Unanimous Supreme Court preserves access to widely used abortion medication
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is praising the Supreme Court’s decision to preserve access to a medication used in nearly two-thirds of abortions in the U.S. last year. But the Democrat says a woman’s right to abortion is still “imperiled.” The justices ruled Thursday abortion opponents lacked the legal right to sue over the federal Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone. The case had threatened to restrict access to mifepristone across the country, including in states where abortion remains legal. Mifepristone’s New York-based manufacturer says it’s among the safest drugs the FDA has approved. A lawyer for anti-abortion doctors says she expects Idaho, Kansas and Missouri to continue the lawsuit originally filed in Texas.
Supreme Court rules California man can’t trademark ‘Trump too small’
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has ruled against a man who wants to trademark the suggestive phrase “Trump too small.” The justices on Thursday upheld the government’s decision to deny a trademark to Steve Elster, a California man seeking exclusive use of the phrase on T-shirts and potentially other merchandise. It is one of several cases at the court relating to former President Donald Trump. The Justice Department supported President Joe Biden’s predecessor and presumptive opponent in the 2024 election. Government officials said the phrase “Trump too small” could still be used, just not trademarked because Trump had not consented to its use. “Trump too small” T-shirts already can be purchased online. A lower court had ruled that the decision violated Elster’s free speech rights.
Trump returns to Capitol Hill and whips up Republican lawmakers, a first meeting since Jan. 6 attack
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is making a triumphant return to Capitol Hill to meet with House and Senate Republicans for the first time since the Jan. 6, 2021 attack. GOP lawmakers find themselves newly energized and reinvigorated by Trump’s bid to retake the White House. This is despite the federal charges against Trump for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election and his recent guilty verdict in an unrelated hush money trial. He held an hour-long closed-door morning meeting with House Republicans and then will meet privately with Senate Republicans at campaign headquarters near the Capitol to discuss party priorities. It’s his first visit as the party’s presumptive nominee.
US reporter Evan Gershkovich, jailed in Russia on espionage charges, to stand trial, officials say
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian officials say U.S. reporter Evan Gershkovich, jailed in Russia for over a year on espionage charges, will stand trial in the Ural Mountains city of Yekaterinburg. Russia’s Prosecutor General’s office said Thursday an indictment of the Wall Street Journal reporter has been finalized and his case was filed to a regional court. It says Gershkovich is accused of “gathering secret information” for the CIA about a facility in the Sverdlovsk region that produces and repairs military equipment, revealing for the first time the details of the accusations against the jailed reporter. Gershkovich has been charged with espionage. The officials didn’t provide any evidence to back up the accusations.
G7 summit opens with deal to use Russian assets for Ukraine as EU’s traditional powers recalibrate
BORGO EGNAZIA, Italy (AP) — A summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations has opened in Italy. Premier Giorgia Meloni has welcomed the G7 leaders and formally begun their closed-door talks on Thursday. Meloni in her opening remarks likened the bloc to the Puglia region’s famed olive trees, with strong roots and branches pointing toward the future. Negotiators reached agreement hours before the official opening of the summit on a U.S. proposal to back a $50 billion loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets as collateral.
Report says unsecured tanker hatch spilled out gas in crash that destroyed I-95 bridge in Philly
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — New details from federal investigations into the crash of a gasoline delivery truck that destroyed an I-95 bridge in Philadelphia a year ago says gasoline spilled out from an unsecured hatch on the top of the tanker. The crash and subsequent fire and explosions in June 2023 killed the driver and closed down the roadway. Video evidence shows the cover to a 16-inch “manhole” on the tanker was open when driver Nathan Moody arrived at a Wilmington, Delaware, terminal to refill the tank. The video obtained by federal investigators shows it was still not properly secured when he drove away to deliver it to a convenience store.
After rare flash flood emergency, Florida prepares for more heavy rainfall in coming days
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A tropical disturbance has brought a rare flash flood emergency to much of southern Florida. Floridians prepared to weather more heavy rainfall on Thursday and Friday. Wednesday’s downpours and subsequent flooding blocked roads, floated vehicles and delayed the Florida Panthers on their way to Stanley Cup games in Canada against the Edmonton Oilers. The disorganized storm system was pushing across Florida from the Gulf of Mexico at roughly the same time as the early June start of hurricane season, which this year is forecast to be among the most active in recent memory amid concerns that climate change is increasing storm intensity.
Newtown High graduates told to honor 20 classmates killed as first-graders ‘today and every day’
NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) — It was an emotional graduation ceremony for high school seniors in Newtown, Connecticut. They observed a moment of silence for their 20 classmates, who were shot to death at Sandy Hook Elementary School. The ceremony was closed to the media except for two local news organizations. Hearst Connecticut Media reports that principal Kimberly Longobucco read the names of the first graders who were killed on Dec. 14, 2012 along with six educators as the class of 2024 and their families looked on Wednesday. About 60 of the Newtown High graduates attended the elementary School and survived one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.
Shareholders are charting Tesla’s future as voting on CEO Elon Musk’s pay package comes to a head
DETROIT (AP) — Tesla shareholders are charting the future of the electric vehicle company Thursday as they wrap up voting whether or not to restore CEO Elon Musk’s massive pay package that was thrown out by a Delaware judge. Shares of the company spiked in premarket trading early Thursday after the company said in a regulatory filing that stockholders are approving Musk’s $44.9 billion pay package by a wide margin. In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Tesla published posts on X by Musk from Wednesday night of charts showing that his compensation package was passing, as was a measure to move Tesla’s legal home from Delaware to Texas.
Atlanta Falcons forfeit fifth-round pick, fined for tampering with Kirk Cousins
The Atlanta Falcons were stripped of a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft on Thursday for violating the NFL’s anti-tampering rules prior to signing quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Falcons and Cousins agreed on a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed shortly after the league’s 52-hour legal tampering window opened. It’s normal for teams and players to reach agreements quickly and there were other players who agreed to deals even before Cousins. But Cousins’ comments at his introductory news conference raised questions that led to the NFL’s investigation.
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
