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Abortion pills will be controlled substances in Louisiana soon. Doctors have concerns

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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — On Tuesday, Louisiana will become the first state in the U.S. to categorize two widely used abortion pills as “controlled dangerous substances.”

Opponents argue the classification could have catastrophic impacts in a state that already has a near-total abortion ban and one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation. Doctors fear the reclassification will cause delays in accessing the drugs — mifepristone and misoprostol — which together can be used to manage miscarriages, while misoprostol induces labor and treats severe bleeding after delivery. They also worry the practice of reclassifying the drugs might spread beyond Louisiana.

Proponents say the new law should help prevent coerced abortion, pointing to a Texas case in which a pregnant woman was given seven misoprostol pills by her husband without her knowledge; the baby survived. Over the past 15 years, news outlets have reported on similar cases — none in Louisiana — but the issue does not appear widespread.

Here’s what you should know about the new law.

How does Louisiana’s law differ from federal regulations?

Mifepristone and misoprostol can both be obtained through a prescription in Louisiana, but the state has reclassified the pills as “Schedule IV drugs,” putting them in the same category as the opioid tramadol and other substances that can be addictive.

Mifepristone is typically taken along with misoprostol and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2000 after federal regulators deemed it safe and effective for ending pregnancies in the early weeks of gestation. The drug, which blocks the hormone progesterone, also primes the uterus to respond to the contraction-causing effect of misoprostol.

Last year in the U.S., nearly two-thirds of all abortions were medication abortions.

OB-GYNs say a tiny fraction of patients suffer “major” or “serious” adverse events after taking mifepristone. In June, the Supreme Court unanimously preserved access to the drug, throwing out a lawsuit from abortion opponents that argued the FDA overlooked serious safety problems when it made mifepristone easier to obtain.

Medical experts say it’s possible and safe to use misoprostol by itself to end a pregnancy, but it’s slightly less effective than the two-drug regimen. Besides being used in reproductive care, misoprostol is also used to prevent stomach ulcers in people who take certain pain medicines.

Will people face jail if they use, distribute or possess the pills?

It depends.

Under current Louisiana law, physicians convicted of performing an illegal abortion, including one with pills, face up to 15 years in prison, $200,000 in fines and the loss of their medical license.

The new classification means that if someone knowingly possesses mifepristone or misoprostol without a valid prescription for any purpose, they could be fined up to $5,000 and sent to jail for one to five years.

The law carves out protections for pregnant women who obtain the drug without a prescription to take on their own.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, a Republican who supports the current abortion ban and reclassification, said in September that the “intentional delivery of these drugs by organizations operating though the internet or other networks” is illegal and they will be prosecuted.

What are doctors’ concerns?

Doctors say the law could harm patients due to extra steps and more stringent storage requirements —especially in emergencies in which misoprostol is used to manage dangerous postpartum hemorrhages.

“As soon as the clock strikes midnight … this will be a reality almost immediately because we call for it in an emergency situation so frequently,” said Dr. Jane Martin, an OB-GYN at Ochsner Health in New Orleans whose hospital sees up to 5,000 births a year. It’s “administered at least once a day on labor and delivery,” often more frequently.

In hospitals like hers, misoprostol is usually stored in an OB-GYN unit in a “hemorrhage box” in the room, on the delivery table or in a nurse’s pocket, said Martin, who is active in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in Louisiana and stressed that she’s speaking for herself and not the hospital. With the new law, there will be more “red tape” to access the drugs — maybe down the hall in a locked container or potentially an in-house pharmacy at smaller hospitals.

Health experts said two alternative medications for hemorrhage have more side effects, can’t be used in patients with certain medical problems and need to be refrigerated.

Murrill countered that the law “does not limit a health care provider’s ability to use, prescribe, or fill these medications for legitimate health purposes nor does it impose restrictive burdens on access for emergency purposes.”

Dr. Kylie Cooper, a maternal-fetal specialist in Minnesota who is active with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said that she’s concerned other states will adopt restrictions like Louisiana.

Up to 5% of obstetric patients will experience postpartum hemorrhages, which cause 11% of maternal deaths in the U.S., according to The Joint Commission, a nonprofit organization that sets standards and accredits health care organizations.

“Patients can lose a large amount of blood in a very, very short timeframe,” Cooper said. “So in many situations, seconds and minutes count.”

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.



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Maya Rudolph as Harris and Dana Carvey as Biden open the 50th season of ‘Saturday Night Live’

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NEW YORK – “Saturday Night Live” began its 50th season with a parade of former co-stars, including Maya Rudolph as Vice President Kamala Harris, Andy Samberg as her husband Doug Emhoff and Dana Carvey as President Joe Biden.

“We’ve got to stay focused,” Rudolph-as-Harris said at a mock rally in the show’s cold open. “If we win, together, we can end the drama-la and the trauma-la and go relax in our pajama-las.”

After bringing out running mate Tim Walz, played by comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan, she invited Samberg-as Emhoff to the stage and then, almost as an afterthought, Biden, played by the oldest of the group, the 69-year-old Carvey.

“A lot of people forget I’m president, including me,” said Carvey, best known on the show for playing President George H.W. Bush in the late 1980s.

Rudolph and Carvey jointly delivered the “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night” that launched season 50 of the sketch comedy institution.

Rudolph’s return to play Harris — she won an Emmy for playing her previously — had been reported, but it was not certain when she would appear. The guest spots from Carvey, Samberg and Gaffigan were all surprises.

“Designing Women” star Jean Smart, fresh off winning her sixth Emmy for her lead role in “Hacks,” was host, a role the 73-year-old has somehow never played in a four-decade career.

“I remember watching the first episode of ‘SNL’ and thinking, ’someday I’m going to host that show,” Smart said in her opening monologue. “And this is the first Saturday that fit my schedule.”

That first episode came on Oct. 11, 1975, with Lorne Michaels at the helm, just as he is now.

George Carlin hosted and the nation got its first dose of the Not Ready for Prime Time Players: Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Dan Akroyd, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman and Garrett Morris.

There were two musical guests — Billy Preston and Janis Ian — playing two songs apiece, the norm in the early days.

The country singer and rapper Jelly Roll had the music role to himself Saturday, singing his songs “Liar” and “Sober.” Like Smart, he was a first-timer.

Smart introduced Jelly Roll with her “Hacks” co-star Hannah Einbinder, the daughter of original cast member Newman.

That debut show is documented and reenacted in the newly released Jason Reitman film “Saturday Night,” part of a wave of reflection and celebration the show is getting on the cusp of its 50th anniversary.

Despite the showy guest stars on this Saturday night, regular cast members took on the bulk of the show, which quickly settled into its regular routine.

James Austin Johnson was back playing Donald Trump at his own rally, saying he wanted Biden as an opponent instead of Harris.

“We miss Joe Biden, folks,” Johnson’s Trump said. “What we wouldn’t give to have him stand next to me and be old.”

Colin Jost and Michael Che returned for another season of the mock-news “Weekend Update.”

“There were so many insane political stories this summer and everyone kept asking, ‘Are you are you so bummed you aren’t on the air right now?” Jost said to open the segment. “And I was like, ’I have a feeling there’s going to be more that happens when we get back.’”

Rudolph, Carvey, Gaffigan and Samberg joined Smart, Jelly Roll and the cast on stage for the traditional sign-off.

Upcoming episodes are scheduled to feature host Nate Bargatze with musical guest Coldplay, Ariana Grande with Stevie Nicks, Michael Keaton with Billie Eilish and John Mulaney with Chappell Roan.

Those shows will lead up to a three-hour primetime special on Feb. 16 that will serve as the official 50th season celebration. It’s sure to feature a wide range of the many stars the show has spawned, including Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Robert Downey Jr., Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell.

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A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Dana Carvey was known for portraying former President George W. Bush. Carvey played former President George H.W. Bush.

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This story first moved Sept. 28, 2024. It was updated Sept. 30, 2024, to include photos from the “SNL” 50th season premiere episode.



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FBI to pay $22M to settle claims of sexual discrimination at training academy

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WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI has agreed to pay more than $22 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging female recruits were singled out for dismissal in training and routinely harassed by instructors with sexually charged comments about their breast size, false allegations of infidelity and the need to take contraception “to control their moods.”

The payout to 34 women dismissed from the FBI’s training academy in Quantico, Virginia, still subject to approval by a federal judge, would rank among the biggest lawsuit settlements in the history of the bureau.

“These problems are pervasive within the FBI and the attitudes that created them were learned at the academy,” said David J. Shaffer, the lawyer for the women. “This case will make important major changes in these attitudes.”

Filed in 2019, the lawsuit contends that female recruits had been subjected to a hostile working environment in which they were judged more harshly than their male peers and “excessively targeted for correction and dismissal in tactical situations for perceived lack of judgment” and subjective “suitability” criteria.

One of the women said she was admonished to “smile more” and subjected to repeated sexual advances. Another said that an instructor leered at her and stared at her chest, “sometimes while licking his lips.”

“Through passive tolerance,” the lawsuit said, “the FBI has intentionally allowed the Good Old Boy Network to flourish unrestrained at the FBI Academy.”

The FBI did not immediately comment on the settlement. Many of the allegations in the lawsuit were confirmed in a 2022 internal watchdog report. Men still make up some three-quarters of the bureau’s special agents despite efforts to diversify in recent years.

Among the provisions of the settlement was that the FBI would offer the plaintiffs a chance to continue training toward becoming agents and “guaranteed placement,” for those who pass, in one of their top three preferred field offices. The bureau also has agreed to a review by outside experts who will work to ensure that female recruits face a fair evaluation process.

Some of the women have moved on to other careers, Shaffer said, adding “the FBI has deprived itself of some genuinely exceptional talent.”

Paula Bird, a lead plaintiff in the case who is now a lawyer, said that while the experience has been “disillusioning,” she was “pleased that this settlement will bring a measure of justice to the women who were unfairly dismissed.”

The lawsuit came amid a flurry of sexual misconduct claims within the bureau that included several against senior FBI officials identified in an Associated Press investigation who quietly left the bureau with full benefits even after allegations against them were substantiated. Those claims ranged from unwanted touching and advances to coercion. In one case, an FBI assistant director retired after the inspector general’s office concluded he harassed a female subordinate and sought an improper relationship with her.

In response to AP’s reporting, the FBI announced a series of reforms, including a 24/7 tip line, intended to take a tougher stand against agents found to have committed misconduct and help accusers.

The latest settlement comes less than six months after the Justice Department announced a $138.7 million settlement with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of grossly mishandling allegations of sexual assault against the sports doctor Larry Nassar.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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Canadian women move up to No. 2 in World Rugby rankings after win over France

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Canada has climbed into second place in World Rugby’s women’s rankings, thanks to its 46-24 weekend win over No. 4 France at the WXV tournament.

The Canadians’ rise came at the expense of reigning World Cup champion New Zealand, which dropped to third after losing 29-27 to Ireland in the final match of Sunday’s opening triple-header at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver.

Ireland moves up one rung to No. 6, dropping Australia to seventh in the new rankings. Canada takes on Ireland on Saturday in Langley, B.C.

The Black Ferns, who had been exclusively in the top two in the first eight years of the World Rugby rankings, have fallen to third for the second time in four months. The first time was also due to the Canadian women, who moved into second in late May before slipping to third in mid-July with the Black Ferns retaking No. 2.

England remains No. 1 after thumping the eighth-ranked United States 61-21 in the other WXV 1 game Sunday.

France and Scotland complete the top five.

Italy moves up one spot to No. 9, just above the U.S., with Wales falling to No. 10.

Canada is hosting the top division of the three-tiered WXV tournament, now in its second year.

Ireland has jumped from winning WXV 3 last year to the top tier, thanks to its third-place finish in Six Nations play.

The Canadian women finished second in the inaugural WXV 1 competition won by top-ranked England in New Zealand.

WXV 1 features the top three teams from the 2024 Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand and the U.S.) and Women’s Six Nations Championship (England, France and Ireland).

WXV 2 is currently taking place in South Africa with a field consisting of Scotland, Australia, Italy, Wales, No. 11 South Africa and No. 12 Japan.

WXV 3 is in Dubai with No. 13 Spain, No. 14 Fiji, the 16th-ranked Netherlands, No. 17 Samoa, No. 18 Hong Kong and No. 25 Madagascar.

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



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