News Wrap: Texas abortion ban ruled unconstitutional by state district judge

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• John Yang:

  Good evening. I'm John Yang. In a major victory for abortions rights supporters, a Texas judge has ruled that the state's law banning abortions is too restrictive and violates the state constitution. The judge says that there must be a clearly stated exemption for women whose health or lives are in danger or whose fetuses have little likelihood of survival.

  But the Texas Attorney General's office said the ruling is on hold while the Texas Supreme Court considers an appeal. The case is believed to have been the first brought by women who had been denied abortions. Past legal challenges to abortion laws have been brought by abortion rights groups or doctors or clinics who provide the procedure.

  All abortion clinics in Texas closed last year after state law banned virtually all procedures after six weeks of pregnancy.

  The Justice Department wants a federal judge to bar former President Donald Trump from publicly discussing the evidence against him or the witnesses expected to testify against him.

  Prosecutors are required to give that information to the defense to allow them to prepare their case. Today, the judge signaled she wanted to rule on the request next week, but defense lawyers quickly asked for a delay.

  Special counsel Jack Smith said he wants the restrictions because of Trump's history of using social media to criticize witnesses, judges and lawyers in previous cases. Smith specifically pointed to a Friday post in which Mr. Trump said, if you go after me, I'm coming after you. A Trump spokesman said that the post was protected political Speech.

  Pakistani police arrested former Prime Minister Imran Khan today after a court sentenced him to three years in prison on corruption charges. Khan's party says he's done nothing wrong and vowed to appeal. The conviction, likely disqualifies Khan from running in this year's elections. It's the latest chapter in a year long conflict between Khan and Pakistan's military establishment.

  And the PAC 12, one of college football's 11 Division One conferences, is facing extinction as more member schools leave for other conferences.

  The Big 10 will expand to 18 teams next year with the addition of Oregon and Washington, and the Big 12 will add Utah, Arizona state and Colorado. That leaves only Oregon State, Washington State, Stanford and Berkeley in the PAC 12. For now, the driving factor is money. The PAC 12 doesn't have a big TV contract, and the other conferences do.

  Still to come on PBS News Weekend, rising fears over Japan's upcoming release of wastewater from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant and growing concerns about private data being used in abortion related criminal cases.

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