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FDA backs first over-the-counter birth control pill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:32 GMT

WASHINGTON — U.S. officials have approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill, which will let American women and girls buy contraceptive medication from the same aisle as aspirin and eyedrops.The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it cleared Perrigo’s once-a-day Opill to be sold without a prescription, making it the first such medication to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter. The company won’t start shipping the pill until early next year, and there will be no age restrictions on sales.Hormone-based pills have long been the most common form of birth control in the U.S., used by tens of millions of women since the 1960s. Until now, all of them required a prescription.Medical societies and women’s health groups have pushed for wider access, noting that an estimated 45% of the 6 million annual pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended. Teens and girls, women of color and those with low incomes report greater hurdles in getting prescriptions and picking them up...

Firefighters respond to Red Line, riders evacuate; Disabled train on Green Line

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:32 GMT

Either smoke or a small fire on a Red Line train this morning at Charles MGH interrupted service, forcing passengers to evacuate while firefighters put out the blaze.The fire broke out on the underside of a train at about 5:45 a.m. according to Deputy Chief James Greene who described it as a “small fire.”The MBTA, however said the driver stopped the train because of smoke.“There was no confirmed report of flames nor fire,” said MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo.Greene said firefighters first secured the power and then “got water up on the fire.”All passengers were able to self-evacuate at the platform, Greene said and there were not injuries to report.Pesaturo said the smoke came from an air compressor control box on the train.Firefighters actually manually brought “cans” of water to the train to put out the fire, Greene said.Shuttle buses are providing service between Harvard and Broadway while the T moved the train out of the way. Service resumed at 7...

North County burglary spree ends in crash; 4 teens detained

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:32 GMT

ESCONDIDIO, Calif. -- Four teens were detained Thursday morning in connection to a string of burglaries in North County, authorities said.According to the Escondido Police Department, the teens, who are reported to be from the Hemet area, are suspected of burglarizing multiple businesses in San Marcos and Escondido. This included restaurants, a donut shop, a nail salon and a clothing store, among other locations. Authorities say alarms went off at some of these businesses, prompting a police response. San Diego among cities where majority of homes cost over $1M: study EPD told FOX 5 officers eventually caught up with the suspects who were traveling in an unspecified vehicle. During a confrontation, authorities say the teen driver hit a police car before hitting a tree on West Washington and Centre City Parkway."When officers arrived on the scene, as the officer was exiting his vehicle, the suspects backed into the officers vehicle -- ramming it -- and then fled the scene," said S...

7 San Diego brewers win medals at US Open Beer Championship

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:32 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Award winners for the 2023 US Open Beer Championship were announced this week and several San Diego County brewers took home medals. As the Capital of Craft, it may not come as a surprise that a total of seven brewers in the region took home gold and silver in this large scale competition that included over 9,000 beers.Awards were given in categories representing 160 different styles of beer. Here are the San Diego breweries recognized for their brewed creations: These San Diego breweries won medals at the 2023 Brewers Cup of California -- Black Plague Brewing (Oceanside): Bronze medal for Beautiful Oblivion, Specialty Pale Ale. -- Ketch Brewing (San Diego): Gold medal for Celestial Navigation, Brut India Pale Ale; gold medal for Zwickelbier in the category of Kellerbier or Zwickelbier; bronze medal for Dr. Billheimer’s Magic Pilsner, German Lager/Pilsner.-- Kilowatt Brewing (San Diego): Gold medal for Peach Cobbler, Experimental Beer.-- Modern Times Beer (San Diego):...

Russian lawmakers move to further restrict transgender rights in new legislation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:32 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Russian lawmakers on Thursday approved a toughened version of a bill that outlaws gender transitioning procedures, with added clauses that annul marriages in which one person has “changed gender” and bar transgender people from becoming foster or adoptive parents.The bill received swift, unanimous approval of Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, in its key second reading, and lawmakers scheduled the third and final reading for Friday. There is little doubt that the bill, a crippling blow to Russia’s oppressed LGBTQ+ community, will be adopted amid the Kremlin’s crusade to protect what it views as the country’s “traditional values.” The bill bans any “medical interventions aimed at changing the sex of a person,” as well as changing one’s gender in official documents and public records. New clauses added to the bill also amend Russia’s Family Code by listing gender change as a reason to annul a marriage and adding th...

Jury reaches verdict on Pittsburgh synagogue shooter’s eligibility for federal death penalty

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:32 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A jury reached a verdict Thursday on whether the gunman who killed 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 is eligible for the death penalty.The government is seeking capital punishment for Robert Bowers, who raged against Jewish people online before storming the Tree of Life synagogue with an AR-15 rifle and other weapons in the nation’s deadliest antisemitic attack. Prosecutors argued that Bowers — who spent six months planning the attack and has since expressed regret that he didn’t kill more people — had formed the requisite legal intent to kill.Bowers’ lawyers argued that his ability to form intent was impaired by mental illness and a delusional belief that he could stop a genocide of white people by killing Jews.The jurors indicated they have reached a verdict on whether the federal death penalty applies to Bower’s crimes. It will be announced Thursday morning.If the jurors decide Bowers is eligible for the death penalty, that would set the stage for furt...

In ‘Oppenheimer,’ Christopher Nolan builds a thrilling, serious blockbuster for adults

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:32 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Christopher Nolan has never been one to take the easy or straightforward route. He shoots on large-format film with cumbersome cameras. He prefers practical effects and real locations — even when that means recreating an atomic explosion in the harsh winds of the New Mexico desert for “Oppenheimer,” out July 21. Though, despite internet rumors, they did not detonate an actual nuclear weapon. And as for the biography that inspired his newest film, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s “American Prometheus” was simply the starting point from which Nolan crafted a beguiling labyrinth of suspense and drama.It’s why Nolan has become a franchise unto himself — the rare auteur writer-director who makes films that are both intellectually stimulating and commercial, accounting for more than $5 billion in box office receipts. That’s part of the reason why he’s able to attract Oscar winners and movie stars not just to headline his films, but also to turn out for just a scene o...

In ‘Oppenheimer,’ Cillian Murphy finally gets to lead a Christopher Nolan film

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:32 GMT

The day Christopher Nolan called Cillian Murphy about his new film, “Oppenheimer,” Murphy hung up the phone in disbelief.The Irish actor, though a regular presence in Nolan films going back almost two decades, had always been a supporting player. This time, Nolan wanted him to lead.“He’s so understated and self-deprecating and, in his very English manner, just said, ‘Listen, I’ve written this script, it’s about Oppenheimer. I’d like you to be my Oppenheimer,’” Murphy, 46, told The Associated Press earlier this year. “It was a great day.”For Murphy, it is never not exciting to get a call from Nolan. It’s just hard to predict if he’s going to. He knows there are some movies he’s right for and some movies he isn’t.“I have always said publicly and privately, to Chris, that if I’m available and you want me to be in a movie, I’m there. I don’t really care about the size of the part,” he said. “But deep down, secretly, I was desperate to play a lead for him.”Murphy first met Nolan in 2003....

Religious freedom vs. ‘gray water.’ AP explains ruling favoring Amish families who shun septic tanks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:32 GMT

A long-running religious freedom case has come full circle, with court ruling this week that a deeply conservative Amish community in Minnesota cannot be threatened with the loss of homes if its members don’t install septic systems to dispose of their bath, laundry and dish water.The state Court of Appeals on Monday found that the Swartzentruber Amish community in southeastern Minnesota doesn’t need to install septic systems to dispose of “gray water,” which is dirty water left from dishwashing, laundry, bathing, and other tasks not involving toilet waste. Two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed court rulings that had required the group to install septic tanks.Here’s a look at the legal dispute and the traditionalist religious community at the root of it.Who are the Swartzentruber Amish? The Amish are a Christian religious group that, based on its religious beliefs, shuns many modern technologies like electric and gas-powered machinery. Members are likely most recogniza...

Record monsoon rains have killed more than 100 people in northern India over two weeks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:32 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — Schools and colleges were closed after record monsoon rains led to massive waterlogging, road caves-in, collapsed homes and gridlocked traffic in large parts of northern India, killing more than 100 people over two weeks, officials said Thursday.At least 88 people died, 42 of them in the past five days, and more than 100 were injured in the worst hit-mountainous Himachal Pradesh state where cars, buses, bridges and houses were swept away by swirling flood waters, a state government statement said. The region is nearly 500 kilometers (310 miles) north of New Delhi.Twelve people have died of rain-related incidents since Wednesday in Uttar Pradesh state, said Shishir Singh, a state government spokesman.Nine of them drowned, two died after being struck by lightning and one was killed by a snake bite, Singh said.One person died in New Delhi and four were killed in the Indian-controlled section of Kashmir, officials said.Authorities used helicopters to rescue nearly 300 p...