NPR News: 05-14-2026 6PM EDT

The NPR News Now broadcast from May 14, 2026, delivers a snapshot of developments across U.S. domestic policy, international diplomacy, energy shortages abroad, academic funding pressures, and consumer trends. Major stories include a Supreme Court intervention on abortion pill access and ongoing U.S.-China talks, alongside briefer reports on Cuba's crisis and economic slowdowns.

Supreme Court Blocks Restrictions on Mifepristone

The Supreme Court issued an emergency order preserving access to mifepristone, the widely used abortion pill, by allowing prescriptions via mail and telemedicine without in-person visits. This stems from a lawsuit filed by Louisiana challenging FDA rules on the drug's distribution. A three-judge panel from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on May 1 to restrict such access, but the high court tonight granted requests from two drug manufacturers to pause that decision while litigation continues.

Medication abortions using mifepristone and related drugs accounted for nearly two-thirds of all U.S. abortions in 2023, the latest year with full data. The ruling maintains the status quo on a method central to reproductive healthcare, averting immediate disruptions to telemedicine and mail-order options amid broader legal battles over abortion access post-Roe v. Wade.