5 d. ago The Latest: Belated jobs report likely shows sluggish hiring

During the 43-day U.S. government shutdown, investors, businesses, policymakers and the Federal Reserve were groping in the dark for clues about the health of the American job market

Politics

6 d. ago What to know about expanded work requirements about to kick in for SNAP

SNAP food benefits are flowing again after a pause during the federal government shutdown

Politics

7 d. ago How US evangelicals are using Trump’s aid cuts to attack human rights in Africa

As Donald Trump's aid cuts leave African health programmes scrambling, The Independent pieces together events at a number of conferences where American religious organisations are looking to move in to shape the future. Rachel Schraer reports

Politics

7 d. ago Inside the US evangelical push into Africa in vacuum left by Trump’s aid cuts – as activists fear for human rights

As Donald Trump's aid cuts leave African health programmes scrambling, The Independent pieces together events at a number of conferences where American religious organisations are looking to move in to shape the future. Rachel Schraer reports

Politics

8 d. ago Tribal colleges face uncertainty after federal cuts and historic shutdown, in photos

Tribal citizens are among communities navigating the impacts of massive cuts in federal spending and the effects of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Although a pre-shutdown funding increase for tribal colleges and universities was welcome news, college leaders are uneasy about the country's financial commitments.

Culture

8 d. ago Tribal college leaders are uneasy about US financial commitments despite a funding increase

Tribal citizens are among communities navigating the impacts of massive cuts in federal spending and the effects of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history

Politics

1 week ago Government will release September jobs report next week, ending data drought from federal shutdown

The Labor Department will release its numbers on September hiring and unemployment next Thursday, a month and a half late, marking the beginning of the end of a data drought caused by the 43-day federal government shutdown

Politics

1 week ago The Latest: Federal offices reopen as the government shutdown ends

President Donald Trump has signed a government funding bill, ending a record 43-day shutdown that caused financial stress for federal workers who went without paychecks, stranded scores of travelers at airports and generated long lines at some food banks

Politics

1 week ago Arizona’s Adelita Grijalva sworn in after seven weeks in move that triggers Epstein vote

Mike Johnson, the House speaker, had prevented the representative from taking her seat after a special electionArizona Democratic Adelita Grijalva was sworn in by Mike Johnson, the US House speaker, on Wednesday, ending a contentious seven-week standoff that prevented the incoming representative from taking her seat and clearing the path for a vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files.House Democrats burst into applause on the House floor when Grijalva took the oath of office during a ceremonial swearing in, shortly before the chamber was poised to take up legislation that would end the longest federal government shutdown in US history. The ceremony comes seven weeks after Grijalva won a late September special election to succeed her father, the longtime representative Raúl Grijalva, who died in March. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Arizona’s Adelita Grijalva sworn in after seven weeks in move that could force Epstein vote

Mike Johnson, the House speaker, had prevented the representative from taking her seat after a special electionArizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva was sworn in by Mike Johnson, the US House speaker, on Wednesday, ending a seven-week standoff that prevented the incoming congresswoman from taking her seat and clearing the path for a vote to release the Jeffrey Epstein files.House Democrats burst into applause on the House floor when Grijalva took the oath of office during a ceremonial swearing in, shortly before the chamber was poised to take up legislation that would end the longest federal government shutdown in US history. The ceremony comes 49 days after Grijalva won a late September special election to succeed her father, the longtime congressman Raúl Grijalva, who died in March. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Small grocers and convenience stores feel an impact as customers go without SNAP benefits

Some small grocery stores and neighborhood convenience stores are eager for the U.S. government shutdown to end and for their customers to start receiving federal food aid again

Economics

1 week ago Federal shutdown creates uncertainty for Maine cancer patient struggling to stay warm

The federal government shutdown has created delays in some states when it comes to the federal program that helps millions of families heat and cool their homes

Events

2 w. ago Cancellations and delays expected as US rolls out deeper cuts to flights

As of Tuesday, more than 1,100 flights had been canceled, and more than 540 had been delayedAir travelers should expect worsening cancellations and delays this week even if the US government shutdown ends, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rolled out deeper cuts to flights at 40 of the nation’s major airports Tuesday, officials said.The FAA ordered domestic airlines last week to drop 4% of their flights at the airports in question, saying absences and signs of stress among traffic controllers made it imperative to act in the name of public safety. After already canceling more than 7,900 since Friday, the goal for cutting flights is set to rise to 6% on Tuesday – and again to 10% on Friday. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago US flight cancellations and delays to get worse even if shutdown ends

As of Tuesday, more than 1,100 flights had been canceled, and more than 540 had been delayedAir travelers should expect worsening cancellations and delays this week even if the US government shutdown ends, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rolled out deeper cuts to flights at 40 of the nation’s major airports Tuesday, officials said.The FAA ordered domestic airlines last week to drop 4% of their flights at the airports in question, saying absences and signs of stress among traffic controllers made it imperative to act in the name of public safety. After already canceling more than 7,900 since Friday, the goal for cutting flights is set to rise to 6% on Tuesday – and again to 10% on Friday. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Shutdown to leave mark on US economy from lost paychecks, canceled flights

The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history appears to be nearing an end, but not without leaving a mark on an already-struggling economy

Economics

2 w. ago Nearly a century of celebrating Veterans Day – its original name may surprise you

Congress made Nov. 11 an official federal holiday in 1938

Politics

2 w. ago A new start after 60: I found my feet in midlife, became a park ranger at 85 – and retired happily at 100

At 104, Betty Reid Soskin has had the most extraordinary life, from protest singing to civil rights activism to meeting the Obamas. She reflects on what it takes to stay strong and keep goingBetty Reid Soskin was 92 when she first went viral and became, in effect, a rock star of the National Park Service. She was the oldest full-time national park ranger in the US – this was back in 2013; she’d become a ranger at 85 – but she had been furloughed along with 800,000 other federal employees during the government shutdown. News channels flocked to interview her. She was aggrieved not to be working, she told them; she had a job to do.“In a funny way, I suppose that started lots of things,” Soskin says. Her memoir, Sign My Name to Freedom, was published in 2018, and a documentary about her work, No Time to Waste, was released in 2020. Another film is in the works. Barack Obama called her “profoundly inspiring”. Annie Leibovitz photographed her. Glamour magazine named her woman of the year...

Politics

2 w. ago US Senate takes steps toward vote to end historic federal shutdown

Senators plan to vote on advancing House-passed stopgap funding bill, suggesting end to 40-day shutdown in reachThe US Senate on Sunday moved toward a vote on reopening the federal government, suggesting that an end to the historic shutdown, now in its 40th day, is within reach.Senators plan to vote on advancing a House-passed stopgap funding bill as early as Sunday night, with the understanding that it would be amended to combine a short-term funding measure with a package of three full-year appropriations bills, the Senate’s Republican majority leader, John Thune, said. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago Thanksgiving air traffic could 'slow to a trickle' if shutdown persists, transport secretary says

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns that U.S. air traffic could slow significantly if the federal government shutdown continues into the Thanksgiving travel season

Society

2 w. ago US flight cancellations rise as Sean Duffy warns travel could reduce to a ‘trickle’

Over 2,500 flights cancelled as transportation secretary says flight reductions could reach 20% if shutdown persistsFlight cancellations and delays are set to grow as airline passengers across the United States spent the weekend grappling with those issues at major airports nationwide after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated a 4% reduction in air traffic in response to the ongoing federal government shutdown.If the shutdown continues, the FAA has instructed airlines to cut 6% of flights on Tuesday – and to do the same to 10% by 14 November. The transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, has warned that flight reductions could reach 20% if the shutdown persists, and on Sunday he predicted a “substantial” number of people in the US would be unable to celebrate the upcoming holidays with their families if the shutdown wasn’t resolved.The Associated Press and Reuters contributed reporting Continue reading...

Events