International
The Supreme Court is inclined not to restrict the use of the abortion pill in the United States
The Supreme Court (TS) of the United States held a hearing on Tuesday on mifepristone, a substance used in abortion pills, and the judges mostly inclined not to restrict its use, in the most important abortion case that the highest court has had since it overthrewed the ‘Roe vs Wade’ ruling in 2022.
Despite the fact that the TS has a conservative majority and was the body that eliminated the constitutional protection of abortion almost two years ago, today it showed its reluctance to believe that the anti-abortion medical association Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine has shown that it suffered the type of damage that it entitles it to sue.
During the almost two hours that the oral arguments lasted, the Government and the pharmaceutical company GenBioPro emphasized their safety and thus rejected the arguments of Erin Hawley, a lawyer for the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, that the substance is dangerous.
A view rejected by multiple studies that have shown that the substance, used in most abortions in the United States, is safe.
The judges – whose decision will be known at the end of June or the beginning of July – are examining whether the regulatory changes carried out in 2016 and 2021 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that made the drug available by mail and was prescribed by a health provider who does not have to be a doctor were legal.
Judge Samuel Alito, who was precisely the one who drafted the 2022 decision that annulled ‘Roe vs Wade’, was one of those who today showed his dissatisfaction with the Joe Biden administration’s argument that doctors do not have the legal right or “legitimacity” to sue.
“Is there anyone who can sue and obtain a court ruling about whether what the FDA did was legal? Maybe what they did was perfectly legal. But shouldn’t someone be able to challenge that in the courts?” the conservative asked.
But there were more who expressed doubts. The also conservative Neil M. Gorsuch described this case as “an excellent example of how to convert what could be a small demand into a legislative assembly” into a case “at the national level about the approval of the FDA.”
It has been almost two years since the Supreme Court eliminated the ‘Roe vs Wade’ doctrine that had protected abortion nationally for decades. Since then, two dozen states have restricted or banned abortion and that is why ‘teleabortion’ has been the solution for millions of women in the country.
A judicial decision restricting mifepristone would affect service providers in all states, including those where abortion is still legal. It would also make the aforementioned procedure difficult, by which women receive abortion pills by mail and are treated by doctors electronically.
And it could call into question the ability of the FDA to approve and distribute other medicines.
This case began in November 2022, after a group of doctors and anti-abortion medical organizations sued the FDA.
The coalition filed the challenge in Amarillo (Texas) and Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, appointed by Trump and openly opposed to abortion, issued a preliminary ruling invalidating the approval of the drug and withdrawing the pill from the market.
In August 2023, three judges of the Court of Appeals of the Fifth Circuit of the United States, one of the most conservative appeals courts in the country, determined that mifepristone should remain legal, but imposed important access restrictions, which are now in the air, pending the decision of the Supreme Court.
Mifepristone is one of the two medications used in a drug abortion and is combined with misoprostol to terminate a pregnancy.
It blocks progesterone, a hormone necessary for the pregnancy to continue, while misoprostol causes uterine contractions, which causes the body to expel the fetus.
Numerous studies indicate that the combination of these pills causes a complete abortion in more than 99% of patients.
The Planned Parenthood organization recalled on Tuesday in a statement that mifepristone is “safe and effective, with or without a visit to a health center” and that it has been used by more than five million people in the United States for more than 23 years.
In the opinion of Alexis McGill Johnson, president and general director of the organization, this case is a sign that “those who oppose abortion remain committed” to controlling women’s bodies “prohibiting abortion throughout the country.”
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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