In a unanimous decision today, the Supreme Court rejected an effort to sharply curtail access to mifepristone, a medication used in a majority of abortions in the U.S.
The decision was a victory for supporters of abortion access: The pill will remain widely available, for now.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who wrote the opinion for the court, found that the plaintiffs — a group of anti-abortion doctors and organizations — did not have standing to sue in the first place because they could not show they had been harmed by the availability of abortion pills. Kavanaugh did not, however, rule out the possibility that states could pursue other challenges to curtail access to the drug.
Anti-abortion activists said after the ruling that they would keep trying to unravel the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the pill. Their argument that the drug is harmful has been dismissed by mainstream scientists.
In the meantime, it is likely that access to mifepristone will continue via telehealth. For women in states with bans, it’s an easier and less expensive option than traveling to another state.
G7 leaders agreed to lend Ukraine $50 billion
President Biden and the leaders of the other Group of 7 economies agreed today to give Ukraine a $50 billion loan to help it buy weapons and begin to rebuild. The funds come at a crucial moment as Russia has the momentum on the battlefield.
The loan, which was announced at the G7 summit in southern Italy, is expected to be repaid using interest earned on $300 billion in frozen Russian assets, which are mostly in European banks. The U.S. will underwrite it, but expects its allies to provide some of the funds.
At the summit, Biden also signed a 10-year security pact with Ukraine’s government in an effort to persuade allies that U.S. support will continue even if Donald Trump is elected. But there would be nothing stopping Trump, who has discussed pulling out of NATO, from dropping the agreement.
Tesla investors approved a $45 billion payday for Musk
Tesla shareholders voted to approve a more than $45 billion pay package for Elon Musk, the company’s chief executive, after it was thrown out in a legal challenge.
The decision was a strong sign that shareholders still believe in Musk. A judge will have the final say, but the vote could persuade her to reinstate the package. If that happens, Musk would most likely qualify as the world’s richest person, worth well over $200 billion.
A group of polar bears could disappear by the 2030s
Polar bears in the Southern Hudson Bay could go extinct as early as the 2030s because the sea ice that they hunt on is thinning, according to a new study.
The ice-free season is now about a month longer than the four-month period the bears are used to. Studies show that if global warming extends the ice-free period to six months, even the hardiest bears will struggle to survive.
Get ready for the Tony Awards
Ahead of Sunday’s Tony Awards, our chief theater critic picked out who he expects to win, as well as who he thinks actually deserves it. “Hell’s Kitchen” will likely win the award for best musical, but “Illinoise” should win, he writes.
How ‘Bridgerton’ makes history
“Bridgerton,” a show in which empowered women swoon to orchestral versions of Ariana Grande, takes a rather liberal approach to history.
It’s set during the Regency period in London (the early 19th century), but is still a fantasy. So it might surprise you to learn that the show works with an entire team of historical consultants — and mostly listens to them.
What if you reeled in a fortune?
Two weeks ago, a magnet fisherman and his partner pulled a safe stuffed with hundred-dollar bills out of a creek in Queens. It was the find of a lifetime, but the bills were falling apart. So after scraping together $140 for a bus ticket, the couple put the cash in a backpack and headed to Washington.
In the lobby of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, two Treasury employees estimated that the loot was worth roughly $50,000 to $70,000. The couple could collect the full sum in new unblemished bills in about nine months. “America the beautiful!” the magnet fisherman said.
Have a fortunate evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
Phil Pacheco was our photo editor today.
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