The Catholic bishops of England and Wales have urged Amnesty International not to support abortion rights. The press office of the episcopal conference sent a letter to Amnesty earlier this month, asking them to maintain their neutral stance on abortion. The bishops said in their statement, "We urge Amnesty International to be comprehensive in its campaign to 'Protect the Human,' to include, therefore, the unborn as among the weakest and most vulnerable, and so remain true to its original vision." [Zenit, 18 August]

President Bush has said that he supports the sale of Plan B morning-after pills over the counter, so long as it is available to under-18s on prescription only. His statement supports the decision made by Andrew von Eschenbach, the acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Agency, which may result in Plan B being sold over the counter in a matter of weeks. Pro-life groups in the US, including Concerned Women for America, have made statements opposing the sale of the drug and are opposing Eschenbach as commissioner of the FDA. [Life News, 21 August]

Legislation that seeks to bar the transport of minors between states in America for abortions is expected to become an important issue in the November elections, according to WBUR, Boston University's radio station. The Senate voted last month to approve a bill that would allow federal prosecutors to file charges against individuals who take under-age girls across state lines to obtain abortions, in order to avoid parental notification or consent laws. The House of Representatives has yet to approve the bill, although it voted for a similar one in April 2005. [Medical News Today, 21 August]