Updated May 5, 2018

Iowa governor approves strictest abortion law in U.S.

Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2015. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Iowa now has the strictest abortion law in the country, after Governor Kim Reynolds banned abortions "at around six weeks of pregnancy," or when a heartbeat can be detected, the Associated Press reports.

Why it matters: This sets Reynolds up for a legal battle with organizations like the ACLU and Planned Parenthood, who said they would sue upon her signing the bill, per the AP. Critics say the bill bans the procedure before women may even know they're pregnant, but supporters hope it will challenge the landmark abortion case, Roe vs. Wade. It did not receive any Democratic support, according to the AP, and has exemptions for rape and incest. It is set to go into effect on July 1st.

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Kyle Daly, Ashley Gold, Sara Fischer
1 hour ago - Technology

Apple's antitrust fight turns Epic

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Millions of angry gamers may soon join the chorus of voices calling for an antitrust crackdown on Apple, as the iPhone giant faces a new lawsuit and PR blitz from Epic Games, maker of mega-hit Fortnite.

Why it matters: Apple is one of several Big Tech firms accused of violating the spirit, if not the letter, of antitrust law. A high-profile lawsuit could become a roadmap for either building a case against tech titans under existing antitrust laws or writing new ones better suited to the digital economy.

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Courtenay Brown
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Survey: Fears grow about Social Security’s future

Data: AARP survey of 1,441 U.S. adults conducted July 14–27, 2020 a ±3.4% margin of error at the 95% confidence level; Chart: Naema Ahmed/Axios

Younger Americans are increasingly concerned that Social Security won't be enough to wholly fall back on once they retire, according to a survey conducted by AARP — in honor of today's 85th anniversary of the program — given first to Axios.

Why it matters: Young people's concerns about financial insecurity once they're on a restricted income are rising — and that generation is worried the program, which currently pays out to 65 million beneficiaries, won't be enough to sustain them.

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Margaret Talev
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Axios-SurveyMonkey poll: Doubts over fair election results

SurveyMonkey poll of 2,847 U.S. adults conducted Aug. 11–12, 2020 with ±3% margin of error; Chart: Naema Ahmed/Axios

One in four Americans is worried their ballot won't be accurately counted this year, and four in 10 worry mail-in voting could yield less reliable results, according to a new Axios-SurveyMonkey poll.

The big picture: Partisan identification is a massive driver of distrust in both categories — and the stakes are huge this year.

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