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Massachusetts’ plan to offer postpartum screening home visits sparks online debate

Massachusetts’ plan to offer postpartum screening home visits sparks online debate

Massachusetts is expanding a taxpayer-funded program that sends nurses into the homes of new parents after childbirth, fueling debate over the government’s role in family health care. Gov. Maura Healey recently announced plans to invest $2 million to expand the state’s Welcome Family program, which offers voluntary home visits from registered nurses after the birth of a child. Healey also proposed an additional $250,000 to strengthen the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Program for Moms, which provides mental health support to providers caring for pregnant and postpartum patients. “Everybody in the state, when you have a baby, you’re going to have a home visit within days, weeks and that will be an opportunity for a healthcare provider to make an assessment to see if you need some additional support and resources,” Healey said during an interview last week on Boston Public Radio. CLANCY HOLDOUT JUROR TAPS FORMER TRUMP LAWYER TO FIGHT BACK AS HE’S ‘DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD’: ATTORNEY Healey also said the state is investing in training healthcare providers to better identify the signs of postpartum mental health conditions. The announcement comes amid heightened public attention to postpartum mental health in Massachusetts during the high-profile trial of Lindsay Clancy, the former labor and delivery nurse accused of killing her three young children in January 2023. In a case ultimately declared a mistrial because of a deadlocked jury, Clancy’s defense argued she was suffering from severe postpartum mental illness. The case has reignited debate over how postpartum mental health conditions are identified and treated. LINDSAY CLANCY’S FAMILY WAS ‘VERY CONCERNED’ ABOUT HER MENTAL HEALTH IN THE MONTHS BEFORE SHE KILLED HER KIDS State officials say the program is intended to improve maternal health outcomes by connecting families with additional support. The announcement also sparked debate on social media, where some users questioned whether the program represented an appropriate role for government. “Doctors and pediatricians are more than capable to conduct appropriate screenings for their patients. Say no to home visits,” one user wrote on X, while another called the program “creepy” and “massive government overreach.” Not everyone opposed the proposal outright. “More overreach. However, if it’s an offer, and not a mandate, it could be a good thing for some young families and single moms,” comedian Bob Phillips wrote on X. The reaction reflects a broader national debate over how states should balance maternal mental health, taxpayer costs, individual privacy and the role government should play in supporting new families. Fox News Digital reached out to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Healey’s office for additional comment.

Trump to meet with Mamdani in New York amid high-stakes midterm push

Trump to meet with Mamdani in New York amid high-stakes midterm push

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani will meet with President Donald Trump at Gracie Mansion on Monday to discuss issues affecting New York City and its residents, the mayor’s office confirmed to Fox News. The discussion will take place at Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City’s mayor. City Hall said it will focus on issues affecting America’s largest city. DSA-BACKED CANDIDATES ARE WINNING PRIMARIES AND THEIR VISION FOR AMERICA IS VERY DIFFERENT A time for the meeting has not been announced, and the White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for additional details. Monday’s sit-down will mark the third face-to-face meeting between Trump and Mamdani. The two first met in the Oval Office in November 2025, shortly after Mamdani won New York City’s mayoral election, and met again at the White House in February. DSA-BACKED CANDIDATES ARE WINNING PRIMARIES AND THEIR VISION FOR AMERICA IS VERY DIFFERENT It also comes as New York City prepares to host world leaders for the United Nations General Assembly and the campaign for November’s midterm elections enters its final weeks. Mamdani has become one of the nation’s highest-profile progressive mayors as progressive Democrats and Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates have won several high-profile primaries this election cycle, fueling a broader debate over the Democratic Party’s direction ahead of the midterms. During their first Oval Office meeting in November, Trump and Mamdani said they had discussed housing, affordability and other issues affecting New Yorkers despite their political differences, and both expressed optimism about working together where they could. Monday’s meeting will be their latest opportunity to continue those discussions.

Why Trump zeroed in on Greenland, the world’s largest island, mostly covered in ice — in 3 charts

Why Trump zeroed in on Greenland, the world’s largest island, mostly covered in ice — in 3 charts

President Donald Trump’s Greenland push has moved from threats to a new security agreement with Denmark and Greenland that he says will give the United States “permanent control” over the island’s security and allow Washington to expand its military presence there. The agreement still requires approval from Danish and Greenlandic lawmakers. Its full terms have not been made public, but officials say it would leave Greenland under Danish sovereignty while barring China, Russia and other non-NATO adversaries from establishing military bases or making certain sensitive investments on the island. TRUMP THREATENS TARIFFS ON COUNTRIES OPPOSING GREENLAND TAKEOVER PLANS Greenland rarely draws global attention. But as Arctic ice melts and great powers compete for influence, the world’s largest island has become a strategic prize. A semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, Greenland is home to a key U.S. military base and sits near emerging shipping routes and critical mineral deposits. Greenland’s roughly 56,000 residents are spread across five municipalities, with most living in small coastal towns. About 80% of the island is covered by an ice sheet, leaving much of its vast interior uninhabited. Despite its small population, Greenland is nearly the size of Alaska and Texas combined. Its location off Canada’s northeastern coast places Greenland at the heart of Arctic defense planning. The U.S. has maintained a military outpost in northwestern Greenland since 1953 at Pituffik Space Base, now operated by the U.S. Space Force. Russia also maintains military installations in the region, while China has sought greater access since declaring itself a “near-Arctic state” in 2018. Retreating Arctic ice is opening shipping lanes around the island that could shorten trade routes between North America, Europe and Asia. The changing landscape has also drawn attention to Greenland’s rare earth elements and other critical minerals used in technology, renewable energy and military systems. CHINA’S GRIP ON RARE-EARTH MAGNETS COULD CRUSH US DRONE INDUSTRY BEFORE IT GROWS Rare earth elements are especially important in high-performance magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, generators and precision-guidance systems. They are also used in missile guidance, radar, sonar, satellites and advanced aircraft. China dominates the global rare-earth supply chain, accounting for roughly 60% of mining and more than 90% of processing capacity. As the U.S. and European Union seek to reduce their reliance on Beijing, Greenland has emerged as a potential counterweight. Trump’s agreement may fall short of his earlier goal of bringing Greenland under U.S. control, but it could still give Washington a larger military and strategic foothold in the Arctic. As competition over shipping routes, defense positioning and critical minerals intensifies, Greenland’s importance is likely to grow.