Stories by Associated Press

Southwest Cancels Hundreds More Flights, Denies Sickout

Southwest Airlines canceled more than 350 flights Monday following a weekend of major disruptions that it blamed on bad weather and air traffic control issues. 

Astros Dismiss Sign-stealing Implications by Sox Pitcher

The Houston Astros found themselves in familiar territory Monday, brushing aside comments by Chicago White Sox reliever Ryan Tepera after he implied they stole signs while winning the first two games of the AL Division Series in their ballpark.

Game 4 of Astros-White Sox ALDS Postponed Because of Forecast

Game 4 of the AL Division Series between the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox has been postponed because of rain in the forecast.

Most Deere Workers Reject Contract Offer From Tractor Maker

Negotiators will return to the bargaining table Monday to try and work out a new deal to cover more than 10,000 workers at 14 plants across the United States. The union set a strike deadline of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday.

Merck Asks US FDA to Authorize Promising Anti-COVID Pill

If cleared by the Food and Drug Administration — a decision that could come in a matter of weeks — it would be the first pill shown to treat COVID-19. All other FDA-backed treatments against the disease require an IV or injection.

Facebook Unveils New Controls for Kids Using Its Platforms

Facebook is also planning to introduce new controls for adults of teens on an optional basis so that parents or guardians can supervise what their teens are doing online. These initiatives come after Facebook announced late last month that it was pausing work on its Instagram for Kids project. 

Astros Try to Sweep White Sox as ALDS Shifts to Chicago

The Chicago White Sox hired Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa hoping he would oversee a deep postseason run and maybe lead them to their second World Series championship since 1917. They did not see themselves making another quick exit. But that’s exactly what they’re staring at unless a sudden turnaround is coming.

Tensions Persist Between Legacy of Columbus, Native People

Monday’s federal holiday dedicated to Christopher Columbus is highlighting the ongoing divide between those who view the explorer as a representative of Italian American history and others horrified by an annual tribute that ignores native people whose lives and culture were forever changed by colonialism.

A Growing Worry for Charities: Tax Havens for the Rich

Wealthy Americans have long sought to use charitable contributions to reduce their tax burdens. But the “Pandora Papers” report  revealed how world leaders, billionaires and others have stashed trillions of dollars out of the reach of governments by using shell companies and offshore accounts, which are considered legal.

Local School Boards Emerge as Hot Races in November Election

Parental protests over COVID-19-related mask mandates, gender-neutral bathrooms, and teachings about racial history, sexuality and social-emotional learning are being leveraged into full-fledged board takeover campaigns that will get their first widespread test in just a few weeks.

US Appeals Court Lets Texas Resume Ban on Most Abortions

A one-page order by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued late Friday reinstated the nation’s strictest abortion law, which bans abortions once cardiac activity is detected, usually around six weeks. It makes no exceptions in cases of rape or incest.

Biden Won’t Invoke Executive Privilege on Trump Jan. 6 Docs

President Joe Biden will not block a tranche of documents sought by a House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, setting up a showdown with former President Donald Trump.

Google Cracks Down on Climate Change Denial by Targeting Ads

Google is cracking down on digital ads promoting false climate change claims or being used to make money from such content, hoping to limit revenue for climate change deniers and stop the spread of misinformation on its platforms.

Can I Get the Flu and COVID-19 Vaccines at the Same Time?

When COVID-19 vaccines were first rolling out in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended waiting 14 days between the shots and other immunizations as a precaution. But the agency has since revised its guidelines and says the wait is unnecessary.

US Employers Add a Weak 194,000 Jobs as Delta Maintains Hold

Friday’s report from the Labor Department also showed that the unemployment rate fell sharply to 4.8% from 5.2% in August. Last month’s job gains fell shy of even the modest 336,000 that the economy had added in August and were the fewest since December, when employers actually cut jobs.

Senate Avoids a US Debt Disaster, Votes to Extend Borrowing

The Senate has dodged a U.S. debt disaster, voting to extend the government’s borrowing authority into December and temporarily avert an unprecedented federal default that experts warned would devastate the economy and harm millions of Americans.

Biden, A Convert to Vaccine Mandates, Champions Compliance

President Joe Biden on Thursday championed COVID-19 vaccination requirements, determined that the roughly 67 million unvaccinated American adults must get the shot even as he acknowledged that mandates weren’t his “first instinct.”

Trump to Invoke Executive Privilege in Jan. 6 House Probe

Donald Trump intends to assert executive privilege in a congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, a move that could prevent the testimony of onetime aides, according to a letter sent by lawyers for the former president.

Pfizer Asks US to Allow COVID Shots for Kids Ages 5 to 11

Pfizer asked the U.S. government Thursday to allow use of its COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11 – and if regulators agree, shots could begin within a matter of weeks.

Judge Orders Texas to Suspend New Law Banning Most Abortions

The order Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman is the first legal blow to the Texas law known as Senate Bill 8, which until now had withstood a wave of early challenges.

Matt Nagy Makes Justin Fields No. 1 Bears Quarterback

Chicago Bears coach Matt Nagy has changed his mind and made Justin Fields the Chicago Bears’ starting quarterback going forward.

Facebook Blames Outage on Error During Routine Maintenance

Santosh Janardhan, Facebook’s vice president of infrastructure, said in a blog post that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp going dark was “caused not by malicious activity, but an error of our own making.”

US Woman in Bali ‘Suitcase Murder’ to be Released Oct. 29

A Chicago woman convicted of assisting her boyfriend in her mother’s murder and stuffing the body in a suitcase on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali in 2014 is being released early from a 10-year sentence, a prison official confirmed Wednesday.

Opponents of Texas Ban on Most Abortions Expand Challenges

The latest legal challenge came as the Biden administration waited for a federal judge in Austin, Texas, to rule on a request to halt the law known as Senate Bill 8, which bans abortions in Texas once cardiac activity is detected, usually around six weeks. 

Biden Pushes Big Plans as Key to Avoid ‘America’s Decline’

Calling opponents of his plans “complicit in America’s decline,” President Joe Biden made the case Tuesday that his ambitious social spending proposal is key to America’s global competitiveness — even as he acknowledged the current $3.5 trillion price tag will shrink.

Outage Highlights How Vital Facebook Has Become Worldwide

The six-hour outage was a headache for many casual users but far more serious for the millions of people worldwide who rely on the social media sites to run their businesses or communicate with relatives, parents, teachers or neighbors.
 

Sign up for the WTTW News newsletter

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors

Thanks to our sponsors:

View all sponsors