Why US midterms are likely to have a profound effect on women’s rights in America
In a park on a Saturday afternoon in suburban Atlanta, a group of young women gather, eating pizza and talking.
But this is no idle chit chat, they are discussing the future leadership of this country, and specifically what the midterm elections on Tuesday mean for their reproductive rights.
Most of them are first-time voters and newly energised by the Supreme Court decision earlier this year to revoke the constitutional right to choose abortion, known colloquially as Roe versus Wade. They are volunteering with the abortion provider Planned Parenthood and are canvassing potential voters in a mostly black neighbourhood.
“I think it’s important that people understand you have a voice and a say in the matter,” Brandy Nalyana, from Atlanta, says.
“With the overturn of Roe v Wade you felt powerless, you were in the streets and nobody was listening to you. But now we have midterms, you’re finally able to utilise your voice.”
Brandy Nalyana, from Atlanta
They are part of a strategy being rolled out across this country to use the increasingly restrictive patchwork of abortion rights to drive voters to the polls.
Each state now decides unilaterally what abortion rights are applied and 13 states have already banned or severely restricted access to abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court decision.
Democrats hope to motivate women, particularly, to vote blue and protect their future right to choose.
Nalah Lewis, a policy officer at Reproductive Justice, is going door to door, encouraging people to go to the polls on Tuesday.
As a younger woman she had an abortion and wants others to have the right to choose.
“I personally was not mentally prepared for [having a child]. I didn’t have the finances for that and I wanted to finish school,” Nalah says.
Nalah Lewis is a policy officer at Reproductive Justice
“Republicans are working overtime to take our rights away. I can’t imagine having to drive hundreds of miles away and worry about childcare and taking time off from work or not having the funds to be able to do that. I’m enraged and that’s why I’m asking people to know that abortion is on the ballot.”
Pro choice advocates fear that if both houses of congress flip to the Republicans there could be an effort to institute a federal, nationwide ban on abortion, denying states their ability to keep abortion legal.
In Georgia, the hotly contested Senate race is between incumbent Democrat Reverend Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker, a former American football star who is endorsed by former president Donald Trump.
Republican Herschel Walker is a former American football star who is endorsed by former president Donald Trump
The pair are currently deadlocked and if Walker wins it could be decisive in flipping the balance of power in this country back towards the Republican Party.
Walker ran his campaign on a message of anti abortion. In August he said he supported a total ban on abortion even in cases of rape and incest, although he has since revised this to say he supports Georgia’s current status of a six-week ban with exceptions.
But stories from Walker’s own past have emerged and been seized upon by his opponent.
Two women have claimed that Walker had extramarital affairs with them and paid for, or even pressured, them into having an abortion when they became pregnant.
Walker has denied the claims, not that the scandal seems to be affecting him in the polls or among his support base, which remains steadfast.
Lots of them were at a eating and drinking on Saturday at a tailgate party outside the Georgia Bulldogs football stadium, the team which Walker starred for.
“I’m not worried about it,” says Vanessa Brosnan, a Republican voter and football fan from Atlanta, “I don’t worry about him because he’s a good guy. He might have a past, but he’s let you know what his past is. There’s a thing called forgiveness.”
Others are plain about the basis of their support of Walker. “I’d vote for Herschel just because he gave us great football,” says Phillip Jennings, a farmer and Georgia Bulldogs fan from Soperton, Georgia.
He says he used to be a conservative Democrat but that the party has “lost its way” and he will now vote Republican across the ticket.
“Crime is rampant everywhere,” he says. “If they’re not killing them with a gun, they’re trying to kill them with a hammer and inflation is killing people, too.
“We’re in an awful place in this country, both Republicans and Democrats, we need a lot of leadership. We need to start looking forward, get these petty issues behind us.”
While many voters seem most animated about issues like crime, immigration and inflation, Democrats are keeping a laser focus on abortion rights.
After the Supreme Court decision to end the constitutional right to abortion, they experienced a significant boost in the polls but that has now disappeared.
As things stand, they could be heading for significant defeats on election night and that is likely to have a profound effect on women’s rights in America.
Donald Trump has said he “hated” to see photos of Bill Clinton in the newly released Epstein files.
The former US president was in numerous images that were released by the US Department of Justice among thousands of documents related to the late paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
In his first engagement in front of the media since the release of the latest files, Mr Trump was asked about the images of Mr Clinton.
“I think it’s terrible,” Mr Trump said, adding: “I like Bill Clinton… and I hate to see photos come out of him.
“I’ve always gotten along with Bill Clinton. I’ve been nice to him, he’s been nice to me. I hate to see photos come out of him, but this is what the Democrats, mostly Democrats and a couple of bad Republicans, are asking for.
“So they are giving photos of me to. Everybody was friendly with this guy [Epstein], either friendly or not friendly.
“He was all over Palm Beach and other places… and Bill Clinton was a friend of his, but everybody was.”
Photos released of Bill Clinton included one showing him in a pool with Ghislaine Maxwell. Pics: US Department of Justice
He added: “Bill Clinton’s a big boy. He can handle it, but you probably have pictures being exposed of other people that innocently met Jeffrey Epstein years ago.”
The US president claimed the release of the files “is a way of trying to deflect from the tremendous success that the Republican Party has”.
A painting of Bill Clinton in a dress was among the images released. Pic: US DoJ
Clinton calls for release of ‘any remaining materials’
In a statement on Monday, Angel Urena, a spokesman for Mr Clinton, called for Mr Trump to “release any remaining materials referring to mentioning or containing a photograph of Bill Clinton”.
The spokesman said the materials released so far “makes it clear someone or something is being protected” but said Mr Clinton doesn’t need such protection.
“Refusal to do so will confirm the widespread suspicion the Department of Justice’s actions to date are not about transparency, but about insinuation – using selective releases to imply wrongdoing about individuals who have already been repeatedly cleared by the very same Department of Justice, over many years under presidents and attorney generals of both parties,” the spokesperson added.
The context around the photos, that were released hours before a legal deadline in the US following the passing of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, is unknown.
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The same release only features one picture with Mr Trump’s name in it.
Mr Clinton has denied any wrongdoing in connection to Epstein and says he regrets meeting him.
Backlash over release of files
It comes as other Democrats and Republicans have grown angry over the length of time it is taking the US Department of Justice to release all files in the Epstein case.
Several victims of Epstein told Sky News that the incomplete release left them feeling shocked, outraged and disappointed.
Republican representative Thomas Massie and Democratic representative Ro Khanna said they are working together on an effort to secure the release of more files, and if necessary would seek contempt of Congress charges against Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer also introduced legislation that would instruct Majority Leader John
Thune, a Republican, to undertake “appropriate” legal steps to gain Congress access to all the documents covered by
legislation that was passed by Congress and signed into law by Mr Trump.
It was not clear whether his effort might advance in the Senate when it returns on 5 January.
Donald Trump has announced a plan for the US Navy to build two new “Trump Class” battleships.
Aimed at cementing US naval dominance, the president said the vessels will be “the fastest, the biggest and 100 times more powerful than any battleship ever built”.
Constructed in America, made of steel and complete with missiles, guns, lasers and hypersonic weapons, the vessels will be the “centrepiece” of the US Navy’s Golden Fleet initiative, he said.
Starting with two vessels, Mr Trump said the project would eventually expand to include 20 to 25 new ships.
The first will be christened the USS Defiant, with the US leader personally involved in how it looks.
It comes as the US continues to build a large naval military presence near the coast of Venezuela. Since early September, it has struck more than 20 vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, which Mr Trump says is to crack down on drug cartels.
The US Navy has also seized two oil tankers and is believed to be in “active pursuit” of a third, according to officials.
Donald Trump speaking about the Navy’s ‘Golden Fleet’. Pic: Reuters
“There’s never been anything like these ships. These have been under design consideration for a long time,” he said.
“Each one of these will be the largest battleship in the history of our country. The largest battleship in the history of the world.
“We haven’t built a battleship since 1994. These cutting-edge vessels will be some of the most lethal surface warfare ships… other than our submarines.”
Mr Trump made the announcement at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. During the briefing, he stood next to mock-up pictures of the new vessels which had “Trump Class” written in the corner – what a senior administration official said the new class of vessel will be known as.
Images of the new ‘Trump Class’ battleship. Pic: Reuters
In addition to the new battleship class, the project aims to increase the number of other types of war vessels, including a smaller, more nimble frigate class.
The term battleship has historically referred to a large, heavily armoured vessel armed with guns designed to bombard other ships or targets ashore.
This type of ship reached peak prominence during the Second World War. The largest of the US battleships was the Iowa-class.
Pic: Reuters
The Trump administration has been complaining about the slow and expensive state of the current defence industry.
Just a month ago, the Navy scrapped its plans to build a new, small warship, citing growing delays and overrunning costs. It has also failed to build its other newly designed ships, like the new Ford-class aircraft carrier and Columbia-class submarines, on time and on budget.
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But Mr Trump said the naval expansion would also be paired with renewed pressure on defence contractors to speed up production and rein in costs.
He said he plans to meet with major firms next week to address problems.
Barry Manilow is being treated for lung cancer and has been forced to reschedule live shows, the 82 year-old has revealed.
The Copacabana popstar announced on Instagram that a cancerous spot had been discovered on his left lung.
“As many of you know I recently went through six weeks of bronchitis followed by a relapse of another five weeks,” he wrote.
“Even though I was over the bronchitis and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK.
“The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed.”
Manilow, 82, added that the cancer had been found early thanks to “pure luck” and a “great doctor”.
And while he would not require chemotherapy or radiation treatment, he wrote, he would have to undergo surgery, forcing him to reschedule his January shows.
He had been due to embark on a string of arena concerts in US cities including Orlando, Tampa, Charleston, Greensboro and Columbus.
He wrote: “I’m going into surgery to have the spot removed. The doctors do not believe it has spread and I’m taking tests to confirm their diagnosis.
“The only follow-up is a month to recover and that means we have to reschedule the January arena concerts.
“I’m very sorry that you have to change your plans.
“Just like you, we were all looking forward to the January shows and hate having to move everything around.”
Barry Manilow poses for photographers ahead of a run of shows on Broadway in New York City in 2019. Pic: Reuters
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The Grammy Award-winning singer has released a string of hits over the course of more than 50 years recording music.
They include Could It Be Magic, Looks Like We Made It, Mandy, and Can’t Smile Without You.
His announcement comes after Cliff Richard revealed he had been treated for prostate cancer.
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