Bomb explodes near California reproductive health clinic, killing one
PALM SPRINGS, California - A bomb exploded near a reproductive health facility in Palm Springs, California, killing one person, the city's mayor said on May 17.
The bomb was either in or near a car parked outside of the clinic when it exploded, Mayor Ron deHarte said.
Palm Springs fire chief Paul Alvarado said no suspect had been identified.
Authorities have not commented on a possible motive and Mayor deHarte said he could not confirm if the person who died is a suspect.
'It does appear to be an intentional act of violence,' he said.
ABC News, citing law enforcement sources and the facility, which was operated by American Reproductive Centres, said at least five people were injured in the explosion.
Palm Springs is about 160km east of Los Angeles.
The Palm Springs city government said in a Facebook post that an explosion occurred before 11am PDT (2am on May 18 in Singapore).
While the clinic was damaged, the staff was safe, the Associated Press reported, citing Dr Maher Abdallah, who runs the facility.
A photo posted online by broadcaster KTLA in Los Angeles showed the single-story building that houses the clinic after the explosion. The bomb appeared to have ripped a gaping hole in one of its walls, leaving a pile of mangled debris spilling into the street.
Fire chief Mr Alvarado said several buildings in the area were damaged, some extensively.
The FBI in Los Angeles said in a social media post that it was investigating the explosion, with bomb technicians deployed to the scene.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the explosion, his office said.
American Reproductive Centres, which has offices in at least three California cities, provides services including in vitro fertilisation, genetic testing and in-house egg donation. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Straits Times
6 hours ago
- Straits Times
Thai panel upholds suspension of doctors who helped ex-PM Thaksin dodge jail
FILE PHOTO: Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra speaks with businessmen ahead of the \"Vision for Thailand\" event in Bangkok, Thailand, August 22, 2024. Picture taken through glass. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo BANGKOK - Thailand's medical council on Thursday upheld its suspension of two doctors who enabled influential politician Thaksin Shinawatra to spend his prison sentence in hospital, a day ahead of the start of a Supreme Court case that could see him jailed. Thaksin, the driving force behind the current government, returned from 15 years of self-exile in 2023 to serve a prison term for abuse of power and conflicts of interest, but was sent to hospital after only a few hours in jail complaining of chest problems. The polarising billionaire, whose daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra is prime minister, stayed in a VIP wing of the hospital for six months until his release on parole without a single night in jail, prompting public outrage and deep scepticism about the extent of his ailments. "More than two-thirds of the council voted to uphold the punishments," Medical Council of Thailand vice president, Prasit Watanapa, told reporters. "Members made the decision based on medical principles, evidence and reason." The suspensions could impact a case at the Supreme Court that begins on Friday in which the legality of Thaksin's hospital stay has been challenged, with the possibility the tycoon could be made to serve that time again, in prison. Thaksin, 75, remains a towering figure in Thai politics and though he holds no formal government role, he is highly influential. His lawyer declined to comment on Thursday on the council's decision. The revival of the controversy over Thaksin's hospital stay comes at a challenging time for Paetongtarn's government, which is seeing its popularity dwindle amid a prolonged struggle to spur economic growth and domestic pressure to take a tougher stance on an ongoing border dispute with Cambodia. Thaksin's sentence was originally eight years, but it was commuted to a year by the king and he became eligible for parole after six months. The medical council's vote overrides a veto of its earlier decision by Health Minister Somsak Thapsutin, a Thaksin ally. The council had yet to confirm the duration of the suspension of the two doctors, who it found had issued documents that contained false medical information. They had denied wrongdoing and stood by their medical assessments. Another doctor with the corrections department received a warning for failing to meet medical standards in a referral notice for Thaksin. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Straits Times
Forum: Move closer to a more integrated and patient-centric healthcare system
My brother, who is visually handicapped, receives specialist care from multiple healthcare institutions – namely, Sengkang General Hospital (SKH), Singapore General Hospital (SGH), and the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC). Before each consultation, he is often required to undergo routine blood tests about a week in advance. However, because the consultations are at different hospitals, he must make separate trips to each facility for what are essentially the same tests. This process is not only inefficient but also physically taxing – not just for my brother, but for other patients who may be elderly or have mobility issues. It also places a significant burden on caregivers, many of whom are already juggling multiple responsibilities. I urge the Ministry of Health to review this process and consider allowing such routine pre-consultation tests to be done at the public hospital nearest to the patient, regardless of where the consultation will take place. The results can be securely shared across institutions. Implementing this change would reduce unnecessary travel, ease caregiver stress, and move us closer to a more integrated and patient-centric healthcare system. Gabriel Chia More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Vaccine group Gavi seeks to broaden donor base as aid budgets shrink
RABAT - Global vaccine group Gavi is seeking new donors for its work funding childhood immunisation in the world's poorest countries, its chief executive told Reuters, as many traditional funders cut international aid budgets. Gavi is aiming to raise $9 billion at a summit in Brussels later this month for its work from 2026-2030, but countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and France have all signalled that they plan to slash global aid funding in the coming years, and their pledges remain uncertain. "We want to broaden our donor base," Gavi's Sania Nishtar told Reuters in Rabat, where she met officials to encourage Morocco to join as a new donor. She said that India and Indonesia, which had previously been supported by Gavi, were now contributing as donors to the organization, which works with low and middle-income countries to buy vaccines for diseases from measles to cholera. Other countries like Portugal have also increased their funding commitment, she said. During her Morocco visit, Nishtar toured a vaccine manufacturing facility near Casablanca under development by Marbio, a biopharmaceutical venture backed by Morocco. She said the plant had "a good chance" of benefiting from Gavi's $1.2 billion African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator, a scheme aimed at boosting vaccine production on the continent. Gavi has already sought out more private sector donors, initiated cost-saving initiatives, and discussed closer collaboration with other global health groups as part of plans to try to tackle potential shortfalls in funding. Nishtar said the organization was making contingency plans, but she hoped that donors at the June 25 summit would give enough that they would not be needed. A U.S. government document showed in March that the U.S., which has previously given around $300 million to Gavi annually, did not plan any future funding. Nishtar said that Gavi has not yet received this year's funding, which has already been approved by Congress. Gavi is currently focused on combating a global measles outbreak and is responding to cholera outbreaks in Sudan, South Sudan, and Angola, where it has made special arrangements to supply vaccines from its stockpiles, Nishtar said. It is also supporting Sierra Leone, where the spread of mpox has accelerated. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.