International

US makes abortion pills by mail permanent, not just for pandemic

AFP

US President Joe Biden’s administration on Thursday passed a rule making abortion pills accessible by mail permanently, not just for the Covid pandemic, a rare win for the pro-choice movement in the country’s increasingly bitter battle over reproductive rights.

The decision overturns a previous in-person requirement described as burdensome by activist organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) but also health groups such as the American Medical Association (AMA).

It comes as Republican-led states have enacted increasingly stringent laws curtailing women’s rights to end their pregnancy, while a decision is awaited by the country’s Supreme Court that could reverse abortion as a constitutional right.

The new rule was described in a letter sent by the Food and Drug Administration to plaintiffs in a court case seeking to ease rules surrounding medication abortions.

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The letter, which was uploaded online by the ACLU, said that the drug mifepristone no longer has to be dispensed only in clinics, medical offices or hospitals. But the FDA added a requirement that pharmacies dispensing it must be specially certified.

The in-person rule was dropped during the Covid-19 pandemic, brought back by the administration of former Republican president Donald Trump, then dropped again by the administration of Biden, a Democrat, on a temporary basis. Thursday’s move makes it permanent.

Medication abortion involves two different drugs, mifepristone and misoprostol, that can be safely used up to the first 10 weeks of pregnancy.

Mifepristone blocks progesterone, a hormone needed for the development of a pregnancy, thus preventing a pregnancy from developing. Misoprostol, taken 24-48 hours after mifepristone, empties the uterus by causing cramping and bleeding, an effect similar to miscarriage.

Since being approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000, the drugs’ use has risen sharply, and they now account for at least 40 percent of all abortions.

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According to figures compiled by the Kaiser Family Foundation, when administered at nine weeks or less gestation, pregnancy is terminated successfully 99.6 percent of the time, with a 0.4 percent risk of major complications, and a mortality rate of 0.001 percent.

– ‘Time-sensitive medication’ –

“The FDA’s decision to permanently remove the in-person pill pick-up requirement is a major step forward that will enable many more patients to get this safe and time-sensitive medication as soon as they are ready, without travel-related expenses and delay,” said Georgeanne Usova, senior legislative counsel at the ACLU in a statement.

But the decision was slammed by anti-abortion groups.

“The Biden administration’s reckless move puts countless women and unborn children in danger,” said Sue Liebel of the Susan B. Anthony List.

The decision to ease federal restrictions won’t impact restrictions on mifepristone, passed by roughly half of states, said the ACLU.

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But the group added it would expand the options and capacity of states seeing an influx of out-of-state people seeking abortion as a result of abortion bans in their home states, such as Texas, which recently made it illegal to receive an abortion after six weeks.

Legal observers expect the Supreme Court to also overturn Roe v Wade, which enshrines the constitutional right to abortion, next spring, which would pave the way for total bans at the state level.

International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.

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International

Trump says Iran seeks new talks after failed negotiations in Pakistan

Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran has reached out to United States to resume negotiations, following the collapse of recent talks held in Islamabad.

“We’ve been contacted by the other side,” Trump told reporters, adding that Iran is eager to reach a deal “at all costs.” Speaking from the Oval Office, he reiterated that his main objective is to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons and warned that he will not allow Iran to “blackmail” the international community.

After negotiations between Washington and Tehran ended without agreement on Sunday, Trump announced that the U.S. would move to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil trade.

The waterway had already been disrupted by Iran in response to a U.S. and Israeli offensive launched on February 28, causing significant shocks to the global economy.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump further warned that any Iranian vessel attempting to bypass the U.S. naval blockade in the strait would be “eliminated immediately.”

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The renewed tensions have pushed oil prices higher, while global stock markets have reacted negatively to the lack of an agreement in Islamabad.

International

Trump orders U.S. control of Strait of Hormuz after failed Iran talks

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the United States will take control of the Strait of Hormuz“effective immediately,” following the collapse of negotiations with Iran held in Islamabad.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had ordered the U.S. Navy to block vessels attempting to enter or exit the strategic waterway, a key route for global energy trade.

“The meeting went well, agreement was reached on most points, but the only really important one — nuclear weapons — was not approved,” Trump said, referring to the talks with Iranian representatives.

The president also stated that he had instructed authorities to intercept ships in international waters that had paid tolls to Iran to transit the strait, calling such payments “illegal.” He further accused Tehran of hindering an agreement by deploying mines in the area, describing the move as “international extortion.”

Trump added that the United States will undertake efforts to clear mines from the strait and expressed confidence that a future agreement ensuring free navigation could eventually be reached.

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The announcement came after Vice President JD Vance and special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner briefed the president on the outcome of the negotiations, considered the highest-level contacts between the two countries since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

While Trump acknowledged that enough progress had been made to maintain a temporary truce, he criticized Iran for remaining unwilling to abandon its nuclear ambitions, calling its position “very inflexible” on the central issue.