Ireland Divided over Abortion Ban Vote; One Year after Deadly Terror Attack in Manchester
VAUSE: On Friday, voters in Ireland will decide if the country's abortion law should be repealed in what has been a highly-charged nationwide referendum. Polls are tightening ahead of the vote and CNN's Atika Shubert reports now on both sides of the debate.</s>ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Canvassing for votes to repeal Ireland's ban on abortion but on this issue, voters in Ireland are deeply divided.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What we get is -- what I found any ways, you get people and they've had abortion for young women and they still believe that we can talk about it. We were almost hit by this guy saying you should be ashamed. You shouldn't be standing here.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really?</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.</s>SHUBERT: On May 25th voters here will choose whether or not to repeal a controversial constitutional amendment that makes it illegal for women to get an abortion in Ireland. In cities like Dublin the yes vote to repeal the ban seems to resonate more especially with women hoping for change like Lucy Wattman.</s>LUCY WATTMAN, IRELAND VOTER: When I had my abortion. It was not spoken about. And I didn't know anyone else that had one. And now, so many people are speaking out. So many people are sounding off for this and it's good to see change.</s>SHUBERT: Her experience as a teenager forced to leave the country to seek an abortion is why she wants to see change.</s>WATTMAN: I felt like it was my fault. I felt like -- I must have done something wrong. I felt dirty because -- I had to leave but there was a brief moment leaving Ireland and looking out the window</s>SHUBERT: But the young female vote cannot be taken for granted. Some like Katie Ascough are determined to keep the abortion ban in place.</s>KATIE ASCOUGH, IRELAND VOTER: I completely agree that we need to support women better in this country but I do not think the answer is intentionally end lives in the process.</s>SHUBERT: In rural</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If the baby is viable, in other words if it will survive outside of the womb, then both mother and baby are saved. Isn't that a wonderful piece of legislation. So you would ask yourself, why would that have to be removed?</s>SHUBERT: Campaigners here are targeting more conservative voters but also men who oppose abortion and they think are being overlooked in the national debate.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is the impact of the repeal on the man's rights. Now, we talk about the woman's right and we talk about female bodily integrity, we talk about female reproductive rights. There is no mention of the male reproductive rights.</s>SHUBERT: From city streets to country roads it is a fierce fight to the ballot box. Polls have narrowed and many voters remain undecided. The one thing both sides can agree is that no vote can be taken for granted. Atika Shubert, CNN -- Dublin.</s>VAUSE: Public services across France were brought to a standstill by striking workers while violence broke out among street demonstrations in Paris on Tuesday. Shop windows were smashed, 15 people were arrest. Many workers are opposed to economic reforms proposed by President Emmanuel Macron. Protesters say pensions and employment protection in place for decades would be jeopardized. A year ago 20 people were killed in a terror attack in a concert in Manchester and the victims have been remembered. CNN's Erin McLaughlin was at a church service.</s>ANDY BURNHAM, MAYOR OF MANCHESTER: Manchester wasn't broken by extremists. We stood up. We were resolute in saying that nothing will change us.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my God.</s>ERIN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been a year since a suicide bomber tore apart a concert for little girls. The blast happened shortly after superstar Ariana Grande stopped singing and their parents had arrived to pick them up. An attack so cold, so horrific -- the city of Manchester was left reeling. Shocked, yet defiant -- united in song. Today that same solidarity at an interfaith memorial service to remember the 22 killed and the hundreds injured.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Though a door may have closed -- closed between us, may we be able to view our lost friends with eyes wise with calming grace. Forgive them, the damage we were left to inherit.</s>MCLAUGHLIN: The gathering of the great and the good and the moment of silence. Manchester remembers -- as does Ariana Grande. In a tweet she said, "Thinking of you all today and everyday. I love you with all of me and sending you all the light and warmth I have to offer on this challenging day." Tears (ph) lost are not forgotten. Kelly Brewster died shielding her niece from the blast. The family released a statement, "One year on from losing Kelly and she is still in our thoughts every single day. Everyone who knew her misses her so much." For Manchester, the memory of what happened is indelible. At a local tattoo parlor, dozens were marked with a bee -- symbol of the city's hardworking past and resilience. For many the attack remains a fresh wound.</s>VAUSE: One of the greats of American literature has died. Phillip Roth passed away Tuesday night in a Manhattan hospital. His agent says the author suffered from heart failure. Roth won the Pulitzer Prize for his 1997 novel, "American Pastoral". He chronicle Jewish life in much of his writing which spanned more than five decades. Phillip Roth was 85.