Missouri could lose its last abortion clinic this week. Planned Parenthood is suing.
The last remaining abortion clinic in the state could be forced to close by the end of the week, as the state government is threatening not to renew its license which expires Friday, according to Planned Parenthood.
This is significant, and not just as an escalation of abortion law changes across the US: if the clinic closes, Missouri will be the first state without an abortion services provider since the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade in 1973.
Dr. Leana Wen, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood, phrased it like this: “This is not a drill. This is not a warning. This is a real public health crisis.”
Meanwhile in the courts:
The US Supreme Court declined to rule on an Indiana law banning abortions due to sex, race and disability. A federal appeals court blocked the law, and that will remain in effect as the Supreme Court waits until more appeals courts weigh in.
Justice Clarence Thomas made clear that he’d support the law, writing that he believed there were already signs abortion was being used to “achieve eugenic goals.”
Black transgender women in Dallas are worried they’ll be killed next
The recent beating and killing of Muhlaysia Booker, a black transgender woman in Dallas, was shocking. A month before Booker died, she was brutally beaten in a video that went viral on social media.
Booker’s death is the latest in a series of killings of black transgender women in the city — and the cases all remain unsolved.
For many black transgender women in this city, this attention from authorities and the larger community is coming far too late and after too high a human cost. Read Lauren Strapagiel’s heartbreaking report from Dallas, about a community reeling from violence.
These photos show the total devastation caused by tornadoes and storms in the Midwest
Communities across the Midwest are bracing for more severe weather after a series of deadly tornadoes and flooding devastated cities in Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
Heavy rains and flooding have also placed significant strain on the region's infrastructure, prompting residents in Oklahoma and Arkansas to prepare for a possible failure of nearby dams.
The wreckage of the storms is severe — we put together this collection of photos to show the extent of the damage.
SNAPSHOTS
Trump tried to let health care providers refuse to provide care for transgender people or abortions — now he’s getting sued. Health care groups are suing the Trump administration, arguing that the rule could create a “chilling effect” that would greatly decrease access to abortion and sex reassignment care.
A former NXIVM “cult” member says she and her two sisters had to have abortions after sex with Keith Raniere. The witness in Raniere’s federal trial, who was only identified by her first name Daniela, testified she felt the alleged sex cult leader began “grooming” her at a young age, and coerced her into sex with him just days after her 18th birthday.
Fans are upset with a 20-year-old YouTuber for creating a makeup line in a shade that only serves her and others with lighter skin tones. Makeup company Nudestix told us while it offers“various shades” of products, this collaboration with influencer Summer Mckeen is “only a selection of Summer’s favorite shades.” Mckeen’s fans are disappointed.
Facebook won’t remove doctored content during the Canadian election
Facebook Canada says it won’t take down false or misleading content like doctored videos during the country’s upcoming federal election.
The company told a committee of MPs from 11 countries that it’s not up to Facebook to decide the line between “free speech” and “censorship.” Facebook was responding to a pointed question about why the company is allowing a doctored video of Nancy Pelosi to continue to be shared.
The social media giant’s position is complicated here — Facebook pledged to the Canadian government’s “declaration on election integrity,” which commits the company to “work to remove fake accounts and inauthentic content on their platforms.”
A day later, Facebook said it will not take down false or misleading content.
A Hawaii woman described how she survived being lost in a forest for 17 days
Amanda Eller, a yoga teacher and physical therapist, was found on Friday in a ravine between two waterfalls after she had been missing for more than two weeks.
Eller originally set out on a 3-mile hike, leaving her phone in the car. She said she typically has a good sense of direction, but after stopping to meditate, she couldn’t find the path back to where she came from.
I’ll let you read the extraordinary words she offered after she was treated at a medical center, but this stuck with me: “This is my journey. I have to choose life. There’s a reason I have to keep myself alive.”
