Protesting the direction of the country under President Donald Trump, people will gather Saturday in the nation’s capital and communities across the U.S. They're holding “No Kings” demonstrations, or what the president’s Republican Party is calling “Hate America” rallies. This is the third mass mobilization since Trump’s return to the White House. It comes against the backdrop of a government shutdown that not only has closed federal programs and services, but is testing the core balance of power as organizers warn of a slide toward American authoritarianism. Trump himself is away from Washington at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida.

The federal government shutdown is approaching the second longest on record and there's no end in sight. Some lawmakers predict it could surpass the 35-day shutdown from President Donald Trump’s first term. The nation’s 1.3 million active-duty service members have gotten a temporary reprieve. But hundreds of thousands of federal civilian employees are being furloughed and facing financial stress. The travel economy is taking a big hit with tourist sites such as Smithsonian museums in the nation's capital closed. There have been air controller shortages in some cities and flight delays. The longer the shutdown lasts, the more it could be a drag on the economy.

Jack Ciattarelli has been endorsed by Donald Trump in next month's New Jersey governor's election and is a strong supporter of the Republican president and his agenda. But the former business owner and state legislator is also diverging Trump on the key issue of immigration. Ciattarelli says he'd back a “pathway to recognition” for some people who are living in New Jersey illegally. Ciattarelli is hoping to make inroads with Latino voters. It's an important group of voters in the November election against Democrat Mikie Sherrill, a four-term congresswoman.

Five remaining universities have been weighing an offer from President Donald Trump to sign a “compact” for higher education. None has signed on as the deadline approaches, and on Friday, the University of Virginia declined the offer. The White House has faced several rejections after inviting nine universities to become initial signers of the compact. The document requests that universities adopt commitments aligned with Trump’s political priorities, including eliminating race and sex from admissions decisions. On Friday, the Trump administration met with the universities still trying to decide whether to sign the agreement. More than 30 higher education organizations have urged the White House to withdraw the compact.

Trump urges Ukraine and Russia to 'stop war immediately' with Moscow keeping territory it's taken from Kyiv.

Trump says he has commuted sentence of former US Rep. George Santos in federal fraud case.