Christian legal advocacy group the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) has welcomed moves by the UN to recognise “coerced” abortion as a form of violence against mothers. Earlier this year the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, Reem Alsalem, presented a report which stated, “Despite the fundamental role and contributions of mothers, no UN organization or mechanism, at least none that I am aware of, has produced a global stand alone report on mothers as a distinct category of persons whose lives and experiences including experiences of violence are profoundly shaped by this intersection of being both female and mothers.”
The ECLJ said the report was “unprecedented” in that it was the first time coerced abortion was “condemned under international law”. In her report, Alsalem also described motherhood as a “public good” as opposed to a “private choice” and that, as such, mothers required “recognition and support from society and institutions”. Alsalem’s report also distinguished between “forced” and “coerced” abortion, with the former being brought about by the use or threat of physical force, and the latter being driven by societal pressures, economic realities and a host of other factors. She urged all UN member states to “promote the social significance of motherhood and the shared responsibility to support mothers within sex, family, civic and other relevant education curricula and through public awareness-raising campaigns”, and to ensure that women who wish to become mothers could “do so in conditions of dignity and safety”.
The report called for a legal ban on coerced or forced abortion, including for sex or disability selective reasons. The ECLJ said it was “pleased that a nuanced and realistic perspective is now included in a UN document”. “This demonstrates that the view promoted by so many so-called ‘feminists’ – which presents abortion solely as synonymous with women’s right to autonomy and control over their own bodies – is ideological,” it said. “This amounts to nothing less than denying the suffering of all those women who would like to give birth to the child they are carrying but are pushed into having an abortion due to the pressures of the circumstances surrounding their pregnancy. “For them, this act is not synonymous with freedom, choice, rights, or autonomy: it is an act of violence perpetrated against them – a fact that this report finally and explicitly acknowledges.”
Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9
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After losing their first baby to miscarriage, Alex and Sarah Kennedy were thrilled late last year to find out they were pregnant again. “We went in for our first ultrasound around eight weeks,” Sarah said. “As soon as she put the thing on my belly I saw a fluttering heartbeat. That just gave us so much peace.” During the appointment, the Kennedys’ doctor asked if they wanted to do noninvasive prenatal testing.
Typically offered at about 10 weeks of pregnancy, NIPT screening uses fetal DNA circulating in the mother’s blood to test for chromosomal abnormalities. It can also detect the baby’s sex. “We really did it just to find out the gender,” Alex said. “We never found out the gender of the first baby and that would have been nice.” While waiting on the results, the couple planned out a private gender reveal to share with family, friends, and social media followers.
“We had a basket of two different-colored flowers, pink and blue,” Sarah said. “Since I found out about the pregnancy first, I wanted Alex to be able to find out the gender first.” In the video posted this February, Sarah had her back turned while Alex read the results and picked up the pink bouquet. They named their daughter Haven. But a few days before they found out their baby’s sex, the couple learned the NIPT screening had also found a possible complication.
“My OB wanted to call me, the blood test people wanted to call me,” Sarah said. “That was a lot of anxiety—‘What’s wrong, why does everyone want to talk to us so urgently?’” According to the test, Haven had a 62% chance of having trisomy 18. The condition, caused by an extra copy of chromosome 18, can cause heart defects, under-developed lungs, and low birth weight. Most babies diagnosed with the rare syndrome do not survive to birth, and those who do typically die soon after birth, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“Hearing those words on the phone call, that she’s most likely to pass in the womb, this is a life-limiting diagnosis, was super devastating,” Sarah said. During their first conversations with their obstetrician about next steps, the doctor said it was standard to offer abortion as an option. As screening tests grow in popularity, many parents like the Kennedys say they feel pressure from medical professionals to consider abortion when they receive concerning test results—even though medical boards recommend physicians do further testing before discussing abortion with patients.
The tests aren’t always as accurate as perceived, and pro-life doctors worry the tests could lead couples to abort their children even before the babies have a clear prognosis. The Kennedys refused to abort their baby. They hoped the test results were wrong, and they planned to protect her life regardless. Alex and Sarah made appointments with specialists who could give them a more definitive diagnosis. “Even though the NIPT was saying 62% chance, I kept saying, ‘Well, God can do a lot with that extra 38%,’” Alex said.
The merciful choice?
After Sarah Kennedy underwent a more in-depth ultrasound and an amniocentesis, where a lab examines amniotic fluid extracted from the womb, physicians were more confident that Haven did have trisomy 18. At that point, medical providers ramped up their pressure to abort, the Kennedys said. “I feel like the high-risk doctor didn’t really see her as a human.
She saw her as a fetus,” Sarah said. “She was really pushing termination.” The couple switched doctors and found a provider who prioritized continued monitoring and helped create a plan for birth and possible medical interventions for Haven if she survived. Though their family and friends were supportive of their choice to protect Haven, online commenters were not. Alex began posting videos of the couple writing Bible verses on Haven’s nursery wall as a way to process their experience, critics suggested abortion was the merciful choice for Haven.
“There were several people that said, ‘It’s selfish of you to carry her all the way and not terminate, because she could be in pain,’” he said. Some couples do choose to abort babies they worry will be born with serious health problems. In June, YouTuber Jesse Ridgway posted on social media that he and his wife had aborted their son after learning he had Down syndrome, or trisomy 21. Ridgway’s post drew condemnation from pro-life and disability advocates who likened the couple’s choice to eugenics. Alex Kennedy believes such a decision comes from the belief that a medically complex child would be a burden.
“But out loud they’re saying, ‘Oh, I just don’t want the baby to suffer,’” he said. “They don’t want to flip their whole world upside down.” A study published in the Journal of Genetic Counseling last year found that more than 60% of parents who received abnormal genetic results from tests on a baby’s amniotic fluid or placenta chose abortion. The rates were highest for babies diagnosed with trisomies 13, 18, and 21. In the United States, an estimated 60%-90% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted, and in countries like Iceland and Denmark, nearly every baby diagnosed with the condition is killed before birth.
“This is the history of our genetic testing—it is with an eye toward offering to terminate this child,” said Dr. Robin Pierucci. Pierucci worked as a neonatologist for 25 years before she founded Navigating Fetal Concerns, an organization supporting parents who receive difficult prenatal diagnoses. She said that although prenatal genetic testing can be a useful tool for doctors and parents to know how to prepare to support a baby with a health condition, it is often used to end the baby’s life instead. Danish doctors first used amniocentesis to determine an unborn baby’s sex in a 1960 case.
The baby’s mother was a carrier for hemophilia, a condition that keeps blood from clotting properly and mostly affects males. Doctors determined the woman was carrying a baby boy, and because he had a 50% chance of having hemophilia, they aborted him. “In no other patient population do we offer death prior to even meeting the patient,” Pierucci said. “Even when we get the diagnosis right, a diagnosis is not equivalent to the prognosis.” As a neonatologist, and in her work counseling families of children with serious health complications, she has seen many infants live longer than expected and surpass developmental expectations, she said.
Expectant mothers often only undergo in-depth testing like amniocentesis and high-resolution ultrasounds after doctors identify a potential problem during a routine ultrasound, or now through the use of NIPT screenings. While most women have their first comprehensive ultrasound about halfway through pregnancy, companies that offer NIPT claim enough of the baby’s DNA in his or her mother’s blood at about 10 weeks to assess the possibility of a genetic syndrome. In 2012, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommended doctors offer NIPT to pregnant women over the age of 35 or who have a history of chromosomal abnormalities in their family or in previous pregnancies.
At the time, major medical organizations recommended against offering the screening to the general population. But in October 2020, the organization again updated its guidance to suggest providers test all pregnant women. “It’s ubiquitous, it is everywhere,” Pierucci said. And even though the screening is not always accurate and medical organizations direct doctors to perform more accurate tests if red flags appear, Pierucci says she still sees physicians offer abortions based entirely on the screening. “I’m watching it be used to make medical decisions, and that’s deeply concerning.”
Most parents who opt for the NIPT screening do so before the anatomy scan at 20 weeks. In states that only protect unborn babies after viability (broadly considered to be about 24 weeks), parents may choose to abort because of the screening results or after follow-up diagnostics. But even among the 20 states that protect unborn babies in the first trimester of pregnancy, eight have exceptions for so-called “life-limiting fetal anomalies.”
Unnecessary fears
Pro-lifers point out that the screening test, while popular, is often inaccurate. Pierucci stressed that early testing options are designed to find higher-risk situations for further testing, not offer an outright diagnosis. “NIPT is a screening test. It is not diagnostic,” she said. Screenings can give a false positive for conditions like Down syndrome due to variations in the mother’s cells or a genetic abnormality in the placenta, not the baby.
Screenings for rare conditions have been found to be even less reliable. While the screening is typically accurate for trisomies 18 and 21, a 2022 New York Times investigation found that NIPT screenings produced inaccurate results up to 85% of the time for more rare conditions. Despite inaccuracies, many NIPT companies market the tests as highly accurate. And though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not directly regulate the tests, the agency in 2022 issued a safety warning about the risks of false positives on the screening. Days after Christmas in 2022, Mayzie Cremer and her husband learned they were expecting their first baby.
“We told both of our families earlier than most people would,” she said. Like the Kennedys, they decided to use NIPT screening to learn whether they were having a girl or a boy. When Cremer was 14 weeks along, she received the NIPT results. Her doctor called on a Monday evening to tell her she was having a girl and that the baby was at high risk for Turner syndrome. The rare condition occurs when one of a female’s X chromosomes is missing or partially missing, and it can cause growth delays and heart defects. Cremer said her doctor’s first question during that phone call was, “Per protocol, do you want to terminate your pregnancy based off of these results?” Cremer said no.
She and her husband scheduled a detailed ultrasound with a maternal fetal medicine specialist. She called her mother, who began researching the tests’ accuracy. Though her doctor said the tests were 98% accurate, Cremer’s mother learned that for rare conditions, the statistic is not as clear-cut. Early screenings for Turner syndrome are often only 20%-30% accurate. By Thursday of that week, Cremer and her husband believed the test was wrong. And their ultrasound the next Monday confirmed that their daughter showed no markers of Turner syndrome.
Still, they had to continue seeing a specialist throughout the pregnancy because of the initial red flag. Cremer gave birth to Clara in late August 2023, and she looked completely healthy. “It was seriously the biggest peace in the world,” she said. A few weeks later, blood tests confirmed that Clara did not have Turner syndrome, and she remains healthy today. Cremer says she likely would not do NIPT again. “It’s scary how much you can know,” she said. Several companies that produce the NIPT screenings have already faced legal backlash over their marketing. Last year, the company Natera agreed to an $8.25 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit alleging it did not disclose that its test could produce false positives. And a new lawsuit filed in June accuses the company of overstating the accuracy of its preimplantation test for embryos created through in vitro fertilization.
The plaintiffs say the results led them to dispose of potentially viable embryos. Dr. Kerri Brackney, a maternal fetal medicine doctor in Tennessee, said it is critical that patients who choose to have NIPT screenings receive appropriate counseling after getting their results. But she said many regular OB-GYN offices do not have the time or staff to provide patients with enough information about the tests. “Using them wisely, using them with good counseling and good information, they can be helpful,” she said. “But are they used for evil? Absolutely.” Brackney believes medical providers should not offer the screening unless a mother is at high risk for an abnormality or if something concerning comes up in pregnancy.
For some parents, genetic screening can help them decide where they will deliver and who they want on their child’s medical team after birth, she said. But Brackney doesn’t recommend NIPT testing for couples who just want to know the baby’s sex early in the pregnancy. “There are options for that on Amazon,” she said.
A life worth loving
Over the course of more testing and ultrasounds, Alex and Sarah Kennedy learned that their daughter Haven, who did have trisomy 18, also had an associated enlarged heart. Doctors believed she would not survive to full term. In early July, at 33 weeks pregnant, the Kennedys went to the hospital after Sarah noticed Haven had not been as active. They listened as the girl’s heartbeat slowed and stopped. “We know she didn’t feel any pain in the womb,” Sarah said.
“We do feel peace from that.” Doctors induced labor and after Sarah gave birth, the couple and their family spent the day with Haven in the hospital. They treasured the time together. “Even with her outcome, we still wouldn’t have chosen any different,” Alex said. “We wouldn’t have terminated.” Sarah and Alex say they likely will not use NIPT the next time they get pregnant. “I would be perfectly fine waiting to find out the gender at the anatomy scan,” Sarah said. “And if we were to see little signs of something being abnormal, then we would pursue NIPT just to see.”
After posting their story online, the Kennedys said they have heard both from people who believe they should have aborted and from other families who are wrestling with a frightening prenatal diagnosis. They say they encourage those families to find joy in preparing for their baby’s arrival, even if they are facing serious health conditions. By decorating the nursery, having a baby shower, and praying over Haven, the Kennedys honored their baby before her birth. “It all goes back to loving God, loving others,” Alex said. “And one part of loving others is giving them a chance, a fighting chance.”
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Mark 8:34
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Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America called again on the Department of Justice to end mail-order abortion by settling Louisiana v. FDA in light of a new U.S. Senate report on the “dangerous practices” of abortion drug manufacturers. President of SBA Pro-Life America Marjorie Dannenfelser told The Center Square that “Sen. [Bill] Cassidy’s research shows there is no way to address the harms of abortion drugs since Danco, GenBioPro, and Evita Solutions’ drugs are being shipped through the mail nationwide at all stages of pregnancy, including in the third trimester in North Carolina.”
“Sen. Cassidy’s investigation reinforces recent Charlotte Lozier Institute research showing that 81% of online abortion businesses send mifepristone to kill unborn children far beyond the FDA’s 10-week limit – putting women at increased risk of life-threatening complications,” Dannenfelser said. Dannenfelser stated that Attorney General Todd Blanche “has the opportunity to protect women and save the lives of 15,000 babies every month by settling with the state of Louisiana before Sept. 9.” “By settling in Louisiana v. FDA, the DOJ can get abortion drugs out of the mail immediately while the FDA finishes its safety review of mifepristone,” Dannenfelser said.
Louisiana v. FDA refers to the lawsuit Louisiana filed “over the Joe Biden rule allowing abortion drugs to be sent through the mail without in-person doctor visits,” according to SBA. The case is expected to resume on Sept. 9. Dannenfelser told The Center Square that “with the current mail-order policy, abusers and exes can order the dangerous drugs online with no screening or doctor involvement, and women are getting poisoned and coerced across the nation.” “It’s reckless and unsafe,” Dannenfelser said. Cassidy – R-Louisiana, and also chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee – released a report this week detailing the “dangerous practices of abortion drug manufacturers.”
Cassidy said in a statement following the report that “abortion drug companies are putting mothers at risk through their failure to properly oversee the prescription and distribution of their products.” Cassidy’s office has not yet responded to The Center Square’s request for comment. SBA said that Cassidy’s report “found that even the minimal remaining Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) are not being upheld by [abortion drug] manufacturers, especially in online situations,” and that the manufacturers “don’t meaningfully audit prescribers, only requiring a cursory form without follow up.”
Dannenfelser told The Center Square that in July, “83 pro-life groups led by SBA Pro-Life America urged Attorney General Blanche to resolve the case with a consent decree that stops mail-order shipments now.” “Women harmed by these drugs also sent a letter asking the DOJ to settle so abortion drugs are no longer sent through the mail in ways that put women at risk,” Dannenfelser said. The Department of Justice has not yet responded to The Center Square’s request for comment.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. John 10:28-30
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Six years after a Faces of Choice Super Bowl ad introducing abortion survivors to America was blocked days before airing, the pro-life organization now has another opportunity to bring those same voices before a global audience. Faces of Choice has created a powerful new World Cup commercial featuring boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and abortion survivors from around the world — men and women who survived abortion procedures intended to end their lives before birth. The ad has now been approved, and an initial international placement will run during the World Cup final weekend. Faces of Choice is still working against the clock to fund additional placement while this rare window remains open, so this message can reach as many people as possible.
For Faces of Choice founder Lyric Gillett, the moment carries deep significance. “Six years ago, our Super Bowl ad was blocked just before the game,” Gillett said. “That ad was created to introduce culture to abortion survivors, not as statistics, not as political arguments, but as real people with names, faces, families, and stories. Now, during one of the largest global media moments in the world, we have another chance.” Pacquiao’s involvement in the ad campaign also carries special significance given his long-standing public pro-life convictions.
In addition to his historic boxing career, Pacquiao served in the Philippine Senate from 2016 to 2022, where he was known not only as a national sports icon, but as a public figure willing to speak openly about faith, family, and the value of human life. The campaign’s message is simple: “Choice is not just a word. Choice is a person.” The original 2020 Faces of Choice ad premiered at the March for Life in Washington, D.C., where the stories of survivors were received by pro-life advocates from across the country.
Survivors such as Melissa Ohden of the Abortion Survivors Network, Dr. Imre Téglásy of Human Life International, Robin Sertell, Josiah Presley, Lisa Manasco, Claire Culwell, Denisha Workizer, Anderson Ocampo of Passion Life, Pastor Gary Yamamoto, Lauren Eden, and so many others from the United States and all around the world, reveal the faces of “choice.” “Abortion survivors change the conversation because they reveal what is at stake in human form,” Gillett said. “When people come face to face with someone who survived an abortion procedure, a powerful paradigm shift takes place.
Abortion survivors’ lives challenge the idea that “choice” is an abstraction. These are sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, teachers, pastors, artists, athletes, and neighbors…Real people, made in the image of God.” Actor Kevin Sorbo has also joined the effort, recording and sharing an urgent video message encouraging pro-lifers to support the campaign. Sorbo said he believes the world needs to hear directly from abortion survivors themselves.
“This is the kind of message the world needs to see,” Gillett said. “This is no longer theoretical: the ad is approved, the survivors are ready, and the campaign is beginning internationally during the World Cup final weekend. Now the focus is on expanding the reach of this campaign while this rare global window remains open.” Faces of Choice was founded to amplify the voices of people who survived abortions and to challenge the culture to recognize the humanity of every child in the womb. The organization’s work centers on survivor-led storytelling, media campaigns, and directing viewers to existing life-affirming networks like Heartbeat International.
“This is not simply about one ad campaign,” she said. “This is about changing the way the world sees abortion and “choice.” It’s the beginning of a much larger vision: a global media initiative to introduce abortion survivors to the world as the faces of “choice.” We hope to build a lasting platform where their stories can continue to be seen, heard, and connected to the existing networks of life-affirming care. The World Cup gives us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to open that door, but the mission does not end there.”
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Skyler King has completed his 1,200-mile journey from Oxford to New York City on a skateboard. He left Oxford on Aug. 1 and arrived in NYC on Sept. 12. King…
Since 1977, the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust has led one of the biggest rescue and rehabilitation wildlife operations in East Africa. Although they specialize in elephant care, their sanctuaries are home…
‘She Was Calm’: Neighbour Shares How flydubai Pilot’s Wife Reacted To CrisisWhile Captain Smit Machchhar recovers from the attack, his wife’s calm response to neighbours’ messages has highlighted the strength…
Talk less, listen more, because wisdom speaks after it understands, not before. If you want stronger relationships and real influence, master this: control your tongue, calm your anger, and lead…
Recent reporting (roughly September 25–October 2, 2026) on Christian persecution centers on continued lethal violence in Nigeria, house-church detentions in China, and related pressures elsewhere. Nigeria Attacks attributed to Fulani…
California has officially banned child marriage, with Governor Gavin Newsom signing legislation to end the practice that is still legal in 32 US states. The new law, which will come…
The Texas Department of Public Safety arrested a Bexar County man Wednesday in connection with the threat of a “violent attack” on the Texas Capitol. He has since been charged…
You are in a spiritual battle, whether you recognize it or not. God has not left you defenseless, He has given you everything you need to stand firm. “Finally, be…
SpaceX launched the company’s Super Heavy-Starship on its first flight to orbit Monday — an abbreviated three-hour mission that marked a major step toward perfecting the world’s most powerful rocket…
Using a donated Hubble-class mirror originally built for a spy satellite, NASA’s Roman Space Telescope launched Sunday on a $4.3 billion mission to open a new window on the universe,…
When Alicia Edmund heard the Parliament vote count for the UK’s assisted dying bill last week—286 noes to 270 ayes—her immediate reaction was shock. The bill had been defeated. …
The United States has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space, prompting separate warnings from China and Russia. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told the…
NASA is working with Boeing to launch an unpiloted Starliner capsule in the December-to-January time frame to test upgrades and improvements ordered in the wake of a 2024 mission that…
President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have criticized British counterterror police’s handling of a possible plot targeting a U.K. air base used by U.S. forces, with Rubio calling…
A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Israel was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a violent attempt by one of the pilots to seize…
Storms often reveal what we truly believe about God’s presence and power. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?” Mark…
A routine trip to a Lewisville ATM could have changed one man’s financial life a bit. Instead, it revealed something rich about his character. Lewisville police say a 37-year-old man…
“God loved you enough to send His Son, Jesus loved you enough to give His life, and through faith, you are offered a hope this world can never take away.”…
The Denver metro area is expected to see beneficial rain through the day on Wednesday. But, the updated forecast totals will be lower than originally anticipated as the track of…
Chicago is consistently named one of the “rattiest” cities in America and an effort to change that is expanding. As more communities are turning to rat birth control, community leaders…
You were not only saved from something, you were saved for something. God didn’t just rescue your life; He designed it with purpose, shaping you to reflect His goodness and…
A boil water advisory continues until further notice in the Village of Romeo in Macomb County, Michigan, where a water main break occurred on Saturday. While the water main break…
There was a scramble in the skies Sunday tied to President Trump’s visit to the Chicago area. Fighter jets intercepted multiple planes that violated flight restrictions. Witnesses caught videos of…
The September nor’easter is leaving its mark across the state, with several reports of trees and wires down in multiple communities. A large tree completely uprooted on Lucy Street in…
The Supreme Court unanimously sided with a group of faith-based pregnancy centers on Wednesday that challenged the New Jersey attorney general’s investigation into whether the centers misled donors and the public about steering women away from having abortions.
The case was brought by First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a group of five Christian-based facilities in New Jersey that provide various pre-natal services to women facing unplanned pregnancies. The Supreme Court found the state investigation violated the centers’ First Amendment rights, handing a victory to the pro-life movement, which had argued the probe rattled the centers’ donors.
The opinion was narrow, finding that First Choice is now able to sue over the state investigation in federal court.
Two giant pandas from China have arrived in the U.S. as part of an agreement between the Chinese and American governments, the Atlanta zoo confirmed on Sunday. The zoo…
A third of young people are now using an AI companion, according to new research. The RELATE Project 2026, by Christian youth ministry Young Life, spoke to over 7,100…
A recent video from Castle Rock shows a Colorado black bear escaping from a waste management truck. Last Wednesday, Castle Rock resident Evan Elmore says the bear had climbed…
A sea turtle has nested on a West Coast beach for what wildlife experts say is the first time in recorded history. Video captured last Wednesday in Seal Beach…
Scientists have identified a new wild cat species in Bolivia’s cloud forests—and the strangest part is that it was hiding in plain sight. Called the tilcayo, this tiny spotted…
A police officer was shot and wounded near a synagogue in Ontario, Canada, on Sunday evening during an exchange of gunfire with an armed man as congregants gathered to…
A UTV rider in Colorado was hospitalized after losing control near a steep embankment and falling about 250 feet. Around 11:29 p.m., Grand County Search and Rescue says twelve…
An inmate and 10 Cook County Jail correctional officers were hospitalized Sunday afternoon after a mattress fire. The Cook County Sheriff’s office said around 3 p.m. Sunday, deputies were…
President Trump said Friday he has struck a deal to give the United States “permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland,” following a push by the…
A Maryland State Police intern found himself on an incredible, unexpected assignment this week. The department posted two photos on social media Friday, showing Centreville Barrack intern Jackson Roach…
A U.S. F-16 fighter jet pilot safely ejected before the aircraft crashed in northern Michigan on Thursday afternoon, officials said. The incident occurred in Grand Traverse County when the…
Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers were called to investigate a mountain lion that had decided to climb a tree in Westminster on Tuesday and hang out for a while.…
A Pasadena family’s dog reunited with his rescuers, who pulled him out of a house fire that nearly killed him last week. Owner Fernando said he was out of…
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is investigating two bear attacks over the weekend that left a woman and a teen injured. The first incident happened at the Rio Grande National…
Bear-related calls are on the rise around the Lake Tahoe region, with South Lake Tahoe police reporting 174 calls so far this year, compared with 97 during the same…
A Mount Shasta climber was airlifted to a hospital after sliding about 500 feet down the mountain, injuring himself and then crawling through the night to reach shelter. The…
A growing number of residents in two Northern California counties have been allowed to return home as firefighters increased containment on the Lucas Fire burning near the Mendocino National…
Three people were killed when an NBC Los Angeles helicopter crashed in the San Fernando Valley on Tuesday night near the scene of a deadly Metro bus crash in…
An Arizona mother is recovering after she was attacked by a coyote that initially went after her 4-year-old daughter, reports AZFamily. Brittany Cardinal of Surprise, Arizona, was left with…
A married, 21-year-old Christian woman was shot dead inside her home in Rawalpindi last week by a Muslim neighbor whose advances she had rejected, reflecting an attitude among many…
A 17-year-old Christian man named Ikhlaq Masih was severely beaten by a mob in Nasrat Colony, a town in Ajnianwala, Sheikhupura, Pakistan, where many Christians reside. Masih works making pizzas…
A nine-year-old boy was killed and a three-year-old girl was injured in two separate leopard attacks in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district, forest officials said on Tuesday. The officials said…
I founded and built the largest grassroots movement in the history of the pro-life cause: 40 Days for Life. During its first decade, I mobilized more than 2,000 leaders and 750,000 volunteers in peaceful prayer outside abortion facilities across all 50 states and dozens of other countries. These, and others like them, are exactly the people the Biden Justice Department decided to hunt and criminalize. In early April, President Donald Trump DOJ’s Weaponization Working Group released an explosive 882-page report built on more than 700,000 internal records.
It confirms what pro-life Americans suspected all along: The Justice Department of the United States worked hand-in-hand with the National Abortion Federation, Planned Parenthood, and the Feminist Majority Foundation to spy on, build secret files against and prosecute peaceful pro-life citizens. Here is the stark reality the report lays out. When pro-life Americans were charged under the law, the Biden DOJ asked judges to send them to prison for more than twice as long as the people who firebombed and vandalized pregnancy centers and churches. Fifteen pro-lifers were prosecuted for every pro-abortion offender. A grandmother praying her rosary on a sidewalk was treated as more dangerous to the country than an arsonist throwing a firebomb through the window of a pregnancy center.
Wisconsin congressman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany said he suffered minor injuries after a plane he was in made an emergency landing Saturday night on Lake Wausau in central Wisconsin. In a…
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are under fire from Republicans after the two socialists were captured on video apparently sharing a laugh as the names of victims…
A cargo ship docked for repairs in a Chinese port caught fire, killing 25 people, Chinese state media reported Thursday. The ship was being repaired in the Beihai Shipbuilding Co. at the port…
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Friday the man who investigators say stalked a woman for months before executing her in a Panera Bread parking lot in Sacramento this week was in the…
The WBZ-TV Weather Team is issuing a NEXT Weather Alert for a potentially tricky weather situation for Sunday, especially across Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts, where a flood watch is now in effect.…
The cyclospora food poisoning outbreak linked to recalled iceberg lettuce is over, U.S. health officials said Friday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there is no longer a risk of people getting…
At the foot of Kennesaw Mountain, 2,977 American flags now stand as a reminder that every person killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks had a life and a story. People of all…
Tokyo police arrested two American women for allegedly smuggling $1 million worth of cannabis into the country, with one suspect claiming she was motivated by a free trip to Japan, an official and…
A 15-year-old boy survived on top of an overturned skiff in Alaska’s frigid Bering Sea for roughly two days, losing his older brother and then his cousin to the ocean after the boat…
Created by Steve A. I hear a song and that song evokes an emotion and that emotion in me helped in the creation of this tribute video. While I wish all of the…
Across the country on Friday, ceremonies will honor the thousands who lost their lives 25 years ago in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and among the survivors, a Dyer, Indiana, resident is on a…
More than 2,000 miles from ground zero, thousands of flags were planted into West Sacramento soil to help sow the seeds of remembrance for the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks on the…
Volunteers and students came together Thursday evening in Boston’s Public Garden to plant nearly 3,000 flags, each one a tribute to the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001. Behind each flag is a…
Today marks 25 years since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and observance ceremonies will be held at the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to remember the lives lost that day.…
Massachusetts is marking 25 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks with a statewide moment of silence on Friday and special tributes that include illuminating Boston buildings in remembrance of the tragedy. Gov. Maura…
One of Arizona’s most stunning natural phenomena is returning — and you’ll want to snag the best seat in the house to experience it one more time this year. From Sept. 13-19, visitors…
An Egyptian-Spanish archaeological mission has uncovered a 4,300-year-old tomb near Cairo belonging to an ancient judge and his father, local authorities said. The tomb was found at Saqqara, a sprawling necropolis south of…
In West Des Moines, Iowa, roughly 1,100 miles from Ground Zero, history teacher Ann Krois is tackling one of the most defining moments of the past half-century. “Teaching students about 9/11 is critical,”…
Maryland is investing more than $11 million in grants to expand bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure across the state. The Maryland Department of Transportation says the funding will support nearly 25 projects aimed at…
As Americans reflect this week on the 25 years that have passed since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, CBS News has returned to Afghanistan, where the war those attacks triggered ended…
Abortion policy continued to evolve at the state level this week, with new restrictions signed into law, high-profile legislative failures, court victories on religious-freedom grounds, and ongoing preparations for 2026 ballot battles. Both pro-life and pro-choice groups remained active, framing developments around fetal protections versus access and health impacts. Here are the major stories:
1. Wyoming Enacts 6-Week “Heartbeat” Ban
Governor Mark Gordon signed HB 126, banning most abortions once a heartbeat is detectable (around six weeks), with exceptions only for medical emergencies. Wyoming becomes the fifth state with such a law. The state’s sole abortion clinic reported turning away roughly a dozen patients in the days following the signing. Pro-life advocates hailed it as a major step forward; reproductive-rights organizations criticized the early cutoff and warned of increased travel burdens for Wyoming women.
2. Tennessee “Abortion-as-Homicide” Bill Fails
A controversial proposal (sponsored by Rep. Jody Barrett and Sen. Mark Pody) that would have classified abortion as homicide—potentially carrying life imprisonment or the death penalty—died in a House subcommittee. No Republican members voted to advance it, surprising some observers and sparking protests outside the capitol. Pro-life hardliners expressed disappointment at the lack of support, while pro-choice groups called the bill’s defeat a “victory for women’s rights and common sense.”
3. Jersey (Channel Islands, UK) Expands Access to 22 Weeks
Lawmakers passed legislation raising the abortion limit from previous restrictions to 22 weeks and reducing other barriers. The new law sets a resident fee of £185 through government healthcare. UK pro-choice campaigners welcomed the move as modernizing outdated rules; local faith-based and pro-life voices voiced concern over the extended gestational window.
4. Indiana Court Strikes Down Restrictions on Religious Grounds
In a landmark ruling, Judge Christina R. Klineman found that Indiana’s abortion laws violate the state’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)—the first successful challenge of its kind using religious-liberty arguments. The decision could open new legal pathways for clinics and patients. Pro-life organizations warned it may significantly expand access, while religious liberty and reproductive-rights attorneys praised it as precedent-setting.
5. 2026 Ballot-Measure Battles Heat Up
Virginia: A lawsuit was filed to keep a proposed constitutional amendment protecting reproductive rights off the November ballot.
Missouri: A measure to repeal the state’s 2024 abortion protections advanced in signature gathering.
Nevada and several other states remain active fronts, with KFF analysts noting that 2026 could see more voter-driven decisions on both expansion and restriction of access. Both sides are pouring resources into these campaigns.
6. Kansas Protects Crisis Pregnancy Centers
The legislature passed a bill shielding crisis pregnancy centers from certain regulatory requirements and advertising restrictions. Pro-life groups celebrated the measure as safeguarding supportive services for women; opponents argued it limits transparency for those seeking abortion information.
7. UK Catholic Leaders Oppose Decriminalization Push
The Catholic Archbishop of Westminster and other faith leaders intensified campaigning against clauses in the Crime and Policing Bill that would decriminalize abortion up to birth. A key vote is expected soon. This has reignited national debate on late-term procedures and the role of conscience protections.
8. National Trends and Data Notes
Medication (chemical) abortions continue to dominate (now ~63–65% of total procedures per recent tracking). Reports again linked strict state bans to measurable rises in maternal-mortality indicators and interstate travel. Advocacy organizations on both sides released updated statistics and called for federal or state-level action ahead of the mid-year legislative sessions.
The landscape remains highly polarized, with courts, legislatures, and voters all playing pivotal roles. For full details, check state legislative trackers and reports from the Guttmacher Institute and KFF.
A 9/11 tribute on New Hampshire’s Mount Washington will be visible from more than 100 miles away, organizers of “The Honor Summit” say. The installation will feature “two huge LED light beams” that project 3 miles into the sky from the top of the 6,288-foot peak. It is similar to the New York display that…
They induce fear. They’re aggressive. And for some people, they pose a serious health risk. Many people’s instinct is to swat and run away from those black-and-yellow bugs that have a really painful sting, but this year it seems there are a lot of yellowjackets everywhere. But why? Dion DeGennaro, president of Sergio’s Pest Control,…
Officials in the East Bay city of Berkeley have issued a warning to residents and doctors amid a rising number of bats that have tested positive for rabies. In a letter sent to the Berkeley City Council on Aug. 26, City Manager Paul Buddenhagen’s office said lab tests confirmed five rabies-positive bats were found. The…
The Mesha Stele, also famously known as the Moabite Stone, is a 3-foot-tall black basalt monument dating back to circa 840 BCE. It is one of the most vital archaeological discoveries connecting biblical history with extra-biblical evidence. Commissioned by King Mesha of Moab (a kingdom situated in modern-day Jordan), the stele boasts 34 lines of…
The steeple of a Toledo church collapsed after a massive structure on Martha Avenue early Saturday morning, according to fire officials at the scene. Fire crews were called to the 3000 block of Martha Avenue, near Five Points, around 6:30 a.m. for a structure fire. 13 Action News crews arrived on scene shortly after, finding…
Hurricane Lowell accelerated toward Kauai on Monday evening, weakening slightly to a Category 2 storm while still expected to make its closest approach Monday night into Tuesday bringing hurricane conditions, flooding rainfall and destructive surf to Hawaii’s westernmost islands. At 5 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time Monday, or 8 p.m. Pacific time, Lowell was about 170…
A Houston-area man is headed to federal prison for shooting and killing a bald eagle. A news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, said 43-year-old Santos Guerrero pleaded guilty on May 14. He was sentenced in August to 14 days behind bars and must also pay a $5,000 fine. In an…
The intense storm that brought significant rainfall that flooded parts of Pittsburgh on Thursday night was a “1 in 100 year event,” authorities said. In a news release on Friday, the city said the storm dropped more than 2.5 inches of rain in less than an hour in some parts of Pittsburgh, along with winds of up…
Some 270,000 passengers have been left stranded across Indonesia after a volcanic eruption grounded more than 2,000 flights and forced airports to suspend operations for a second day. Anak Krakatau, located 150km (90mi) from Jakarta, began erupting late on Friday, producing lava fountains and sending volcanic ash into the capital and the Lampung province. It…
The Raven Ridge Wildlife Center rescued an injured bald eagle with green tail feathers. According to the Raven Ridge Wildlife Center, they received a call from their eagle capture and transport volunteer, who had been contacted by the PA State Game Warden regarding a downed eagle in someone’s yard with a drooping wing. Once the…
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