Updated Apr 11, 2019

Ohio governor signs law banning abortions after detection of fetal heartbeat

Pro-choice and abortion rights activists protesting outside the U.S, Supreme Court. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Ohio's Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday signed into law a bill that prohibits abortions once doctors can detect the trace of a fetal heartbeat with an ultrasound — which can come as early as 6 weeks into a pregnancy.

Why it matters: This ban on abortions at a point when many women remain unaware they are pregnant comes as a growing number of red states like Mississippi are adopting similar measures. The American Civil Liberties Union immediately said it would file a lawsuit challenging the measure, which is one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. Under the bill, physicians who violate the law could face jail time and a $20,000 fine from the State Medical Board of Ohio.

Go deeper: A surge of restrictive state abortion bans take aim at Roe v. Wade

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Dion Rabouin

Coronavirus only part of the story behind the Dow’s drop

Photo: Andrew Burton/Getty Images

As someone has certainly told you by now, the Dow fell by more than 1,000 points yesterday, its worst day in more than two years, erasing all of 2020's gains. Most news headlines assert that the stock market's momentum was finally broken by "coronavirus fears," but that's not the full story.

What's happening: The novel coronavirus has been infecting and killing scores of people for close to a month and, depending on the day, the market has sold off or risen to record highs.

Go deeper21 mins ago - Economy & Business

David Nather

Bernie's historic Jewish fight

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Sen. Bernie Sanders would be the first Jewish presidential nominee of a major American political party — but that history-making possibility is being overshadowed by his conflicts with America's Jewish leaders and Israel's leadership.

The big picture: That's partly because we're all focusing on the implications of Democrats nominating a self-described democratic socialist. It's also because a candidate's religion no longer seems to matter as much to voters or the media, making the potential milestone of a Jewish nominee more of a non-event.

Go deeper3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Eileen Drage O'Reilly

Coronavirus "infodemic" threatens world's health institutions

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

The spread of the novel coronavirus outbreak is being matched, or even outrun, by the spread on social media of both unintentional misinformation about it and vociferous campaigns of malicious disinformation, experts tell Axios.

Why it matters: The tide of bad information is undermining trust in governments, global health organizations, nonprofits and scientists — the very institutions that many believe are needed to organize a global response to what may be turning into a pandemic.

Go deeper3 hours ago - Health