U.S. weekly jobless claims jump to near one-and-a-half year high
The number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits surged to near a 1-1/2-year high last week, but economists dismissed the jump as a fluke and said temporary factors, including a partial government shutdown, were to blame.
At least 12 dead as arctic freeze spreads into U.S. Northeast
A wave of frigid arctic air that paralyzed the U.S. Midwest and caused at least a dozen deaths swept across the Northeast on Thursday but was expected to move along by the weekend, making way for warmer weather.
Arctic cold pounds on U.S. Northeast and Midwest
The blast of Arctic air that brought record-breaking cold and caused at least a dozen deaths in the U.S. Midwest spread eastward on Thursday, bringing sub-zero misery to the Northeast.
U.S. weekly jobless claims race to near one-and-a-half year high
The number of Americans filing applications for unemployment benefits surged to near a 1-1/2-year high last week, which could raise concerns that the labor market is slowing.
U.S. cold wave lingers, but should lose some of its bite by weekend
The blast of arctic cold that hit the U.S. Midwest this week will linger on Thursday, but it’s pushing east and losing much of its bite.
Senator Rand Paul gets $580,000 after neighbor broke his ribs
A Kentucky jury has awarded U.S. Senator Rand Paul more than $580,000 in damages against a next-door neighbor who broke six of the Republican lawmaker’s ribs in a gardening dispute.
U.S. secretly ships Cold War-era plutonium to Nevada
The U.S. government secretly shipped a large amount of deadly plutonium from a South Carolina site that produced the radioactive metal for nuclear bombs during the Cold War to Nevada, the Trump administration revealed on Wednesday.
Deep freeze grips U.S. Midwest, blamed for at least 12 deaths
A blast of icy polar air brought dangerously low temperatures to the U.S. Midwest on Wednesday, causing at least three more deaths while halting mail delivery and forcing residents who pride themselves on their winter hardiness to huddle indoors.
Chicago police to release images after attack on ‘Empire’ actor
Chicago police said on Wednesday they would soon release images of “persons of interest” in the assault of “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett in which two men yelled racial and homophobic slurs and wrapped a rope around his neck.
Elephant seals take over California beach during U.S. shutdown
A herd of elephant seals took over a popular California beach while it was closed during the federal government shutdown and the animals show no sign of wanting to leave.




