Abortion pill access; leaked Ukraine documents; Tennessee lawmakers’ futures

Plus, mark your calendars for the next total solar eclipse [View this email online]( [NPR Up First Newsletter]( by Rachel Treisman April 10, 2023 Good morning. Spring is in full swing, and allergy season is too. Doctors have a [new tool in their arsenal]( to treat itchy eyes and runny noses: immunotherapy in the form of personalized allergy drops. The future of a key abortion pill [hangs in the balance]( after federal judges in two states issued dueling decisions on Friday night. In Texas, a judge ordered the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to suspend its decades-old approval of mifepristone nationwide — which is set to take effect this Friday, though the U.S. Justice Department is appealing. Meanwhile, in Washington state, a judge ruled that the FDA should preserve access to the drug, which could offer at least some protections for people in 17 states and D.C. ➡️ How do abortion pills work? [Here’s what to know]( about mifepristone, which is safe, effective and used in nearly all medication abortions in the U.S. ➡️ Where does the Texas case stand? It will probably end up at the Supreme Court, NPR’s Sarah McCammon [tells the Up First podcast](. She says that’s what anti-abortion groups want. ➡️ What can Congress do? Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, [speaks to Morning Edition]( about what Democrats plan to do about the conflicting judicial opinions. [Boxes of mifepristone tablets, used in most U.S. medication abortions.]( Allen G. Breed/AP Here's what we do and don't know about the classified U.S. documents — mostly about the war in Ukraine — that surfaced on social media. The [leaked material shows]( that U.S. intelligence has penetrated the Russian military, meaning it can give Ukraine timely information about Russia’s plans. But [NPR’s Greg Myre points out]( that both sides already have extensive intelligence on each other, so it’s hard to say whether this new material will change the trajectory of the war. ➡️ The leak came to light as Ukraine is preparing for a spring counter-offensive to reclaim land occupied by Russia. NPR’s [Joanna Kakissis tells Up First]( that Ukrainian authorities are downplaying the leak publicly — but adjusting some of its military plans accordingly. “Though the documents did not paint a very flattering picture of Russian capabilities, either,” she adds. ➡️ U.S. intelligence agencies are scrambling to figure out who leaked the documents and whether more might be coming. Brandon Van Grack, who led the Justice Department’s probe into Edward Snowden, gives Morning Edition an idea of [what those efforts look like](. The two Democratic lawmakers who were expelled from Tennessee’s legislature could soon return to their posts, at least temporarily. Former Reps. Justin Jones of Nashville and Justin Pearson of Memphis, both of whom are Black, want their seats back after they were voted out for bringing a gun control protest to the House floor. Local officials are [scheduled to meet this week]( and could appoint them as their own interim replacements. ➡️ Their expulsion [has many wondering]( In these highly polarized times, could other state legislatures follow suit? Ken Paulson, the director of the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University, tells Morning Edition it’s an example of what can happen when [one party has too much power](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [ U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpls. Chris Covington (left) and Carlos Gomez Perez (right) sit and recover from shrapnel and bullet wounds. Covington is in a green shirt and camo pants. Perez is shirtless and has his arm in a sling. ]( Scott Peterson/Getty Images Almost two decades ago, an explosion rocked a schoolhouse in Fallujah, Iraq, killing two Marines and severely wounding a dozen others. Commanding officers knew immediately that it was an accident: The Marines had accidentally fired an 81mm mortar on their own troops. But a new NPR investigation reveals this information was covered up, and some of the wounded and their families were never told — violating the Marine Corps’ own regulations. 🎧 Listen to the Marines [recount the fateful day]( or read more [about the fatal mistake](. 🎧 Learn more about what happened on [Taking Cover]( an NPR investigative series from the Embedded podcast. --------------------------------------------------------------- [A hand reaches for a striped box of popcorn in a movie theater.]( Antonio Gravante / EyeEm/Getty Images/EyeEm The trailer for the highly-anticipated “Barbie” movie has captivated most of the internet, and NPR intern Susannah Broun is no exception. Blown away by the sneak peek, she took some time to reflect on her love for movie trailers and “the exhilaration of expectation.” Broun writes about the underappreciated art form and [shares a few of her favorites]( as well as some truly terrible ones. --------------------------------------------------------------- [The total solar eclipse as seen from Piedra del Aquila, Neuquen province, Argentina.]( Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images The next total solar eclipse that will be visible in the U.S. is less than a year away. The moon will cover up the sun for [a few thrilling minutes]( on April 8, 2024, in what NASA says is the last time a total solar eclipse will cross the U.S. for over 20 years. Irish illustrator Pan Cooke started making comics about U.S. police brutality cases as a way to educate himself. Then they took off on social media. [Cooke tells NPR]( “I just want to be a stepping stone towards people doing positive action.” A shortage of amoxicillin is making a tough strep season even worse. [Here’s what to know]( if you’re looking for the “pink stuff.” --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]