Monthly Archives: <span>December 2020</span>

Employers Could Mandate a COVID-19 Vaccine, but are Unlikely to Do So

Private U.S. companies have the right under the law to require employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but are unlikely to do so because of the risks of legal and cultural backlash, experts said. Companies are still in the early …

California Utility Cuts Power as Strong Winds Pummel State

Southern California residents are starting off the week in the dark as near-hurricane-force winds batter the state, whipping the flames of two wildfires and raising the risk of new ones. Edison International began shutting power in parts of Los Angeles …

Lights Go Out, Roads Dicey as Wintry Storm Batters Northeast

WARREN, Mass. — The first big wintry storm of the season began dropping what forecasters say could be more than a foot of wet, heavy snow Saturday on parts of the Northeast, making travel treacherous and cutting off power to …

Despite Promise, Few in US Adopting COVID-19 Exposure Apps

RALEIGH, N.C. — Six months ago, Apple and Google introduced a new smartphone tool designed to notify people who might have been exposed to the coronavirus, without disclosing any personal information. But for the most part, Americans haven’t been all …

EPA Says Flood Control Project Not Subject to Previous Veto

JACKSON, Miss. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not object to a revised proposal for a massive flood-control project to pump water from parts of the Mississippi Delta, a regional administrator for the agency says. That’s significant because the …

Kia Recalls 295,000 US Vehicles for Fire Risks

WASHINGTON — Kia Motors Corp said on Saturday it is recalling 295,000 U.S. vehicles for engine fire risks. The Korean automaker said the recall covers some 2012-2013 model year Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, …

Everyone Has a Home Office Now. So Who’s Paying For It?

NEW YORK — In the past, home offices were often an afterthought: Ill-equipped, cramped, and a little dusty from only occasional use. Now in 2020, many home offices are looking more like the command center at NORAD: Multiple screens, high-tech …

Storage Tank Explosion at Texas Petroleum Facility Injures Seven

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Seven contractors were injured, four critically, when a storage tank at a petroleum facility in Texas exploded after catching fire Saturday morning, according to fire officials. The fire began about 10 a.m. near a crude oil …

Tenn. High Court: Presumption Law Protects Agents as Well as Carriers

Under Tennessee law, policyholders who pay their premiums create a legal presumption that they have accepted the terms of coverage. The statute limits lawsuits by underinsured policyholders who thought they had enough coverage but found after a loss that they …

Blast Rocks South African Oil Refinery, 7 Injured

DURBAN — An explosion rocked South Africa’s second-largest crude oil refinery in Durban on Friday injuring seven people, local emergency services said. Engen, which operates the plant and is majority owned by Malaysia’s Petronas, said a fire broke out at …