AP National News

Colorado company locating graphite plant in Alabama

AP
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by Rayos Syndication User

A Colorado company plans to open a processing plant for east Alabama that will produce a key component needed to build batteries for electric vehicles and other applications. The Alabama governor’s office says Westwater Resources of Centennial, Colorado, plans to open the factory in Coosa County. An announcement says 100 new jobs will be created with an initial investment of at least $80 million. Graphite is needed to make batteries like those used in cars. The factory should begin operating by the end of 2022. 

In reversal, New Jersey school board restores holiday names

AP
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by Rayos Syndication User

A New Jersey board of education has reversed itself following a public outcry and has decided to restore the names of holidays to its school calendar. The Randolph school board on Monday night voted 8-1 to overturn a decision made earlier this month to replace the names of holidays with just the phrase “day off.” The panel also will create a committee to gain input from the public. Criticism began when the school board voted in May to refer to Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day. Following complaints from Italian Americans, the board then voted to label holidays generically. Critics accused the board of bowing to so-called cancel culture.

The Latest: NKorea tells WHO it has detected no virus cases

By The Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea has told the World Health Organization it tested more than 30,000 people for the coronavirus through June 10 but has yet to find a single infection. The WHO said in a monitoring report Tuesday that North Korea’s testing figures included 733 people who were tested during June 4-10, of which 149 were with influenza-like…

Nassib becomes first active NFL player to come out as gay

By ARNIE STAPLETON - AP Pro Football Writer
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by Rayos Syndication User

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib on Monday became the first active NFL player to come out as gay. Nassib announced the news on Instagram, saying he wasn’t doing it for the attention but because he felt representation and visibility were important. Nassib also said in his short video message that he was donating $100,000 to the Trevor Project, a nonprofit that seeks to prevent suicides among LGBTQ youth.

The Latest: Blood shortage forces New England surgery delay

By The Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

BOSTON — Some New England hospitals are delaying or rescheduling surgeries because of a shortage of blood donations during the pandemic. “We haven’t seen anything like this in about 30 or 40 years at least,” Dr. Vishesh Chhibber, director of transfusion medicine at UMass Memorial Health, told the Boston Globe. Periodic, localized blood shortages are not uncommon, but this shortage…

The Latest: Protests decry Brazil policies as toll tops 500K

By The Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

RIO DE JANEIRO — Anti-government protesters have taken to the streets in cities across Brazil as the nation’s confirmed death toll from COVID-19 soared past half a million. It’s a tragedy many critics blame on President Jair Bolsonaro’s attempt to minimize the disease. Thousands gathered Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, waving flags reading “Get out Bolsonaro.” Other marchers hoisted posters…