The twin crises at the heart of the government shutdown fight in Washington are coming to a head. The federal food assistance program is facing delays and uncertainty. Meanwhile, millions of Americans are set to see a dramatic rise in health insurance bills. The Trump administration’s plans to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program have been halted by federal judges. But a delay in payouts will still likely leave millions of people short on their grocery bills. The shutdown is the second longest in history and entered its second month on Saturday, yet there's little urgency in Washington to end it.
Thousands of furloughed federal workers are trying to navigate the unemployment system, in a sharp increase that is still a fraction of the 670,000 furloughed during the shutdown. About 26,000 federal workers filed initial claims from Sept. 28 through Oct. 18. The unemployment process presents those workers with some challenges. It generally takes two to three weeks to receive payments once approved in normal times. And now, the Labor Department has warned of delays. Recipients receive different amounts state by state. If they receive back pay as expected when the shutdown ends, they will need to repay the unemployment money.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump will host Ahmad al-Sharaa for talks, a first-ever visit by a Syrian president to the White House, an administration official said Saturday.
Day of the Dead commemorations in early November are a crucial religious, family and community celebration for most Mexicans and many other Latin Americans. This year in the United States, they are taking on a special significance because of the increase in immigration enforcement raids and other actions targeting Latino communities. Some organizers had worried that fear of deportation would cast a pall on public celebrations. But participants turned out in droves in cities big and small, saying the rituals brought a much-needed sense of resilience and community pride.
Former President Barack Obama is urging voters to use Tuesday's elections in Virginia and New Jersey to rebuke President Donald Trump and candidates loyal to him. Governor's races in those states may signal the national mood 10 months into Donald Trump’s second presidency. Republicans also are campaigning Saturday, but without national star power. On the west coast, California advocates are making a final push for a statewide referendum to redraw the state's congressional map in Democrats' favor. This effort is part of a national redistricting battle.
U.S. President Donald Trump says he’s ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria. The warning posted Saturday on social media was an escalation of his allegations that the government is failing to rein in the persecution of Christians in the West African country. The threat came after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pushed back against Trump's designation of Nigeria as a "country of particular concern" for alleged persecution of Christians. On Saturday, Tinubu stated that Nigeria values religious freedom and opposes persecution. Trump, in a social media post on Friday, claimed Christianity faces an existential threat in Nigeria due to radical Islamists.
It wasn’t so long ago that President Donald Trump spoke of building a legacy as a peacemaker. In his inaugural address, he said he would in part measure his success by “the wars that we end — and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into.” But nine months into his second term, Trump is beating a curious path to executing his “peace through strength” foreign policy agenda. That's a phrase he borrowed from Ronald Reagan, who saw building a strong military and economy as the bedrock to Soviet deterrence. Trump's update on the Cold War doctrine includes sharper threats, bombings and no shortage of bravado.
Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan has won a disputed election with over 97% of the vote, according to official results announced on Saturday. Her main opponents were prevented from running, leaving her virtually unopposed. Critics and opposition groups have raised concerns about the election's fairness. Protests erupted across Tanzania, leading to violence and a military response. The government postponed the reopening of universities due to unrest. The United Nations and foreign ministers from the U.K., Canada, and Norway have expressed concern over the situation. Hassan's victory extends the ruling party's long-standing grip on power.
Egypt has inaugurated the Grand Egyptian Museum, the world's largest museum dedicated to a single ancient civilization and an effort aimed at boosting the country's tourism industry and troubled economy. Located near the Giza Pyramids on the edge of the Egyptian capital, it showcases over 50,000 artifacts, including the complete collection of King Tutankhamun's treasures. The museum, a project championed by President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, has faced delays since construction began in 2005. The government has improved infrastructure around the site, including roads and a new metro station. Officials hope the museum will attract more tourists, helping to stabilize Egypt's economy.
Martha Layne Collins, the first and only woman elected governor of Kentucky, has died. She was 88. Her most visible legacy is a sprawling Toyota auto assembly plant — arguably the biggest industrial plum of its day and the linchpin of the Democrat's economic-development strategy. A former teacher, Collins served as governor from 1983 to 1987, at a time when Kentucky governors were limited to single terms, and was interviewed by Democratic presidential nominee Walter F. Mondale as a potential running mate. Years after she left office, her husband was convicted in 1993 for extorting money from underwriters who handled state bond issues.
Warren Buffett’s company’s profits improved 17% thanks to a relatively mild hurricane season and more paper investment gains this year as Berkshire Hathaway continues to prepare for the legendary 95-year-old investor to relinquish the CEO title in January. But last month’s $9.7 billion investment in OxyChem won’t do much to diminish the $381.7 billion cash pile that Berkshire was sitting on at the end of September even though it is the biggest deal the company has made in years. The biggest thing on most investors’ minds right now is that Buffett Vice Chair Greg Abel is set to succeed Buffett as CEO in January although Buffett will remain chairman
Heidi Klum has revealed her latest Halloween costume, donning green scales and squirming snakes to transform herself into Medusa. Klum says she loves the Greek myth in which a goddess turns a beautiful woman into a monster with serpents for hair, the sight of which turns living things around her to stone. Klum said she spent 10 hours getting into costume for her annual Halloween party. Klum’s husband dressed as a man turned to stone. The supermodel-turned-TV personality went viral in 2022 when she arrived at her party on the end of a fishing line, encased in a slithering worm costume.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A multi-state carbon capture pipeline began operating in September, reducing emissions from Midwest ethanol plants and carrying that carbon dioxide gas to be forever buried underground in Wyoming — an achievement after years of complaints, lawsuits and legislation block…
A crowd surge at a Hindu temple in southern India has left at least nine people dead and dozens injured. The incident happened at the Swamy Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday during the sacred day of Ekadashi. Authorities say an iron grille meant to control the crowd broke, causing chaos. Most of the deceased are women, and one is a child. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state officials have expressed their condolences. The privately built temple was overwhelmed by a crowd of 25,000, far exceeding its capacity. An inquiry into the incident has been ordered.
The closest supermoon of the year is approaching in November. It happens when a full moon is closer to Earth in its orbit, making it appear slightly bigger and brighter. Wednesday’s event is the second of three supermoons this year and also the closest. The moon will come within just under 222,000 miles of Earth. The change in the moon’s size can be tough to discern with the naked eye. Supermoons happen a few times a year. A supermoon in October made the moon look somewhat larger. The last supermoon of the year will rise in December.
A recent FBI-led raid at an Idaho race track shows how immigration is driving federal law enforcement under the Trump administration. More than 200 officers from at least 14 agencies, including U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, detained around 400 people. The Oct. 19 operation resulted in just four gambling-related arrests, while 105 people were arrested on suspicion of immigration violations. Local police also participated. Witnesses reported aggressive tactics, including zip-tying children. It's unclear which agency the officers who detained the children were from. The FBI initially said no aggressive tactics were used on children but later amended that statement to say “young children.”
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday urged Southeast Asian nations to stand firm and strengthen their maritime forces to counter China’s increasingly “destabilizing” actions in the South China Sea.
November 10th marks the 50th anniversary of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, perhaps the most famous of all the estimated 6,500 ships that have gone down in the Great Lakes. The Fitzgerald is remembered while others are forgotten, thanks in large part to Gordon Lightfoot’s 1976 haunting folk ballad memorializing the wreck. The Fitzgerald was the largest ship ever to sink on the Great Lakes. All 29 members on board died. Family members of the crew and those still fascinated by the historic sinking gather each year for ceremonies at cities around the Great Lakes.
Continued staffing shortages in air traffic control facilities are causing delays at airports as the government shutdown nears the one-month mark. Controllers have been working without pay since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning that travelers will see more flights delayed or canceled the longer they go without a paycheck. The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing-related delays on Friday at airports in Boston, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and Newark, New Jersey. Most controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown. Duffy says that leaves little time for a side job to help cover bills, mortgage and other expenses unless controllers call out.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Asia-Pacific leaders his country would help to defend global free trade as U.S. President Donald Trump snubbed an annual economic regional forum. Xi took center stage at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that began Friday in the South Korean city of Gyeongju, as Trump left the country a day before the summit opened after reaching some deals with Xi meant to ease their escalating trade war. This year's two-day APEC summit has been heavily overshadowed by the Trump-Xi meeting that was arranged on the sidelines.
With every step on the trail, fallen leaves crinkle underfoot. The path follows a stream, rushing and burbling over smooth, gray stones, while a breeze rustles the branches overhead. Now compare that blissful mental image to what you might walk past in a city — traffic, crowds, concrete and …
Mexican American families are gathering to honor their ancestors with altars, marigolds and sugar skulls on Dia de los Muertos — the Day of the Dead. In recent years, the celebration has become more commercialized. Day of the Dead is traditionally an intimate family affair, observed with colorful home altars known as ofrendas and visits to the cemetery to decorate the graves of their loved ones. But these days, some families make minimalistic ofrendas devoid of color and U.S. stores have started to cash in on the tradition. Advocates of Hispanic culture say it's OK for the celebrations to evolve as long as their core meaning remains intact.
The United States is experiencing a shortage of pennies after President Trump decided to stop their production earlier this year. Merchants across the country are struggling to provide exact change, and banks are rationing their remaining supply. Some retailers are even offering promotions to encourage customers to bring in pennies. The shortage began in late summer and is worsening as the holiday season approaches. While the government aims to save money by discontinuing the penny, the abrupt decision has left retailers and banks without guidance. A bill in Congress, the Common Cents Act, seeks to address some of the issues.
NASA and Lockheed Martin have successfully tested a supersonic jet designed to minimize noise. The X-59 jet took its first flight over the southern California desert, marking a potential step toward faster commercial travel. On Tuesday, the jet flew slower than the speed of sound but is capable of traveling faster without the loud "sonic boom" that has hindered widespread use. The test is seen as a significant move toward commercial supersonic flights, which could cut flight times in half. The project aims to overcome noise issues and lead to regulatory changes for supersonic travel in the U.S.
Federal judges have ruled that the Trump administration must continue funding SNAP during the government shutdown. Friday's decisions came just before the Department of Agriculture planned to halt payments to the program. SNAP serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a key part of the social safety net. The announcement of the potential freeze had caused concern among states, food banks, and recipients. Some states even considered using their own funds to maintain the program. It's unclear how quickly benefits can be reloaded onto debit cards, a process that usually takes one to two weeks.
New York Attorney General Letitia James is pushing back against the Trump administration's investigation of cases that she brought against the president and National Rifle Association. James, a Democrat, in August filed a motion seeking to block subpoenas issued by the acting U.S. attorney in Albany. She alleges the Justice Department's probe is retaliatory and that the acting U.S. attorney, John Sarcone, was improperly appointed to the position. The records in the court case have been filed under seal, but on Friday a federal judge in Manhattan granted James' motion to unseal them. The judge, however, has yet to rule on the motion to quash the subpoenas.
Continued staffing shortages in air traffic control facilities are causing delays at airports as the government shutdown nears the one-month mark. Controllers have been working without pay since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning that travelers will see more flights delayed or canceled the longer they go without a paycheck. The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing-related delays on Friday at airports in Boston, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and Newark, New Jersey. Most controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown. Duffy says that leaves little time for a side job to help cover bills, mortgage and other expenses unless controllers call out.
The FBI has confirmed that the man who opened fire in a Michigan church and set it ablaze was motivated by “anti-religious beliefs” against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While friends of the gunman in the deadly shooting have said he long harbored hatred against the church, the FBI had previously declined to specify the motivation behind the attack that left four people dead and the church burned to the ground, except to say it was “targeted.” The gunman, Thomas Jacob Sanford, was killed by responding law enforcement. The FBI confirmed the motive on Friday. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is commonly known as the Mormon church.
The Red Cross says it has transferred the unidentified remains of three people to Israel but an Israeli military official says they were still being examined and may not be those of missing hostages. The official, who spoke Friday on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to the media, said the remains had been turned over to the Red Cross by Hamas in Gaza. The handover follows Israel’s return earlier Friday of the bodies of 30 Palestinians to authorities in Gaza. That completed an exchange after militants turned over remains of two hostages, in a sign that the tense Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement is edging forward.
President Donald Trump is calling on the Senate to scrap the filibuster. That's so the Republican majority can bypass Democrats in the Senate and reopen the federal government. But the GOP leaders swiftly rejected the idea, putting them at odds with the president. Trump targeted the 60-vote threshold for passing legislation in a social media post, suddenly inserting himself into the shutdown debate. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune has strongly opposed changing the filibuster and his spokesman says that position remains unchanged. House Speaker Mike Johnson also panned the idea.
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Two airmen at a Wyoming U.S. Air Force base have pleaded guilty to making false statements about the deadly shooting of a third that prompted the suspension of Sig Sauer M18 pistol use at nuclear weapons sites for a month, the Air Force said in a statement Friday.
ARTESIA, N.M. (AP) — Emergency crews responded Friday to an explosion at an oil refinery in New Mexico as thick smoke emerged from the plant and drifted across parts of the city of Artesia before crews were able to extinguish the flames.
President Donald Trump has declined to say whether he plans to resume underground nuclear detonation tests. He had seemed to suggest that was a possibility in a social media post this week. The post raised concerns the U.S. would begin testing nuclear weapons for the first time in three decades. The president told reporters, "You'll find out very soon" when he was asked about it. Trump said, "We're going to do some testing" and "Other countries do it. If they're going to do it, we're going to." But he refused to offer more details. He spoke aboard Air Force One as he headed to Florida on Friday for the weekend.
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Police on Friday were investigating a burglary at a home reported to belong to the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander that happened while the NBA's reigning MVP was playing a game the night before.
FBI Director Kash Patel says federal officials have arrested multiple people in Michigan who had allegedly been plotting a violent attack over the Halloween weekend. Patel announced the arrests in a social media post, saying they took place Friday morning. FBI and state police were in a neighborhood near Fordson High School in Dearborn and also in Inkster. Two people briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press that authorities believe the plot was inspired by Islamic State extremism.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Back from a week abroad, President Donald Trump threw himself into the shutdown debate, calling on the Senate to scrap the filibuster and reopen the government, an idea swiftly rejected Friday by Republican leaders who have long opposed such a move.
President Donald Trump wants Republicans in the Senate to kill a longstanding rule called the filibuster. The rule effectively requires that at least 60 senators out of the chamber’s 100 members agree for most bills to move forward. Right now, there are only 53 Republican senators. The rule has been around since the mid-1800s. Trump says Republicans should get rid of it so they can end the government shutdown without any support from Democrats. But majority Republicans have strongly resisted calls to eliminate the legislative filibuster, since it would dilute their power if and when they are in the minority again.
President Donald Trump said Thursday plans to resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time in 30 years "will be announced," but offered no further details. The U.S. tests its missiles, but has not done an explosion test on nuclear warheads since 1992.
Officials say at least 15 JetBlue passengers were injured after a sudden drop in altitude forced an emergency landing in Florida. The Thursday flight from Cancun to Newark, New Jersey, was diverted to Tampa International Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration says the flight crew experienced “a flight control issue” and that it is investigating. A spokesperson for the local fire department said Friday that between 15 and 20 passengers were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. JetBlue says it has taken the Airbus A320 out of service for inspection and will investigate the cause.
FORT COLLINS, Colo (AP) — President Donald Trump's efforts to help the U.S. coal industry at home are being undermined by falling sales abroad amid his trade war with China, new government reports show.
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