Pro-life group ‘elated’ after Planned Parenthood shutters Houston facilities: ‘Tremendous victory’
EXCLUSIVE: A pro-life group is celebrating a “tremendous victory” after Planned Parenthood announced two of its facilities in Houston, Texas, will be shutting down this fall, as Republican lawmakers continue to target the organization. In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, 40 Days for Life CEO and founder Shawn Carney, a Houston resident, expressed “both personal and professional elation” at the shuttering of the facilities, including the 78,000-square-foot clinic that he said was the largest abortion facility in the Western Hemisphere. “This is massive news for the pro-life movement and shows the direction that Planned Parenthood is going, which is down,” Carney said. Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast — which runs six clinics in the Houston area and two in Louisiana — will close its Prevention Park and Southwest centers on Sept. 30, while the other Houston facilities will be acquired by the organization’s largest Texas affiliate. FEDERAL JUDGE PARTIALLY BLOCKS LAW BANNING ADULTS FROM HELPING MINORS GET OUT-OF-STATE ABORTIONS This comes amid several closures of Planned Parenthood facilities in various states, including New York, where the organization is selling its only Manhattan health center building for $39 million. Facilities in GOP-led states with abortion restrictions, including Texas, have also been forced to cease procedures following the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe V. Wade and sent decisions regarding abortion back to the states. “Now they are closing the largest abortion facility in the world,” Carney said. “Their flagship. They’re very proud of it in Houston, Texas. They’re finally closing it, and it’s unbelievable.” The company cited rising costs, staffing shortages and low reimbursement rates as the reasons for closing the two Houston facilities. GOP officials in recent years have made repeated attempts to shut down Planned Parenthood, even after nearly all abortions were banned under Texas law. The Trump administration has sought to impose funding cuts to Planned Parenthood that could lead to the closure of additional facilities. A provision in a GOP-backed bill would end Medicaid payments for one year to abortion providers that received more than $800,000 from the program in 2023. A judge granted a preliminary injunction earlier this week blocking the government from cutting Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood member organizations that either do not provide abortions or did not meet a threshold of at least $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in a given year. Carney said 40 Days for Life has prayed and held vigils outside the Houston mega-facility since 2006. “Countless people have gone out, offered alternatives. We’ve had pro-life buses outside to do free ultrasounds. There have been so many lives saved, but to be honest, it just seemed like they were Goliath and it didn’t matter if we were David,” he said, adding that the “behemoth” facility even provided late-term abortions at one point. “They were just going to always be open and always be victorious.” FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM DEFUNDING SOME PLANNED PARENTHOOD FACILITIES Carney described the closing of the facilities as a “tremendous victory” for the pro-life movement and said it represents “one of the biggest victories that we’ve had” following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “Planned Parenthood has always been very top-heavy in D.C., and that’s been a weakness for the pro-life movement. But once [the court] sent it back to the states, it was sending it back to the place where the pro-life movement was the strongest, which was the grassroots,” he said. The closure of the two Houston facilities shows “more than anything else” that “the pro-life movement is built for a post-Roe America,” Carney said, adding that Planned Parenthood is not a “monster that can’t go away.” “They are very, very vulnerable. When you look at the New York closing and the Houston closing, this is what that represents. All the nonsense about other services and serving women and helping low-income women. Because when you take away abortions or you offer alternatives, they close, and they close their most prosperous locations,” he said.
Big Boost for Ghaziabad: DMRC plans 4 metro corridors, Gokulpuri-Hindon Airport link proposed
The metro corridor, which would also act as an extension of the Namo Bharat corridor that runs through Sahibabad, is expected to assist more than 5 lakh people, particularly in areas of Indirapuram, Vasundhara, and Vaishali townships.
Two teens jailed over machete murder of 14-year-old on London bus
Deadly attack on teen reignited concern around the problem of knife crime that has plagued the British capital for years. Two British teenagers have been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 15 years, for stabbing to death a 14-year-old boy on a London bus in broad daylight earlier this year. Judge Mark Lucraft at London’s Old Bailey court sentenced the pair, who cannot be named due to their age, to life in prison on Friday. He ordered that they be considered for parole after 15 years and 110 days in detention. The teenagers stabbed 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa 27 times with machetes on the bus in the Woolwich area of southeast London on January 7. He later died from his injuries. The attackers – aged 16 and 15 at the time of the time of murder – were arrested later that month. The pair pleaded guilty to murder in May. The attack has reignited concern around youth gang violence and the ongoing problem of knife crime that has plagued the British capital and other cities in the United Kingdom for years. Across Britain, knife crime is up by nearly 80 percent since 2015. Last year, 10 teenagers were fatally stabbed in London alone, after 18 were killed in 2023, according to London’s Metropolitan Police. In September last year, a 15-year-old boy – reportedly a close friend of Bokassa – was also stabbed to death in Woolwich, in what a prosecutor described as gang retaliation. In August last year, in another incident that sent shockwaves across Britain, a teenager carried out a deadly stabbing spree in the seaside town of Southport, which killed three young girls. Detective Chief Inspector Sarah Lee, whose team led the Met investigation into Bokassa’s murder, said the “harsh reality in London is that violence disproportionately affects young Black men and boys”. Advertisement “The fact we’re seeing so many teenagers like Kelyan die should be at the forefront of the minds of every politician, every policymaker and everyone who wants better for children growing up in London,” she said. Judge Lucraft said one of the perpetrators was himself a “victim of child criminal exploitation” by gangs, adding that he had faced “a history of trauma”. He added that the second boy was also exploited by gangs from the age of 12 and experienced “undiagnosed developmental needs”. “It is sadly an all too frequent senseless loss of yet another young life to the horrors of knife crime”, which “no sentence of a court can ever truly reflect”, Lucraft said. Shortly after the murder, Bokassa’s mother, Marie Bokassa, told the press her son was also exploited by gangs in the Woolwich area of southeast London. Addressing the court on Friday, she asked: “How can children behave like this?” “What have the children been exposed to, to show such behaviour as this?” Adblock test (Why?)
Palestinian lives are “not seen as equivalent” to others
[unable to retrieve full-text content] EU MP Lynn Boylan says the EU’s inaction on Gaza shows it doesn’t see Palestinian lives as equal to Ukrainian ones.
Death toll in Thailand-Cambodia border clashes hits 32, over 130 injured
The death toll on both sides now stands at 32, as fears grow of a larger conflict breaking out between the neighbours. Cambodian officials have reported another 12 people killed as a result of the ongoing border dispute with Thailand, with the death toll on both sides now standing at 32, as fears grow that the Southeast Asian neighbours may become engulfed in an extended conflict. Cambodian Ministry of National Defence spokesperson Maly Socheata told reporters on Saturday that seven more civilians and five soldiers were confirmed dead. One other Cambodian man was earlier reported killed when Thai rockets hit the Buddhist pagoda he was hiding in on Thursday. At least 50 Cambodian civilians and more than 20 soldiers have also been injured, the spokesperson said. Thailand has reported 13 civilians – including children – as well as six soldiers killed over the past two days of fighting. An additional 29 Thai soldiers and 30 civilians have also been wounded in Cambodian attacks. Cambodian newspaper The Khmer Times, quoting officials in Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province, said about 20,000 residents have so far been evacuated from the country’s northern border with Thailand. More than 138,000 people have also been evacuated from Thailand’s border regions, with about 300 evacuation centres opened, according to Thai officials. On Friday, Thailand declared martial law in eight districts along the border with Cambodia. The decades-old conflict – centred around a contested section of the Thai-Cambodian border – re-erupted on Thursday after a landmine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Advertisement Tensions spilled over on Thursday with Thailand and Cambodia carrying out direct attacks on one another’s territory, with both sides accusing the other of opening fire first. Thailand said the Cambodian military launched long-range rockets at civilian targets in the country, including a strike on a petrol station that killed at least six people. The Thai military then scrambled an F-16 fighter jet to bomb targets in Cambodia, including the reported strike on the Buddhist pagoda, which resulted in one civilian casualty. Cambodia has accused Thailand of using a large number of cluster munitions – a controversial and widely condemned weapon – calling it a clear violation of international law. Phumtham Wechayachai, Thailand’s acting prime minister, said on Friday that Cambodia may be guilty of war crimes due to the deaths of civilians, as well as damage caused to a hospital. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held an emergency meeting focused on the clashes behind closed doors late on Friday in New York, but did not issue an official public statement after the meeting. The Associated Press news agency, citing an unnamed council diplomat, reported that all 15 UNSC members called on the parties to de-escalate fighting, show restraint and resolve the dispute peacefully. Adblock test (Why?)
‘Timely and productive visit helped review and build India-Maldives cooperation’: Foreign Secy Misri on PM Modi’s Maldives visit
In a special press briefing on Friday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri highlighted the importance of the visit, describing it as productive and timely. Accompanied by High Commissioner to Maldives G. Balasubramanian and Additional Secretary Puneet Agrawal, Misri provided a detailed account of the day
Maharashtra monsoon: IMD issues red alert in six districts, traffic chaos in Mumbai amid heavy rain; school, colleges shut in…
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued Red alert and orange alerts for multiple districts in Maharashtra amid intense monsoon, drenching the state in heavy rains.
Trump admin offers $608M for states to build migrant camps modeled after ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
The Trump administration is offering $608 million to states willing to expand migrant detention efforts. The money, announced through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) new Detention Support Grant Program (DEP), is aimed at helping states build or enlarge temporary detention facilities modeled after Florida’s Everglades compound known as “Alligator Alcatraz,” according to FEMA documents. “[Department of Homeland Security] Secretary Kristi Noem has been very clear that Alligator Alcatraz can be a blueprint for other states and local governments to assist with detention,” a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Friday. The funding is part of FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program and is open for applications through Aug. 8, per FEMA’s announcement. TRUMP SAYS ONLY WAY OUT OF ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ IS DEPORTATION The program is intended to fast-track construction of secure, temporary detention sites on state or local land, sidestepping long procurement delays. Noem has criticized federal contractors as costly and slow, and has encouraged governors to take a more direct role. “They were willing to build it and do it much quicker than some of the other vendors,” Noem said of Florida. “And it was a real solution we’ll be able to utilize if we need to.” Florida’s facility was built in just eight days on remote Everglades land at the Dade-Collier Airport. It holds up to 3,000 migrants and is surrounded by fencing, swamp, and natural barriers. During a July 1 visit, President Donald Trump praised it as “so professional, so well done,” calling it “a model we’d like to see in many states.” “We’re surrounded by miles of treacherous swampland, and the only way out is really deportation,” he added. RED STATES CONSIDER ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ SPINOFFS AS WH URGES THEM TO FOLLOW DESANTIS’ LEAD: ‘LOTS OF BEARS’ Florida officials confirmed they are seeking FEMA reimbursement to help cover the camp’s estimated $450 million annual operating cost. State officials say the site qualifies for federal funding under the new grant guidelines. According to Noem, five states are currently in talks with DHS about building similar detention facilities. “We’ve had several other states that are actually using Alligator Alcatraz as a model for how they can partner with us,” she said during a recent news briefing. “I hope my phone rings off the hook from governors calling and saying, ‘How can we do what Florida just did?’” The new funding comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) aims to double detention capacity. ICE reported more than 56,000 migrants in custody as of June, the highest since 2019, and is targeting 100,000 beds by the end of the year, according to DHS planning materials. Funds will be distributed by FEMA in partnership with Customs and Border Protection, according to DHS’ posting. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP FEMA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News’ Greg Norman, Emma Colton, and Mara Robles contributed to this report.
Trump administration releases over $6B in frozen education funds to the states
The Trump administration is releasing roughly $6.8 billion in previously frozen federal funds for K-12 programs, the Department of Education announced Friday. The announcement was made as Secretary Linda McMahon attended the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) “has completed its review of Title I-C, Title II-A, Title III-A and Title IV-A ESEA funds and Title II WIOA funds and has directed the Department to release all formula funds. The agency will begin dispersing funds to states next week,” department spokesperson Madi Biedermann told Fox News Digital. More than 20 Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration earlier this month, describing the Department of Education’s federal funding freeze as unconstitutional and “debilitating” to states just weeks ahead of a new school year. The bipartisan group of governors, including the NGA’s outgoing chair, Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado, and its vice chair, Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, thanked McMahon for unlocking the funding during the NGA’s education session Friday. DEMOCRAT AGS SUE TRUMP FOR ‘UNCONSCIONABLE’ FREEZE ON $6.8B IN K-12 SPENDING “How can we better communicate to make sure that this chaos and uncertainty doesn’t occur again around funding and that people know things earlier?” Polis asked McMahon on the Colorado Springs stage. “No guarantees from me that we will eliminate all the communications gaps that do happen, but I can say that part of it is just the transition aspect,” McMahon explained. The education secretary said the other aspect of the federal funding freeze was that the OMB budget office “took some time to really review the title funding to look at all the programs, etc., before they were released. They were well satisfied. So, now, those funds are going to be going out.” TRUMP ADMIN SEEKING TO PULL FUNDING FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SLAPPED WITH JUDGE’S PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION McMahon assured the governors that now that they have reviewed title funding and gone through the process, “we wouldn’t find ourselves in the same situation.” Several of the governors who attended Polis and McMahon’s education discussion and had the opportunity to ask questions thanked the education leader for returning the federal title funds to the states. Polis kicked off the NGA’s summer session in Colorado Springs Friday with his signature policy agenda, “Let’s Get Ready! Educating All Americans for Success.” EDUCATION SECRETARY LINDA MCMAHON TOUTS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY’S $200M SETTLEMENT ‘TEMPLATE’ McMahon said she was appreciative of the governors’ questions and comments, and she committed to visiting as many states and speaking with as many governors as possible to grasp the full scope of the country’s diverse educational needs. Polis and Stitt said in a joint statement released by NGA that they are “thankful these bipartisan discussions with Secretary McMahon and other key officials during the NGA Summer Meeting led to the distribution of these education funds.” “This action ensures schools across the nation can maintain essential programs for English language learners, teacher training, and student enrichment as the new academic year begins,” the NGA leaders said, emphasizing that “governors from both parties stand united in prioritizing our children’s education, and we’re proud our advocacy helped secure this vital support for states and districts.” In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of her remarks, McMahon affirmed her commitment to collaborating with governors as the Trump administration seeks to dismantle the Department of Education. “It’s just incredibly important that if we are going to return education to the states, we have to talk to the governors,” McMahon said. “Clearly, education is a nonpartisan issue,” McMahon added. “If we’re going to return education to the states, that just means giving them back the part that is now provided by the federal government, and they’re anxious for it.” Trump signed an executive order earlier this year to dismantle the Department of Education, fulfilling one of his key campaign promises during the 2024 presidential election. Fox News Digital’s Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report.
Trans bathroom policies have 10 days to go, Trump Education Department warns 5 Virginia school districts
The Department of Education is giving five northern Virginia school districts ten days to fix their transgender bathroom policies or face “enforcement action,” the agency said Friday. Public school districts in Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Prince William County, Alexandria City and Arlington were all found to be in violation of Title IX after an investigation by the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights that began in February, according to a press release shared Friday. The release cited a June ruling by the Supreme Court, which the department said acknowledged that a person’s identification as “transgender” is distinct from a person’s biological sex. TRUMP ADMIN CRACKS DOWN ON OREGON AND VIRGINIA FOR DEFYING TITLE IX AND WOMEN’S SPORTS EXECUTIVE ORDER “The investigation was based on complaints alleging that the [school districts] have similar anti-discrimination policies pertaining to ‘transgender-identifying’ students, which violate the sex-based protections of Title IX,” the release said. “The [districts] are also the subject of several lawsuits, informal complaints and reports, which allege that students in the (districts) avoid using school restrooms whenever possible because of the schools’ policies and that female students have witnessed male students inappropriately touching other students and watching female students change in a female locker room.” Craig Trainor, the Department of Education’s acting assistant secretary for civil rights, blasted the Biden administration for tolerating such behavior, adding it’s time for “northern Virginia’s experiment with radical gender ideology” to come to an end. The Education Department’s non-compliance finding prompted the agency to issue a proposed resolution agreement whereby each school district can take corrective action to prevent any enforcement actions by the Trump administration. That action would require the districts to rescind any policies or regulations allowing students to access bathrooms, locker rooms or other intimate facilities on the basis of their preferred gender identity as opposed to their biological sex. SCANDAL-PLAGUED SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERRED TO DOJ AFTER ANOTHER TRANSGENDER LOCKER ROOM CONTROVERSY The districts will also be required under the agreement to issue letters to each school it oversees within its district, explaining that any future policies related to bathrooms, locker rooms or other intimate spaces must separate students on the basis of sex and not gender identity. The districts would also be compelled under the agreement to adopt “biology-based definitions” of the words “male” and “female” to be used in all practices and policies. The Department of Education gave the school districts 10 days to voluntarily agree to these demands or risk “imminent” consequences, including a potential referral to the Department of Justice. VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCUSED OF RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN TRANSGENDER LOCKER ROOM CASE “Today, we at Defending Education are incredibly gratified to learn that a group of Northern Virginia School Districts — many of which were ground zero for the social experimentation of transgender ‘inclusion’ in women’s sports, bathrooms and private spaces — are now facing the music for failing to adhere to the plain text and meaning of Title IX,” said Sarah Parshall Perry, vice president and legal fellow at Defending Education. “As a mother, as a Virginian and as former senior counsel to the assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education, I am encouraged to see that this administration is taking the enforcement of long-standing civil rights laws seriously,” Perry continued. “Title IX was passed to guarantee women’s educational equality in its myriad manifestations. But intransigent schools in the commonwealth seem to have forgotten that.” The school districts all confirmed receipt of the resolution agreements issued to them by the Department of Education and are conducting a review to determine next steps. They all also expressed a commitment to following federal and state laws while simultaneously fostering a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment for students.