The drug’s approval came despite some concerns by FDA scientists about the company’s results, including whether women with certain medical conditions would understand that they shouldn’t take the drug.
Stories by associated press
First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill in US Begins Shipping to Stores
Mar 4, 2024 | Associated Press
Supreme Court Restores Trump to Ballot, Rejecting State Attempts to Ban Him Over Capitol Attack
Mar 4, 2024 | Associated Press
The justices ruled a day before the Super Tuesday primaries that states, without action from Congress first, cannot invoke a post-Civil War constitutional provision to keep presidential candidates from appearing on ballots.
Older Adults Should Get Another COVID-19 Shot, Health Officials Recommend
Mar 1, 2024 | Associated Press
There are still more than 20,000 hospitalizations and more than 2,000 deaths each week due to the coronavirus, according to the CDC. And people 65 and older have the highest hospitalization and death rates.
US Health Officials Drop 5-Day Isolation Time for COVID-19
Mar 1, 2024 | Associated Press
Most people have some degree of immunity to the coronavirus from past vaccinations or from infections. And many people are not following the five-day isolation guidance anyway, some experts say.
CVS and Walgreens Plan to Start Dispensing Abortion Pill Mifepristone Soon
Mar 1, 2024 | Associated Press
Walgreens will begin dispensing the medication within a week at some locations in several states, including Illinois.
What is Super Tuesday? Why It Matters and What to Watch
Feb 29, 2024 | Associated Press
The elections are a crucial moment for President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, who are the overwhelming front-runners for the Democratic and Republican presidential nominations, respectively.
Comedian Richard Lewis, Who Recently Starred on ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ Dies at 76
Feb 28, 2024 | Associated Press
Comedy Central named Richard Lewis one of the top 50 stand-up comedians of all time, and he earned a berth in GQ magazine’s list of the “20th Century’s Most Influential Humorists.” He lent his humor for charity causes, including Comic Relief and Comedy Gives Back.
Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors Allowed to Take Effect in Indiana
Feb 28, 2024 | Associated Press
The ruling was handed down by a panel of justices on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago. It marked the latest decision in a legal challenge the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana filed against the ban.
Michigan Presidential Primary Takeaways: Warning Signs for Trump and Biden
Feb 28, 2024 | Associated Press
Joe Biden and Donald Trump easily won their party’s primaries in Michigan, but Tuesday’s results showed that both candidates have cause for concern in their bid to win the swing state in November.
Biden Administration Works to Highlight How Federal Money is Being Used to Boost Public Safety Efforts in Chicago, Other Cities
Feb 28, 2024 | Associated Press
Biden is expected to speak Wednesday afternoon about how his American Rescue plan has helped Detroit pay for bonuses and hire 200 additional officers, Milwaukee fund gun crime investigations and Chicago better focus on community violence intervention efforts.
Why Does the Government Think a Merger Between Owners of Jewel and Mariano’s Would Be Bad for Grocery Shoppers?
Feb 27, 2024 | Associated Press
On Monday, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission filed an administrative complaint against Kroger’s $24.6 billion deal to acquire Albertsons and a federal lawsuit that asks a judge to block the merger for now.
Biden and Trump Both Plan Trips to the Mexico Border Thursday, Dueling for Advantage on Immigration
Feb 26, 2024 | Associated Press
The trips underscore immigration’s central importance in the 2024 presidential race, for Republicans and increasingly for Democrats, particularly after congressional talks on a deal to rein in illegal migration collapsed.
What Recession? Professional Forecasters Raise Expectations for US Economy in 2024
Feb 26, 2024 | Associated Press
The economy looks set to grow 2.2% this year after adjusting for inflation, according to the National Association for Business Economics. That’s up from the 1.3% predicted in the association’s prior survey, which was conducted in November.
Cody Bellinger Returning to the Cubs on an $80 Million, 3-Year Contract, Source Says
Feb 25, 2024 | Associated Press
The slugger can opt out of the deal after each of the first two seasons, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Sunday because the agreement was pending a physical.
Illinois Judge Who Reversed Rape Conviction Removed From Bench After Panel Finds He Circumvented Law
Feb 24, 2024 | Associated Press
The Illinois Courts Commission said Adams County Judge Robert Adrian “engaged in multiple instances of misconduct” and “abused his position of power to indulge his own sense of justice while circumventing the law.”
EPA Approves Year-Round Sales of Higher Ethanol Blend for Illinois, 7 Other Midwest States
Feb 23, 2024 | Associated Press
The move reflects the importance of ethanol to agriculture. The fuel additive consumes roughly 40% of the nation’s corn crop, so higher sales of ethanol could mean greater profits for corn farmers.
A Fight Between Pro-Trump Factions in Michigan Undercuts Republicans in a Key 2024 State
Feb 22, 2024 | Associated Press
The finances of the Michigan Republican Party are so dire that the current leader has sued former party leaders so she can get permission to sell the organization’s headquarters.
White House Weighing Executive Actions on the Border — With Immigration Powers Used by Trump
Feb 22, 2024 | Associated Press
The administration, stymied by Republican lawmakers who rejected a negotiated border bill earlier this month, has been exploring options that President Joe Biden could deploy on his own without congressional approval.
Krishnamoorthi Co-Leads Congress Members in Trip Praising Taiwan’s Democracy; Visit Certain to Draw China’s Scrutiny
Feb 22, 2024 | Associated Press
In a meeting Thursday with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, Rep. Mike Gallagher, the Republican chair of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, highlighted the bipartisan support for the U.S.-Taiwan partnership, which he described as “stronger and more rock-solid than ever now.”
Joe Biden Says Too Many Americans Are Saddled With School Debt as He Cancels Federal Loans for 153,000
Feb 21, 2024 | Associated Press
Joe Biden, who is in the midst of a three-day campaign swing through California, made the announcement as part of a new repayment plan that offers a faster path to forgiveness, putting the spotlight on his debt cancellation efforts in his reelection campaign.
Chicago Bears Add Jennifer King as Their 1st Ever Female Assistant Coach
Feb 21, 2024 | Associated Press
Jennifer King became the first Black female in NFL history to serve as a primary position coach in 2021 with Washington.
Election Officials in the US Face Daunting Challenges in 2024. And Congress Isn’t Coming to Help
Feb 21, 2024 | Associated Press
Election officials face a long list of challenges this year, including potential cyberattacks waged by foreign governments, criminal ransomware gangs attacking computer systems and the persistence of election misinformation that has led to harassment of election officials and undermined public confidence.
She’s Not Quitting. Takeaways From Nikki Haley’s Push to Stay in the GOP Contest Against Donald Trump
Feb 20, 2024 | Associated Press
Ahead of a major speech on Tuesday, Haley told The Associated Press that she’s staying in the race no matter what at least until after another 20 states vote through Super Tuesday on March 5. That’s even as Donald Trump’s MAGA movement is furious that she’s refusing to drop out. After all, she’s the last major candidate standing in his path to the nomination.
Southern Illinois Home of Paul Powell, the ‘Shoebox Scandal’ Politician, Could Soon Be Sold
Feb 19, 2024 | Associated Press
For more than half a century, a Powell-established $250,000 trust sustained his legacy, for better or worse. But the account that maintained his birthplace as a museum will soon run dry. The fate of the home in Vienna, a town of 1,300 about 140 miles southeast of St. Louis, is uncertain.
FDA Expands Use of Asthma Drug Xolair to Treat Severe Food Allergies
Feb 17, 2024 | Associated Press
An estimated 17 million people in the U.S. have the type of food allergies that can cause rapid, serious symptoms, including severe, whole-body reactions that are potentially deadly.
Donald Trump Fraud Verdict: $364 Million Penalty in New York Civil Case
Feb 16, 2024 | Associated Press
Judge Arthur Engoron issued his decision after a 2½-month trial that saw the Republican presidential front-runner bristling under oath that he was the victim of a rigged legal system. Engoron concluded that Trump and his co-defendants “failed to accept responsibility” for their actions and that expert witnesses who testified for the defense “simply denied reality.”