An attack on the right of conscientious objection in the Council of Europe has been defeated. The Council's parliamentary assembly voted on a report that recommended a crack-down on medical personnel who refuse to be complicit in abortion and other unethical procedures. The report was totally reversed from a pro-abortion attack on conscientious objection to a defence of conscientious objection. Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's communications manager, said the outcome was an incredible victory for the rights of staff in medical institutions. [John Smeaton, 7 October] http://bit.ly/d8AN5J
UK physicians establish lobby organisation for assisted suicide
A number of physicians in the UK have formed a group called Healthcare Professionals for Change (HPC), which will lobby for the legalisation of assisted suicide. Dr McPherson, chairman of the HPC, says she believes terminally-ill people should be allowed to choose to die at home at the time of their choosing. Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's communications manager, quoted Dr Christoph Hufeland (Johann Goethe's doctor) that when a doctor steps outside their vocation to preserve life, he becomes the most dangerous man in the state. [Telegraph, 3 October] http://bit.ly/aeCAlR
UK TV pundit advocates 'compassionate' murder of infants
Virginia Ironside, the writer and TV pundit, said this week that she would suffocate to death a suffering child. Mrs Ironside's comments were made during a morning talk-show broadcast live on the BBC. Minutes before this, she praised the abortion of unwanted or disabled children as a "moral" act. The BBC has received a number of complaints from shocked viewers. Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's communications manager, said Mrs Ironside's comments prove that the possibility of abortion and euthanasia leads to a coarsening of consciences and a hardening of hearts. [Daily Mail, 5 October] http://bit.ly/cEjwsf
Other stories:
UK health minister should end public funding of abortion advocates [John Smeaton, 6 October]
Father of disabled daughter rejects columnist's anti-life comments [Daily Mail, 5 October] http://bit.ly/bnqMSv
Mexican women say abortion is a crime, not a right [LifeSiteNews.com, 7 October] http://bit.ly/cwhnFw
Northern Irish Catholic bishops protest abortion conference [ICN, 7 October] http://bit.ly/bqgOkL
Brazilian priest tells Catholics they cannot support pro-abortion politicians [CNA, 7 October] http://bit.ly/cTABI4
Pro-life groups debate falling surgical abortion rates [CatholicCulture.org, 7 October] http://bit.ly/ckS4nI
Forced abortions set to continue in China [Population Research Institute, October] http://bit.ly/cp3iah
Two American women die from abortion drug [CatholicCulture.org, 4 October] http://bit.ly/btDVvN
UK government welcomes IVF Nobel prize [NDS, 4 October] http://bit.ly/ckfYT7
American Catholic archbishop says life of human embryos must be respected [CNA, 6 October] http://bit.ly/cNCAK5
Australian archbishop urges public opposition of euthanasia [CatholicCulture.org, 7 October] http://bit.ly/9DWLnb
Scottish politician says euthanasia bill could cause one thousand deaths a year [The Scotsman, 6 October] http://bit.ly/9Klj4x
Two UK women falsely told their unborn children had died [Daily Mail, 8 October] http://bit.ly/bQITpE
Artificial ovary created [The Warwick Courier, 8 October] http://bit.ly/9G2X0y
Natural family planning pioneer dies [The Eponymous Flower, 5 October] http://bit.ly/9F4B0K
Sex education teacher jailed for sex with fifteen year old student [The Warwick Courier, 8 October] http://bit.ly/byx81b