International
US: Health Secretary criticizes judge’s abortion ruling
April 10 |
The top U.S. health official said Sunday that a court ruling threatening the availability of an abortion pill is “not America” and did not rule out challenging the judge’s orders if necessary.
“We want the courts to overturn this irresponsible ruling,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“We do want women to continue to have access to a drug that has been proven safe. Millions of women have used this drug around the world,” he added.
He emphasized that for now, women do have access to mifepristone after a federal judge in Texas appointed by then-President Donald Trump, Matthew Kacsmaryk, on Friday put his ruling on hold for a week so the federal government could file a motion against it. The drug was approved in 2000 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services, which Becerra heads.
President Joe Biden has stated that his administration will oppose the Texas ruling. Kacsmaryk’s 67-page ruling gives the government seven days to appeal.
“Our intention is to do everything we can to keep the drug accessible, not just a week from now but ultimately going forward, because mifepristone is one of the safest and most effective drugs we’ve seen in the last 20 years to help women in their health care, especially in care related to an abortion,” Becerra said.
Asked whether he might recommend that the FDA ignore a court ruling, Becerra replied, “Everything is on the table.”
There is uncertainty about the abortion pill, the most common method of abortion in the United States, because of two conflicting court rulings – one in Texas and one in Washington – on the legality of mifepristone.
The Kacsmaryk decision, ordering a pause to official approval of mifepristone, contradicted decades of scientific recommendations. But a near-simultaneous ruling by Judge Thomas O. Rice in Washington, a Barack Obama appointee, orders authorities not to make any changes that would restrict access to the drug in at least 17 states where Democrats filed lawsuits to ensure such access.
Becerra said Kacsmaryk’s ruling could have dire repercussions for the legality of any FDA-approved drug – such as insulin or Alzheimer’s drugs – as it seeks to “turn upside down” the entire FDA approval process.
Becerra acknowledged that there is “a good chance” that the case will end up being decided in the Supreme Court, which last year overturned Roe v. Wade, which gave women the right to decide about their pregnancy.
“If a judge decides to place his or her judgment or preference over the opinion of health professionals, what drug will be exempt from any court challenge? That is why we have to go to court,” Becerra said.
In an appearance after Becerra on CNN, Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, stated that “it’s important that we take care of women” and “have real discussions about women’s health care” but “you have to get out of this abortion conversation. Women have a lot of other issues that have nothing to do with abortion. … Let’s talk about other things that are going on in this world.”
International
Wildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says
More than 50,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by wildfires across France since the beginning of the year, nearly three times the area affected during the same period in 2025, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said Friday in an interview with AFP.
Emergency crews are currently battling several major fires, including one near the popular Cap Ferret peninsula, where flames have already consumed more than 10,000 hectares, making it the largest wildfire of the season so far, according to the minister.
“Currently, we have 32 fires underway, which obviously do not all have the same level of importance,” Nuñez said.
“We have exceeded the threshold of 50,000 hectares burned since January 1 of this year. It is practically three times more than during the same period last year,” he added.
Despite the extensive resources deployed and the long hours worked by emergency teams — estimated to be two and a half times higher than last year — Nuñez said authorities remain “calm” and “determined” to contain the situation.
The minister acknowledged that the main concern is the fatigue affecting firefighters and emergency personnel who have been working under demanding conditions.
“The concern, if there has to be one, obviously lies in the state of exhaustion of the men and women who are committed. We have to hold on throughout the entire season,” Nuñez said.
France’s late spring and early summer have been marked by repeated periods of extreme heat, conditions linked by scientists to climate change and considered a major factor contributing to the increase in wildfire activity across the country.
International
Israel Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel would represent a “historic breakthrough” toward achieving peace in the Middle East.
The statement came after the United States and Saudi Arabia announced an agreement on Wednesday to establish a civil nuclear program in the kingdom. U.S. President Donald Trump said the initiative would be linked to Riyadh’s decision to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.
“Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords would represent a historic breakthrough toward peace in the Middle East,” Netanyahu’s office said following Trump’s announcement.
The statement added that recent developments, including joint military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as Israel’s efforts against what it described as Iran’s “terror axis,” have created new opportunities to expand regional diplomatic ties.
“The joint U.S.-Israeli military action against the genocidal regime in Tehran and Israel’s defeat of Iran’s terror axis have created the possibility of expanding the circle of peace,” the statement said.
A potential normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would represent a major diplomatic shift in the region, as Riyadh has long been viewed as one of the key countries whose formal recognition could significantly reshape Middle Eastern relations.
International
Nicolás Maduro’s Son Calls U.S. Trial Against His Father and Cilia Flores “Unjust”
Venezuelan lawmaker Nicolás Maduro Guerra on Wednesday described as “unjust” the legal proceedings in the United States against his father, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, following their capture in Caracas on January 3 by U.S. forces.
“Faced with the unjust trial taking place today, the people raised their voices with a single demand: We demand the immediate release of President Nicolás Maduro and the First Lady,” Maduro Guerra wrote on his Instagram account.
The lawmaker attended a rally in Caracas where supporters of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV)gathered to show support for the former president, who faces charges in the United States including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. Flores is accused of crimes related to drug trafficking and weapons possession.
The event was also attended by PSUV Vice President for Mobilizations and Events Nahum Fernández and Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez, according to photos shared by Maduro’s son.
The third hearing in the case against Maduro and Flores concluded Wednesday at a federal court in New York after lasting only about 18 minutes. During the hearing, the judge preliminarily set June 2027 as the expected start date for the trial.
One of the main arguments from the defense will focus on immunity. Maduro’s lead attorney, Barry Pollack, who has also represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, said the defense plans to request immunity for both defendants, arguing that Maduro was serving as head of state and Flores as first lady at the time of their detention.
Both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty during their first court appearance in New York on January 5.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after Maduro’s capture, has not yet commented on Wednesday’s hearing in the United States.
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