SCOTUS upholds abortion pill telehealth access. And, Trump returns from China visit

Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today's top stories The Supreme Court upheld access to the abortion pill mifepristone yesterday. The high court's order means that the medication will remain available via telehealth while Louisiana's case against the Food and Drug Administration moves through the lower courts . The Supreme Court stayed a May 1 ruling from the New Orleans-based U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals would have banned access to mifepristone by mail. The court ruling would have impacted the whole country. Abortion-rights activists protested outside of the Supreme Court in March 2024, when the overall FDA authorization of the abortion pill mifepristone was challenged. It remained available after that case. Jose Luis Magana/AP hide caption toggle caption Jose Luis Magana/AP 🎧 The FDA's lawyers argued in the lower courts that the case should be paused while it conducts a new safety review of mifepristone, prompted by pressure from Republican lawmakers. The agency asked to complete the review first, but the 5th Circuit rejected this request. The FDA did not respond to the appeals court's ruling, which NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin says is striking because a key part of this case is about the agency's power. …