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Please pray for SPUC on our 45th anniversary

45 years ago yesterday (11 January), the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) was established at a meeting in central London. The meeting was held at the Wig and Pen Club in the Strand. Alan Smith, who remains a member of SPUC's executive committee and on its national council, was elected joint honorary secretary of the Society at that meeting in the Strand. Alan said: "It's an important landmark in the pro-life movement of which I'm pleased to be part." [John Smeaton, 11 January]

Hundreds of forcibly-sterilised North Carolina women set to receive $50k compensation

Hundreds of women forcibly sterilised under a now-defunct North Carolina eugenics programme are set to receive US$50,000 each in compensation. The state task-force which determined the sum said it was not seeking to place a value on people's lives. [Mail, 10 January] Such programmes were promoted by Margaret Sanger, the founder of the worldwide abortion movement.

Jersey's health minister against assisted suicide

Anne Pryke, the health minister of the UK island of Jersey, says she will not support the legalisation of assisted suicide. The BBC reported that Mrs Pryke said that life was a privilege and should be protected. Her comments come after a widely-publicised report by a pro-suicide lobbying group. [BBC, 8 January]

Other stories:

Abortion

• Profile of sex-selective abortions in Taiwan [Independent, 10 January]
• Tablet editor jettisons the truth about pro-abortion MP Jon Cruddas [John Smeaton, 9 January]

Embryology

• NHS cutting back on IVF to save money, stats suggest [Telegraph, 12 January]
• UK researchers claim two is best number of embryos to implant in IVF [Telegraph, 12 January]
• UK study claims IVF babies born from frozen embryos are "healthier" than those from fresh ones [Mail, 6 January]
• 'Chimeric' monkeys made from cells of six different 'parents' [Mail, 6 January]

Euthanasia

• Irish high court rules that disabled boy should not be resuscitated if condition worsens [Irish Independent, 11 January]
• Anglican bishop writes against Falconer assisted suicide report [Conservative Home, 7 January]
• Leicester Mercury leader column against assisted suicide [This is Leicestershire, 7 January]

Population

• Profile of China's "Precious Snowflakes", 2nd generation of one-child policy children [Telegraph, 8 January]

Sexual ethics

• Pope's speech sparks Philippines bishops' strategy meeting against gay marriage [CathNews Philippines, 12 January]
• Australian tennis legend stands up against gay marriage [Reuters via Guardian, 11 January]
• Education for Choice fails to debunk pro-life campaign against gay marriage [John Smeaton, 10 January]
• SPUC right to campaign against gay marriage, as Pope says threats to the family "threaten the future of humanity" [John Smeaton, 10 January]
• BBC criticised over irresponsible documentary on teen sex [Mail, 9 January]
• Soho Mass organiser claims gay unions are already being blessed in Catholic churches [John Smeaton, 7 January]

General

• Alice Glenn, defender of life and family, RIP [Pat Buckley, 9 January]
• Report of SPUC director's talk to Catholic knightly order [Militiae Sanctae Mariae, 4 January]

To subscribe to SPUC's email information services, please visit www.spuc.org.uk/em-signup. The reliability of the news herein is dependent on that of the cited sources, which are paraphrased rather than quoted. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the society. © Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, 2018