Unemployment claims fall to pandemic-era low, with 340,000 filing for aid
CBSN
Fewer American applied for jobless aid last week than at any time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a sign the job market continues to recover despite the latest coronavirus surge.
Some 340,000 people filed first-time unemployment benefits in the week ended August 28, the Labor Department said Thursday. That's 14,000 fewer than the prior week and the lowest number since March 14, 2020. Another 102,000 claims were for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, a federal program for gig workers and freelancers who don't qualify for traditional benefits. The weekly count of workers applying for aid has fallen steadily since topping 900,000 in early January. Still, a resurgence of the coronavirus fueled by the highly contagious Delta variant has clouded the economic outlook. COVID-19 cases are now surpassing 135,000 a day, up from fewer than 12,000 in early July.
A judge in Maryland has blocked for now the mass firings of probationary federal workers and ordered thousands of fired probationary workers to be reinstated, marking the second decision of its kind in a day.
In the past year, over 135 million passengers traveled to the U.S. from other countries. To infectious disease experts, that represents 135 million chances for an outbreak to begin. To identify and stop the next potential pandemic, government disease detectives have been discreetly searching for viral pathogens in wastewater from airplanes. Experts are worried that these efforts may not be enough.
Washington — Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he hopes dialogue can resolve the trade war between the U.S. and the European Union after President Trump Thursday threatened to impose 200% retaliatory tariffs on European wines and alcohols.
A former local mafia boss died Wednesday after he was shot in his car in the middle of a busy highway near the French city of Grenoble, local authorities and sources close to the case told French news agency AFP.
The Social Security Administration could soon lose as many as 10,000 workers, according to former agency leaders who expect a large portion of federal workers to accept a buyout offer from the agency.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a review of military standards, including physical fitness, body composition and grooming. It's a review Hegseth promised during his confirmation hearing when questioned about his statements he's made that military standards have eroded.
Washington — Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva of Arizona died Thursday morning after "a long and brave battle" against cancer, according to his office.
Dollar General has a particularly clear view into the pocketbooks of low-income Americans, given those shoppers are the discount retailer's core customer base. And some are so financially pinched they can no longer afford basic necessities, the chain relayed on Thursday.
President Trump has made a number of inaccurate claims about Canada in the past week as he imposed new tariff hikes on the country and touted his plans for more.
Those who glance up at the sky tonight will have an opportunity to catch the March 2025 "Blood Moon," a phenomenon that colors the full moon in shades of red, orange and yellow during a total lunar eclipse.
A 37-year-old man died after falling from a chairlift that was having a mechanical problem at a Montana ski area, according to local authorities and a spokesperson for Red Lodge Mountain.
The White House is withdrawing former Florida Rep. Dave Weldon's nomination to be the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a White House official confirmed Thursday.
The Federal Trade Commission asked a federal judge on Wednesday to delay a trial in a case accusing Amazon of using deceptive practices in its Prime subscription program, citing staffing and budgetary challenges at the government agency.