Friday morning news - May 14, 2021

For WORLD Radio, I'm Kent Covington.

CDC relaxes mask guidance » The CDC says it’s time to take one giant step back toward normalcy. Director Rochelle Walensky said Thursday,

WALENSKY: Once you are fully vaccinated, two weeks after your last dose, you can shed your mask.

For the most part.

The agency’s still asking everyone to wear a mask in certain crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, and hospitals. But it says fully vaccinated Americans don’t need their masks in most indoor settings, and they don’t need them outside even in large crowds.

President Biden celebrated the news in the Rose Garden.

BIDEN: This is a great day for America in our long battle with coronavirus.

The CDC says those who are not fully vaccinated should continue to wear masks indoors.

The easing of mask guidelines comes as more Americans are getting vaccinated, and new cases and COVID-19 deaths continue to drop.

Pipeline once again flowing, but fuel shortages persist » President Biden also announced on Thursday ...

BIDEN: This morning, Colonial reported that fuel is beginning to flow to the majority of the markets that they service.

The disruption of Colonial Pipeline caused long lines at gas stations in the Southeast due to distribution problems and panic-buying. Many stations ran out of gas.

The pipeline delivers nearly half of the fuel consumed on the East Coast, and while it’s up and running, it will take several days for deliveries to return to normal. In the meantime, gas is being delivered by truck and rail.

Hackers locked up the company’s computer systems on Friday, demanding a ransom to release them. And some media reports state that the company paid millions of dollars to regain control of its systems. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to those reports on Thursday.

PELOSI: We don’t want people to think that there’s money in it for them to threaten the security of the critical infrastructure of this country.

President Biden signed an executive order Wednesday meant to strengthen U.S. cybersecurity defenses. The order will require all federal agencies to use basic cybersecurity measures, like multi-factor authentication, and require new security standards for software makers that contract with the federal government.

Unemployment dips as debate rages over unemployment aid » The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to just over 470,000 as more employers reopen for business. That’s the lowest level since the pandemic began.

The news comes as debate rages over enhanced unemployment aid, which has provided an extra $300 weekly during the pandemic. Many say it’s causing a shortage of workers.

But White House Press Jen Psaki again emphasized on Thursday …

PSAKI: That’s not, we have not seen that as a widespread driving factor in people not going back to work.

Some suggest Friday’s drop in new jobless claims bolsters the position of the White House.

But the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and many businesses are not convinced. Job openings are still at their highest level on record, and many employers complain they can’t find enough workers.

Mike Lish operates D.lish Hamburgers in Spokane, Washington.

LISH: I really think what it is right now, is it’s just as easy to stay home and bring home that much money as it is to go to work.

More than a half-dozen Republican governors plan to end enhanced unemployment aid in their states next month.

McDonald’s raising pay to attract more applicants » Desperate for workers, McDonald’s is serving up pay raises, hoping to attract more applicants. WORLD’s Leigh Jones reports.

LEIGH JONES, REPORTER: McDonald's on Thursday said it will phase in pay raises for workers in its 650 company-owned stores reaching an average of $15 an hour by 2024. Entry-level employees will make $11 an hour. The company is also urging its 14,000 franchised restaurants to make the same changes.

McDonald’s and Chipotle are some of the latest companies to follow Amazon, Walmart, and Costco in boosting wages, in some cases to $15 an hour or higher.

Also on Thursday, Amazon said it will pay new hires $17 an hour, as it seeks to add 75,000 new workers. It’s also offering a $100 bonus for new hires who have been vaccinated.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Leigh Jones.

Hamas continues rocket fire as Israeli airstrikes continue » Hamas sent a heavy barrage of rockets deep into Israel on Thursday as Israel pounded Gaza with more airstrikes and shells.

Israel also called up 9,000 more reservists who could be used to stage a ground invasion.

In another potential escalation, at least three rockets were fired from southern Lebanon toward Israel, an attack that threatened to open a new front in the fighting.

The hostilities intensified despite mediation efforts by Egyptian negotiators who held in-person talks with both sides.

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken said once again that the United States fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas rocket attacks. But he added,

BLINKEN: We are working hard to encourage all sides to stand down, to de-escalate, to return to calm.

The U.S. Defense Department has flown about 120 personnel out of Israel as a safety precaution.

I’m Kent Covington. For more top news, along with features, and commentary, visit us online at wng.org.

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