Federal Reserve cuts its key interest rate

WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve cut its key interest rate Wednesday for a second time this year as it seeks to shore up economic growth and hiring even as inflation stays elevated.

"Job gains have slowed this year, and the unemployment rate has edged up but remained low through August," the Fed said in a statement. "More recent indicators are consistent with these developments." The government hasn't issued unemployment data after August because of the shutdown.

The decision brings the Fed's key rate down to about 3.9%, from about 4.1%.

FIRINGS BANNED: A federal judge in San Francisco indefinitely barred the Trump administration Tuesday from firing federal employees during the government shutdown, saying that labor unions were likely to prevail on their claims that the cuts were politically motivated.

FOOD AID: Two federal judges ruled almost simultaneously Friday that President Donald Trump's administration must continue to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the nation's biggest food aid program, either partially or in full for November using contingency funds as the government shutdown extended past 30 days.

REDISTRICTING: President Donald Trump's call for Republicans to redraw U.S. House districts ahead of next year's election triggered an unusual spate of mid-decade gerrymandering among both Republicanand Democratic-led state legislatures. This past week, Ohio, Virginia and Louisiana took steps toward redrawing voter maps.

— Associated Press