Sean Salai

U.S. suicide rate rose in 2021 after 2 years of decline, CDC reports

The U.S. suicide rate rose in 2021 after two years of decline, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday.

September 30, 2022

Inflation pushes retailers to launch Black Friday sales before Halloween

Retailers are offering Black Friday deals earlier than ever -- before Halloween -- as high inflation and online shopping further diminish the relevance of the day after Thanksgiving.

September 29, 2022

New Md. driver safety laws take effect Saturday

Starting Saturday, Maryland drivers will be required to slow down or move over when passing any stopped cars displaying warning signals, officials said. Violators will face a $110 fine and add a point to their driving record.

September 29, 2022

TikTok responds to misinformation complaints, claims progress

Video-sharing platform TikTok responded Wednesday to complaints that it spreads political misinformation by releasing an update on its efforts to remove misleading content.

September 28, 2022

Smart Balance vegetable spread pledges return to old recipe after ‘skimpflation’ backlash

Smart Balance vegetable spread will return to its old recipe after an attempt to water it down sparked customer complaints about "skimpflation," food company Conagra Brands confirmed Wednesday.

September 28, 2022

Authorities warn of uptick in thieves following people home from banks, stores in ‘jugging’ attacks

Law enforcement officials are sounding the alarm over a recent spike of what authorities call "jugging" thefts, in which thieves patiently follow victims from an ATM, bank or store to their homes or other locations before committing often violent robberies.

September 27, 2022

Candy makers expect 5% increase in Halloween sales

The nation's candy makers are expecting a 5% increase in Halloween chocolate and candy sales from last year as most Americans responding to a recent survey say they plan to celebrate the holiday.

September 27, 2022

Court rules transgender male prison guard can’t strip-search Muslim inmate

A federal appeals court has ruled that a Wisconsin prison must exempt a Muslim inmate from strip searches by a transgender male guard whom the prisoner said violated his faith.

September 26, 2022

University of Central Florida reaches settlement in free speech lawsuit

The University of Central Florida has agreed to pay $35,000 in court fees to a legal advocacy group and discontinue its bias response team after losing a free speech lawsuit.

September 26, 2022

Pro-life group resumes anti-abortion campaign in D.C. ahead of midterm elections

Dozens of pro-life activists plan to pray Tuesday night outside a Planned Parenthood facility in the nation's capital, resuming a twice-a-year campaign of around-the-clock seasonal outreach at abortion clinics.

September 26, 2022

Report shows 31 states and D.C. still have fewer jobs than 2019

While the nation has recovered its overall job losses from the pandemic, a new report finds that 31 states and the District of Columbia still have fewer jobs than in 2019.

September 23, 2022

80% of large public school districts receiving federal relief money have declining enrollments

A new analysis finds that 80% of the urban public school districts receiving the largest share of federal pandemic relief money had declining enrollments last year.

September 23, 2022

University of North Texas pays $165,000 to professor fired for mocking microaggressions

The University of North Texas has agreed to pay $165,000 to a math professor who was fired for mocking the concept of microaggressions on a chalkboard in the faculty lounge.

September 22, 2022

Small retailers raising prices to offset organized theft surge

A nationwide spike in organized retail thefts has prompted nearly half of U.S. small businesses to raise prices to offset losses, the Chamber of Commerce reported Thursday.

September 22, 2022

Halloween retail industry predicts ‘return to normal’

Retailers say more Americans will dress up as witches, buy candy and go trick-or-treating next month as Halloween "returns to normal" after two years of supply chain delays and pandemic health restrictions.

September 21, 2022

Sen. Tim Scott pushes to defund schools that hide gender transitions

Sen. Tim Scott has introduced a bill that would withhold federal funding from public elementary and middle schools that hide students' gender transitions from their parents.

September 21, 2022

Coast Guard members sue Biden administration over vaccination mandate

Three Coast Guard members, including the branch's top academy graduate in 2020, have filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration for denying them religious exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

September 20, 2022

Pew survey finds fewer Americans favor socialism, capitalism

A declining number of U.S. adults say they have positive views of socialism and capitalism, although capitalism remains more popular, according to a new poll.

September 20, 2022

States mandate ‘bias-free’ primary sources in U.S. history classes

A growing number of state legislatures have mandated primary sources in American history classes to purge racially divisive bias from K-12 public education as the school year begins.

September 20, 2022

Pfizer sued for excluding White, Asian candidates from fellowship

A health care advocacy group has sued Pfizer in federal court, alleging the pharmaceutical giant violated the Civil Rights Act by excluding Whites and Asians from a racial equity fellowship.

September 19, 2022