National News

By ALAN FRAM and LISA MASCARO , Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Brett Kavanaugh seems assured of surviving a Supreme Court nomination fight for the ages after two wavering senators said they'd back him despite weeks of shocking accusations, hardball politics and rowdy Capitol protests. Announcements by Republican Susan Collins of Maine and Democrat Joe…

CHICAGO, IL (AP) — A white Chicago police officer was convicted of second-degree murder Friday in the 2014 shooting of a black teenager that was captured on shocking dashcam video that showed him crumpling to the ground in a hail of 16 bullets as he was walking away from officers. The video, some of the…

WASHINGTON (AP) — A deeply divided Senate pushed Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court nomination past a key procedural hurdle Friday, setting up a likely final showdown this weekend in a spellbinding battle that's seen claims of long-ago sexual assault by the nominee threaten President Donald Trump's effort to tip the court rightward for decades. The Senate…

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER ,  AP Economics Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 3.7 percent in September — the lowest level since December 1969 — while hiring slowed. Employers added just 134,000 jobs, the fewest in a year, the Labor Department said Friday. But that figure was likely lowered by Hurricane Florence. Florence…

By LISA MASCARO and ALAN FRAM , Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators plunged into opening arguments Friday as Brett Kavanaugh's nomination to the Supreme Court faced a crucial vote. Key Republican senators remained undeclared amid the allegations of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh followed by weeks of intense disagreements that have divided the nation. The…