US

The US state of Idaho has passed a law that puts health workers at risk of prosecution for performing voluntary abortions after 6 weeks of pregnancy.   The law, signed by the governor on Wednesday, allows the families of women who have undergone a termination of pregnancy and the fathers of the fetus, even if it was a result of rape, to file a complaint against the hospitals or doctors who performed the surgery. The law is modelled on a similar piece of legislation that sparked outrage in Texas. Idaho Governor Brad Little claims to be a staunch advocate for the rights of unborn babies. However, he said he was concerned that the law would have unintended consequences, including being "unconstitutional". Authorizing private citizens to impose hefty fines "to avoid investigation by a ...

Near the American city of Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania, a helicopter with an infant on board has crashed over a residential area. Miraculously, there were no fatalities, local authorities report.   The plane crashed into a residential area near Upper Darby Township, on the border with Philadelphia, for unknown reasons on Tuesday. All four passengers, except the baby, were able to free themselves from the helicopter. The baby's condition is said to be stable, and she, like the pilot, was taken to hospital. According to American media, the helicopter was on its way to a children's hospital in Philadelphia, where the two-month-old girl would be treated. The US aviation authority is investigating the cause of the incident. Numerous witnesses saw the incident happen. Shocked motorists...

A New York school teacher has been arrested for vaccinating a student against the coronavirus without the consent of the 17-year-old's parents. That reports the BBC.   Biology teacher Laura Russo (54) from Long Island is said to have vaccinated the 17-year-old boy - who had asked for the vaccine herself - at her home. Video footage shows the woman telling the boy that "everything will be okay, I hope. So there you go, home vaccination." The boy's parents are said to have alerted the police after their son came home and told them what had happened. The police arrested Russo on New Year's Eve. She faces a four-year prison sentence for performing a medical procedure without parental consent and without the necessary medical qualifications.