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Black America Web
3 days ago
- Politics
- Black America Web
Missouri Supreme Court Reinstates Abortion Ban Despite Voters Repealing It
Source: ANGELA WEISS / Getty In the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade with the Dobbs decision, many states in the Deep South and Midwest wasted no time in implementing restrictive abortion bans. Missouri was one such state, with state legislators passing an abortion ban that effectively criminalized the practice in every circumstance save for a medical emergency. While Missouri voters rejected the abortion ban through a ballot measure last year, a ruling by the Missouri Supreme Court has reinstated the abortion ban statewide. NBC News reports the state Supreme Court found Judge Jerri Zhang used the wrong standards in her ruling that allowed abortions to continue in the state. Zhang's ruling stated that she was allowing abortions to continue as she believed that advocates would eventually prove successful in the case, either way. The state court ordered Zhang to vacate her prior ruling and utilize the standards they laid out in the ruling, which are centered around determining whether harm would result from allowing abortions to resume in the state. From NBC News: The state emphasized in its petition filed to the state Supreme Court in March that Planned Parenthood didn't sufficiently prove women were harmed without the temporary blocks on the broad swath of laws and regulations on abortion services and providers. On the contrary, the state said Zhang's decisions left abortion facilities 'functionally unregulated' and women with 'no guarantee of health and safety.' Among the regulations that had been placed on hold were ones setting cleanliness standards for abortion facilities and requiring physicians who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at certain types of hospitals located within 30 miles (48 kilometers) or 15 minutes of where an abortion is provided. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey said in a statement that 'today's decision from the Missouri Supreme Court is a win for women and children and sends a clear message — abortion providers must comply with state law regarding basic safety and sanitation requirements.' Source: ANGELA WEISS / Getty Despite the majority of Missouri voters casting their ballots to enshrine abortion rights in the state's constitution, that has not stopped state Republicans from doing their damndest to ignore the will of the people. The focus on 'sanitary measures' seems to be less rooted in genuine concern and more a continuation of the ways state Republicans have tried to hyper-regulate abortion to make access more difficult. Even in the wake of the ballot measure, Republican legislators have introduced bills that would classify abortion pills as controlled substances and legislation that would treat abortion as homicide. They have even gone so far as to introduce another ballot measure that would reinstate the abortion ban with added exceptions for rape and incest. (which I'm sorry, but it's ACTUALLY INSANE that they didn't even have those to begin with.) The 'pro-life' moves by state legislatures nationwide have proven to be quite fatal. The infant mortality rate rose for the first time in 20 years after Roe v. Wade was repealed, and many of these abortion bans went into place. Like everything awful in America, the abortion bans have had disproportionate effects on Black women. In Missouri, Black women are 2.5 times more likely than white women to suffer fatal complications related to pregnancy. It's a similar story in Texas, which saw a 38% increase in deaths of Black mothers in the wake of the state's abortion ban. In fact, in every state with an abortion ban, Black women are statistically more likely to suffer fatal pregnancy-related complications than any other demographic. Numbers like those are why I can't stand the moral grandstanding of pro-lifers, as it's clear they're not pro-life. They just want to exert control over a woman's body. The politicians who talk a big game about the sanctity of life are the same ones who vote against free school lunches, stricter gun control, and expanded healthcare. The numbers show that these abortion bans have resulted in both higher infant and maternal mortality rates, yet I doubt that's going to do anything to change the minds of the legislators who impose these bans. That doesn't sound too pro-life to me. In fact, it sounds like quite the opposite. SEE ALSO: They Scared: Target, Walmart Warn Investors About Consumer Boycotts California Teen Spurs Outrage With Racist Promposal SEE ALSO Missouri Supreme Court Reinstates Abortion Ban Despite Voters Repealing It was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
New York Post
4 days ago
- Business
- New York Post
Starbucks announces shock change to its rewards program — here's how to score free drinks
Starbucks announced a major change to its reward system. The coffee giant is making it a little harder to rack up Stars this summer, meaning it may take longer for rewards members to gain enough for a free drink. Starting June 24, the points received for using your own to-go reusable cup are changing, according to an email sent to rewards members. Starbucks is making a change to its rewards system. ManuPadilla – Instead of receiving 25 Bonus Stars for every order placed with your own cup, you'll now receive 'double Stars' for the entire order. 'If you bring in two reusable cups and order two handcrafted beverages in a single order, you will receive double Stars on the entire transaction,' the new Starbucks Rewards Terms of Use reads, per AllRecipes. While it might sound like more — and it might be for some customers — you now have to spend a minimum of $12.50 during your visit to get the 25 stars, as opposed to automatically getting them under the current system. Currently, everyone receives 25 stars regardless of how much they order or how many personal cups are used. The points received for using your own to-go reusable cup at Starbucks are changing. ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images The update benefits customers who tend to spend more money at Starbucks, as well as customers who bring in more than one reusable cup for their order.
Newsweek
22-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Wall Street's Warning Shot—How Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' Could Crash the Economy
The markets are sending us a message, and it isn't subtle. Wednesday's auction for 20 year U.S. bonds can only be described as a foreboding warning of what's to come if Republicans press on with their "Big Beautiful Bill." The softening demand for American debt is spiking borrowing rates and sending stocks into a tailspin. This isn't something that we should cast off as just another bad day on Wall Street—it's a glaring red flag about the sustainability of America's fiscal trajectory. The market mayhem wasn't triggered by some mysterious economic force—it's directly connected to mounting anxiety over the federal deficit and the impending fiscal fiasco that Trump and his congressional enablers are planning. Their multi-trillion-dollar spending spree they hope to ram through reconciliation without a single Democratic vote threatens to pour gasoline on America's already smoldering debt crisis. A trader watches a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at the opening bell on May 12, 2025, in New York City. A trader watches a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at the opening bell on May 12, 2025, in New York City. ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images Let's be perfectly clear about what's happening here, the market is losing confidence in America's fiscal management just as Republicans are preparing to enact policies that would massively expand our debt burden. Moody's Ratings has already stripped U.S. debt of its triple-A rating, citing our rate of debt accumulation as a core reason for their decision—and that was before accounting for the estimated $3.8-5 trillion that Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" would add to it over the next decade. The market convulsions we're witnessing now reflect the fundamental reality that the world is growing increasingly skeptical about America's capacity to manage its debt. The bond vigilantes have awakened, and they're demanding answers that Republican fiscal fantasies simply cannot provide. What makes the Republican plan so catastrophically reckless is that we all can see exactly how this fiscal death spiral will unfold—and they're choosing to accelerate into it anyway. Interest rates on long-term government bonds have already surged past the 5 percent threshold, but this is just the beginning. As fiscal credibility continues to erode, borrowing costs will climb as investors demand ever-larger risk premiums to hold American debt. Each fraction of a point in rate increase makes our fiscal position all the worse, which spooks markets further, which drives rates higher still. This feedback loop, once it takes hold, becomes virtually impossible to break. But the true disaster comes when multiple foreseeable fiscal crises converge into a single perfect storm that will devastate working and middle-class Americans. Social Security benefits are already scheduled for automatic cuts of roughly 20 percent in 2033 when the trust fund runs dry. That's not a distant problem—it's less than a decade away. Meanwhile, Medicare faces similar pressures, with its trust fund projected to be exhausted by 2036. These aren't hypotheticals—they're locked-in fiscal cliffs that will arrive whether we're ready or not. Now imagine facing all of that while trapped in a fiscal death spiral. By 2036, if Republicans get their way, the best-case scenario is that we'll be spending over $1.8 trillion annually just on interest payments. When the Social Security crisis hits in 2033, Congress will be asked to find hundreds of billions in additional spending to prevent benefit cuts to retirees, but they'll be operating in a fiscal environment where that isn't a realistic possibility. Meanwhile, we'll be just three years away from a catastrophic shortfall for Medicare. Every day we delay serious fiscal reform on these issues, the eventual correction becomes more painful and disruptive. Republicans are not just playing with fire—they're dousing the economy in gasoline while multiple fuses burn toward it. Rather than prepare for the known challenges, Republicans want to make everything dramatically worse, right now, for the benefit of their wealthy donors. They're gambling with the fiscal stability of the United States at the exact moment when we can least afford it. The markets see what's coming, and they're already demanding higher returns to compensate for the growing risk. Nicholas Creel is an associate professor of business law and ethics at Georgia College and State University. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
New York Post
16-05-2025
- New York Post
Book affordable last-minute Memorial Day travel at this exact date and time, experts reveal
Memorial Day weekend is coming up quick, and though it's set to break a holiday travel record, it's not too late to book an affordable trip. Ticket experts at have discovered the best day and time to book a last-minute Memorial Day weekend vacation — and they've got it down to the exact hour. 3 It's not too late to book Memorial Day travel. ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images After analyzing pricing data and industry travel trends, they found that the best time to book a getaway is either this Sunday, May 18, specifically at around 6 a.m. Sunday is the most cost-effective day of the week to book your trip since airlines tend to drop new and discounted fares and adjust their inventory over the weekend. 3 Experts found that the best time to book a getaway is either this Sunday, May 18 at around 6 a.m. Prostock-studio – 'It's a common misconception that booking earlier always guarantees the best prices,' Oliver Brendon, CEO of said in a statement. 'The reality is that airlines regularly adjust their fares based on demand, and savvy travelers can benefit from these fluctuations even just a week ahead of departure.' 3 Sunday is the most cost-effective day of the week to book your noted that people going on holiday should avoid booking on Fridays, which is when fares tend to increase due to demand. Booking on a Sunday can save globetrotters up to 23% compared to booking on a Friday, they said. They also said that they have noticed 'consistent trends' that booking a flight in the early morning has been the best time to get a low fare. Around 6 a.m. is often when fresh fares are dropped and airlines adjust pricing algorithms before the search traffic for the day takes off. 'If you're still looking to book a Memorial Day trip, we recommend getting online early on the morning of Sunday 18th May, or Sunday 25th May if you're feeling particularly risky,' the experts revealed. 'These dates fall just a week before the long weekend, giving families just enough time to prepare while still capitalizing on some of the best available pricing.'
Toronto Sun
07-05-2025
- Health
- Toronto Sun
Moderna study shows immune response in older adults for a combo flu and COVID-19 shot
Published May 07, 2025 • 2 minute read A medical staff member prepares a syringe with a vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a pop up vaccine clinic in the Jewish Community Center on April 16, 2021 in the Staten Island borough of New York City. Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. A combination shot for flu and COVID-19 using messenger RNA generated antibodies in a study, but U.S. government regulators want to see data on whether the new vaccine protects people from getting sick. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Researchers from vaccine-maker Moderna reported in a study published Wednesday that the new combo shot generated a stronger immune response against COVID-19 and most strains of flu than existing standalone shots in people 50 and older. Side effects were injection site pain, fatigue and headaches. Moderna previously reported a summary of the results from the company-sponsored trial in 8,000 people. The mRNA technology is used in approved COVID-19 and RSV shots, but has not yet been approved for a flu shot. Moderna believes mRNA could speed up production of flu shots compared with traditional processes that use chicken eggs or giant vats of cells. A combo shot also might improve vaccination rates, the researchers wrote in the study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr. Greg Poland, who studies vaccine response at Mayo Clinic and was not involved in the new study, said he's not convinced that a combo shot would be popular. And while flu comes in seasonal waves, COVID-19 has been spreading throughout the year, Poland said, posing challenges for how to time the shots to keep protection strong. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He'd also like to see data on how well the new shot protected people from infection and hospitalization. The findings are based on measuring antibodies in participants' blood after 29 days, an indication of short-term disease protection. Last week, Moderna pushed its target date for the vaccine's approval to 2026 after the Food and Drug Administration requested a more direct measure: how much the shot lowered the risk of disease. 'I agree in this case with FDA that efficacy data are important to see,' Poland said. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has cast doubt on the safety of mRNA vaccines, but Moderna President Stephen Hoge told investors in an earnings call last week that talks with the FDA were productive and 'business as usual.' Also last week, Novavax said the FDA was asking the company to run a new clinical trial of its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine after the agency grants full approval, sowing uncertainty about other vaccine updates. For more health news and content around diseases, conditions, wellness, healthy living, drugs, treatments and more, head to – a member of the Postmedia Network. Columnists Canada Sunshine Girls Toronto Blue Jays Toronto & GTA
