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Latest U.S. news, national developments, politics, communities, and major stories from across the country.

U.S. Hiring Slows Sharply as Economy Adds Just 29,000 Jobs in September

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U.S. Hiring Slows Sharply as Economy Adds Just 29,000 Jobs in September

The September jobs report points to a labor market losing momentum: payrolls rose by only 29,000, unemployment edged up to 4.2% and earlier job gains were revised lower. The data show a cooling economy, not yet a broad employment collapse.

October 2, 2026 at 1:47 PM EDT

Tennessee Prepares to Execute Christa Pike, the First Woman in More Than 200 Years

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U.S.

Tennessee Prepares to Execute Christa Pike, the First Woman in More Than 200 Years

Christa Pike is scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection Wednesday after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee rejected clemency and the state Supreme Court denied a stay. If the execution proceeds, it will be Tennessee’s first execution of a woman since at least 1820.

September 29, 2026 at 3:21 PM EDT

DOJ Announces Charges and Guilty Pleas Against 12 in Election-Crime Cases Across U.S.

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DOJ Announces Charges and Guilty Pleas Against 12 in Election-Crime Cases Across U.S.

The Justice Department says 12 people face charges or have pleaded guilty in cases involving illegal voting, false citizenship claims, fraudulent registration and alleged disposal of about 300 mail-in ballots. The announcement is the department’s third election-crime release in 10 days.

September 28, 2026 at 8:06 PM EDT

Texas Clinic Owner Convicted in $26 Million TRICARE Fraud Scheme

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Texas Clinic Owner Convicted in $26 Million TRICARE Fraud Scheme

A federal jury convicted Kevin D. Curry of using mental health clinics to submit fraudulent TRICARE claims, pay kickbacks and launder proceeds. Prosecutors said the clinics billed more than $26 million and received about $17 million before the case reached trial.

September 26, 2026 at 1:33 PM EDT

Trump and Xi Extend Trade Truce, But Only Until January

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Trump and Xi Extend Trade Truce, But Only Until January

The United States and China have postponed a renewed trade confrontation by extending their existing truce for two months after a White House summit. The pause lowers immediate tariff risk but leaves major disputes over technology, critical minerals and market access unresolved.

September 24, 2026 at 8:46 PM EDT

Trump’s Iran Threat Raises the Stakes of a War He Still Says Could End at the Negotiating Table

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Trump’s Iran Threat Raises the Stakes of a War He Still Says Could End at the Negotiating Table

President Trump is warning Iran that it faces destruction or prolonged economic isolation unless it reaches a deal, while Tehran threatens to widen the conflict. The next phase may depend less on the rhetoric itself than on whether Gulf allies back renewed U.S. attacks and whether shipping through the Strait of Hormuz returns to normal.

September 21, 2026 at 6:58 PM EDT

FBI and Coast Guard Probe Cyberattacks on Oil Tankers Bound for U.S.

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U.S.

FBI and Coast Guard Probe Cyberattacks on Oil Tankers Bound for U.S.

U.S. authorities boarded two foreign-flagged tankers after indications that their networks had been compromised by foreign cyber actors. No operational disruption, physical danger or environmental damage has been reported, but investigators have not identified the attacker or explained how deeply the ships’ systems were penetrated.

September 16, 2026 at 9:00 PM EDT

Federal Judge Rules DHS Plan to Cut FEMA Workforce in Half Was Unlawful

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U.S.

Federal Judge Rules DHS Plan to Cut FEMA Workforce in Half Was Unlawful

A federal judge ruled that Homeland Security officials unlawfully directed FEMA toward a 50% staffing reduction and interfered with the agency’s authority over its own personnel. The decision does not immediately restore all affected workers, leaving the remedy to be determined in further proceedings.

September 13, 2026 at 12:34 PM EDT

Federal Judge Blocks ‘Loyalty Question’ Used in More Than 70,000 U.S. Government Job Postings

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Federal Judge Blocks ‘Loyalty Question’ Used in More Than 70,000 U.S. Government Job Postings

A Massachusetts judge has stopped the Trump administration from asking federal job applicants how they would advance the president’s policies, finding the unions challenging the practice likely to prevail on First Amendment and administrative-law claims. The preliminary ruling blocks future use of the question but leaves unresolved how previously submitted answers may be treated.

September 12, 2026 at 4:29 PM EDT

Trump Promises $5,000 ‘Dividend’ to Adults if Republicans Hold Congress

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Trump Promises $5,000 Payment to Adult Citizens if Republicans Keep Control of Congress

President Donald Trump said at a Republican convention in Dallas on September 9 that he would issue a $5,000 “dividend” to every adult U.S. citizen if Republicans retain control of both the House and Senate in the November midterm elections. The proposal has no announced legislative framework, eligibility rules or funding mechanism, and any payment from the federal Treasury would require congressional authorization.

September 10, 2026 at 9:26 AM EDT

Americans Are More Worried About Jobs and Money. The Data Show Why

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Americans Are More Worried About Jobs and Money. The Data Show Why

The U.S. economy is still adding jobs and household income is rising, but surveys show Americans have become much more pessimistic about what comes next. The result is an economy that looks stable in the rearview mirror and less secure through the windshield.

September 9, 2026 at 10:46 AM EDT

Mail-Voting Rules Face Court Fight as 2026 Ballots Begin Moving

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Mail-Voting Rules Face Court Fight as 2026 Ballots Begin Moving

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to revive new restrictions on federal mail ballots even as states begin mailing ballots for the November 3 midterms. Lower-court orders currently block enforcement, leaving election officials to operate under a rapidly shifting legal timetable.

September 7, 2026 at 5:16 PM EDT

America’s AI Data Center Boom Is Running Into Growing Resistance Across the U.S.

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U.S.

America’s AI Data Center Boom Is Running Into Growing Resistance Across the U.S.

A rapid buildout of AI data centers is colliding with concerns over electricity, water, pollution, land use and local control. From New York to Ohio, communities and elected officials are turning to moratoriums, permitting fights and new political campaigns to slow or reshape the expansion.

September 5, 2026 at 9:30 PM EDT

Chinese Rare-Earth Suppliers Quietly Withhold Some U.S.-Bound Shipments

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U.S.

Chinese Rare-Earth Suppliers Quietly Withhold Some U.S.-Bound Shipments

Several Chinese rare-earth suppliers have declined to ship materials to U.S. buyers, according to people familiar with the trade, adding a new layer of uncertainty to an already restricted supply chain weeks before a planned Trump-Xi meeting.

September 4, 2026 at 10:00 PM EDT

Tropical Depression Edouard Dumps Nearly 2 Feet of Rain on Texas, Prompting Rescues and Widespread Flooding

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Tropical Depression Edouard Dumps Nearly 2 Feet of Rain on Texas, Prompting Rescues and Widespread Flooding

Former Tropical Storm Edouard weakened after making landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border, but its slow-moving remnants brought nearly 2 feet of rain to parts of East Texas. Dozens of people were rescued, roads and homes flooded, schools closed and tens of thousands of customers lost power as officials warned that dangerous conditions could persist through Thursday.

September 3, 2026 at 6:41 PM EDT

Scam Losses Hit Record High as Americans Report Nearly $16 Billion Stolen in 2025

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U.S.

Scam Losses Hit Record High as Americans Report Nearly $16 Billion Stolen in 2025

Americans reported losing about $16 billion to fraud in 2025, a roughly 25% increase from the previous year, according to new Federal Trade Commission data. Imposter scams and social-media schemes drove much of the damage, while the FBI separately reported nearly $21 billion in losses from cyber-enabled crimes.

September 2, 2026 at 11:00 PM EDT

U.S. Gas Prices Enter Labor Day Weekend Near $4 a Gallon as August Sets a Costly Milestone

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U.S. Gas Prices Enter Labor Day Weekend Near $4 a Gallon as August Sets a Costly Milestone

The national average for regular gasoline reached about $4.10 a gallon on September 1, according to AAA, while the Energy Information Administration reported a weekly average of $4.207 for all grades. August was on track to become the most expensive August on record, with global oil-supply disruptions and tight inventories keeping pressure on drivers and freight operators.

September 1, 2026 at 7:30 PM EDT

Dolly Parton tributes spread from Nashville to cities across America after her death at 80

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U.S.

Dolly Parton tributes spread from Nashville to cities across America after her death at 80

Fans, musicians, public officials and institutions honored Dolly Parton in the days after her Aug. 25 death in Nashville. Memorials appeared at her Nashville star, Dollywood continued operating as a place of celebration, the Grand Ole Opry staged a sold-out tribute and the White House ordered flags lowered nationwide through Sept. 1.

August 30, 2026 at 8:52 PM EDT

Fed signals interest rates could rise again if inflation doesn’t improve

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U.S.

Fed signals interest rates could rise again if inflation doesn’t improve

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh has opened the door to another interest-rate increase as inflation remains stubbornly above the Fed's 2% target, raising questions about what could happen next to borrowing costs for mortgages, car loans and credit cards.

August 29, 2026 at 7:11 PM EDT

Thousands in northwest Indiana remain without power nearly two weeks after storm

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Thousands in northwest Indiana remain without power nearly two weeks after storm

More than 20,000 customers in northwest Indiana remained without electricity Sunday, nearly two weeks after a powerful Aug. 11 derecho damaged the region’s power system. NIPSCO said most customers in Gary and Portage could be restored by Tuesday, while state and local officials pressed the utility to speed up repairs.

August 23, 2026 at 10:14 PM EDT

Trump administration’s 75-country immigrant visa ban was illegal, judge rules

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U.S.

Trump administration’s 75-country immigrant visa ban was illegal, judge rules

A federal judge in New York vacated the State Department’s policy suspending immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, finding that it exceeded Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s authority and violated federal immigration law.

August 22, 2026 at 9:08 PM EDT