logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2024
36m 2s

How will the Alabama IVF ruling affect t...

BBC News
About this episode

US Supreme Court justices are considering two cases from Florida and Texas which could fundamentally alter the future of online free speech.

Meanwhile, in Alabama, the state’s top court ruling on IVF has cast doubt on the future of the treatment, as the debate over reproductive rights enters new territory.

We unpack what’s going on, how the cases could affect the lives of Americans, and how they could influence the upcoming election.

HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Marianna Spring, disinformation and social media correspondent • Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondent

GUEST: Mary Zeigler, legal historian, professor of law, and expert on the history, and politics of reproduction.

GET IN TOUCH: • Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB • Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480 • Email Americast@bbc.co.uk • Or use #Americast

Find out more about our award-winning “undercover voters” here: bbc.in/3lFddSF.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s new BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

This episode was made by Chris Flynn, Rufus Gray, Catherine Fusillo, and Claire Betzer. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. The series producer is George Dabby. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Up next
Yesterday
Americanswers! Will Trump really livestream a firing squad execution?
How has US defence secretary Pete Hegseth justified the decision to livestream the execution of former US soldier, Nidal Hassan by firing squad at the Fort Hood military base - where he killed 13 unarmed US soldiers - in 2009? Justin, Sarah, Anthony and Marianna are back with Mat ... Show More
29m 15s
Oct 9
Are the Democrats heading for a midterms landslide?
How confident should Democrats be about surprise new polling which puts them ahead in deep Republican territory? In states such as Kansas which haven’t elected a Democratic senator since 1932, Democrat candidates are doing well - why is that, and how much can we trust the polls? ... Show More
39m 19s
Oct 7
Did Trump really say Iran could “take out” Los Angeles?
The president has started a war of words with California Governor Gavin Newsom after saying that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego. Trump made the comments during his midterms campaign tour, telling the audience it would be “very small price to pay” in the war. News ... Show More
25m 51s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2024
The politics of IVF
A theologian explains why he agrees with Alabama’s Supreme Court ruling that embryos are children. A conservative pollster explains why it's a bad look heading into the 2024 election. This episode was produced by Victoria Chamberlin, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura ... Show More
25m 37s
Mar 2024
The IVF Decision We Should Have Seen Coming
It was a wild week at the High Court (another seven days crammed with a year’s worth of news). SCOTUS heard cases about bump stocks, and how Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito would do as Facebook content moderators. The Supreme Court also finally found the time to put a thumb on t ... Show More
58m 9s
Jun 2022
Comings to term: America’s abortion-rights rollback
The Supreme Court ruling has <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/06/24/the-supreme-court-erases-the-constitutional-right-to-abortion?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na- ... Show More
24m 42s
Nov 2021
All Eyes On Virginia
Tomorrow's election for the governor of Virginia could be one of the most consequential since the last presidential election, especially because of the implications it could have for the midterms next year. What could tomorrow mean for future elections?  Plus, two key conservat ... Show More
41m 51s
Jun 2022
Comings to term: America’s abortion-rights rollback
The Supreme Court ruling has <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2022/06/24/the-supreme-court-erases-the-constitutional-right-to-abortion?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na- ... Show More
24m 42s
Aug 2022
What’s It Like to Be a Red-State Abortion Doctor Post-Roe?
The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the precedents set by Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which established the right to abortion in the U.S., has created a chaotic legal situation as conservative states rush to ban the procedure. On this week’s show, Vanessa ... Show More
29m 1s