AP-Newswatch

Unanimous Supreme Court preserves access to widely used abortion medication

WASHINGTON (AP) — A unanimous Supreme Court on Thursday preserved access to a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of abortions in the U.S. last year. It marked the court’s first abortion decision since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago. The justices concluded that the abortion opponents lacked the legal right to sue over the federal Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the medication, mifepristone, and the FDA’s subsequent actions to ease access to it. The widely watched case had the potential to to restrict access to mifepristone across the country, even in states where abortion remains legal.

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’s 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 in first meeting since Jan. 6 attack

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has made 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 was meeting with Senate Republicans at campaign headquarters near the Capitol to discuss party priorities. It’s his first visit as the party’s presumptive nominee.

Phoenix police have pattern of violating civil rights and using excessive force, Justice Dept. says

PHOENIX (AP) — The Justice Department says Phoenix police violate people’s rights, discriminate against Black, Hispanic and Native American people and use excessive force, including unjustified deadly force. A report released Thursday says the police department unlawfully detains homeless people and disposes of their belongings and discriminates against people with behavioral health disabilities. And the Justice Department said Phoenix police had violated the rights of people engaged in protected speech. Phoenix police didn’t immediately respond to the justice department’s report, but referred further questions to the city. Attorney General Merrick Garland says the government is committed to working with the city and police on reform.

President Biden says he won’t offer commutation to his son Hunter after gun sentence

FASANO, Italy (AP) — President Joe Biden says he will not use his presidential powers to lessen the eventual sentence that his son Hunter will receive for his federal felony conviction on gun crimes. Biden, following the conclusion of a news conference held Thursday at the Group of Seven summit of the world’s wealthiest democracies, responded he would not when asked whether he plans to commute the sentence for his son. Hunter Biden’s sentencing date has not been set, and the three counts carry up to 25 years in prison.

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 Italy flexes its right-wing muscles

BORGO EGNAZIA, Italy (AP) — U.S. President Joe Biden says the agreement to tap into the windfall profits on frozen Russian assets held in Europe would put that money to work for Ukraine. He says it’ll also serve as a “reminder to Putin: We’re not backing down. In fact, we’re standing together against this illegal aggression.” Biden spoke after the first day of a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations

Tropical rainstorms in South Florida lead to flight delays and streets jammed with stalled cars

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A tropical disturbance that brought a rare flash flood emergency to much of southern Florida delayed flights at two of the state’s largest airports and left vehicles waterlogged and stalled in some of the region’s lowest-lying streets. Travelers across the area were trying to adjust their plans on Thursday morning after more than 20 inches of rain has fallen in some areas of South Florida since Tuesday, with more on the way. 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.

Washington’s Makah Tribe could once again harpoon whales as US waives conservation law

SEATTLE (AP) — The United States has granted the Makah Indian Tribe in Washington state a long-sought waiver that helps clear the way for its first sanctioned whale hunts since 1999. The Makah is a tribe of 1,500 people on the northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula and is the only American Indian tribe with a treaty that specifically mentions a right to hunt whales. But it has faced more than two decades of court challenges, bureaucratic hearings and scientific review as it seeks to resume hunting for gray whales. Thursday’s decision would allow the tribe to hunt up to 25 Eastern North Pacific gray whales over 10 years.

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.