The prime minister of Australia opposes euthanasia and is concerned that it could make old and ill people feel they were a burden. Mr Kevin Rudd supports a conscience vote by parliamentarians but backed his predecessor's suppression of pro-euthanasia laws in the Northern Territory. He mentioned his ...

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News, The Catholic church in America has welcomed the re-introduction of a bill which would ban human-animal hybrids. Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia and head of the bishops' pro-life committee, wrote: "Nothing more radically undermines human dignity than a project that can make...

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News, The UK government has announced that MPs will debate its Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill on Monday-week (12 May). [Provisional business, House of Commons, 1 May] An obstetrician in Britain who regularly performs scans on unborn children is calling for elimination of medical justifica...

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The UK government has announced that MPs will debate its Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill on Monday-week (12 May). [Provisional business, House of Commons, 1 May] An obstetrician in Britain who regularly performs scans on unborn children is calling for elimination of medical justification for...

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Girls aged 12 have had abortions in Britain. For three years the Sunday Times newspaper had to press the government to release the information. Our source suggests between 10 and 15 such abortions annually in recent years. BPAS, which provides abortions, said the numbers were small and called for se...

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The lower house of the UK parliament is expected soon to debate the government's Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill, possibly the week after next. [LifeNews, 29 April] MPs will be lobbied on the bill at the House of Commons on 14 May and a guide to lobbying is available from SPUC by email...

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News, The lower house of the UK parliament is expected soon to debate the government's Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill, possibly the week after next. [LifeNews, 29 April] MPs will be lobbied on the bill at the House of Commons on 14 May and a guide to lobbying is available from SPUC ...

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News, India's prime minister has called gender-based abortion a national shame. Mr Manmohan Singh, who has three daughters, has vowed to stop the practice which reportedly kills half a million girls a year. Female births are 80% those of boys. [Daily Mail, 28 April] Mr Singh's objection seems to b...

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India's prime minister has called gender-based abortion a national shame. Mr Manmohan Singh, who has three daughters, has vowed to stop the practice which reportedly kills half a million girls a year. Female births are 80% those of boys. [Daily Mail, 28 April] Mr Singh's objection seems to be based ...

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SPUC supporters took part in demonstrations throughout Britain on Saturday. So-called pro-life chains were held in some 50 towns. [SPUC, 27 April, BBC, 26 April and BBC, 26 April] The Abortion Act came into force 40 years ago yesterday (Sunday). John Smeaton's blog describes how eight people spoke a...

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News, Girls aged 12 have had abortions in Britain. For three years the Sunday Times newspaper had to press the government to release the information. Our source suggests between 10 and 15 such abortions annually in recent years. BPAS, which provides abortions, said the numbers were small and calle...

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News, Britain's Abortion Act came into force 40 years ago on Sunday (27 April). The Abortion Rights group has praised the law as an advance for women. [Reuters, 25 April] Women who have had abortions will be among the speakers in Parliament Square, London, tomorrow as part of the Silent No More ca...

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Britain's Abortion Act came into force 40 years ago on Sunday (27 April). The Abortion Rights group has praised the law as an advance for women. [Reuters, 25 April] Women who have had abortions will be among the speakers in Parliament Square, London, tomorrow as part of the Silent No More campaign. ...

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SPUC to praise bishops' stand against embryo bill SPUC to praise bishops' stand against embryo bill London, Friday, - The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) is due to praise church leaders for opposing the British government's Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Bill. Jo...

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Supporters of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) in Blackpool, northern England, will form a silent and peaceful human chain on Saturday. Tony Mullett of SPUC explained: "Blackpool is one of 50 places in England, Wales and Scotland taking part in the protest this weekend. We ar...

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News, Supporters of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) in Blackpool, northern England, will form a silent and peaceful human chain on Saturday. Tony Mullett of SPUC explained: "Blackpool is one of 50 places in England, Wales and Scotland taking part in the protest this weeken...

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News, Pope Benedict has mourned the death on Saturday of Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family. Writing to the late cardinal's brother, the Pope mentioned his dedication to the gospel of life. [Zenit, 21 April] The funeral is tomorrow in St Peter's, Ro...

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Senator John McCain, de facto Republican US presidential candidate, has indicated that he is likely to pick an anti-abortion running-mate. He told MSNBC: "the respect and cherishing of the right of the unborn is one of the fundamental principles of my party and it's a deeply held belief of mine". [L]...

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Artificial reproduction may be performed in a capsule in women's bodies rather than in a laboratory vessel. The Invocell technique involves the mixing of eggs and sperm in a container which is placed in the vagina for three days. Any resulting embryos are screened for quality and implanted in the wo...

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Cardinal Alfonso López Trujillo, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, died on Saturday (19 April) aged 72. [International Herald Tribune, 21 April] John Smeaton, SPUC's national director, called him one of the world's greatest defenders of the family and the sanctity of human life and...

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