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Long-used US abortion pill under threat in Texas lawsuit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:06 GMT

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A federal judge in Texas raised questions Wednesday about a Christian group’s effort to overturn federal regulators’ decades-old approval of a leading abortion drug, in a case that could threaten the country’s most common method for ending pregnancies.Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk heard more than four hours of debate over the Alliance Defending Freedom’s request to revoke or suspend the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone. Such a step would be an unprecedented challenge to the FDA and its authority in deciding which drugs to permit on the market.Kacsmaryk said he would rule “as soon as possible,” without giving any clear indication of how he might decide and leaving open the question of whether access to the standard regimen for medication abortions might soon be curtailed throughout the country.Mifepristone, when combined with a second pill, was approved in 2000 and is used to end pregnancies until their 10th week. It has...

Seoul: North Korea fires another missile toward sea

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:06 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea launched another ballistic missile toward its eastern waters Thursday, South Korean officials said, the third such weapons test this week.South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the launch occurred in the morning but did not immediately give further details, such as how far the missile flew.Pyongyang had already staged two launch events this week amid joint military exercises being held by South Korea and the United States. North Korea views such drills as a rehearsal for invasion.The Associated Press

NTSB: Wing parts from air ambulance fell far from wreckage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:06 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A new federal report says parts of the right wing on a medical transport plane that crashed last month in rural Nevada, killing all five people aboard, fell far from the main wreckage site.The National Transportation Safety Board’s findings released Wednesday could support the agency’s initial theory that the aircraft had broken apart before hitting the ground. But NTSB did not release a probable cause in its three-page preliminary report.The agency says parts of the plane’s right wing were located as far as three-quarters of a mile (1.1 kilometers) from where the single-engine Pilatus PC12 crashed in Stagecoach, Nevada, a rural community of about 2,500 residents outside of Reno.Authorities have said the Care Flight piloted by Scott Walton, 46, was headed from Reno to Salt Lake City, Utah, when it crashed around 9:15 p.m. on Feb. 24 amid a winter storm. Care Flight is a service of REMSA Health, and its aviation vendor is Guardian Flight.In a statem...

Judge wants plan to protect humpback whales from fishery

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:06 GMT

A U.S. judge this week ruled that the National Marine Fisheries Service violated the law when it failed to develop a plan to prevent the harming of humpback whales by West Coast commercial fishermen catching sablefish. The Endangered Species Act requires the fisheries service to develop a plan to reduce the number of whales accidentally injured or killed by the fishery, but the agency neither crafted such a plan nor started to create one, the ruling said. About 150 commercial fishing vessels use traps to capture sablefish in waters off California, Oregon and Washington. The fish dwell on muddy ocean floors deeper than 650 feet (200 meters). To target the fish, fishermen place multiple heavy pots on the seafloor and link them together with heavy-duty fishing line.The number of pots range from 15 to 50 while the lines can stretch about two miles (three kilometers), according to court documents. The fishery deployed an annual average of 75,000 pots from 2015 to 2019, the document said....

Here is what’s at stake in abortion medication case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:06 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge heard arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit that poses a threat to the nationwide availability of a popular abortion medication. The hearing comes as a conservative Christian group seeks to reverse federal approval of the drug mifepristone.A two-pill combination of mifepristone and another drug is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. and the ruling would affect states where abortion is legal as well as those that outlaw it. The case has raised concerns about court transparency and so-called judge shopping.Here’s a look at some of the legal issues surrounding the case: HOW DID THE ABORTION PILL CHALLENGE START? Abortion opponents who helped overturn Roe v. Wade filed a lawsuit in November, asking a judge in Texas to reverse the approval of mifepristone. Research shows that medication-induced abortions are safe and effective, and they were approved by the Food and Drug Administration more than 20 years ago. But the group, Alliance Defending F...

André Boisclair, former Parti Québécois leader and sex offender, granted parole

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:06 GMT

MONTREAL — Former Parti Québécois leader André Boisclair, who pleaded guilty in June to sexually assaulting two young men, has been granted parole. In a decision rendered Tuesday, the provincial parole board, the Commission québécoise des libérations conditionnelles, concluded that releasing Boisclair would not compromise public safety.“The commission believes that release at this stage of your sentence, with followups, conditions, and supervision, remains, in the long run, an appropriate measure to ensure the protection of the public, while promoting successful reintegration,” it wrote. Boisclair, 56, has served roughly one-third of his sentence of two years less a day in jail.It was the second time Boisclair had sought parole. A previous application was denied in November because of what the parole board saw as Boisclair’s “arrogant attitude” and his refusal to take part in a therapy program. The board wrote this week that it believes the November denial has led ...

New ticket lottery launches for Paris 2024 Olympics

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:06 GMT

PARIS (AP) — Paris Olympics organizers kicked off the individual ticketing program Wednesday for next year’s Games, after an initial round of package sales left many buyers feeling frustrated at high costs.Would-be spectators can sign up now through April 20 for a lottery for millions of tickets for Olympic events, which run July 26-Aug. 8, 2024. Those chosen for the draw will be contacted in May to log on and purchase individual tickets.An initial ticketing lottery in February and March allowed buyers to get packages of tickets, but few people were able to access lower-cost tickets. Buyers were also required to buy packages for multiple sports, to encourage people to attend less-popular events.Paris 2024 organizers announced last year that there will be 1 million tickets at 24 euros ($26) and more than 4 million for less than 50 euros ($53). In all, 10 million tickets for the Olympics and 3.4 million for the Paralympics will be made available on the online platform. A final ticketi...

AG Kwame Raoul backs Johnson, Vallas endorsed by Ja'Mal Green, councilmembers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:06 GMT

CHICAGO — On the heels of a Tuesday night debate focused on public safety, Chicago mayoral candidates Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson picked up key endorsements on Wednesday.One finalist received the support of one of the state's highest elected officials, while a former mayoral opponent backed another. Brandon Johnson was endorsed by Illinois' top legal professional, Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Amid this election season, Raoul is the first statewide elected official to endorse a candidate for mayor. Raoul said he had discussions with both candidates before making his decision.  Johnson, Vallas pick up endorsements, participate in public safety forum at UIC "After all of the conversations, I decided that Brandon is better for Chicago," Raoul said. To improve safety and curb violence in Chicago, Johnson says part of his crime reduction strategy includes hiring or promoting 200 detectives. Raoul stressed confidence that Johnson’s leadership would improve the city’s clearance rates...

Feds: 6 people indicted in drug trafficking investigation after shipping meth from California to Chicago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:06 GMT

CHICAGO — Five people from Chicago and one person from California have been indicted on federal charges after selling meth shipped from California to Chicago.According to federal prosecutors, the group of people, five from Chicago and one from Sacramento, California, are all facing drug trafficking charges after more than 200 parcels of suspected meth were shipped to the group in Chicago. 5 in custody after attempted robbery on CTA train in Loop The indictment was filed on Tuesday and alleges the shipments happened between February 2022 and February 2023.Money was also shipped back to the person in California by private shipping companies, including FedEx and UPS. Chicago man files class action suit against Buffalo Wild Wings, says boneless wings are just nuggets Several law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, DEA, FBI, Chicago Police Department, Riverside Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations were involved in the investigation.

Several students sickened after possibly eating pot gummies at California school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:24:06 GMT

(KTLA) – At least seven people needed medical evaluation Wednesday afternoon after possibly ingesting marijuana gummies at a school in Sun Valley, California officials said.The incident was reported around 1:20 p.m. at 7330 N. Bakman Avenue, the site of Sun Valley Magnet School, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.The patients, all believed to be school age, were being evaluated for "sudden illness" after ingesting what is believed to be chewable marijuana, officials said. They were all conscious and breathing.Several Los Angeles Fire Department units responded to the school, aerial video from Nexstar's KTLA showed.No further details about the incident have been released.Marijuana and marijuana edibles are widely available in cannabis stores across California, where voters legalized recreational use in 2016. This is a developing story.