AMERICA
UNITED STATES: Biden signs decrees on access to abortion
The President of the United States Joe Biden signed, Thursday, January 28, several decrees including two on health coverage and access to abortion. Donald Trump’s government had banned organizations offering gynecological services from offering abortions to their patients, on pain of losing their funding. By these decrees, the new boss of the Oval Office declares to restore the law.
On Thursday, Joe Biden signed two decrees on health coverage and access to abortion.“The best way to describe what I do is to repair the damage done by Trump,” said Biden, adding: “There is nothing new that we are doing here, other than restoring the health reform law and restoring health coverage as it was before Trump became president. The changes made by Orders in Council have made it more inaccessible, more expensive and more difficult for people to qualify for any of these systems.”
Decisions taken on the eve of the annual mobilization of anti-abortion. Abortion is legal in the United States since 1973, but still strongly divides the American population, with a still very strong opposition especially in religious circles. So, as every year around the anniversary date of this decision, called Roe v. Wade, the opponents of abortion have planned to be heard this Friday. But because of the coronavirus pandemic, their manifestation will be made virtually unlike that of last year in which Donald Trump even participated.
The Trump administration had established at the national level the “Mexico City” rule which requires family planning centres to physically distinguish gynecological consultations from those related to abortion, under penalty of losing their federal funds. Thus, in his decree, Joe Biden addresses this subject, but with more caution. According to a statement from the White House, he will order the Ministry of Health to take immediate action to consider whether to reverse these regulations. Nor does it say anything about the “Hyde Amendment” which prohibits the use of federal funds to reimburse most abortions.
Women’s right to abort associations welcome these measures but remain vigilant for the future. “We are delighted that President Biden is revoking the cruel and neo-colonial Mexico City policy,” said Serra Sippel, President of the Center for Health and Gender Equity (Change). It believes, however, that its effects will not go away unless Biden gives clear instructions to staff in embassies and federal agencies.
These announcements are, according to President of the Guttmacher Institute Herminia Palacio, “extremely important first steps in the right direction, but the administration must go further.” According to this, the majority of the 850,000 abortions performed each year in the United States involve women of colour and modest backgrounds. Thus, facilitating access to and reimbursement of abortions is fully part of the fight against inequalities, which Joe Biden has made one of his priorities.
AMERICA
BRAZIL – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on a state visit to France on June 5 and 6, 2025
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be on a state visit to France on 5 and 6 June. He will be welcomed in Paris by President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron, accompanied by his wife Rosângela Lula da Silva.
This official trip comes as a follow-up to the renewed action plan between France and Brazil, sealed during Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Brazil in March 2024. Objective: to strengthen bilateral cooperation in strategic areas such as defense, economy, biodiversity, energy transition, culture and the fight against disinformation.
This high-level meeting is also part of a busy international agenda for both countries. It precedes by a few days the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which will be held in Nice from 9 to 13 June, as well as the COP30 of Belém next November. Two major events where France and Brazil plan to unite their voices to advance global environmental issues.
The visit will also be part of the 2025 Brazil-France Season, an exceptional cultural program that highlights the Brazilian artistic and intellectual scene throughout the country.
Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for the White House, reaffirmed on Monday, June 2, 2025, the willingness of US President Donald Trump to see Russia and Ukraine begin peace negotiations. During a press conference, she insisted on the importance of direct dialogue between the two parties to end a conflict that has already cost too many human lives.
Speaking to reporters, Leavitt recalled that President Trump strongly supports a return to the negotiating table, drawing in particular on previous talks held in Istanbul. “The president wants the two leaders, along with their delegations, to sit at the negotiating table. Today, we saw that this was possible thanks to his insistence,” she said, while specifying that only Trump will express himself in detail on his position.
Asked about a recent drone attack attributed to Ukraine and targeting Russian territory, Leavitt preferred to insist on the need for a de-escalation. “This war must now end. It has been merciless for both sides, and far too many lives have been lost,” she said.
These remarks, relayed by the Anadolu agency and translated from Turkish by Ayse Betul Akcesme, reflect a new direction in the communication of the White House, emphasizing the role that Washington wishes to play to encourage a diplomatic solution.
Although President Trump has not yet spoken personally about these recent developments, his spokesperson suggests that an initiative in favor of peace could take shape in the coming weeks.
Photo credit: White House
Elon Musk announced the end of his role as a special government employee in President Donald Trump’s administration on Thursday, 29 May 2025, marking the conclusion of his involvement with the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Musk, who had been appointed to lead efforts to reduce federal bureaucracy and public spending, expressed his gratitude to President Trump for this opportunity to serve.
In a post on his social media platform X, Musk wrote, “Grateful to President Trump for the opportunity to serve. It was a difficult but rewarding experience.”
Shortly after his message, a White House official confirmed his departure and indicated that his resignation process “will begin this evening.”
Musk’s departure comes after his public criticism of President Trump’s “great and beautiful bill”, a legislative package that includes tax cuts and immigration control measures but significantly increases the federal deficit.
Musk described the bill as counterproductive to the DOGE’s mission and expressed disappointment.
During his tenure, Musk has implemented drastic cost-cutting measures through the DOGE, including mass layoffs and termination of federal contracts. These actions have led to strong criticism, protests – including against Tesla – and dozens of lawsuits, as well as concerns about attempts to access private government data.
A federal judge recently allowed a complaint filed by 14 American states against Musk and the DOGE to proceed.
This complaint accuses Musk and the DOGE of unconstitutional actions, including unauthorized access to government data systems, cancellation of federal contracts and dismissal of federal employees.
Musk plans to refocus on his companies, Tesla and SpaceX, and reduce his political contributions. Despite initial optimism, Musk admitted his frustration with bureaucratic resistance in Washington.
The White House plans to implement some of the reductions recommended by the DOGE through budget cancellations. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that this bill will increase deficits by $3.8 trillion over a decade, while regulators remain skeptical of claims that it will be deficit-neutral.
Sources: AP
Photo credit: Elon Musk page
