Utah judge delays implementing statewide abortion clinic ban
CBSN
A Utah judge ruled Tuesday that a recently passed state law banning abortion clinics cannot take effect next week, when it was scheduled to take effect, while the court deliberates over a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood.
Judge Andrew Stone's decision to grant Planned Parenthood's request will allow the four clinics that provide abortions in Utah to remain licensed to operate fully. The law would have stopped abortion clinics from obtaining licenses on May 3 and fazed out existing ones by next year.
Planned Parenthood argued the law would have effectively ended access to abortion throughout Utah, where clinics provide 95% of abortions.

As the Trump administration continues to prepare military options for strikes in Iran, U.S. allies in the Mideast, including Turkey, Oman and Qatar, are attempting to head off that possibility by brokering diplomatic talks, multiple regional officials told CBS News. Camilla Schick and Eleanor Watson contributed to this report.

Another winter storm may be headed toward the East Coast of the United States this weekend, on the heels of a powerful and deadly system that blanketed huge swaths of the country in snow and ice. The effects of that original storm have lingered for many areas in its path, and will likely remain as repeated bouts of Arctic air plunge downward from Canada and drive temperatures below freezing. Nikki Nolan contributed to this report. In:











