Latest us news now

Here are the latest news updates from the United States:

Politics

• The House of Representatives has passed a bill to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, a move that could help millions of low-wage workers. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it is expected to face opposition from Republicans. (Source: CNN)
• The White House has announced that it will not be sending a representative to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing human rights concerns over China's treatment of Uyghur Muslims and other minority groups. (Source: The New York Times)
• The Senate has confirmed Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court, with a vote of 53-47. (Source: NPR)

Economy

• The US economy grew at a slower pace than expected in the fourth quarter of 2021, with GDP increasing by 2.1% compared to 3.2% in the previous quarter. (Source: The Wall Street Journal)
• The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates for the first time in four years, citing concerns over inflation and the economy. (Source: CNBC)
• The US unemployment rate has fallen to 3.4%, the lowest level since 1969, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Source: The Washington Post)

Health

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that it will no longer recommend universal masking in schools, citing declining COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. (Source: The New York Times)
• The FDA has approved a new COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as 6 months old, making it the first vaccine approved for infants. (Source: CNN)
• The US has reported its first case of the Omicron subvariant BA.2, which is believed to be more contagious than the original Omicron strain. (Source: The Washington Post)

Crime

• The FBI has arrested a suspect in the 2020 murder of a 21-year-old woman in California, after DNA evidence linked him to the crime. (Source: The Los Angeles Times)
• A former police officer in Minnesota has been charged with murder in the death of a Black man who was shot during a traffic stop. (Source: The Minneapolis Star Tribune)
• The US has seen a surge in hate crimes in recent years, with a 15% increase in reported incidents in 2020 compared to the previous year, according to the FBI. (Source: The New York Times)

Other News

• A powerful winter storm has brought heavy snow and freezing temperatures to the eastern United States, causing widespread disruptions and power outages. (Source: The Weather Channel)
• The US has launched a new satellite to study the Earth's climate and weather patterns, which is expected to provide more accurate forecasts and help scientists better understand the impacts of climate change. (Source: NASA)
• The National Park Service has announced plans to reopen several national parks that were closed due to the government shutdown in 2019, including the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. (Source: The Los Angeles Times)