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Biden announces new incentives, including free beer, to reach COVID vaccination goal
President Biden on Wednesday declared June a "national month of action" to take aim at the coronavirus pandemic, urging Americans to get vaccinated.
Aiming to reach his goal of getting at least one COVID vaccination shot into the arms of 70% of the nation’s adults by July 4th, the president unveiled a five-part plan to reach that goal, which included steps to make it easier to get the vaccine and incentives such as free food, beer, and tickets.
Biden highlighted that 52% of adults are now fully vaccinated, including 75% of all seniors.
"Fully vaccinated are safely shredding their masks and greeting one another with a smile. Grandparents are hugging their grandkids again. Small business owners are reopening storefronts and restaurants because of the vaccination strategy," the president emphasized.
Biden also said that after combating a pandemic that’s taken the lives of more than 600,000 Americans since the beginning of last year, the nation’s headed into a "summer of freedom. A summer of joy. A summer of get-togethers and celebrations. An all-American summer that this country deserves after a long, long, dark winter that we’ve all endured."
But he warned that "if you’re unvaccinated, you’re still at risk of getting seriously ill or dying, or spreading disease to others." CLICK HERE FOR MORE ON OUR TOP STORY.
In other developments:
- West Virginia offering guns as prizes in COVID vaccine lottery
- Houston Methodist Hospital sued by nurses over vaccine mandate for employment
- Vaccine protection may diminish need for yearly boosters
- Walensky worried over uneven COVID-19 vaccination rates as summer approaches
- Israel finds possible link between Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, myocarditis
- Despite COVID-19 vaccines, nursing homes struggle with outbreaks
Top cybersecurity official warns of more ransomware attacks
Top cybersecurity officials warned Wednesday that the U.S. can expect to see more ransomware attacks as the nation reels from recent hits on U.S interests, including meat supplies and fuel.
Chris Butera, head of Threat Hunting for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), said ransomware has "continued to increase, especially in our state, local governments, as well as our critical instructor space."
"The ransomware actors have become more brazen," he said during a virtual summit Wednesday. "They've started to exfiltrate data and try to extort payments."
"I do think we will continue to see that happen," Butera said, adding cybersecurity is a "primary priority" for the U.S. government.
Ransomware attacks have increasingly targeted American interests, most recently shutting down U.S. meat plants affiliated with the world’s largest meatpacker, Brazil-based JBS, earlier this week.
Butera said the government does not encourage companies to pay out ransoms on cyber-attacks but said the administration "understands" if private companies disagree.
"The government does not advocate paying ransoms," Butera said. "But we do understand that it is a significant, difficult decision for some of these organizations when they are put under the gun to try to manage their business operations during these times." CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- FBI says Russia-linked REvil responsible for JBS cyberattack
- New York City's MTA says it was hacked in April
- JBS hack latest escalation of Russia-based aggression ahead of June 16 Putin summit: experts
- JBS ransomware attack points to ominous trend targeting critical industries by foreign actors
Rand Paul gives 2-word response to Fauci's unearthed emails
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., shared two words in response to news of unearthed emails from Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Thousands of emails obtained by Buzzfeed News and hundreds more reviewed by The Washington Post through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests show Fauci's responses to both critiques and high praise as he worked to communicate the dangers of COVID-19 to the U.S. as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
"Told you," Paul wrote in a Tuesday tweet with the hashtag #firefauci.
He added in another tweet: "Can’t wait to see the media try to spin the Fauci FOIA emails."
Paul has repeatedly criticized Fauci on social media and in interviews for his comments on herd immunity, wearing masks even after getting the COVID-19 vaccine and his dismissal of a theory suggesting COVID-19 may have originated from the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China that has gained more credibility among members of the media in recent weeks despite early snubbing of the idea. CLICK HERE FOR MORE.
In other developments:
- MSNBC's Nicolle Wallace doesn't press Fauci on emails, gushes during softball interview
- Tucker Carlson: Is Dr. Fauci under criminal investigation?
- MacCallum pushes back on NIH chief denying he rejected lab-leak theory: 'You and Fauci jumped to conclusions'
- Hannity: Was Fauci engaged in a 'scientific' coverup?
- Ingraham blasts Fauci as 'Man who cried COVID', wonders if days are numbered
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TODAY'S MUST-READS:
- Texas woman taken into custody after child is found dead in motel room
- Israel arrests top Hamas leader in predawn raid
- Jonathan Turley: Supreme Court's recent unanimous 9-0 decisions – are justices sending a message?
- Tara Reade fires back at NYC mayoral candidate Scott Stringer after he invoked Biden accuser during debate
- Oklahoma State teaching assistant says she can't teach Spanish because she's White
- Swanky Miami restaurants rocked by gun violence
THE LATEST FROM FOX BUSINESS:
- Engine No. 1 extends gains with a third seat on Exxon board
- Bill Gates' next-generation nuclear reactor to be built in Wyoming
- Inside Naomi Osaka’s $7M Beverly Hills home she bought from Nick Jonas
- Half of all US states to terminate Biden-backed COVID-19 unemployment benefits early
- Google to accept cryptocurrency exchange, wallet advertisements in August
- How Biden has overhauled America's approach to the oil industry
#TheFlashback: CLICK HERE to find out what happened on "This Day in History."
SOME PARTING WORDS
Tucker Carlson called out Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical advisor to the president, on "Tucker Carlson Tonight" Wednesday for what he called Fauci’s fraudulent statements and dealings involving the coronavirus and its origins.
"The utter fraudulence of Tony Fauci is obvious now and it’s widely acknowledged," Carlson said.
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