Author: Lester Holt

Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot while speaking at an outdoor event during his nationwide “American Comeback Tour.” The tour, organized by the conservative group he co-founded, Turning Point USA, includes at least 15 stops across the United States. The first event drew about 3,000 attendees and began just after noon local time (18:10 GMT). Before the event, a petition called for the university hosting the talk to block Kirk from speaking. However, the university allowed him to speak under its free speech policies. Moments after the shooting, surveillance video captured from a nearby building shows an individual running across the…

LONG BEACH, Calif. — A cargo vessel at the Port of Long Beach experienced a container collapse on Tuesday, disrupting terminal operations and prompting an immediate response from authorities. Around 67 containers shifted or fell from the ship Mississippi while it was docked at Pier G, officials said. The event occurred near midday, and fortunately, no workers were hurt. A Unified Command including port officials and the U.S. Coast Guard mobilized to secure the scene, assess environmental risks, and coordinate recovery efforts. Pier G remained closed until the area could be stabilized. “The safety of our staff and the harbor…

WASHINGTON, Sept 9 — The U.S. labor market is showing clear signs of deceleration, with August job gains slowing significantly and the unemployment rate climbing to a level not seen since late 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Nonfarm payrolls increased by just 22,000 last month, a sharp drop from the roughly 147,000 monthly gains reported earlier in the year. June’s numbers were revised down to a loss of 13,000 jobs, marking the first monthly decline since December 2020. Over the past four months, average monthly job growth has been only 27,000, signaling a marked slowdown in…

Penn State campuses across the commonwealth will host events from mid-September through October to honor National Hispanic Heritage Month. Observed annually from September 15 to October 15, this celebration recognizes the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. This year’s theme is “History, Heritage, Hope.” Hispanic Heritage Month began in 1968 when Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, timed to coincide with the independence anniversaries of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In 1989, Congress expanded the observance to a month, highlighting the culture and traditions…

Six senators from the western United States have expressed strong support for California legislation aimed at transforming the state’s energy market. In a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom, the lawmakers emphasized that the bill could lead to improved grid reliability and lower energy costs for consumers. The proposed legislation seeks to reshape the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) market into a broader, independent regional energy market. This shift is expected to help stabilize power supply, especially during peak demand periods. The senators highlighted that a regional energy market could enhance collaboration among neighboring states. By coordinating energy resources across state…

Lower court injunction blockedThe Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Trump administration, allowing federal immigration agents to resume operations in Southern California that had been temporarily halted. This ruling suspends a July 11 order from U.S. District Judge Maame Frimpong, who had found that the government’s enforcement practices likely violated Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. Accusations of profiling and abuseThe lawsuit alleged that masked, armed federal officers carried out stops targeting individuals based on race, ethnicity, or the way they spoke. Plaintiffs described the raids as abrupt and forceful, resembling kidnappings in public spaces. One…

Mitsotakis launches new family and youth support program Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has introduced a €1.6 billion initiative aimed at tackling Greece’s shrinking population. Speaking at the Thessaloniki International Fair, he said the program is designed to ease the financial burden on families and provide incentives for young people to remain in the country. Scheduled to start in 2026, the measures include broad reductions in income taxes, targeted benefits for larger households, property tax relief in rural and island areas, and extra assistance for pensioners and households facing high living costs. Demographic trends highlight urgency The government’s announcement comes as…

Regulators Cite Unfair Advantage The European Commission has imposed a €2.95 billion fine on Google, finding that the company misused its dominant role in digital advertising. Investigators said Google steered business toward its own ad exchange and publisher platforms, limiting competition and reducing options for advertisers and media organizations. 60-Day Window to Submit Remedies Brussels has instructed Google to present a corrective plan within 60 days. Authorities warned that insufficient proposals could lead to stricter interventions, including the possible separation of parts of Google’s advertising operations. Google confirmed it will appeal the ruling, maintaining that its tools support publishers and…

September 4, 2025 — Washington, D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, faced a barrage of pointed questions Thursday in a Senate Finance Committee session. Senators scrutinized his stance on vaccines, his handling of leadership at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and his long history of contentious remarks on health policy. Immediate Confrontation From the start, the atmosphere was charged. Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) condemned Kennedy’s repeated questioning of vaccines, warning that it endangered lives. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) demanded his resignation outright, labeling him a threat to the nation’s well-being. Republican Senator…

Funding Freeze Overturned A federal court in Massachusetts has invalidated the Trump administration’s decision to block more than $2.2 billion in research funds allocated to Harvard University. Judge Allison Burroughs delivered the ruling on September 3, ordering that the grants be reinstated and prohibiting the government from suspending them again. The freeze, which began in the spring, had jeopardized a wide array of research in medicine, technology, and the sciences. Political Motives Highlighted in Opinion Burroughs’ 84-page judgment concluded that the cancellation of the grants ran afoul of constitutional protections and federal law. She found that the move was rooted…