News, 28 September 2000
The number of recorded abortions in England and Wales declined by 2.2%
from 1998 to 1999, with 13.6 terminations being carried out per 1,000
women aged 14 to 49. Government statistics released today state that,
of the 183,250 abortions performed in England and Wales last year, 89%
were performed on babies of less than 13 weeks' gestation, and 99% were
on babies of under 20 weeks. [
government statistics]
Paul Tully, general secretary of the Society for the Protection of
Unborn Children, said: "Although any drop in abortions is welcome, 1998
showed the highest ever number of abortions, and the figures for last
year still represent 500 unborn lives destroyed every day."
Doctors in Manchester, England, can operate on the Maltese
conjoined twins, after decisions by their parents and the official
solicitor not to challenge an appeal court judgement that they could be
separated. It has been reported that the procedure will result in the
death of Mary, the weaker twin and that, without separation, both of
the six-week-old girls would die. Doctors say that they will not
proceed to operate without the parents' knowledge. [
BBC news]
US group Priests for Life are to write to all priests in the United
States to ask them to talk about abortion from the pulpit. Fr Frank
Pavone, director of the organisation, said that the protection of
innocent human life was the most important election issue. In
television advertising, Fr Pavone will quote the US bishops' statement
that no public official can responsibly advocate abortion. Priests for
Life plans to spend one million dollars on TV ads before November's
elections. [
Priests for Life]
The American Life League has described the RU-486 abortion pill as a
chemical assault weapon that is aimed at the smallest of babies. Ms
Judie Brown, president of the league, was anticipating that the Federal
Drugs Administration would soon approve the use of the pill in the
United States. Ms Brown has called for the Congress to hold oversight
hearings on the matter. [
Yahoo]
A pro-life campaigner has criticised rock stars for letting
representatives of Planned Parenthood tour with them. Mr Bryan Kemper
said: "Kids hear the message [at rock concerts] that the first nine
months of their lives had no value, and that it would have been all
right if their parents had aborted them." Mr Kemper urges people to
write to bands associated with Planned Parenthood, which are listed on
his
website. [
EWTN]
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