Health

Healthy Americans can stop wearing masks in areas with low COVID-19 impact, CDC says

By Carla K. Johnson, Mike Stobbe, Associated Press

U.S. officials say most Americans live in places where healthy people can safely take a break from wearing masks.

Panel urges changes to make U.S. organ transplants more fair

By Associated Press

Friday's report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine says there are ways to save many more lives.

Texas AG Ken Paxton once joined this family of a trans kid for dinner. They now feel under attack

By Kate Sosin, The 19th

On Feb. 18, Paxton, who this year faces a tough reelection, issued a legal interpretation that labels certain types of gender-affirming care for trans kids child abuse.

United Nations considering global treaty to fight plastic pollution

By News Desk

United Nations member countries are considering proposals for a binding global treaty to curb plastic pollution.

Johnson & Johnson, distributors finalize $26B opioid settlement

By Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson and three major distributors have finalized a nationwide settlement over their role in the opioid addiction crisis.

Hong Kong's new COVID cases top 10,000

By News Desk

Hong Kong has reported another sharp jump in new COVID-19 cases to more than 10,000 in the latest 24-hour period.

Texas clinics battle strict abortion law despite dimming legal hopes

By Jamie Stengle, Associated Press

The nation's strictest abortion law went before the Texas Supreme Court on Thursday but an attorney representing abortion clinics said he no longer sees a way in this case to halt the law.

Small convoy opposing COVID-19 mandates departs from California

By Eugene Garcia, Associated Press

Truckers demanding an end to coronavirus mandates began a cross-country drive from California to the Washington, D.C., area on Wednesday.

As omicron wave fades, is the U.S. heading toward herd immunity?

By Victoria Milko, Associated Press

Experts say it's not likely that the highly transmissible omicron variant — or any other variant — will lead us closer to herd immunity against COVID-19.

Colombia's Constitutional Court legalizes abortion up to 24 weeks

By Manuel Rueda, Associated Press

Colombia has become the latest country in Latin America to expand access to abortion, with the nation's Constitutional Court voting to legalize the procedure until the 24th week of pregnancy.