First Thing: Biden vows to codify Roe if Democrats win midterms

President casts election as a choice between Republicans who seek to impose a nationwide abortion ban and Democrats who aim to protect it. Plus, how to have a better funeral

Good morning.

Joe Biden vowed yesterday that the first bill he sent to Capitol Hill next year would codify Roe v Wade - if Americans return his party to power with wide enough margins to pass abortion protections.

Will this tactic work? Clear majorities of Americans believe abortion should remain legal and disapprove of the supreme court's decision. Yet polling consistently shows that voters' top priority this election is the economy and inflation, issues that play to Republicans' strengths. Biden's approval rating remains low, which is a drag on vulnerable Democratic candidates.

What do scientists say about the research? Two things are very clear now. Firstly, that the Arctic is warming rapidly and the major risks to humanity are from its influence on our climate. Secondly, that diseases from elsewhere are finding their way into the vulnerable communities and ecosystems of the Arctic," Arwyn Edwards at Aberystwyth University said.