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Records of dissolved companies since 2010 have been added to Companies House Service (CHS).

Update to records of dissolved companies on CHS following the government’s response to the Corporate Transparency and Register Reform consultation.

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ABC TRAVEL SOLUTIONS (NI) LTD

• Age: 2 Year(s)
• Directors: 2
• Company No: NI687261
• Directors & Secretaries
• Mortgages & Charges

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ABC TRAVEL SOLUTIONS (NI) LTD Credit Report

Includes Risk Score, Credit Limit, CCJs, Mortgages & Charges, Director & Secretary Timeline, Shareholders, Ownership & Group Stucture. Plus UNLIMITED updates and FREE documents!

Private limited with Share Capital

Active - Accounts Filed

06 April 2022

49320 Taxi operation - Taxi operation

Available to 26 Jun 2023. Next accounts due by 31 Jan 2025

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For a full in-depth analysis on each of these directors, click any of the links below

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SOLUTIONS THAT MOVE WITH YOU

SEARCH SELECT INVENTORY

WE’RE FOCUSED ON YOUR FLEET

Our expert-level Customer Care Call Center is available to you 24/7. With a focus on protecting your fleet investment, we dedicate our time to your Up-time!

WE’VE GOT YOUR PART

ABC’s expansive parts inventory offers OEM brand and ABC Select components, online discounts, fast delivery and extended ordering hours – up to 8 pm EST

WE HELP YOU PRESERVE VALUE

ABC service revolves around protecting your investment and minimizing downtime. For Van Hool and any leading equipment model, expect service performance excellence for major and minor repairs, scheduled maintenance, mechanical services, custom graphics and more!

Stay Up to Date With Our Latest Products Download Our Product Offering Guide

Customer-focused.

It’s more than a mantra. It is the core value that guides the ABC team at every level of sales, service, parts, warranty and financial support.

Flexible, Scalable

Do you need an on-site team to support a fleet campaign? Or tech support at 2am? Let us show you how we can work around the clock, onsite and off to support your operation.

Future Looking

Our exclusive Van Hool lineup integrates best-in-class technologies that ensure high-performance, improved fleet management, reliability, quality and passenger satisfaction.

Family-Owned

Our family roots go back four generations. Today the Cornell family continues to lead our stable and tenured management team. Learn More

When you want to find a motorcoach, transit and shuttle bus dealer that will support your operations every step of the way, look no further than ABC Companies. We’re the bus dealer and motorcoach company with the broadest range of available vehicles. From new, full-size coaches to used shuttles and passenger vans and everything in between, we’re your ultimate resource.

As an experienced transit bus company, we work with governmental entities as well as the private sector, selling and leasing new and pre-owned vehicles to fit into your fleet. We also take pride in being a full-service coach, transit and shuttle bus company, providing parts and service so you can keep your coaches and vans on the road for as long as possible. With a wide range of financing options available to you, we strive to be your go-to bus company.

ABC Companies is a service-centered  bus dealer at every touchpoint in our organization! We’ve learned throughout our 60-year history that evolving to adapt to each customer’s need is the key to strong relationships. So, while customers have come to expect industry-leading equipment solutions, cutting-edge technology and steadfast after-sale support services, they also know they can expect more. We are willing and able to quickly scale up or down to support your operation. Ask us how we move with you to exceed your expectations.

Choose from ABC Companies’ vast inventory including certified pre-owned, pre-owned plus and base equipment models.

CustomerCare

Hours of operation.

Buses Sold Since 1987

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Customer Satisfaction

Coaches Under Fleet Maintenance

Actively seeking business development opportunities with DBE , WBE/MBE , and VOB vendors.

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ABC Travel Service   Reviews

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Reviews 4.4.

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I give ABC Travel 100%, thanks to Claudia

I had a very good experience with ABC Travel today. Claudia was very professional and helpful. She ensured I understood everything I needed to know in order to make my reservation process successful. Her customer service skills are excellent.

Date of experience : April 16, 2024

Incredible rebooking service

I realized I didn’t give myself enough time for a layover during an international flight. I requested rebooking and was called the same day. The service agent was super helpful and provided me options. So glad I went through this service for my travel plans

Date of experience : September 04, 2023

Superb Customer Service

We've been booking our airline tickets through ABC Travel for a number of years now, and every single time, we've had incredible customer service on the phone and unbeatable ticket prices. Very pleased and highly recommend!

Date of experience : October 26, 2023

Big thank you to Denise for her…

Big thank you to Denise for her outstanding help with our cruise. We would still be waiting to sail if she had not gone through the extra steps to help us get the pre-sailing requirements completed. We appreciate her translating the phone calls, documents and more.

Date of experience : November 16, 2022

I can always count on ABC Travel to locate the best price!!

I can always count on ABC Travel to search & find the best flights for me quickly. I always leave the Ramstein ABC Travel office with a big smile on my face! Today, Mr. Becker was efficient and kind. He valued my time and was accurate and thorough with ticketing my trip! Mr. Becker is a huge asset to your company. Thank you for improving your website. It is helpful to search flights prior to arriving to the office. 😀

Date of experience : July 19, 2023

The ABCTravel team does a great job…

The ABCTravel team does a great job finding me the best price for flights. I had to reschedule some flights recently and they made this process work very smoothly, especially given the short-notice. Julian Imhof from the Ramstein office helped me in re-booking and found me new flights also with a good deal on the price. Highly recommend!

Date of experience : February 04, 2023

Traveling in these times can be very…C.S

Traveling in these times can be very nerve-wrecking and lead to extreme stress. It can start with booking a ticket and coping with the constant airline and flight changes to asking silly questions like when do I receive a ticket??? But knowing that I can count on the excellent, friendly service of the agents reassures me that all will go well...And it always has!!! Big big thank you to Mr. Daniel Becker, Mr. Corey Meyer and the many others who have supported me on all of my travels. Thank you very much..Mahalo nui loa. C.S

Date of experience : August 12, 2023

Great customer service

I have always booked all my flights for myself and family over ABC travel and their very helpful, professional and friendly agent Denise. She has always answered all my questions, and has made traveling last minute a great experience. Wonderful customer service-especially from Denise!

Date of experience : August 29, 2022

Abc travel my 1st go to!

We have been customers over many years, the customer service and knowledge of the agents are great. They are always very helpful to ensure our booking goes smoothly. We could not be happier to have found yet, another great flight once again. Many thanks!

Date of experience : January 11, 2023

Superior customer service: Denise Jahn

I have been coming to abc travel ramstein for many years. In particular to see Denise Jahn. Every time Denise helps me she is friendly, patient, and extremely knowledgeable in her craft. It is because of her personality and charm that I am an avid customer to your company. Ms Jahn also ensures I have the best possible experience on my trips by successfully suggestive details with her honesty and experience traveling. I commend her for customer service and passion, for traveling is not only an experience but a way of life. Thank you Ms Denise Jahn for all you have done.

Date of experience : December 05, 2022

True asset to the airline industry

The travel agent, Ms./Mrs. Haithover was very helpful in assisting me with my inquiries. She took the time to explain every question that I had in detail. Ms./Mrs. Haithover took the time to research multiple flight connections to fit my need. After my flight was altered by the airline, Ms./Mrs. Haithover rebooked my flights with better seating. Overall she was very polite,well-spoken and professional.

Date of experience : June 20, 2022

Abc Travel is not what it’s supposed to…

Abc Travel got to expensive their prices are outrageous. Found another Agency won’t be able to buy tickets from them anymore Atlanta Frankfurt flights too expensive. Flying with a Family of 4 10K.

Date of experience : December 11, 2023

Reply from ABC Travel Service

Dear Linda, the prices are actually provided to us by the airlines. We try to negotiate with the airlines to provide favorable rates for our customers. Nevertheless, you should find the normal rates with us that you can also book elsewhere. Something may have gone wrong with your search. However, the fact that air fares are currently very high is not the fault or poor performance of ABC Travel Service. It is a pity that you have to publish such a bad review immediately because of a slightly more expensive price. I hope you find more suitable results in your next search. Kind regards Christoph Steinel

Great Experience

Corey , was amazing. He demonstrated great customer service skills and patients going above and beyond to make my family’s last minute travels a smooth one.

Date of experience : January 24, 2023

Excellent Service

Really nice to get such wonderful service. I has been many years since i got to travel, so really appreciated the patience in handling my travel to the US. Went over and beyond and will highly recommend to all my friends.

Date of experience : June 16, 2022

Fantastic, quick service. First time booking with ABC Travel and it was an extremely pleasant experience. Will for sure come back for future trips

Date of experience : January 22, 2023

A horrible experience so far

Whoever wrote this last review two days ago may have mixed things up. You CANNOT call ABC Travel - the hotline advises since months that they are NOT taking any phone calls. Response time on any email requests - if answered at all - take weeks if not months. If they come back they pretend to solve the issue by making offers in accordance with your request (e.g. change itinerary) but you wait another endless time (weeks/months) before you get any written confirmation that your flights had been rebooked. This travel agent doesn’t deserve the name “agent” and they are not interested in customer relations, just collecting money and then, customer please shut up. Will never ever use or recommend these fake agents.

Date of experience : June 12, 2022

Great Customer Service

Elizabeth with ABC a travel has been so helpful and patient with my flight reservation requests and with all of the changes! She responded quickly and was very kind.

Date of experience : February 23, 2023

AMAZING EXPERIENCE!

My experience was amazing! Everything was done perfect! Customer service was amazing! Ms. Denise was so helpful! She did above and beyond! I had the most wonderful experience on my trip!

Date of experience : November 07, 2022

HORRIBLE! We took trip to Jamica only to find ourselves stranded because our travel agent did not confirm our booking. When we attempted utilize the contact information provided in case of emergency, we were bounced back and forth from ABC Travel to FTI Touristik and POC in Jamica. No one wanted to help because they all felt it was not their problem. To top it all off it was over a weekend and no one answered the phone past Friday evening. The Jamaican resort was the most helpful, but we had to pay out of pocket cost on top the $6K we already paid for the vacation.

Date of experience : October 13, 2022

Great agency got a very good price and…

Great agency got a very good price and they helped me not get scammed from other travels they also gave me a call on the day of my flight to remind me about my flight I recommend this agent.

Date of experience : May 08, 2022

--  Travel Consultants  -- 

WELCOME TO ABC WORLD VACATIONS

...where all of your travel plans are taken care of with style, sensibility, and comfort in mind.

We're a one-stop shop for your travel and exploration needs.

We handle travel via air, land and sea. We can arrange the perfect destination package including resorts, conference rooms and meeting locations, special events, and attractions.  We can also provide you with the best travel guides, maps, and web resources to get you oriented at your destination. Choosing the right family vacation is an important decision. Choosing the right agent is an even bigger one.

Don't leave your vacation to chance. Insist on the best.

Grace Roth and ABC World Vacations.

GROUP TRIPS

Traveling does not need to be stressful. You can count on us for great value and dependable service, and many extras you won't find anywhere else.

Take a look at our media page for photos and videos from our clients trips! Gain inspiration for your future destinations. See a place you're interested in? Let us know!

EXPLORE THE GLOBE

  Want to get away but not sure where? Know where but not what to do once you get there? Let us help you figure it all out with a few questions...  

Australian Business and Conference Travel Est1979

Our service culture ensures that customer service takes priority in all our goals, decisions, actions, and everyday operations. When an organization has a heart for service, each employee is connected emotionally to a world-class service outcome. Delivering excellence is not simply an unsubstantiated strategy but it is our pledge and vocation to our clients.

ABC Travel is always available for you.

During such challenging times the true value of having a good travel company to assist you has never been more important. As travel is often one of the largest expenses people have in a year it makes sense to seek the advice of professionals. Our ABC Travel team of professionals have always acted as advocates for our clients and our expert services are indispensable.

The travel industry has significantly recovered and thousands of passengers are ecstatic at the prospect of reuniting with family and friends or simply having a much anticipated “international” getaway. We are seeing a strong desire among our clients to take big bucket list trips, particularly to far-flung international destinations. Our long-standing ABC Travel family has first-hand knowledge of the truly life-changing travel experiences our team excels in creating.

Explore the Globe safely.

Plan your unique experience with abc travel..

KNOWN for the creativity of our tailor-made journeys.

RESPECTED for our knowledge .

VALUED for our discretion and flexibility .

CHOSEN for our personal approach .

Described as the best kept secret in travel, at ABC Travel we are more than simply a well-established luxury travel company. We realise your time is valuable, so we ensure every aspect of your holiday from the moment you leave to the moment you return is flawless. Our team of specialists will ensure that every detail of your holiday is thoroughly considered, providing a seamless luxury holiday experience for all our clients. Be it business or leisure, no request is too great and we go the extra mile so you don’t have to. Together with an unrivalled team of passionate travel and lifestyle experts we design enriched journeys to create a perfect blend of culture and luxury.

By celebrating the authentic cultures, natural wonders, and people around the world, we create more than luxury holidays, we build lifelong moments and memories for all of our clients.

ABC TRAVEL specialises in YOU!

What we do best.

Determining success is different for everyone.  At ABC Travel we believe our success is the ability and responsibility to recognise our strengths and passions in order to always deliver what is expected and more importantly to surpass the expected with the unexpected.

ABC Travel Club

Longstanding member of AFTA

Conferences

Longstanding member of IATA

Corporate Travel

Longstanding member of CLIA

Cruising Club

Longstanding member of ATAS

Yachting Club

Longstanding member of Travel Partner

What’s the buzz.

Stay up to date with the latest Travel News by reading our breaking news page

Australia’s best CHOCOLATE HOLIDAYS. Temptation has never been stronger!!!

Holidays are meant to be a time for indulgence, you’ve heard of adventure travel and wine tours, well, why not chocolate tourism? Lovers of chocolate can’t miss with these fabulously decadent destinations. Let’s take a look at these delectable homegrown chocolatiers. KitKat Chocolatory, NSW Get creative at this utterly delectable pit stop. Make your own […]

Australia cruising ban: P&O’s Pacific Explorer becomes first ship to enter Sydney Harbour for two years

The first international cruise ship arrived in Sydney on Monday morning, one day after the Australian government’s ban on cruising lifted. P&O’s Pacific Explorer entered Sydney Harbour at 9.30am, arriving at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay about 10.30am. The cruise liner’s arrival was met with a maritime hero’s welcome, with three water cannon tugs […]

Anzac Day 25 April 2022. Honouring our diggers and preserving their legacy. LEST WE FORGET.

ANZAC DAY 25 April 2022 On Monday ABC Travel wishes to pay our respects and say thanks to those who have come before us , who fought for our country for the freedoms we enjoy today. Australia, is the lucky country and never have these words been more true, everyone you speak to says thank […]

Join the elite Doctor’s Club 

Medical symposiums.

Surpass the way you view continuing education with premier classroom discussions in unparalleled locations that helps you maximise your experience. ABC Travel is an accredited education provider for RACGP.

Malta & Sicily September 2023

Medical Symposium Cook Islands 29 October – 7 November 2022

Boralis Aurora Iceland & Lapland 2022

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Australian Business and Conference Travel. Specialists in conferences, event management, cruising and corporate travel management.

ABC Travel & Conferences Conferences & travel Australia & Worldwide

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4-star edition of the private 9-day tour of the Russian capitals

5-star edition fo the private 9-day tour of Moscow & St. Petersburg

13-day in-depth discovery of Moscow, Kazan, and St. Petersburg

7-day tour designed to harness the best of the Venice of the North

11-day private discovery of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Golden Ring

Your Russia Getaway

Fill out the short trip survey to receive a personalized itinerary from a destination expert.

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Where Journeys to Russia Begin

Award-winning Private & Small Group Tours to Russia

Award-winning Private & Small Group Tours to Russia.

START PLANNING TODAY

START PLANNING

Due to the current geopolitical situation, we temporarily stopped accepting new bookings for travel to Russia.

Russian Journey of Your Lifetime

St. petersburg, volga river, golden ring, the world-leading company for tours to russia..

To this day, we have organized more than 200,000 trips to Russia, private and small group, Trans-Siberian and Volga river cruises . Our tours have become the golden standard for the industry of inbound travel to Russia. Each year, we take thousands to Russia and show them the very best of this enigmatic country.

Learn more about our history and values

Our Approach

Plan with us because we care about your journey..

We cared from the very start of our company when we helped around-the-world travelers to cross Siberia, and we continue to work with simple, yet powerful principles. We work with the very best suppliers, with the best hotels, with best guides, with the best transportation companies. We negotiate the very best rates, and we pass many of the savings to our customers offering a remarkable overall quality of service and travel experience.

Discover more about how we plan your trip

We are rated 4.9 based on 422 reviews

WOW. From the choice of hotels, amazingly planned itineraries, to the amazing guides and drivers, and, of course, the stunning cities of Moscow and St Petersburg. No long queues for museums, churches, and palaces entries. I would gladly recommend using Travel All Russia to anyone.

- Chris Wimpenny from Australia traveled to Russia in 2020

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South Carolina Senate turns wide-ranging energy bill into resolution supporting more power

by JEFFREY COLLINS | Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A bill that power companies call vital to keeping the lights on in South Carolina has been turned into a resolution that only expresses support for the idea by the Senate, which wasn't ready to give more latitude to utilities that cost ratepayers billions.

The Senate agreed to gut the House's 80-plus page energy bill and replace it with a resolution acknowledging the state's power needs are growing. They also promised to extensively discuss energy matters this fall and have their own legislation ready around the time the General Assembly returns in 2025.

Upset that the Senate wasn't taking up the proposal, the House started attaching it to entirely different bills like one requiring therapists to take suicide prevention training and another to allow firefighters who live outside the state to get cancer health care benefits if they work in South Carolina.

Republican Sen. Tom Davis spent weeks trying to broker the impasse, but many senators, including their leadership, did not want to act quickly to relax rules and safeguards.

S.C. House OKs bill they say will keep the lights on. Others worry oversight will be lost COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A wide-ranging bill backers say will ensure South Carolina has plenty of electric power passed a key vote Wednesday in the House... Continue reading

Those rules were put in place after state-owned Santee Cooper and private South Carolina Electric & Gas cost ratepayers and shareholders billions of dollars when they collected the money to build a pair of nuclear reactors that were abandoned before construction was finished.

In the end, the best Davis said the Senate could do was the resolution, which he said should be considered a nod to all the work the House did to handle what is an important issue.

"We all have the same objectives. We want to increase capacity in a responsible way. I think it was just a frank acknowledgment the two chambers are at different points in that process right now," Davis said.

The proposal now heads back to the House, which has until the regular session ends Thursday to decide if it will accept the Senate's version, insist on its own, or just let the matter die.

Senate opposition leaves South Carolina energy bill with listless future COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Before a bill that supporters said will help South Carolina keep the lights on as the state rapidly grows could get debated on the Senate floor, several senators spoke out against the proposal... Continue reading

All 170 members of the General Assembly are up for reelection in November.

The bill was introduced in February and passed the House in about a month. Power companies said they need to revamp South Carolina's rules on utilities to make it easier to build new plants and generate more energy after rolling blackouts were nearly needed on Christmas Eve 2022.

The House bill's short-term goal is to make sure private Dominion Energy, which bought South Carolina Electric & Gas after the nuclear debacle, and Santee Cooper can build a natural gas-fired power plant in the Lowcountry. It allowed faster approval of gas pipelines needed for the project.

The long-term goals include items such as reducing the Public Service Commission which oversees utilities from seven members, having watchdogs consider the health of utilities as well as the needs for ratepayers as they make decisions and allowing utilities to release less information about some projects publicly before they are approved.

Proposed natural gas plant in Colleton County raises environmental and oversight concerns COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCIV) — A major natural gas power plant proposed for Colleton County is one step closer to approval... Continue reading

Republican Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey has said most if not all of those goals are noble. But after working on all kinds of legislation after the construction was halted on the nuclear plants in 2017 he wants to take time and let the Senate hold hearings and study the issue. The House held its own hearings earlier this year.

Massey is especially annoyed Dominion ratepayers are already on the hook to pay for the nuclear plants that never generated a watt of power and are being asked to pay for another power plant.

Nearly half the House was elected after the nuclear debacle in which construction was halted on two new nuclear reactors before they were finished. Three-quarters of the senators were serving when the reactors went bust.

Driver found dead after crashing into White House complex gate, Secret Service says

WASHINGTON — A driver was found dead after crashing into an outer perimeter gate of the White House complex Saturday night, according to the U.S. Secret Service.

The incident, which occurred shortly before 10:30 p.m., posed no threat to the White House, and the public doesn't face any ongoing safety concerns, Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi shared on X , formerly Twitter.  

Officials said in a statement early Sunday that “security protocols were implemented as officers cleared the vehicle and attempted to render aid to the driver who was discovered deceased.”

Washington's Metropolitan Police Department identified the driver as an adult male and shared in a post on X that the vehicle crashed into a security barrier around the complex. Law enforcement officials added that the incident is currently being investigated “only as a traffic crash.”

The Secret Service said it will continue investigating the matter while the fatal part of the crash will be turned over to Washington police.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Woman says she was forced to travel for an abortion despite her fetus's fatal condition

Heather Maberry's unborn child was diagnosed with anencephaly at 20 weeks.

A Kentucky mother of three says she was forced to travel out of state for an abortion despite her fetus being diagnosed with a fatal condition.

After Heather Maberry, 32, a substitute teacher from Stanton — about 100 miles southeast of Louisville — and her husband, Nick, got married last year, they were excited to try for a baby and expand their family.

Maberry said she first found out she was pregnant in October 2022, only to eventually miscarry, and then discovered she was pregnant again two days before Christmas last year.

MORE: Idaho woman shares 19-day miscarriage on TikTok, says state's abortion laws prevented her from getting care

"I've always wanted another baby," she told ABC News. "We were super excited, but we were also very nervous because we had just lost a baby. So, we just kept trying to take care of me the best we could."

It was a difficult pregnancy for Maberry. She was at first diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum , which is a severe type of nausea and vomiting that occurs during pregnancy. She was put on several medications before she began to feel better, medical records viewed by ABC News show.

Maberry and her husband found out they were going to have a girl, who they named Willow. Then came the 20-week ultrasound, during which Maberry's OBGYN told her the fetus had anencephaly, confirmed in medical records viewed by ABC News.

Anencephaly is a serious birth defect, which occurs when the brain and skull do not fully develop. Babies with the condition are either stillborn or die within a few hours or days of being born.

It is estimated that 1 in about 4,600 babies in the United States are born with anencephaly every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

"It felt like hell," Maberry said of hearing the diagnosis. "It just felt like somebody was beating me down. I mean, that was just the worst feeling in the world. The worst news any parent could ever get."

MORE: 5 women sue Texas over abortion bans, saying their lives were put at risk.

A second opinion at another hospital confirmed the diagnosis. Maberry was aware of Kentucky's strict abortion laws that went into effect after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer . Abortion in Kentucky is almost totally banned with very limited exceptions.

In February 2023, the state's highest court allowed a separate so-called "heartbeat" law to remain in place , which prevents abortions from occurring after cardiac activity can be detected.

"Generally, the clinical recommendation would be for a patient to decide what they want to do in that scenario, but with the caveat that one outcome is likely going to be a stillbirth or fetal demise," Dr. Sadia Haider, an OBGYN at Rush University Medical Center who did not treat Maberry, told ABC News. "The patients can choose what they want to do in this scenario, whether they will continue the pregnancy, deliver, and about fetal demise versus choose to terminate…Most places prior to Roe being overturned would have offered those, even in restricted states."

Haider said it does not matter if there's a fetal heartbeat or not because the fetus will unfortunately die either during birth or shortly after being born.

"In this scenario, it's irrelevant whether there's a heartbeat or not because anencephaly basically means there's no brain development or no brain, essentially like no neurologic development, which is essential for survival," she said.

Maberry asked if an abortion could be performed, but her doctor told her he could not perform an abortion for her or induce her because of the law. ABC News reached out to the doctor's office for a comment on their care for Maberry, but did not hear back.

"The only option I had here was to continue carrying her with the same outcome for another you know, 17, 18 weeks," she said. "I said, 'I physically can't and mentally can't continue carrying her knowing that she's never gonna breathe, we're never going to have a life with her.' So, we came to the decision that we were going to try to get an abortion."

Maberry said she called the National Abortion Hotline, which referred her to an abortion clinic in Chicago. Originally, she was quoted $3,300 for the procedure. However, she said the hotline, as well as other abortion funds, helped cover the cost of the procedure.

MORE: How some providers are working around abortion bans since Roe v. Wade was overturned

The funds also helped cover the cost of hotels and food for herself and her husband, Maberry said. Without the help, she estimates they would have needed to pay $6,000 to $7,000 out of pocket.

During the abortion, which was confirmed in medical records viewed by ABC News, Maberry learned that her daughter had other deformities, including missing some of her toes.

Maberry said prior to this experience she didn't believe in abortion for herself, but didn't think it meant other people shouldn't be able to have the procedure.

She said she is not mad at her doctor, but she is angry at the law and the legislators in Kentucky who supported the bill that led to her being required to leave her state to receive care.

"I mean most of them are men," she said. "They are never going to have to carry a child. They're never going to have to be in the position, they're never gonna be the one that was carrying that baby and had to go through hell."

Kentucky lawmakers who have supported the bans have called abortion " a stain on our country " and have said abortion is against their religious beliefs.

Haider said not offering abortion services in several states is putting a significant burden on patients, especially for those who receive those fatal diagnoses.

"There's so much involved in choosing to continue with pregnancy, choosing to go through the delivery as far as like physically, emotionally and otherwise," she said. "And allowing patients to have a choice in how long they have to continue this for -- given the negative outcome that they're gonna face -- is really important."

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Senate leaders race to pass FAA bill, while House passes short-term extension

T op Senate leaders are plotting a path forward on legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration , even as the House passed a one-week extension to avoid the air travel funding legislation from expiring at midnight Friday.

While leaders have said progress has been made toward extending the FAA’s authority for the next five years, senators are struggling to strike a time agreement to try to avoid a lapse of the program ahead of Friday’s deadline. Dozens of amendments have piled on, threatening to derail the legislation and raising concerns about the potential of a compromise ahead of the Friday deadline.

“There’s a sense of urgency around it, but there’s also this sense that people want to feel like they have their voices heard,” said Sen. John Thune (R-SD) , the No. 2 Senate Republican, speaking with the Washington Examiner.

While Thune said there’s a possibility the Senate may need to pivot to a short-term resolution, he said negotiators are still attempting to find a way forward this week, and there could be objections to a short-term resolution. 

“I think there’s a lot of hope that when Thursday and Friday rolls around, people will find a way to get this done, this week,” Thune said. “I think that’s certainly the hope, the optimistic view of this.”

It has taken months for top lawmakers in both chambers to strike a deal on a 1,068-page aviation bill. Now, those who have not been involved in negotiations are looking for modifications, and in some cases, to add provisions unrelated to the overarching bill. 

“It incorporates more than 200 priorities from different senators, both on the Republican side and the Democratic side,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), the ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, who has been playing a role as a deal-maker in an attempt to get the bill through the Senate.

“After it came out of committee, we did a couple of things. I reached out to every Republican senator that is not on Commerce and solicited their amendments,” Cruz explained. “I have been pressing consistently for a robust amendment process.”

“I think we are going to end up with a strong bipartisan vote at the end of the day, obviously on cloture last week, the vote was 89 to 10 and I think that augurs well for the ultimate disposition.”

However, even Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is unsure how lawmakers will arrive at a resolution ahead of the deadline.

“We absolutely have to do something by the end of the week,” McConnell said, speaking to reporters on Wednesday. “I couldn’t tell you how it’s going to play out."

Without an agreement to vote on the full measure, the House opted to make other plans. Lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a short-term bill to extend the FAA’s authority for one week on Wednesday to allow the Senate more time to negotiate. Congress has already punted FAA reauthorization three times.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER  

Senators on both sides of the aisle have already indicated they would not agree to fast-track a one-week extension unless their various amendments would ultimately receive votes. The next procedural hurdle is expected on Thursday when the Senate is holding the first of two required cloture votes. Almost two dozen amendments have been filed in recent days.

Ramsey Touchberry contributed to this report.

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The huge solar storm is keeping power grid and satellite operators on edge

Geoff Brumfiel

Willem Marx

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of solar flares early Saturday afternoon. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there have been measurable effects and impacts from the geomagnetic storm. Solar Dynamics Observatory hide caption

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of solar flares early Saturday afternoon. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there have been measurable effects and impacts from the geomagnetic storm.

Planet Earth is getting rocked by the biggest solar storm in decades – and the potential effects have those people in charge of power grids, communications systems and satellites on edge.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says there have been measurable effects and impacts from the geomagnetic storm that has been visible as aurora across vast swathes of the Northern Hemisphere. So far though, NOAA has seen no reports of major damage.

The Picture Show

Photos: see the northern lights from rare, solar storm.

There has been some degradation and loss to communication systems that rely on high-frequency radio waves, NOAA told NPR, as well as some preliminary indications of irregularities in power systems.

"Simply put, the power grid operators have been busy since yesterday working to keep proper, regulated current flowing without disruption," said Shawn Dahl, service coordinator for the Boulder, Co.-based Space Weather Prediction Center at NOAA.

NOAA Issues First Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch Since 2005

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"Satellite operators are also busy monitoring spacecraft health due to the S1-S2 storm taking place along with the severe-extreme geomagnetic storm that continues even now," Dahl added, saying some GPS systems have struggled to lock locations and offered incorrect positions.

NOAA's GOES-16 satellite captured a flare erupting occurred around 2 p.m. EDT on May 9, 2024.

As NOAA had warned late Friday, the Earth has been experiencing a G5, or "Extreme," geomagnetic storm . It's the first G5 storm to hit the planet since 2003, when a similar event temporarily knocked out power in part of Sweden and damaged electrical transformers in South Africa.

The NOAA center predicted that this current storm could induce auroras visible as far south as Northern California and Alabama.

Extreme (G5) geomagnetic conditions have been observed! pic.twitter.com/qLsC8GbWus — NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) May 10, 2024

Around the world on social media, posters put up photos of bright auroras visible in Russia , Scandinavia , the United Kingdom and continental Europe . Some reported seeing the aurora as far south as Mallorca, Spain .

The source of the solar storm is a cluster of sunspots on the sun's surface that is 17 times the diameter of the Earth. The spots are filled with tangled magnetic fields that can act as slingshots, throwing huge quantities of charged particles towards our planet. These events, known as coronal mass ejections, become more common during the peak of the Sun's 11-year solar cycle.

A powerful solar storm is bringing northern lights to unusual places

Usually, they miss the Earth, but this time, NOAA says several have headed directly toward our planet, and the agency predicted that several waves of flares will continue to slam into the Earth over the next few days.

While the storm has proven to be large, predicting the effects from such incidents can be difficult, Dahl said.

Shocking problems

The most disruptive solar storm ever recorded came in 1859. Known as the "Carrington Event," it generated shimmering auroras that were visible as far south as Mexico and Hawaii. It also fried telegraph systems throughout Europe and North America.

Stronger activity on the sun could bring more displays of the northern lights in 2024

While this geomagnetic storm will not be as strong, the world has grown more reliant on electronics and electrical systems. Depending on the orientation of the storm's magnetic field, it could induce unexpected electrical currents in long-distance power lines — those currents could cause safety systems to flip, triggering temporary power outages in some areas.

my cat just experienced the aurora borealis, one of the world's most radiant natural phenomena... and she doesn't care pic.twitter.com/Ee74FpWHFm — PJ (@kickthepj) May 10, 2024

The storm is also likely to disrupt the ionosphere, a section of Earth's atmosphere filled with charged particles. Some long-distance radio transmissions use the ionosphere to "bounce" signals around the globe, and those signals will likely be disrupted. The particles may also refract and otherwise scramble signals from the global positioning system, according to Rob Steenburgh, a space scientist with NOAA. Those effects can linger for a few days after the storm.

Like Dahl, Steenburgh said it's unclear just how bad the disruptions will be. While we are more dependent than ever on GPS, there are also more satellites in orbit. Moreover, the anomalies from the storm are constantly shifting through the ionosphere like ripples in a pool. "Outages, with any luck, should not be prolonged," Steenburgh said.

What Causes The Northern Lights? Scientists Finally Know For Sure

The radiation from the storm could have other undesirable effects. At high altitudes, it could damage satellites, while at low altitudes, it's likely to increase atmospheric drag, causing some satellites to sink toward the Earth.

The changes to orbits wreak havoc, warns Tuija Pulkkinen, chair of the department of climate and space sciences at the University of Michigan. Since the last solar maximum, companies such as SpaceX have launched thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit. Those satellites will now see their orbits unexpectedly changed.

"There's a lot of companies that haven't seen these kind of space weather effects before," she says.

The International Space Station lies within Earth's magnetosphere, so its astronauts should be mostly protected, Steenburgh says.

In a statement, NASA said that astronauts would not take additional measures to protect themselves. "NASA completed a thorough analysis of recent space weather activity and determined it posed no risk to the crew aboard the International Space Station and no additional precautionary measures are needed," the agency said late Friday.

People visit St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis on Friday in Whitley Bay, England. Ian Forsyth/Getty Images hide caption

People visit St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay to see the aurora borealis on Friday in Whitley Bay, England.

While this storm will undoubtedly keep satellite operators and utilities busy over the next few days, individuals don't really need to do much to get ready.

"As far as what the general public should be doing, hopefully they're not having to do anything," Dahl said. "Weather permitting, they may be visible again tonight." He advised that the largest problem could be a brief blackout, so keeping some flashlights and a radio handy might prove helpful.

I took these photos near Ranfurly in Central Otago, New Zealand. Anyone can use them please spread far and wide. :-) https://t.co/NUWpLiqY2S — Dr Andrew Dickson reform/ACC (@AndrewDickson13) May 10, 2024

And don't forget to go outside and look up, adds Steenburgh. This event's aurora is visible much further south than usual.

A faint aurora can be detected by a modern cell phone camera, he adds, so even if you can't see it with your eyes, try taking a photo of the sky.

The aurora "is really the gift from space weather," he says.

• space weather
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Ukraine war latest: Ukraine sacks commander amid fierce battles with Russian forces; Putin reshuffle 'may hint he is preparing for future confrontation with NATO'

Fierce fighting is taking place in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, with Moscow claiming to have seized nine border villages in the area. And in Moscow, Vladimir Putin has replaced a long-time ally. Submit your question on the war for our experts below.

Monday 13 May 2024 16:03, UK

• Big picture: Everything you need to know as war enters a new week
• Russia claims control of nine villages after shock advance
• Threat of fighting spreading, says Kharkiv governor | Commander sacked
• Moscow forces walked 'freely' across border, Ukrainian soldier claims
• Putin reshuffle indicates he may be preparing for future confrontation with NATO - analysts
• Eyewitness: Deborah Haynes reports from town 'flattened' in offensive
• Analysis:  Putin's 'baffling' reshuffle explained
• Who is Andrei Belousov, Putin's new pick for defence minister?

Ask a question or make a comment

That's all our coverage for what has been an important day on the battlefield and beyond.

If you're just checking in, here is a recap of the key developments that took place since this morning.

You can scan the key points above or scroll back through our posts to find out more details.

We'll be back tomorrow with more updates and analysis on the war in Ukraine.

• Russian forces claimed to have captured nine villages northeastern Ukraine, having opened a second front in the Kharkiv region on Friday;
• The governor of Kharkiv said there was a threat of fighting spreading to other settlements;
• The military commander for the Kharkiv region was sacked;
• Hundreds of people were evacuated from towns near the border;
• Ukraine said it thwarted Russian agents plotting to set off a series of bomb attacks in Kyiv and the Western city of Lviv;
• Russia's acting foreign minister said the country was prepared if the West wanted to fight for Ukraine on the battlefield;
• Analysts said Vladimir Putin's choice of defence minister indicated he was preparing Russia for a protracted war.

As fighting continues in northeastern Kharkiv, its governor has issued some updates.

Russian forces struck a farm in the town of Korotychy, killing a civilian and wounding three others, said Oleh Syniehubov.

Another attack on Liptsiy injured a 71-year-old woman, who was rushed to hospital, he said.

The regional defence council has ordered the mandatory evacuation of 113 orphans from three settlements, said Oleh Syniehubov.

Plans have been laid out to evacuate a total of 1,600 residents today.

Just 200 to 300 people remain in the embattled town of Vovchansk, he said, which had a population of 2,500 before the assault and 17,000 before the war.

Russian agents plotted to set off a series of bomb attacks in Kyiv and the Western city of Lviv, Ukraine says.

The prosecutor general's office said authorities arrested two military agents over plans to blow up markets and a site near a cafe in the capital, as well as a defence enterprise in Lviv, seizing 19 explosive devices.

Four of the bombs were intended for Kyiv on Thursday, the day when Russia celebrates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945, according to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

"According to the plan of the Russian special service, the explosives were supposed to detonate during the supermarkets' peak hours to cause maximum damage to the civilian population," the agency said.

'Disguised as tea boxes'

The explosives intended for the Kyiv builders' markets were disguised as packages of tea, while a bomb was placed in a car for the cafe, according to the SBU.

The Lviv attack was meant to happen last February, the SBU said.

An unidentified defence enterprise was the target, according to prosecutors.

There was no immediate comment from Russia.

Last week, the SBU said it had caught two agents within the state protection department plotting the assassination of Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov.

The Ukrainian military says Russia has had a "partial success" near a village in northern Kharkiv.

But Ukrainian soldiers stopped Russian forces from moving further near Lukyantsi, the general staff said.

It said Russian troops have continued offensive actions, and Ukraine will build up its forces in the area depending on the situation.

Russia launched an incursion from the Belgorod region in Russia across the border into northern Kharkiv on Friday.

Analysts have warned it could stretch Ukrainian forces between two fronts, creating opportunities on the main frontline that Russia may exploit.

Echoing the analysis we featured earlier from the Insitute for the Study of War (see our 11.18am post), a senior Ukrainian official has said Vladimir Putin's reshuffle shows he wants to scale up the war effort.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said: "Russia is finally isolating itself and will try to scale up the war, expand its formats while reconfiguring the economy."

In a surprise move, Vladimir Putin sacked his defence minister of 12 years Sergei Shoigu and named economist Adrei Belousov as Mr Shoigu's successor.

The Institute for the Study of War said Mr Belousov, who has no military experience, will be charged with integrating the defence industrial base into wider domestic policy, further placing Russia on a war footing.

It suggests the Kremlin is preparing for a protracted conflict with Ukraine - or even possibly a future confrontation with NATO, the ISW said.

Approximately 40 miles from the fighting in northeastern Kharkiv, children in the region's namesake city are undertaking their first lessons at an underground school.

The classrooms - the first of their kind - are heavily fortified in an effort to allow some pupils to return to in-person teaching out of reach of Russia's bombs.

Kharkiv's schools have been forced to teach online throughout the war as some Russian missiles can reach the city in under a minute.

Metro stations are playing host to dozens of classrooms, while others have been welded together from layers of steel reinforcing wire and poured cement.

Russia has been increasingly carrying out off-road motorbike attacks under the cover of darkness, according to British intelligence.

Lighter, faster, all-terrain vehicles have highly likely been used since the start of this year to hit Ukrainian positions, transport personnel to the frontlines and conduct reconnaissance, the UK defence ministry has said.

It said Russia reportedly purchased 2,100 Chinese off-road vehicles named Desertcross 1000-3, some of which were personally inspected by Vladimir Putin in November.

"Since the start of 2024, Russia has highly likely increased its use of light vehicles, such as all-terrain vehicles and off-road motorbikes, to transport personnel to the frontlines and conduct attacks on Ukrainian positions, particularly at night."

But the army has sacrificed armour and firepower for mobility, with light vehicles "far more vulnerable than their armoured counterparts", the UK MoD said.

Ukrainian drones have "already demonstrated their ability to effectively target" the vehicles, it added.

As we covered in some detail here earlier this year, Sweden dropped more than two centuries of historic neutrality by joining NATO.

The Baltic Sea, which includes maritime access to the Russian city of St Petersburg and the Kaliningrad enclave, is now almost surrounded by members of the alliance.

Today, Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson said Nordic and Baltic cooperation was "deeper than at any time in modern times", underpinned by increasing security threats from Russia.

He is hosting German chancellor Olaf Scholtz and the prime ministers of Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland in Stockholm, with security policy and NATO's July summit in Washington topping the agenda.

"We have long appreciated our neighbours, but at the same time underestimated the importance of concrete, operational cooperation," Mr Kristersson wrote in an op-ed in Swedish business paper Dagens Industri.

Meanwhile, the three Baltic prime ministers have been meeting in Lithuania to reaffirm that Moscow's intimidation is not going to dissuade them from supporting Ukraine.

Estonia's prime minister Kaja Kallas said that "Russia has also intensified the shadow war against all of European countries. It wants to really scare and intimidate the free world to scare us away from helping Ukraine".

"We shouldn't be scared," she added.

With a second front opening in the war and a surprise reshuffle in Vladimir Putin's cabinet, it's been an important week for the war in Ukraine.

Readers have been sending in their questions to our senior correspondents and military experts for their take on the changing battlefield environment.

Today, Jeanie asked:

Is Russia taking advantage and conducting an offensive in the border region due to the fact that several Western countries don't allow their weapons to be used on Russian soil?

Military analyst Sean Bell had this to say...

Thanks, Jeanie, for this very topical question.

Russia claims to have seized nine border settlements as part of a major offensive in the Kharkiv region. Although Ukraine has known for months that Russia was amassing military forces in the region - between 30,000 to 50 000 troops - the scale and ferocity of the attack appears to have caught Ukraine by surprise.

Although only Vladimir Putin and his senior military leadership will know the details of Russia's military strategy, most military analysts believe that Russia does not have the military resources to mount a significant and enduring second front without compromising the offensive in the Donbas - widely believed to be Russia's main effort.

However, Putin is well aware that Russia has a window of opportunity to capitalise on Ukraine's shortage of weapons, and by opening a second front, it forces Ukraine to spread its resources even more thinly, leaving Ukraine more vulnerable on the frontline in the Donbas.

Russia's military objectives for this new offensive appear to be to create a "buffer zone" to protect the Russian border town of Belgorod. This logistics hub for the Russian military effort is just within artillery range of Ukraine, and Putin has long promised to push the Ukrainian forces outside artillery range - around 30km. 

In addition, Russia wants to threaten Kharkiv, so it's pushing forward to enable its own artillery to be within range of this major Ukrainian city.

Moving large quantities of military personnel and equipment from the frontline cannot easily be done discreetly - which under normal circumstances would leave Russian forces vulnerable to Ukrainian attack. 

However, in an effort to limit the potential for escalation, the West has precluded the use of Western-provided weapons to target Russian forces on Russian territory. This significantly limits Ukraine's ability to target Russia's forces as they prepare for a fresh offensive.

However, although we can speculate on Putin's objectives, a battlefield is a dynamic environment, and Russia has considerable forces in reserve to capitalise on any momentum achieved during its current offensive.

Vladimir Putin's surprise choice of new defence minister Andrei Belousov has been speaking to a parliamentary committee as part of his confirmation process.

In his first public comments since being appointed to the post, he called for greater care for soldiers, including better access to housing, hospitals and welfare benefits. 

State media quoted him as saying there was too much bureaucracy surrounding the payment of benefits to military personnel. 

"I think it's a mess when participants in the special military operation who come back on holiday are driven from civilian medical institutions to hospitals which are often simply overcrowded. This issue needs to be resolved," Mr Belousov said.

The comments appeared to be aimed at demonstrating to members of the armed forces that he understands their concerns and will work to improve their conditions. 

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