The Nebraska Supreme Court upheld a ban on both transgender medical procedures for minors and abortion on Friday. The law bans abortions after 12 weeks, as well as transgender surgeries and puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for individuals younger than 18. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, which works in Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois, filed the lawsuit against the law, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The abortion provider argued that the law violated the state constitution because it dealt with more than one issue. The state countered that both transgender medical interventions and abortion fall under healthcare. “Ultimately, ‘if a bill has but one general object, no matter how broad that object may be, and contains no matter not germane thereto, and the title fairly expresses the subject of the bill, it does not violate’” the state constitution, Chief Justice Mike Heavican wrote for the court. Pro-life advocates immediately hailed the court’s decision. “This decision is a victory for Nebraska’s unborn children and their mothers who will continue to be protected from second- and third-trimester abortions,” said SBA Pro-Life America’s western regional director Adam Schwend, noting that Nebraska saw a “massive drop” in late-term abortions last year thanks to the law. Last year, abortions in Nebraska decreased nearly 9% from 2022, even with women from Iowa coming in for abortions after Iowa passed a six-week ban. “We must continue to guard this protection that prevents abortions of babies who can feel pain and stand firm against the abortion industry’s attempts to roll back the progress we have made in the greatest human rights struggle of our time,” Schwend said. Meanwhile, critics have raised the alarm over transgender surgeries and hormone treatments for gender dysphoric children over the last several years. In Europe, several countries have pumped the brakes on these procedures. Transgender surgeries are not reversible, and both puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones come with serious health risks. Puberty blockers can affect bone growth and density and cause sexual dysfunction, voice damage, and infertility, among other issues. Cross-sex hormones can cause infertility, deadly blood clots, heart attacks, increased cancer risks of the breasts and ovaries, liver dysfunction, worsening psychological illness, and other serious conditions. Nebraska joins a number of other states with Republican-controlled legislatures that have banned abortion or transgender medical interventions for minors, or both. At least 25 states have passed restrictions on transgender surgeries and hormone treatments for minors, but the bans are blocked in court in Florida, Ohio, and Montana. Several other states have lawsuits proceeding as well, although the bans remain in effect for now. At least 24 states have passed bans on abortion, although the bans are tied up in court in Montana, Wyoming, and Iowa.

Former president Donald Trump accused Vice President Kamala Harris of being “disrespectful to Israel” for criticizing the Jewish state immediately following a meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. “She is a radical left person,” Trump said during a Friday meeting with Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago. “I think her remarks were disrespectful, they weren’t very nice pertaining to Israel.” “I actually don’t know how a person who is Jewish could vote for her, but that’s up to them,” Trump added. “But she was certainly disrespectful to Israel, in my opinion.” “She was certainly disrespectful to Israel in my opinion” – President @realDonaldTrump on Kamala Harris pic.twitter.com/ChDCEhTJC8 — Margo Martin (@margommartin) July 26, 2024 After Harris met with Netanyahu, she delivered remarks criticizing Israel for its operations in Gaza, stating that the Jewish state has a right to defend itself but “how it does so matters.” She said she expressed her “serious concern” about “the scale of human suffering in Gaza.” “We cannot look away in the face of these tragedies,” she said. “We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to the suffering. And I will not be silent.” The Israeli delegation was disappointed with the Netanyahu-Harris meeting and surprised by the more aggressive tone she took during her speech, Jewish Insider reported . The warm welcome Netanyahu received in Mar-a-Lago follows a day of considerably-cooler meetings at the White House. Trump embraced Netanyahu and his wife, Sarah, and asked them to pose for “a beautiful picture.” Trump and Netanyahu also posed for a photo holding the latter’s “total victory” hat, a slogan for the prime minister’s determination to accept nothing but Hamas’ defeat and return of hostages held by the terror group. שבת שלום ???? @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/37BhM5HgYS — Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) July 26, 2024 “Shabbat Shalom,” Netanyahu posted in Hebrew to X. Netanyahu also showed Trump a photo of a toddler held hostage by Hamas. “No president has done what I have done for Israel. We’ve always had a very good relationship. If I didn’t, I have a secret weapon sitting right over here,” Trump jokingly said, placing his hands on Netanyahu’s wife. “As long as I have Sara, that’s all that matters.” Trump also said there are “incompetent people running” America, and said if he does not win, there will be “major wars in the Middle East and maybe a third world war.” “You are closer to a third world war right now than any time since the second World War,” he added. “We’ve never been so close.” During Netanyahu’s joint-address to Congress, Netanyahu praised Trump for his helping facilitate the Abraham Accords, recognizing Israel’s sovereignty in the Golan Heights, and showing recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital by moving the U.S. embassy to the holy city. Netanyahu also condemned the attempted assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. stating that there is “no room for political violence in democracies.” The two men enjoyed a good relationship during Trump’s time in the White House, until the former president accused Netanyahu of being one of the first world leaders to congratulate Biden over winning the 2020 election. In Trump’s post announcing the meeting, he touted his pro-Israel record. “During my first term, we had Peace and Stability in the Region, even signing the historic Abraham Accords – And we will have it again,” Trump posted. “Millions are dying, and Kamala Harris is in no way capable of stopping it.” Netanyahu also met with President Joe Biden on Thursday.

The Olympics are here, and for the next 16 days, many of the world’s most talented athletes will compete in the summer games in Paris. The Olympic torch was lit in April and had been making its way from Olympia, Greece, to France for three months. We’ve watched the fire transfer hands to its final destination and will soon ignite the Olympic cauldron, signifying the official start of the Games of the XXIII Olympiad. There have been many incredible Olympic torch moments over the years, including this summer’s walk by Kevin Piette, the first para-athlete to walk with an exoskeleton. Muhammad Ali made the world cry in 1996 when he lit the caldron in Atlanta. And four years before, another athlete’s cauldron lighting was simply astonishing. The 1992 Barcelona Games began when Antonio Rebollo shot an arrow to light a cauldron.He overcame polio as a child and repped Spain as an archer in Paralympics.They picked him for opening ceremony over 200 b/c of his mental fortitude (in case he missed)pic.twitter.com/Kw5arSoY7N— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) July 25, 2024 Officials chose archer Antonio Rebollo from a group of 200 potential candidates to light the cauldron for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Antonio suffered from Polio as a child, overcoming the illness and competing in the Paralympics, representing Spain in Archery. Antonio spent two years perfecting his shot, and in 700 attempts, he only missed twice. On Saturday, July 25, 1996, Antonio took one of the most agonizing shots of his life. In front of thousands of spectators, his arrow flew through the air, and the flames and crowds ignited. Antonio appeared stoic, but his bow and arrow would go down in history. The Talented Archer Is Only One Story That Makes The Olympics Astonishing It’s hard not to become emotional watching the start of the games. Knowing the blood, sweat, and tears that every athlete has put into their training for this moment is palpable. For the next couple of weeks, we’ll hunker down to watch men, women, and children live out their dreams. Some of them will go home with medals, and others just memories. Let the games begin, and good luck to everyone. We can’t wait to see some of you make history. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post This Archer Overcame Polio To Kick Off 1992 Olympics With An Impossible Shot appeared first on InspireMore.

What’s the fastest way to ruffle some feathers? Tell the world Chick-fil-A is getting rid of their iconic waffle fries. TikToker Briana Solano posted a video on July 20 alleging that not only was she a Chick-fil-A employee, but that waffle fries were on their way out. Friend, this is how rumors started, and hers went viral. Briana started a french fry frenzy, and people began lamenting the waffley goodness on social media. According to People, her original post had 3.2 million views before she posted a follow-up video in which she debunked her early claims. She ended up deleting both from her account, and it appears her page is a waffle fry-free zone. But the damage was done, and other TikTokers got in on the action, lamenting the loss of a favorite. Desirae Bowman was among the Waffle Fry fans who posted her devastation. @desiraebowman PLEASE TELL ME ITS NOT REAL. THIS IS WORSE THAN A BREAKUP. #chickfila #wafflefries #pleaseno ♬ original sound – ruby “PLEASE TELL ME ITS NOT REAL. THIS IS WORSE THAN A BREAKUP,” she captioned her video which has been viewed 1.8 million times. Chick-fil-A Corporate Stepped In To Clear The Air There is just a fresh fry refresh in the works. Per People, Chick-fil-A says that some locations are testing a “refreshed Waffle Fry recipe,” but there are no plans to get rid of the iconic menu. Chick-fil-A used its website to discuss why they are testing new recipes. “Our new Waffle Fry recipe uses a blend of starches that increases the crispiness of our fries. Please check online or in the Chick-fil-A App to view your local restaurant’s menu and see a full list of ingredients for menu items at that specific location,” the post reads. A final decision hasn’t been made about the fate of the waffle fry recipe, but one thing is for sure, you will never see a shoestring potato on the menu. Crisis averted.  This story’s featured image is by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images. The post Chick-Fil-A Finally Addresses The Rumors That They’re Discontinuing Their Famous Waffle Fries appeared first on InspireMore.

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Despite being just 5 years old and suffering from stage 4 brain cancer, an adorable little boy in the UK is climbing the charts with a new song. Jack Gyde was diagnosed with Stage 4 High-Risk Neuroblastoma earlier this year after his mom Sarah noticed him limping, and a song released to raise money for […] The post Charity Song Raises Money for Boy with Cancer–and Overtakes Kylie Minogue and Coldplay in Downloads appeared first on Good News Network.

News The Boys Oh Boy! Vought Rising, A Prequel to The Boys Starring Jensen Ackles & Aya Cash Is Happening The murder mystery series will be set in the 1950s. By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on July 26, 2024 Credit: Amazon Studios Comment 0 Share New Share Credit: Amazon Studios Season four of The Boys just ended, but that didn’t stop the cast from storming Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con. And while the mothership series waxed poetic about Homelander drinking breast milk, among other things, Jensen Ackles broke the news in person that he and Aya Cash, who joined by video, would produce and star in a prequel series called Vought Rising. According to Deadline, Paul Grellong will serve as showrunner while Eric Kripke, the creative force behind the Amazon MGM Studios franchise, serves as Executive Producer. “We are excited to bring you the next deranged series from the world of The Boys,” Kripke and Grellong said (via Deadline) before lifting the veil on the time period and premise of the prequel. “It’s a twisted murder mystery about the origins of Vought in the 1950s, the early exploits of Soldier Boy, and the diabolical maneuvers of a Supe known to fans as Stormfront, who was then going by the name Clara Vought,” they said.“We cannot wait to blow your minds and trouble your souls with this salacious, grisly saga drenched in blood and Compound V.” This prequel is just the latest installment in The Boys universe. There’s the mothership show, of course, as well as the animated series The Boys Presents: Diabolical and the collegiate spinoff, Gen V, which was picked up for a second season. Another series, The Boys: Mexico, is also in production. [end-mark] The post Oh Boy! <i>Vought Rising</i>, A Prequel to <i>The Boys</i> Starring Jensen Ackles & Aya Cash Is Happening appeared first on Reactor.

News The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power The Rings of Power Trailer: Tom Bombadil! Ents! Oh Yeah, and Some Ring Stuff The second season is packed full of figures you might recognize… By Vanessa Armstrong | Published on July 26, 2024 Screenshot: Prime Video Comment 0 Share New Share Screenshot: Prime Video The cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power took to Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con today, where they shared an impressive trailer that teases what we’ll see in the show’s upcoming season. The trailer has A LOT. There’s Rory Kinnear bringing Tom Bombadil to life on-screen! There’s Ents, Ents I say! And Eagles! And there’s also a lot of ring talk. The rings have power, of course, but can also corrupt! Will the rings that the elves, dwarves, and men wield work to bring Sauron (Charlie Vickers) into power instead of preventing him from doing so? How will they influence those who wield them? And when will Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) realize that sexy elven Sauron is bad, actually. We’ll have to wait to find out, of course. Though luckily, not too long. Here’s the official synopsis of the upcoming episodes to further wet your whistle: Sauron has returned. Cast out by Galadriel, without army or ally, the rising Dark Lord must now rely on his own cunning to rebuild his strength and oversee the creation of the Rings of Power, which will allow him to bind all the peoples of Middle-earth to his sinister will. Building on Season One’s epic scope and ambition, Season Two of Amazon’s The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power plunges even its most beloved and vulnerable characters into a rising tide of darkness, challenging each to find their place in a world that is increasingly on the brink of calamity. Elves and dwarves, orcs and men, wizards and Harfoots… as friendships are strained and kingdoms begin to fracture, the forces of good will struggle ever more valiantly to hold on to what matters to them most of all… each other. The second season of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power premieres on Prime Video on August 29, 2024. Check out the latest trailer below. [end-mark] The post The Rings of Power Trailer: Tom Bombadil! Ents! Oh Yeah, and Some Ring Stuff appeared first on Reactor.