1 of every 133 Americans in prison or jail, new Justice Dept figures show

Prison population growth slows in 2008

WASHINGTON — The U.S. prison population edged up slightly last year, though the number of total inmates dropped in 20 states, including New York, Georgia and Michigan.

As births outpace deaths, number of Utah residents tops 2.8 million, panel says

Panel says Utah population tops 2.8 million

Utah girl’s suspension for piercing her nose shows challenge for Indian culture in America

Utah girl’s pierced nose: US-Indian culture clash

Senate blocks GOP proposal to require that census ask about citizenship status in 2010 count

Senate blocks census citizenship question

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats Thursday blocked a GOP attempt to require next year’s census forms to ask people whether they are U.S. citizens.

Complaints about new UK census questions that probe more deeply into people’s private lives

More detailed questions in new UK census

LONDON — How many bedrooms in your home? What kind of heater do you use? Who’s staying over at your apartment tonight?

Minority lawmakers oppose effort to ask about citizenship status in 2010 census

WASHINGTON — A coalition of black, Latino and Asian lawmakers on Thursday expressed opposition to a proposal that would require next year’s census forms to ask about the status of a person’s citizenship.

To accurately count immigrants, Census 2010 will include outreach in more languages

SAN FRANCISCO — With the launch of the 2010 census less than six months away, the U.S. Census Bureau is preparing its most targeted and far-reaching language outreach yet to more accurately count the country’s immigrants.

Study: City funds and manpower to promote 2010 head count lag levels in previous census

WASHINGTON — With the 2010 census looming, major U.S. cities whose residents are at high risk of being missed are struggling with a shortage of money and manpower to prepare for an accurate count.

UN index rates quality of life best in Norway, worst in Niger; US ranks 13th

BANGKOK — Norway enjoys the world’s highest quality of life, while Niger suffers the lowest, a U.N. agency said Monday, as it released a ranking that highlights the wide disparities in well-being between rich and poor countries.

UN report says Russia Russia should reform migration rules as population falls

MOSCOW — Russia should ease barriers to immigration in order to reduce the impact of labor shortages, slower economic growth and other pressures brought on by its ongoing demographic crisis, a United Nations report said Monday.

Commerce Department rules out seeking a halt to immigration raids to improve census count

WASHINGTON — With the 2010 census six months away, the Commerce Department said Thursday it won’t seek a halt to immigration raids as it did in the previous census in hopes of improving participation in hard-to-count communities.

Out of the fields, into classrooms: New funds but long waiting lists to educate migrant kids

OCALA, Fla. — Elizabeth Pineda climbs out from bed, her 4-year-old son Adrian asleep nearby. She lays out a tiny pair of shorts and a white T-shirt for his first day of school, gathers her purse and tiptoes outside. Her cousin will get the boy up and off to class in a few hours.

Out of the fields, into classrooms: New funds aim to educate more migrant children

OCALA, Fla. — Elizabeth Pineda climbs out of bed, her 4-year-old son Adrian asleep nearby. She lays out a tiny pair of shorts and a white T-shirt for his first day of school, gathers her purse and tiptoes outside. Her cousin will get the boy up and off to class in a few hours.

Latinos hope the use of bilingual census forms will aid the 2010 count despite obstacles

LONG BEACH, Calif. — When Teresa Ocampo opens her census questionnaire, she won’t have to worry about navigating another document in English.

New census director says he’s worried economy, tensions over immigration will hurt head count

WASHINGTON — The head of the Census Bureau says he’s worried the poor economy and tensions over immigration will deter people from participating in next year’s high-stakes count.

Recession’s impact: Census data show longer commutes, delayed marriage, fewer immigrants

WASHINGTON — A broad survey of Americans has provided striking measures of the recession’s effect on life at home and at work: People are now stuck in traffic longer, less apt to move away and more inclined to put off marriage and buying a house.

With power and money on the line, states, civic groups already have push on for 2010 census

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. — State governments and civic groups are sinking scarce dollars into the phone banks, TV ads and door-knocking commonly seen in political campaigns to pump up numbers in the upcoming census.

Rising fertility rates, immigration push Britain’s population over 61 million for 1st time

LONDON — Britain’s population took its biggest jump in almost half a century last year, as a baby boom made new births rather than immigration the main contributor to growth for the first time in a decade.

Study: Recession slowing illegal immigration from Mexico, but those already here staying put

WASHINGTON — Apparently deterred by rising unemployment in the U.S., the number of Mexican immigrants who crossed the border dropped sharply in the past year to the lowest level in a decade, even while undocumented workers already here are opting to stay.

Census: With fewer people moving, largest US cities now outpace rest of nation in growth

WASHINGTON — Reversing a decade-long trend, many of America’s largest cities are now growing more quickly than the rest of the nation, yet another sign of an economic crisis that is making it harder for people to move.

AP answers your questions on the news, from claims after plane crashes to the uninsured

You’ve probably heard some big numbers concerning the number of people in the country who don’t have health insurance. But who exactly are the uninsured? What’s their background, where do they live, and how many of them are children?

After the crash, has the sun set on America’s ‘Sun Belt’?

ORLANDO, Fla. — We first heard the term decades ago: The “Sun Belt” was just starting a run of phenomenal growth — and no wonder. It conjured a sunny state of mind as well as a balmy place on the map.

Is economic twilight falling on America’s ‘Sun Belt’ states following financial crash?

ORLANDO, Fla. — We first heard the term decades ago: The “Sun Belt” was just starting a run of phenomenal growth — and no wonder. It conjured a sunny state of mind as well as a balmy place on the map.

After the crash, has the sun set on America’s ‘Sun Belt’?

ORLANDO, Fla. — We first heard the term decades ago: The “Sun Belt” was just starting a run of phenomenal growth — and no wonder. It conjured a sunny state of mind as well as a balmy place on the map.

Slowing immigration of Asians, Hispanics to delay by years when US minorities become majority

WASHINGTON — Deterred by immigration laws and the lackluster economy, the population growth of Hispanics and Asians in the U.S. has slowed unexpectedly, causing the government to push back estimates on when minorities will become the majority by as much as a decade.

Renewed debate in NJ over granting in-state tuition rates to illegal immigrants

NEWARK, N.J. — Piash Ahamed has been living in New Jersey since legally emigrating from Bangladesh with his family as a child. He attended state public schools, graduated from high school at the top of his class and was accepted at Rutgers University.

Latino pastor group to illegal immigrants: Stand up, but don’t be counted, in census

NEWARK, N.J. — A nationwide group of Latino ministers has a message for illegal immigrants: Stand up, but refuse to be counted in the 2010 U.S. census.