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The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has revealed that the unemployment rate for Black people is now at its highest level since 2021. According to the latest data, the unemployment rate for the demographic rose to 7.5% in August, increasing from 7.2% in July.

What is the reason for the increasing rate of unemployment for Black people?

Julie Su, former acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor under President Joe Biden, is one of many economists who blame Donald Trump’s policies for the rising unemployment rate.

“Once again, the proof is in the numbers: Donald Trump is the worst president for workers we’ve seen in generations,” Su said, per The Grio.  “Donald Trump’s War on Workers may be playing well with his billionaire buddies, but it’s leaving everyone else less stable, less secure, and poorer.”

Economists specifically point to Trump’s tariffs and his effort to slash the federal workforce.

“Trump told Black Americans that immigrants were a threat to their jobs. The truth is, it’s Trump’s own policies that are crushing opportunity,” Brandon Weathersby, a spokesperson for American Bridge 21st Century, a Democratic research firm, told The Grio. “Families everywhere are struggling, and no one is feeling that failure more than Black workers, especially Black women, who continue to bear the brunt of his broken promises. Trump promised prosperity, but what he delivered is an economy rigged against the most vulnerable.”

Researchers have revealed that Black women are particularly impacted by the federal cuts. According to MSNBC, about 300,000 Black women lost their jobs in a three-month span this year. Many of them lost their jobs due to Trump’s effort to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) intiatives and politices.

Speaking to The Grio, Democratic strategist Joel Payne said the current state of the economy was predictable when Trump was elected.

“Democrats talked about what Donald Trump was going to do. He was pretty transparent when caught on the hot mic a couple of times about who he was building this economy for,” Payne said, per theGrio.  “He wasn’t building this economy for Black workers, and I think we’re seeing the result of that.”

What is the latest national unemployment rate?

The latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the national unemployment rate continues to increase. Per the data, the national unemployment rate rose to 4.3%, with a mere 22,000 new jobs created on the job market.

“Black unemployment is often routinely double white unemployment, but the gap has been narrowing in recent years following the pandemic, as unemployment fell for all workers,” Angela Hanks, Chief of Policy Programs at The Century Foundation and former Department of Labor official, told theGrio. “This jobs report concerningly shows that gap is widening, with rising Black unemployment disproportionately driving that gap.” 

Rahjah Ke’ Morton, the 23-year-old son of Keke Wyatt, is calling out his mother for failing to support him after he was diagnosed with cancer. Morton allges that Wyatt appeared to be supportive in public, but she was only exploiting his condition for “personal gain” and “attention.”

What did Rahjah Ke’ Morton say about his relationship with his mother?

Morton spoke out about his mother when he participated in the “put a finger down” challenge on TikTok. As he joined the challenge, the 23-year-old alleged that his mother believes that cancer is her son’s karma for being gay.

 “Put a finger down if you were diagnosed with cancer as a teenager and your parent decided to publicly announce your diagnosis for personal gain and attention, but behind the scenes saying that your diagnosis is karma for you being apart of the Alphabet mafia — and if they known that you were gonna turn out like this they could’ve kept their money,” Morton said in his video.

He then put up four fingers while keeping his thumb down.

What did Keke Wyatt say when her son was diagnosed with cancer?

When her son was diagnosed with cancer in 2017, Wyatt expressed her thoughts on social media. Per Vibe, the singer asked her fans to pray for the family and told them that she is shaving her heard to stand in solidarity with Morton.

“Haven’t really said too much about my personal life, but my child has been fighting cancer and lost all of their hair that they loved. It hurts me so bad,” Wyatt wrote on Instagram at the time. “I need a complete healing for my baby.”

In 2018, Wyatt announced that her son had become cancer-free.

“NO MORE CANCER,” she wrote in a YouTube video, per VIBE.

The mother and son also sat together at that time and talked about how they navigated the challenges cancer brought, including the time when Morton had a seizure in the hospital.

“Whenever something happens with you, the whole hospital pops up at your door,” Wyatt said to her son. “Everybody had something to do on you. That was the scariest crap I had ever been through in my life. If there was ever a time in my life where I would lose my mind, that would be the day.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Donald Trump on Friday when he was asked about Trump’s involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein case. Speaking to a reporter, Johnson blamed Democrats for bringing accusations against Trump and claimed that the President has been assisting authorities in the case of Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while he faced charges of sexual abuse and trafficking underage girls.

What did Mike Johnson say about Donald Trump’s involvement in the Jefferey Epstein case?

Johnson defended the President when he was asked to explain why Trump is referring to the Epstein case as “the Democrat Epstein Hoax.”

“What Trump is referring to is the hoax that the Democrats are using to try to attack him,” Johnson said, per NewsNation. “It’s been misrepresented. He’s not saying that what Epstein did is a hoax. It’s a terrible, unspeakable evil; he believes that himself. When he first heard the rumor, he kicked him out of Mar-a-Lago.”

According to Johnson, Trump also worked closely with investigators to provide information on Epstein.

 “He was an FBI informant to try to take this stuff down,” Johnson said. “The President knows ― and has great sympathy for the women who suffered these unspeakable harms. It’s detestable to him.”

What is the latest in the Jeffrey Epstein case?

The House Oversight Committee recently met with the survivors in the Epstein case and released about 30,000 documents related to the charges. On Wednesday, the survivors delivered their statements on Capitol Hill, urging the government to release all the documents related to the case, including information on Epstein’s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. While the Trump administration says Epstein didn’t have a client list, the survivors said they will come forward with their own list.

“I’m encouraged that this group of brave women is taking it upon themselves, since the government continues to fail them, to compile their own list of Epstein’s enablers and perhaps even co-abusers,” Arick Fudali, who represents 11 of the survivors, said in a statement to NewsNation.

Several medical staff workers were fired after a now viral TikTok video filmed at Sutter Health’s Pesetas Urgent Care clinic in Santa Barbara sparked widespread backlash over Labor Day weekend.

Who was involved in the controversial TikTok video?

The original video was posted by a former health care worker named “Angie” under the handle @angieuncut, showing the health care workers in Sansum Clinic scrubs posing for photos alongside what appeared to be patients’ bodily fluids left on the exam tables, KTLA 5 and the Santa Barbara Independent reported.

She captioned the post with “guess the substance!” Screenshots of the original video show that the first image featured a group photo, and the on-screen text read, “Are patients allowed to leave you guys gifts?” The post included a slideshow of six images of people smiling, pointing and laughing at the stained medical furniture in the exam rooms.

The last photo featured a group shot of the health care workers standing around an exam table. One woman was standing on top of the table, squatting down near human secretion while others surrounded her, pointing and holding back laughter, with the text reading, “Make sure to leave your healthcare workers sweet gifts like these.”

The TikTok post quickly circulated on the platform as well as other social media platforms. Critics on Instagram, Reddit and Yelp described the former health care workers’ actions as  “dehumanizing,” “unprofessional,” and “unethical.” Some social media users recognized the medical center, stating that it was an OB/GYN clinic where the incident happened.

While Sutter Health has been filtering out negative comments left on its Instagram posts about the video, the company addressed the incident in a statement shared Tuesday morning. Additionally, the woman who shared the video was a “former employee” and was not actively employed with Pesetas Urgent Care at the time the workers created the content.

Sutter Health speaks out and launches probe

“The trust and dignity of our patients always remain our top priority,” Sutter Health’s statement read. “We are deeply concerned about a disrespectful social media post made on a personal account by a former employee and we are conducting a full review in line with our policies.”

Sutter Health has launched an investigation into the incident, according to the Santa Barbara Independent. As of Wednesday afternoon, all staffers featured in the video were fired, per KTLA.

“The post goes against the values, professionalism, and respect we expect from all staff,” the company’s statement read, ac. “We have strict policies to protect patient privacy and dignity and any behavior that disrespects those standards is unacceptable. The trust and dignity of our patients always remain at the center of everything we do.”

The family of R&B singer Angie Stone has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a trucking company and others involved in the deadly Sprinter van crash that killed Stone in March while returning to Atlanta from an Alabama show.

Stone’s family is suing multiple companies and people involved in the deadly crash

According to The Associated Press, Stone’s two children, Diamond Stone and Michael D’Angelo Archer, along with Sheila Hopkins, one of the survivors of the crash, filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in a Georgia state court in the Atlanta suburb of Lawrenceville.

They are suing the van driver, the truck driver, the man and the companies that owned the van, the trucking company, and the maker of the 18-wheel truck that slammed into the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.

In the suit, the plaintiffs argue that the driver lost control of the van, and when he tried to steer it back onto the highway, it flipped over with Stone, 63, her bandmates and her entourage inside. The “Wish I Didn’t Love You” singer, along with other passengers, survived the initial early hours wreck, and bystanders pulled over and helped five of the nine passengers crawl out, per the AP.

The plaintiffs believe the crash could have been prevented if the truck’s collision avoidance system had not malfunctioned

When Stone was trying to escape, the 18-wheeler truck carrying sugar slammed into the Sprinter van, according to the legal complaint. Stone was immediately ejected from the van due to the impact and was pinned underneath, where she later died. Hopkins was also still inside and sustained injuries from the accident.

Hopkins and Stone’s children emphasized in the suit that the truck’s collision avoidance system had failed to detect the van, which was lying stationary in the middle of the interstate. They also claim the truck driver was listening to headphones and not paying attention, nor did he hit the brakes before slamming into the van at 70 mph, the AP reported.

Blavity reported that a week before the crash, Stone shared with her Instagram followers that she would perform at the CIAA basketball tournament in Baltimore that Saturday. However, her daughter had to break the heartbreaking news that morning about her mother’s passing.

Stone was a legendary R&B soul singer-songwriter, rapper, actor and record producer. She first launched her career in 1979 with The Sequence, the first all-female hip-hop group, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. She went on to create classic hits both as a member of the group and as a solo artist.

Maj. Gen. Joseph McNeil, a key activist who led peaceful sit-ins that took place across the South, died Thursday morning. A press release published by his alma mater, North Carolina A&T University, confirmed the civil rights advocate passed away at the age of 83 on the morning of Sept. 4.

He was known as one of the “AT&T Four” protestors, which consisted of McNeil and his dormmates Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr.), Frank McCain and David Richmond. Khazan is now the last surviving member of the pioneers.

Rest in power, Maj. Gen. Joseph McNeil. As one of the Greensboro Four, you lit the spark for decades of nonviolent resistance. We promise to keep sitting, marching, and organizing—turning the seats you claimed into the foundation of a future no one can deny us. 🖤✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/FKBlNfTdAY— Black Lives Matter (BLM) (@Blklivesmatter) September 5, 2025

RIP Joseph Alfred McNeil, major general in the United States Air Force & member of the Greensboro Four. February 1, 1960, McNeil and three other NC A&T students sat down at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in downtown Greensboro, NC – starting the Greensboro Sit-In’s. pic.twitter.com/XcCOYPyoKi— Ave (@SebastianAvenue) September 4, 2025

Joseph McNeil’s Greensboro sit-in sparked a national movement

McNeil initiated the planning that went into the widely recognized sit-in at Woolworth’s downtown location’s “whites-only” lunch counter on Feb. 1, 1960. When McNeil and his peers were refused service, they didn’t leave until the storefront closed. They returned multiple times to continue the protest style, eventually leading to a policy change that allowed them to be served nearly six months later.

US Vice President Kamala Harris looks at a segregated lunch counter where Rosa Parks sat during a visit to the site in the 1990s, as she visits the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, housed inside the original Woolworth’s building, in Greensboro, North Carolina, April 19, 2021. – The counter was the site of the Greensboro sit-in, a civil rights protest that began in 1960 when four Black college students Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair Jr. and David Richmond, sat down at the “whites-only” Woolworth’s lunch counter. Parks sat at the counter during a visit to the site of the sit-in. | Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP

“Joseph McNeil and his fellow North Carolina A&T classmates inspired a nation with their courageous, peaceful protest, powerfully embodying the idea that young people could change the world. His leadership and the example of the A&T Four continue to inspire our students today,” Chancellor James R. Martin II expressed in a statement via the news release. “The North Carolina A&T family mourns his passage, but celebrates his long and incredible life and the legacy he leaves behind.”

Although it wasn’t the first sit-in conducted, it gained traction with national media and inspired other students in the South to follow suit. McNeil, who was a 17-year-old college freshman at the time, was in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program while in undergrad. The techniques he learned from his courses and training provided him with the tools to strategize and organize effectively as he helped other scholars and citizens properly prepare and plan for sit-ins. 

According to the news release, McNeil explained in a 2014 interview with WUNC FM that the public demonstration was about having free choice.

“The sit-in was not about David Richmond, Frank McCain, Ezell Blair or Joe McNeil sitting down and having a cup of coffee next to a white person,” he told the reporter. “It was much deeper than that. It was about choice. It was about having the ability to say, ‘I choose to sit down.’ Or, ‘I choose to drink from that water fountain.’ I don’t choose Black water or white water or colored water. I want water.”

Joseph McNeil’s legacy lives on

McNeil was born in 1942 and experienced the effects of the Jim Crow era. Growing up in Wilmington, his determination to stand up for himself and his community served as a model for other efforts of the Civil Rights movement, which began in the 1950s and continued into the 1960s. Acts like this and others ultimately led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

After graduating from NC AT&T, the veteran joined the Air Force Reserves and retired as a two-star major general upon concluding his military career in 2001, ABC 11 reported. After hanging up the uniform, McNeil shifted gears into investment banking. Back in Wilmington, his legacy lives on with a historic marker along a street that now carries his name.

At this time, there aren’t any details on McNeil’s cause of death, but he’s being remembered by his family, friends, NC A&T and supporters for his audacious act to push back against racial segregation.

McNeil’s son, Joseph McNeil Jr., told ABC that his father’s “legacy is a testament to the power of courage and conviction.” He added that “his impact on the civil rights movement and his service to the nation will never be forgotten.”

Justin Bieber surprised fans on Thursday by announcing an unexpected follow-up to his seventh album, Swag, which he released in July. According to Variety, the “Yukon” singer dropped the new album, Swag II, (actually a deluxe reissue of Swag itself), less than 24 hours later, after fans spotted billboards, projections and banners around the world featuring the project’s album cover.

Bieber addresses ‘Swag II’ delay in a series of Instagram posts

Similar to Swag, Bieber teased the project early Thursday morning with billboards and banners in London and Los Angeles. He later confirmed the project on Instagram, sharing that Swag II would drop at midnight.

But it took a little longer for Swag II to make its debut. According to People magazine, the album appeared on streaming platforms like YouTube Music, Spotify and Apple Music early Friday morning. Bieber poked fun at the delay in a series of Instagram posts.

“It’s comingggggg,” he wrote in one post alongside a screenshot of text messages.

“Me waiting with u, not baiting u not sure wut the f**kkyyy is going on clicking refreshhhhhh,” the singer captioned a follow-up post with a screenshot of his viral “it’s not clocking to you” meme.

He later updated fans on where they could stream the album.

‘Swag II’ is an addendum to ‘Swag’

Swag II includes 23 tracks with guest appearances from Tems, Lil B, Bakar, Hurricane Chris and Eddie Benjamin. The album has been described as an addendum to Swag, bringing the total number of Swag tracks to 44, Variety reported.

Songs like “Mother in You,” “Love Song,” “Don’t Wanna” and “Better Man” dive headfirst into emotional territory, which isn’t unfamiliar to the singer. “Don’t Wanna,” featuring English singer Bakar, appears to see the 31-year-old referring to his 2016 breakup with now-wife Hailey Baldwin Bieber.

“I don’t want to mess this up, I don’t want you to leave,” he sings on the track before adding, “You said you lost your wings when we broke it off, but now I’m back at your door.”

Bieber also appears to address his mental health in Swag II. “Speed Demon” sees the singer croon, “They try to say I’m out of my mind, but now they’re singing every line. Got a lot of mountains to climb, had to leave some beggars behind.”

Bieber’s Swag era follows his 2021 album, Justice. According to Variety, Swag debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, his biggest streaming week to date. Swag track “Daisies” also took the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, while “Yukon” peaked at No. 8 and “First Place” earned the No. 52 spot on the chart.

TikTok influencer Raymond Harper, known on social media as “Rolling Ray,” has died. He was 28. According to Fox 5 DC, Harper’s mother, Sazola Nay, shared the news on her private Facebook account.

“It is with a heavy heavy heart that I let you know that my son Ray Ray iamrollingray has gone home to be with the Lord…I thank everyone who has called or texted, this is going to be a long road,” she wrote.

Harper’s cause of death is currently unknown.

The Zeus Network broke the news to the public

The Zeus Network confirmed news of Harper’s passing on social media, including screenshots of Nay’s Facebook post. He appeared in several shows on the network.

“😢💔 Gone way too soon. #RestInPeace to the BIG hearted, most Raw, & Real FRIEND & #Zeus Star #RaymondHarper aka @iamrollingray,” the network wrote along with a picture of the social media star. “🙏🏾 Your Laughter, Light, & Loving Spirit will Live on FOREVER! ♾️ From #BobbyILoveYouPurrr to #TheConversation, you were Unapologetically & Authentically your TRUEST Self. From your ZEUS Fam, we Love, Thank, & will Miss you Always! 🕊️”

The network concluded its message by sending “Prayers & Condolences” to the 28-year-old’s loved ones.

Fans of Harper have been shocked to hear about the content creator’s death just days before his 29th birthday. Many shared their reactions to the sad news on TikTok.

How did Rolling Ray die?

At the time of publication, the cause of his death is unknown.

According to Love B Scott, Harper lived with paralysis since he was a child. He had experienced health issues over the past few years, including injuries sustained from a fire in 2021, COVID and pneumonia the following year, and a blood infection in 2024.

Harper became best known for his viral “purr” sound and appeared in shows like MTV’s Catfish: Trolls, Divorce Court and Bobby I Love You, Purrr.

Survivors of the abuse at the hands of deceased disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein are demanding that the Justice Department release all criminal investigative files tied to Epstein, including unredacted files that could expose his enablers and other pertinent information regarding the case. A press conference was held on Wednesday featuring the victims.

What are lawmakers saying about the Epstein files?

The push for complete transparency and accountability has divided Washington. According to USA Today, Republican congressional leaders have called for the release of Epstein’s records for years but have recently backtracked on those demands.

Some lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have stated that releasing sensitive information could hurt those victims. He told reporters that a House committee released more than 33,295 pages of subpoenaed records on Tuesday, and that pressuring the Justice Department to release more files was unnecessary.

However, some Democrats and Republicans have agreed on the issue, pushing for the files to be released. A bipartisan bill sponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., the Epstein Files Transparency Act, seeks to force the disclosure of all federal records related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, including flight logs, criminal activities, financial ties, settlements and immunity agreements.

The bill states, “No record shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of any of the following: embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”

How the release of Epstein documents could affect survivors

Massie said he is only two Republican signatures short of the 218 needed to move forward with a discharge petition, bypassing House leadership and bringing the measure to a vote.

Victims met Tuesday with the House Oversight and Reform Committee, expressing their demands and recounting the years of abuse they sustained from Epstein. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., herself a survivor of sexual assault, was visibly moved by it.

For these women, the withheld documents illustrate the full scope of Epstein’s sex trafficking network. Releasing the evidence not only highlights the severity of his crimes but also helps the victims move forward in their respective healing journeys.

Here’s everything to know about the Epstein documents and the victims who shared their harrowing experiences of abuse.

Sexual abuse survivors speak out at Capitol rallies

On Wednesday, rallies were held outside the Capitol as survivors shared painful testimonies. Brazilian accuser Marina Lacerda revealed she was just 14 or 15 when Epstein abused her in New York. She is one of many victims calling for the release of the files to help move on with their lives.

“I never thought that I would find myself here. The only reason that I am here is because it feels like the people who matter in this country finally care about what we have to say,” Lacerda said.

Anouska De Georgiou, who once moved in Epstein’s social circles and knows President Donald Trump, urged him to use his influence to support victims.

“I chose to come because this bill really matters,” De Georgiou said outside the Capitol. “I speak today not only in service of my own recovery from trauma inflicted by Maxwell and Epstein, but to honor the lives the courage and sacrifices of Virginia Giuffre, Carolyn Andriano and others who could not continue.”

Theresa Helm, another survivor, described being trafficked across the country by Maxwell and solely blamed her because she trusted her.

“I was systematically recruited, trafficked across this great nation, groomed and assaulted,” Helm said. She currently works with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation in Washington, D.C.

Lisa Phillips, a podcaster who interviews survivors of sex trafficking, said she initially thought Epstein could help her with her modeling career, but he abused her instead. Meanwhile, abuse survivor Liz Stein demanded that Epstein and Maxwell’s accomplices, wealthy and politically connected figures, be named and held accountable.

‘No more slow-rolling’

Attorneys for victims say the unreleased records from agencies such as the FBI and CIA will shock the public, showing who protected Epstein and helped him operate for decades.

“None of you should have to be here today because they should just release the files,” Arick Fudale, an attorney representing 11 of Epstein’s survivors, said. “No more slow-rolling. No more meetings. No more strategy. No more interviews behind closed doors. Release the files.”

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell, his longtime associate and accomplice, is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for her role in recruiting and abusing young girls.