US Appeals Court declines rehearing, block on Guam’s 1990 abortion ban stays

By Joe Taitano II, Pacific Daily News
Feb 5, 2026

A federal appeals court this week declined to rehear a case that could have seen Guam’s long-dead 1990 abortion ban revived.

It is “impossible” for the federal court to grant Guam Attorney General Douglas Moylan any relief in the push to have the abortion ban in Public Law 20-134 enforced, judges for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit wrote in a Feb. 3 order.

But any future abortion ban enacted by Guam lawmakers would not be held back by the existing federal injunction blocking the 1990 ban, according to a statement attached to the order.

Continued: https://www.guampdn.com/news/us-appeals-court-declines-rehearing-block-on-guams-1990-abortion-ban-stays/article_bd314b9f-29cd-4df3-8dbf-f14010c99ee6.html

05.02.2026

News

American Civil Liberties Union Foundation

Anita Arriola

Douglas Moylan

Guam abortion ban

Guam Memorial Hospital

Guam People for Choice

Supreme Court rules 13-year-old can have abortion in her ‘best interests’

A 13-year-old Qld girl has been granted a medical abortion after a judge found she could not understand the consequences of giving birth or raising a child.

Vanda Carson
January 30, 2026

An 13-year-old from the West Moreton Bay region who was pregnant to her teen boyfriend has been given the green light to take an abortion pill, after a Supreme Court judge ruled she was not competent to make the decision.

In a ruling published on Friday January 30, Supreme Court Justice Michael Copley ruled on November 11 that the West Moreton Hospital and Health Service could give the girl – given the pseudonym B – medications that would cause cramps and bleeding and end the pregnancy.

Continued: https://archive.is/liag8
(https://www.couriermail.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-qld/supreme-court-rules-13yearold-can-have-abortion-in-her-best-interests/news-story/7d8f5203d31681c1a4acc77f16259059)

30.01.2026

News

Michael Copley

West Moreton Hospital and Health Service

New Zealand – Abortion numbers rise since decriminalisation and launch of telehealth services

3 January 2026
Pretoria Gordon

A sexual and reproductive health specialist says a recent rise in abortion numbers reflects improved access to care rather than an increase in demand.

There has been a 37 percent increase since abortion was decriminalised in New Zealand - from 12,948 in 2019 to 17,785 in 2024.

The Contraception, Sterilisation, and Abortion Act 1977 and the Crimes Act 1961 were amended in March 2020.

Continued: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/583115/abortion-numbers-rise-since-decriminalisation-and-launch-of-telehealth-services

03.01.2026

News

Contraception Sterilization and Abortion Act of 1977

Crimes Act 1961

DECIDE

Magma Healthcare

Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa

Guam – Governor opposes rehearing for AG appeal in abortion ban injunction case

John O'Connor | The Guam Daily Post
Dec 19, 2025

Following the opposition filing from health care groups and doctors, Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has filed her own opposition to Attorney General Douglas Moylan's rehearing request for his case at the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, regarding his attempt to dissolve the injunction on Guam's old abortion ban.

Moylan has been trying to dissolve the injunction since coming into office in 2023.

His efforts follow the 2022 decision from the Supreme Court of the United States, which overturned decades-old legal precedent that considered abortion a right in the U.S. - the same precedent that led to Guam's ban being placed under an injunction shortly after its enactment in 1990.

Continued: https://www.postguam.com/news/local/governor-opposes-rehearing-for-ag-appeal-in-abortion-ban-injunction-case/article_5cb76cf2-79d6-4982-89fd-0b4482aa3de1.html

19.12.2025

News

Douglas Moylan

Lou Leon Guerrero

Supreme Court of Guam

Australia – Minister pushed one-time rival from hospital role, then changed board laws

By Matt Dennien
December 15, 2025

Queensland’s health minister pushed a prominent abortion advocate to quit a hospital board concerned that her public work could harm its relationship with the new LNP government.

Documents obtained by this masthead show Health Minister Tim Nicholls directed former board member Daile Kelleher – once a candidate for his seat of Clayfield – to “resolve” what he deemed were unmanageable conflicts between her roles.

Kelleher, the chief executive of Sexual and Reproductive Health Australia, decided to speak out after state parliament last week passed laws giving cabinet the power to dismiss health service board members without reason.

Continued: https://archive.is/FLJtv
(https://www.smh.com.au/politics/queensland/minister-pushed-one-time-rival-from-hospital-role-then-changed-board-laws-20251211-p5nmue.html)

15.12.2025

Family Planning Alliance Australia

Linda Waugh

Sexual and Reproductive Health Australia

New Zealand – ‘Unreasonable and inconsistent’: GP faulted over handling of student’s abortion request

Tracy Neal
Mon, 15 Dec 2025

A pregnant woman was left distressed and embarrassed when the doctor she went to see about an abortion consulted her in the busy waiting room area of the clinic.

The woman was in the early stages of an unexpected pregnancy when she visited the GP clinic in August 2021, in the thick of Covid-19 lockdowns, to request a referral for a termination of pregnancy.

The international student, described as having “very limited English”, was also told to “make an appointment after lockdown” when it was not known how long lockdown would continue.

Continued: https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/gp-criticised-for-discussing-abortion-process-at-clinic-front-desk-hdc-report/

15.12.2025

NSW guidelines proposed to prevent hospitals from refusing abortion care based on personal beliefs

Lucy Barbour
Dec 11, 2025

Hospital managers and executives would be barred from blocking abortions because of personal beliefs, under new guidelines proposed for public health services across New South Wales.

A draft copy of the "termination of pregnancy policy directive", obtained by the ABC, includes a new section that specifically deals with conscientious objection among those managing and administering health and hospital services.

Continued : https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-12/document-reveals-plan-to-limit-blocking-of-abortions/106091562

11.12.2025

News

Amanda Cohn

belief-based care denial

conscientious objection

MSI Australia

Orange Health Service

Pregnancy Options Care and Support Service

Australia – Anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe claims University of Adelaide gave her immunity from complaints by pro-choice campaigners

The university, which employs Howe as a law professor, states that it ‘considers each matter on its merits’

Tory Shepherd
Thu 27 Nov 2025

A prominent anti-abortion campaigner, who was banned from the South Australian parliament and accused of bullying, claims her employer has granted her immunity from complaints from anyone who is pro-choice.

Anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe, who has pledged to make abortion “unthinkable”, says the University of Adelaide, which employs her as a law professor, has agreed that those with ideologically opposed viewpoints to hers will be deemed “vexatious”, and any complaints they make about her will not be acted upon.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/nov/27/anti-abortion-activist-joanna-howes-claims-her-employer-gave-her-immunity-from-complaints-by-pro-choice-campaigners-ntwnfb

27.11.2025

SA attorney general refers anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe’s fundraiser ‘game’ for investigation

Bingo card-style game, where supporters encouraged to ‘buy’ words and phrases linked to contentious abortion bill, condemned by crossbench MLCs as a ‘grift’ that trivialised debate

Tory Shepherd
Thu 13 Nov 2025

A “fun little game” launched by the anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe to raise funds during an emotional debate over late-pregnancy abortion in South Australia has been referred for investigation.

Howe, who has worked with conservative politicians to introduce various state and federal bills to water down abortion rights, said the bingo card-style game was a fundraiser for an anti-abortion war chest.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/nov/13/joanna-howe-anti-abortion-activist-sa-attorney-general-ntwnfb

13.11.2025

anti-choice hatred

anti-choice misogyny

Ben Hood

bingo card game on abortion

Bill to restrict abortions later in pregnancy defeated in South Australia after emotional debate

Amendment would have watered down law to allow abortion only where it would save life of mother or another foetus, or for significant risk of abnormalities

Tory Shepherd
Thu 13 Nov 2025

A bill to restrict access to abortion after 22 weeks and six days has been defeated in the South Australian parliament.

The former One Nation MLC Sarah Game, who is now an independent, worked with the controversial anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe on the legislation that went before the SA parliament on Wednesday night.

It was voted down by 11 votes to eight.

Continued: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/13/south-australia-abortion-bill-restrict-late-term-defeated-voted-down