WASHINGTON—The Labor Department’s Friday report showed some positive signs as the unemployment rate fell below 8 percent for the first time since March. But the number of jobs added to the economy fell from 1.5 million in August to about 661,000 in September. Almost one-third of the new jobs came from the food and drink industry, while manufacturing accounted for about a tenth of the increase.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York has faced more than 200 lawsuits since the state last year allowed victims of child sexual abuse to lodge complaints no matter how much time had passed. On Thursday, it became the latest and largest of more than 20 U.S. dioceses to file for bankruptcy protection. Rockville Centre, which includes much of Long Island and is home to 1.4 million Catholics, estimated it would owe $500 million in restitution and fees.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Thursday said President Donald Trump has always denounced white supremacy. “I don’t know who the Proud Boys are,” Trump told reporters Wednesday before leaving for a campaign event in Minnesota. “I can only say they have to stand down, let law enforcement do their work.”

The United States plans to admit up to 15,000 refugees in the fiscal year 2021, the smallest number in the program’s history. President Donald Trump’s administration submitted the new ceiling to Congress late Wednesday.

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump likely will sign a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown. The Senate passed the measure on Wednesday just hours ahead of the midnight deadline. The resolution to fund the government through December cleared the House by a landslide last week.

WASHINGTON—Economists expect an impressive rebound after a depressing second quarter. A U.S. Commerce Department report released on Wednesday showed the gross domestic product fell by 31.4 percent in April, May, and June while lockdowns from the coronavirus pandemic paralyzed many businesses. That’s the steepest drop in the report’s history—three times greater than the second-worst decline.

WASHINGTON—Plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia practice forced child labor, physical and sexual violence, and abusive living conditions, U.S. investigators found. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Trade said Wednesday it would detain all palm oil–related products from Malaysian giant FGV Holdings Berhad.