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Rev. Ian Paisley fears backdoor attempt to introduce abortion in Northern Ireland
Rev Ian Paisley, the first minister of Northern Ireland, has warned that MPs may attempt to use the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill as a way to legalise abortion in Northern Ireland. Speaking at prime minister's question time, he said: "Would you give the people of Northern Ireland the assurance that no attempt will be supported by the government to countenance any attempt to use the embryo bill to bring in by the backdoor legislation that would legalise abortion in Northern Ireland? All parties in Northern Ireland are opposed to this and surely that decision should be made by Stormont and by Stormont alone." Gordon Brown replied: "The matter of an amendment on abortion to the embryology bill is a matter for this House. I do not believe the House will wish to change its mind on these issues but it is a matter of a free vote of the House of Commons." [ePolitix, 26 March] Mr Brown did not give the assurance that Dr Paisley sought, which strongly indicates that the British government is prepared to countenance such a move.
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Spanish pro-life group to open abortion museum
The Fundación Vida group in Spain plans to open a museum about abortion, claiming widespread ignorance of what the procedure entails. Mr Manuel Cruz said "Showing the reality of abortion is not enough to end this inhumane practice," but added that abortion was "just as evil as or worse than the Nazi holocaust. The thing is that very few pictures of the thousands of dead foetuses are shown, and abortion itself leaves women who have experienced it completely unable to speak about it." [CNA on Spero, 5 April]
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Feminists disrupt meeting on abortion moratorium
Pro-abortion feminists in Italy disrupted a public appearance by a leading pro-life activist. Giuliano Ferrara, who launched a movement for a worldwide moratorium on abortion, was speaking in Padua when the group of around 200 women interrupted him and police were forced to intervene. [CWNews, 17 March]
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| Greetings!
This week we deal with a variety of issues from around Europe ond report on Dana's invitation to sing for Pope Benedict XVI at Yankee stadium in New York.
Following our special report last week on the Council of Europe and our recent report on the projected appearance of Poland before the new human rights council periodic review body we are currently monitoring these meetings at the UN in Geneva and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. We will issue another special report on the outcomes of those meetings later this week.
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DANA TO SING FOR POPE BENEDICT
On Sunday, April 20, 2008, Dana will perform in the Pope Benedict's pre-Mass concert at Yankee Stadium for the Pontiff and 60,000 people representing all 195 dioceses in America. This event will be the culmination of the Holy Fathers first visit to America as Pontiff. Though this is Dana's first performance for Pope Benedict XVI, she was honoured to sing for the late Pope John Paul II on four occasions, the first being in New Orleans in 1987, when she sang "Totus Tuus", at the 1993 World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado, Dana sang "We are one Body," in 1995, she sang at the open air mass in Central Park, New York, and again, in 1997, at the World Youth Day in Rome. Dana first met with Pope Benedict in 2004, just one year prior to his election to the Pontificate. In the spring of 2004, she became the first woman to be awarded the highly acclaimed San Benedetto (St. Benedict) Award in Subiacco, Italy, for her outstanding work, as MEP, in upholding Family and Life. She was honoured to be personally congratulated by the then Cardinal Ratzinger, who in turn was chosen as the fifth recipient of this prestigious award in 2005 and was subsequently elected Pope Benedict later that year. |
High Court challange to creation of animal-human hybrids
The Lawyers' Christian Fellowship and Comment on Reproductive Ethics are seeking a high court judicial review of the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's licence which let Newcastle university, scientists create animal-human embryos. The fellowship says the authority acted outside the law, which refers only to human embryos, not hybrids. Dr Evan Harris MP, Liberal Democrat, cites legal advice that the hybrids, which have only human DNA in their cell nuclei, are human in terms of current law. [Telegraph, 8 April] Catholics in Scotland should take into account MPs' stance on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology bill when they next vote, according to Cardinal Keith O'Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh. The cardinal writes that Catholic MPs must be mindful of church teaching on human life. Some Labour MPs have small majorities and the Scottish Nationalist Party is enjoying a surge in support. [Sunday Times, 6 April] The Episcopalian bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, Scotland, claims that the cardinal is wrong about hybrids, saying: " Much as I may not like the thought of hybrid-embryo research ... perhaps that is the way we must go to help those most in need of a Christian, loving response." Professor Sheila McLean, the Scottish medical ethicist, agreed. [Scotsman, 9 April]
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UK has one of worst IVF safety records in Europe
The European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology says that the UK has one of the continent's worst IVF safety records. This country ranked worst for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), with at least two maternal deaths in recent years. The number of cases was nearly three times higher than in Germany, which had almost three times as many IVF treatment cycles, and the UK rate of OHSS was four times higher than France, which has nearly double the number of cycles of the UK. Furthermore, there is no official central register of cases here, so the rate may be even higher. The UK is among the most successful nations in terms of live births. [Telegraph, 7 April ]
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No State funding for IVF in Poland
The wife of the Polish president has expressed support for IVF but said that the state cannot fund it. In an interview for Wprost magazine, Mrs Maria Kaczyńska said: "I support in vitro fertilization because I understand the tragedy of people who want to have children, but cannot...Given current health care problems, where there is not enough money for lifesaving procedures, it is difficult for the government to fund in vitro fertilization." [CWNews, 17 March] Comment: Paul Tully, General Secretary of SPUC said: "Nations which acknowledge the right to life of the unborn, even if imperfectly, should recognise that the practice of IVF denies the lives of millions of unborn children and also subjects many to inhuman conditions. It breeds a mentality of 'objectification' of the early human person."
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Belgian Government threatens parents with prison unless they have their children vaccinated
Belgian authorities are threatening parents with prison if they do not have their children vaccinated against polio. Children can be exempted if it is proved that they would suffer side-effects but conscientious objections are not respected. [AP on Rockford Register Star, 12 March] It is unclear whether vaccines used in Belgium are made using unethically obtained substances, especially tissue from aborted babies. Some parents in other countries have objected to polio vaccines on this basis.
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Dignitas reopens Swiss euthanasia climic
The Swiss euthanasia group Dignitas has reopened its clinic next to Switzerland's largest brothel. Dignitas was evicted from its previous location after complaints from local residents and had difficulties finding another facility in which to operate before moving to the village of Schwerzenbach. Karl Rütsche, a spokesman for Schwerzenbach village council, said: "Of course, as a council we tried to stop them moving here and we fought the Dignitas decision tooth and nail. We didn't want the country's biggest sex club and largest death factory side-by-side on our doorstep." [LifeSite, 17 March]
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