Robust February jobs report points to resilient US economy
Robust February jobs report points to resilient US economy
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers added a robust 235,000 jobs in February and raised pay at a brisk pace — signs that a resilient economy has given many companies the confidence to hire in anticipation of solid growth ahead.
With the unemployment rate dipping to a low 4.7 percent from 4.8 percent, the job market appears to be fundamentally healthy or nearly so.
Friday’s employment report from the government showed that more people began looking for jobs last month, an encouraging sign that they’ve grown confident about their prospects. Hiring was strong enough to absorb those new job seekers as well as some of the previously unemployed.
The picture of an economy on solid footing nearly eight years after the Great Recession ended has made it all but certain that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next week and signal the likelihood of additional rate hikes ahead.
February’s jobs report was the first to cover a full month under President Donald Trump. During the presidential campaign, Trump had cast doubt on the validity of the government’s jobs data, calling the unemployment rate a “hoax.”
Trump transition knew Flynn might register as foreign agent
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn told President Donald Trump’s transition team before the inauguration that Flynn might need to register with the government as a foreign agent, but Trump was not aware of the possible move, the White House said Friday.
The disclosure by White House officials confirms the Trump transition team was aware of the situation involving the president’s pick for a top national security post either before he joined the government or soon afterward.
But the White House’s acknowledgement raised new questions about whether Trump’s transition team, and later, his White House lawyers, fully vetted Flynn after being informed about his possible filing as a foreign agent for his lobbying during the presidential campaign that may have benefited the government of Turkey.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer dismissed questions about whether the information should have given the transition team pause, saying Flynn had “impeccable credentials.”
Trump fired Flynn last month after less than a month on the job saying he had misled Vice President Mike Pence and other administration officials about his contacts with Russia’s ambassador to the U.S.
California to give the green light to truly driverless cars
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cars with no steering wheel, no pedals and nobody at all inside could be driving themselves on California roads by the end of the year, under proposed new state rules that would give a powerful boost to the fast-developing technology.
For the past several years, tech companies and automakers have been testing self-driving cars on the open road in California. But regulators insisted that those vehicles have steering wheels, foot controls and human backup drivers who could take over in an emergency.
On Friday, the state Department of Motor Vehicles proposed regulations that would open the way for truly driverless cars.
Under the rules, road-testing of such vehicles could begin by the end of 2017, and a limited number could become available to customers as early as 2018 — provided the federal government gives the necessary permission.
Currently, federal automobile standards require steering wheels, though Washington has shown a desire to encourage self-driving technology.
UN says world faces largest humanitarian crisis since 1945
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The world faces the largest humanitarian crisis since the United Nations was founded in 1945 with more than 20 million people in four countries facing starvation and famine, the U.N. humanitarian chief said Friday.
Stephen O’Brien told the U.N. Security Council that “without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death” and “many more will suffer and die from disease.”
He urged an immediate injection of funds for Yemen, South Sudan, Somalia and northeast Nigeria plus safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid “to avert a catastrophe.”
“To be precise,” O’Brien said, “we need $4.4 billion by July.”
Without a major infusion of money, he said, children will be stunted by severe malnutrition and won’t be able to go to school, gains in economic development will be reversed and “livelihoods, futures and hope will be lost.”
South Koreans stunned by leader’s rapid ouster
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — This was not supposed to happen in South Korea. It was too divided, too corrupt, too much in thrall to the rich and powerful who’d always had their way.
Four months ago, the idea that the country’s leader, along with the cream of South Korean business and politics, would be knocked from command after sustained, massive, peaceful protests would have been ludicrous.
Now Park Geun-hye, thanks to a court ruling Friday, is no longer president and may very well face criminal extortion and other charges. The head of the country’s biggest company, Samsung, sits in jail, when he’s not in a courtroom facing trial for bribery and embezzlement linked to the corruption scandal that felled Park. And a Who’s Who of once untouchables languishes behind bars waiting for their day in court.
This swift upending of the status quo has so shaken the country’s foundations that it has left people here a bit stunned.
Now comes the hard part.
Top Marine asks women to ‘trust us’ in nude-photo inquiry
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer than 10 women victims have come forward so far in the investigation into nude photos of female service members that were posted online without their permission, the top Marine general said Friday. He pleaded with female Marines to “trust us” and reach out to make complaints or seek help.
“I need their help,” said Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine commandant. “I’m going to ask them to trust us. I understand why that might be a bit of a reach for them right now. But I can’t fix this. … The only way there is going to be accountability in this is somebody comes forward and tells us what happened to them.”
Former and current female Marines have said their photographs and those of women in other services were shared on social media without their consent. The other military services say that they are now looking into the matter to see if their service members are involved, but they say so far no other victims have come forward.
Nude photographs of female Marines and other women were shared on the Facebook page “Marines United,” and the accompanying posts included obscene and threatening comments.
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service launched an investigation into the matter and is urging victims of the photo-sharing to come forward. NCIS says it has received numerous tips.