An international bioethics conference has opened at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Independent Catholic News reports.

The meeting was organised by the bioethics office of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, the University of Santo Tomas and the Pontifical Academy for Life and is the first such meeting held in Asia.

Independent Catholic News, 5 December [ A US abortionist has granted a reporter for the Los Angeles Times access to his facility, Lifenews.com.

Dr William Harrison of Fayetteville estimates that he has performed 20,000 abortions and openly admits that he is 'destroying life'. However, he calls his clients 'born again', claiming that he is giving them their life back by aborting their babies.

]Lifenews.com, 5 December [ Australian pro-lifers have protested against a decision by the Melbourne Archdiocesan Commission for Justice, Development and Peace to organise a lecture by Jon Stanhope, Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory and a prominent supporter of abortion.

Jeremy Stuparich, Executive Director of the ACT Right to Life Association said: "Mr Stanhope's Government has indeed removed almost all restrictions on abortion from the statute books in the Australian Capital Territory...and established a bill of rights that specifically excludes unborn children."

]Cathnews, 6 December [ Australia's Opposition Leader has said that he would support legalising abortion in Victoria and allowing a free parliamentary vote on the issue. Robert Doyle describes himself as 'pro-choice', but emphasised that as premier he would not sponsor a bill to decriminalise abortion himself.

]The Age, 6 December [ Pope Benedict XVI spoke of "the intrinsic evil of the crime of abortion" during a meeting with leaders of the Latin American Episcopal Commissions for the Family and Life. He said that abortion involves "attacking human life at its beginnings" and is "an act of aggression against society itself." ]CWNews, 5 December [