Big Blue Wave News

Gingrich proposes investigation of IVF clinics

2012-02-01T15:56:00.001-05:00

Bioethics is playing a walk-on role in the drama of the Republican primaries. Newt Gingrich has expressed his opposition to abortion and embryonic stem cell research and has called for an investigation of practices in IVF clinics. He believes that human life begins at conception.

READ MORE: Gingrich proposes investigation of IVF clinics.

Child abuse scandals rock Hollywood. Or not.

2012-01-31T13:54:00.000-05:00

Just as the sordid but ongoing saga of filmmaker and convicted pedophile Roman Polanski fades once again from the headlines, stories of child abuse in Hollywood have erupted again, with an unprecedented frequency. Of course, if you don’t know where to look for this sort of news, you might never have heard a thing.

READ MORE: http://www.theinterim.com/features/child-abuse-scandals-rock-hollywood-or-not/.

Do we need a morality pill?

2012-01-30T12:52:00.001-05:00

Princeton bioethicist Peter Singer and a research assistant, Agata Sagan, proposed a “morality pill” in a column in the New York Times this week. They speculate that moral behaviour is at least in part biochemically determined. Hence, it should be possible to engineer moral behaviour with drugs.

READ MORE: Do we need a morality pill?.

Power increases infidelity among men and women.

2012-01-27T08:26:00.001-05:00

Abstract: Data from a large survey of 1,561 professionals were used to examine the relationship between power and infidelity and the process underlying this relationship.

READ MORE: Power increases infidelity among men and women..

In Maryland, autistic boy beat up at the bus stop while peers watch and cheer; One posts video on Facebook

2012-01-26T22:25:00.003-05:00

Disturbing video has surfaced of a autistic boy in Cecil County who is punched by another boy while other children watch.

READ MORE: In Maryland, autistic boy beat up at the bus stop while peers watch and cheer; One posts video on Facebook.

Short-term sexual health effects of relationships with significantly older females on adolescent boys.

2012-01-24T16:22:00.003-05:00

PURPOSE:To examine the short-term effects on the sexual health of adolescent boys in age discordant relationships.

READ MORE: Short-term sexual health effects of relationships with significantly older females on adolescent boys..

Guyana: Woman accuses Dr. Sahadeo of rape during abortion

2012-01-23T07:59:00.001-05:00

A woman claiming to be a former patient of Dr Rama Sahadeo says she is willing to testify to the Medical Council of Guyana, and even in court about being drugged and raped at his clinic some 35 years ago.

READ MORE: Guyana: Woman accuses Dr. Sahadeo of rape during abortion.

Man sexually abuses dog, posts pictures online

2012-01-22T13:35:00.003-05:00

METAIRIE, LA (CNN/WVUE) – State police arrested 21-year-old Blake Sanderford and charged him with taking video while he sexually abused his dog and then posting pictures of the assault on the internet.

READ MORE: Man sexually abuses dog, posts pictures online.

Estimating the prevalence of infertility in Canada

2012-01-21T01:04:00.001-05:00

BACKGROUND: Over the past 10 years, there has been a significant increase in the use of assisted reproductive technologies in Canada, however, little is known about the overall prevalence of infertility in the population. The purpose of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of current infertility in Canada according to three definitions of the risk of conception.

READ MORE: Estimating the prevalence of infertility in Canada.

Ukrainian Parliament banned broadcasting of palm reading programs

2012-01-19T20:23:00.001-05:00

On January, 12, the Ukrainian Parliament banned broadcasting of programs in which palm reading services are rendered , reports Christian Telegraph in reference to the Pavel Unguryan press room.

READ MORE: Ukrainian Parliament banned broadcasting of palm reading programs.

Frying our logic circuits over the abortion issue

2012-01-19T13:14:00.000-05:00

QUOTE:

You can’t discriminate against adults with Down Syndrome any more than you can discriminate against women or black people. So if you bestow human rights on some fetuses, how do you justify not bestowing them on all?

READ MORE: Chris Selley: Frying our logic circuits over the abortion issue

Father Raymond J. de Souza: The female screams we don’t want to hear

2012-01-19T13:01:00.001-05:00

QUOTE:The editorial that sparked this week’s debate was written by Dr. Rajendra Kale, interim editor-in-chief of the Canadian Medical Association Journal. His editorials are expansive in scope. He has called on all doctors to support stiffer penalties for head injuries in hockey. He has argued that parking fees at hospitals are the equivalent of user fees for medical service, and therefore contrary to the Canada Health Act. He will find that he is likely to make more progress on head injuries and free parking than on sex selection and abortion. The world has known about it a long time. It just doesn’t care.

READ MORE: Father Raymond J. de Souza: The female screams we don’t want to hear.

Norway authorities take away Indian couple's kids, say feeding with hands wrong

2012-01-19T12:10:00.000-05:00

New Delhi: Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya - an Indian couple from Kolkata are living a nightmare in Norway. Their children - a three-year-old son and one-year-old daughter - were taken away from them by Norway's child protective services and placed in foster care eight months ago.

READ MORE: Norway authorities take away Indian couple's kids, say feeding with hands wrong.

Wrong to condemn gender abortions and not others

2012-01-19T12:07:00.002-05:00

QUOTE:

But if, under Canadian law, the fetus does not have rights, why is the notion of sex-selection abortion so repugnant to so many? Hence the rather pointed commentary indicating that perhaps opposition to female feticide can, and should be extended to male babies too. In a rare admission, Marni Soupcoff writes, “One does solve the whole sex discrimination problem both ways by banning abortion, of course. Just sayin’ …”

READ MORE: Wrong to condemn gender abortions and not others.

Report claiming rise in ‘unsafe’ abortions worldwide is disputed

2012-01-19T12:04:00.000-05:00

A British pro-life group has said that new claims that the number of “unsafe” abortions has risen worldwide are “dubious”.

READ MORE: Report claiming rise in ‘unsafe’ abortions worldwide is disputed.

Abortionomics Study a Fraud

2012-01-18T23:50:00.003-05:00

It was billed as a groundbreaking press conference last week by Merle Hoffman, founder and owner of one of the first and largest abortion clinics in the United States and author of Intimate Wars: The Life and Times of the Woman Who Brought Abortion from the Back Alley to the Boardroom, which oddly enough is being published this month by Feminist Press.

READ MORE: Abortionomics Study a Fraud .

Massachusetts court overturns decision ordering abortion, sterilization

2012-01-18T07:54:00.001-05:00

A Massachusetts appeals court has struck down a lower court decision ordering a pregnant 32-year-old schizophrenic woman to undergo an abortion and sterilization.

READ MORE: Massachusetts court overturns decision ordering abortion, sterilization .

An 'up-beat' Irish pro-life group

2012-01-17T12:37:00.001-05:00

For nearly twenty years, YD has held weekly information sessions in Dublin city centre, and they now happily announce that the 1000th such street session has taken place. In sun and rain and wind, in cold and icy weather, and hot weather, the young YD volunteers have stood patiently and courageously in Dublin’s O’Connell Street, week after week.

READ MORE: An 'up-beat' Irish pro-life group .

Age at first anal sex and HIV/STI vulnerability among gay men in Australia.

2012-01-17T12:07:00.001-05:00

ObjectivesTo determine whether there is a link between age at first anal intercourse (AFAI) and gay men's HIV/sexually transmissible infection (STI) vulnerability, including tendencies to engage in higher risk sexual behaviour.

READ MORE: Age at first anal sex and HIV/STI vulnerability among gay men in Australia..

Socio-economic resources and first-union formation in Finland, cohorts born 1969-81.

2012-01-17T10:32:00.001-05:00

QUOTE:The aim of this study, which was based on Finnish register data, was to find out how the socio-economic resources of young adults affect first-union formation, and whether the effects vary by sex or union type.

READ MORE: Socio-economic resources and first-union formation in Finland, cohorts born 1969-81..

There are limits to personal autonomy

2012-01-16T22:29:00.001-05:00

In defense of the pernicious proposition that all mentally competent Canadians should have a legal right to medical assistance in committing suicide, the “expert panel” of the Royal Society of Canada on end-of-life decision making contends, in its recent report, that: “Autonomy (or the capacity for self-determination) is a paramount value to Canadians. Respect for autonomy requires respect for competent individuals’ free and informed decisions with respect to how and when they die.”

READ MORE: There are limits to personal autonomy.

Woman says her fake penis got her fired

2012-01-13T21:29:00.002-05:00

A northeastern Pennsylvania woman is suing a South Jersey-based maker of frozen treats and other snack foods, claiming that she was wrongfully fired because she wore a prosthetic penis to work.

READ MORE: Woman says her fake penis got her fired.

Pro-Abortion Vandalism at Mother and Child House

2012-01-13T18:08:00.001-05:00

Another incident of pro-abortion vandalism has occurred at NB Right to Life’s Mother and Child House in Fredericton. Sometime Wednesday night-Thursday morning the word “Choice” was spray-painted in large letters, along with a heart shape, on the side of the building facing the Morgentaler Clinic.

READ MORE: Pro-Abortion Vandalism at Mother and Child House.

Corey Feldman to write a book on Hollywood paedophiles

2012-01-13T11:54:00.001-05:00

Los Angeles: Former child star Corey Feldman, who featured in 'The Goonies', 'Stand By Me' and 'The Lost Boys', claims to have been sexually abused by paedophiles when he was a teenager and says he will reveal their names in a book. "When I was 14 and 15, things were happening to me. These older men were leching around like vultures. It was basically me laying there pretending I was asleep and them going about their business," the 40-year-old told The Sun in an interview.

READ MORE: Corey Feldman to write a book on Hollywood paedophiles.

NB Government tries to block abortion inquiry

2012-01-13T11:52:00.001-05:00

The provincial government has asked a New Brunswick judge to block a board of inquiry from hearing a human rights complaint that challenges the province’s abortion laws.

READ MORE: NB Government tries to block abortion inquiry.

Executive functioning and alcohol binge drinking in university students.

2012-01-11T22:00:00.001-05:00

QUOTE:

CONCLUSIONS:BD is associated with poorer performance of executive functions subserved by the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The results do not support enhanced vulnerability of women to alcohol neurotoxic effects. These difficulties may reflect developmental delay or frontal lobe dysfunction.

The Slippery Slope: Lubricant Use and Rectal Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Newly Identified Risk.

2011-12-21T10:05:00.001-05:00

BACKGROUND:Use of lubricant products is extremely common during receptive anal intercourse (RAI) yet has not been assessed as a risk for acquisition of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

READ MORE: The Slippery Slope: Lubricant Use and Rectal Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Newly Identified Risk..

How Pregnancy Changes a Woman’s Brain

2011-12-20T23:00:00.001-05:00

We know a lot about the links between a pregnant mother’s health, behavior, and moods and her baby’s cognitive and psychological development once it is born.

But how does pregnancy change a mother’s brain? “Pregnancy is a critical period for central nervous system development in mothers,” says psychologist Laura M. Glynn of Chapman University. “Yet we know virtually nothing about it.” Glynn and her colleague Curt A. Sandman, of University of the California Irvine, are doing something about that. Their review of the literature in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science, discusses the theories and findings that are starting to fill what Glynn calls “a significant gap in our understanding of this critical stage of most women’s lives.”

READ MORE: How Pregnancy Changes a Woman’s Brain.

STUDY: A higher sense of purpose in life is associated with sexual enjoyment in midlife women

2011-12-16T21:34:00.003-05:00

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to understand the association between sense of purpose in life and sexual well-being in a cohort of midlife women.

READ MORE: STUDY: A higher sense of purpose in life is associated with sexual enjoyment in midlife women.

STUDY: Mating interest improves women's accuracy in judging male sexual orientation

2011-12-16T21:28:00.001-05:00

People can accurately infer others' traits and group memberships across several domains. We examined heterosexual women's accuracy in judging male sexual orientation across the fertility cycle (Study 1) and found that women's accuracy was significantly greater the nearer they were to peak ovulation. In contrast, women's accuracy was not related to their fertility when they judged the sexual orientations of other women (Study 2).

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- STUDY: Mating interest improves women's accuracy in judging male sexual orientation.

STUDY: High lifetime pregnancy and low contraceptive usage among sex workers who use drugs- an unmet reproductive health need.

2011-12-16T00:27:00.002-05:00

BACKGROUND:The objective of this study was to describe levels of pregnancy and contraceptive usage among a cohort of street-based female sex workers (FSWs) in Vancouver.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- STUDY: High lifetime pregnancy and low contraceptive usage among sex workers who use drugs- an unmet reproductive health need..

Study: Characteristics of women who experience mood and sexual side effects with use of hormonal contraception.

2011-12-16T00:23:00.001-05:00

Objective: To describe the characteristics of women who experience sexual and mood side effects associated with use of hormonal contraception, and to compare them with women who do not.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Characteristics of women who experience mood and sexual side effects with use of hormonal contraception..

Contraception Affects Seizures in Women With Epilepsy

2011-12-15T23:37:00.001-05:00

BALTIMORE – The use of hormonal contraception among women with epilepsy may significantly increase their rate of seizure activity, according to the findings of a Web-based survey of women aged 18 to 47 years with the neurological condition.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Contraception Affects Seizures in Women With Epilepsy.

Duggar Memorial Photos of Jubilee Shalom

2011-12-15T00:56:00.002-05:00

On TMZ:

CLICK HERE TO SEE-- Duggar Memorial Photos of Jubilee Shalom.

Forced Sterilisations in Peru

2011-12-15T00:54:00.003-05:00

Shades of Nazi Germany! It has been reported that under the presidency of Alberto Fujimori in Peru, from 1990 to 2000, there was allegedly a government policy of forced sterilisations carried out on Peruvian women. It appears that there may have been up to 300,000 victims of this horrific policy, which can only be described as a gross human rights violation.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Forced Sterilisations in Peru .

A hospice in the womb

2011-12-13T22:12:00.001-05:00

In a Melbourne maternity hospital last month a very shocking event occurred. A healthy, 32-week-old, wanted, unborn child was killed by a lethal injection when the sonographer performing the procedure mistook the child for its unhealthy twin. When the mistake was realised, the mother had an emergency caesarean section and the sick child was also terminated, according to news reports. The whole tragic episode left the mother traumatised and everybody involved distraught.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- A hospice in the womb.

Tiniest babies are growing up healthy despite odds

2011-12-12T14:55:00.001-05:00

CHICAGO (AP) — One is a healthy first-grader, the other an honors college student majoring in psychology. Once the tiniest babies ever born, both girls are thriving, despite long odds when they entered the world weighing less than a pound.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Tiniest babies are growing up healthy despite odds.

Fetal Cells Cross Placenta, Stay With Pregnant Mom for Life

2011-12-10T20:45:00.001-05:00

“You will always be a part of me,” might be a mother’s teary farewell when her child goes off to college, but research is showing it’s quite literally true.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Fetal Cells Cross Placenta, Stay With Pregnant Mom for Life.

NYT: Thousands Sterilized, a State Weighs Restitution

2011-12-10T09:31:00.001-05:00

LINWOOD, N.C. — Charles Holt, 62, spreads a cache of vintage government records across his trailer floor. They are the stark facts of his state-ordered sterilization.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE--Thousands Sterilized, a State Weighs Restitution.

Massachusetts Medical Society reassert opposition to physican-assisted suicide

2011-12-09T23:04:00.001-05:00

The 23,000 members of the Massachusetts Medical Society have voted against physician-assisted suicide. Its House of Delegates voted by a large majority for maintaining a policy the Society has had since 1996. According to the MMS press release: “Opposition to physician-assisted suicide was part of a larger policy statement that includes recognition of patient dignity at the end of life and the physician’s role in caring for terminally-ill patients.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE Massachusetts Medical Society reassert opposition to physican-assisted suicide.

Pregnancy begins at conception, OB-GYNs say

2011-12-09T18:03:00.001-05:00

WASHINGTON (BP) -- A majority of American obstetricians and gynecologists believe pregnancy begins at conception, putting them at odds with the leading medical association in their field.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE Pregnancy begins at conception, OB-GYNs say.

Should Catholic Nuns Go On The Pill To Protect Against Ovarian & Uterine Cancer?

2011-12-09T09:58:00.001-05:00

Australian researchers Kara Britt and Roger Short have written an article in The Lancet proposing that nuns should be allowed access to oral contraceptive pills for health reasons.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Should Catholic Nuns Go On The Pill To Protect Against Ovarian & Uterine Cancer?.

Maternal Touch Is The Best Defense Against Drug Abuse, Study Says

2011-12-09T09:57:00.001-05:00

An attentive, nurturing mother may be able to help her children better resist the temptations of drug use later in life, according to a study published this week in the Journal of Neuroscience.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Maternal Touch Is The Best Defense Against Drug Abuse, Study Says.

A Book Every Priest Needs to Read: Catholic Priests Falsely Accused

2011-12-07T01:38:00.001-05:00

QUOTE:

A few weeks ago, I received a copy of David F. Pierre’s newest book, Catholic Priests Falsely Accused: The Facts, The Fraud, The Stories (The Media Report, 2011). The book documents the stories of six priests who have suffered under the millstone of false witness over the last decade of scandal in the Catholic Church, and their arduous trek to exoneration. Having lived in this nightmare for close to two decades, I could not put the book down.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- A Book Every Priest Needs to Read: Catholic Priests Falsely Accused.

Medicine used for sleep aid shows promise to "wake" people from vegetative state

2011-12-02T22:30:00.001-05:00

QUOTE:

The first report of a zolpidem awakening came from South Africa, in 1999. A patient named Louis Viljoen, who, three years before, was declared vegetative after he was hit by a truck, had taken to clawing at his mattress during the night. Thinking he was suffering from insomnia, his family doctor suggested zolpidem to help him sleep. But 20 minutes after his mother ground the tablet up and fed it to him through a straw, Viljoen began to stir. His eyes, which normally wandered the room, vacant and unfocused, flickered with the light of consciousness. And then he began to talk (his first words were “Hello, Mummy”), and move (he could control his limbs and facial muscles). A few hours later he became unresponsive. But the next day, and for many days after that, zolpidem revived him, a few hours at a time.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Medicine used for sleep aid shows promise to "wake" people from vegetative state.

Nova Scotia man gets 18 months for poking holes in girlfriend's condoms

2011-12-02T14:49:00.001-05:00

HALIFAX - A Nova Scotia man has been given an 18-month jail sentence for sexual assault after he poked holes in his girlfriend's condoms and had intercourse with her.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Nova Scotia man gets 18 months for poking holes in girlfriend's condoms.

Wi-Fi Laptops Harm Sperm Motility And Increase Sperm DNA Fragmentation

2011-12-01T01:24:00.001-05:00

Males who place a laptop on their laps with the WI-FI on might have a greater risk of reduced sperm motility and more sperm DNA fragmentation, which could, in theory, undermine their chances of becoming fathers, researchers from Nascentis Medicina Reproductiva, Argentina, and the Eastern Virginia Medical School, USA, reported in the journal Fertility and Sterility this week. Sperm motility refers to the percentage of sperm in a semen sample that are moving - normally, a high percentage of all sperm should be moving (thrashing their tails and swimming).

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Wi-Fi Laptops Harm Sperm Motility And Increase Sperm DNA Fragmentation.

Supreme Court takes up IVF/benefits case

2011-11-30T00:38:00.001-05:00

The U.S. Supreme Court will rule if children conceived by in vitro fertilization following the death of their father can receive Social Security benefits, reports Baptist Press.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Supreme Court takes up IVF/benefits case.

Christian groups finding hostility at colleges

2011-11-30T00:30:00.001-05:00

Four Christian groups at Vanderbilt University soon could be kicked off campus as school administrators quietly adopt a policy that prohibits student organizations from holding members or leaders to any standard of belief or behavior, reports Baptist Press.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Christian groups finding hostility at colleges.

Men don’t think about sex every seven seconds: study

2011-11-28T23:21:00.001-05:00

Ohio State University researchers are trying to debunk the popular myth that men think about sex seven times a minute, or roughly 10,000 times over 24 hours.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Men don’t think about sex every seven seconds: study .

San Jose Articles interrupt strategic push for Abortion in Uruguay

2011-11-24T13:17:00.001-05:00

A recent attempt in Uruguay to “decriminalize” abortion was thwarted last week when the legislative majority was unable to build consensus within the senate on their proposed legislation. The legislation was rejected by the Colorado party’s Fernando Amado who refused to join consensus and cited his party’s support for the San Jose Articles, an international expert document which affirms that human life begins at conception.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- San Jose Articles interrupt strategic push for Abortion in Uruguay.

NARTH President’s Award Goes to Canadian Michel Lizotte

2011-11-21T23:08:00.001-05:00

This year NARTH presented the President’s award to Michel Lizotte, M.A., for the great work that he is doing with regard to the issue of homosexuality. Mr. Lizotte has made great sacrifices to educate the French-speaking community on the issue of homosexuality, clearly presenting the research and providing hope and help to those who are seeking such help.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- NARTH President’s Award Goes to Canadian Michel Lizotte.

Falsely Accused Priest Awarded 'Substantial' Settlement

2011-11-21T15:03:00.001-05:00

After Irish television network RTÉ falsely claimed that Rev. Kevin Reynolds had impregnated a teenage girl and fathered a child in Kenya in the early 1980's, a High Court settlement has arranged that the reckless network will pay "substantial compensatory and aggravated" damages to the innocent Catholic priest.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Falsely Accused Priest Awarded 'Substantial' Settlement.

California clears anti-abortion personhood measure

2011-11-20T11:59:00.001-05:00

Proponents of a measure that would ban abortions by giving equal rights to fetuses have been cleared to gather signatures in California, the secretary of state’s office said Friday.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- California clears anti-abortion personhood measure.

NZ: Anti-abortion case dropped

2011-11-20T11:58:00.001-05:00

The Medical Council has stopped an attempt to force anti-abortion doctors to refer patients to others who are prepared to assess them.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- NZ: Anti-abortion case dropped.

Catholic priest, 81, may use human rights law to fight celibacy rule

2011-11-12T14:16:00.001-05:00

An 81-year-old Catholic priest, threatened with expulsion from the priesthood because he lives with his 85-year-old girlfriend, says the celibacy rules should be tested against human rights legislation.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Catholic priest, 81, may use human rights law to fight celibacy rule.

AHRC condemns forced conversion and remarriage of Hindu woman in Sindh province

2011-11-12T08:39:00.001-05:00

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has condemned the forced conversion of a young Hindu woman to Islam, and held the court responsible for the act.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- AHRC condemns forced conversion and remarriage of Hindu woman in Sindh province .

Was Norway’s Queen Maud euthanased?

2011-11-10T22:01:00.001-05:00

One of the sensational claims made in a new book about Norway’s monarchs during World War II, King Haakon VII and Queen Maud is that the Queen may have been involuntarily euthanased. Norwegian author Tor Bomann-Larsen writes in his book “Æresordet” (Word of Honour) that “Queen Maud had left home strong and healthy and would return in a coffin, without Norwegian doctors having had any connections to what happened.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Was Norway’s Queen Maud euthanased?.

Abortion practice in Mexico: a survey of health care providers.

2011-11-10T11:35:00.001-05:00

BACKGROUND:Little is known about abortion practice in Mexico postlegalization of abortion in Mexico City in 2007.

STUDY DESIGN:In 2009, we anonymously surveyed 418 Mexican health care providers at the Colegio Mexicano de Especialistas en Ginecologia y Obstetricia meeting using audio computer-assisted self-interview technology.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Abortion practice in Mexico: a survey of health care providers..

UK: Court rules that Church is liable for crimes of priests

2011-11-10T07:37:00.001-05:00

A court has ruled that the Catholic Church can be held legally liable for the crimes of abusive clergy.

The ruling by the High Court in London for the first time defined in British law the relationship of a priest to his bishop as that of an employee to an employer, instead of seeing the priest as effectively self-employed.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- UK: Court rules that Church is liable for crimes of priests.

They stood back and watched our mother die

2011-11-09T11:30:00.001-05:00

A family have spoken of their horror after their dying elderly mother was treated like a ‘slab of meat’ by nurses.The family of Immacolata Lacovara, 74, said that staff at Central Middlesex Hospital in North London ‘treated her roughly and left her covered in bedsores and bruises’.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- They stood back and watched our mother die.

Sex, feminism and late abortion

2011-11-07T09:55:00.000-05:00

BPAS sponsored three sessions at the recent London Battle of Ideas festival. Report by Jennie Bristow.

The Battle of Ideas is an annual festival held at the Royal College of Art, attended by an audience of hundreds drawn from members of the public, and with an eclectic range of concurrent debates on issues to do with politics, science, and the arts. This year’s festival ran from 29-30 October.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Sex, feminism and late abortion.

European Court of Human Rights Upholds Ban on Gamete Donation

2011-11-05T22:24:00.000-04:00

3rd November 2011 – Today, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has delivered its final judgment in the case of S. H. and others v. Austria (application no. 57813/00), reversing a prior judgment, and deciding that the Austrian ban on using sperm and ova donations for in vitro fertilisation (heterologous IVF) respects the European Convention on Human Rights, and in particular is not in breach of the right to respect for private and family life (Article 8 of the Convention). The previous decision issued by the First Section on the 1st of April 2010, was heavily problematic because it undermined the family; it presupposed the existence of a “right to have a child” and disrespected national sovereignty in bioethical issues.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- European Court of Human Rights Upholds Ban on Gamete Donation.

Senate passes bill requiring sex ed to promote marriage

2011-11-02T23:08:00.001-04:00

Madison - Schools that teach sexual education would have to promote marriage and tell students abstinence is the only reliable way to prevent pregnancy, under a bill the Senate adopted Wednesday.

CLICK HERE TO READ-- Senate passes bill requiring sex ed to promote marriage MORE.

Death on Demand: Risks and Responsibility

2011-11-02T18:51:00.001-04:00

There are many critical civil rights issues facing Americans with disabilities and chronic health conditions – but the right to die is not one of them. Over the last 15 years, Americans have been engaged in an intensely controversial debate as to whether or not states should legalize assisted suicide for individuals with significant disabilities and terminal illnesses.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Death on Demand: Risks and Responsibility .

The Problem with Half-Truths and IVF

2011-11-01T21:25:00.001-04:00

Over the past couple of years a great many shocking facts have emerged about the inherent dangers associated with “reproductive technology,” including and most specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). As couples persist in believing that pursuing petri dish babies is the best alternative to suspected infertility, the negative evidence continues to mount—building a case on a variety of levels that IVF is never a good idea.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- The Problem with Half-Truths and IVF .

Kids With Trisomy 18 Are Not “Incompatible With Life”

2011-11-01T11:07:00.004-04:00

Trisomy 18 is a genetic condition where a person has three copies of chromosome 18. Trisomy 21, three copies of chromosome 21, is the genetic condition that causes Down Syndrome. Both are caused by three copies of a chromosome, but trisomy 18 is considered to be “incompatible with life.” This is a medical term that means that most children with trisomy 18 die before or shortly after birth.

There are exceptions. (...)

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Kids With Trisomy 18 Are Not “Incompatible With Life”.

Exorcist speaks possession and God

2011-11-01T11:03:00.001-04:00

Screams could be heard from the bathroom down the hall.

The priest and family members rushed in to find a woman gushing blood from her tongue and drawing a pentagram on the bathroom wall.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Exorcist speaks possession and God.

Four Legacies of Feminism

2011-11-01T09:37:00.001-04:00

As we approach the 50th anniversary of the publication of Betty Friedan’s feminist magnum opus, The Feminine Mystique, we can have a perspective on feminism that was largely unavailable heretofore.And that perspective doesn’t make feminism look good. Yes, women have more opportunities to achieve career success; they are now members of most Jewish and Christian clergy; women’s college sports teams are given huge amounts of money; and there are far more women in political positions of power. But the prices paid for these changes — four in particular — have been great, and outweigh the gains for women, let alone for men and for society.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Four Legacies of Feminism .

Unintended pregnancy in the United States: incidence and disparities, 2006.

2011-10-29T01:11:00.004-04:00

BACKGROUND:The incidence of unintended pregnancy is among the most essential health status indicators in the field of reproductive health. One ongoing goal of the US Department of Health and Human Services is to reduce unintended pregnancy, but the national rate has not been estimated since 2001.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Unintended pregnancy in the United States: incidence and disparities, 2006..

Perceptions of family planning and abortion education at a faith-based medical school

2011-10-29T01:09:00.004-04:00

BACKGROUND:Because of religious beliefs against contraception and abortion, family planning education is limited at faith-based institutions. The purpose of this study was to assess medical students' satisfaction with family planning education at a faith-based medical school.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Perceptions of family planning and abortion education at a faith-based medical school.

Attitudes toward prenatal testing and pregnancy termination among a diverse population of parents of children with intellectual disabilities.

2011-10-29T01:08:00.001-04:00

OBJECTIVE:To determine how parents of children with intellectual disabilities view prenatal testing and pregnancy termination for their child's condition.METHOD:We interviewed 201 English-speaking or Spanish-speaking caregivers of children aged 2 to 10 years. Primary outcomes were being disinclined to undergo prenatal testing or pregnancy termination for the child's condition in a future pregnancy.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Attitudes toward prenatal testing and pregnancy termination among a diverse population of parents of children with intellectual disabilities..

First US conviction for organ trafficking

2011-10-28T21:48:00.000-04:00

An Israeli man has been convicted in the first proven case of organ-trafficking in the United States. Levy Izhak Rosenbaum admitted to a court in New Jersey that he had brokered three illegal kidney transplants after payments of $120,000 or more.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- First US conviction for organ trafficking.

Children Are Crucified to Force Christians to Leave Iraq

2011-10-28T13:16:00.002-04:00

Muslim militants are crucifying children to terrorize their Christian parents and encourage them to flee Iraq, yesterday was told a parliamentary committee studying the persecution of religious minorities.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE -- Children Are Crucified to Force Christians to Leave Iraq .

2000 call for abortion to be defunded in Ontario

2011-10-28T12:24:00.000-04:00

On Oct. 22, more than 2000 people turned out for the Defund Abortion Rally at Queen’s Park organized by Campaign Life Coalition Youth.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- 2000 call for abortion to be defunded in Ontario.

The false prophets of the population control lobby and their appalling track record

2011-10-28T12:21:00.001-04:00

On 31 October when the world’s population reaches seven billion we will be subjected to a whole host of alarmist reports about impending disaster - through overcrowding, disease and environmental destruction - and the population control lobby, led by prominent journalists and media celebrities, will try to persuade us that our salvation lies in making contraception and abortion more widely accessible.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- The false prophets of the population control lobby and their appalling track record.

Expectant mothers are more likely to die from murder or suicide than from several of the most common pregnancy-related medical problems, a U.S. study said.

2011-10-27T11:02:00.001-04:00

Roughly half of those women who died violently had had some kind of conflict with their current or former partners, according to findings published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, causing experts to call for more thorough screening for domestic problems during pregnancy check-ups.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Expectant mothers are more likely to die from murder or suicide than from several of the most common pregnancy-related medical problems, a U.S. study said..

Preemies most vocal when parents are talking

2011-10-22T15:53:00.000-04:00

Even tiny premature babies in hospital care after birth can make baby sounds, and are especially vocal when their parents are talking to them - a finding that could be significant in terms of later language ability and in terms of in-hospital care for the babies, a U.S. study suggests.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE--Preemies most vocal when parents are talking.

Researchers Create The First Simulator To Train Embryologists

2011-10-19T11:12:00.000-04:00

"The Embryologist Station Training (TEST) consists of a console and a software that allow beginners to train the process of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Microinjection, one of the current most successful techniques of assisted reproductive techniques. The simulator will facilitate a better understanding of the whole process to students, but also will help to students and practitioners to improve their sensitivity with the controls and their capability for the immobilization and capture of sperm, the positioning of ovules and sperm microinjection. "

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Researchers Create The First Simulator To Train Embryologists.

'Gay' hate vandalizes church, threatens even more violence

2011-10-16T16:23:00.001-04:00

In the early morning hours, on the eve of a banquet designed to expose the homosexual activist agenda, security cameras on the campus of the Christian Liberty Academy, a school run by the Church of Christian Liberty in Arlington Heights, Ill., captured what may be a prominent example of an anti-Christian "hate crime."

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- 'Gay' hate vandalizes church, threatens even more violence.

New Studies Find Yaz More Risky Than Other Leading Birth Control Pills: ABC News Investigates

2011-10-15T00:12:00.002-04:00

The blockbuster birth control pill with benefits, Yaz was pitched as the choice for women desperate for relief from severe PMS and acne. But now, new independent studies have found that Yaz carries higher blood clotting risks than other leading birth control pills.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- New Studies Find Yaz More Risky Than Other Leading Birth Control Pills: ABC News Investigates.

Ontario's Bill 157: further proof of the hidden "Equity" agenda

2011-10-14T09:24:00.001-04:00

How many parents know that the Liberal government in their Safe Schools initiative passed Bill 157 "Keeping our Kids Safe at School" last February 1, 2010? Why was this piece of school legislation, which could see students or teachers suspended for questioning any of the new sexual orientations, kept hidden from public attention and debate during the elections? This is more of the politics of deception.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Ontario's Bill 157: further proof of the hidden "Equity.

Texas School Punishes Boy for Opposing Homosexuality

2011-09-22T22:36:00.001-04:00

An honors student in Fort Worth, TX, was sent to the principal’s office and punished for telling a classmate that he believes homosexuality is wrong.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Texas School Punishes Boy for Opposing Homosexuality.

Surrogate not legally a baby's mother, Sask. judge rules

2011-09-15T23:03:00.003-04:00

A Saskatchewan judge has ruled that a woman who gave birth to a baby girl in 2009 is not actually the child's mother, in a decision that exposes the gap between legislation and reality in modern parenthood.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Surrogate not legally a baby's mother, Sask. judge rules.

3-Year-Olds Branded “Racist,” “Homophobic” Put In Government Database

2011-09-15T13:35:00.000-04:00

Over 30,000 British schoolchildren, some as young as three, have had their names registered on a government database and branded “racist” or “homophobic” for using playground insults, infractions that could impact their future careers.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- 3-Year-Olds Branded “Racist,” “Homophobic” Put In Government Database.

Fewer couples heading down the aisles, Stats Can finds

2011-09-15T13:17:00.000-04:00

After being with her live-in boyfriend for three years, Lai thought it was about time they had a serious discussion about heading down the aisle, but every time the topic was brought up, she received the same answer: he wasn’t ready.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Fewer couples heading down the aisles, Stats Can finds.

The Bahamas: Unborn murder victims not considered people under law

2011-08-04T00:29:00.001-04:00

The murder of an expectant mother has sparked a debate over whether her unborn child should be counted as a murder victim.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- The Bahamas: Unborn murder victims not considered people under law.

Pregnancy loss linked to depression in young men

2011-08-04T00:21:00.000-04:00

Young men whose partners have had an abortion or miscarriage are twice as likely to develop depression than those whose partners have never been pregnant, a new study has found.

Pregnancy loss linked to depression in young men-- CLICK HERE TO READ MORE.

Taiwan-- Abortions exceed births: pediatrician

2011-07-19T01:00:00.001-04:00

Between 300,000 and 500,000 abortions are carried out in Taiwan each year, National Taiwan University College of Medicine professor and pediatrician Lue Hung-chi (呂鴻基) told a forum on Saturday, calling on the government to act on the situation.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Taiwan-- Abortions exceed births: pediatrician.

Marijuana: one stoned decision after another

2011-06-25T13:55:00.001-04:00

In 2001, Ottawa made a dumb decision to allow qualified patients to smoke medical marijuana. Today, 10,000 Canadians have licences to inhale, and 3,400 of your fellow citizens can grow their own pot legally.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Marijuana: one stoned decision after another.

Report: Fewer Planned Parenthood clinics in U.S.

2011-06-16T14:27:00.002-04:00

A pro-life group's annual report on the nation's largest abortion provider shows that even though Planned Parenthood is still making money, it is suffering some setbacks.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Report: Fewer Planned Parenthood clinics in U.S..

The B.C. Civil Liberties Association launches lawsuit to strike down Canada's ban on assisted suicide

2011-06-10T12:34:00.000-04:00

The lawsuit was filed against Canada's attorney general by a couple that took a relative to Dignitas, Switzerland, to commit suicide. They now want Canada's law that bans assisted suicide overturned.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- The B.C. Civil Liberties Association launches lawsuit to strike down Canada's ban on assisted suicide.

5,000 families break up in China everyday

2011-06-06T12:29:00.000-04:00

The divorce rate in China has increased for 7 consecutive years! According to statistics from China’s civil administration, more than 460,000 couples registered for divorce between January and March this year, increased by 17.1% compared to last year’s statistics, meaning that 5,000 couples get divorced everyday on average.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- 5,000 families break up in China everyday.

Mississippi parish prays to end death penalty

2011-06-05T20:41:00.000-04:00

Hattiesburg, Miss., Jun 4, 2011 / 01:15 pm (CNA).- At the very same moment Benny Joe Stevens was being put to death via lethal injection for the 1998 murder of four people, including two children, a group of people gathered on the steps of Sacred Heart Church in Hattiesburg, Miss., praying for an end to the death penalty.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Mississippi parish prays to end death penalty.

The Pratten ruling: An anonymous sperm provider’s son explains why it matters

2011-06-05T20:25:00.002-04:00

On May 19, 2011, a door opened that has long been closed in North America. The Supreme Court of British Columbia ruled in favour of Olivia Pratten, a 29-year-old Canadian woman, conceived from the sperm of an anonymous man, who had argued that BC’s laws discriminate against the offspring of sperm and egg providers.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- The Pratten ruling: An anonymous sperm provider’s son explains why it matters .

Poll finds Americans widely accepting of divorce, premarital sex

2011-05-31T20:39:00.000-04:00

Princeton, N.J., May 31, 2011 / 07:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A recent Gallup poll found that while Americans remain largely split on several moral issues, the majority in recent years have become increasingly accepting of what were once considered social taboos, such as divorce and sex outside of marriage.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- US Poll finds Americans widely accepting of divorce, premarital sex.

Dutch government to ban tourists from cannabis shops

2011-05-28T12:02:00.002-04:00

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Dutch government on Friday said it would start banning tourists from buying cannabis from "coffee shops" and impose restrictions on Dutch customers by the end of the year.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Dutch government to ban tourists from cannabis shops.

Calgary Police investigating sexual assault of a 6-week-old infant

2011-05-26T22:18:00.000-04:00

CALGARY – Police are investigating a shocking case of sexual assault involving a 6-week-old infant.

The baby boy was subjected to both physical and sexual abuse which was so severe, officials say the child will have lifelong consequences.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Calgary Police investigating sexual assault of a 6-week-old infant.

Tories accused of anointing star candidates and pushing others out

2011-05-17T17:19:00.002-04:00

The Progressive Conservative Party is under fire for effectively anointing so-called star candidates by squeezing out others interested in running.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Tories accused of anointing star candidates and pushing others out.

Quebec's daycare policy doesn't lead to success: study

2011-05-11T11:37:00.002-04:00

OTTAWA - Quebec's $7-a-day daycare system is failing to improve children's educational outcomes, an economics professor from Montreal says.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE-- Quebec's daycare policy doesn't lead to success: study.