 crisis shows no signs of easing.
Company connected to Senate president gets virus relief loan
HONOLULU — A company that state Senate President Ronald Kouchi owns shares in and is employed by received a small business coronavirus relief loan from the federal government, according to data released by the Small Business Administration.
State briefs for July 8
A brief look at other news from throughout the state.
News briefs for July 8
A brief look at other news from around the globe.
Judge blocks auction of Hawaiian heiress’ belongings
HONOLULU — An auction of a 94-year-old Native Hawaiian heiress’ belongings can’t go forward until a conservator is named to handle her finances, a judge ruled Monday.
Hospitals approaching capacity as Miami closes restaurants
MIAMI — Hospitals rapidly approached capacity throughout the Sunbelt on Monday and the Miami area closed restaurants and gyms again because of the surging coronavirus Monday as the U.S. emerged from a Fourth of July weekend of picnics, pool parties and beach outings that health officials fear could fuel the rapidly worsening outbreak.
New rules: Foreign pupils must leave US if classes go online
International students will be forced to leave the U.S. or transfer to another college if their schools offer classes entirely online this fall under new guidelines issued Monday by federal immigration authorities.