AURN News

As Christian nationalism grows under President Donald Trump’s second term, Rev. Quardricos Driskell of Beulah Baptist Church says the Black church must amplify its moral and social voice. He calls for new strategies to engage younger generations and confront injustice both online and in the streets. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & cont...

Hamas released the final 20 hostages and Israel freed more than 1,900 Palestinian prisoners in a deal brokered by the U.S. President Donald Trump attended a Summit for Peace, earning Israel’s highest civilian honor for his role in securing the ceasefire. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newslet...

Rev. Jesse L. Douglas Sr., a trusted aide to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and key figure in the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights marches, has died at 90. Douglas helped lead logistics and movement spirituals that inspired thousands across the civil rights era. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/ne...

Ten days into the government shutdown, the Trump administration has begun reducing the federal workforce in a move never seen before during a closure. OMB Director Russell Vought confirmed reductions in force across key agencies, prompting legal and political backlash from both parties. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media...

Wall Street Journal reporter Richard Rubin explains why record tariff revenue can’t close the nation’s growing budget deficit. From the Department of Government Efficiency to rising entitlement costs, Rubin outlines why the U.S. fiscal situation remains unsustainable — even as America’s economy stays strong. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-own...

On Oct. 10, 1927, Hazel Johnson-Brown was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. She made history in 1979 as the first Black woman promoted to U.S. Army general and led more than 7,000 nurses in the Army Nurse Corps. Twice named Army Nurse of the Year, Johnson-Brown paved the way for generations of women and Black military leaders. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news fro...

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who once sued President Donald Trump and won a civil fraud case against his business, now faces a federal indictment in Virginia. A grand jury charged her with bank fraud and false statements linked to a 2020 home purchase. James calls the case political retribution and warns it threatens the rule of law itself. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed...

The IRS says 46% of its workforce will be furloughed as the government shutdown stretches into its second week. The move marks a sharp reversal from last week’s plan to keep operations open using Inflation Reduction Act funds. Union President Doreen Greenwald warns taxpayers to expect longer wait times, backlogs and delayed refunds — calling it “another day of frustration for taxpayers.” Subscribe...

During the current government shutdown, Republican leaders claim Democrats want to extend federal health care benefits to undocumented immigrants. But by law, they can’t — a restriction in place since 1996 under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. DACA recipients are also losing Marketplace coverage as new eligibility rules take effect. Subscribe to our newsletter...

After two years of conflict and tens of thousands of deaths, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire — the most significant breakthrough since the war began. The deal includes a phased withdrawal from most of Gaza and the release of hostages and prisoners. Crowds in Gaza and Tel Aviv celebrated as President Trump unveiled his 20-point peace plan, though questions remain about las...

Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, one of the “Tennessee Three” lawmakers expelled after a gun control protest, has announced a bid for Congress. Pearson is challenging longtime U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen for Tennessee’s 9th District, focusing his campaign on poverty reduction and gun reform. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & con...

The Trump administration has dismissed several high-ranking Black officials, raising fears of racial exclusion and the erosion of diversity across the federal government. Analysts say the shift threatens to undo decades of progress that made public service a pathway to opportunity for African Americans. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned &...

The U.S. budget deficit totaled $1.8 trillion for fiscal year 2025 — a 4% drop from the previous year but still one of the largest peacetime deficits in U.S. history. Rising spending and growing interest costs continue to weigh on federal finances. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Ho...

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., issued a warning from the Senate floor as the government shutdown reached its seventh day, saying that families nationwide could see health care premiums more than double if tax credits expire. A Kaiser Family Foundation report estimates some states could face increases over 300%. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-own...

Gold prices have soared to historic highs, topping $4,000 an ounce, as inflation and trade tensions continue to shake investor confidence. AURN News breaks down what’s fueling the gold rush and what it signals about the broader economy. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Hosted by Simp...

President Donald Trump defends plans to permanently cut federal jobs and programs while more than 600,000 federal employees remain unpaid during the ongoing government shutdown. AURN News examines how these cuts could reshape the federal workforce and deepen the shutdown’s economic impact. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled med...

A social media clash between California Gov. Gavin Newsom and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over the government shutdown highlighted growing travel disruptions. Newsom claimed Burbank Airport was without air traffic controllers for hours, while Duffy blamed Democrats for the funding impasse. By law, people in the country illegally can’t receive federal health coverage except for emergen...

On Oct. 7, 1934, Amiri Baraka was born in Newark, New Jersey. A poet, playwright, and revolutionary thinker, Baraka founded the Black Arts Movement, inspiring generations of artists to use their voices as tools of resistance and affirmation. His works “Blues People” and “Dutchman” remain defining pieces of African American literature and theater. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with t...

It’s day seven of the government shutdown, and while Congress continues to argue over health care subsidies and spending, Americans are the ones paying the price. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries challenged Speaker Mike Johnson to a televised debate — a move Johnson called a “publicity stunt.” Polls show most Americans blame President Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled Congress as 750,000 fe...

Judge Diane Goodstein’s home in South Carolina exploded over the weekend, injuring her husband and son. Investigators say the cause remains under investigation. Goodstein had recently received death threats after blocking the release of voter data to President Donald Trump’s Justice Department. The order was later overturned, but hostility toward the judiciary has intensified as political violence...

A new WalletHub study ranks Vermont as the safest state in America, based on 52 safety indicators that include crime rates, road conditions, and disaster preparedness. New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, and Utah round out the top five, while Florida, Texas, Mississippi, and Louisiana sit at the bottom. WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo says the safest states protect residents “in a multitude of differ...

A Trump-appointed federal judge in Oregon has again paused the president’s plan to deploy National Guard troops into Portland, ruling that the administration appeared to defy an earlier court order. The decision comes after protests near a Portland immigration facility and criticism from Govs. Gavin Newsom and Tina Kotek, who called the move a political occupation. Subscribe to our newsletter to s...

Musician and producer Ike Turner Jr., the son of Ike and Tina Turner, has died at 67 in Los Angeles after years of health complications. Adopted by Tina Turner as a child, Ike Jr. worked as a sound engineer and producer, sharing a Grammy for his father’s 2007 album “Risin’ with the Blues.” Despite a complex relationship with his parents, he continued performing with his band, The Love Thang, keepi...

President Donald Trump once dismissed Project 2025 as “seriously extreme.” Now, he is embracing the Heritage Foundation’s 900-page conservative blueprint, leaning on it to guide shutdown decisions. Trump even touted a Truth Social meeting with budget chief Russell Vought, one of the plan’s authors, to discuss federal agency cuts. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news fr...

A Washington Post poll reveals that 47% of Americans blame President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress for the government shutdown. Thirty percent point to Democrats, while 23% remain unsure. The poll also shows strong support for extending subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare — the central issue Democrats cite for backing the shutdown. Subscribe to our newslette...