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US economy grew significantly in third quarter, ending six months of shrinking

October 27, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. economy expanded significantly to kick off the second half of the year, marking a dramatic reversal from the contraction experienced over the first six months, government data showed.

U.S. gross domestic product grew 2.6% over the three months ending in September, according to data released Thursday. By contrast, economic activity shrank a combined 2.2% over the first six months of the year.

The economic growth defies Federal Reserve efforts to slow economic activity and slash consumer demand in its fight against inflation.

The data arrives less than two weeks before the midterm elections, possibly bolstering Democratic claims of economic stewardship as polls show voters prefer Republicans on the issue.

Fears of an imminent recession may quiet in response to the data, which ends the streak of two consecutive quarters of negative GDP that many consider shorthand for identifying a downturn as a recession.

The National Bureau of Economic Research, or NBER, a research organization seen as the formal authority for identifying recessions, uses a more complicated definition that takes into account an array of factors. Many economists believe the U.S. has averted a recession so far this year.

Still, the positive overall indicator may veil signs of a cooling economy. The economic growth stemmed in part from a reduced trade deficit, signaling that the U.S. narrowed the gap between imported and exported goods, compared to the previous quarter. But that development also suggests that U.S. demand for imported goods has weakened.

In an effort to dial back inflation, the Fed has raised the benchmark interest rate by 0.75% at each of its last three meetings. Prior to this year, the Fed last matched a hike of this magnitude in 1994.

The rate increases appear to have slowed key sectors of the economy, sending mortgage rates soaring and slowing the construction of new homes.

U.S. hiring remains robust, however. Employers added 263,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate fell slightly from 3.7% to 3.5%.

But hiring has fallen from a breakneck pace sustained earlier in the year, suggesting that the Fed’s rate hikes may have begun to cool off the labor market. By the end of 2023, central bank moves will raise the unemployment rate from its current level of 3.7% to 4.4%, the Fed predicted last month.

Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare” to be released Jan. 10, 2023

October 27, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Prince Harry’s memoir will hit bookstores Jan. 10, 2023, Penguin Random House says.

The news, which leaked earlier on Wednesday by publishing insiders, was confirmed by Random House, who said “readers everywhere will be part of a landmark publication: the story of Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex,” in a tweet. “Personal and emotionally powerful, ‘SPARE’ will be published by @transworldbooks, supporting two special charities. Details at http://princeharrymemoir.com.”

On 10 January 2023, readers everywhere will be part of a landmark publication: the story of Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex. Personal and emotionally powerful, SPARE will be published by @transworldbooks, supporting two special charities. Details at https://t.co/3y6Vh4WRbx. pic.twitter.com/r3yXdWdt6K
— Penguin Books UK (@PenguinUKBooks) October 27, 2022

Last year, Penguin Random House released a statement from Harry, the duke of Sussex, who announced his plans to release a memoir about his “firsthand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”

“I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become,” Harry said in the statement at the time. “I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story — the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned — I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.”

He added that he is “deeply grateful for the opportunity” to share what he’s learned over the course of his life so far.

Harry is the youngest son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana and is the husband of Meghan Markle, the duchess of Sussex. In 2020, he and Meghan stepped down from their senior roles with the royal family and now live in California with their two children, Archie, 2, and Lilibet, 1.

Some US hospitals report beds are full among increase in respiratory infections in children

October 27, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Some hospitals across the United States say their beds are full as cases of respiratory viruses continue to increase among children.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infections due to respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, have spiked by 69% over the last four weeks from 4,667 to 7,917 and are appearing earlier than usual.

At the same time, doctors are preparing for what could be the most severe flu season seen in years after little-to-no flu activity during the pandemic and the potential threat of COVID-19, which has traditionally increased during Thanksgiving over the last two years.

Dr. Anita Patel, attending in pediatric critical care medicine at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., said she and her colleagues are seeing a rapidly diminishing number of available pediatric beds.

“We have been operating at essentially near capacity for the past several weeks,” she told ABC News.

Patel said the high number of patients is mainly due to a mix of RSV cases and flu cases, the latter of which are 10 times higher this year compared to last year at her hospital.

“What I can tell you about the flu, which is pretty dramatic compared to last year, is we’ve seen already 80 patients that are positive for the flu across our health system, which is compared to only eight from last year. So, we really are seeing this early flu surge,” she said.

Because of the surge in patients, this has led to between 10 and 20 children at any given point at Children’s National emergency room waiting for a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) bed, although Patel says PICU-level care has been provided to kids who are waiting to be transferred.

Additionally, staff at University of California, San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital, in Oakland, say they are currently operating at capacity.

“We are earlier than usual in having a situation where our beds are full,” Dr. April Zaat, a pediatric hospitalist at Benioff Children’s, told local affiliate KGO-TV ABC 7. “I came in this morning and I’m on one of the in-patient teams. My team is full, our respiratory unit is full, and there were five to seven kids in the emergency room waiting for beds.”

Zaat continued, “A lot of them have respiratory illnesses, like rhinovirus, enteroviruses. Sort of a potpourri if you will of respiratory viruses that are causing virus in kids. RSV is the main player.”

Doctors are urging parents to get their children vaccinated, particularly against COVID-19 and the flu, to protect themselves and to help prevent an already strained health care system from becoming overburdened.

“One of the best ways to keep kids and adults out of the hospital is to make sure they’re up to date on their vaccinations,” Patel said. “I’m not just a PICU doctor, I’m also a mom. I made sure that my two-and-a-half-year-old is up to date on not only her COVID vaccination, but she’s also received her flu shot — and that is one of the best ways to prevent severe disease and hospitalization in our children.”

In addition, Patel recommended that parents make sure their children are practicing good hand hygiene and staying home if they are sick. She also suggested families that have high-risk members consider wearing masks when indoors.

“Despite the constant debate about whether they work, the truth is that when masks are mandated viral transmission was very low,” she said. “So, particularly in families where there are high-risk individuals at home, I would not hesitate to ask your children to wear masks if they’re amenable to that.”

Patients with weakened immune systems suffer severe effects, death from monkeypox: CDC

October 27, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Immunocompromised patients who contract monkeypox can suffer devastating consequences, according to new federal data.

A report, published Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looked at 57 people who were hospitalized with severe cases of the disease between Aug. 10 and Oct. 10.

Almost all the patients had severely weakened immune systems and 82% had HIV.

Just 9% of the HIV patients were receiving antiretroviral therapy — medication that can suppress viral loads — making the virus nearly undetectable and therefore intransmissible.

Over time, HIV can weaken a person’s immune system, which makes it difficult to fight off diseases such as monkeypox, according to the CDC.

Of the remaining immunocompromised patients, 5% were solid organ transplant recipients. Five percent were pregnant and 3% — including one HIV patient — were undergoing chemotherapy.

Because the patients had weakened immune systems, their monkeypox symptoms were also more severe, the CDC said.

All the patients experienced severe rashes while 68% also had severe lesions on various body parts including the face, torso, hands, feet and genitals.

Some patients had damage to other organs, including the eyes, lungs, brain and spinal cord.

The World Health Organization says monkeypox can lead to complications including bacterial lung infections, sepsis, brain inflammation and infection of the cornea.

The report found 30% of patients received ICU care for their symptoms and 21% died. Of the 12 patients who died, monkeypox was a cause of death or contributing factor in five deaths and was not a factor in one death. The other six remain under investigation.

In addition, the report revealed further racial and ethnic disparities. Overall, 68% of patients were Black, highlighting not only the disproportionate effect the monkeypox outbreak has had on minorities but also the disproportionate risk Black Americans have of contracting HIV.

The authors say the report is a “reminder” of the severe consequences some patients can face and that public health officials and clinicians need to work to ensure not only that patients at risk for monkeypox are vaccinated but those with HIV receive treatment.

“Monkeypox and HIV have collided with tragic effects,” said CDC monkeypox incident commander Dr. Jonathan Mermin. “Today’s report reminds all of us that access to monkeypox and HIV prevention and treatment matters — for people’s lives and for public health.”

Biden to double down on message that congressional Republicans would make economy worse

October 27, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — With less than two weeks until midterm Election Day, President Joe Biden is doubling down on the message that a Republican-run Congress would be worse for the U.S. economy.

Senior White House officials sent out a document to reporters and held a conference call on Wednesday, outlining what they are calling “congressional Republicans’ five-part plan to increase inflation and costs for American families.” The aggressive push reflects a desire by the Biden administration to shift the narrative and convince voters — most of whom think the president is doing a poor job with the economy — that Republicans’ “economic plan will raise costs and make inflation worse.”

Biden, a Democrat, has frequently said that the 2022 midterm elections are a choice, not a referendum. That choice, the White House said, is between Biden and Republicans’ “plan to increase inflation and costs.”

According to the White House, the five parts of congressional Republicans’ economic plan include “$3 trillion in tax cuts skewed to the wealthy — which would add to the deficit and make inflation worse;” “raising prescription drug costs for millions of seniors;” “increasing health insurance premiums;” “increasing energy bills in 2023 and beyond;” and “increasing student loan payments.” As a “bonus,” the White House said Republicans are also “threatening the global economy to cut Social Security or Medicare.”

The White House said Biden will travel to Syracuse, New York, on Thursday to tout Micron, one of the world’s largest microchip manufacturers, for its plans to open a semiconductor plant in the area, which the company said could bring 50,000 jobs to the state. A presidential adviser told reporters that Biden will also talk about the specific ways Republicans would make the economy worse.

“Tomorrow,” the adviser said, “you will hear him lay out in stark relief the specific ways in which congressional Republicans want to take the country backward and undo the progress that we’ve made in lowering prescription drug costs, lowering healthcare costs, lowering energy costs, lessening the impact of student debt on middle class families, and strengthening Social Security.”

US economy expected to have grown significantly, ending six months of shrinking

October 27, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. economy is expected to have expanded significantly when the government releases data on Thursday, marking a dramatic reversal from the contraction experienced over the first half of the year.

The economic growth would defy Federal Reserve efforts to slow economic activity and slash consumer demand in its fight against inflation.

The data arrives less than two weeks before the midterm elections, possibly bolstering Democratic claims of economic stewardship as polls show voters prefer Republicans on the issue.

Fears of an imminent recession may quiet in response to the data, which ends the streak of two consecutive quarters of negative gross domestic product that many consider shorthand for identifying a downturn as a recession.

U.S. GDP is expected to have grown 3.1% over the three months ending in September, according to a tracker from the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Economic activity shrank a combined 2.2% over the first six months of the year.

Still, the positive overall indicator may veil signs of a cooling economy. The economic growth is expected to stem in part from a reduced trade deficit, signaling that the U.S. narrowed the gap between imported and exported goods, compared to the previous quarter. But that development also suggests that U.S. demand for imported goods has weakened.

The rate increases appear to have slowed key sectors of the economy, sending mortgage rates soaring and slowing the construction of new homes.

U.S. hiring remains robust, however. Employers added 263,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate fell slightly from 3.7% to 3.5%.

Six guests, one employee hospitalized after train derails at Missouri amusement park

October 27, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(BRANSON, Mo.) — Seven people have been hospitalized after a train derailed at the Silver Dollar City amusement park in Branson, Missouri, Wednesday night.

Sections of the Frisco Silver Dollar Line Steam Train derailed from the track, and six guests and one employee were transported to nearby medical facilities, the park said in a statement.

“At this time, we are wholeheartedly focused on providing support for guests and team members in partnership with Stone County first responders,” it added.

Stone County Emergency Management Director Tom Martin said three of the cars turned over, and the ride is closed.

“The state fire marshall has been contacted to investigate if any malfunctions happened on the ride,” Martin said.

Powerball prize increases to $800M after no jackpot winner in latest drawing

October 27, 2022 by WDNY Radio

Powerball prize increases to 0M after no jackpot winner in latest drawing

(NEW YORK) — A whopping $800 million is up for grabs in the next Powerball drawing on Saturday night, lottery officials said, in what is expected to be the second biggest jackpot drawing of all time.

The winning numbers drawn on Wednesday night were 19, 36, 37, 46, 56 and 24, and the Power Play is 2X.

Wednesday’s jackpot was Powerball’s largest prize so far this year, the fifth-largest in the American lottery game’s 30-year history and the eighth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever, according to a press release from Powerball.

Jackpot winners can either take the money as an immediate cash lump sum or in 30 annual payments over 29 years. The cash value of Wednesday’s $700 million jackpot is $335.7 million, Powerball said.

Tickets cost $2 and are sold in 45 U.S. states as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was purchased, according to Powerball.

The jackpot grows based on game sales and interest rates. But the odds of winning the big prize stays the same — 1 in 292.2 million, Powerball said.

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. The drawings are also livestreamed online at Powerball.com.

Texas man charged for allegedly smuggling 84 undocumented immigrants across US border

October 27, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A Texas man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly trying to smuggle dozens of undocumented immigrants across the U.S. border hidden in a dump truck, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Robert Flores Jr., 38, from Poteet, Texas, was charged with 84 counts of human smuggling after being stopped on Interstate Highway 35 in Cotulla, Texas, for a commercial motor vehicle safety inspection, authorities said.

Texas DPS said Flores Jr. was allegedly smuggling 84 migrants from Guatemala and Mexico.

The suspect allegedly bypassed a border patrol checkpoint in Texas’ Webb County when he was pulled over, Texas DPS spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez said on Twitter.

“The Texas Department of Public Safety remains committed in deterring human smuggling and disrupting criminal activity,” Olivarez told ABC News in a statement. “As part of Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, DPS will continue to enhance border operations and commercial motor vehicle safety inspections.”

The migrants were handed over to U.S. Border Patrol, according to Texas DPS.

U.S. Border Patrol’s apprehensions of migrants have exceeded two million so far this fiscal year, including people who turn themselves into authorities between land ports of entry, according to agency data from September.

Last year, law enforcement officials detained 1.66 million migrants and encountered them nearly two million times. As of September, there have been more than 2.4 million encounters.

No federal charges over in-custody death of Jamal Sutherland, DOJ says

October 27, 2022 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Department of Justice will not pursue any federal charges in the in-custody death of a mentally ill Black man at a South Carolina jail last year, officials said Wednesday.

Jamal Sutherland, 31, died on Jan. 5, 2021, at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston hours after deputies attempted to remove him from his cell to attend a bond hearing for a misdemeanor assault charge that morning. He was arrested the day before following a fight at a mental health and substance abuse center where he was being treated for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, his family said.

Body-camera footage released by the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office showed deputies repeatedly deploy stun guns, use pepper spray and place a knee on Sutherland’s back. He became unresponsive and was later declared dead.

Two deputies, Lindsey Fickett and Brian Houle, were later fired amid the investigation into his death. A local solicitor ultimately declined to issue any criminal charges against them, saying the two made “grave mistakes” but that their actions didn’t amount to a crime. Charleston County agreed to pay a $10 million settlement to Sutherland’s family last year.

After reviewing evidence including “reports, law enforcement accounts, witness statements, physical evidence reports, training materials, photographs and videos of the incident,” the Justice Department said it will not pursue any criminal civil rights charges against two former deputies for Sutherland’s death, though it did not identify them by name.

“They also reviewed the Charleston County Solicitor’s Office’s public report on Sutherland’s death, including the expert force and medical analyses referenced in that report, which laid out the reasons why the state declined to pursue criminal charges,” the DOJ said in a press release.

Federal prosecutors were determining whether the force used against Sutherland violated federal criminal civil rights laws, including a federal criminal civil rights statute that “prohibits certain types of official misconduct,” the DOJ said.

“After this review, prosecutors determined that insufficient evidence exists to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that deputies willfully violated the federal criminal civil rights statutes,” the DOJ said.

Representatives of Sutherland’s family have been informed of the determination, and the department’s review of the incident has been closed, according to the DOJ.

Sutherland’s mother, Amy Sutherland, told reporters she spoke with DOJ officials in Charleston on Tuesday.

“I wanted to scream again, but screaming days is over,” Amy Sutherland said when asked about her reaction to the decision during a press briefing Wednesday. “My tears didn’t do anything to solve any problems.”

She said she did feel some closure at the news.

“I was upset from the time my son died until yesterday, because I felt like I had failed him in getting help,” she said. “But yesterday, after they came down, I was able to say, Jamal, your mom did all she could.”

ABC News was unable to reach Fickett or Houle for comment.

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