AURN News

Several Democrats are calling on President Biden to step down in the upcoming election and are discussing his viability after his poor debate against Trump nearly two weeks ago.

But at the Global Black Economic Forum panel at Essence Fest this past weekend, Congresswoman Maxine Waters had this to say:

"Trump has told you who he is. He defined himself. He is a no good, deplorable, lying, despicable human being. And he's talking about if he doesn't win, there's gonna be a bloodbath, there's gonna be violence, there's gonna be a civil war. Do we have to talk about the difference between these two? Now I want to tell you no matter what anybody says, it ain't gonna be no other Democratic candidate. It's gonna be Biden and we better know it."

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Jaden Smith, born July 8, 1998, celebrates his 26th birthday today. As an actor, musician, and activist, Smith has made significant strides in various fields from a young age.

He gained early fame through roles in films like "The Pursuit of Happyness" alongside his father, Will Smith, and "The Karate Kid."

Beyond acting, Jaden has carved out a niche in the music industry with his unique style, releasing several albums that blend hip-hop, R&B, and experimental sounds. He is also known for his environmental and social activism, championing causes such as sustainable living and access to clean water.

As he enters his mid-20s, Jaden Smith continues to influence and inspire with his creativity, versatility, and commitment to making a positive impact on the world.

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President Biden is in Madison, Wisconsin today, rallying support and gearing up for a pivotal interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulos. The visit is seen as crucial for Biden, who's striving to recover from a shaky debate performance against former President Donald Trump, sparking concerns about his readiness for another term.

The interview, expected to be very rigorous, will air tonight on ABC and could significantly impact his campaign. Biden has been prepping, intensively aware that another slip-up could further dent his public confidence. Amid growing calls from some Democrats for him to step aside, Biden is determined to prove he remains the best candidate to challenge Trump.

The president plans to emphasize his achievements and vision for safeguarding democracy, the economy, and citizens' rights. After Wisconsin, Biden will head to Pennsylvania to continue his campaign efforts.

The outcome of these engagements will be closely watched, as they could either bolster his re-election bid or amplify calls for new leadership within the Democratic Party.

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(AURN News) — The U.S. job market showed signs of weakening in June, with the unemployment rate climbing to 4.1 percent, up from 3.6 percent a year ago, according to the latest Labor Department report released Friday morning. The economic downturn has hit Black Americans particularly hard. The Black unemployment rate surged to 6.3 percent, a significant increase from 5.6 percent back in April. This compares to 3.5 percent for White workers and 4.9 percent for Hispanic workers, maintaining the unfortunately long-standing pattern of higher joblessness among African Americans.

Despite the overall rise in unemployment, the economy added 206,000 jobs in June. Wages saw a modest uptick, with average hourly earnings increasing by 10 cents to $35.00. The average workweek held steady at 34.3 hours for the third consecutive month. This latest report raises concerns about the strength of the labor market and could influence future Federal Reserve decisions regarding the fight against inflation. The Federal Reserve’s FOMC minutes recently indicated a long road to recovery when it comes to getting inflation down to the 2 percent target goal.

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(AURN News) — The Federal Reserve's recently released minutes from its June Federal Open Market Committee meeting paint a picture of modest progress in the fight against inflation, coupled with a robust stock market and varied credit conditions across different sectors of the economy. The information found in the minutes is extremely important as they provide insight into the decision-making process that has gone into how to deal with the major inflation the country has seen for years now. 

The minutes show that while financial markets have shown some improvement, particularly in equity prices, overall progress in curbing inflation has been limited. "Financial conditions eased modestly over the intermeeting period mainly because of higher equity prices," the minutes stated, noting that conditions have changed little since March but eased notably since last fall.

Stock markets have performed well, with the Fed noting “broad stock price indexes increased substantially, on net, amid a positive investor outlook on corporate profits and economic activity," according to the minutes.

Corporate borrowing remains strong, with the Fed saying that “financing was readily accessible for public corporations and large and middle-market private corporations through capital markets and nonbank lenders." However, the situation differs for average consumers. The minutes reported that “consumer credit remained generally available over the intermeeting period despite some signs of tightening. In the residential mortgage market, access to credit was little changed and continued to depend on borrowers' credit risk attributes.”

Looking ahead, the committee projects that inflation will "decline further in 2025 and 2026," with expectations that both total and core PCE price inflation will approach 2 percent by 2026. Committee members acknowledged the lack of substantial progress in recent months, stating, "After a significant decline in inflation during the second half of 2023, the early part of this year had seen a lack of further progress toward the Committee's 2 percent objective. Participants judged that although inflation remained elevated, there had been modest further progress toward the 2 percent goal in recent months."

The major takeaway from the Fed’s notes is that we may need to brace for continued inflation issues through next year and potentially into 2026.

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On July 5, 1975, Arthur Ashe made history as the first Black man to win Wimbledon, defeating defending champion Jimmy Connors. Ashe had earlier claimed victory at the U.S. Open in 1968.

Off the court, he distinguished himself as a vocal activist, advocating for the end of apartheid in South Africa and protesting the treatment of Haitian refugees in the United States. Ashe also founded multiple charities focused on AIDS research.

His tennis career ended abruptly in 1980 following a heart attack he suffered the year before. In 1993, Ashe publicly revealed that he had contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion during his heart surgery in 1983.

He passed away on February 6, 1993, at 46, leaving a lasting legacy in sports, activism, and humanitarianism.

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If you're planning a barbecue for this Fourth of July, it might cost you a bit more this year. According to the American Farm Bureau, the average cost for a backyard cookout for 10 people has risen to $71.22. That's up 5% from last year and 30% from five years ago.

Meat will be the most expensive part of your meal, with two pounds of ground beef costing $12.77, up 11%. Pork chops and chicken breasts have also seen price hikes, though chicken is down 4% from last year.

Other staples like hamburger buns, ice cream, and freshly squeezed lemonade have all increased in price, with lemonade seeing a 12% rise due to lemon supply issues. Despite these hikes, potato salad costs have dropped 4%.

Prices vary across the country, with the West seeing the highest costs. The increase reflects broader inflation trends and challenges with the food supply chain, making this the most expensive Fourth of July barbecue yet.

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Today is July Fourth, Independence Day, coming at a time when many feel like democracy has been upended. This Fourth of July also comes just two days after the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act being passed and the observance of the 119th birthday of the first Black Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall.

AURN's Ebony McMorris spoke with Rev. Al Sharpton about how for Black America, this day is a little different.

"The country was not only settled with but embraced slavery before they even embraced the Bill of Rights or Constitution. And so we need to understand that is that July Fourth was never our holiday because we were enslaved in servitude when they met in Philadelphia. Our days came later, and we're yet to be where we ought to be," said Sharpton.

He went on to talk about the great strides Americans have made but insisted that we must keep pushing for democracy.

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(AURN News) — Recently, AURN News reported how a new poll shows that in a hypothetical matchup between former President Donald Trump and several names swirling around as replacements for President Joe Biden, Trump still comes out on top. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll has now thrust former First Lady Michelle Obama into the spotlight as a potential game-changer for the Democratic Party in the 2024 presidential race. The survey, released Tuesday, indicates that Obama could be the party's strongest contender against former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical matchup. The poll shows Obama outperforming Trump among registered voters by a substantial margin of 50% to 39%. This 11-point lead stands in stark contrast to the performance of other prominent Democrats, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

In a head-to-head contest, Harris narrowly trails Trump, with 42% support compared to Trump's 43%. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden finds himself in a dead heat with the former president, both garnering 40% support among registered voters. These results come at a time of increasing concern within the Democratic Party about Biden's prospects for re-election following the first presidential debate. The same poll reveals that a staggering 74% of registered voters believe Biden is too old to work in government.

While Michelle Obama has repeatedly stated she has no interest in running for office, her strong performance in this hypothetical matchup has reignited discussions about her political future. The poll results also highlight the ongoing challenge Democrats face in finding a candidate who can effectively counter Trump's enduring appeal, especially if they decide to remove Biden from the ticket or he chooses to step down. Despite legal challenges including recent felony convictions and controversies surrounding Trump, he continues to maintain a strong base of support.

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With growing calls for President Joe Biden not to seek reelection coming from the left and right following a poor debate that showed him having difficulty getting through his thoughts and words, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, during the White House press briefing, fought back questions on the president's health, viability to run, and whether he should step down.

"We understand the concerns, we get it, the president did not have a great night. The president had a cold, he had a hoarse voice. You all heard it. But I will say this, he knows how to do the job. And not because he says it, because his record proves it," said Jean-Pierre.

One reporter even asked if the president was experiencing early signs of dementia. To which she responded, "No."

This week the president will meet with Hill leaders and Democratic governors and attempt to regain their confidence. He'll travel to Wisconsin on Wednesday and conduct a sit-down interview with George Stephanopoulos for ABC while on the campaign trail. This weekend, he'll be in Philadelphia.

Jean-Pierre said the majority of Americans support the work that the president is doing and assured the press that the president is staying in the race.

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