News,

Dr Panos Zavos, who claimed last month to have transferred a cloned embryo into a woman, has revealed that the attempt has been unsuccessful. Dr Zavos said that he would continue attempting to create cloned human embryos for implantation. [RTE News, 4 February ] A group of Kenyan doctors have criticised the Kenya Medical Association for supporting legalised abortion. The doctors, led by Dr Jean Kaggia, said that they and their colleagues were not consulted over the issue and that the officials who issued the statement endorsing abortion were expressing their own opinions, not that of members. "By legalising abortion we would be legalising murder in our country," they said. [AllAfrica, 4 February ] Pro-abortion groups in Kenya have used African Women's Health and Rights Day to lobby for legal abortion, claiming that women are dying as a result of illegal abortion. Government representatives pointed out that post-abortion services are already available at clinics and hospitals. [IPS News, 4 February ] The Republican candidate for governor of Montana, Bob Brown, has called abortion a 'social tragedy' and called upon the state to promote alternatives to abortion such as adoption and the expansion of health care facilities for pregnant women. Brown stated: "Human life and protecting innocent human life is very important to me and it would be worth a few million dollars to accomplish that." [Billings Gazette, 4 February ] A district judge has struck down the state of Virginia's partial birth abortion ban, stating that it violated privacy rights and failed to make an exception for the health of the mother. The Centre for Reproductive Rights filed the suit that struck down the ban. However, Attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore has said that he will appeal the decision. In a statement, he said: "The people of Virginia were right to tell their elected representatives to ban this barbaric procedure." [LifeSiteNews.com, 4 February ] Meanwhile the house voted 69-28 in favour of a bill requiring abortion facilities to follow the same regulations in place in other medical centres. Critics of the bill have said that it will force many facilities to stop performing abortions. [Zwire.com, 3 February ] A pro-life group is investigating reports that infanticide is being practised in Florida hospitals, in spite of the born alive infants protection act which requires hospitals to provide medical care to babies born alive during botched abortions. The 'born alive' abortion issue was first exposed by nurse Jill Stanek, who gave evidence to congress about her encounter with an aborted Down's Syndrome baby who was left to die in a laundry room. [Lifenews.com, 4 February ] A UK columnist has criticised the stance taken by the chairwoman of the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority on fertility treatment for single and lesbian women. Commenting on the perceived right to motherhood and her own childlessness, Amanda Platell writes: "I wanted to be a mother with my own child born into a loving relationship with its father. I never thought being a mother was just about my fulfilment." [New Statesman/Daily Mail, 5 February] A pharmacist working at an Asda store in Stockport has been accused of being 'offensive and judgmental' because he refused to sell a woman the morning after pill. Asda are standing by him, stating that they cannot force any of their staff to go against their conscience. A spokesman for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society said: "It would appear on the face of it that the pharmacist was operating within the bounds of the code of ethics and standards set out by the RPS - which states that where a pharmacist's religious beliefs prevent them from providing a service, they must advise patients of alternative sources for the service requested." [Daily Mail, 5 February]