UPDATE: U.S. employers add surprising 467,000 jobs in January, put pressure on Fed
The government’s report Friday also drastically revised up its estimate of job gains for November and December by a combined 709,000.
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U.S. Black jobless rate improves, with more entering workforce
The latest government figures show that the surprisingly strong labor market last month extended to parts of the workforce that usually take longer to draw in.
Facebook loses users for first time in history
Facebook parent Meta’s quarterly earnings report on Wednesday revealed a startling statistic: For the first time ever, the company’s growth is stagnating around the world.
Indiana education group gets $800K chunk of $133M national gift
Communities in Schools of Indiana has received the largest gift in its history as part of a mega-donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
Brian Flores’ allegations against NFL lead to call for congressional hearing
Flores said in a televised interview earlier Wednesday that he is trying to “create some change” to the league’s minority hiring practices.
More than 4,500 flights canceled as winter storms slam Midwest, southern U.S.
The storm is the latest wintry headache for an industry that spent part of December and January recovering from several thousand canceled flights amid heavy snow and staffing shortages fueled by the omicron variant.
Dems, GOP set to huddle on deal to fund government, avert shutdown
The upcoming discussions mark the second consecutive day of private meetings on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers who oversee the federal purse increasingly express a measure of confidence that they can act before a Feb. 18 deadline.
Researchers are asking why some countries were better prepared for COVID. One surprising answer: Trust.
“We found no links between COVID outcomes and democracy, populism, government effectiveness, universal health care, pandemic preparedness metrics, economic inequality or trust in science,” a researcher said.
U.S. manufacturing growth slows for third straight month
The latest numbers suggest the recent wave of infections due to the omicron variant may have hampered plant operations.
Biden begins crackdown on power plant pollution
The White House is aiming to shift the nation’s electricity supply to cleaner energy in the face of congressional resistance and a Supreme Court that could limit the federal government’s ability to tighten public health standards.
U.S. stocks end January on a high note, but still chalk up worst month since March 2020
The S&P 500 index advanced 1.9%, reclaiming some of its January losses but still closing down nearly 5.9% in its worst monthly performance since March 2020. And the tech-heavy Nasdaq, still down 10% for January, climbed 3.4%, boosted by investors looking to buy the dip.
Rents are up 14% nationwide, forcing millions to find another place to live
In Indianapolis, rents increased 9% last year, to $1,280 per month. But in some cities, rent jumped by more than 40%.
Justices to hear challenge to race in college admissions
A decision against the schools could mean the end of affirmative action in college admissions.
FDA expected to sharply restrict use of monoclonal antibodies made by Lilly, Regeneron
The Food and Drug Administration is poised as soon as Monday to restrict two monoclonal antibodies, saying the COVID-19 treatments should not be employed in any states because they are ineffective against the dominant omicron variant, according to two senior administration health officials.
Low-wage workers prop up nursing home industry, and they’re quitting in droves
The nursing home industry has lost more than 420,000 jobs since the start of the pandemic, reducing its workforce to the size it was 15 years ago. Meanwhile, the aging trend that the U.S. Census Bureau calls the “gray tsunami” looms ever closer.
Companies rewriting future of the workplace, again, amid new wave of COVID
Employers see this as an opportunity to rethink the way employees have traditionally worked, opting for even more flexible and creative arrangements that are more likely to lure and retain workers.
Workers have been out sick in record numbers, exacerbating labor shortage woes
Between Dec. 29 and Jan. 10, approximately 8.8 million workers reported not working because they were sick with the coronavirus or caring for someone who was, according to data from the Census Bureau.
Surgeon general: Omicron hasn’t peaked and ‘next few weeks will be tough’
Case counts fueled by the highly contagious variant have started to level off in some parts of the country hit early by the latest wave, but the entire country is not moving at the same pace.
Inaccurate rapid COVID tests leading to ‘false sense of security’ for many
Available at-home coronavirus tests might be less sensitive to the now-dominant omicron variant, especially early in an infection, leading to false negatives. But experts say better-performing tests are coming.
Sports betting will keep booming in 2022, but some see risks in growth
In September, the National Council on Problem Gambling released a study that showed the number of Americans who bet on sports grew by 30 percent in an 18-month period, an increase of 15.3 million bettors.