AP National News

AP Week in Pictures: Global

AP
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by Rayos Syndication User

AUG. 7 – 13, 2021 From Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, to a hermit in New Hampshire, to preparations for India’s Independence Day celebrations, this photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images from around the world made or published by The Associated Press in the past week. The selection was curated by AP photo editor Patrick Sison. Follow AP…

Multiracial boom reflects US racial, ethnic complexity

By ASTRID GALVAN and MIKE SCHNEIDER - Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

Growth in the number of people who identified as multiracial on 2020 census responses soared over the last decade, rising from under 3% to more than 10% of the U.S. population. Experts say the multiracial boom is a reflection of the complex racial and ethnic diversity of the U.S. It also may be the result of changes the U.S. Census Bureau made in processing responses that better capture diversity and how it asked about race and ethnicity in order to better reflect the nation’s changing mosaic. The number of people who identify as multiracial went from 9 million in 2010 to 33.8 million in 2020.

The Latest: Alabama gov issues state of emergency amid surge

By The Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey on Friday issued a state of emergency as state hospitals face a surge in COVID-19 cases, an order that came the same day the state tied a record low for available intensive care unit beds. Ivey issued a limited state of emergency aimed at giving medical providers flexibility on staffing and capacity decisions…

The Latest: UN statement would urge end to Taliban offensive

By The Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

Security Council members are considering a proposed statement that would urge an immediate end to the Taliban offensive and warn that the U.N.’s most powerful body will not support any government in Afghanistan imposed by military force or restoration of the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate that ruled the country from 1996 to 2001. The proposed presidential statement, a step below a resolution, would also condemn the Taliban’s attacks on cities across Afghanistan “in the strongest terms” and reaffirm that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. The draft statement, obtained Friday by the AP, urges the Afghan government and the Taliban “to engage without delay.”

Huntsville now Alabama’s largest city, overtakes Birmingham

By KIM CHANDLER - Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

Huntsville has overtaken Birmingham as Alabama’s largest city.  U.S. Census numbers released Thursday show that Huntsville is now slightly more populous than Birmingham. Huntsville has a population of 215,006. Birmingham has a population of 200,733. Huntsville has seen rapid growth over the past decade. The population of the city has jumped by 19% since 2010. However, the Birmingham metro area remains the largest in the state. The Birmingham-Hoover Metro Statistical Area has 1.1 million people, while the Huntsville Metro Area has more than 490,000 people. 

Lawsuit challenges Wisconsin districts after census release

By SCOTT BAUER - Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

Democrats have filed a lawsuit asking a  federal court to throw out Wisconsin’s current congressional and legislative district boundaries, arguing the 10-year-old maps are unconstitutional and shouldn’t be used as the starting point for new districts set to be drawn in the coming months. The lawsuit filed Friday comes less than 24 hours after the census released the data to used in the redistricting process. Democratic elections attorney Marc Elias filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Madison on behalf of six Wisconsin voters. The current maps were drawn and enacted by Republicans.

FACT FOCUS: Indiana doctor’s speech spreads COVID falsehoods

By ALI SWENSON and TERRENCE FRASER - Associated Press
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by Rayos Syndication User

An Indiana doctor’s recent appearance at a small community school board meeting northeast of Indianapolis has racked up tens of millions of views across social media this week, with users falsely claiming it included facts about COVID-19 that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the federal government don’t want you to hear. In reality, Dr. Dan Stock’s 6-minute…

Census: Alabama more diverse, a few counties driving growth

AP
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by Rayos Syndication User

Alabama’s population has become slightly more diverse over the last 10 years. U.S. Census numbers released Thursday show that the percentage of people who identify as white dropped while the state saw an increase in the Hispanic population and people who identify as two or more races.  The percentage of people who identify as multiracial increased from 1.5% to 5.1%. The percentage of people who identify as Hispanic increased from 3.9% to 5.3%. Alabama’s population growth over the last decade has been largely fueled by a handful of booming counties, while the Black Belt region and other regions continue to shrink.