愛污传媒

World

    • U.S. senator unveils nationwide abortion ban after 15 weeks

    Share
    WASHINGTON -

    Upending the political debate, U.S. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham introduced a nationwide abortion ban Tuesday, sending shockwaves through both parties and igniting fresh debate on a fraught issue weeks before the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.

    Graham's own Republican Party leaders did not immediately embrace his abortion ban bill, which would prohibit the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy with rare exceptions, and has almost no chance of becoming law in the Democratic-held Congress. Democrats torched it as an alarming signal of where 鈥淢AGA鈥 Republicans are headed if they win control of the House and Senate in November.

    鈥淎merica's got to make some decisions,鈥 Graham said at a news conference at the Capitol.

    The South Carolina Republican said that rather than shying away from the Supreme Court's ruling this summer overturning Roe v. Wade's nearly 50-year right to abortion access, Republicans are preparing to fight to make a nationwide abortion ban federal law.

    鈥淥h, no, no, no, no, no, no, we're going nowhere,鈥 the senator said while flanked by female advocates from the anti-abortion movement. 鈥淲e welcome the debate. We welcome the vote in the United States Senate as to what America should look like in 2022.鈥

    Reaction was swift, fierce and unwavering from Democrats who viewed Graham's legislation as an extreme example of the far-right's hold on the GOP, and as a political gift of self-inflicted pain for Republican candidates now having to answer questions about an abortion ban heading toward the midterm elections.

    鈥淎 nationwide abortion ban - that's the contrast between the two parties, plain and simple,鈥 Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

    Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington who is in her own fight for reelection, said Republicans 鈥渨ant to force鈥 women to stay pregnant and deliver babies.

    鈥淭o anyone who thought they were safe, here is the painful reality,鈥 she said. 鈥淩epublicans are coming for your rights.鈥

    The sudden turn of events comes in a razor-tight election season as Republicans hoping to win control of Congress are struggling to recapture momentum, particularly after the Supreme Court's landmark decision sparked deep concerns among some voters, with signs of female voters peeling away from the GOP.

    In a midterm election where the party out of the White House traditionally holds an advantage, even more so this year with President Joe Biden's lackluster approval ratings, the Democrats have regained their own momentum pushing back the GOP candidates in House and Senate races.

    Tuesday's announcement set up an immediate split screen with Biden and Democrats poised to celebrate their accomplishments in a ceremony at the White House after passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and Republicans forced to answer for Graham's proposed abortion ban.

    鈥淭his bill is wildly out of step with what Americans believe,鈥 White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.

    鈥淲hile President Biden and Vice President Harris are focused on the historic passage of the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, health care, and energy - and to take unprecedented action to address climate change - Republicans in Congress are focused on taking rights away from millions of women,鈥 Jean-Pierre said.

    Graham's legislation has almost zero chance of becoming law, but it elevates the abortion issue at a time when other Republicans would prefer to focus on inflation, border security and Biden's leadership.

    The Republican bill would ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks of pregnancy, except in cases of rape, incest or risk to the physical health of the mother. Graham said it would put the U.S. on par with many countries in Europe and around the world.

    In particular, Graham's bill would leave in place state laws that are more restrictive. That provision is notable because many Republicans have argued that the Supreme Court's ruling leaves the abortion issue for the states to decide. But the legislation from the Republicans makes it clear states are only allowed to decide the issue if their abortion bans are more stringent.

    Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who is one seat away from majority control, declined to embrace Graham's legislation.

    鈥淚 think every Republican senator running this year in these contested races has an answer as to how they feel about the issue,鈥 McConnell said. He said most GOP senators prefer having the issue dealt with by the states, rather than at the federal level. 鈥淪o I leave it up to our candidates who are quite capable of handling this issue to determine for them what their response is.鈥

    The Democratic senators most at risk this fall and other Democratic candidates running for Congress appeared eager to fight against Graham's proposed nationwide abortion ban.

    Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, a Nevada Democrat, tweeted that Graham 鈥渁nd every other anti-choice extremist can take a hike.鈥

    Her Republican opponent, Adam Laxalt, has during his campaign insisted that abortion is protected in the state constitution, which it may no longer be under this bill.

    In Colorado, another Democrat up for reelection, Sen. Michael Bennet, tweeted: 鈥淎 nationwide abortion ban is outrageous. 鈥

    Bennet pledged 鈥渢o defend a woman's right to make her own health care decisions, no matter what ZIP code she lives in. We cannot afford to let the Republicans take back the Senate.鈥

    His opponent in Colorado, Republican Joe O'Dea, who supports putting abortion access that had been guaranteed under Roe v. Wade into law, agreed, in part: 鈥淎 Republican ban is as reckless and tone deaf as is Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer's hostility to considering any compromise on late term abortion, parental notification or conscience protections for religious hospitals.鈥

    The races for control of Congress are tight in the split 50-50 Senate, where one seat determines majority control, and in the House, where Speaker Nancy Pelosi can afford to lose only a few seats.

    Pelosi called Graham's bill the 鈥渃learest signal of extreme MAGA Republicans' intent to criminalize women's health freedom in all 50 states and arrest doctors for providing basic care. Make no mistake: if Republicans get the chance, they will work to pass laws even more draconian than this bill.鈥

    Republican leaders on Capitol Hill tried to hold the party together amid the differences.

    鈥淚 think that what it's attempting to do is probably change the conversation a little bit,鈥 said Sen. John Thune, a South Dakota Republican and second-ranking party leader.

    鈥淒emocrats are implying that all Republicans are for a ban without exceptions, and that's not true,鈥 Thune said. 鈥淭here are Republicans who are in favor of restrictions. And I think this is an attempt to at least put something out there that reflects the views of a lot of Republicans who are in favor of some restrictions.鈥

    Associated Press writers Kevin Freking in Washington and Nick Riccardi in Denver contributed to this report.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    BREAKING

    BREAKING

    Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray鈥擲aint-Michel鈥擯arc-Extension borough on Thursday.

    The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.

    Four people are dead and another is in hospital after a Tesla driving through downtown Toronto at a high rate of speed crashed into a guardrail and struck a concrete pillar on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    It's a dream for many Canadians, trying to save up enough money for a down payment on their very first home. That was also the dream for the Esmeralda family, a family of five with two dogs who currently live in a Scarborough apartment building.

    The RCMP is warning residents in northeast Saskatchewan to seek shelter and avoid picking up hitchhikers as police search for a group of armed and dangerous suspects.

    Canada

    • The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray鈥擲aint-Michel鈥擯arc-Extension borough on Thursday.

    • The RCMP is warning residents in northeast Saskatchewan to seek shelter and avoid picking up hitchhikers as police search for a group of armed and dangerous suspects.

    • Four people are dead and another is in hospital after a Tesla driving through downtown Toronto at a high rate of speed crashed into a guardrail and struck a concrete pillar on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    • Another local homeowner says trees owned by the City of Regina have caused damaged to his property for years and has resulted in tens of thousands of dollars spent from his own pocket.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Emergency crews responded to a call for a stabbing at Paul Landry Park on Uplands Drive, between Paul Anka Drive and Bennett Street, at 11:25 a.m. Thursday.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    • Vancouver Fire Rescue Services received its first shipment of new firefighting gear on Wednesday, advancing the department's plans to reduce cancer risk for its members.

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • A Toronto man who only recently checked a Lotto 6/49 lottery ticket he bought back in June is now $2.5 million richer.

    • A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

    Sports

    • Chris Boucher was back, for at least one game. The veteran forward spent most of last season at the far end of the Toronto Raptors' bench, rarely seeing playing time.

    • Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

    Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    • A 29-year-old man has been charged with arson and assault with a weapon after police were called last week to a fire in the Newton neighbourhood of Surrey, B.C.

    • Mics were cut and a recess was called after a Vancouver city councillor swore at her colleagues during a meeting Wednesday.

    • At least 1,749 people have died from toxic and unregulated drugs in British Columbia since the start of the year 鈥 a rate of more than six people per day, according to the latest data from the provincial coroner's office.

    • Four people are dead and another is in hospital after a Tesla driving through downtown Toronto at a high rate of speed crashed into a guardrail and struck a concrete pillar on Lake Shore Boulevard.

    • It's a dream for many Canadians, trying to save up enough money for a down payment on their very first home. That was also the dream for the Esmeralda family, a family of five with two dogs who currently live in a Scarborough apartment building.

    • A 30-year-old man is fighting for his life in hospital after a daylight shooting in North York Thursday.

    • A Calgary business owner is frustrated and looking for answers after Google removed his business' profile without warning, resulting in a loss of bookings and damage to his company鈥檚 reputation.

    • A town in southern Alberta will be one of the first to let golf carts be driven on select roads as part of a provincial pilot program.

    • A Calgary officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing in a September 2021 incident that involved shots being fired at a suspect in a stolen vehicle.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Emergency crews responded to a call for a stabbing at Paul Landry Park on Uplands Drive, between Paul Anka Drive and Bennett Street, at 11:25 a.m. Thursday.

    • Ottawa police are asking for the public鈥檚 help to identify a vehicle and its driver and passenger, as the investigation continues into a homicide late last month in Ottawa鈥檚 south end.

    • Quebec鈥檚 Bureau of Independent Investigations (BEI) is investigating after police in Gatineau, Que. shot and killed a man who allegedly stabbed an officer during an investigation.

    • BREAKING

      BREAKING

      Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray鈥擲aint-Michel鈥擯arc-Extension borough on Thursday.

    • An investigation into a climate of fear at a Montreal primary school has reignited a debate about secularism in Quebec's education system, with the provincial government pledging to consider new measures to keep religion out of classrooms.

    • The man who cut up the body of his grandson's mother is going to prison after the Alberta Court of Appeal overturned his previous sentence.

    • Edmonton police arrested and charged a fourth person in the 2023 death of Gabriel Dumont.

    • The Edmonton Police Service says there was a drug lab at a business where a sudden death happened earlier this week.

    • The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.

    • WorkSafeNB is investigating after a man was killed in a workplace incident at a tire shop in Moncton, N.B., last week.

    • The Nova Scotia Liberals are accusing former member Fred Tilley of accessing party files one day before he crossed the aisle to join the Progressive Conservatives.

    • The Manitoba man who brutally murdered his partner and two young children stood in court, voice wavering, and apologized for his actions that ended the lives of three people he said he loved very much.

    • The parents of an infant who was found to be malnourished and abused are facing charges.

    • A pair of councillors in the RM of Springfield plan on bringing forward a motion to opt out of Plan 20-50 when they are first able to.

    • The Regina Police Service (RPS) says it learned on Thursday that an officer responded to an incident at a Saskatchewan Party campaign office Monday evening and did not inform the service of their response.

    • The RCMP is warning residents in northeast Saskatchewan to seek shelter and avoid picking up hitchhikers as police search for a group of armed and dangerous suspects.

    • The Regina Pats have traded forward and Regina born Sam Oremba to the Spokane Chiefs in exchange for multiple draft picks, the team announced on Thursday.

    • Erick Buhr, the man charged with second-degree murder in the death of his grandmother, took the stand Thursday to testify in his own defense.

    • A triple stabbing at a University of Waterloo gender studies class last year was clearly motivated by hate, prosecutors argued Thursday, pointing to a manifesto written by the man who pleaded guilty in the case and his comments to police.

    • The RCMP is warning residents in northeast Saskatchewan to seek shelter and avoid picking up hitchhikers as police search for a group of armed and dangerous suspects.

    • Saskatoon police are investigating a series of suspicious fires that were lit in the Mayfair neighbourhood on Thursday morning.

    • Federal housing minister Sean Fraser says he鈥檚 going to work directly with the cities of Saskatoon and Regina to tackle homeless encampments, after the province ignored his funding offer last month.

    • The Sudbury - Manitoulin area is seeing reports of increased infections and community exposures of pertussis, also known as whooping cough.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • A 72-year-old driver was charged Wednesday with following two closely after a five-vehicle crash sent several people to hospital in Parry Sound.

    • Around 11:40 p.m. on Oct. 19, police said a driver picked up a man in the downtown core but when he got in the vehicle, the passenger made derogatory comments towards the driver.

    • The St. Thomas Police Service is issuing a warning to local retailers as police deal with a rapid rise in shoplifting cases over the last couple of years.

    • Ineos Styrolution will not restart production at its Sarnia plant. The chemical company has been shut down since April after the nearby First Nation reported members getting sick from elevated benzene levels.

    • Emergency crews were called to attend a fire that broke out in a grassy area in Barrie on Thursday morning.

    • A haunted house in the Ontario Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.

    • A power outage left thousands of Barrie residents in the dark on Wednesday night.

    • The drilling, part of the investigation into the 2021 Wheatley explosion, has come to an end. Community members will now see the drilling rig moved from downtown.

    • Members of Unifor Local 2458 at Clear Medical Imaging are preparing for a possible strike, as the deadline looms Thursday night.

    • Emergency services are on scene of a fire at a fourplex on St. Luke Road in Windsor.

    • At least 1,749 people have died from toxic and unregulated drugs in British Columbia since the start of the year 鈥 a rate of more than six people per day, according to the latest data from the provincial coroner's office.

    • A 29-year-old man has been charged with arson and assault with a weapon after police were called last week to a fire in the Newton neighbourhood of Surrey, B.C.

    • Legend has it that on a dark evening in 1988, friends of Supt. Joe Atherton quietly buried his body on the site of the old provincial RCMP headquarters in Vancouver.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • A town in southern Alberta will be one of the first to let golf carts be driven on select roads as part of a provincial pilot program.

    • A Lethbridge recovery centre, tasked with helping residents struggling with addictions, is celebrating its first year of success in the community.

    • Graduate students looking to become mental-health professionals will have more opportunities to study in the University of Lethbridge鈥檚 Master of Education Counselling Psychology program.

    • Police seized drugs, $70,000 and a large gold chain in a drug trafficking bust earlier this month in Thunder Bay.

    • An annual event held in Sault Ste. Marie is back for the 29th year to ensure local kids get the winter clothing they need as the temperature dips.

    • The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 愛污传媒. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 愛污传媒