AURN News

Parts of the federal government are shut down as Congress remains deadlocked over immigration enforcement following the deadly shooting of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis. While essential programs such as SNAP and WIC continue, funding lapses are affecting the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Transportation. Many federal workers remain on the j...

Democrats scored a major victory in Texas after Christian Menefee won the runoff in the special election for Texas’ 18th Congressional District. Menefee, the first Black man elected Harris County attorney, will serve the remainder of the late Rep. Sylvester Turner’s term. His campaign centered on civil rights, health care and the future of social safety net programs. Another election is scheduled...

The Justice Department has released more than 3 million additional pages from its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, describing the disclosure as the final phase required under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the release includes millions of pages, videos and images, much of it seized from Epstein’s devices. The disclosure came...

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon was arrested by federal authorities Thursday night in connection with a protest at a Minnesota church service earlier this month, according to NBC News. Lemon was taken into custody in Los Angeles while covering the Grammy Awards, his attorney said. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Lemon and three others were arrested in connection with what she described as a coordinate...

Two journalists were among four people arrested following a protest against ICE enforcement at St. Paul Church. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon and independent reporter Georgia Fort were taken into custody by federal agents, along with two others. Lemon’s attorney called the arrest an “unprecedented attack on the First Amendment,” while Fort said she was targeted after recording the protest. Charges r...

A new Pew Research Center poll finds that most Americans believe public discussions of U.S. history should include not only the nation’s successes and strengths, but also its flaws and failures. The findings come as the Trump administration continues removing references to Black history across parts of the federal government. The survey shows equal support for discussing both positive and negative...

Oprah Winfrey turns 72 today, marking a career that reshaped American media and cultural conversation. From redefining daytime television to building the OWN network and amplifying education, philanthropy and political engagement, Winfrey’s influence extends far beyond entertainment. Her work helped normalize empathy, vulnerability and storytelling as tools for connection, accountability and liber...

Fulton County officials are responding after the FBI seized 2020 ballot records under a court-authorized warrant targeting the county’s elections hub and operations center. Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts sharply criticized the move during a press conference, questioning the handling and security of the ballots once they were removed by federal agents. Georgia officials say the action a...

President Donald Trump sharply criticized the Federal Reserve after officials decided to keep interest rates unchanged. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank remains focused on bringing inflation down to 2% while protecting employment. Trump accused Powell of keeping rates too high in a lengthy Truth Social post, as the decision comes amid rising geopolitical tensions in the...

Federal agents searched the Fulton County Elections Office near Atlanta after the FBI confirmed a court-authorized operation involving a sealed warrant tied to records from the 2020 presidential election. Investigators said they were looking for ballots and other election materials, though no charges have been announced. Fulton County officials say they are cooperating fully, while voting rights g...

Sly Dunbar, the legendary Jamaican drummer and producer best known as one half of the iconic duo Sly & Robbie, has died at age 73, according to the BBC. Dunbar helped define the sound of reggae and dancehall through his pioneering “rockers” rhythm, innovative production style and work on hundreds of thousands of recordings. His collaborations spanned genres and generations, leaving an indelible ma...

College students in North Carolina have filed a lawsuit against state and county election officials after Republican-controlled election boards eliminated early voting sites on multiple college campuses just weeks before early voting begins for the 2026 primary. Students argue the move violates the First, 14th, and 26th amendments and places unfair burdens on young voters, particularly Black stude...

Wesley Hunt is the lone Black Republican in the crowded Texas GOP Senate primary, but new polling suggests he may be more competitive than headlines indicate. While Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. John Cornyn dominate primary coverage, Hunt’s general-election matchups show him running close against leading Democrats, raising questions about visibility, media attention and strategy in on...

Ilhan Omar was attacked at her Minneapolis town hall just moments after calling for the abolition of ICE and accountability from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. A man was arrested and charged with third-degree assault after spraying an unknown liquid at Omar with a syringe. Omar was not injured and continued the town hall, later saying she would not be intimidated. The Congressional Black...

Zora Neale Hurston died Jan. 28, 1960, but her voice continues to resonate through American literature and Black cultural history. A pioneering writer and anthropologist, Hurston captured Black life, language and traditions with brilliance at a time when such stories were often dismissed or erased. Best known for “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” her work now stands as a cornerstone of Black literar...

Eleanor Holmes Norton has announced she will retire at the end of her current term, ending a 35-year tenure as the District of Columbia’s nonvoting delegate in Congress. Norton reflected on decades of fighting for D.C. statehood, civil rights and economic investment, while pledging to continue advocating for District residents until her final day in office. Her legacy includes major redevelopment...

During a House Financial Services Committee oversight hearing, Ayanna Pressley sharply confronted HUD Secretary Scott Turner over the federal government’s response to the affordable housing crisis. Pressley criticized the Trump administration’s handling of housing affordability and cited new data showing a severe shortage of affordable rental homes for low-income Americans, according to the Nation...

The Trump administration has reshuffled leadership of its immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota following three shootings and two killings linked to federal agents. Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, who led Operation Metro Surge, is expected to leave Minneapolis as President Donald Trump moves border czar Tom Homan into a ground leadership role. The changes come amid intense backlash a...

Ye has issued another public apology for antisemitic behavior, taking out a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal to express regret and ask forgiveness from those he said he hurt. Ye attributed his recent actions to untreated bipolar I disorder and said he has since resumed medication and therapy, which he says are now working. The apology also included a message to Black people, saying he was s...

Hours after a federal agent fatally shot a man in Minneapolis, the U.S. Department of Justice, led by Pam Bondi, demanded access to Minnesota’s unredacted voter registration data. In a letter to Gov. Tim Walz, the DOJ tied public safety concerns to the state’s refusal to share election records — a move Minnesota officials rejected as unlawful and coercive. The dispute renews questions about federa...

A new Emerson College Polling/Nexstar Media Group survey shows Rep. Jasmine Crockett trailing state Rep. James Talarico in the Texas Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. While Talarico leads overall and performs strongly among Hispanic and white voters, Crockett overwhelmingly dominates support among Black voters, receiving 80% backing. The poll also finds both Democrats performing closely in head-...

The fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti by federal Border Patrol agents during a protest in Minnesota has ignited national outrage and intensified scrutiny of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. In response, the administration dispatched Tom Homan to the state, even as Senate Democrats threaten to block Department of Homeland Security funding over ICE...

Barbie has unveiled a new Inspiring Women doll honoring Opal Lee, widely known as the Grandmother of Juneteenth. The tribute recognizes Lee’s decades of activism that helped make Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021 and highlights her historic Walk for Freedom. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/...

A massive winter storm stretching from New Mexico to Maine is threatening snow, crippling ice and widespread power outages for millions of Americans. Flights are already being canceled, emergencies declared in multiple states, and officials are urging residents to stay off the roads as freezing rain and heavy snow move across the country. Critics say preparedness has been weakened under the Trump...

A new survey shows President Donald Trump’s approval rating stuck at 35%, with a majority of voters disapproving of his handling of the economy. The poll highlights growing concerns about a possible recession and ongoing economic frustration as the 2024 election approaches. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: http...