Five-Minute News 12/11/21: SCOTUS Ruling On Abortion; Mask Mandates Return; Human Rights Sanctions For China

Every morning, the Five Minute News with Anthony Davis provides a quick update on what’s going on in politics, the economy, and health. It’s designed to be fast and factual, skipping over the drama and opinion that can bog down stories and make it difficult to get to the facts.

Saturday’s edition addresses some key issues in U.S. politics and foreign relations. View the full episode below to get up-to-date on a Supreme Court’s ruling on abortion rights, as well as the return of mask mandates in response to the latest surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, and U.S. response to human rights violations in China.

The Supreme Court of the United States has opted to leave in place the extremely restrictive abortion ban in Texas, and even the tiny glimmer of hope that the ruling leaves for pro-choice activists, in agreeing that clinics can sue, is dimmed by limitations on who can be the target of these cases. The state’s attorney general is exempt, as well as judges, and this ruling leaves the unusual law, which allows individuals to use courts to target clinics and anyone who aids a pregnant person in pursuing an abortion.

Meanwhile the mask mandates are coming back in New York, with a cold-weather surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. Masks will be required in all public places until the business or venue implements a vaccine mandate. The state will re-evaluate the need for this in mid-January. Other states with similar mask mandates currently include Washington, Oregon, Illinois, New Mexico, Nevada, and Hawaii.

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