A federal appeals court has ruled to preserve access to abortion pills, but tightened the rules on how the drug can be used. And officials claim North Korea has fired a weapon never used before in the country. These stories and more highlight the daily rundown for Thursday, April 13, 2023.
Court preserves abortion pill access
Just days after a federal judge in Texas blocked the abortion pill mifepristone from being sold on the market, a federal appeals court has reversed the judge’s ruling. But it is adding new stipulations in accessing the drug.
The abortion pill mifepristone will keep its FDA-approved status, but it will not be dispensed by mail and or without any need to visit a doctor’s office. The drug will also be dispensed only up to seven weeks of pregnancy. Previously, it was prescribed to abort pregnancies up to 10 weeks gestation.
The appeals court ruling sets the groundwork for the case to potentially end up going to the Supreme Court.
Feinstein steps down from Judiciary Committee
California Democratic Sen. Diane Feinstein is temporarily stepping down from her position on the Senate Judiciary Committee. This after Democrats started to publicly criticize the senator for her lack of attendance.
Feinstein was hospitalized for shingles earlier this year. In a statement, she said she been absent for nearly two months due to a slow recovery from her illness.
But with Feinstein absent from the Senate, Democrats have argued it has slowed down their ability to confirm Biden-picked judicial nominees. Some Democratic lawmakers have called for her resignation, claiming the 89-year-old longtime senator is no longer fit to serve.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office says he will ask the Senate to temporarily replace Feinstein sometime next week.
New weapon tested by North Korea
North Korea has fired more than 100 missiles since the start of 2022, many of them within striking distance of the U.S. Their latest ballistic missile launch came on Thursday, April 13. And South Korean military officials say it was a weapon never used before by North Korea.
The long-range missile traveled more than 600 miles, landing in the waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.
According to South Korea’s military, the missile possibly used what’s called “solid fuel.” All of the North’s other missiles have used liquid propellants that must be fueled before launches. A solid fuel missile can be pre-loaded, allowing it to be fired faster.
White House officials say today’s missile testing needlessly raises tensions.
Recalled baby sleepers resold online
A baby sleeper that was recalled four years ago continues to concern officials. The Price Rock’n Play sleepers have accounted for more than 100 infant deaths since 2019. The government agency that oversees recalls is now asking Facebook to do something about the resale of the product on Facebook marketplace.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has sent a letter to Meta, the parent company of Facebook. A letter was also sent to Mattel, the maker of the Price Rock’n Play Sleeper. The letter asks the companies to take action to make sure the sleeper is not used by consumers.
The agency cited hundreds of recalled rockers being sold every month on Facebook Marketplace, Offerup, and other second-hand sale sites. The government agency says they will flag any sleepers that they see on Facebook Marketplace. They say Facebook has been quick to take down the listings, but the letter calls for Meta to take on a larger role in identifying the listings and stopping them from ever being publicly shared.
‘Max’ app to combine streaming platforms
Warner Bros. Discovery is combining the streaming platforms HBO Max and Discovery-Plus into one service called “Max.” The rebranded streaming service will combine offerings from the company’s multiple holdings, including Warner Brothers, HBO, HGTV and more.
The announced streaming-app-merger comes after Warner Media and Discovery merged companies last December.
“Max” will launch on May 23rd.
$25k reward for fallen space rock
The race is on to find a space rock that reportedly fell from the skies somewhere along a remote stretch of forest near Maine’s border with Canada. And whoever finds it, could receive a $25,000 payout from a museum that wants it.
The Maine Mineral and Gem Museum wants to study fragments from a fireball detected by a NASA radar last week.
The museum says if anyone finds fragments of the fireball that are as big as a softball, then you get the payout. The museum is hopeful the fallen meteorite could contain valuable information about the solar system.
