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Supreme Court will consider Trump's executive order suspending asylum access at the southern border

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court agreed Friday to consider President Donald Trump's ban on asylum at the southern border, a pillar of the Republican president's far-reaching crackdown on immigration.

The Trump administration is asking the justices to overturn lower court decisions that found it was illegal to block asylum applications following an executive order that called the situation at the southern border an "invasion." The suit is the latest in a series of immigration cases before the high court.

Federal law allows people to seek asylum if they fear persecution in their home countries, no matter how they arrived in the U.S.

At the same time, it also lets the executive branch decide whether people are granted asylum. The Trump administration argues it can categorically deny asylum to migrants covered by the order and should not have to accept applications destined to be rejected.

Federal attorneys say yearslong processing times had previously contributed to a major influx of migrants at the southern border as many were released into the country while awaiting a decision.

"Since the proclamation took effect, border encounters have fallen by 93 percent, dropping to the lowest levels since the 1960s," Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote. The executive order has been the "single most important factor in the President's success at the border," the Homeland Security Department's general counsel, James Percival, said in a social media post.

Attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union and several immigration rights groups counter that border crossings were already falling before Trump took office.

They say his executive order is an unlawful attempt to "invent by fiat a new removal system that eviscerates" legal protections aimed at protecting people fleeing danger in their home countries.

The executive branch does decide whether to grant asylum, which allows people to live and work legally in the U.S. But those decisions are supposed to be made on an individual basis and the law doesn't allow the administration to unilaterally stop people from even applying, immigration attorneys argue.

Family Dollar to pay $63 million to settle allegations that it routinely overcharged customers

Family Dollar will pay $63 million to settle state and federal allegations that it routinely charged customers more at the register than the prices displayed on its shelves, website and mobile app.

The Federal Trade Commission and 17 states filed federal charges against the company Thursday and announced the proposed settlement the same day. The settlement must still be approved by a judge.

According to the FTC's complaint, consumers from across the country have been reporting price discrepancies at Family Dollar for years. In January 2025, for example, consumers from at least seven states reported that Family Dollar refused to honor a "2 for $20" sale on a package of diapers, even though the price was advertised on its mobile app and on shelf tags.

One Michigan consumer took a picture of the "2 for $20" shelf tag and brought it to the register, but reported that the store manager said the price was wrong and quickly removed the shelf tag, the complaint said.

Over the last five years, state and local regulators have cited Family Dollar for thousands of pricing violations, resulting in fines of more than $3 million, the complaint said. It has also entered into multiple settlements with state attorneys general and consumer protection agencies over inaccurate pricing.

Family Dollar said Friday it will work with the FTC and state agencies to meet the settlement's requirements and provide clear information to customers about how the settlement could impact them.

"We take our responsibility to deliver a positive shopping experience seriously," Family Dollar spokeswoman Janella Escobar said in a statement. "We remain focused on strengthening pricing accuracy across our stores and maintaining our customers' trust."

Family Dollar, which is privately owned and based in Chesapeake, Virginia, has more than 8,000 U.S. discount stores. It reported revenue of $13 billion in its most recent fiscal year, according to a company statement.

Trump administration cancels mandatory pay hike for Head Start teachers

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Trump administration on Friday canceled a rule mandating pay increases for teachers in Head Start, the federally funded early education program that serves more than 700,000 of the nation's neediest preschoolers every year.

The move undoes a requirement, created in 2024 under President Joe Biden, that large Head Start programs gradually increase pay for teachers so they would reach parity with their local public schoolteachers. The Biden-era rule also called for expanding employee benefits and would have cost around $2.1 billion annually by 2031.

The money saved could allow Head Start programs to serve more children with the same amount of federal funding, President Donald Trump's administration said. The administration has pushed to scrap many of Head Start's quality regulations, saying programs can enroll more kids if they have more flexibility on spending.

"The Trump Administration is working hard to ensure that the promise of Head Start reaches as many children as possible with the funds Congress has appropriated," said Alex J. Adams, an assistant secretary at Health and Human Services who oversees Head Start.

Advocates for Head Start educators say eliminating pay hikes could actually hurt enrollment. Some programs have been unable to recruit enough staff to operate at capacity and have had to shutter classrooms and preschool centers. Teacher turnover was particularly acute during the pandemic. More than 20% of Head Start teachers left in 2022, some fleeing for higher-paying jobs in public schools or in other sectors, such as retail or food service.

A majority of Head Start teachers hold bachelor's degrees. But according to data reported by programs in 2026, Head Start teachers with master's degrees earned less than $60,000 a year on average, while those with only a bachelor's degree earned less than $50,000. Meanwhile, public schoolteachers earn an average of $75,000 a year, according to the National Education Association union.

The Trump administration "asks Head Start educators to keep doing more for less," the National Association for the Education of Young Children said in a statement. If teachers move on to other jobs, kids cannot enroll, the group said. "A funded slot without a qualified teacher serves no one."

The change had also been condemned by congressional Democrats, who take control of Congress in the new year. This past June, they authored a letter urging the Trump administration to change course and leave the Biden-era pay requirements in place.

Alex Murdaugh wants murder indictments dismissed, saying agent lied to grand jury

LEXINGTON, S.C. (AP) -- Attorneys for Alex Murdaugh asked a judge Friday to throw out the original murder indictments for killing his wife and son, saying the chief investigator in the case lied to the grand jury.

Murdaugh is facing a retrial on the murder charges after the South Carolina Supreme Court threw out his convictions and life sentence, ruling that a court clerk improperly influenced jurors against him during his 2023 trial.

Even if the request to dismiss the indictments is granted, it may not stop or even postpone an April retrial for the disgraced lawyer. Prosecutors can seek another set of grand jury indictments, and defense attorneys said they won't stop them.

The judge asks an interesting question at the end of the hearing

Judge Debra McCaslin did not immediately decide on the defense request, promising a written ruling next week. But one of her last comments at the hearing may have indicated where she is going.

"If you had to go back to the grand jury, could you have it all done and ready to go by April 5th?" she asked prosecutor Creighton Waters.

"Your honor, I'm always working ahead," Waters responded.

A ruling throwing out the indictments would be another rebuke of the chief investigator in Murdaugh's case, State Law Enforcement Division agent David Owen.

A judge last year threw out a different murder case Owen was involved in because the dead woman's mother told the agent about a suicide threat her daughter made days before she died that Owen never relayed to prosecutors or defense attorneys. She was found dead by the same method she told her mother she was going to use to kill herself.

Owen abruptly retired in 2024, not long after he was honored as State Law Enforcement Officer of the Year.

Prosecutors pointed out while Owen is accused of hiding or not revealing evidence in that case, all the issues in the Murdaugh case involved evidence and reports the defense had at the original trial.

US gives states another 6 months before they have to remove people from Medicaid for not working

President Donald Trump's administration told states Friday that they can wait until July before removing people from Medicaid for failing to meet a work requirement.

The requirement is scheduled to take effect nationally on Jan. 1, and states have been scrambling to put in place the staffing, training and technology to implement it by then. The administration clarified that while states still have the option to take action at the beginning of the year, they won't have to kick anyone off or deny coverage for failure to meet the requirement until July 1.

Medicaid is the joint state-federal health insurance program for lower-income people. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told state Medicaid directors on Friday that they'll still need to determine whether many enrollees and applicants for benefits are meeting new requirements that they are working, in school or volunteering.

The move announced Friday gives state social service departments more time to make sure complicated changes are ready to run before there are consequences. CMS said that states are making progress but have implementation challenges.

"I think these extra six months are going to give states the ability to respond to the change, and there will be fewer people that lose their coverage due to administrative failures" resulting from states' inability to prepare, Kathy Hempstead, senior policy officer for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, told The Associated Press.

Still, she said it's not clear which states will opt to use the additional time.

Kate McEvoy, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, said state Medicaid leaders "appreciate the additional flexibility that CMS is providing."

The decision also could give some breathing room to Congress to consider changes to the requirement. Democrats who are taking control of both chambers in January after their sweeping election victories last week have said they want to roll back the requirements.

The news comes after Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, of Oregon, and Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., of New Jersey, wrote to CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz this week, asking to delay implementing the work reporting requirements. Their letter cites, in part, a recent decision out of a Boston federal court that determined medically frail people should not be bound by the work requirement qualification rules.

50 years after iconic film, a gathering of 'Rocky' fans in Philadelphia breaks a world record

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The story of Rocky Balboa is one that audiences love and know well - of resilience, grit and persevering despite the odds.

Fans honored his legacy 50 years after the film with a Guinness World Record-breaking gathering of people dressed as Rocky on Friday at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The uniform? A black beanie, grey sweatpants and sweatshirt, and black high-top Converse sneakers.

A growing number of Rockys amassed in front of the museum steps Friday afternoon, cheering as stragglers showed up to aid the record-breaking attempt.

"What's your name?" the announcer asked one participant. "Rocky Balboa," they replied.

A minimum of 250 people needed to be there for the occasion, according to Guinness. The official record was certified with 570 participants, an announcer said.

The city organized a host of events this month to honor its fictional underdog boxer, including a sprint up the stairs that Rocky stormed up in the film, a rededication marking the permanent installation of the Rocky statue, and a meat market challenge where fans can recreate a scene in the film where he trained by punching slabs of frozen meat.

After the world record was confirmed, the group ran up the stairs to pose for a picture in front of the museum.

On Saturday, tourism officials said 45,000 runners from all 50 states and 75 countries will participate in a "Rocky Run" throughout the city.

The 1976 film written by Sylvester Stallone tells the story of a small-time boxer from South Philly who gears up to take on the heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed, fighting in the city to celebrate America's bicentennial. Though he ultimately loses the fight, Rocky proves himself and wins the heart of Adrian, the neighborhood pet store clerk.

The movie was shot for less than $1 million, and Stallone was an unknown actor who had written the script in a desperate bid to land himself work.

The film won the best picture Oscar and became the highest-grossing sports movie at the time. Its numerous spinoffs and sequels has helped it hold the record for most successful sports movie franchise, according to Guinness World Records.

Philadelphia held its inaugural Rocky Day in 2023 with Stallone in attendance, expanding celebrations to a weeklong Rocky Fest the next year. The city kicked off this year's festivities with the release of Stallone's memoir, "The Steps," on Sep. 29.