The issue of access to abortion is a prominent one in the US Presidential race. In the wake of a controversial Supreme Court decision in 2022, 13 states now ban abortion entirely with narrow exceptions, and six forbid the procedure after six weeks of pregnancy.

Arizona

Donald Trump is preparing to take office after defeating Kamala Harris in the U.S. Presidential election.

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Kamala Harris's presidential campaign bus made a stop in Flagstaff, Arizona, as part of a tour reaching 15 different states. The focus of the campaign in Flagstaff was women's reproductive rights, a topic that has gained prominence following a divisive Supreme Court decision in 2022. This decision led to 13 states issuing total abortion bans with only narrow exceptions, and six other states implementing abortion restrictions after just six weeks of pregnancy. 

In Arizona, voters are considering Proposition 139, which seeks to make abortion legal up to 24 weeks of pregnancy. This proposal would shift from the current law created by a Republican-controlled legislature, which limits abortion access after 15 weeks. Arizona is among 10 states presenting the initiative to enshrine abortion rights in state constitutions on their ballots.

The Harris campaign sees the issue of reproductive rights as pivotal, particularly in states like Arizona, where polling shows strong support for the abortion measure but not equally for Harris herself. The campaign aims to leverage this issue to boost voter turnout, especially among women under 40, who show significant support for Harris and concern for reproductive rights. Harris attributes the tightening abortion laws to Donald Trump, who appointed three conservative Supreme Court Justices instrumental in the rollback of federal abortion rights.



Abortion proving key issue for Harris campaign

A Kamala Harris for President campaign bus arrived in Flagstaff, Arizona, the latest stop on a tour that has taken staffers to 15 states so far. They hand out donuts and coffee and engage voters focusing on the issue of women's reproductive rights. When it comes down to it, women have the right to body autonomy. That is a basic human right. It's about dignity. It's also about health. Abortion is a right that women should be able to make their choice on. I think that this, Arizona having it on our ballot this year so that we can codify it in the state constitution so that we won't have to have a government influence on that decision anymore. Arizona is one of 10 states with initiatives enshrining a right to abortion in state constitutions on their ballots this year. The Arizona measure, called Proposition 139, is expected to pass by an overwhelming majority. It would make abortion legal up to 24 weeks of pregnancy as opposed to the current law passed by a Republican-dominated legislature that bans it after 15 weeks. The Harris campaign has been leaning heavily into the issue of abortion restrictions and women's reproductive rights, hoping that it will garner them enough votes to win in places like Arizona. Pollsters say the reproductive rights issue helps Harris all over the country, driving voters to the polls and increasing turnout. Females under the age of 40 are overwhelmingly supporting Harris. They also tend to be in the overlap when it comes to those who are most concerned about the abortion issue. So if the abortion issue is turning out younger female voters, that will help the Harris campaign. Harris lays the blame for the abortion bans squarely on Donald Trump. He has boasted of placing three conservative judges on the Supreme Court who helped overturn decades of federal law that had made abortion a civil right. The problem for Harris, however, is that according to polls, far more Arizona voters support the initiative than support her, meaning some who vote for the measure will also vote for Trump. But in a state where the margins are so close, every single voter and every single issue is important. Rob Reynolds, Al Jazeera, Flagstaff, Arizona.

Israel's far-right finance minister approved the construction of a controversial new settlement in the West Bank, saying it "finally buries the idea of a Palestinian state." But it's unclear if this move will actually go through. Rights groups swiftly condemned the plan.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israeli finance minister approves new West Bank settlement

U.S. President Donald Trump indicated in an interview that he hoped to push Russian President Vladimir Putin toward a second meeting but acknowledged there was a chance Friday’s meeting would not succeed.

Washington

Ukraine Invasion

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Israeli Finance Minister Bezalei Smotrich said a plan to add more than 3,000 homes to a controversial settlement in the West Bank would bury ‘the idea of a Palestinian state.’

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London

Zelenskyy, Starmer meet ahead of Trump, Putin summit in Alaska

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced plans to build another immigrant detention center, dubbing it the "Deportation Depot." The facility will be in North Florida.

Jacksonville

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With just hours left to reach a deal on plastics, negotiators in Geneva were scrambling to resolve a deadlock caused by “red lines” of member countries. Nations are crafting the first global, legally binding treaty on plastics pollution at the United Nations office in Switzerland.

Geneva

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At least 123 people have been killed in 24 hours, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says people will be given the opportunity to leave Gaza before a planned ground offensive, but no one is being pushed out.

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America's NATO allies stood firmly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the face-to-face meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. The European leaders showed a united front that there should be no peace deal without Ukraine's involvement.

Kyiv

NATO allies stand with Ukraine ahead of Trump-Putin summit

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement must improve conditions for detainees at New York's 26 Federal Plaza, a judge ruled Tuesday.

New York

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Israel's military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, has approved the framework of a plan for a new offensive in Gaza. CBS News Middle East reporter Courtney Kealy has more details.

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A Wisconsin woman on Tuesday was found guilty in the United Kingdom of trying to kill a man at point-blank range in 2019. Aimee Betro, 45, was part of a plot with two other co-conspirators to murder Sikander Ali, prosecutors said.

Birmingham

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Record-high temperatures across Europe are fanning wildfires across the continent. Experts say a warming climate and an increase in flammable vegetation from rural depopulation are major factors.

Madrid

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Hungary's PM Viktor Orbán said the EU attempts to set conditions for a meeting to which leaders of the EU were not invited. He also called for an EU-Russia summit.

Brussels

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Taylor Swift confirmed her 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," in a teaser for her upcoming appearance on her boyfriend Travis Kelce's podcast. Swift did not disclose the release date of the album.

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U.S. President Donald Trump said that his planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday will be to "feel out" the leader as pressure mounts for Russia and Ukraine to make a peace deal.

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A meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to take place in Alaska, with European leaders notably excluded from the talks. Until Europe can defend itself, it's not likely to be invited to a great power dialogue, experts have told Euronews.

Alaska

Europe frozen out as U.S. and Russia prepare for Alaska talks

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Kyiv and Moscow will both have to cede land to end the war in Ukraine and talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week will instantly show whether the Kremlin leader is willing to make a deal.

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A prominent Al Jazeera journalist, who had previously been threatened by Israel, was killed along with four colleagues and another journalist in an Israeli airstrike in an attack condemned by journalists and rights groups.

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At last one person is dead, dozens are injured and two people are unaccounted for after an explosion at the U.S. Steel Clairton plant in Pennsylvania on Monday.

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