AURN News

The District of Columbia is reporting the nation’s highest unemployment rate for the third consecutive month. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show D.C. at 6% in July, compared with the national average of 4.2%. Experts cite mass layoffs under the Department of Government Efficiency and a steep decline in tourism as key factors. Neighboring states Maryland and Virginia are faring better. Subscri...

The U.S. housing market just hit its slowest pace in a decade, according to Redfin. Prices remain near record highs while mortgage rates and limited inventory are keeping buyers away. Families across the country are feeling the strain. 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 Simpl...

On Aug. 19, 1958, the NAACP Youth Council, led by Clara Luper and her students, staged a sit-in at the Katz Drug Store lunch counter in Oklahoma City. The peaceful protest challenged segregation and quickly drew national attention. Their movement inspired a wave of sit-ins across the Midwest and the country, marking a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay...

Republicans are advancing new congressional maps in Texas with President Donald Trump’s backing, while Democrats in California seek a rare exception to redraw their own. The redistricting battles could determine control of Congress through the remainder of Trump’s term. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://...

President Donald Trump announced during a high-stakes meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he will issue an executive order to eliminate mail-in ballots. Trump also criticized voting machines, claiming they are too costly compared with paper ballots. Critics say the president is undermining confidence in U.S. elections, despite courts, officials and his own former DHS cybersec...

New federal data shows producer prices rose 0.9% in July, the largest gain in more than a year. The increases come as President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs remain in place and expand. While the administration highlights tariff revenue, advocates warn the costs are hitting consumers through higher grocery and household prices. The Federal Reserve faces growing pressure as families struggle with cl...

President Donald Trump says he will sign an executive order to eliminate mail-in ballots before the 2026 midterms. The pledge revives his false claims of voter fraud in 2020, despite no evidence according to his own attorney general William Barr. Trump also called for banning voting machines and said Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed with him during their recent summit. Subscribe to our news...

Armed National Guard troops are now patrolling Washington, D.C., at President Trump’s request, raising alarms about militarization in the capital. The White House says the mission is about making the city “safe and beautiful,” but critics call it unjustified and point to lawsuits already challenging federal overreach. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading...

President Donald Trump’s homeless crackdown in Washington, D.C., has cleared dozens of encampments in recent months. The administration says unhoused residents will be offered shelter or services, but advocates warn of insufficient resources and fear the policy will deepen the crisis. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media co...

Former President Barack Obama recently spoke with New York City mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, a conversation that has stirred speculation about a possible endorsement. Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist with a grassroots rise, has struggled with Black voter support — a group Obama’s backing could influence. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned...

The District of Columbia is suing President Donald Trump over what officials call a hostile takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department. The lawsuit follows a federal order installing DEA Administrator Terrance Cole as emergency police commissioner. D.C. leaders say the move strips local authority and undermines public safety policy. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest...

Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee is gaining momentum in the race for Texas’ 18th Congressional District, once held by Barbara Jordan and Sheila Jackson Lee. Menefee shares his personal journey, his record on voting rights litigation, and his vision for protecting democracy. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media compa...

Protesters confronted federal officers, including Homeland Security agents, in D.C.’s U Street corridor as President Donald Trump expanded control over the city’s policing. The move brought in hundreds of National Guard troops, federal agents, and local police under his command. Mayor Muriel Bowser has criticized the move as an “authoritarian push,” though arrest rates remain consistent with last...

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is speaking out against President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C. The Not Above the Law Coalition says it’s part of a broader pattern involving military deployments during protests and FBI involvement in tracking Texas Democrats. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed...

A coalition of civil rights and small-business groups has filed suit against the Trump administration for halting a lending data rule mandated by the Dodd-Frank Act. Advocates say the rule is essential to preventing discrimination, while critics warn the rollback — alongside Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act — will widen the racial wealth gap. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the...

Billions in U.S. foreign aid for HIV, AIDS, and other global health programs remain frozen after a divided federal appeals court backed the Trump administration’s hold. The decision sidestepped a larger constitutional question, while a dissent warned the ruling undermines Congress’ spending power. Vulnerable communities abroad now face uncertainty. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with...

Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee — the youngest and first African American to hold the county’s top civil legal post — says a GOP-backed Texas map would dismantle minority districts and weaken Black and Latino political power. The plan, already passed by Senate Republicans, could force mid-decade boundary changes and confuse voters. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the...

The small, majority-Black town of Mason, Tenn., has approved reopening a closed prison as an ICE detention center, turning it over to CoreCivic despite the company’s record of fines, lawsuits, and inmate deaths. Supporters say it will bring jobs and revenue; opponents call it complicity in abuse and mass deportations under President Donald Trump. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with t...

Danielle Spencer, beloved as Dee Thomas in the sitcom “What’s Happening!!,” died Aug. 11 at age 60 after a long battle with cancer. Known for her quick wit on screen, Spencer overcame immense personal challenges and later pursued a career as a veterinarian and animal welfare advocate. She was the first child star inducted into the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Cultu...

President Donald Trump has declared a “crime emergency” in Washington, D.C., using the Home Rule Act to federalize the police force and deploy the National Guard. Mayor Muriel Bowser says she will work with federal officials, but critics question the move’s necessity given that crime is at a 30-year low. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned &...

A survey from Omnisend finds that tariffs under President Donald Trump are costing the average American household $47 a month — adding up to $12.2 billion so far this year. While some shoppers say they would pay more for USA-made products, nearly half believe the tariffs are not worth the cost. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlle...

The Congressional Budget Office says President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act will increase household income overall between 2026 and 2034 — but with the largest gains going to the wealthiest Americans. Low-income households will face losses due to cuts in Medicaid and SNAP. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media c...

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says President Donald Trump’s tax and spending law delivers the biggest benefits to the wealthiest Americans while cutting programs that help the poorest. Millions could lose food assistance and health coverage under the changes. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https...

President Donald Trump has declared a "crime emergency" in Washington, D.C., using the Home Rule Act to seize control of the Metropolitan Police Department and deploy the National Guard. Mayor Muriel Bowser says the move relies on outdated crime data and ignores recent drops in violent crime. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled...

For many Black men, safe spaces like barbershops and church basements provide the comfort and trust needed to address grief and trauma. Cultural trauma expert Cory George explains how these spaces foster vulnerability, community support, and resilience in the face of racial violence and personal loss. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & co...