AURN News

A new Hart Research survey of 1,026 registered voters across 61 competitive or potentially competitive House districts finds growing concerns about household expenses ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Sixty percent of respondents said President Donald Trump is making energy prices worse, while 54% said the same about Republicans in Congress. Grocery costs, gasoline prices and utility bills ar...

The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Capitol Police are investigating suspicious letters sent to election officials and congressional offices nationwide ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Some letters contained unidentified white powder, although preliminary tests on certain mailings have come back negative for dangerous substances. At least one envelope bore a return address previ...

On Oct. 16, 1968, Olympic medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised black-gloved fists during the national anthem at the Mexico City Olympics, protesting racial injustice and poverty in America. Their historic demonstration led to their suspension from the U.S. Olympic team and became an enduring symbol of the civil rights movement. Twenty-seven years later, on Oct. 16, 1995, hundreds of thous...

President Donald Trump has reversed plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. The decision follows criticism from lawmakers, religious leaders and survivors who opposed turning the execution into a public spectacle. Hasan's execution remains scheduled for Dec. 3. Subscribe to our newsletter to s...

A red Chicago Bulls jersey worn and autographed by Michael Jordan during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for a record-breaking $14 million. The historic sale, arranged by Hunt Auctions, makes it the most expensive piece of basketball memorabilia ever sold and the second-highest known price for a game-worn sports jersey. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from...

A federal appeals court has blocked California from requiring nonuniformed federal agents to display identification. The unanimous ruling follows a February decision that blocked the state's ban on agents wearing masks. The two rulings have raised concerns about accountability when people stopped or detained by masked immigration officers cannot see their faces or obtain identifying information at...

More than 5 million fewer Americans are receiving SNAP benefits, including an estimated 2 million children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. SNAP participation fell 13% between July 2025 and June 2026, reaching its lowest level in 17 years. Researchers say an improving economy is unlikely to explain the decline, pointing instead to tighter eligibility rules and federal fund...

U.S. inflation climbed to 3.7% in September, up from 3.4% in August, as consumer prices jumped 0.6% in a single month. Gasoline prices were the biggest driver, averaging $4.33 a gallon, according to AAA, as the war with Iran continues pushing fuel costs higher. While inflation excluding food and energy stood at 2.6%, American families continue facing rising everyday expenses. The report is the fin...

Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland and Tina Knowles attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the Knowles-Rowland House in Houston. The renovated facility will provide 31 permanent supportive housing units for people who have experienced chronic homelessness, including 16 units designed for residents with mobility or sensory impairments. Originally opened in 1999 with funding from Destiny'...

New White House press secretary Katie Zacharia made her debut Tuesday with a briefing lasting about 14 minutes, more than eight of which were devoted to her opening statement. Zacharia took questions from reporters representing just three news outlets: Breitbart, Fox News and the Daily Mail. When Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy asked whether the U.S. had stopped sharing intelligence with Ukrain...

Hospitals across the United States are closing maternity wards, and health experts warn President Donald Trump's Medicaid cuts could accelerate the trend. According to The Guardian, the advocacy group Protect Our Care reports that 52 maternity wards have closed since July 2025, with eight additional closures announced. Hospitals in Virginia and Georgia have cited upcoming Medicaid policy changes a...

On Oct. 13, 1914, pioneering Black American inventor Garrett Morgan received a U.S. patent for his safety hood, an early version of the modern gas mask. Designed to protect firefighters and workers from smoke and dangerous fumes, the invention proved its value in 1916 when an explosion trapped workers in a tunnel beneath Lake Erie in Cleveland, Ohio. Morgan, his brother and two volunteers wore the...

Federal agents searched the Washington home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., just 22 days before the midterm elections, prompting accusations of political targeting from the Congressional Black Caucus. CBC Chair Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, D-N.Y., and other caucus members questioned the legal basis for the search and cited President Donald Trump's history of attacks on Omar.  The Justice Department sa...

President Donald Trump's agreement to purchase Russian diesel is drawing bipartisan opposition in Washington as Americans face high fuel costs. Seven senators urged the administration to reverse course Sunday, while Brent crude was trading above $105 a barrel Monday morning. Trump announced the deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday, saying it was intended to lower fuel prices ahead...

On Oct. 12, 1908, pioneering novelist and journalist Ann Petry was born in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Trained as a pharmacist, Petry later worked as a journalist in Harlem, where her experiences with racism, poverty and housing discrimination helped shape her writing. In 1946, she published her groundbreaking debut novel, "The Street," about a Black single mother struggling to build a better life...

President Donald Trump has tapped Katie Zacharia to serve as his next White House press secretary, replacing Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down Aug. 27 to spend more time with her children. Zacharia currently serves as a senior communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social, and previously worked at the Department of Homeland Security. No official sta...

Curtis Flowers, a Black man who spent nearly 23 years imprisoned in Mississippi, has died at 56. Flowers faced six trials for the 1996 murders of four people and maintained his innocence throughout. Four convictions were overturned, and two trials ended in mistrials. In 2019, the Supreme Court overturned his latest conviction, ruling that racial discrimination had tainted jury selection. Flowers w...

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is investigating Wells Fargo's initiatives to expand Black homeownership. HUD Secretary Scott Turner said lending decisions based on race may violate the Fair Housing Act, though no violation has been established. In 2017, Wells Fargo pledged $60 billion in mortgage lending to help create at least 250,000 Black homeowners by 2027. The National Fair H...

President Donald Trump's effort to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House remains blocked as a federal judge considers longer-term protections for their access. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly heard arguments Thursday over whether the restrictions violate the First Amendment and due process protections. Attorneys for the news organizations accuse the administration of punishing critic...

Missy Elliott is bringing the inaugural Missy Elliott Presents HBCU Band Battle to Norfolk State University on Sunday, Oct. 18. The event will feature four HBCU marching bands: Norfolk State's Spartan Legion, Virginia State's Trojan Explosion, Hampton University's Marching Force and Elizabeth City State's Sound of Class. The celebration will also include the Missy Elliott Innovation Summit, highli...

With 26 days until the midterms, the NAACP is asking a federal court to force the Trump administration to disclose its plans for election monitors. The organization filed an emergency records lawsuit after Attorney General Todd Blanche reportedly announced plans to deploy monitors to all 50 states. The NAACP says the Justice Department missed the deadline to respond to its public records request a...

Three years after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, all hostages have been returned, but the crisis continues. More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel's military campaign, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, while about 1.4 million people are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity through December. Israeli strikes have continued, Hamas has not ful...

Democracy Forward says newly obtained government records show ICE's Homeland Security Investigations probed voter registration nonprofits and considered undercover operations, with New Jersey and Pennsylvania listed as priorities. The group says HSI also obtained tens of millions of voter roll records as part of its investigations. Democracy Forward argues the federal scrutiny could discourage vot...

R&B singer Freddie Jackson, best known for the 1985 hit "You Are My Lady," has died at 70. The Harlem native earned two Grammy nominations and built a career around romantic ballads that became staples of 1980s R&B. Jackson revealed in 2024 that he had been diagnosed with kidney disease and later partnered with the National Kidney Foundation to raise awareness. No cause of death has been a...

President Donald Trump says he or his MAGA Inc. super PAC will fund future television ads promoting his administration following criticism over the use of taxpayer money. More recent reporting from The Associated Press says nearly $12 million worth of ads have already aired. Trump has not committed to reimbursing taxpayers, while Democratic lawmakers have called for investigations into $20 million...