Headline News from The Associated Press
AP Headline News - May 15 2024 13:00 (EDT)
"AP News, I'm Payup Njuaniy. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have agreed to hold two campaign debates on June 27th hosted by CNN and on September 10th hosted by ABC. CNN says its debate will be held in its Atlanta studios and no audience will be present. New data points to thousands of women's accessing abortion medications each month in states with restrictions." By the end of 2023, about 8,000 women a month were receiving abortion pills by mail in states with abortion bans or laws that limit their prescription by telemedicine. That's according to a survey #weekcount by the abortion rights group Society for Family Planning. The survey shows that medical providers in states with laws that protect them from prosecution were writing prescriptions that covered about one in ten abortions nationally. It's the first time a number has been put on how often the medical system work around is being used. Use of medication is one reason that total abortion numbers have increased, even after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Drexel University law professor David Cohen says the findings are not surprising. People will find a way to terminate pregnancies that they don't want. James Bob Jr., an attorney with the National Right to Life Committee, says the law where the abortion takes place should apply the way it does with other laws. But the issue has not yet been tested in court. I'm Jennifer King. "Investigation continues into four electrical blackouts on the ship that caused Baltimore bridge collapse. Testifying before the House Transportation Committee, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Hamandie says the electrical blackouts the dolly suffered before colliding with Baltimore's key bridge were separate from two others before leaving the port of Baltimore." Preliminary information indicates that the March 25th blackouts were mechanically distinct from those that occurred on March 26th. Two were related to routine maintenance in port. Two were unexpected tripping of circuit breakers on the accident voyage. This is AP News. The number of U.S. fatal overdoses fell last year. That's according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted today. Officials noted the data is provisional and could change after more analysis. Vladimir Putin tells Chinese media he's prepared to negotiate an end to the Ukraine conflict. In an interview with Chinese media, Russian President Vladimir Putin on the eve of a visit to Beijing says his regime is prepared to negotiate over the conflict in Ukraine. The official Xinhua news agency quotes Putin saying, "We're open to a dialogue, but such negotiations must take into account the interests of all countries involved in the conflict, including ours. Putin ads must go seeking a comprehensive, sustainable and just settlement of this conflict through peaceful means." His trip comes as Russian forces have pressed their offensive in North-East Ukraine's Khaki region. China claims to take a neutral position in the conflict, but has backed Moscow in real terms. I'm Charles Filathasma. I'm Haya Pundwani, AP News.