Heartbeat Law Temporarily Blocked

A judge says he’ll temporarily block the most restrictive abortion law in the country from taking effect in Iowa next month. The decision comes under an agreement between lawyers for the state and abortion rights groups that filed a lawsuit challenging the law. The groups sued the state to block the law, which bans most abortions if a fetal heartbeat can be detected. A judge said during a court hearing Friday that he would formally issue a temporary injunction later in the day.