COVID-19

Trump Says Funding Cuts Will Be Permanent If WHO Doesn't Commit To 'Major' Changes

4:27pm May 19, 2020

by Bill Chappell

"The World Health Organization has repeatedly made claims about the coronavirus that were either grossly inaccurate or misleading," President Trump says.

The Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday heard testimony about coronavirus economic relief efforts from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

Senators Clash Over How Soon To Reopen The Economy

3:18pm May 19, 2020

by Scott Horsley

Lawmakers squabbled over how quickly the economy can rebound from the coronavirus shutdown and whether the government is doing enough to support struggling families and businesses.

Bankrupt Pier 1 could not find a buyer during the coronavirus pandemic. Now it's asking the bankruptcy court to approve a complete liquidation of the chain.

Home-Decor Retailer Pier 1 Looks To Close For Good

2:57pm May 19, 2020

by Alina Selyukh

Three months after filing for bankruptcy, Pier 1 said it plans to liquidate as soon as it can reopen stores that have been closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A worker passes a sign at a restaurant along San Antonio's River Walk that has reopened. As businesses reopen around the U.S., many workers are worried for their health.

Scared To Return To Work Or Can't With Kids At Home? Here's What You Need To Know

12:05pm May 19, 2020

by Chris Arnold

As businesses reopen, many workers are worried for their health and would rather stay on unemployment. Many parents can't return to a workplace because they have no child care. What are your options?

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A sign on a shuttered Apple Store at the International Plaza shopping center in Tampa, Fla. The location has been closed because of the coronavirus pandemic and is scheduled to reopen Thursday.

Apple Store Shoppers To Have Temperatures Taken, Must Wear Face Coverings

11:48am May 19, 2020

by Bobby Allyn

About 100 Apple Stores, or about a fifth of the tech giant's worldwide retail locations, are now open, including storefronts in Alabama, Florida, California and Washington state.

Politics & Government

State Of Emergency: NC Counties Had Plans For Crises, But We've Never Seen Anything Like This

11:45am May 19, 2020

by Jason deBruyn & Paul Garber & Public Radio Collaborative

A Walmart store in Maryland seeks new workers during the coronavirus pandemic. The big retailer says it hired 235,000 new staffers to keep up with demand.

Economy

Walmart Hires Almost A Quarter-Million Workers As Sales Soar

11:44am May 19, 2020

by Alina Selyukh

The retailer says it hired 235,000 staffers to keep up with demand during the coronavirus pandemic. Its online sales jumped 74%. Shoppers visited stores less frequently but spent more on each trip.

Education

UNCG And NC A&T Adjust Fall Semesters Due To COVID-19

11:39am May 19, 2020

by David Ford

UNC Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University will cancel fall break and end their fall semester classes before Thanksgiving.

Are There Zombie Viruses — Like The 1918 Flu — Thawing In The Permafrost?

10:33am May 19, 2020

by Michaeleen Doucleff

As if the pandemic weren't enough, people are wondering whether climate change will cause pathogens buried in frozen ground to come back to life as the Arctic warms. How worried should we be?

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Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at a news conference at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on April 29. Pompeo criticized the World Health Organization on Monday for not inviting Taiwan to its assembly.

Pompeo Blasts WHO And China For Excluding Taiwan From This Week's Health Assembly

9:42pm May 18, 2020

by John Ruwitch

By not inviting Taiwan to its health assembly, the World Health Organization kept out "scientific expertise on pandemic disease" and "damaged the WHO's credibility," the secretary of state said.