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FDA panel backs over-the-counter sales of birth control pill

WASHINGTON — Federal health advisers said Wednesday that a decades-old birth control pill should be sold without a prescription, paving the way for a likely U.S. approval of the first over-the-counter contraceptive medication. The panel of FDA advisers voted unanimously in favor of drugmaker Perrigo’s request to sell its once-a-day medication on store shelves alongside eye drops and allergy pills. The recommendation came at the close of a two-day meeting focused on whether women could safely and effectively take the pill without professional supervision. A final FDA decision is ...

International

Fears over scores of zoo animals caught in Sudan crossfire ASWAN, Egypt (AP) — Dozens of zoo animals in Sudan’s capital — including an elderly crocodile, parrots and giant lizards — are feared dead after street battles between the country’s rival forces made the location unreachable. At least 100 animals, all kept inside enclosures, will have gone more than three weeks without food or water, said Sara Abdalla, the head zoologist at the zoo, which is part of the Sudan Natural History Museum. Millions of people in Sudan have endured shortages of food, water and medicines after ...

National

Vermont governor signs shield bills that explicitly include medicated abortion (AP) — Vermont’s Republican governor signed abortion and gender affirming shield bills into law Wednesday that are the first in the country to explicitly include protecting access to a medication widely used in abortions even if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration withdraws its approval of the pill, mifepristone. The bills protect providers from discipline for providing legally protected reproductive and gender affirming health care services. Army sergeant who fatally shot BLM protester in Texas ...

Minnesota

Twin Cities sales tax bump will fund affordable housing programs ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Sales taxes in the Twin Cities metropolitan area will get a 0.25% bump to fund affordable housing under a bill awaiting the signature of Gov. Tim Walz. The bill gives a record $1 billion boost to housing programs overall, but most of it is one-time money from the state’s $17.5 billion budget surplus. The legislation will create a new statewide rental voucher system for about 5,000 families a year, which will reduce waiting times for Section 8 subsidized housing, and provide aid for more than ...

Biden pressures House Republicans on debt

VALHALLA, New York — President Joe Biden on Wednesday blasted Republican-demanded spending cuts as “devastating,” making his case in a campaign-style speech to voters as lawmakers met in Washington on raising the government’s borrowing limit to avoid a potentially catastrophic U.S. default. The president is showing an increased willingness to discuss possible budget restraints, yet he insisted anew that any talks on that should occur without the risk of the federal government being unable to pay its bills. As he spoke, negotiators from the White House and Congress met for two ...

History

Today in History Today is Thursday, May 11, the 131st day of 2023. There are 234 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On May 11, 2010, Conservative leader David Cameron, at age 43, became Britain’s youngest prime minister in almost 200 years after Gordon Brown stepped down and ended 13 years of Labour government. On this date: In 1647, Peter Stuyvesant arrived in New Amsterdam to become governor of New Netherland. In 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state of the Union. In 1927, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was founded during a banquet ...