California will end mask mandate on Feb. 15, LA County will not align with state's changes

California's indoor masking requirement will end next week for vaccinated people but masks still are the rule for schoolchildren. However, local health officials can continue their own requirements.

MLB stops testing athletes for steroids amid lockout, AP sources say

Two people familiar with the sport’s Joint Drug Program tell The Associated Press that Major League Baseball has stopped testing players for steroids for the first time in nearly 20 years due to the expiration of the sport’s drug agreement.

Fairmont Scottsdale Princess completely booked during WM Phoenix Open as pre-pandemic crowds are expected

Hotels are booking up and tourists from all over the country are arriving in the Phoenix area for the WM Phoenix Open. A popular Scottsdale hotel is already booked up, and if there's a cancelation, another person is already calling to take that spot.

Donors needed: Breast milk in short supply amid COVID-19 surge, winter weather woes

The Human Milk Banking Association of North America said it is in urgent need of donor breast milk which is essential to “saving the most vulnerable babies’ lives.”

Plano dad beats COVID-19 after 197 days in the hospital

Josh Welch caught COVID-19 in July. After more than seven months in the hospital, he's finally back home with his family.

Ottawa declares state of emergency as ‘freedom convoy’ protest enters 2nd week

Residents of Ottawa are furious at the nonstop blaring of horns, traffic disruption and harassment as the so-called “freedom truck convoy” protest enters its second week.

Maricopa County health centers offer free N95 masks, COVID-19 test kits

A Maricopa County healthcare center that serves tens of thousands of patients is offering COVID-19 testing, free N95 masks and test kits for residents.

Certain colors attract mosquitoes, study shows

Researchers from the University of Washington believe yellow fever mosquitoes are attracted to certain colors—including red, orange, black and cyan.

Highly virulent HIV variant discovered in Europe

Thursday’s report isn’t cause for alarm: HIV medicines worked just as well in people with the mutated virus as everyone else and its spread has been declining since about 2010.

GoFundMe for Canada’s ‘Freedom Convoy’ cut off, refunds to be issued

GoFundMe has ended the fundraiser for the so-called “Freedom Convoy,” which is made up of hundreds of people stationed in Ottawa protesting COVID-19 measures.

Ex-Arizona county official out of jail due to COVID-19

A Coconino County judge granted Jeffrey Preston Lee’s request to temporarily carry out his sentence at home because of COVID-19 spread.

Yuma firefighter leaves hospital after nearly losing his life to COVID-19

52-year-old Brad Henderson, who was not vaccinated against COVID-19, had to be placed on an ECMO machine for 55 days. Now, the veteran firefighter is leaving Banner Rehabilitation Hospital.

US COVID-19 death toll hits 900,000, sped by omicron

Propelled in part by the wildly contagious omicron variant, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 900,000 on Friday, less than two months after eclipsing 800,000.

US job growth soars past expectations with 467,000 added, shaking off omicron surge

U.S. job growth blew past expectations in January, as the economy brushed off a record-breaking surge in COVID-19 cases nationwide that threatened to sideline millions of workers and kept many consumers at home.

COVID falling in 49 of 50 states as deaths near 900,000

With the brutal omicron wave rapidly loosening its grip, new cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. are falling in 49 of 50 states, even as the nation's death toll closes in on another bleak round number: 900,000.

Shaq rips COVID vaccine mandates: 'You shouldn’t be forced to take something you don’t want'

"But it’s just, people don’t want to take it, and you shouldn’t be forced to take something you don’t want," Shaquille O'Neal said of the NBA's mandated COVID-19 vaccination policies.