the friday brief
3 things that matter
mifepristone access expires monday unless the supreme court acts
on may 1, 2026, a three-judge panel of the u.s. court of appeals for the fifth circuit granted louisiana's request to reinstate a nationwide in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone, the medication used in the majority of u.s. abortions, eliminating the ability to obtain it via telehealth, mail, or retail pharmacy while the case proceeds. two manufacturers, danco laboratories and genbiopro, appealed immediately to the supreme court. on may 4, justice samuel alito issued a one-week administrative stay, temporarily restoring access until monday, may 11. what the court does next, whether extending the stay, allowing it to lapse, or referring it to the full court, is unresolved. medication abortions accounted for 63% of all clinician-provided abortions in the united states in 2023, up from 53% in 2020, according to the guttmacher institute. notably, the department of justice, which represents the fda and is the actual defendant in the case, did not file anything by thursday's briefing deadline, a silence georgetown law professor steve vladeck described as "wild."
a federal trade court strikes down the 10% global tariff
a split three-judge panel of the u.s. court of international trade ruled 2-1 on thursday, may 7, that the trump administration's 10% across-the-board global tariffs were illegal, finding the administration had overstepped the authority congress granted under the trade act of 1974. the court declared the tariffs "invalid" and "unauthorized by law." the tariffs had been imposed in february 2026 as a workaround after the supreme court struck down the administration's earlier, broader tariffs earlier that same month. the ruling requires the administration to cease collecting the tariffs and refund prior payments for the businesses that brought the case, while tariffs remain in place for all other importers through july pending an expected appeal. only industry-specific tariffs remain broadly intact. it is the second judicial rebuke of the same underlying policy in under three months.
reform uk wins big in england's local elections
reform uk, the hard-right party led by nigel farage that campaigns on mass deportation of undocumented migrants, withdrawal from the european convention on human rights, scrapping net-zero climate targets, and large tax cuts, made sweeping gains across england's local councils thursday, in elections widely interpreted as a referendum on prime minister keir starmer and his governing labour party. with counts still declaring friday morning, reform had gained hundreds of seats and taken control of havering, becoming the party's first london borough. starmer acknowledged "very tough" results and refused to resign, saying "i was elected to meet those challenges and i'm not going to walk away." political scientist john curtice described britain as entering a new political era in which "none of the parties are very big," adding that "the fracturing of british politics is underlined by these results." reform taking control of local councils for the first time is the first real test of whether farage's movement is a governing force or a vehicle for discontent.
1 thing to know
what fema does, and what changes when it doesn't
a trump-appointed 12-member review council voted thursday to approve a final report recommending sweeping changes to the federal emergency management agency, including raising the threshold for federal disaster declarations by more than 50% and shifting primary responsibility for disaster recovery to states. to understand what that means: when a governor requests a federal disaster declaration, the key step for receiving federal aid after a hurricane, flood, or wildfire, fema assesses whether the damage exceeds what the state can handle on its own, using estimated costs and local conditions. raising that threshold means states would only qualify for federal assistance at significantly higher damage levels. the cost shift is not abstract: states are legally required to balance their budgets annually, so federal withdrawal does not make disaster relief cheaper. it makes it something governors must fund by cutting elsewhere.
fema has already lost roughly 2,000 employees since january 2025, and the government accountability office found the agency was already understaffed before those departures. the council's report goes to the white house for consideration; some recommendations require an act of congress. atlantic hurricane season begins june 1.
1 thing to try
tata harper's sculpting body stone
tata harper's sculpting body stone is a spa-grade tool made from 100% fencheng jade, with naturally occurring thermal conductivity properties designed to help ease tension, promote lymphatic drainage, and tone the body. jade is naturally cool to the touch and can be warmed for a hot massage or chilled for cold, two techniques with different effects on circulation and muscle recovery. the technique is straightforward: after applying a body oil for glide, use firm pressure in small circular motions over the neck, shoulders, and stomach, and long upward strokes along the thighs, hips, and arms. it is the kind of thing that takes ten minutes and changes the texture of the rest of the day, a physical reset that asks nothing except your attention.
