NATIONAL NEWS

Census: Minorities now surpass whites in US births
May 17, 2012 04:46 GMT

%reldate(2012-05-17T04:01:00

WASHINGTON (AP) -- For the first time, racial and ethnic minorities make up more than half the children born in the U.S., capping decades of heady immigration growth that is now slowing.

New 2011 census estimates highlight sweeping changes in the nation's racial makeup and the prolonged impact of a weak economy.

As a whole, the U.S. minority population continues to rise, following a higher-than-expected Hispanic count in the 2010 census.

But the annual rates of growth for Hispanics and Asians fell sharply last year to about 2 percent, roughly half the rates in 2000 and the lowest in more than a decade. Black growth rates stayed flat at 1 percent.

Pointing to a longer-term decline in immigration, demographers say the peak of the Hispanic population boom may have passed.

NATIONAL VIDEO

NATIONAL HEADLINES

Census: Minorities now surpass whites in US births

Calif. woman apparently burned by rocks in pocket

Tropical Storm Aletta weakening in the Pacific

CA museum gets big gift to build shuttle exhibit

FBI links white-powder envelopes to Texas

Crews try to stop AZ blaze from crossing fire line

Seattle car vandal takes nothing, leaves tortillas

Report questioning execution doesn't sway lawyers

Authorities: Trooper gets text seeking illegal buy

Army launches review of PTSD diagnoses

BUSINESS NEWS

Stocks inch higher but worries about Europe linger

NEW YORK (AP) -- Hopes that the U.S. housing market is starting to recover sent stocks edging higher on Wall Street.

CONSUMER INFO

Honda shows robotics for easy and hands-free ride
TOKYO (AP) -- Look, no hands. Scooting about on what looks like a floating car seat is no sweat for anyone with Honda's new hands-free robotics technology. ...

SCIENCE/TECH NEWS

IN THE NEWS: DIFFERENCES IN MAJOR CELL PHONE COMPANIES NARROW

NEW YORK (AP) -- Which cellular phone company is the best?