News, 3 May 2000
88% of people describing themselves as pro-life in the USA believe that
life begins at conception, compared to only 23% of those who describe
themselves as pro-choice. The Harris poll, which surveyed 15,331 people
last month, also found that 75% of 'pro-lifers' believe that abortion
should be illegal anytime after conception, with 12% believing that the
ban should not count until foetal brainwaves or motion had been
observed. 48% of 'pro-choicers', on the other hand, believe that
abortion should only be illegal after the unborn child is "viable" and
24% think that abortion should be legal up to birth. Among those
describing themselves as pro-life, 69% would allow an abortion if the
mother's life was in danger and, in the case of rape, 44% were in
favour of an exception with 40% against. [Harris Interactive News
Release, 2nd May (from Pro-Life Infonet)]
Saudi Arabia is seeking the co-operation of the pro-abortion United
Nations Population Fund in the management of its adolescent and
reproductive healthcare. Dr Nafis Sadik, executive director of the
body, said that the Saudi government wanted help to provide educational
programmes aimed at combating the incidence of AIDS and other
infectious diseases. She added that the government did not intend
actively to promote a family planning policy and that family planning
was only to be provided to those who are legally entitled, that is
married couples. [Dawn International, 24th April]
It has emerged that scientists at Advanced Cell Technology in the USA
have already demonstrated a technique for 'therapeutic' cloning. The
research, which is yet to be published, involved the cloning of a cell
from a cow's ear and the implanting of the resulting cells into the
cow's heart without rejection. The same company announced last week
that it had managed to create six cloned calves whose cells were
younger than the ewe from which they had been cloned. The company says
that it could apply the technique to humans within three to five years
if given the go-ahead by the government. [The Sunday Times, 30th April]
You can see the BBC's report on the British pro-life chains, organised
last Saturday by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, at
the following address:
http://news2.thls.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid%5F730000/730599.stm
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To subscribe to SPUC's email information services, please visit www.spuc.org.uk/em-signup. The reliability of the news herein is dependent on that of the cited sources, which are paraphrased rather than quoted. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the society. © Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, 2010