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US Supreme Court to weigh in on abortion pill ban
The US Supreme Court was poised Wednesday to wade into the divisive battle over the abortion drug mifepristone with a ruling on tough new court-ordered restrictions on the widely used pill.
The nation’s highest court has until midnight Eastern Time (0400 GMT Thursday) to decide how it will handle the most significant abortion case since it tossed out the constitutional right to the procedure last year.
The panel can rule in any number of ways, and abortion rights and anti-abortion activists — as well as millions of Americans — are on tenterhooks waiting to see how the conservative-dominated court proceeds in the latest case involving women’s reproductive rights.
The case stems from a ruling this month by a US District Court judge in Texas that would have banned mifepristone, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2000 and accounts for more than half of all abortions in the United States.
An appeals court blocked a ban on the pill, but imposed tough restrictions on access, after which the baton was handed to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court, where conservatives wield a 6-3 majority, on Friday temporarily stayed the lower court rulings as it weighs what to do next.
The Supreme Court could decide to freeze the lower court rulings pending an appeal from the Justice Department and the mifepristone manufacturer Danco Laboratories.
It could also allow the rulings restricting access to the abortion pill to take effect while the appeals play out at the appellate level.
The court could also decide to hear arguments in the case itself on an expedited basis.
Complicating the case even further is a ruling by a separate federal court in Washington state that said access to mifepristone should be maintained.
Since the Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that enshrined the constitutional right to abortion for half a century, 13 states have banned abortion and it has been severely restricted in others.
– ‘Clear choice’ –
Democratic Representative Katherine Clark said Wednesday that the court faces a “clear choice.”
“Uphold legal and scientific fact or capitulate to MAGA extremism,” Clark said in a reference to former Republican president Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan.
“This case marks just the latest assault in the MAGA crusade on reproductive freedom,” Clark told reporters. “Republicans have one goal — a nationwide abortion ban.”
Opposition to the legal attack on the abortion pill is being spearheaded by the Justice Department, which argued that the initial conservative federal judge’s ruling was based on a “deeply misguided assessment” of the pill’s safety.
Mifepristone is one component of a two-drug regimen that can be used through the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. It has a long safety record, and the FDA estimates 5.6 million Americans have used it to terminate pregnancies since it was approved.
The appellate court, while striking down the ban on mifepristone, restricted its use to seven weeks of pregnancy, down from 10, and prohibited distribution by mail.
In a filing to the court on Tuesday, the anti-abortion coalition that first brought the case against the FDA repeated their controversial claims that the drug was unsafe.
The coalition said the FDA and the distributor of mifepristone had “brazenly flouted the law and applicable regulations … and continually placed politics above women’s health.”
Polls repeatedly show a clear majority of Americans support continued access to safe abortion, even as conservative groups push to limit the procedure — or ban it outright.
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a man, Johnson Elleh, for allegedly producing and circulating a viral video falsely claiming the presence of kidnapping and banditry activities along the Owode-Idiroko axis of the state.
The command said preliminary findings showed that the suspect deliberately fabricated and shared the misleading content to attract public attention and generate online engagement.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday and made available to journalists in Abeokuta.
According to Babaseyi, the command immediately launched an investigation after the video surfaced online, subjecting its contents to scrutiny to verify the claims.
He said the findings revealed that the video was false, misleading, and intentionally crafted to trigger fear, panic, and anxiety among residents.
“Findings revealed that the video was false, misleading, and deliberately designed to create fear, panic, and anxiety among members of the public,” the statement read.
The police spokesperson stated that extensive verification further confirmed that no incident of kidnapping or banditry occurred in the Owode-Idiroko corridor or surrounding communities as portrayed in the viral clip.
He added that detectives later identified the suspect after discovering that he featured in the video, leading to his arrest.
“Further investigation revealed that the suspect was featured in the video and was subsequently identified by detectives, leading to his arrest,” Babaseyi stated.
He explained that the suspect’s action was capable of causing unnecessary public tension, disrupting social order, and eroding confidence in the state’s security system.
“During the course of the investigation, the suspect reportedly confessed to intentionally creating and disseminating the misleading content to generate online engagement and public reaction,” he added.
While noting that investigation into the matter was ongoing, the command said Elleh would be charged to court at the conclusion of the probe.
The police command strongly condemned the spread of fake news, false security alerts, and other forms of misinformation capable of creating fear and confusion among law-abiding citizens.
It warned individuals and groups against publishing, recirculating, or disseminating unverified security-related information, stressing that such acts threaten public peace and would attract legal consequences.
“The Command will continue to identify, arrest, investigate, and prosecute all persons found culpable, irrespective of status or motive,” the statement added.
The police, however, reassured residents that Ogun remained safe, peaceful, and secure, urging them to remain calm and rely only on verified information released through official channels.
“The Command remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and property and maintaining public order across the state,” Babaseyi concluded.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
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