THE U.S. SUPREME COURT on Friday issued a stay blocking restrictions on an abortion pill (Shutterstock).

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday granted emergency requests to block restrictions placed by  lower courts for the use of the most commonly-used medication to terminate pregnancy.

According to the Associated Press, requests for a stay were made by the Biden Administration and Danco Laboratories, which manufactures mifepristone. About half of all abortions are now done by medication.

A district court ordered the sale stopped pn the grounds that approval of the drug by the Food and Drug Administration was flawed.

A federal appeals court reversed that, and the issue has gone to the high court.

Kansas governor wields veto

LAURA KELLY

Laura Kelly, a Democratic governor in the deeply red state of Kansas, used her veto power Friday to remove two items from the state budget.

They are $2 million in public funds for anti-abortion centers and a provision that would ban state universities from using “diversity and inclusion principles” in hiring.

Although a very conservative state, Kansans in August 2022 voted to affirm abortion rights in the Sunflower State.

Also in the news … Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, said on Friday that NATO would back Ukraine in resisting the Russian invasion “for as long as it takes.”

Earlier he said that Ukraine belongs in NATO, although no formal offer has been made.

Sports: Dodgers perfectly awful

If there’s any doubt that the 2023 Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t quite the same team – yet – that ran away with the National League West title last year, regard Friday’s 13-0 loss to the Cubs in Chicago.

Not only did they suffer their worst beating of the season, they managed only one hit and one base-runner in the whole game.

David Peralta got a questionable infield hit when the catcher Yan Gomes and pitcher Drew Smyly collided going after a slowly rolling infield tap, costing Smyly a perfect game.

The loss dropped the Blue Crew to 10-11, tied for second in the NL West with the San Diego Padres. It was their fourth loss in six games.

The Los Angeles Angels will host the Kansas City Royals in Anaheim tonight.

Weather:  Summer arriving early?

Balmy days and cool nights are in store for the West Orange County area this weekend. The forecast is for a daytime high of 82 on Saturday, with an overnight low of 57. It’ll be mostly sunny. Sunday will be cooler at 72 (57) and sunny. Monday and Tuesday will be similar with highs of 71, with mostly sunny skies on Monday turning to partly cloudy conditions on Tuesday.