News,

Top stories:

Healthy nurse ends own life

A retired woman with no major health problems ended her life last month. Gill Pharaoh, a retired palliative care nurse, chose to end her own life at a Swiss clinic leaving behind a husband and a daughter. Pharaoh said “I have always said, ‘I am not getting old. I do not think old age is fun.’” [Yahoo, 6 August] Dr Peter Saunders, campaign director of Care Not Killing (CNK) said: “I think that when we start to promote suicide as a solution for life’s problems, we’re on a very, very dangerous, slippery slope indeed.” [Christian Institute, 11 August]

Australia: governing coalition confirms opposition to same-sex marriage

Australia’s governing coalition has voted to confirm its opposition to same-sex marriage. Tony Abbott, Australia's prime minister, said the issue should be “put to the people” following the next election.  [BBC, 11 August] Dr John Fleming, a leading Australian bioethicist, said: “The Prime Minister is laudably keeping his pre-election promise that his government would not legislate for gay marriage.  The Labor Party will close off the 'conscience vote' for its MPs in the election after next.  The Prime Minister very democratically wants the people to decide the fundamental issue of what marriage means, while proponents of same sex marriage seem to think that the people can't be trusted to deliver the 'right' answer.”

Other stories:

Abortion

• Top US universities defend use of foetal cells in studies [Mail, 11 August]

• UK: Yvette Cooper MP calls for protest-free buffers around abortion centres [Guardian, 10 August]

• Amnesty Ireland staged protest for women who travel for abortions [Newstalk, 6 August]

Euthanasia

• Book on caring for ageing parents released by Canadian author [Ehospice, 10 August]

• European doctors often reject assisted suicide requests [Reuters, 10 August]

• Police stop euthanasia campaigner using potentially lethal gas in comedy show at Edinburgh Fringe [Guardian, 6 August]

• Journalist changes mind over assisted suicide [Telegraph, 5 August]

• Former NHS chief says “we should cherish and celebrate older people” [Christian Institute, 5 August]

Family issues

• Dundee cathedral blesses same-sex couple after ‘marriage’ in registry office [Courier, 10 August]

Sexual ethics

• Pornography distorts our sexuality, says therapist [Irish Times, 8 August]

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