What is Labor Day, why is it celebrated? Here's the holiday's history

What is Labor Day, why is it celebrated? Here's the holiday's history

With students back in school andpumpkin-flavored treatsreturning to menus, the end of summer, unofficially marked byLabor Day, is here. During the three-day Labor Day weekend, many Americans will travel,shop for deals online and in-storeand maybe sneak in one final visit to the beach or neighborhood pool. However, the federal holiday is much more than just the summer's last hurrah. Observed each year on the first Monday of September, Labor Day is a celebration of the hard-won achievements ofAmerica's labor movement and a recognition of the contributions workers have madeto the nation's prosperity. This year, hundreds of thousands of Americans are expected to skip the barbecue andspend their Labor Day protestingPresident Donald Trumpand the billionaires who support him. More than a thousand "Workers Over Billionaires" events are planned nationwide onLabor Day and the surrounding days,USA TODAY reported. Organizers are expecting "a big show of force on Monday that we're not going to take it sitting down, that working class people across the country are ready to fight back and to make sure that we don't just let billionaires run roughshod over our communities," Saqib Bhatti, executive director of Action Center on Race and the Economy, told USA TODAY. Here's what you need to know about the Labor Day holiday, including when it falls in 2025 and its origins. What to expect on Labor Day:More protests against Trump are planned nationwide. In 2025, Labor Day falls onMonday, Sept. 1. Rooted in the labor movement of the 19th century, Labor Day originated during a dismal time for America's workforce, which faced long hours, low wages and unsafe working conditions. As labor unions and activists advocated and fought for better treatment for workers, at the height of the Industrial Revolution, the idea arose to establish a day dedicated to celebrating the members of trade and labor unions,according to History.com. Two workers can make a solid claim to the title of Labor Day's official founder, according to theU.S. Department of Labor. Some records indicate Peter J. McGuire, co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, was the first to suggest the idea for the holiday in 1882. However, recent research supports the contention that machinist Matthew Maguire proposed the holiday in 1882, while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. Regardless of who proposed the holiday, Labor Day soon became recognized by labor activists and individual states long before becoming a federal holiday. Organized by the Central Labor Union, the Labor Day holiday was first celebrated in New York City in 1882, according to the Department of Labor. On that day, 10,000 workers took unpaid time off to march from City Hall to Union Square, according to History.com. New York was also the first state to introduce a bill recognizing Labor Day, but Oregon was the first to pass such a law in 1887, according to the Department of Labor. By 1894, 32 states had adopted the holiday. Labor Day became a national holiday in 1894 when President Grover Cleveland signed a law passed by Congress designating the first Monday in September a holiday for workers. The federal recognition was hard-won, having come after a wave of unrest among workers and labor activists put the issue of workers' rights into public view. In May that year, employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company in Chicago went on strike to protest wage cuts and the firing of union representatives, according to History.com. A month later, the government dispatched troops to Chicago to break up a boycott of the Pullman railway cars initiated by labor activist Eugene V. Debs, unleashing a wave of fatal riots. Congress quickly passed an act making Labor Day a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories. By June 28, Cleveland signed it into law. Contributing: Sarah D. Wire, USA TODAY Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X@GabeHauarior email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com. Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:What is Labor Day? What to know about the holiday, its history

byAdministrator

in

August 31, 2025

What is Labor Day, why is it celebrated? Here's the holiday's history

What is Labor Day, why is it celebrated? Here's the holiday's history With students back in school andpumpkin-flavored treatsreturni...

Read More

Xi and Putin stand shoulder to shoulder as China casts itself as an alternative global leader

Xi and Putin stand shoulder to shoulder as China casts itself as an alternative global leader

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has cast his country as a force for global economic stability and pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to support its partners, at a time when President Donald Trump wages a global tariff war and has decimated foreign aid under his "America First" policy. Xi's comments came during an address on Monday that is the centerpiece of a two-day summit orchestrated to play-up China's global leadership and its close and enduring partnership with Russia, as the two neighbors seek to rebalance global power in their favor at the expense of the US and its allies. "We should leverage the strength of our mega-sized markets and economic complementarity between member states and improve trade and investment facilitation," Xi told world leaders in the Chinese port city of Tianjin for a summit of the Beijing- and Moscow-backed Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The Chinese leader pledged 2 billion yuan ($280 million) in grants to SCO member states this year, and to set up a SCO Development Bank to provide "stronger underpinnings" for security and economic cooperation among the bloc. Without naming the United States, Xi vowed to oppose "hegemonism," "Cold War mentality" and "bullying practices" in an address to political heavyweights from across the world, including Russian President Vladimir Putin,Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modiand Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Those phrases are often deployed by Xi to criticize what he sees as a world order led by the US and its Western allies. The summit is a showcase for closer ties between China and Russia, as well as the friendship struck up over the years by their two autocratic leaders. The deep personal rapport between the two men was on show Sunday evening, when Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan hosted a welcome banquet for attending leaders. Footage released by Russian state news agency RIA showed Xi and Putin gesturing animatedly and smiling as they chatted at the event, showing a different side of the typically restrained Chinese leader – and his warm and relaxed demeanor with his Russian counterpart. The pair then walked shoulder to shoulder together after posing for a photo alongside other gathered leaders, with Xi gesturing for Putin to walk with him past the others, footage released by the Kremlin showed. The SCO summit is also the leaders' first opportunity to meet since Putin's summit with Trump in Alaska earlier this month – and comes as Putin resists Western pressure to end his onslaught in Ukraine. Just last week, Moscow's forces carried out their second largest aerial attack to date on Ukraine. Observers say that Xi sees the gathering – and a massive military parade that he'll host on Wednesday in Beijing, expected to be attended by Putin, North Korea's Kim Jong Un as well as some two dozen other leaders – as a critically timed diplomatic push. As Trump alarms nations with his global trade war and withdraws from international organizations and foreign aid, Beijing views the US as undermining the international order it worked to build – and sees an opportunity to ramp its own vision as an alternative. Chinese officials touted this year's SCO as the largest yet, saying ahead of the event that 20 leaders from across Asia and the Middle East would join. In addition to Russia, China and India, SCO members include Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byAdministrator

in

August 31, 2025

Xi and Putin stand shoulder to shoulder as China casts itself as an alternative global leader

Xi and Putin stand shoulder to shoulder as China casts itself as an alternative global leader Chinese leader Xi Jinping has cast his country...

Read More

Back to school: markets brace for September risks

Back to school: markets brace for September risks

By Paolo Laudani, Alessandro Parodi and Canan Sevgili (Reuters) -A summer trading lull looks set to come to a halt with September risks stacking up hard and fast. U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to fire Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and French political turmoil provide a glimpse of what's to come in a month that historically brings notable market swings as investors reassess portfolios. "My big concern is that when liquidity comes back after the summer, we see some big market moves," said St. James's Place CIO Justin Onuekwusi. 1/ TROUBLE AT THE FED U.S. jobs numbers have become contentious after July data prompted Trump to fire the Bureau of Labor Statistics chief. So, August's reading, due on September 5, and the Fed's September 16–17 meeting come at a time when investors are already concerned about tension between Trump and the central bank. Fed chief Jerome Powell, whom Trump has pressured to cut rates, signalled a September move in his Jackson Hole speech, but also warned about sticky inflation. Markets price in a roughly 85% chance of a rate cut this month, but questions about the Fed's independence have heightened uncertainty over the rate outlook and its ability to control inflation. "This latest political drama reignites concerns about the independence of the Fed, and by extension undermines confidence in the U.S. as the global benchmark for transparent and rules-based capital markets," said Swissquote Bank senior analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya. 2/ NO CONFIDENCE French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou is expected to lose a September 8 confidence vote over government budget-cut plans, highlighting risks to European shares, French banks and long-term French bonds, yields of which are near their highest since 2011. If the minority government falls, President Emmanuel Macron could install a new premier or dissolve parliament and hold new legislative elections, leaving budget issues unresolved for longer and raising French ratings downgrade risks. Fitch Ratings updates its view on France on September 12, followed by DBRS on the 19th, and Scope on the 26th. "If France fails, there will be a domino effect, and we will have to question the sustainability of the performance of European markets," said Stephane Ekolo, global equity strategist at broker Tradition. 3/ DON'T FORGET GEOPOLITICS After last month's Alaska summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, investors are assessing efforts to end the war in Ukraine. In a sign of fading peace hopes, Ukraine's bonds have given back nearly half of the price gains made ahead of the August meeting. Supercharged European defence stocks remain popular as Europe commits to higher defence spending. Also watch Brent crude oil prices, sensitive to headlines and supply disruptions as Russia and Ukraine step up attacks on each other's energy infrastructure. A punitive 25% tariff, imposed by Trump on imports from India due to its purchases of Russian oil, has been added to a prior 25% tariff on many goods. But positive developments could benefit energy-sensitive stocks and firms that could play a role in Ukraine's reconstruction such as materials group Holcim. 4/ TARIFF ANGST Tariff-driven headline risk has fallen since April's "Liberation Day" market turmoil. The U.S. has agreed preliminary trade deals with Britain, the European Union, among others, but Trump has increased the heat on other big economies such as India, meaning tariff risks could still cause pain. Traders are also watching to see if a recent U.S./China temporary tariff extension will become permanent or if Trump will again upend global supply chains with a fresh wave of prohibitively high duties on Chinese imports. 5/ BEWARE Investors warn record high stock markets reflect complacency and are a reason for caution. September is a historically weak month for shares. The MSCI World Index has dropped by nearly 4% on average each September since 2020. While August has historically been strong for U.S. equities, September is the only month with negative average returns. 6/ UNEASE IN BOND LAND Finally, pay attention to bond markets given rising government borrowing and the sustainability of public finances. The United States, Japan and Germany all sell long-dated bonds in the first half of September in the next test of investor appetite. Japan's 30-year bond yields, up almost 100 basis points so far this year, are at record highs, while those in Europe are near multi-year peaks. (Reporting by Paolo Laudani, Mirac Dereli, Vera Dvorakova, Alessandro Parodi and Canan Sevgili in Gdansk and Joice Alves in London, additional reporting by Marc Jones in London; Editing by Dhara Ranasinghe and Kirsten Donovan)

byAdministrator

in

August 31, 2025

Back to school: markets brace for September risks

Back to school: markets brace for September risks By Paolo Laudani, Alessandro Parodi and Canan Sevgili (Reuters) -A summer trading lull loo...

Read More

Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets start scuffle after Inter Miami's Leagues Cup final loss

Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets start scuffle after Inter Miami's Leagues Cup final loss

Luis Suarez appeared to spit on an opposing team's staff member, while Sergio Busquets punched an opposing player in a postgame scuffle, followingInter Miami's 3-0 loss to the Seattle Soundersin the 2025 Leagues Cup final on Sunday, Aug. 31. Suarez, 38, aggressively put his left arm around the back of the neck of 20-year-oldSeattle Soundersplayer Obed Vargas after the final whistle was blown. Seattle defender Yéimar Gomez Andrade, 33, helped disengage Suarez from Vargas, who began celebrating the Leagues Cup victory with 21-year-old teammate Cody Baker in front of him before Busquets, 37, landed a punch on Vargas's chin. Vargas flopped onto the pitch as Baker engaged in a heated exchange with Busquets after the punch. Inter Miami's Maxi Falcon, 28, attempted to pull Baker away from Busquets, ending in Falcon putting Baker in a headlock, while Yéimar attempted to pull his teammate away. Inter Miami defenders Marcelo Weigandt (25 years old) and Tomás Avilés (21 years old) — who did not play in the final — also appeared to physically engage with Seattle defender Jackson Ragen, 26, during the scuffle. The brief, but ugly sequence following the match ended with Suarez appearing to bump and spit on a Seattle staff member. USA TODAY Sports reached out to Seattle and Leagues Cup officials to identify the person, but did not receive a response at the time of publication. "Unfortunately, that is going to take some of the attention away from what was a great Sounder performance," longtime Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer said of the incident during his press conference after the match. "So, I can take that as a compliment, that their players were frustrated, and frustrations led to some things that shouldn't happen on the field, but that shouldn't be the story. I'm going to shut that down." Tensions were tempered as both clubs remained on the pitch for the postgame trophy celebration. Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said he was far from the incident during his postgame interview. "Clearly, none of us like to see this kind of behavior at the end of the game. Also, when there's a reaction, it could be that there was provocation. But I'm not going to comment because I don't know what happened," Mascherano said after the loss. Schmetzer was complimentary of Inter Miami after the match, saying he had a quiet moment with starLionel Mession the pitch. "I said 'Lo siento' (I'm sorry), and we talked, and we tried to push it aside," Schmetzer said of his interaction with Messi. Schmetzer also said Inter Miami co-owner Sir David Beckham waited in the tunnel after the match to shake the hands of the Seattle players. They also shared a conversation before the match. "That is class through and through," Schmetzer said of Beckham. Schmetzer also praised Mascherano and Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas after his conversations with them before the final. "Those are people that have been at the highest levels of our sport giving our team compliments, and that's the story," Schmetzer said. "That's the story." Osaze De Rosario (26'), Álex Roldán (84') and Seattle native Paul Rothrock (89') scored for the Sounders in the victory over Messi and Inter Miami. Both clubs will meet again during an MLS regular-season match at Inter Miamion Sept. 16. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets start Leagues Cup final postgame scuffle

byAdministrator

in

August 31, 2025

Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets start scuffle after Inter Miami's Leagues Cup final loss

Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets start scuffle after Inter Miami's Leagues Cup final loss Luis Suarez appeared to spit on an opposing team...

Read More

Liverpool reportedly reaches deal to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle for record-breaking $176 million fee

Liverpool reportedly reaches deal to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle for record-breaking $176 million fee

Alexander Isak is headed to Liverpool. The club reached a £130 million deal ($176 million) to sign the Newcastle star on Sunday night, according toThe Athletic's David Ornstein. That deal would break the Premier League transfer record set earlier this summer when Liverpool signed Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for $153 million. Sunday's deal took place just in time before Monday's transfer deadline. Isak made it clear that he wanteded out of Newcastle. He has not played in any of the club's first three Premier League games this season. Isak posted earlier this month that his relationship with Newcastle "can't continue," though Newcastle appeared to reject his requests to leave at every step. Isak missed the team's trip to Asia and didn't play in a preseason friendly, either. The striker has been training with Real Sociedad, his former club, since July and has been away from Newcastle. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Liverpool intially sent Newcastle a £110 million offer for Isak, which Newcastle rejected. Now, having raised the price, Liverpool secured their latest record-breaking addition. Isak has spent the past three seasons with Newcastle, which marked his first stint in the Premier League in his career. He had a career-high 23 goals and six assists in 34 matches last season. He's previously spent time with Real Sociedad in La Liga and Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Liverpool, fresh off its Premier League title last season, opened the year with three straight wins, including a 3-2 victory over Newcastle on Monday. The franchise has spent more than £250 million this offseason, bringing in other big names like Hugo Ekitike, Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni. It's unclear when Isak will make his debut with the club. Liverpool will be back in action Sept. 14 on the road against Burnley.

byAdministrator

in

August 31, 2025

Liverpool reportedly reaches deal to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle for record-breaking $176 million fee

Liverpool reportedly reaches deal to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle for record-breaking $176 million fee Alexander Isak is headed to Liv...

Read More