‘Colonialism and cucumbers’: Governor General gets lukewarm reception in Quebec

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of people with private health insurance would be able to pick up over-the-counter methods like condoms, the “morning after” pill and birth control pills for free under a new rule the White House proposed on Monday.

Right now, health insurers must cover the cost of prescribed contraception, including prescription birth control or even condoms that doctors have issued a prescription for. But the new rule would expand that coverage, allowing millions of people on private health insurance to pick up free condoms, birth control pills, or “morning after” pills from local storefronts without a prescription.

The proposal comes days before Election Day, as Vice President Kamala Harris affixes her presidential campaign to a promise of expanding women’s health care access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to undo nationwide abortion rights two years ago. Harris has sought to craft a distinct contrast from her Republican challenger, Donald Trump, who appointed some of the judges who issued that ruling.

“The proposed rule we announce today would expand access to birth control at no additional cost for millions of consumers,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement. “Bottom line: women should have control over their personal health care decisions. And issuers and providers have an obligation to comply with the law.”

The emergency contraceptives that people on private insurance would be able to access without costs include levonorgestrel, a pill that needs to be taken immediately after sex to prevent pregnancy and is more commonly known by the brand name “Plan B.”

Without a doctor’s prescription, women may pay as much as $50 for a pack of the pills. And women who delay buying the medication in order to get a doctor’s prescription could jeopardize the pill’s effectiveness, since it is most likely to prevent a pregnancy within 72 hours after sex.

If implemented, the new rule would also require insurers to fully bear the cost of the once-a-day Opill, a new over-the-counter birth control pill that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved last year. A one-month supply of the pills costs $20.

Federal mandates for private health insurance to cover contraceptive care were first introduced with the Affordable Care Act, which required plans to pick up the cost of FDA-approved birth control that had been prescribed by a doctor as a preventative service.

The proposed rule would not impact those on Medicaid, the insurance program for the poorest Americans. States are largely left to design their own rules around Medicaid coverage for contraception, and few cover over-the-counter methods like Plan B or condoms.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

TORONTO – Jade Kovacevic, a veteran forward who has scored goals at home and abroad, is the first player signing revealed by the new Northern Super League.

The 30-year-old from Acton, Ont., has joined AFC Toronto, one of six teams scheduled to kick off the fledgling women’s pro soccer league in April.

“I’m so excited. It’s a dream come true for me,” Kovacevic said.

Kovacevic, who spent a year playing collegiate soccer at LSU and had overseas stints in Hungary and Italy, has been waiting a long time to play professionally at home. While she bided her time, the former Canadian youth international set scoring records in League1 Ontario and has given back to the sport by coaching youth.

She has also come back from a ruptured Achilles suffered in a game in May 2023.

“We’re thrilled to have Jade as our first signing,” AFC Toronto coach Marko Milanovic said in a statement. “She’s always trained like a professional, even without a domestic league to play in, and it’s that commitment, her goal-scoring ability and leadership that will help us establish our presence in the league.”

Kovacevic holds the all-time scoring record in League1 Ontario with more than 170 goals, earning five Golden Boot awards and four MVP crowns. Her League1 Ontario resume includes stints with FC London (twice), Vaughan Azzurri and most recently the North Toronto Nitros, where she doubled as coach of the club’s League1 reserves and League 2 program.

Bu she put coaching aside in March to focus on playing, with an eye to the new league coming on board.

“I don’t want to regret not doing something when I can’t do it any more,” Kovacevic said. “And I know I don’t have maybe as many years left in me as I wish I did and I want to take advantage of this opportunity. … I focused on my playing career, took this season as seriously as I could coming off of an Achilles rupture.

“And the stars aligned and the hard work paid off. I’m very very grateful to be sitting in this set.”

A cerebral forward, Kovacevic likes to operate on the shoulder of defenders, looking to make runs and anticipate passes.

“I like to think that one of my strong suits is being able to see things before they happen,” she said.

Born in Hamilton, Kovacevic spent 10 years in Flamboro before moving to Acton. She also played youth soccer in Georgetown and Oakville before joining the Toronto Lady Lynx.

“Jade’s leadership and her connection to the community will be an asset to AFC Toronto,” said NSL co-founder Diana Matheson.

Kovacevic spent one season at LSU where she was named to the2012 SEC (SouthernConference)All-Freshman Team and made Second-Team All-SEC. But she did not find the school a good fit and felt her football wasn’t progressing.

Plus she found she wanted to be closer to home. “Turns out I’m a big family girl,” she said.

Kovacevic found a home at Fanshawe College in London, Ont., loving both the school’s business program and football team.

“You were treated like a D1 athlete at Fanshawe and they put a lot of emphasis on making sure it felt like a professional environment,” she said.

Coming to classes of 15 to 20 students was also welcome after classes of 400 to 500 south of the border.

She had two stints on the Falcons soccer team, returning to do an advanced diploma after studying business marketing. In-between, in 2019, she spent half a season playing for Roma in the Italian second division.

“The time of my life,” she said with gusto. “I lived in the suburbs of Rome, about a 20-minute subway ride from Vatican City. It was just fantastic, I was there for six or seven months, helped the team grow a little bit, learned a little bit of Italian, fell in love with the lifestyle and the culture.”

But financially, it was not enough to support her. She had run into the same problem in an earlier three-month stint in Hungary in 2017 withGyori ETO, located about an hour outside Budapest.

Back home in Ontario, she settled in London where she began her own private coaching company during the pandemic. She also coached FC London’s youth sides while playing for the club.

“London has been incredible to me,” she said. “The fans there, the supporters of the game, FC London, they really helped feed the passion that I have for the game.”

Kovacevic represented Canada at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2010 in Trinidad and Tobago and the U-20 World Cup in 2012.

At one point she roomed with Canadian striker Adriana Leon. Kovacevic also grew up playing with and against current Canadian stars Kadeisha Buchanan and Ashley Lawrence.

And she would love to renew such acquaintances.

“I would love a shot at the (Canadian) senior level,” Kovacevic said.

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Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

PARIS (AP) — The French transport minister is expected to meet with cycling associations on Monday following the death of a cyclist in Paris after a dispute with a driver.

The 27-year-old cyclist, Paul Varry, was allegedly deliberately run over last Tuesday by an SUV driver, who now faces preliminary charges of murder. The incident has sparked protests across France, with demonstrators calling for safer roads for cyclists and an end to “motorized violence.”

Varry, a dedicated advocate for urban cycling, was known for his work improving cycling infrastructure in Saint-Ouen, a northern suburb of Paris. Hundreds gathered on Saturday to honor him, including cycling groups like Paris en Selle, which vowed to continue his fight for safer roads.

Transport Minister François Durovray, in a post on X, expressed his deep sympathy for Varry’s family and said that cyclists “have a place on the road,” vowing to address safety concerns. He called Monday’s meeting an opportunity to listen and act on behalf of France’s cycling community, which has been shaken by Varry’s death. The tragedy has reignited national debates on road safety and cyclist protection as France sees an increasing number of cyclists in its urban centers.

Alexis Fremeaux, co-president of the French Federation of Bicycle Users, said that “Paul’s death, killed by a motorist in Paris, has resonated deeply.

“It stirred such emotion because this kind of murder is exceptional. But the violence that cyclists face on the roads today — every cyclist has experienced it. Whether it’s threats, being put under pressure, being endangered, or even deliberate collisions — every cyclist has a story to tell.”

Cycling advocates hope that Varry’s death will spark action and lead to What they say are long-overdue reforms to improve road safety.

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