Tens of thousands of dock and port workers are heading back to work after their union and the U.S. Maritime Alliance reached a tentative agreement to end the labor dispute.

The breakthrough came after port employers reportedly offered a 62 percent wage increase over six years. The agreement also extends their master contract to add more time to iron out details over a new contract.

All current job action will stop immediately, and as many as 50,000 maritime workers will return to work on Oct. 4. The strike was the largest shutdown of Atlantic and Gulf coast ports in 50 years. Work stoppages were estimated to affect billions in daily trade volumes. Economists projected that a week- or month-long disruption could have harmed the economy and potentially rekindled inflationary pressures. Read the full story here›

President Joe Biden and the rest of the leaders of the Group of Seven nations—the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom—expressed dismay at Iran's Oct. 1 ballistic missile salvo targeting Israel.

"We, the Leaders of the G7, express deep concern over the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s direct military attack against Israel, which constitutes a serious threat to regional stability," the G7 leaders said in a joint statement on Oct. 3.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it launched the ballistic missiles at Israel as a retaliation for the deaths of Hamas, Hezbollah, and IRGC members. The IRGC has also said that, if Israel responds to the missile barrage, it will face further “heavy attacks.” Read the full story here›

Biden surveyed hurricane damage in Florida and Georgia on Thursday amid criticism from Republicans about the slow pace of the federal response.

The president emphasized the need to unite as Americans during disaster recovery. He said that his administration’s major spending initiatives have benefited red states more than blue states over the past 3 1/2 years. Biden defended rescue efforts, stating that he deployed “extensive resources” before Helene made landfall and approved emergency declarations.

During Biden’s visit, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference at Anna Maria Island, which was among the areas hit hard by Hurricane Helene. Since the recovery efforts began, DeSantis has tried to draw a contrast between the state’s response and the federal government’s, saying that the state was able to move much faster. Read the full story here›

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