Get the latest news headlines for today in the USA. Stay up to date with the current events happening around the nation.
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Politics
The United States is a country located in North America. Its capital is Washington, D.C., and its largest city is New York City. The United States is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, a federal district, five major territories, and various minor islands. The United States has a population of over 327 million people and covers a total area of 9.8 million square kilometers.
The Trump administration is revoking California’s authority to set its own emissions standards for cars and trucks, a move that could escalate a battle between federal environmental regulators and the nation’s most populous state.
The administration is also rescinding California’s ability to require automakers to sell a certain number of electric vehicles in the state, two sources briefed on the matter said.
The Environmental Protection Agency and Transportation Department are finalizing the details of the plan, which is expected to be released this week. It would roll back an Obama-era regulation that allowed California to tailpipe emission standards that were stricter than federal requirements.
House Judiciary Committee to vote on articles of impeachment this week
The House Judiciary Committee is set to vote on articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump this week, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The committee could vote as early as Wednesday on the articles, which accuse Trump of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, the sources said.
The full House is expected to vote on the articles next week, before Christmas.
If the House votes to impeach Trump, he will become the first president in history to be impeached twice.
Pelosi says she “prays for” Trump after he calls her a “third-rate politician”
In an interview with “Fox News Sunday,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she “prays for” President Donald Trump after he called her a “third-rate politician” in a tweet earlier this week.
Pelosi said it’s her job to “work very hard to get along with the president” so they can find common ground and get things done for the American people.
“I pray for the president all the time,” she said. “And I tell my staff, I pray for him because he’s so misguided in so many ways.”
Pelosi also lashed out at Trump over his decision to pull troops out of Syria, saying he is “abandoning our allies” and putting the United States at risk.
Economy
The Dow and S&P 500 close at new highs as trade optimism persists
US trade deficit widens to five-month high in October
The Commerce Department says the US trade deficit rose to $48.7 billion in October from a revised $47.2 billion in September. The October increase reflected a $1.6 billion drop in exports and a $300 million decline in imports.
The politically sensitive deficit with China fell 5 percent to $26.6 billion in October, though the imbalance with Beijing is up 9 percent so far this year. The United States has imposed tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese products in a fight over Beijing’s technology ambitions.
The overall deficit is up 6 percent so far this year to $494 billion. The Trump administration is counting on the economy’s 3 percent growth rate this year to help reduce the deficit.
US consumer confidence falls to six-month low in December
US consumer confidence fell to a six-month low in December amid concerns about the outlook for jobs and incomes, according to a private survey released on Tuesday.
The Conference Board, an industry group, said its index of consumer confidence declined to 122.1 this month from 128.6 in November. That’s the lowest level since June.
The decline comes as the Trump administration’s tax cuts are set to take effect and as companies announce layoffs in advance of the new year.
The survey’s measure of consumers’ outlook for the next six months fell sharply in December. The share of respondents who expect fewer jobs in the coming months increased to 18.6 percent from 16 percent last month. And those expecting their incomes to decline rose to 10 percent from 8.3 percent.
US home prices continue to rise in October
Home prices in the US continued to rise in October, according to the latest data from the S&P Case-Shiller index. The 20-city index rose 0.9% in October from the previous month, and was up 6.3% from a year earlier.
The rate of increase has slowed down somewhat from last year, when home prices were rising at more than twice the current pace. However, they are still being driven upwards by strong demand from buyers and limited supply of homes on the market.
Prices are rising fastest in regions that have seen the strongest economic growth, such as Seattle (up 12.7% from a year ago), Portland (up 9.5%) and Denver (up 8.4%).
There are some signs that the market may be starting to cool off, however. Sales of existing homes have declined for four straight months, and new home sales fell sharply in November. Mortgage applications have also been falling in recent weeks.
Weather
Today’s weather will be mostly sunny, with a high of 82 degrees and a low of 63 degrees. There is a 20 percent chance of precipitation. The weather will be cool and breezy.
Winter storm to bring snow, ice and rain to central and eastern US
A winter storm will bring a wintry mix of snow, ice and rain to the central and eastern United States on Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in hazardous travel conditions.
The National Weather Service has issued winter weather advisories and warnings for parts of Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Snow accumulations of 4 to 8 inches are expected in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming. mixed precipitation is expected in Kansas, Missouri and Illinois with up to 2 inches of snow and sleet accumulation possible.
In the Northeast US, snow accumulations of 3 to 7 inches are possible along with ice accumulation of up to one quarter inch. Hazardous travel conditions are expected.
Northeast US to see more snow this week
The National Weather Service is forecasting more snow this week for the Northeast United States. A winter storm is expected to bring several inches of snow to the region on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The snow will most likely affect areas from northern New Jersey up into southern New England. accumulations of 6 to 12 inches are possible in some areas.
The storm will also bring strong winds, which could lead to power outages and difficult travel conditions.
California to get much-needed rain this week
The National Weather Service says California will get a much-needed dousing of rain this week. The agency issued a special weather statement on Sunday saying a “low-pressure system is forecast to bring widespread precipitation” to the state from Tuesday through Thursday.
The system could bring up to four inches of rain to some areas, the weather service said, which would be a welcome relief for parts of the state that are dealing with drought conditions. The rains are also expected to bring cooler temperatures and strong winds to some parts of the state.
