By John Raby, Fatima Hussein and Josh Boak Associated Press CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — For the first time in half a year, families on Friday are going without a monthly deposit from the child tax credit — a program that was intended to be…

By Mark Sherman and Jessica Gresko Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court began hearing arguments Friday on major Biden administration work rules to bump up the nation's vaccination rate against COVID-19 at a time of…

By Christopher Rugaber Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation's unemployment rate fell in December to a healthy 3.9% — a pandemic low — even as employers added a modest 199,000 jobs, evidence that they are struggling to fill…

By Nick Perry Associated Press WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Good riddance to 2021. Let 2022 bring fresh hope. That was a common sentiment as people around the world began welcoming in the new year. In many places, New Year's Eve…

By Steve Peoples and Will Weissert Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — This time last year, the Republican Party was hitting bottom. Having already lost the presidency and House, the GOP would soon squander its Senate majority and…

By Tom Hays and Larry Neumeister Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — The Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking trial was a four-week winding road featuring sordid testimony by four women who accused the British socialite of grooming their…

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials on Thursday pressed nursing home workers to get their booster shots amid a spike in COVID-19 cases among staffers and a concerning lag in booster…

By Martha Bellisle and Terry Tang Associated Press SEATTLE (AP) — The omicron-fueled surge that is sending COVID-19 cases rocketing in the U.S. is putting children in the hospital in close to record numbers, and experts lament that most…

By Philip Marcelo, Anne D'Innocenzio and Bobby Caina Calvan Associated Press BOSTON (AP) — Staff absences for COVID-19 tripled this month in London’s hospitals, and nearly 10% of the city’s firefighters called out sick. In New York,…

By Matthew Perrone Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators on Thursday authorized the second pill against COVID-19, providing another easy-to-use medication to battle the rising tide of omicron infections. The Food…

Associated Press Wall Street delivered another strong year for investors in 2021, as a resurgence in consumer demand fueled by the reopening of the global economy pumped up corporate profits. As of Dec. 22, the S&P 500 had risen…

By Amy Forliti and Scott Bauer Associated Press MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jurors on Thursday convicted a suburban Minneapolis police officer of two manslaughter charges in the killing of Daunte Wright, a Black motorist she shot during a…

By Andrew Meldrum Associated Press JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The omicron variant appears to cause less severe disease than previous versions of the coronavirus, and the Pfizer vaccine seems to offer less defense against infection from it but…

By Anne D'Innocenzio Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — Companies of all sizes are rethinking their plans to send workers back to the office as the new omicron variant adds another layer of uncertainty. Alphabet's Google and the…

By Amy Beth Hanson Associated Press HELENA, Mont. (AP) — More U.S. drivers could find themselves stuck on snowy highways or have their travel delayed this winter due to a shortage of snowplow drivers — a reality that could hit home…