AURN News

The Trump administration just flushed the nation's first environmental justice, civil rights settlement, literally. The Department of Justice has terminated a historic agreement that aimed to fix raw sewage issues in Alabama's majority-Black Lowndes County. This follows President Donald Trump's new executive order banning all federal programs tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), including environmental justice.

The settlement, reached under the Biden administration, required Alabama to address unsanitary conditions that left poor Black families living with human waste in their yards due to failing or non-existent sewage systems. It wasn’t symbolic — it was about survival.

Under the Biden-era settlement, the DOJ had even agreed to pause criminal penalties against families too poor to fix their own septic systems. But now, Trump’s DOJ says the deal was tainted by DEI preferences.

The state says it might continue the work as funding allows, but without federal pressure, the pace is — of course — as slow as the soil is thick.

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President Donald Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele discussed the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a man who was wrongfully deported to El Salvador — during a meeting in the Oval Office.

Bukele made it clear he would not assist in returning Garcia to the U.S., claiming it would be like smuggling a terrorist back into the country.

Trump nodded in agreement, signaling his support for Bukele’s stance.

Garcia's case is complicated. A prior court ruling had protected him from deportation, yet he now finds himself in a Salvadoran prison.

Although the Supreme Court instructed the administration to help facilitate Garcia’s return, the Justice Department argued that such decisions rest solely with the president — effectively deflecting responsibility back to Bukele.

Critics have raised alarms about the Trump administration's approach to deportation, often branding migrants as gang members based on flimsy evidence such as tattoos.

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On April 14, 1955, Elston Howard made history by becoming the first African American player to join the New York Yankees, breaking the team’s color barrier nearly a decade after Jackie Robinson integrated Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Howard began his professional career with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League at age 19. Two years later, he signed with the Yankees and played in their minor league system before being called up.

In addition to his groundbreaking debut, Howard went on to become the first African American player to win the American League Most Valuable Player award, earning the honor in 1963. His legacy paved the way for future generations in pinstripes and beyond.

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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is raising alarms in the scientific community. Kennedy declared during a recent cabinet meeting with President Trump that by September — just five months away — the federal government will determine the cause of autism and begin eliminating exposures he claims are to blame.

Trump echoed the tone of Kennedy’s remarks, stating, "There’s gotta be something artificial out there that’s doing this."

But here’s the problem: the science doesn’t agree. While the root causes of autism remain complex, researchers widely agree it's influenced by a combination of genetics and environmental factors such as parental age and prenatal exposures — not vaccines.

That vaccine-autism link has been repeatedly debunked by decades of peer-reviewed studies. Still, under Kennedy’s leadership, the CDC has been ordered to reinvestigate vaccines and autism. Meanwhile, top FDA vaccine official Dr. Peter Marks resigned, accusing Kennedy of pushing misinformation and lies.

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(AURN News) — A new poll is providing fresh insight into voters' mixed feelings about President Donald Trump's tariff war and his overall handling of the economy as he is set to approach the 100-day mark of his second term at the end of the month.

A recent Quinnipiac University poll shows 72% of voters believe the tariffs will hurt the economy in the short term. Additionally, 53% say they expect the tariffs to cause economic harm over the long term. Among Republicans, 44% think the tariffs will hurt the economy in the short term, and 77% of independents agree.

On the subject of Trump's performance, his approval rating has slipped slightly, falling from 42% in March to 41% in April. 

The economy, a critical issue in the 2024 election, appears to be a point of concern: 55% of voters disapprove of Trump's handling of economic matters. When asked specifically about trade, only 39% approve of the president's performance.

Quinnipiac University conducted the poll with voters nationwide between April 3 and 7.

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The Supreme Court just told the Trump administration it must facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — a Maryland father wrongly deported to El Salvador, where he’s now locked in a notorious prison. But here’s the catch: the court stopped short of saying he actually has to be brought back.

The ruling keeps a federal judge’s order in place — but asks her to clarify how far the government must go. The original judge told the administration to “effectuate” his return, but the high court said that language might go too far. Now, Trump officials must show what they're doing to fix their mistake.

Abrego's 2019 immigration ruling barred his deportation due to gang threats, yet ICE agents deported him anyway. Now, the DOJ claims he's MS-13 — a charge his lawyers call bogus. He has no criminal record and is the father of three children with special needs living in the U.S.

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On April 11, 1881, classes began in the basement of an Atlanta church at what was then known as the Atlanta Baptist Female Seminary. Sponsored by the American Baptist Women’s Home Mission Society, this modest beginning marked the foundation of what would become Spelman College, one of the nation’s premier institutions for African American women.

Spelman is consistently ranked among the top liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report and as one of the best women’s colleges by Forbes. The Rockefeller family, especially Laura Spelman Rockefeller, provided significant financial support. In 1924, the school was renamed in her honor.

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President Donald Trump's posts on Truth Social triggered market volatility and raised legal concerns hours before he announced a 90-day pause on tariffs. Trump wrote, "BE COOL! Everything is going to work out well," followed by, "This is a great time to buy!!!" prompting immediate market reactions.

Following Trump's posts—but before the China tariff reversal became public—the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 8%, the S&P 500 increased 9%, and the Nasdaq Composite surged 12%. Democrats are now raising questions about who profited from these market fluctuations and the legality of Trump's actions.

Before addressing reporters, Trump was overheard on a microphone discussing financial gains: "Charles Schwab, he made 2.5 billion today, and he made 900 million."

Sen. Chris Murphy described the situation as a potential insider trading scandal.

"I have questions about the tariff announcements, who benefited and who made money, because this could be an enormous scam," Murphy said.

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House Republicans are moving forward with a controversial bill that critics say is a backdoor attempt at voter suppression. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act would require Americans to provide documentary proof of citizenship in person to register for federal elections.

However, it's already illegal for noncitizens to vote, and data show voter fraud is exceedingly rare. Multiple audits, including those in Georgia and North Carolina, found only a few cases among millions of voters. So why introduce this bill? It aligns with a Trump-backed executive order and continues longstanding MAGA rhetoric on voter fraud.

The Brennan Center estimates this bill could prevent up to 21 million eligible citizens from registering—primarily those lacking easy access to required documents. Women who've changed their names due to marriage would face additional bureaucratic hurdles proving their identities. Additionally, the legislation would eliminate online and mail-in voter registration, disproportionately affecting rural voters who may need to drive hours just to register.

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(AURN News) — No, you aren't imagining the recent rise at the pump. Gasoline prices have jumped notably over the past month, adding to existing concerns about inflation and the economic impacts of President Donald Trump’s ongoing tariff war.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) reports the current national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.22, an increase from $3.08 just one month ago.

The cost of gasoline varies significantly across the country.

Texas drivers now pay an average of $2.82 per gallon, up from $2.69 last month. Pennsylvania motorists have seen prices rise to $3.38 per gallon from $3.25 a month earlier. California continues to have some of the highest gas prices nationwide, averaging $4.92 per gallon, compared to $4.71 last month.

AAA attributed the recent price hike to seasonal factors. Last week, the organization reported refinery maintenance and the annual transition to summer-blend gasoline as primary reasons behind the increase.

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