Saudi Arabia shuts down a pipeline as Houthis seize an island, opening a new front in the Iran war
CAIRO (AP) — Saudi Arabia says it shut down a major pipeline a day after it was attacked by drones, and Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels captured a strategic island at the southern entrance to the Red Sea, two officials said, opening a new front in the Iran war. The Houthis made their biggest territorial gains in years along the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s key shipping lanes. The gains could boost Iran’s strategy of driving up world oil and gas prices to pressure the United States. Saudi Arabia said it had shut down the East-West pipeline as a precaution after the attack.
US diesel prices soar past $6 a gallon, deepening strain for hauling everyday goods
CHICAGO (AP) — Diesel prices in the U.S. has hit yet another record, soaring past $6 a gallon on average as Washington’s war with Iran disrupts the world’s flow of fuel. The national average of nearly $6.06 is up from $5.85 last week and almost $3.71 from this time last year, according to motor club AAA. Higher diesel prices mean more expensive transportation for a long list of everyday goods. That’s because diesel is used for many freight and delivery networks. And some businesses have already passed along steeper costs to consumers in the form of added fees.
Mississippi police arrest a man in the death of Tasia Fortune
Mississippi police have arrested a man in the death of Tasia Fortune, a Black woman found hanging from a tree last month. Police in Jackson told reporters Friday that the man was arrested after the state medical examiner’s office determined Thursday evening that the death was a homicide. Police discovered Fortune’s body hanging in the backyard of an abandoned home on Aug. 3. The police say the case is active and more warrants will be pending. Fortune’s mother says the family is in shock and still doesn't have a lot of answers. She says police did not share a motive or whether DNA led them to the arrest.
US marks 25 years since the Sept. 11 attacks
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. is commemorating the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that left nearly 3,000 people dead and the nation shaken. On Friday, people laid wreaths, flew flags, read victims' names and held moments of silence and vigils. In 2001, attackers took command of four commercial jets and rammed them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. On Friday, President Donald Trump attended a ceremony at the Pentagon. Former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden and current Vice President JD Vance went to ground zero in New York, where victims’ relatives read aloud the long list of names. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum laid a wreath at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania.
BRICS leaders meet in India as wars and US tensions test the bloc
NEW DELHI (AP) — Leaders of the BRICS nations are meeting in New Delhi for a summit focused on trade, investment and global conflicts. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hosting leaders from Russia, China, Iran and other member countries. The summit comes amid wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, along with rising U.S.-China tensions. The leaders are discussing economic cooperation, energy, food security, technology, and reducing reliance on the U.S. dollar. For India, the summit highlights its effort to maintain strategic ties with Russia and Iran while deepening relations with the U.S. and Europe. A key test for India will be securing a joint statement despite differences over the Iran war and ties with the U.S.
FACT FOCUS: A look at false and misleading claims during the Republican midterm convention
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and other Republican officials came together for a two-day convention this week to rally voters in advance of midterm elections in November. But in celebrating their accomplishments, they made several false and misleading claims, many of which have been stated repeatedly during Trump’s second term. They covered topics including the economy, healthcare and the 2020 election.
No relief from inflation as Middle East clashes lifts fuel prices to painful levels
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. inflation accelerated last month as gas prices spiked in the wake of renewed fighting in the Middle East, underscoring the affordability challenges that are top of mind for many voters as midterm elections near. The Labor Department said Friday that the consumer price index rose 3.4% last month compared with a year ago, the same as in July. But on a monthly basis, inflation accelerated, as costs jumped 0.4% from July to August, up from an increase of just 0.1% the previous month. The figures show that inflation remains stubbornly elevated, more than five years after prices first soared as the economy emerged from the COVID pandemic.
US stocks jump after oil prices ease and an inflation update comes in near expectations
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rebounded and clawed back much of their losses for the week after oil prices eased off their recent spurt. An update on inflation across the United States that came in close to economists’ expectations also helped calm the market Friday. The S&P 500 climbed 0.9% and broke a four-day losing streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1%. A drop of nearly 3% for Brent oil's price took some pressure off inflation, while expectations strengthened in the bond market for an upcoming hike to interest rates by the Federal Reserve.
Convicted sex offender offered opening prayer at rally for GOP Senate nominee in North Carolina
A North Carolina pastor who led the opening prayer at a recent campaign stop for Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley is a registered sex offender, twice sentenced to prison. Records show pastor Daimon L. King was convicted in 1998 and again in 2010 for offenses involving children. Democrats have hammered Whatley over his ties to another sex offender who served in the state GOP when Whatley was chairman. The episode comes at a critical time in a marquee Senate race that could help decide which party controls the chamber. It risks undermining one of Whatley’s central campaign arguments — that his Democratic opponent, former Gov. Roy Cooper, is soft on crime.
CIA releases dozens of presidential daily briefs on bin Laden and al-Qaida before Sept. 11
Several dozen presidential briefing documents have been declassified on the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. These documents detail intelligence gathered about Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida leading up to the hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 people and upended American national security. The records trace CIA analysts’ evolving understanding of al-Qaida and their efforts to warn of bin Laden’s attack plotting. CIA Director John Ratcliffe calls Friday's release “an act of exceptional transparency.” The documents include reports from April 1998 to Sept. 12, 2001. They don't appear to break any new ground on the planning of the attacks or on U.S. officials’ understanding of how they had unfolded.
