White House Officials Claim to Want to Reduce Abortions Despite Mtg Comment
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- White House officials are saying that President Barack Obama still wants to work together with both sides of the abortion debate to reduce abortions. That's even though a top domestic advisor for the president told a leading pro-life advocate that reducing the number of abortions isn't really a goal of President Obama. In a new editorial, Wendy Wright, the president of Concerned Women for America, divulged that Melody Barnes, the Obama Director of Domestic Policy Council and a former board member of Emily’s List, a pro-abortion group, recently told a meeting of pro-life and pro-abortion advocates that Obama's goal is to “reduce the need for abortions.” Barnes added, “It is not our goal to reduce the number of abortions.” Wright was taken back and wrote: "If you reduce the need, doesn't it follow that the number would be reduced? How do you quantify if you've reduced the “need”? Does Obama want to reduce the “need” but not the number of abortions? In that case, is he okay with “unneeded” abortions?" On Friday, an unnamed White House official responded in comments sent to CBN News. The official said, "The goals of this effort are clear. As discussed at this and other meetings, we're working to address the issues at the root of a woman’s heart-wrenching decision to have an abortion. We intend to give women the tools they need to prevent an unintended pregnancy before it happens and to support women who choose to carry their pregnancies to term. Taken together, this could reduce the number of women seeking abortions. We're pleased that many from across the ideological spectrum have joined us in this effort to improve the lives of women and their families." But for Wright, actions speak louder than words and, in her estimation, Obama has a strongly pro-abortion record thus far.

Fewer Women From Northern Ireland Travel to England for Abortions Stats Show
London, England (LifeNews.com) -- As LifeNews.com has reported, fewer women from Ireland are heading to England for abortions, according to new abortion figures from the British government. The stats also show fewer women from Northern Ireland heading there for abortions, too. Betty Gibson, chairwoman for SPUC in Northern Ireland, commented as new figures from the Department of Health in England and Wales showed that 1,173 abortions were performed on women from the province. While she was pleased with the reduction, she said more must be done to give women better options. "Abortion kills children but also hurts women. Many women are never told about the physical and emotional damage which abortion can cause. It is important that women get all the help they need to care for their children. If the Advertising Standards Authority allow abortion providers to advertise on TV and radio, it will add to the pressure on vulnerable women. They will be sold abortion as a simple, safe and easy answer to their problems when it's not," she said. "Most people believe it is wrong that vulnerable women should be given abortion counseling by people who have a financial interest in the abortion industry. Allowing TV and radio ads will be good for the abortion business and bad for women and their unborn children. People should write to Gregory Campbell, minister for culture, arts and leisure, Causeway Exchange, 1-7 Bedford Street, Belfast, BT1 7FB, and ask him to do everything he can to ensure that the restrictions on abortion adverts are not lifted."

Chicago Sees Hundreds of Pro-Life Advocates Rally Against Abortion on Friday
Chicago, IL (LifeNews.com) -- Hundreds of pro-life advocates in the Chicago area participated in a march and rally for life on Friday at the Thompson Center. Americans For Life sponsored the rally to protest the Freedom Of Choice Act (FOCA) and U.S. government funding of abortion worldwide. “Americans are basically family-oriented people,” Dick Walsh, event organizer and chairman of Americans for Life, told LifeNews.com. “For the first time since the passage of Roe v. Wade in 1973, a majority of Americans now consider themselves pro-life. This most recent polling is significant and indicates an important shift in attitudes regarding the defense of the innocent unborn.” Tom Brejcha, President of the Chicago-based Thomas More Society along with Sandy Rios, a national pro-family activist and talk show host on WYLL radio AM1160, addressed the gathering. at the Thompson Center before stepping off in a march that concluded at the Federal Plaza. Other local and national pro-family leaders who spoke at the event included Bishop Francis Kane, Chicago Archdiocese; Jim Finnegan, President of the Choose Life Illinois Adoption Aid Specialty License Plate initiative; Mary Anne Hackett, current CEO and President of Catholic Citizens of Illinois. Joseph M. Scheidler, National Director of the Pro-Life Action League; Diane Schroeder, President of Lutherans for Life; and Jill Stanek, nationally recognized blogger and nurse-defender of life were also present.

Kansas Sponsor Banning Planned Parenthood Funding Budget Responds to Veto
Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) -- The Kansas legislator who sponsored the budget item that would de-fund the Planned Parenthood abortion business says Governor Mark Parkinson has given a faulty reason for vetoing that part of the budget. As LifeNews.com reported, Parkinson made his first decision on abortion as the new governor on Friday and restored hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion business. Parkinson worried the provision de-funding Planned Parenthood would go against federal laws and limits on using federal money Kansas receives. But Senator Tim Huelskamp tells LifeNews.com that's not the case. "As an attorney, Governor Parkinson knows better than to claim that Title X funding is an entitlement - as he suggests in his veto message," he said. "Instead, Title X funding uses federal monies in a grant program administered by the States. States have tremendous discretion in use of these funds as indicated in the federal law at 42 USC 300." ACTION: Show your disappointment by contacting Governor Parkinson at: http://www.governor.ks.gov/contact.htm

Denmark Sees Record Number of Late-Term Abortions, New Statistics Show
Copenhagen, Denmark (LifeNews.com) -- The number of abortions performed after the 12th week of pregnancy in Denmark reached its highest figure ever last year, with 822 women given permission to have abortions that late. The information comes from a new report in the Kristeligt Dagblad newspaper. This figure follows on from the previous record year of 2007 for women who received abortions after the 12th week – the last week of a pregnancy where official permission for an abortion is not required. The number has increased each year since 2004. A total of 886 women requested late-term abortions through their regional abortion board last year. Those who are turned down by the board can appeal to the national authority, the Abortion Appeals Board, which then makes the final decision. Torben Hvid, chairman of the Abortion Appeals Board, says the increased number is due to the foetal scans, to determine whether the unborn child has any developmental problems. "‘t’s solely the foetal diagnoses that are the cause of the increase," said Hvid. "There are no increases in any other grounds given by women seeking abortions." Ane Esbensen, secretariat of the Central Handicapped Council, said the increasing number of late-term abortions should be cause for some serious afterthought.

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