AURN News

President Donald Trump has tapped Katie Zacharia to serve as his next White House press secretary, replacing Karoline Leavitt, who stepped down Aug. 27 to spend more time with her children. Zacharia currently serves as a senior communications adviser at Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind Truth Social, and previously worked at the Department of Homeland Security. No official start date has been announced. Her selection comes amid mounting scrutiny over restrictions on White House press access and Trump's treatment of journalists. Meanwhile, Leavitt remains an outside adviser to Trump and is scheduled to join Fox News as a contributor Nov. 1, just two days before the midterm elections.

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Curtis Flowers, a Black man who spent nearly 23 years imprisoned in Mississippi, has died at 56. Flowers faced six trials for the 1996 murders of four people and maintained his innocence throughout. Four convictions were overturned, and two trials ended in mistrials. In 2019, the Supreme Court overturned his latest conviction, ruling that racial discrimination had tainted jury selection. Flowers was released later that year, and all charges were dropped in 2020. His cause of death has not been announced.

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is investigating Wells Fargo's initiatives to expand Black homeownership. HUD Secretary Scott Turner said lending decisions based on race may violate the Fair Housing Act, though no violation has been established. In 2017, Wells Fargo pledged $60 billion in mortgage lending to help create at least 250,000 Black homeowners by 2027. The National Fair Housing Alliance argues that federal law permits special-purpose credit programs and warns the investigation could discourage lenders from supporting underserved communities.

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Donald Trump's effort to ban CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House remains blocked as a federal judge considers longer-term protections for their access. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly heard arguments Thursday over whether the restrictions violate the First Amendment and due process protections. Attorneys for the news organizations accuse the administration of punishing critical coverage, while the Justice Department defends the restrictions. Kelly intends to decide by Tuesday whether to extend the protections.

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Missy Elliott is bringing the inaugural Missy Elliott Presents HBCU Band Battle to Norfolk State University on Sunday, Oct. 18. The event will feature four HBCU marching bands: Norfolk State's Spartan Legion, Virginia State's Trojan Explosion, Hampton University's Marching Force and Elizabeth City State's Sound of Class. The celebration will also include the Missy Elliott Innovation Summit, highlighting music, technology, education and entrepreneurship.

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With 26 days until the midterms, the NAACP is asking a federal court to force the Trump administration to disclose its plans for election monitors. The organization filed an emergency records lawsuit after Attorney General Todd Blanche reportedly announced plans to deploy monitors to all 50 states. The NAACP says the Justice Department missed the deadline to respond to its public records request and is seeking details about the operation's legal authority, deployment locations and training materials. The group warns that federal election monitoring could intimidate eligible voters, particularly in Black communities.

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Three years after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, all hostages have been returned, but the crisis continues. More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel's military campaign, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, while about 1.4 million people are expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity through December. Israeli strikes have continued, Hamas has not fully disarmed and negotiations over Gaza's future remain stalled.

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Democracy Forward says newly obtained government records show ICE's Homeland Security Investigations probed voter registration nonprofits and considered undercover operations, with New Jersey and Pennsylvania listed as priorities. The group says HSI also obtained tens of millions of voter roll records as part of its investigations. Democracy Forward argues the federal scrutiny could discourage voter registration work and intimidate eligible voters ahead of the midterm elections.

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

R&B singer Freddie Jackson, best known for the 1985 hit "You Are My Lady," has died at 70. The Harlem native earned two Grammy nominations and built a career around romantic ballads that became staples of 1980s R&B. Jackson revealed in 2024 that he had been diagnosed with kidney disease and later partnered with the National Kidney Foundation to raise awareness. No cause of death has been announced.

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Donald Trump says he or his MAGA Inc. super PAC will fund future television ads promoting his administration following criticism over the use of taxpayer money. More recent reporting from The Associated Press says nearly $12 million worth of ads have already aired. Trump has not committed to reimbursing taxpayers, while Democratic lawmakers have called for investigations into $20 million in Homeland Security funding used to support the advertising.

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 Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.