Abortion Pill Access, Virus Cruise, & Cascade Red Fox

News without the noise

Adam Rogers
May 05, 2026

Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,006 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap:

First-time reader? Sign up here!

The Supreme Court temporarily blocked a ruling that would have restricted nationwide access to mifepristone, the most commonly used abortion pill in the US. Justice Samuel Alito issued the stay, pausing a 5th Circuit decision from Friday until at least May 11 while the court considers emergency requests from the drug's manufacturers.
The 5th Circuit had granted Louisiana's request to void Biden-era rules allowing mifepristone to be dispensed without an in-person visit — meaning it can be mailed anywhere in the country, including states with strict abortion bans. Anti-abortion groups have long sought to reinstate the in-person requirement.
The drug makers argue that Louisiana lacks legal standing, the same argument that led the Supreme Court to reject an earlier mifepristone challenge in 2024, though Louisiana contends the new case is narrower and distinct. The FDA is also conducting a safety review of mifepristone commissioned by RFK Jr.

A suspected hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean has killed three people and sickened at least three others, according to the WHO and South Africa's Department of Health. The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius is anchored off Cape Verde, and local authorities have not allowed its roughly 150 passengers and 70 crew to disembark.
Hantavirus has no specific treatment or cure, and is spread mainly through contact with infected rodent urine or feces. The outbreak gained attention last year when Gene Hackman's wife died of hantavirus in New Mexico. WHO confirmed at least one case aboard the Hondius and said virus sequencing is ongoing.
The ship left Argentina three weeks ago for a cruise including Antarctica and the Falkland Islands. An elderly married couple are among the dead — the husband died aboard the ship at Saint Helena, his wife collapsed at a South African airport, and died at a nearby hospital. A British national remains in intensive care in Johannesburg. South Africa is conducting contact tracing to identify anyone exposed to infected passengers.

Phase two of New Mexico's landmark lawsuit against Meta began yesterday in Santa Fe, with a judge set to decide whether Facebook and Instagram constitute a "public nuisance" — a finding that could force sweeping changes to how the platforms operate for minors in the US and globally.
A jury in March already found Meta violated New Mexico's consumer protection law by misrepresenting the safety of its platforms for young users and ordered the company to pay $375 million. Attorney General Raúl Torrez is now seeking billions more and a court order requiring Meta to add age verification, redesign its algorithm to promote quality content for minors, and end autoplay and infinite scroll for underage users.
Meta argues there is no scientific evidence linking social media to mental health problems. The company also warned that the remedies sought would be impossible to implement and could force it to leave New Mexico entirely.

Secret Service officers shot a man near the Washington Monument yesterday after he opened fire on them. A child bystander was also struck but not seriously hurt. (More)

Rudy Giuliani, 81, is hospitalized in critical but stable condition, his spokesperson said Sunday. No details were given about his diagnosis, how long he's been there, or his prognosis. (More)

A United flight from Venice clipped a light pole and hit a truck on the New Jersey Turnpike while landing at Newark. All 221 passengers and crew were unhurt; a truck driver had minor injuries. (More)

The US military sank six Iranian boats targeting commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, while Iran launched drones that set fire to a UAE oil facility. (More)

Canadian PM Mark Carney attended the European Political Community summit in Armenia, making Canada the first non-European member, as he seeks new trade alliances to offset lost US markets under Trump. (More)

Australia opened a national inquiry into the Bondi Beach attack, where a gunman killed 15 people at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration in December, as antisemitism cases across the country continue rising. (More)

US stock markets closed lower on Monday (S&P -0.41%, Nasdaq -0.19%, Dow -1.13%) as conflict sparked again in the Middle East. (More)

Palantir posted its fastest revenue growth since going public in 2020, with sales surging 85% to $1.63 billion in Q1, beating analyst expectations. (More)

GameStop is pursuing a $56 billion takeover of eBay, offering $125 per share and promising $2 billion in cost cuts. CEO Ryan Cohen wants to use GameStop's 1,600 stores as shipping hubs to challenge Amazon. (More)

Luka Dončić has been ruled out for tonight’s Game 1 against Oklahoma City, still sidelined by a hamstring strain that kept him out of the Lakers' entire first-round series against Houston. (More)

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settled their sexual harassment lawsuit, days before the trial was set to begin. Terms were not disclosed. (More)

The Orlando Magic fired coach Jamahl Mosley on Monday after five seasons. He led the team to three straight playoff appearances but never won a first-round series. (More)

A small Irish study found that regular coffee drinkers, whether caffeinated or decaf, showed improved mood and gut microbiome changes, while decaf was linked to better memory, and regular coffee reduced anxiety. (More)

Dementia risk factors, including smoking, obesity, and brain injuries, often begin in young adulthood or earlier, and prevention efforts should start decades before symptoms appear. (More)

Scientists discovered a new cellular structure in cow stomach microbes called a "hydrogenobody" that helps produce methane. The finding could lead to feed additives that reduce livestock emissions. (More)

Ranking US cities with the most sunshine.

How rising oil prices affect your shopping cart.

Photos of the notoriously rare Cascade red fox.

Your feedback helps us provide the best newsletter possible.