Drexel Hill-Upper Darby, PA
On Your Side
American Adds Nonstop Flights From PHL To Historic European Capitals American Adds Nonstop Flights From PHL To Historic European Capitals American Adds Nonstop Flights From PHL To Historic European Capitals
American Adds Nonstop Flights From PHL To Historic European Capitals Philadelphia travelers will soon have two new European destinations as the city prepares to host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches. American Airlines will launch two new nonstop flights from Philadelphia International Airport to Budapest, Hungary, and Prague, the carrier said in a news release on Thursday, Aug. 7. The service to the central European capitals begins on Thursday, May 21, 2026. PHL will be the only US airport to offer nonstop flights to Budapest. Both destinations are known for their historic architecture, thermal spas, and scenic cruises along the Danube and Vlt…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
National Interest
CDC Flags 40-State COVID Growth While Omicron Offshoot Variant NB 1.8.1 Drives Summer Spike CDC Flags 40-State COVID Growth While Omicron Offshoot Variant NB 1.8.1 Drives Summer Spike CDC Flags 40-State COVID Growth While Omicron Offshoot Variant NB 1.8.1 Drives Summer Spike
CDC Flags 40-State COVID Growth While Omicron Offshoot Variant NB 1.8.1 Drives Summer Spike Fueled by a fast-growing new variant, COVID-19 infections are regaining ground just as summer travel peaks. New CDC transmission estimates released Friday, Aug. 1 show the effective reproduction number, or Rt, above one in 40 states, meaning overall US infections are again expanding. In 28 states the agency assigns its highest confidence category — “growing” — while another 12 fall into the “likely growing” bucket. No state is currently classified as declining, and nine are holding steady. For more info, view the CDC's interactive map here, and click on a specific state. Nationally, the R…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
National Interest
COVID-19: Lockdowns, Anxiety During Pandemic May Have Aged Your Brain, Study Reveals COVID-19: Lockdowns, Anxiety During Pandemic May Have Aged Your Brain, Study Reveals COVID-19: Lockdowns, Anxiety During Pandemic May Have Aged Your Brain, Study Reveals
Covid-19: Lockdowns, Anxiety During Pandemic May Have Aged Your Brain, Study Reveals New research reveals that simply living through the COVID-19 pandemic — regardless of infection — has measurably aged our brains, with the effect most pronounced in men and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The findings were part of major new study published Tuesday, July 22 in Nature Communications.  Even people who never caught the virus showed signs of accelerated brain aging, highlighting the pandemic’s far-reaching impact on public health, according to the findings. Researchers from the UK Biobank project analyzed brain scans from nearly 1,000 healthy adults, comparing t…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Cambridge, MA
On Your Side
Cambridge-Based Moderna Slashing Hundreds Of Jobs As COVID-19 Vaccine Sales Slow Cambridge-Based Moderna Slashing Hundreds Of Jobs As COVID-19 Vaccine Sales Slow Cambridge-Based Moderna Slashing Hundreds Of Jobs As COVID-19 Vaccine Sales Slow
Cambridge-Based Moderna Slashing Hundreds Of Jobs As Covid-19 Vaccine Sales Slow Vaccine manufacturer Moderna will lay off hundreds of employees about five years after it rose to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic. The layoffs make up about 10% of Moderna's global workforce, CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a staff memo on Thursday, July 31. The Cambridge, Massachusetts, biotech firm is trying to cut $1.5 billion in annual operating expenses by 2027. Bancel said the job cuts are a "necessary step forward" for the company. "This decision was not made lightly," he wrote. "It impacts teammates and friends who have dedicated themselves to our mission an…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
National Interest
COVID-19: Highly Transmissible Strains Spark Summer Surge In Some States COVID-19: Highly Transmissible Strains Spark Summer Surge In Some States COVID-19: Highly Transmissible Strains Spark Summer Surge In Some States
Covid-19: Highly Transmissible Strains Spark Summer Surge In Some States New surveillance shows COVID-19 is quietly heating up at the height of summer, fueling concerns about travel plans and back-to-school prep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) time-varying reproductive number dashboard, seven states now have a rate above 1.2, meaning each infected person is, on average, passing the virus to more than one other individual.   Louisiana tops the list with an Rt of 1.28, followed closely by Florida (1.24), Nevada (1.22), and Hawaii (1.21). Texas, Mississippi and Alabama are hovering just above the 1.15 mark, signaling sus…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
National Interest
Ozzy Osbourne, Controversial Heavy Metal Pioneer, Dies Weeks After Farewell Show Ozzy Osbourne, Controversial Heavy Metal Pioneer, Dies Weeks After Farewell Show Ozzy Osbourne, Controversial Heavy Metal Pioneer, Dies Weeks After Farewell Show
Ozzy Osbourne, Controversial Heavy Metal Pioneer, Dies Weeks After Farewell Show Heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne, the once-troubled rockstar who co-founded Black Sabbath, has died less than three weeks after his farewell concert. Osbourne died on the morning of Tuesday, July 22, according to a family statement posted on his Instagram page. The "Crazy Train" singer was 76 years old. His family said that the rocker, nicknamed "The Prince of Darkness," passed away with them and "surrounded by love." "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning," the statement read. "We ask everyone to…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Manchester, CT
On Your Side
Chuck E. Cheese Opening Adult Arcade Spinoffs: See What's Inside Chuck E. Cheese Opening Adult Arcade Spinoffs: See What's Inside Chuck E. Cheese Opening Adult Arcade Spinoffs: See What's Inside
Chuck E. Cheese Opening Adult Arcade Spinoffs: See What's Inside The place "where a kid can be a kid" is now somewhere a grown-up can also be a kid! Chuck E. Cheese is creating gaming centers that cater to adults called "Chuck's Arcade," the Texas company said in a news release on Monday, June 30. The new concept combines modern gaming and retro classics. The chain has opened 10 arcade-only locations in malls across eight states, including Trumbull, Connecticut; Nashua and Salem, New Hampshire; and Victor, New York. "Chuck E. Cheese has spent decades mastering the arcade experience — it's in our DNA," said CEO David McKillips. "Thanks to the expert…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
National Interest
IRS Scam Busted: $93M COVID Fraud Tied To Attempted Hit On Alleged Mastermind IRS Scam Busted: $93M COVID Fraud Tied To Attempted Hit On Alleged Mastermind IRS Scam Busted: $93M COVID Fraud Tied To Attempted Hit On Alleged Mastermind
IRS Scam Busted: $93M COVID Fraud Tied To Attempted Hit On Alleged Mastermind It started with a fake business. It ended with a shootout in broad daylight. Four people are facing federal charges in what prosecutors call the largest COVID-19 tax credit fraud scheme ever identified.  This $93 million operation allegedly involved fake companies, kickbacks, and a botched attempt to silence the ringleader. The sprawling indictment, unsealed in Los Angeles, details an alleged conspiracy to defraud the IRS by submitting false claims for Coronavirus Response Credits.  These federal tax refunds were designed to help small businesses cover sick and family leave wage…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
National Interest
COVID-19: ‘Razor-Blade Throat’ Variant Spreading Rapidly In US COVID-19: ‘Razor-Blade Throat’ Variant Spreading Rapidly In US COVID-19: ‘Razor-Blade Throat’ Variant Spreading Rapidly In US
Covid-19: ‘Razor-Blade Throat’ Variant Spreading Rapidly In US A new COVID-19 variant marked by a painful “razor-blade throat” symptom is spreading rapidly in the United States. The strain, NB.1.8.1, also called Nimbus, is an offshoot of the highly transmissible Omicron subvariant JN.1. The World Health Organization (WHO) has labeled NB.1.8.1 a Variant Under Monitoring, and public health officials say existing vaccines are still expected to protect against severe illness. NB.1.8.1 now accounts for 43 percent of US COVID cases, according to CDC data through Saturday, June 21. Globally, 22 countries have now reported its presence, including major spikes …

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
Manhasset, NY
Breaking News
Ex-Aide To 2 NY Governors Accused Of Pocketing Millions In Kickback Scheme In 2nd Indictment Ex-Aide To 2 NY Governors Accused Of Pocketing Millions In Kickback Scheme In 2nd Indictment Ex-Aide To 2 NY Governors Accused Of Pocketing Millions In Kickback Scheme In 2nd Indictment
Ex-Aide To 2 NY Governors Accused Of Pocketing Millions In Kickback Scheme In 2nd Indictment A former top New York State government official and her husband—already facing charges tied to acting as agents for China—are now accused in a multi-million-dollar kickback scheme tied to the COVID crisis. Linda Sun, 41, a former aide to Govs. Kathy Hochul and Andrew Cuomo, and her husband Chris Hu, 40, were indicted on additional charges including wire fraud and bribery by a federal grand jury in Brooklyn on Wednesday, June 25. According to a superseding indictment unsealed this week, Sun falsified information to steer lucrative PPE contracts to two vendors—one run by her cousin and the o…

SHARE

by Michael Mashburn
Perth Amboy, NJ
Breaking News
Perth Amboy Beauty Salon Owner Admits She Fraudulently Obtained Covid Loan: Feds Perth Amboy Beauty Salon Owner Admits She Fraudulently Obtained Covid Loan: Feds Perth Amboy Beauty Salon Owner Admits She Fraudulently Obtained Covid Loan: Feds
Perth Amboy Beauty Salon Owner Admits She Fraudulently Obtained Covid Loan: Feds A 42-year-old Perth Amboy woman pleaded guilty on Wednesday, June 25, to fraudulently obtaining COVID-19 loans and pandemic unemployment insurance benefits, authorities said. Damaris Valerio, who owns and operates La Vogue House of Beauty, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba said. From April 2020 through December 2021, Valerio fraudulently obtained $194,212 in COVID-19 emergency relief funds, which were meant for distressed small businesses and pandemic unemployment insurance benefits for unemployed workers, by submitting false and fraudulent applica…

SHARE

by Sam Barron
Pascack Valley, NJ
On Your Side
Lights Out: Bergen County Movie Theater To Shutter After Redevelopment Decision Lights Out: Bergen County Movie Theater To Shutter After Redevelopment Decision Lights Out: Bergen County Movie Theater To Shutter After Redevelopment Decision
Lights Out: Bergen County Movie Theater To Shutter After Redevelopment Decision It’s curtains for one of Bergen County’s last remaining independent movie theaters. Township Theatre in Washington Township will shut its doors for good on Thursday, July 31, owners Dave and Laura Rose said in a message shared Saturday, June 21. “The shopping center has made the decision to remove the movie theater to redevelop the space,” the owners said. It was not immediately clear what the redevelopment entails. Township Theatre first reopened in March 2021, rising from the shutdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, it has become more than just a place to catch a film. It’s been …

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine