NEW ORLEANS — A federal appeals court has ordered a severe nationwide restriction on the abortion pill mifepristone, effectively halting mail-order delivery of the medication used in the majority of U.S. abortions.

The ruling, issued Friday by a three-judge panel of the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, requires patients to obtain the drug in person at a health clinic. The decision overrides a 2021 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy that had allowed the pills to be prescribed via telehealth and sent through the mail.

“Every abortion facilitated by FDA’s action cancels Louisiana’s ban on medical abortions and undermines its policy that ‘every unborn child is a human being from the moment of conception,’” the court stated in its ruling.

The order stems from a lawsuit brought by the state of Louisiana against the FDA. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill hailed the decision, arguing that the current federal regulations allowed out-of-state prescribers to defy state laws.The court’s conservative panel agreed, stating the FDA failed to justify removing the in-person requirement.

Danco Laboratories, a major manufacturer of mifepristone, swiftly filed an emergency motion Saturday for a one-week pause on the order. The company argued the ruling has already resulted in “immediate chaos” and requested time to seek relief from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Reproductive rights advocates warned the decision would have a devastating impact on patients in rural areas or those living with disabilities. Julia Kaye, a senior staff attorney for the ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project, called the ruling a “rubber-stamp” of anti-abortion propaganda that defies clear science.

Mifepristone was originally approved by the FDA in 2000 and is now used in nearly two-thirds of all U.S. abortions.Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, telehealth prescriptions have become a primary method for maintaining access in states with restrictive bans.

The ruling comes as the FDA, currently under the Trump administration, is conducting a new review of mifepristone’s safety. While judges typically defer to the agency’s scientific expertise, the 5th Circuit noted the FDA “could not say when that review might be complete”.

Why It Matters

This decision marks the most sweeping threat to abortion access since 2022, according to the Guttmacher Institute. By blocking mifepristone mail delivery, the court has upended the delivery model for approximately one in four people in the U.S. who seek an abortion via telemedicine. Even in states where abortion remains legal, patients may now be forced to travel hundreds of miles to a brick-and-mortar clinic just to pick up a pill.

What Happens Next

The order remains in effect while the underlying case continues, though a temporary stay could be granted by May 8.Legal experts expect the case to move quickly to the U.S. Supreme Court. While the high court unanimously preserved access to the pill in 2024, that ruling was based on the plaintiffs’ lack of legal standing and did not address the core safety or mailing regulations now at issue.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Spirit Airlines is grounding its signature bright-yellow fleet for good.

The budget carrier announced early Saturday morning that it is ceasing all operations effective immediately, citing a catastrophic spike in jet fuel costs triggered by the ongoing war with Iran. The move comes after a last-minute $500 million federal bailout deal from the Trump administration collapsed late Friday night.

“It is with great disappointment that on May 2, 2026, Spirit Airlines started an orderly wind-down of our operations,” the company said in a statement. “All flights have been canceled and customer service is no longer available.”

The airline explicitly told ticket holders not to come to the airport. For those already stranded, the company said it would automatically process refunds for tickets purchased directly through its website with credit or debit cards.

Spirit’s collapse marks the first major American corporate casualty of the two-month-old conflict in the Middle East.While the airline had been struggling through its second bankruptcy since 2024, the “sudden and sustained” rise in oil prices proved to be the final blow.

Jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the start of the war, recently hitting $4.51 a gallon. Spirit’s previous restructuring plans had banked on fuel staying closer to $2.20.

President Trump confirmed Friday that the White House had proposed a rescue package that would have given the U.S. government a 90% stake in the airline. However, the deal required the consent of Spirit’s creditors, including major firms like Citadel and Pimco.

Those creditors reportedly balked, preferring a liquidation of assets over a government-led reorganization.

“I guess we’re looking at it,” Trump told reporters on Friday before the shutdown was finalized. “If we could do it, we’d do it, but only if it’s a good deal. We’re driving a tough deal.”

The fallout is immediate for the roughly 17,000 employees of the Florida-based carrier. In the last year alone, Spirit had already slashed 4,000 jobs and 200 routes in a desperate bid to stay afloat.

Industry analysts say the disappearance of Spirit will likely lead to higher fares across the board, particularly on routes where the “no-frills” pioneer previously forced larger carriers to keep prices low.

Why It Matters

Spirit Airlines built its brand on rock-bottom fares for travelers willing to skip perks like checked bags or seat assignments. Its exit leaves a massive hole in the ultra-low-cost market at a time when global energy volatility is already making travel more expensive. With over 4,000 flights scheduled for the first half of May alone, nearly 800,000 seats have been wiped off the map.

What Happens Next

Major rivals including United, Southwest, and JetBlue announced Saturday they are launching “rescue fares” capped ticket prices specifically for Spirit customers left stranded.

The Department of Transportation is expected to monitor these fare caps to prevent price gouging. Meanwhile, Spirit is launching a dedicated website to handle the wind-down of its remaining assets and to assist employees with the transition.

Are you a stranded Spirit passenger? Check the airline’s official website for refund status, but expect long delays as the company’s internal systems are phased out.

WASHINGTON — President Trump announced Friday that he is increasing tariffs on European Union cars and trucks to 25%, effectively ending a short-lived trade truce with Brussels.

The hike, set to take effect next week, targets a centerpiece of the European economy. The President claims the move is a direct response to the EU failing to uphold a trade framework established last summer.

“The European Union is not complying with our fully agreed-to trade deal,” Trump said in a statement Friday afternoon. “Next week, I will be increasing tariffs charged to the EU for cars and trucks.”

The current rate, which sat at a 15% ceiling, was part of a deal struck between the Trump administration and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. That agreement was meant to prevent the exact scenario unfolding now: a full-blown trade war.

The President’s ultimatum is clear: if European automakers want to avoid the tax, they must build in America.

“If they produce cars and trucks in U.S.A. plants, there will be NO TARIFF,” Trump stated. He pointed to several factory projects currently under construction as evidence that his “buy American” pressure is working.

In Europe, the reaction was immediate. Trade officials in Brussels expressed “deep concern” over the sudden escalation. Leaders had been moving toward lower duties on American industrial goods, but the pace of the EU’s legislative process appears to have exhausted the President’s patience.

The timing adds more pressure to an already volatile global market. With energy prices fluctuating and shipping routes under stress in the Middle East, a new layer of import taxes could hit consumer wallets hard. Industry analysts warn that a 25% levy will likely be passed directly to buyers of German, Italian, and French brands.

For a mid-sized European SUV, this could mean a price jump of several thousand dollars overnight.

The move also carries a political edge. The administration is currently relying on national security justifications and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to bypass recent legal challenges to his tariff authority.

Critics argue the move will fuel inflation, while supporters say it is the only way to force European manufacturers to move production stateside and level the playing field for American workers.

What happens next: The 25% rate is expected to go into effect on Monday. European officials are reportedly holding emergency meetings this weekend to decide on retaliatory measures against U.S. exports, raising the stakes for a summer of trade tension.