In the fourth quarter of 2024, U.S. gross domestic product grew at a 2.3 percent annual rate, down from the previous quarter but still resilient, ending the year with a 2.5 percent increase. Despite solid consumer spending and low unemployment, challenges lie ahead with uncertainty surrounding President Trump’s new policies on trade and immigration, potentially leading to inflation and slower growth. While the economy faces pockets of weakness such as slowed business investment and a stagnant housing market, it remains strong overall, supported by the Federal Reserve’s decision to hold interest rates steady and the continued momentum from the end of 2024.
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Measles Is Spreading, and RFK Jr. Is Praising Quacks
An 8-year-old girl recently became the third person to die in a Texas measles outbreak, bringing attention to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, who endorsed the MMR vaccine but also promoted unproven treatments. Experts criticize his framing that suggests equal efficacy between vaccination and alternative treatments, warning it may exacerbate the outbreak, which has now reached 541 cases in Texas alone. As misinformation spreads, the risk of losing the U.S.'s measles-eliminated status increases,...
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