Sunday will mark the first anniversary of Roe v. Wade since the ruling was overturned, ending the constitutional right to abortion. Also in the news: Record snowfall hit portions of Colorado and what happens to "Rust" actor Alec Baldwin following charges of involuntary manslaughter.
🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Meet Spike, the world's oldest living dog.
Here's Friday's news.
As Roe v. Wade marks 50th anniversary, advocates push further
Crowds are expected to gather this weekend for a march dubbed "Bigger Than Roe" in support of reproductive rights. The gathering on Roe v. Wade's 50th anniversary comes as advocates feel mixed emotions about the future of abortion access.
The background: The Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision in June 2022 that overturned Roe v. Wade devastated abortion access in large swaths of the country. Abortion clinics in restrictive states began to shutter almost immediately. People seeking abortion care were forced to travel across state lines. And in states where abortion remains legal, providers were quickly overwhelmed by patients.
- Galvanized by a surge in organizing energy after last year’s ruling, abortion advocates are using the momentum to reimagine access from the ground up with efforts in state courts and legislatures, as well as grassroots aid like abortion funds.
- Recent wins for increased abortion access: An FDA green light for pharmacies to provide abortion pills, a Justice Department decision to allow the United States Postal Service to deliver the pills and challenges to state abortion bans.
- Anti-abortion protesters will gather Friday at the annual March for Life, days before the 50th anniversary of Roe with the theme "Next Steps: Marching in a Post-Roe America." For anti-abortion activists, the Dobbs decision was also a motivating moment and "an enormous milestone," one advocate said.
👉 Want more info about the state of abortion access in the U.S. today? Read our explainer by USA TODAY reporter Christine Fernando.
Biden has 'no regrets' in delaying information on classified documents
President Joe Biden said he has "no regrets" that he didn’t reveal the discovery of classified documents when they were found at his former personal office – shortly before the November election. The White House didn’t disclose the discovery until last week, after CBS News learned of the matter. After touring parts of storm-battered California, Biden on Thursday downplayed the uproar over the classified documents found in his home and former office, telling reporters, "There’s no there there." Read more
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🌤 What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
U.S. hits debt ceiling
The United States hit its borrowing limit and started taking "extraordinary measures" on Thursday to avoid defaulting on what it owes, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Congress. The amount of time the Department can continue taking steps to avoid defaulting on the debt unless the $31.381 trillion limit is raised is uncertain, Yellen wrote in her letter to lawmakers. But the government is expected to be able to keep operating until at least June. Some House Republicans are insisting Democrats agree to spending cuts in exchange for Congress raising the debt limit, while the White House insists the limit be raised "without conditions." Read more
Parts of Colorado see four feet of snow
Denver International Airport, where the city's measurement is taken, received 9.1 inches of snow between Tuesday and Wednesday. That's Denver's largest January snowstorm since 1992, when it got walloped with 14.8 inches. Meanwhile, heavy snow and freezing rain are likely to unload through two more storms over the interior Northeast into the next week, according to AccuWeather. The first storm will affect the region Sunday into Monday with the second system arriving Tuesday and lasting until Wednesday, according to the weather watchdog. Read more
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What happens to Alec Baldwin now?
Now that Alec Baldwin and "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed will be charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, what happens to them and the movie itself? The charges, which will be brought this month by state prosecutors, could theoretically find both of the accused serving up to five years in jail while signaling to Hollywood moviemakers that while New Mexico welcomes their business, officials will be unsparing in their pursuit of film sets that are lax on safety. Read more
- Attention, Oscars: We hope these 10 brilliant performances feel the love at Academy Awards.
📷 Photo of the day: Milan Men's Fashion Week 2023 📷
Lapels, polos, trousers and suits are getting a 2023 revamp with fur, leather and sequins for Fall/Winter fashion week. Stars and designers are descending upon the world's fashion capitals to see the latest in menswear. Click here to see more photos.
One more thing
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at [email protected] or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.
Associated Press contributed reporting.
