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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Orion Rummler

Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

George Floyd protests: Unrest continues for 6th night across U.S.

A protest near the White House on Sunday night. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Most external lights at the White House were turned off late Sunday as the D.C. National Guard was deployed and authorities fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters nearby, per the New York Times.

What's happening: It's one of several tense, late-night standoffs between law enforcement and demonstrators in the United States.

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Sara Fischer

Updated 6 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Journalists get caught in the crosshairs as protests unfold

A man waves a Black Lives Matter flag atop the CNN logo outside the CNN Center during a protest in response to the police killing of George Floyd, Atlanta, Georgia, May 29. Photo: Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Dozens of journalists across the country tweeted videos Saturday night of themselves and their crews getting arrested, being shot at by police with rubber bullets, targeted with tear gas by authorities or assaulted by protesters.

Driving the news: The violence got so bad over the weekend that on Sunday the Cleveland police said the media was not allowed downtown unless "they are inside their place of business" — drawing ire from news outlets around the country, who argued that such access is a critical part of adequately covering protests.

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Jonathan Swan

10 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Inside Trump's antifa tweet

President Trump at Cape Canaveral on May 30. Photo: Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

As recently as Saturday night, senior administration officials told me that the designation of a violent cohort of far-left activists, antifa, as a terrorist organization was not being seriously discussed at the White House. But that was Saturday.

Behind the scenes: The situation changed dramatically a few hours later, after prominent conservative allies of the president, such as his friend media commentator Dan Bongino, publicly urged a tough response against people associated with antifa (short for "anti-fascist").

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