Stories by Associated Press

Surprise Finding Sheds Light on What Causes Huntington’s Disease, a Devastating Fatal Brain Disorder

The genetic mutation linked to Huntington’s has long been known, but scientists haven’t understood how people could have the mutation from birth, but not develop any problems until later in life.

Democrats’ Crisis of the Future: Illinois, California and New York are Shrinking

WASHINGTON (AP) — Texas and Florida are growing rapidly. California, Illinois and New York are shrinking. With America’s population shifting to the South, political influence is seeping from reliably Democratic states to areas controlled by Republicans. Coming out of a presidential election where they lost all seven swing states, Democrats are facing a demographic challenge that could reduce their path to winning the U.S. House of Representatives or the White House for the long term.

‘Mr. Baseball’ Bob Uecker, Milwaukee Brewers Announcer, Dies at 90

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Bob Uecker was a beloved member of the baseball community and a pillar of the sport in Wisconsin.

US Government Sues Southwest Airlines and Fines Frontier for Chronically Delayed Flights

The Transportation Department said its investigation found that Southwest operated two chronically delayed flights — one between Chicago Midway International Airport and Oakland, California, and another between Baltimore, Maryland, and Cleveland, Ohio.

FDA Bans Red Dye No. 3 From Foods

The move comes nearly 35 years after the dye known as Red 3 was barred from cosmetics because of potential cancer risk.

Officials Tout a Gaza Ceasefire Deal and Plan to Free Hostages. Israel Says Details Still in Flux

Many longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction after a brutal conflict that has destabilized the broader Middle East and sparked worldwide protests.

Civil Rights Leader José ‘Cha Cha’ Jiménez, Founder of Young Lords in Chicago, Dies at 76

José “Cha Cha” Jiménez in the 1960s founded the Young Lords as a street gang to counter the growing hostility toward the Puerto Rican community in Lincoln Park, at the time one of the most impoverished neighborhoods of Chicago.

IRS is Sending Out Automatic Stimulus Payments. Who is Getting Them?

The IRS is distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who didn’t receive their COVID stimulus payments.

Up to 4 in 10 People Could Develop Dementia After 55. What You Can Do to Lower Your Risk

About a million Americans a year are expected to develop dementia by 2060, roughly double today’s toll, researchers reported Monday.

Earth Records Hottest Year Ever in 2024 With Jump So Big It Breached a Key Threshold: ‘Reaping What We’ve Sown’

It’s the first time in recorded history that the planet was above a hoped-for limit to warming for an entire year, according to measurements from four of the six teams. Scientists say if Earth stays above the threshold long-term, it will mean increased deaths, destruction, species loss and sea level rise from the extreme weather that accompanies warming.

Biden Administration Extends Temporary Status for More Than 200,000 From El Salvador for 18 Months

The decision is the Biden administration’s latest in support of Temporary Protected Status, which he has sharply expanded to cover about 1 million people. TPS faces an uncertain future under Donald Trump, who tried to sharply curtail its use during his first term as president.

Supreme Court Rejects Trump’s Bid to Delay Sentencing in His New York Hush Money Case

The court’s 5-4 order clears the way for Judge Juan M. Merchan to impose a sentence Friday on President-elect Donald Trump, who was convicted in what prosecutors called an attempt to cover up a $130,000 hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels.

Jimmy Carter Lauded for His Humility and Service During Washington Funeral Before His Return to Georgia

All of Carter’s living successors were in attendance, with President Joe Biden, the first sitting senator to endorse his 1976 run for the White House, delivering a eulogy. Biden and others took turns praising Carter’s record and extolling his character.

Thousands Flee as Wildfires Burn Out of Control and Destroy Homes Across the Los Angeles Area

Three major blazes were burning in the metropolitan area, from the Pacific Coast inland to Pasadena, home of the famed Rose Parade. With thousands of firefighters already attacking the flames, the Los Angeles Fire Department put out a plea for off-duty firefighters to help.

Joe Biden Casts Doubt on His Fitness to Serve Another Four Years Days Before Term Ends

The outgoing Democratic president also told USA Today in the interview published Wednesday that he tried during his Oval Office meeting with President-elect Donald Trump to discourage the Republican from going after his political opponents, as he has said he would.

Donald Trump Refuses to Rule Out Use of Military Force to Take Control of Greenland and the Panama Canal

Speaking to reporters less than two weeks before he takes office on Jan. 20 and as a delegation of aides and advisers that includes Donald Trump Jr. is in Greenland, Trump left open the use of the American military to secure both territories. Trump’s intention marks a rejection of decades of U.S. policy that has prioritized self-determination over territorial expansion.

Biden Administration Bans Unpaid Medical Bills From Appearing On Credit Reports. What That Means for Consumers

One in five Americans have at least one medical debt collection account on their credit reports, and over half of collection entries on credit reports are for medical debts.

First US Bird Flu Death is Announced in Louisiana

Health officials have said the person was older than 65, had underlying medical problems and had been in contact with sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.

Congress Certifies Donald Trump Won the Election in Stark Contrast to the 2021 Violence

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress certified President-elect Donald Trump as the winner of the 2024 election in proceedings that unfolded Monday without challenge, in stark contrast to the Jan. 6, 2021, violence as his mob of supporters stormed the Capitol.

Hundreds of Capitol Riot Prosecutions in Limbo as DC Court Awaits Donald Trump’s White House Return

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s the largest prosecution in Justice Department history — with reams of evidence, harrowing videos and hundreds of convictions of the rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Now Donald Trump’s return to power has thrown into question the future of the more than 1,500 federal cases brought over the last four years.

Chicago Bulls Plan to Retire Derrick Rose’s Jersey Next Season

The Chicago Bulls announced Saturday they plan to retire Rose's jersey sometime next season. Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement: “Derrick is both a hometown hero and a symbol of an entire era of Bulls basketball.”

How Congress Will Certify Trump's Electoral College Victory on Jan. 6

The congressional joint session to count electoral votes is expected to be much less eventful than the certification four years ago that was interrupted by a violent mob of supporters of then-President Donald Trump who tried to stop the count and overturn the results of an election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

Republican Mike Johnson Reelected House Speaker After Dramatic Floor Vote

A collection of hardline Republicans convened in the back of the House chamber during a tense roll call on the first day of the new Congress, one by one declining to vote or choosing another lawmaker. The standoff sparked fresh turmoil signaling trouble ahead under unified GOP control of Washington.

Surgeon General Calls for New Label on Drinks to Warn Americans of Alcohol’s Cancer Risk

Alcohol is a leading cause of cancer, a risk that should be clearly labeled on drinks Americans consume, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy proposed on Friday.

FBI Releases New Video of a Suspect Planting a Pipe Bomb Near DNC Offices on Eve of the 2021 Capitol Riot

Hoping to generate new tips from the public, the FBI is releasing more information about its pipe bomb investigation, including an estimate that the unidentified suspect is about 5 feet 7 inches tall. The bureau also is posting previously unreleased video of the suspect placing one of the bombs.
 

Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors