Stories by Associated Press

 Hospitals could soon face shortages of critical surgical tools because several plants that sterilize the equipment have been shut down, government health officials said Friday.

The “News Tab,” a new section in the Facebook mobile app, will display headlines — and nothing else — from the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, BuzzFeed News, Business Insider and the Los Angeles Times, among others.

The first-of-its-kind exhibit in 2020 will explore the history and culture of the Apsáalooke people, an indigenous group known for its horsemanship, artistic pursuits and matriarchal ways of life.

The Chicago teachers strike heads into its second weekend. Will classes resume Monday? Mayor Lori Lightfoot wants help from Springfield to close a budget gap. And the Cubs go back to the future with their new manager.

CTU President Jesse Sharkey said both sides are now focused on the “key issues” as they work to finalize a new contract. “I’m still hopeful,” Sharkey said Friday evening. “It’s stressful, there’s pressure … I remain hopeful that we can get it done.”

Walmart, CVS and Rite Aid have pulled some or all 22-ounce bottles of Johnson’s baby powder from shelves to avoid confusing consumers, after a minuscule amount of asbestos was found in one bottle.

Ten business leaders are behind the donation – the largest cumulative gift in the university’s history – which will fund scholarships and new campus facilities. 

As health officials deal with a mysterious vaping illness, they’re urging people to stop using e-cigarette products. We get advice and tips for quitting from a University of Chicago psychology professor who says “the main thing is you get started.”

The rancor Dr. Ulrich Klopfer generated in life only deepened after his death at 79 last month, when 2,246 sets of preserved fetal remains were discovered stacked floor to ceiling in a garage at his suburban Chicago home.

Do you have old prescription medicines in your cabinet? Don’t flush them down the toilet or throw them in the trash. Instead, dispose of them Saturday, no questions asked, at DEA-sponsored sites. 

As the probe hits the one-month mark, Trump and his aides have largely ignored the details of the Ukraine allegations against him. Instead, they’re loudly objecting to the House Democrats’ investigation process.

Should social media companies be responsible for fact-checking content? The debate over free speech on Facebook.

“Check, Please!” host, restaurateur and master sommelier Alpana Singh dishes on the new season of the Emmy award-winning show, which debuts Friday on WTTW.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveils a new mental health plan that includes a boost in funding. But some say it falls short of her promise to bring back six clinics that were shuttered by her predecessor in 2012.

The Chicago Transit Authority’s budget has no plans for fare hikes or service reduction in 2020, but ridership on CTA buses and trains has been steadily declining since a 2012 peak.

Is there a spark of life yet in the Bears? Former Bears offensive lineman James “Big Cat” Williams previews the team’s matchup with the Chargers on Sunday. 

George Klauba is back on the scene, but he no longer inks people. These days, he’s an acclaimed painter sought after by collectors locally and abroad. And his new series of paintings features tattoo art.

Two Illinois residents are among 34 individuals across the country who have died after experiencing serious vaping-related illnesses since March, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is asking the federal government to reconsider its decision to deny monetary aid to residents and businesses affected by near-record levels of flooding that hit Illinois this spring.

Ninth-grade students in select Chicago Public Schools will learn how to recognize and cope with stress as part of a DePaul University-led violence prevention research project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.

The show’s three exceptionally graceful, expressive actors – each of them powerful solo players – form a seamless bond that is beautiful to behold. They are at once passionate artists and fierce cultural warriors.

Watch the Oct. 24, 2019 full episode of “Chicago Tonight.”

The Cubs on Thursday announced a three-year deal with former catcher David Ross, who becomes the 55th manager in club history. 

The ongoing Chicago teachers strike has already cost students six days of classes. But with upcoming deadlines for students prepping for college, Chicago Public Schools leaders are expressing a sense of urgency in getting students back into school.

Republicans briefly brought the Democrat-led impeachment investigation to a halt when around two dozen GOP House members stormed into a closed-door deposition with a Defense Department official. 

The powerful Illinois House speaker is named in a federal subpoena. Our politics team tackles that story and Mayor Lightfoot’s budget proposal in our weekly roundtable.