Stories by Associated Press

NASA’s Mightiest Moon Rocket Lifts Off 50 Years After Apollo: ‘It Was Pretty Overwhelming’

If all goes well during the three-week flight, the crew capsule will be propelled into a wide orbit around the moon and then return to Earth with a Pacific splashdown in December.

Rising Food Costs Take a Bite Out of Thanksgiving Dinner

Americans are bracing for a costly Thanksgiving this year, with double-digit percent increases in the price of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, canned pumpkin and other staples.

Donald Trump Seeks White House Again Amid GOP Losses, Legal Probes

Trump had hoped to use the GOP’s expected gains in last week’s elections as a springboard to vault himself to his party’s nomination. Instead, he finds himself being blamed for backing a series of losing candidates after Republicans failed to take control of the Senate. 

AP Source: Russian Missiles Cross Into Poland During Strike

Russia pounded Ukraine’s energy facilities Tuesday with its biggest barrage of missiles yet, striking targets across the country and causing widespread blackouts. A senior U.S. intelligence official said missiles crossed into NATO member Poland and killed two people.

Walmart Offers to Pay $3.1 Billion to Settle Opioid Lawsuits

The retail giant's announcement follows similar proposals on Nov. 2 from the two largest U.S. pharmacy chains, CVS Health and Walgreen Co., which each said they would pay about $5 billion.

World Population Hits 8 Billion, Creating Many Challenges

The world's population will likely hit an estimated 8 billion people on Tuesday, according to a United Nations projection, with much of the growth coming from developing nations in Africa.

Federal Appeals Court Ruling Keeps Biden Student Debt Forgiveness Plan On Hold

The ruling by the three-judge panel from the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis came days after a federal judge in Texas blocked the program, saying it usurped Congress’ power to make laws.

40 States Settle Google Location-Tracking Charges For $392M

The investigation by the states, which officials said was spurred by a 2018 Associated Press story, found that Google continued to track people's location data even after they opted out of such tracking.

In Election, Support for Abortion Rights Was About Much More

Support for abortion rights did drive women to the polls in Tuesday’s elections. But for many, the issue took on higher meaning, part of an overarching concern about the future of democracy.

Biden Says Climate Efforts ‘More Urgent Than Ever’ at International Summit

The president’s brief attendance at the United Nations climate conference, known as COP27, was largely a victory lap as he emphasized new spending on clean energy initiatives that will “change the paradigm” for the United States and the rest of the world.

Republicans Nudge Closer to House Win; Senate Could Hinge on Georgia Runoff

Razor-thin margins around the country left control of Congress still undetermined Wednesday, but Democrats showed surprising strength in the midterm election, topping Republicans in a series of competitive races.

Powerball Ticket Sold in California Snags Record $2.04B Win

The $2.04 billion prize is for a winner who chooses an annuity, paid annually over 29 years. Nearly all winners instead opt for cash, which was valued at $997.6 million. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

Chicago Man Gets Life in Prison for Killing 6 Family Members in Gage Park Home

A judge on Monday sentenced a man to life in prison for killing six members of his family, including two young boys, inside their Chicago home in 2016.

Walgreens Push Into Comprehensive Care Picks up Momentum

Walgreens extended its push into more comprehensive health care with its VillageMD unit acquiring another urgent and primary care chain, Summit Health-CityMD, in a deal worth close to $9 billion.

What to Watch in the High-Stakes 2022 Midterm Elections

Republicans are predicting a massive red wave as anxious Democrats defend their narrow majorities in Congress while struggling to overcome pervasive concerns about the economy, crime and President Joe Biden’s leadership.

US Flu Season Off to Unusually Fast Start as Other Viruses Spread

Reports of flu are already high in 17 states, and the hospitalization rate hasn’t been this high this early since the 2009 swine flu pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So far, there have been an estimated 730 flu deaths, including at least two children.

US Employers Are Hiring Briskly Even In Face of Rate Hikes

Friday’s report from the government showed that hiring was brisk across industries last month, though the overall gain declined from 315,000 in September. The unemployment rate rose from a five-decade low of 3.5% to a still-healthy 3.7%.

Powerball Jackpot Up to $1.6 Billion, New Lottery Record

A drawing will be held Saturday night for the Powerball prize, which hasn’t been won in more than three months. That string of 39 consecutive drawings without a winner is a reflection of the tough odds of winning a jackpot, at 1 in 292.2 million.

President Joe Biden Set to Plug Tech Bill in California, Campaign for Congressional Candidates in Illinois on Friday

President Biden will head to Chicago to participate in a political reception. He is heading to the Democratic stronghold amid signs that some House members representing suburban Chicago districts may be facing more competitive than expected reelection battles.

Drought Snarls Mississippi River Transit in Blow to Farmers From Minnesota to Louisiana

About 60% of the Midwest and northern Great Plain states are in a drought. Nearly the entire stretch of the Mississippi River — from Minnesota to the river’s mouth in Louisiana — has experienced below average rainfall over the past two months.

Cops: ‘Hood CNN’ Reporter’s Murder Solved But No Prosecution

Police never announced arrests in the shooting of Zachary Stoner, who drew a national YouTube following filling a media niche with up-close stories about the lives and deaths of gang members and affiliated rappers from places other reporters were afraid to go. But police records obtained by The Associated Press reveal investigators believe they solved his homicide years ago.

State Attorneys General, Including Illinois’, Sue to Block Albertsons’ $4B Payout Ahead of Grocery Chain Merger

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., asks the court to block the payment until the attorneys general have reviewed Albertsons’ proposed merger with Kroger Co.

Fed Unleashes Another Big Rate Hike, Hints at a Pullback

The Fed’s move raised its key short-term rate to a range of 3.75% to 4%, its highest level in 15 years. It was the central bank’s sixth rate hike this year — a streak that has made mortgages and other consumer and business loans increasingly expensive and heightened the risk of a recession.

Biden, the Optimist, Wrestles With Election, Other Worries

The refrain of Biden’s presidency — this promise that things will get better — is butting up against his own dire political projections: A Congress potentially controlled by what he’s labeled “ultra-MAGA” Republicans as he faces midterm elections that will define, and quite possibly stifle, the next two years of his term.

CVS, Walgreens Announce Opioid Settlements Totaling $10B

Two of the largest U.S. pharmacy chains, CVS Health and Walgreen Co., announced agreements in principle Wednesday to pay about $5 billion each to settle lawsuits nationwide over the toll of opioids, and a lawyer said Walmart is in discussions for a deal.

Man Accused of Attacking Paul Pelosi, House Speaker’s Husband, Held Without Bail

The attack on 82-year-old Paul Pelosi sent shockwaves through the political world just days before the hotly contested midterm elections. Threats against lawmakers and elections officials have been at all-time highs in this first nationwide election since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol.
 

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