A woman is suing Texas over the right to have an abortion in the first lawsuit of its kind.

Abortion in Court

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A woman is suing Texas over the right to have an abortion in the first lawsuit of its kind.

What about all the other abortion lawsuits?

This one is different: It’s the first time since the now-overturned Roe v. Wade ruling that a woman has asked a court to intervene and allow her to have an abortion. Now at 20 weeks pregnant, Kate Cox’s fetus has been diagnosed with trisomy 18 — a fatal chromosomal condition. The lawsuit says if she goes through with the pregnancy and has a C-section, she risks her ability to have kids in the future. Still, doctors told her she’s required under Texas law, which bans nearly all abortions, to continue with her pregnancy. Cox is asking the courts to grant her an emergency order to get an abortion and to protect her doctor from being sued for carrying out the procedure. Meanwhile, the Texas Supreme Court is hearing a bigger abortion case.

Catch me up.

A reproductive rights org filed a lawsuit against the state’s abortion law, arguing it doesn’t clearly define exceptions to the ban. The suit says it has created confusion and fear among doctors, as they could potentially serve life in prison. Last summer, a district judge issued a temporary injunction to protect doctors from prosecution for providing the procedure when there's a health risk for mothers or when the fetus is unlikely to survive. Shortly after, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) appealed the ruling. The Texas Supreme Court’s decision could affect whether Cox and other women carrying non-viable pregnancies can get an abortion.

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Texas is one of more than a dozen states that moved to restrict abortion since the end of Roe v. Wade, with one poll showing six in 10 Texas voters saying they’d support abortion “in all or most cases.” Now, these lawsuits could lead to more clarity on the exceptions in which the procedure's allowed. 

The Latest:

• Sexual violence: Israeli officials shared accounts yesterday of rape, sexual violence, and mutilation of women in front of the United Nations, as President Biden called on the international community to “forcefully condemn” the sexual violence “without equivocation.” It came as a released female Palestinian prisoner last week says she was threatened with rape in an Israeli cell.

• Southern Gaza: The Israeli military closed in on Khan Younis, the largest city in the south, and is engaging in house-to-house gun battles with Hamas militants. The US is concerned about the humanitarian impact as thousands have fled to the city and are being told to evacuate again.

• Visas: The State Department announced it’s banning visas for dozens of Israeli settlers and Palestinians who’ve committed violent acts in the West Bank. Since the start of the war, Israeli settlers and soldiers have killed at least 200 Palestinians.

Who’s ready to get back to business…

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL). Yesterday, the Republican senator announced he’s ending his blockade on nearly all military promotions. For 10 months, Tuberville single-handedly blocked more than 450 promotions in response to the Pentagon's abortion policy. His decision left military posts empty amid wars in Ukraine and Gaza, garnering criticism from Democrats and Republicans. Now, Tuberville said he’s “not going to hold the promotions” any longer, as his fellow senators came up with a plan to go around him. However, his change of heart doesn’t apply to four-star generals. The Senate wasted no time and confirmed 425 military promotions yesterday.

Who else is busy on the Hill…

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA). Yesterday, he announced the House GOP is blurring the faces of rioters in Jan 6 footage. Johnson — who helped with efforts to overturn the 2020 election — said he'd release the footage to the public so they can “draw their own conclusions” about what happened. Now, he says he's blurring rioters' faces so they aren't “retaliated against” or face charges from the DOJ. A spokesman for Johnson later clarified that the DOJ already has the full footage. Federal prosecutors have charged more than 1,200 people in connection to the insurrection.

Why LinkedIn might be looking a little dry…

US job openings. Yesterday, the Labor Department reported that job openings dropped to 8.7 million in October — the lowest it has been since March 2021. This report comes as layoff and quitting rates are generally unchanged. As for Wall Street, it had a mixed reaction to the news, with some expecting the Federal Reserve to start cutting interest rates as soon as next spring. The November jobs report comes out at the end of this week.

…Oh and if inflation has your wallet or credit card hurting, we have tips to bring your debt down.

Who’s getting ready to take the debate stage…

The final four. Tonight, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former SC Gov. Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former NJ Gov. Chris Christie will be taking center stage at the fourth GOP primary debate. Former President Trump will be sitting this one out (again). Meanwhile on the Democratic side, President Biden told donors he's “not sure I’d be running” if Trump wasn't in the race.

While Hollywood's actors are officially back...

So is "Barbenheimer."

Who’s Rockin’ around the Billboard 100...

The (once) 13 year old we all thought was 78.

What’s “The Morning Show”-esque plot twist no one saw coming...

Amy Robach and TJ Holmes’s exes are reportedly dating.

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