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Daily Skimm: Abortion Pills, Leaked Documents, and Super Mario Bros

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In this photo illustration, a person looks at an Abortion Pill (RU-486) for unintended pregnancy from Mifepristone displayed on a computer

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The Story

Two federal judges issued conflicting rulings on medication abortion.

Explain.

Over the weekend, a federal judge in Texas ruled to suspend the FDA’s approval of mifepristone (the first of two medications used in the abortion pill, which is actually two pills). The drug’s been on the market for over two decades and helps account for more than half of all US abortions. In his 67-page opinion, the judge sided with the drug’s challengers, who argued the FDA rushed mifepristone’s approval and chose “politics over science.” If upheld, the Texas ruling would pull mifepristone from shelves and throw the future of the abortion pill into question. But plot twist, less than an hour later, a federal judge in Washington ordered the FDA to keep “the status quo” and maintain access to mifepristone in 17 states plus DC that wanted to protect and expand access. Now, there are two competing rulings on mifepristone.

What’s next?

The abortion pill is still available for now. The Texas judge’s ruling wouldn’t have gone into effect until the end of this week, to allow the federal government enough time to appeal. The Biden admin’s done just that. A conservative-leaning appeals court is now expected to take up the case. But experts say the dueling rulings will most likely put the case before the Supreme Court — setting up a high-stakes showdown over access to mifepristone.

What are people saying?

Health Secretary Xavier Becerra said the Texas ruling was “not America” and didn’t rule out ignoring the order if necessary. Other Democrats called the ruling “outrageous,” “extreme,” and “devastating.” The FDA said its decades-old approval had been “based on the best available science” and in accordance with the law. Meanwhile, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) said the Texas ruling was a “victory for pregnant mothers and their unborn children.” And the Alliance Defending Freedom — a key player in the Texas case — said “it’s high time the agency is held accountable for its reckless actions.”

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When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, the battle over abortion and reproductive healthcare access didn’t end — it began to play out in legislatures state by state, and in the courts. Now, people are wondering whether the most common method of abortion in the US is going to be pulled from shelves.

and also...this

What’s doing some digging…

The Justice Dept. Over the weekend, the DOJ said it launched an investigation to figure out how leaks of classified intelligence documents ended up on social media. As early as February, docs — more than 100 of them — detailing everything from the war efforts in Ukraine to assessments on China and the Middle East were posted on platforms like Twitter, Discord, and 4Chan. US officials said the documents appear real, though some numbers are wrong and some of the docs may have been altered. It’s unclear how damaging this could all be, but the leaks exposed how the US spies on its allies as well as its adversaries. It also initially raised concerns ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive this spring, but so far none of the docs appear to share major information about those plans. While some Ukrainian officials are pointing fingers at Russia as the culprit, the US is still looking into who’s responsible — with some officials reportedly speculating the source may have been American.

…Oh and speaking of controversies on social media, Twitter’s labeled the BBC as “government funded media” on the platform, almost a week after it labeled NPR “state-affiliated media.” Both news orgs pointed out that they're editorially independent and not state-run.


Who’s weighing in on a high-profile case…

Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX). On Saturday, he called for the pardon of an Army sergeant convicted of murdering a Black Lives Matter protester. In 2020, Daniel Perry shot and killed 28-year-old Garrett Foster at an Austin demonstration, while driving an Uber near protesters. Perry’s lawyers argued that Foster pointed an AK-47 at Perry and that he’d shot Foster five times in self-defense. But prosecutors argued Perry had other options, including driving away. A jury convicted Perry of murder — his sentencing is scheduled for tomorrow. Now, Abbott’s saying Perry, who faces life in prison, should be pardoned under the state’s “stand your ground” law. The measure allows Texans to fire their weapon if they feel threatened. Now it’s up to a Texas parole board to issue a pardon recommendation for Perry. If that happens, Abbott’s expected to sign it. 


What’s cracking down…

Iran. Over the weekend, Iranian police said they’ve started to install cameras in public places to help them crack down on unveiled women. Reminder: last year, the police killing of Mahsa Amini led to nationwide protests against the country’s hijab law. While those protests have largely subsided, women have been openly defying the law, burning their hijabs and refusing to wear them. Now, police say the “smart” cameras will help them send a text message to violators, warning them against breaking the rules and reportedly threatening them with court proceedings. 


While Timothée Chalamet may be getting a different kind of lip kit

Taylor Swift’s moving on from “the 1.”


Who played the best by par at this year’s Masters Tournament…

Jon Rahm.


What’s smashing the box office…

The Super Mario Bros.

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