Stories by associated press

Chicago Blackhawks center Connor Bedard falls to the ice after being checked by New Jersey Devils defenseman Brendan Smith (2) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, in Newark, N.J. (Adam Hunger / AP Photo)

Blackhawks’ Connor Bedard Breaks His Jaw, Pausing the No. 1 Pick’s Stellar Start to Career

The 18-year-old Connor Bedard has been Chicago’s best player, living up to the hype after he was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft.

FILE - Former President Donald Trump points to supporters during rally Dec. 19, 2023, in Waterloo, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo, File)

Supreme Court to Decide Whether Trump Can Be Kept Off 2024 Presidential Ballots

The court will be considering for the first time the meaning and reach of a provision of the 14th Amendment barring some people who “engaged in insurrection” from holding public office. The amendment was adopted in 1868, following the Civil War.

FILE - A sign for flu and covid vaccinations is displayed at a pharmacy store in Palatine, Ill., Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (Nam Y. Huh / AP Photo)

Flu and COVID-19 Infections Got Worse Over the Holidays, With More Misery Expected, CDC Says

According to CDC estimates, since the beginning of October, there have been at least 10 million illnesses, 110,000 hospitalizations, and 6,500 deaths from flu so far this season. The agency said 27 children have died of flu.

A worker moves a package at an Amazon same-day delivery shipping center in Woodland Park, New Jersey, on Monday, December 18, 2023. On Friday, the U.S. government issues its December jobs report. (AP Photo / Ted Shaffrey)

US Employers Add a Surprisingly Strong 216,000 Jobs in a Sign of Continued Economic Strength

Friday’s government report showed that December’s job gain exceeded the 173,000 that were added in November. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7% — the 23rd straight month that joblessness has come in below 4%.

Attendees gather to honor the memory of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi in front of Will County Courthouse, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, in Joliet, Ill. (AP Photo / Claire Savage)

Vigil Held to Honor Slain Plainfield Muslim Boy as Accused Attacker Appears in Court

Joseph Czuba, 71, is accused of fatally stabbing of 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi and wounding Hanan Shaheen on Oct. 14 in in Plainfield. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Lex, a Lancashire heeler, sits at attention, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023, in Morristown, N.J. The Lancashire heeler, is the latest breed recognized by the American Kennel Club. (Michelle Barlak via AP)

A Little Dog With a Big Smile is the Newest Breed to Join the American Kennel Club

Say hello to the Lancashire heeler, the latest breed recognized by the American Kennel Club.

Attorney Tom Girardi smiles outside the Los Angeles courthouse on Wednesday, July 9, 2014. (AP Photo / Damian Dovarganes, File)

Facing Charges in Chicago, Ex-Celebrity Lawyer Tom Girardi Found Competent to Stand Trial in California for Alleged $15 Million Client Thefts

Tom Girardi also faces federal wire fraud charges in Chicago, where he is accused of stealing about $3 million from family members of victims of a 2018 Lion Air crash that killed 189 people.

The briefcase of a census taker is seen as she knocks on the door of a residence, Aug. 11, 2020, in Winter Park, Fla. (AP Photo / John Raoux, File)

Several Illinois Towns To Be Counted Again in Special Census

Eleven small cities in Illinois and Iowa are the only municipalities so far to have signed agreements with the U.S. Census Bureau for a second count of their residents in 2024 and 2025, in a repeat of what happened during the 2020 census. The first year in which the special censuses can be conducted is 2024.

 A man walks through a small tent community for migrants, Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, near a North Side police station in Chicago. (AP Photo / Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

Area Suburbs Put the Brakes on Migrant Bus Arrivals After Crackdowns in Chicago and New York

Nervous officials in suburbs and outlying cities near Chicago and New York are giving migrants arriving from the southern border a cold shoulder amid attempts to circumvent restrictions on buses in those two cities, opening a new front in response to efforts led by Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

FILE - Tom Wilkinson arrives at the “Denial” premiere on Day 4 of the Toronto International Film Festival at the Princess of Wales Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, in Toronto. (Chris Pizzello / Invision / AP, file)

Actor Tom Wilkinson, Known for ‘The Full Monty’ and ‘Michael Clayton,’ Dies at 75

Tom Wilkinson was nominated for a best actor Academy Award for his work in 2001’s family drama “In The Bedroom” in 2001 and in the best supporting actor category for his role in “Michael Clayton,” a 2007 film that starred George Clooney.

FILE - DePaul coach Joey Meyer reacts to his team's play against LSU in an NCAA men's college basketball tournament Midwest Regional semifinal in Cincinnati, March 20, 1987. (Al Behrman / AP Photo, File)

Former DePaul Coach Joey Meyer, Who Led the Blue Demons to 7 NCAA Tournaments, Dies at 74

Joey Meyer, who played at DePaul and coached the Blue Demons to seven NCAA Tournament appearances in 13 seasons, has died. He was 74.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court listens to arguments from Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Anthony D. Russomanno, representing Gov. Tony Evers, during a redistricting hearing at the state Capitol, Nov. 21, 2023, in Madison, Wis. (Ruthie Hauge / The Capital Times via AP, Pool, File)

Abortion Debate Creates ‘New Era’ for State Supreme Court Races in 2024, With Big Spending Expected

Crucial battles over abortion, gerrymandering, voting rights and other issues will take center stage in next year’s elections for state supreme court seats — 80 of them in 33 states.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023, in Reno, Nev. (AP Photo / Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)

Donald Trump is Blocked From the GOP Primary Ballot in Two States. Can He Still Run for President?

First, Colorado’s Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump wasn’t eligible to run for his old job in that state. Then, Maine’s Democratic secretary of state ruled the same for her state. Who’s next?

Former President Donald Trump greets supporters as he arrives at a commit to caucus rally, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023, in Waterloo, Iowa. (Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo)

Maine Bars Trump From Ballot as US Supreme Court Weighs State Authority to Block Former President

The decision follows a ruling earlier this month by the Colorado Supreme Court that booted Trump from the ballot there under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. That decision has been stayed until the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether Trump is barred by the Civil War-era provision.

People look up at Christmas lights as crowds stroll around downtown Lisbon's Chiado neighborhood, Saturday evening, Dec. 23, 2023. (AP Photo / Armando Franca)

World Population Up 75 Million This Year, Topping 8 Billion by Jan. 1

The growth rate for the United States in the past year was 0.53%, about half the worldwide figure. The U.S. added 1.7 million people and will have a population on New Year's Day of 335.8 million people.

Migrants line up after being detained by U.S. immigration authorities at the U.S. border wall, seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. (AP Photo / Christian Chavez)

Mexican Officials Clear Border Camp as US Pressure Mounts to Limit Migrant Crossings

The United States has given clear signs, including temporarily closing key border rail crossings into Texas, that it wants Mexico to do more to stop migrants hopping freight cars, buses and trucks to the border.

Election worker Donna Young inspects a mail-in ballot for damage at the Sacramento County Registrar of Voters in Sacramento, Calif., June 3, 2022. (AP Photo / Rich Pedroncelli, File)

Election Officials See a Range of Threats in 2024, From Hostile Countries to Conspiracy Theorists

Many of the concerns from four years ago persist: the potential for cyberattacks targeting voter registration systems or websites that report unofficial results, and equipment problems or human errors being amplified by those seeking to undermine confidence in the outcome.

A sign for The New York Times hangs above the entrance to its building, Thursday, May 6, 2021 in New York. (AP Photo / Mark Lennihan, File)

The New York Times Sues OpenAI and Microsoft for Using News Stories to Train Chatbots

The Times says that the companies are threatening its livelihood by effectively stealing billions of dollars worth of work by its journalists, in some cases spitting out Times’ material verbatim to people who seek answers from generative artificial intelligence like OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

This photo provided by the Indiana State Police, police rescue a man after finding his damaged vehicle Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023 along Interstate 94 near Portage, Ind. Police say the man who was rescued after being trapped for six days in his crashed pickup truck drank rainwater to survive the ordeal while pinned in the wreckage beneath the Indiana highway bridge. (Indiana State Police via AP)

Indiana Man Rescued After Surviving on Rainwater for 6 Days While Trapped in Crashed Truck Under Bridge

The 27-year-old man's ordeal ended when two men scouting for fishing spots on Tuesday afternoon noticed the badly damaged vehicle, its white airbag deployed, and reached inside

Former President Donald Trump listens as he speaks with reporters while in flight on his plane after a campaign rally at Waco Regional Airport, in Waco, Texas, March 25, 2023, while en route to West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Michigan Supreme Court Will Keep Trump on 2024 Ballot

The court said Wednesday it will not hear an appeal of a lower court’s ruling from groups seeking to keep Donald Trump from appearing on Michigan's primary election ballot.

Former President Donald Trump listens as he speaks with reporters while in flight on his plane after a campaign rally at Waco Regional Airport, in Waco, Texas, March 25, 2023, while en route to West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo / Evan Vucci, File)

Supreme Court Won’t Fast-Track Ruling on Whether Donald Trump Can Be Prosecuted in Election Subversion Case

The ruling is a win for Trump and his lawyers, who have sought repeatedly to delay this and other criminal cases against him as he seeks to reclaim the White House in 2024.

A shopper passes by a sign trumpeting a sale at a clothing store in the Thornton Premium Outlets Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, in Thornton, Colo. (AP Photo / David Zalubowski)

Federal Reserve’s Favored Inflation Gauge Tumbles in November as Prices Continue to Ease

Friday’s report from the Commerce Department showed that U.S. consumer prices slid 0.1% last month from October and rose 2.6% from November 2022. The month-over-month drop was the largest since April 2020 when the economy was reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic.

A flu vaccine is readied at the L.A. Care and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plans' Community Resource Center in Lynwood, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. (AP Photo / Mark J. Terrill, File)

Flu and COVID Infections Are Rising and Could Get Worse Over the Holidays, CDC Says

High levels of flu-like illnesses were reported last week in 17 states — up from 14 the week before, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

A migrant walks along a road shadowed by the steel columns of the border wall separating Arizona and Mexico after crossing into the United States, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, near Lukeville, Ariz. (AP Photo / Gregory Bull, File)

A Deal on US Border Policy is Closer Than It Seems. Here’s How It’s Shaping Up and What’s at Stake

As the Senate broke for the holidays, due back Jan. 8, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell in a rare joint statement indicated negotiations are progressing. 

A memorial for Jean Carlos Martinez Rivero sits on the ground next to candles during a vigil for the 5-year-old who died over the weekend at the Lower West Side shelter, Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune via AP)

Vigil Held for 5-Year-Old Migrant Boy Who Died at Chicago Shelter

Jean Carlos Martinez was a resident at a warehouse retrofitted as a shelter in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood when he suffered a medical emergency, the city said. He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a hospital Sunday afternoon.