Pro-Life News: Forced Abortion, British Poll, Australia Cloning, More

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jul 3, 2006   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Pro-Life News: Forced Abortion, British Poll, Australia Cloning, More Email this article
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 3, 2006

Chinese Woman Dies Fleeing From Forced Abortion by Family Planning Officials
Beijing, China (LifeNews.com) —
A Chinese woman died trying to flee family planning officials who wanted to forced her to have an abortion of her twin unborn babies. Li Shimei was seized at her home and taken to the hospital in the eastern city of Hefei because she already had one child when she became pregnant. Chinese women are allowed to only have one child under the nation’s family planning policies and forced abortions and sterilizations are routine. The Hong Kong-based Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said Li, who was seven months pregnant, fell to her death from Shuguang Hospital’s second floor while trying to escape. The death occurred on June 22nd and hospital officials would not give the woman’s name or any further details when media tried to contact them. The Information Centre said Li’s death was under investigation by Hefei police but the police told one media outlet they didn’t know about the case.

Australia Govt Doesn’t Want to Spend Taxpayer Money on Human Cloning
Canberra, Australia (LifeNews.com) —
The Australian state of Victoria is considering legalizing human cloning for research purposes and the Australian government doesn’t want to pay for it if that happens. Despite Prime Minister John Howard’s opposition to human cloning, the state is considering legalizing the practice, but Treasurer Peter Costello says the government won’t pay for it. Costello said the government would do whatever it could to stop Victoria from promoting human cloning. "If we have a view as to what research is ethically responsible and what isn’t, we wouldn’t go around funding research that we thought was ethically irresponsible and we are the major funders of this research," he said. That debate comes at a time when the Australian parliament is embroiled in its own debate about human cloning and whether to allow it. However has said he would allow a free vote sometime in August.

British Poll Finds Women Say Abortion is "Cruel," Late-Term Limits Needed
London, England (LifeNews.com) —
The vast majority of British women believe that abortion is "cruel" and that the existing law should be changed, according to the largest ever professional survey of female opinion. The survey also shows that most people — men and women — believe that too many abortions are being carried out each year and want to see the 200,000 total reduced. The CommunicateResearch poll also finds: a majority of women want government funds spent on groups that help women find abortion alternatives, 85 percent want more help for women who plan to keep their babies, 80 percent say late-term abortions are "cruel" and 95 percent say that British law allowing abortions to the 24th week of pregnancy should be reviewed. Andrea Williams, public policy officer for the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship, said: "This poll confirms that women in this country are deeply unhappy with the existing abortion laws and want them tightened up."

Minnesota Crisis Pregnancy Centers Get Almost $5 Million in Govt Funds
St. Paul, MN (LifeNews.com) —
Crisis pregnancy centers in Minnesota are getting $4.75 million from the state thanks to legislation lawmakers approved and Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed. The Positive Alternatives Act makes sure the 36 centers across the state, like the North Side Life Care Center, can better help pregnant women find abortion alternatives and pregnancy needs. The state started to disperse the grants to the center this weekend. North Side will get $129,180 to expand prenatal care and offer services such as free ultrasounds, infant formula and car seats. Those grants will help women in sometimes dire situations who may think abortion is their only option. "We know that abortion kills babies, but it also hurts women," said Cindy Lorsung, the center’s executive director. "I know that women suffer and I don’t think they need to suffer." The grants can’t go to groups that do abortions or refer women to abortion businesses. The money helps combat the $3.7 million a year in family planning funds that abortion facilities like Planned Parenthood receive.

California Biotech Firms Oppose Stem Cell Research Committee’s Profit Plans
Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) —
Biotech firms in California are opposed to a proposal from the state’s stem cell research committee that would let the state share in profits that come from the $3 billion in taxpayer-funded grants the firms may eventually get from the committee. Some biotech executives say it may prevent them from working on new therapies. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, which oversees the grants, tentatively adopted the policy in February. The California Healthcare Institute, which represents biotech firms across the state, said "the development of resulting new treatments and therapies will be constrained." "It’s impossible to make everyone happy,” Ed Penhoet, the institute’s vice chairman, told the San Jose Mercury News. But he added that the agency is confident "we will end up with a good policy with a fair balance of the issues.” The policy would insist that the state receive a 25 percent royalty on any revenue exceeding $500,000 that was generated from the institute’s grants. But the grants are still being held up by two lawsuits filed by pro-life and taxpayers groups.