Sex outside marriage ban tests Indonesia's relationship with democracy



CNN
 — 

When Indonesia passed controversial amendments to its criminal code earlier this month, one aspect above all others dominated the headlines: the criminalization of sex outside marriage.

Tourism figures warned it would put foreigners off visiting and hurt Indonesia’s global reputation – no small matters in a country that welcomed up to 15 million international travelers annually before the pandemic and recently held the G20 presidency for the first time in its history.

Officials have since played down the likelihood of tourists being charged, but hundreds of millions of Indonesians still face the prospect of up to a year in jail for the same offense – and rights activists warn that this is only the start of the new code’s potential to threaten Indonesians’ personal freedoms and civil liberties. Indonesian officials, on the other hand, defend the move as a necessary compromise in a democracy that is home to the world’s largest Muslim population.

The new code also criminalizes cohabitation between unmarried couples and promoting contraception to minors, and enshrines laws against abortion (except in cases of rape and medical emergencies when the fetus is less than 12 weeks) and blasphemy.

It also limits Indonesians’ right to protest and criminalizes insulting the president, members of his cabinet or the state ideology.

Offenders face the prospect of prison terms ranging from months to years.

Rights groups have been scathing in their assessments.

“In one fell swoop, Indonesia’s human rights situation has taken a drastic turn for the worse,” said Andreas Harsono, senior Indonesia researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“Potentially, millions of people will be subject to criminal prosecution under this deeply flawed law. Its passage is the beginning of an unmitigated disaster for human rights in Indonesia.”

Protesters throw rocks at riot police on September 24, 2019, as demonstrations in Jakarta and other cities take place against proposed changes to Indonesia's criminal code laws. The changes were later watered down, but remain controversial.

The creation of the new code is in part a reflection of the growing influence conservative Islam plays in the politics of what is the world’s third-largest democracy.

About 230 million of the 270 million people who call this vast and diverse archipelago nation home are Muslim, though there are also sizable Christian and Hindu minorities and the country prides itself on a state ideology known as “Pancasila,” which stresses inclusivity.

The constitution guarantees a secular government and freedom of religion, and criminal law is largely based on a secular code inherited from the former Dutch colonial power – though the province of Aceh adopts and implements sharia law – and Islamic principles influence some civil matters and local level by-laws.

However, more conservative forms of Islam that were once repressed under the former dictator Suharto have in recent years emerged as increasingly powerful forces at the ballot box.

In the most recent general election, in 2019, President Joko Widodo controversially picked an elderly Islamic cleric – Ma’ruf Amin – as his running mate in a move that was widely seen as a move to secure more Muslim votes.

The appointment of Ma’ruf raised eyebrows among Widodo’s more moderate supporters, but it helped see off the challenge from the former military general Prabowo Subianto who had forged an alliance with hardline Islamist groups. Some of those groups had already demonstrated their clout by leading mass protests that led to the toppling of the Jakarta governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, on a blasphemy charge.

The new criminal code – which updates the code inherited from the Dutch and was passed unanimously by lawmakers belonging to multiple parties – also reflects this growing influence of conservative Islam. Some conservative parties had been calling for an even stricter code, but previous proposals sparked mass street protests and were shelved after Widodo intervened.

Describing the new code as a “compromise”, Indonesian officials have said it needed to reflect a spread of interests in a multicultural and multi-ethnic country.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Still, while the new code clearly has the backing of many conservative voters, critics paint it as a step backwards for civil liberties in what is still a fledgling democracy.

Indonesia spent decades under strong-man rule after declaring its independence from the Dutch in the 1940s, under its first president Sukarno and later under the military dictator Suharto. It was not until after Suharto’s downfall in 1998 that it entered a period of reformation in which civilian rule, freedom of speech and a more liberal political environment were embraced.

Rights groups fear the new code risks undoing some of that progress by pandering to the conservative religious vote at the expense of the country’s secular ideals and reinforcing discrimination against women and the LGBTQ community. They also fear its longer-term effects could be corrosive to the democratic system itself and see uncomfortable parallels to the country’s authoritarian past.

Aspects of the code relating to insulting the president or the state ideology could, they say, be abused by officials to extort bribes, harass political opponents and even jail journalists and anyone deemed critical of the government.

“It is never a good thing when a state tries to legislate morality,” said Zachary Abuza, a professor specializing in Southeast Asian politics and security issues at the National War College in Washington, DC. “The new code puts civil liberties at risk and gives the state powerful tools to punish ideological, moral and political offenses.”

One political blogger, who asked not to be identified for fear of persecution under the new laws, told CNN that he expected online surveillance and censorship by the authorities to increase.

“The terms are not clear – that’s what makes the code especially scary and dangerous,” he said. “It’s all left to interpretation by the government.”

He gave the example of someone liking a critical tweet about the president, asking if that would be enough to land the person in jail.

“It will boil down to whoever the government wants to prosecute,” the blogger said.

It will be at least three years until the revised code comes into effect, according to officials, so it is still early to predict how the new laws will be implemented and enforced.

Much may depend on how satisfied more conservative voters are with the “compromise” code – or how angry those who protested on the streets against its earlier formulation remain.

At the same time, there are those who question whether lawmakers have made the mistake of listening only to the loudest voices in an attempt to pick up votes.

Norshahril Saat, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, said there was a “complex relationship between Islam, politics, and society in Indonesia.”

He pointed to a 2022 national survey commissioned by the institute that found most respondents considered themselves moderate and supported the idea of a secular state – even though more than half of them also felt it was important to elect a Muslim leader.

Norshahril cautioned against concluding that support for the new criminal code was evidence of “a conservative Islamic tide.”

“It may mean that the current slate of elected politicians are conservative but more likely that they are responding to pressure from some powerful conservative lobby groups,” he said.

Of more concern, he said, is that “in today’s Indonesia, all of the political parties unanimously agreed on criminalizing these ‘sins’.”

source

Incoming Kansas attorney general fined for 2020 Senate campaign finance violations



CNN
 — 

The Federal Election Commission has levied a $30,000 fine on incoming Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and a private border wall organization he was once affiliated with due to campaign finance violations committed during his unsuccessful 2020 Senate bid.

In an agreement approved by the FEC last month, about a week after Kobach was elected, he admitted to illegally accepting an in-kind contribution from We Build the Wall, a Steve Bannon-linked group which ran a fundraising campaign to build a private border wall but became ensnarled in allegations of fraud.

CNN has reached out to attorneys for Kobach and We Build the Wall for comment.

In 2019, Kobach’s campaign rented We Build the Wall’s 295,000-person email list for just $2,000, a price significantly below the normal rate.

The campaign was also accused of additional campaign finance violations in connection with We Build the Wall, but the FEC, which is made up of three Democrats and three Republicans, either dismissed those allegations or was equally divided.

Kobach is an immigration hardliner and a longtime spreader of false election claims who served as Kansas’ secretary of state from 2011 to 2019 and has close ties to former President Donald Trump.

Kobach was narrowly elected Kansas attorney general in November, defeating Democrat Chris Mann 51% to 49% in the reliably red state. His victory came after two consecutive defeats in recent election cycles – losing bids for the governorship in 2018 and for the GOP nomination for US Senate in 2020.

He previously served on We Build the Wall’s board and as the organization’s general counsel.

Two men have pleaded guilty in federal court, and another was convicted of defrauding donors in connection with We Build The Wall. Bannon and the organization itself are now facing charges in New York state. Bannon, who has pleaded not guilty to state charges, had previously been indicted in federal court but was pardoned by then-President Trump at the end of his term.

source

Playoff-bound Chargers set for huge defensive boost with return of four-time Pro Bowler

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News 

The Los Angeles Chargers have played a majority of this season without possibly their best defensive player – they clinched a playoff spot last week

Sounds like a good time to get a four-time Pro Bowler back.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Joey Bosa has been activated from injured reserve and is expected to play for Los Angeles on Sunday in their Week 17 matchup against the L.A. Rams.

Bosa suffered a groin injury in Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars and needed surgery to repair a muscle. He was designated to return from IR earlier this week.

The 27-year-old has made each of the last three Pro Bowls and won the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016. He was the third overall pick of that year’s draft out of Ohio State. His younger brother, Nick, was the second pick the following season.

GIANTS ANNOUNCER REFLECTS ON BEING INSIDE MALL OF AMERICA DURING FATAL SHOOTING, MAKING SAFETY PLANS

Bosa had 1.5 sacks in the Chargers’ Week 1 win over the Las Vegas Raiders – he has 59.5 in 82 career games, reaching double-digit sacks in four seasons.

NFL Network initially reported that Bosa’s injury would require a six-week recovery, but Bosa will have missed just over three months.

After their contest against the Rams, the Chargers will head to Denver to close out their season against the Broncos. They are currently the sixth seed in the AFC, which at this point would match them up with the Cincinnati Bengals.

 

Read More 

 

YouTube star Keenan Cahill dead at the age of 27 after complications from open heart surgery

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News 

Keenan Cahill, the YouTube star who created viral lip-syncing videos with celebrities including Katy Perry, Justin Bieber and 50 Cent, has died. He was 27.

The social media personality, who was diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder Maroteaux Lamy Syndrome at the age of 1, died Thursday after developing complications following a recent open-heart surgery, according to a GoFundMe set up by his family. 

“We are sad to announce the passing of Keenan Cahill,” a post on Cahill’s official Facebook page read. 

It continued, “Keenan is an inspiration and let’s celebrate by remembering all the content he created, artists he collaborated with, music he produced and the love he had for everyone who supported him over the years.”

YOUTUBE STAR COREY LA BARRIE DEAD ON 25TH BIRTHDAY AFTER CAR CRASH, DRIVER ARRESTED

The GoFundMe was organized by Cahill’s aunt Katie Owens, the sister of his mother Erin Cahill, in order to pay for the costs of his medical and funeral expenses. 

“We are devastated to announce that our nephew, Keenan Cahill, passed away on December 29th at the age of 27,” Owens wrote on GoFundMe. “Twelve days earlier he had open heart surgery and was starting to recover, but complications arose that he couldn’t overcome.”

She continued, “Keenan had Maroteaux-Lamy syndrome, which is a progressive condition that causes many tissues and organs to enlarge, become inflamed or scarred, and eventually waste away.” 

“He was first diagnosed at the age of 1. Because of his rare disease, he has had countless surgeries over his short life including a bone marrow transplant.”

Born in Elmhurst, Illinois, Cahill became one of the first YouTube stars after rising to fame with his popular lip-syncing videos that he began posting on the platform in 2010. Cahill’s channel currently has 725,000 subscribers and over 500 million views. His first video, in which he lip-synced to Katy Perry’s hit song “Teenage Dream,” went viral and has 58 million views. The clip caught Perry’s attention, and she reached out to Cahill. 

The two met in 2011 during her California Dreams tour and the pop superstar joined Cahill for a duet of “Teenage Dream” that was posted on his YouTube channel.

In November 2010, 50 Cent appeared in a video on Cahill’s channel in which the two lip-synced to the rapper’s song with Jeremih “Down on Me.”

Other stars who collaborated in videos with the internet celebrity included Justin Bieber, Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, Nick Cannon, David Guetta, Jason Derulo, Tyra Banks and DJ Pauly D.

In 2011, Cahill appeared with Jennifer Aniston in a commercial for SmartWater. Cahill also joined electronic music duo LMFAO on stage for a performance at the 2011 American Music Awards.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

The Youtuber appeared along with Adam Levine, Sia and Ryan Tedder in the music video for Sara Bareilles’ 2011 song “Uncharted.”

Owens noted on the GoFundMe page that Cahill “never made a lot of money, but he enjoyed what he was doing and brought smiles to the faces of so many people.”

After news of his passing broke, Pauly D shared a tribute to Cahill on Twitter. He posted a photo of himself with Cahill and wrote, “Rip Keenan. Thank You for always making the world smile.”

Perez Hilton shared a video of his duet with Cahill featuring the Maroon 5 song “Moves Like Jagger” and tweeted, “Rest in Love.”

 

Read More 

 

Chief Justice John Roberts say judges’ safety is ‘essential’ to the U.S. court system

US Top News and Analysis 

U.S. Supreme Court justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Sonia Sotomayor, Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., Samuel A. Alito, Jr. and Elena Kagan pose for their group portrait at the Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., October 7, 2022. 
Evelyn Hockstein | Reuters

With security threats to Supreme Court justices still fresh memories, Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday praised programs that protect judges, saying that “we must support judges by ensuring their safety.”

Roberts and other conservative Supreme Court justices were the subject of protests, some at their homes, after the May leak of the court’s decision that ultimately stripped away constitutional protections for abortion. Justice Samuel Alito has said that the leak made conservative justices “targets for assassination.” And in June, a man carrying a gun, knife and zip ties was arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s house after threatening to kill the justice, whose vote was key to overturning the court’s Roe v. Wade decision.

Roberts, writing in an annual year-end report about the federal judiciary, did not specifically mention the abortion decision, but the case and the reaction to it seemed to be clearly on his mind.

“Judicial opinions speak for themselves, and there is no obligation in our free country to agree with them. Indeed, we judges frequently dissent — sometimes strongly — from our colleagues’ opinions, and we explain why in public writings about the cases before us,” Roberts wrote.

Polls following the abortion decision show public trust in the court is at historic lows. And two of Roberts’ liberal colleagues who dissented in the abortion case, Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, have said the court needs to be concerned about overturning precedent and appearing political.

After the leak and threat to Kavanaugh, lawmakers passed legislation increasing security protection for the justices and their families. Separately, in December, lawmakers passed legislation protecting the personal information of federal judges including their addresses.

The law is named for the son of U.S. District Judge Esther Salas, 20-year-old Daniel Anderl, who was killed at the family’s New Jersey home by a man who previously had a case before her.

Roberts thanked members of Congress “who are attending to judicial security needs.” And he said programs that protect judges are “essential to run a system of courts.”

In writing about judicial security, Roberts told the story of Judge Ronald N. Davies, who in September 1957 ordered the integration of Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. Davies’ decision followed the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education ruling that segregated schools were unconstitutional and rejected Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus’ attempt to stop school integration.

Davies “was physically threatened for following the law,” but the judge was “uncowed,” Roberts said.

“A judicial system cannot and should not live in fear. The events of Little Rock teach about the importance of rule by law instead of by mob,” he wrote.

Roberts noted that officials are currently working to replicate the courtroom Davies presided over in 1957. Roberts said the judge’s bench used by Davies and other artifacts from the courtroom have been preserved and will be installed in the re-created courtroom in a federal courthouse in Little Rock “so that these important artifacts will be used to hold court once again.”

Before that happens, however, the judge’s bench will be on display as part of an exhibit at the Supreme Court beginning in the fall and for the next several years, he said.

“The exhibit will introduce visitors to how the system of federal courts works, to the history of racial segregation and desegregation in our country, and to Thurgood Marshall’s towering contributions as an advocate,” Roberts said. Marshall, who argued Brown v. Board of Education, became the Supreme Court’s first Black justice in 1967.

The Supreme Court is still grappling with complicated issues involving race. Two cases this term deal with affirmative action, and the court’s conservative majority is expected to use them to reverse decades of decisions that allow colleges to take account of race in admissions. In another case, the justices could weaken the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, the crown jewel of the civil rights movement.

The justices will hear their first arguments of 2023 on Jan. 9.

Read More 

Mothers share how crisis pregnancy centers helped them walk away from abortion: ‘huge enlightenment’

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News 

Pro-life crisis pregnancy centers have endured vandalism and attacks at the hands of ravenous protesters angered by the overturn of Roe v. Wade and the events leading up to it.

These centers have been villainized by Democrats, but mothers who’ve been helped by them say nothing could be further from the truth.

Two crisis pregnancy centers in and around the nation’s capital, the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center in Washington, D.C., and Life First in Manassas, Virginia, opened their doors to Fox News Digital to share how they are helping women and families in the nascent stages of building their lives.

PRO-CHOICE PROTESTERS DISRUPT CAPITOL HILL CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER’S BANQUET SCREAMING ‘BLOOD ON YOUR HANDS’

“My experience happened over a decade ago, so my oldest now is 11, so when I was pregnant, I came through Life First — formerly known as CareNet back then,” Alana Jenkins, a mother helped by Life First said.

Jenkins, a mother of five including her youngest, Rip, said she considered abortion when she was unexpectedly pregnant with her first but chose to keep her child after visiting with Life First.

“It was scary, you know, I wasn’t quite sure what I was expecting other than they offered free services I wanted to take advantage of,” Jenkins said. “I had already decided of having an abortion, but my husband and I decided that we wanted to get more information and a sonogram at the time to confirm I was pregnant.”

Jenkins said she “was greeted with nothing but love” from the staff at Life First and that it was “amazing” to see where her experience at the center “led to.”

“It was great to feel that comfort and love through professionalism, guiding me through the steps,” Jenkins said. “Not what I wanted to hear, but the education of what having a baby was all about, the steps, the process.”

“They offered support, which was huge for me for making my final decision, because I was scared, financially, we were not in a position for bringing on a child,” she continued. “But, again, with their professionalism and their support and what they offered, it was amazing.”

Jenkins said her pregnancy was confirmed by the center with a sonogram and that her time at the center led to a “step-by-step process” to help her and her budding family with what they needed.

Ten years and five kids later, Jenkins and her husband have made their home in Vint Hill, Virginia, where they own a CrossFit gym.

Jenkins said she fell out of contact with Life First after her first experience with them, but reconnected with the clinic after Life First CEO Becky Sheetz visited her gym promoting a church “sit-up” challenge fundraiser and shared her experience with the center.

“Anytime they need help, anything I can do of service, like here just explaining my experience and what the result of their assistance has done for my kids, my life, hopefully now for others,” Jenkins said.

Niya, a mother helped by Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, initially visited to find out if she was pregnant. After confirming she was pregnant, the center gave her counseling and resources.

Niya was considering abortion at first, as she felt she “wasn’t ready” to be a mother, but knew she had to “get ready” and decided to keep her baby, Amara, after visiting with Maloney.

The team at Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center explained all the options for her baby that Niya could choose, such as raising the child or placing the child up for adoption, instead of going through an abortion.

“After that, I left, [Jamie] gave me a few pamphlets about adoption, giving your child to somebody else, a family that might want them,” Niya said. “And she was emailing me and stuff, checking on me. She sent me a gift for my baby, I told her I was going to keep it, and she’s just been in contact with me since.”

Both centers help new parents get on their feet through counseling and professional placement help, ensuring that the budding families have a steady source of income.

Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, while not currently providing medical procedures such as ultrasounds, provides faith-based counseling to expectant mothers who may be considering abortion.

The center was hit with vandalism in the wake of the Supreme Court leak of the opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade. They were hit with red paint, eggs, and graffiti reading “Jane Says Revenge.”

Janet Durig, executive director of Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center, told Fox News Digital the center’s staff felt “violated” by the vandalism and it “comes back to people misunderstanding what pregnancy centers like ours do, or they really understand it and think it’s awful to help people.”

Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center’s annual banquet was interrupted by protesters who disrupted Durig while she was speaking on the work the center performs. The protest led to the center upping their security presence.

Durig said she was called by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), who told her that the protesting group, ShutdownDC, had been chattering about the banquet protest on social media.

The protesters inside the banquet had sat at the table with one mother, Niya, and her child as well as the center’s director of client and volunteer services, Jamie Maloney and dug into the meal provided to attendees before interrupting the event.

“They ate our meal, they ate our hors d’vours, they ate our meal, and even commented on how good it was from other people I’ve been told — and so did the other protesters, by the way,” Durig said in regards to the protesters.

“And then sat right next to Niya, the mother testimony-giver and her baby, and seemed to feel comfortable standing up and protesting the center,” Durig added.

Durig said the protest was mostly a lot of yelling, but nobody could “explain” to her how they have “blood” on their hands when they are “helping people who choose to give birth to their baby.”

“They want to have their baby, we don’t force that on anyone, and we don’t force that choice on anyone,” Durig said. “Where is the blood on our hands because that woman has chosen to keep her baby?”

Durig also noted that mothers coming to the clinic were “disconcerted” by the protests but they “all felt everything was under control” when handling the protest at the banquet.

She also said she believes that the protesters misunderstand what the center and others like it provide to families, such as job counseling.

Life First was also hit by vandalism prior to their move to their Manassas location “on the day that Roe v. Wade was overturned” at their old location, but CEO Becky Sheetz said the protesters tagged the back side of the building that is not as visible.

Sheetz also said the vandalism was not the reason behind the move.

“We came in one day and there was vandalism, graffiti, on the back of the center, on the side that we operated the building, so we reported it to local law enforcement right away and it was cleaned up,” Sheetz said.

“It was actually just graffiti, clearly targeted along the lines of the graffiti and vandalism that you were seeing all across the nation in the tens and tens, over 100 pregnancy centers that were vandalized,” she continued.

Sheetz said the vandalism was “intimidating” but that it was “comical” that the tagging happened on the back of the building that “none” of their “patients or visitors would ever see.”

“That was the best they had that day,” Sheetz added, noting that, in the wake of the vandalism, the staff and center were operating “business as usual.”

“So that didn’t change, the mission doesn’t change, so it made us feel like we were probably on the right track because we’re doing good work and we’re having an impact,” Sheetz said.

Additionally, both centers provide material goods and services to struggling mothers and families, carrying children’s clothes, diapers, and other necessities that are given to families that visit the center.

Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center provides baby formula and car seats, as well as approved baby playpens and crib analogues. They are also planning to get their own ultrasound up and running.

“We help them with material support, which is very important, but we also help them with free childbirth classes and free parenting classes,” Durig told Fox News Digital.

“They could call at any time to the client advocates, especially the ones they know, but anyone can fit in if they’re not available,” Durig continued. “… They know this is someone they can call.”

First Care Women’s Health Woodbridge Center director Pam Dudley told Fox News Digital that their clinic sees “women from all different nationalities, all different backgrounds and walks of life, but one thing that they all have in common when they walk through our doors is they’re facing an unplanned pregnancy.”

She also said that the center “partners with dozens of organizations that help with things like food and clothing and diapers and formula and housing, even,” as well as organizations that provide “free prenatal care, in some cases.”

“We could almost connect her with anything because of all partnering organizations that we work with,” Dudley said, adding their centers also provides prenatal and parenting classes “at no cost” to the mother.

While they don’t distribute car seats and baby formula, Dudley said First Care Women’s Health can connect mothers with organizations that do “so they can get a free car seat, they can get free formula.”

Sheetz said their product carrying comes down to “shelf life,” “storage,” and other similar factors, so First Care Women’s Health gives “away other items like diapers and wipes and goods like that, that we can keep and can have in a steady supply.”

Dudley said that the clinic looks to “empower women with all of their information” who are facing unexpected pregnancies and will try to be a “calming voice” for the mother over the phone. The service will then confirm with the women that they are pregnant when they come into the center.

Life First also provides faith-based counseling, but has a registered nurse on staff, Linda Kisha, who performs ultrasounds and keeps track of patient information on their First Care Women’s Health side of the operation.

“We talk to them about the ultrasound and how important that is as part of their decision-making process,” Dudley told Fox News Digital. “Many of them call and they’re looking for the abortion pill or they’re saying ‘I can’t have a baby right now.’”

“So all of us are trained to talk to them on the phone and explain our services and to get them to come in, especially to have an ultrasound,” Dudley said. “Because she needs to know that it’s a pregnancy that’s going to continue, and she needs to know how far along she is so that she knows how to make that next step.”

Dudley said the staff at the center will listen to the mothers; stories and “many times” the staff at First Care Women’s Health are the first people the mothers reach out to for help.

“We want to be that safe place, that nonjudgmental place, that caring place that she can come and learn about all her options,” Dudley said. “She may feel like abortion is her only option when she first comes in, but we can explain that she has does other options and how that would work.”

Kisha told Fox News Digital the First Care Women’s Health clinic provides medically-administered pregnancy tests, ultrasounds to “confirm her pregnancy” and if the baby is viable, as well as tests for the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) gonorrhea and Chlamydia.

“These are all things the patient needs to know if she’s going to have an abortion,” Kisha said.

“And explain the abortion procedures to her, as well, depending on how far along she is, from a medical professional,” Sheetz added.

Dudley also encouraged people who know mothers struggling with an unplanned pregnancy to visit First Care Women’s Health.

“I always tell every patient I meet with, ‘I’m so glad you came in today,’” Dudley said. “And we mean that genuinely. We welcome anyone who desires our services, who needs a little help, who doesn’t feel like she has support, that’s what we do.”

“That’s why we’re here: we’re that safe place for her,” Dudley continued. “So we would just welcome her in this place and we also encourage an ongoing relationship with her, if she would allow us to do that.”

Amara joined her mother at the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center’s recent banquet, where Niya’s spoke on her experience with the center.

During the dinner, though, Niya’s speech recounting the counseling and help she received from the Capitol Hill Pregnancy Center was interrupted by protesters who had planted themselves in the crowd.

“That is all blood on your f—ing hands, every last motherf—ing one of you,” one woman screamed as security escorted her out of the event. “Jane says revenge motherf—er,” she added.

Niya said she had clocked the protesters when she showed up to the banquet but was unaware that three of the protesters were sitting next to her during the event.

“They were talking, I was talking, saying how I felt about the people outside and stuff like that, and they were listening. I think one of them did have something they really wanted to say, but she didn’t say anything,” Niya said about the protesters. “And then they just start standing up and yelling.”

Niya said she was “confused” by the protesters at first and that the protesters had been complimenting her child’s cuteness before interrupting the banquet.

“Like, I understood what they were saying, but at the same time, that’s not how you go about stuff,” Niya said. “I just felt like everybody got a mind of their own, I went to a pregnancy center and didn’t have a problem with it.”

The mothers, however, say other women in similar situations to them should explore their options at crisis pregnancy centers.

“Don’t be scared! Like, don’t be scared,” Niya said, encouraging other women in similar situations to visit crisis pregnancy clinics. “I just feel like we all have a responsibility, whether you’re pro-choice or not. And that’s something you want to do, you have to stand up for what you believe in and do it.”

“Nobody changed my mind on anything like that,” she continued. “I changed my own mind because I knew deep down inside that I wasn’t built for abortion. I really didn’t want to, but I also wasn’t ready at the same time. So, don’t be scared. Do what you want to do. Don’t let nobody tell you what’s right for you.”

“My definition of success was what I thought it was, and when I came in, I really, firmly believed for my success, I needed an abortion,” Jenkins said. “The place I was in my life, financially as a professional athlete back then, success and my plan ahead did not call for a kid. It just didn’t look like that would equate.”

“And when I was given the support, the education, the resources, all that, it was just amazing to see a different perspective,” she said. “And when I got that different perspective, that success can be many different ways, that, yes, a decision to keep a child is hard, but when you know there’s support and everything else out there, especially centers like Life First that offers that, it really is a huge enlightenment to go out there and just get educated.”

“And with Life First not judging and offering the professionalism, that they care, it makes a huge difference,” Jenkins continued. “So I challenge women to get out there and get educated, and go to center, take advantage of centers, that offer their services.”

Fox News Digital’s Kristine Parks contributed reporting.

 

Read More 

 

Rep.-elect George Santos faces scrutiny over campaign filings his team blames as ‘database error’: Report

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News 

A federal insider is questioning embattled Republican Rep.-elect George Santos’s explanation that dozens of $199.99 campaign expenses were the result of an FEC “database error.”

“I don’t believe it,” Ann Ravel, former FEC chairwoman, told the New York Post about the Santos claim that the mysterious expense filings were the result of a database error. “There are too many expenditures for the $199 that were filed.”

Santos, who is currently under investigation after admitting to several lies about his personal life and resume on the campaign trail where he was eventually elected to represent New York’s 3rd Congressional District in November, has defended himself against questions about the FEC expense filings.

“This reporting issue is the result of a database error and amendments were filed with the FEC. We believe that accurate information has been provided to the FEC,” a Santos campaign representative told the New York Post in an email.

NY GOP REP-ELECT GEORGE SANTOS GRILLED OVER BIOGRAPHY ‘LIES’: ‘DO YOU HAVE NO SHAME?’

According to FEC filings, the Santos campaign recorded 37 expenditures between April 2021 and February 2022 that totaled $199.99, one cent below the threshold for federal law requiring receipts.

Among the expenses were rooms at Florida hotels, supply runs to Staples and Target, airline flights and meals at various restaurants.

“If they did provide an amending filing to the FEC to change it, and if the FEC agrees that it was a database error, the FEC would have already changed the website,” Ravel said.

MEDIA MELTDOWN OVER GEORGE SANTOS, WON’T ADMIT BIDEN IS SERIAL LIAR

Christian Hillard, a representative for the FEC, agreed that “any amended transactions and filings submitted by committees would be reflected in the data through the FEC website.”

The Santos campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

HOUSE DEMOCRATS CALLING ON SANTOS TO RESIGN OVER RESUME LIES SILENT ON BIDEN’S LONG HISTORY OF FABRICATIONS

Santos recently admitted to fabricating his business resume, Jewish faith, and education and told Fox News “Tucker Carlson Tonight” guest host Tulsi Gabbard that everyone makes mistakes.

“I think humans are flawed, and we all make mistakes, Tulsi,” Santos said. “I think we can all look at ourselves in the mirror and admit that once in our life we made a mistake. I’m having to admit this on national television for the whole country to see. And I have the courage to do so because I believe that in order to move past this and move forward and be an effective member of Congress, I have to face my mistakes, and I’m facing them.”

Santos has faced criticism from fellow Republicans and calls to resign but has refused to do so, and the Democrat he defeated in November has demanded an election rematch.

“George, if that’s even your real name, if you’re so convinced that #NY3 voters still trust you – resign & run against me again in a special election,” Democrat Robert Zimmerman tweeted Tuesday. “Face the voters with your real past & answer questions about your criminal history. Let the voters decide.”

 

Read More 

 

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI dies

Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in 2012.
Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican in 2012. (Pier Paolo Cito/AP)

Global leaders are paying homage to Benedict XVI, the Pope Emeritus, who died Saturday in Vatican City at the age of 95.

Benedict, who was the first pontiff in almost 600 years to resign his position, rather than hold office for life, passed away on Saturday, according to a statement from the Vatican.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Saturday that the former pope “sent a strong signal through his resignation.” 

“Pope Benedict’s passing saddens me. My sympathy goes out to all Catholics,” von der Leyen said in a tweet, adding, “He had set a strong signal through his resignation. He saw himself first as a servant for God and his Church.” 

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also paid tribute. “I am saddened to learn of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI,” Sunak tweeted Saturday.

“My thoughts are with Catholic people in the UK and around the world today,” Sunak added.

Britain’s King Charles III sent a message of condolence to Pope Francis after Benedict’s death. “His visit to the United Kingdom in 2010 was important in strengthening the relations between the Holy See and the United Kingdom,” the king said in the message published on the Royal Family’s official website.

“I also recall his constant efforts to promote peace and goodwill to all people, and to strengthen the relationship between the global Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church,” he said.   

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni voiced her admiration for the former pope.

“Benedict XVI was a giant of faith and reason. He put his life at the service of the universal Church and spoke, and will continue to speak, to the hearts and minds of men with the spiritual, cultural and intellectual depth of his Magisterium,” she tweeted Saturday. 

Italian President Sergio Mattarella described Pope Benedict XVI as an “unforgettable figure for the Italian people,” saying that Italy is in “bereavement” over his death.

His gentleness and wisdom were a blessing “for our community and the entire international community,” Mattarella said Saturday in a statement.   

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the former pope “was a special church leader for many.”

“As a ‘German’ Pope, Benedict XVI was a special church leader for many, not only in this country. The world loses a formative figure of the Catholic Church, an argumentative personality and a clever theologian. My thoughts are with Pope Francis,” Scholz tweeted.  

Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer tweeted: “Together we Catholics mourn the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.  

“He was a remarkable historical figure, a great scholar even at a young age. Benedict XVI was one of the few German-speaking heads of the Church and the first Pope of modern times, who resigned from office of his own accord. 

French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday said his “thoughts” were with Catholics around the world after the former pope’s death.

“My thoughts are with the Catholics of France and the world, mourning the departure of His Holiness Benedict XVI, who worked with soul and intelligence for a more fraternal world,” Macron tweeted.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky paid tribute to the pope emeritus in a message on Twitter.

“I express my sincere condolences to Pope Francis, the hierarchy and the faithful of the Catholic Church all over the world on the death of Pope Benedict XVI – an outstanding theologian, intellectual and promoter of universal values,” Zelensky wrote.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the former Pope will be remembered for his “rich service to society.” 

“Saddened by the passing away of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who devoted his entire life to the Church and the teachings of Lord Christ. He will be remembered for his rich service to society. My thoughts are with the millions around the world who grieve his passing,” Modi said in a tweet

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was “saddened” by the former pope’s death.

“Saddened to hear of the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, this evening. May he rest in eternal peace,” Albanese tweeted.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is leading Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, called the former pope “a staunch defender of traditional Christian values.”  

“I had the opportunity to communicate with this outstanding person, and I will forever keep the brightest memories of him. I would like to convey to you the words of sincere sympathy in this mournful hour,” he added.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres honored the former pope as “a humble man of prayer and study” who was “principled in his faith, tireless in his pursuit of peace, and determined in his defence of human rights.”

CNN’s Stephanie Halasz and Richard Roth and Sharon Braithwaite contributed reporting.


source

California couple killed in Yosemite National Park rockslide identified by park officials

Latest & Breaking News on Fox News 

Officials have identified the two people who were killed by a rock slide in Yosemite National Park on Tuesday morning.

According to a statement released by the National Park Service, the victims have been identified as 51-year-old Georgios Theocharous and 35-year-old Ming Yan, a married couple from San Jose, California.

The incident took place on El Portal Road, near Big Oak Flat Road at approximately 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27.

OREGON, WASHINGTON HIT WITH DEADLY STORMS, FLOODING

The section of Highway 140 hugs the Merced River on one side and large, rocky hills on the other side. The road leads to Yosemite Valley to the east and one of the park’s three western entrances to the west.

The couple’s Dodge Ram was hit by Rocks that fell from 1,000 feet above El Portal Road. The force of the rockfall pushed their rented truck off the road and onto the embankment of the Merced River.

HEAVY RAIN SLAMS CENTRAL AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, LEADING TO WIDESPREAD ROAD CLOSURES AND EVACUATION ORDERS

Park officials said about 185 tons of rock, in total, were involved in the rock slide, which affected 500 feet of the road. The cause of the rockfall remains under investigation by the National Park Service.

The rock slide closed a portion of El Portal Road for several hours, the National Park Service said in a tweet. The road reopened the following day after the unexpected tragedy.

On Friday evening, the park announced another closure at Big Oak Flat Road, east of Foresta, due to another rock fall incident. On Saturday afternoon, the park reopened the road. 

 

Read More 

 

'Determined to have her story told': Retrospective casts new light on Yayoi Kusama's seven-decade career

Written by Stephy ChungKristie Lu StoutHong Kong

CNN International will air an inside look at the Yayoi Kusama show as part of its New Year’s Eve Live special on December 31.

Advanced age and the pandemic have done little to deter Japan’s Yayoi Kusama. At 93, the world’s best-selling living female artist is still painting daily at the psychiatric hospital she voluntarily checked into and has lived in since the 1970s.

Some of her latest creations feature alongside early drawings in a new exhibition at Hong Kong’s M+ museum. Bringing together more than 200 works, “Yayoi Kusama: 1945 to now” spans seven decades as the largest retrospective of her art in Asia outside her home country.

Best known for her signature pumpkin sculptures and polka-dot paintings, which can command millions of dollars at auction, Kusama’s success has skyrocketed in the past decade. The most photogenic parts of her oeuvre — including her immersive “Infinity Mirror Room” installations, tickets for which sell out at museums the world over — have achieved mainstream appeal in the era of social media.

Needless to say, her new Hong Kong exhibition is filled with Instagram-friendly moments. But the museum’s deputy director Doryun Chong, who co-curated the show, says he hopes visitors take the opportunity to dive deeper.

“Kusama is so much more than pumpkin sculptures and polka-dot patterns,” he explained. “She is a thinker of deep philosophy — a ground-breaking figure who has really revealed so much about herself, her vulnerability (and) her struggles as the source of inspiration for her art.”

The artist's self-portraits on show.

The artist’s self-portraits on show. Credit: Noemi Cassanelli/CNN

Infinity and beyond

Arranged chronologically and thematically, the show explores concepts that Kusama has revisited across multiple mediums over the course of her career. The notion of infinity, for example, appears in the form of repetitious motifs inspired by the vivid hallucinations experienced in childhood, when she would see everything around her consumed by seemingly endless patterns.

Visitors are given a sense of how these forms have evolved, beginning in a room filled with her “Infinity Net” paintings — including a breakthrough work she created after seeing the Pacific Ocean for the very first time from a plane window when she moved to the US from Japan in 1957.

These nets appear again in “Self-Obliteration,” an installation created between 1966 and 1974, a period after Kusama established herself in New York’s male-dominated art world despite the discrimination she faced as a woman, and a Japanese one at that. (She believed male peers like Andy Warhol copied her ideas without credit). Comprised of six mannequins stood around a dinner table, every inch of the sculpture — from the human figures down to the furniture and cutlery — is covered with little looping brushstrokes.

The motif later re-emerges to bold, vibrant effect, filling the bodies of amoeba-like forms in selected works from “My Eternal Soul,” a hundreds-strong series of acrylic paintings that she began in 2009 and completed last year. They appear in the retrospective’s colorful “Force of Life” section, which immediately follows one titled “Death,” a contrast that speaks both to the dichotomies of Kusama’s work and the internal struggles underpinning it.

“Nowadays we’re very used to (people) talking about their mental health challenges, but this was 60 to 70 years ago that she started doing this,” said Chong. “It really runs throughout her life and career, but it never really stays in a dark place. She always proves that, by talking about death and even her suicidal thoughts and illness, she reaffirms and regenerates her will to live.”

Elsewhere, the exhibition features lesser-known pieces from the artist’s repertoire, shining a light on what she created mid-career, when she returned to Japan depressed and disillusioned. Among them is a black and white stuffed fabric sculpture from 1976 called “Death of a Nerve.”

While lesser known, the exhibition's curators consider "Death of a Nerve" to be a key piece. It was made in 1976, the year before she voluntarily checked herself into a psychiatric hospital.

While lesser known, the exhibition’s curators consider “Death of a Nerve” to be a key piece. It was made in 1976, the year before she voluntarily checked herself into a psychiatric hospital. Credit: Noemi Cassanelli/CNN

A 2022 version of the artwork, created for M+ and slightly renamed “Death of Nerves,” is also on display. Realized to a much grander scale and rendered in color, it embodies a sense of resilience and even optimism in contrast to the original. An accompanying poem acknowledges that, after a suicide attempt, her nerves were left “dead and shredded.” After some time, however, a “universal love” began “coursing through my entire body,” she wrote; the revived nerves “burst into beautifully vibrant colors… stretching to the infinitude of eternity.”

"Death of Nerves" can been seen from multiple levels of the museum.

“Death of Nerves” can been seen from multiple levels of the museum. Credit: Noemi Cassanelli/CNN

“It’s an unusual piece for Kusama because most people associate her with the pumpkins, or the mirror rooms, or with more Pop forms, but this is a very soft sculpture that she has always been working on, since the beginning,” explained Mika Yoshitake, an independent curator who worked on the M+ show with Chong, as well as previous Kusama shows at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, D.C. and the New York Botanical Garden.

“I think she’s incredible to be able to sustain her strength through art,” added Yoshitake, who last saw Kusama in 2018, before the pandemic. “She’s determined to have her story told.”

Small by comparison is a group of 11 paintings the artist began in 2021 and completed this summer, called “Every Day I Pray for Love.”

“She has always said ‘love forever,’ said Yoshitake. She wants people to be at peace, and have this warmth and to care for each other. There’s so much strife and war, terrorism, a lot of things she sees in the world, especially through this pandemic.”

An image of Kusama wearing a signature red wig, featured in exhibition materials.

An image of Kusama wearing a signature red wig, featured in exhibition materials. Credit: Noemi Cassanelli/CNN

In a short email interview with CNN, Kusama explained her dedication to her art.

“I paint every day,” she said. “I am going to continue creating a world in awe of life, embracing all the messages of love, peace and universe.”

Since her teens, Kusama has read Chinese poems and literature “with deep respect,” she said. As such, she added, she is “happy” to have her work on show in Hong Kong.

According to M+, the exhibition has now been described as “the most comprehensive retrospective of the artist’s work to date,” by curator and critic Akira Tatehata, who serves as director of the Yayoi Kusama Museum in Tokyo. Tatehata, who visited the museum in November, has long supported the artist, and was the commissioner of her solo representation of Japan at the Venice Biennale in 1993.

Art’s healing power

The retrospective also carries special meaning for M+, which used the show to mark its one-year anniversary.

Since its conception over a decade ago, the museum has been touted as Asia’s answer to the London’s Tate Modern or New York’s Museum of Modern Art. When it finally opened last year, it faced unique challenges, from Hong Kong’s changing political environment, which continues to raise censorship concerns across sectors including the arts, to pandemic restrictions that closed the museum for three months and, until recently, barred most international visitors from the city. But Chong sees the latter, at least, as “a blessing in disguise.”

“For a global museum to have opened and be embraced by our local audiences, first and foremost, in its first year couldn’t have been a better way to start the museum,” he said.

Polka dot pumpkins located at the museum entrance.

Polka dot pumpkins located at the museum entrance. Credit: Noemi Cassanelli/CNN

Recently welcoming its 2-millionth visitor, M+ hopes that eased Covid restrictions will allow more people from abroad to see its vast collection, which includes the largest trove of Chinese contemporary art, and the Kusama exhibition, which runs through May.

“(Kusama is) living proof that art is indeed therapy and has a powerful healing power,” said Chong. “And that’s such an important lesson, especially for us during this period of post-pandemic.”

source