Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has proposed making permanent existing penalties for companies that require Covid-19 vaccinations for their employees, a move that would defy President Joe Biden's efforts to get the country's workforce inoculated. The proposal would extend indefinitely measures DeSantis signed in 2021 that made Florida the first state to threaten businesses with fines for requiring the vaccine. If approved by state lawmakers, it would be the first state in the country to make such a move.
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Brian Walshe, 47, was arraigned Wednesday on charges of murder and disinterring a body without authority in connection with the disappearance of his wife, Ana Walshe, on New Year's Day. Prosecutor Lynn Beland said Walshe used his son's iPad to search for ways to dismember and dispose of a body, and clothes and other items belonging to Ana Walshe with her DNA were found at a trash processing facility. Walshe was ordered held without bail and is due back in court on May 19.
The costume and party supplies chain Party City has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and is in the process of an expedited restructuring that will substantially lower its debt and free up cash. The company's 800+ stores and website will remain open, and its franchise stores, subsidiaries outside of the U.S., and foil balloons Anagram business are not part of the restructuring. The filing comes as the U.S. retail industry continues to suffer from persistently high inflation and a pullback in customer spending.
A 13-year-old girl led Nebraska troopers on a high-speed chase that lasted nearly 20 minutes on Monday night. The chase began when a trooper spotted the vehicle driving at 35 mph and the driver allegedly accelerated to speeds of over 100 mph. The two children in the vehicle were eventually taken into protective custody, and the incident is still under investigation.
Israel's Supreme Court has ruled that Aryeh Deri, a senior member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, cannot serve as minister due to a tax evasion conviction, prompting backlash from Deri's Shas party and plans from the coalition to weaken the Supreme Court. This is a major setback for Netanyahu, who is now faced with the challenge of responding to the court's decision and its implications for his coalition's future.
Thousands of nurses in England have gone on strike to demand a 5% pay increase above inflation, joining a wave of strikes by public sector workers across the U.K. The strike has caused disruption for travelers, as inflation in the U.K. has hit a 41-year high of 11.1%. The strike is a stark contrast to the appreciation shown to health workers during the Covid pandemic, and the government is under increasing pressure to address the issue of long-term deterioration of the National Health Service.
Microsoft has announced that it will lay off 10,000 employees over the next eight months as part of cost-cutting measures in response to the global economic slowdown. The affected employees will receive 60 days' notice, health care coverage, stock vesting, and severance pay. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the company is taking steps to weather any economic conditions while investing in its future. The layoffs come as Microsoft continues to invest in new technologies.
On Tuesday afternoon, a polar bear entered the remote village of Wales, Alaska and chased multiple residents before mauling and killing a woman and a boy. The bear was shot and killed by another resident as it attacked the two victims, and the Alaska State Troopers and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game are working to travel to the area. The incident is currently under investigation and the identities of the victims have not yet been released.