 |
 |
Monday, August 09, 2004 |
Hong Kong Has One of Highest Abortion Rates in Developed World - 1/3 of all Pregnancies
HONG KONG, August 9, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The South China Morning Post reported today that one-third of all pregnancies in Hong Kong end in abortion. Analysts say the number is probably even higher, because it does not take into account the illegal abortions committed in mainland China, where many women go to ensure anonymity.
According to the Post, 2001 statistics revealed 20,235 babies were aborted v. 49,144 live births in the same year. Abortion thus ended the lives of 29.2 Hong Kong babies that year.
A Medical News Today report speculates that the strong social stigma associated with pregnancy in an unmarried woman is to blame.
Although the Post authors claim the 29 percent rate is the world's highest, Russia is actually the world leader, with 60 percent of women aborting their unborn children. Romania's abortions also exceed Hong Kongs, where in 2003, over 50 percent of pregnancies ended in abortion. The U.S. ranks closely behind Hong Kong, at 24.4 percent of pregnancies, Canada at 24.3 percent and Australia at 23.7 percent.
Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Romania: Abortions Continue to Exceed Live Births
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/feb/04021008.html
Google It!. 8:13:47 PM 
|
|
ASSYRIAN COMPOUND ATTACKED IN BAGHDAD
No word of casualties
By: Stefan J. Bos
Special Correspondent, ASSIST News Service
BAGHDAD, IRAQ (ANS) -- The Assyrian Christian Compound in Baghdad came under mortar attack Monday, August 9, just over a week after bombers killed up to 15 Christians, news reports and church officials said.
Assyrian leaders said the targeted compound in the Iraqi capital's Zayuna district houses a clinic, a women's center and a computer center. It also provides free telephone calls to those in need and supports humanitarian relief activities in addition to serving as the nerve center for Assyrian Christians in Iraq.
There was no word of casualties, but the violence was expected to increase concern among Iraqi Christians. Hundreds and possible thousands of Christians have reportedly fled to countries such as Jordan and Syria following attacks against five Assyrian churches on Sunday, August 1, in Baghdad and Mosul.
PRAYING FOR BOMBERS
Those who stayed behind, including believers of Baghdad's Chaldean Church of St Peter and St Paul where most Christians died, have prayed for those responsible for what was the largest terrorist attack against Christians since the 15 months old insurgency began.
"We cannot understand why or how they could do something like this," Fr Faris Toma told the British daily The Daily Telegraph last week. "All we can do is ask God to give them forgiveness and grant us peace."
In addition the well informed Internet website Assyrianchristians.com (http://www.assyrianchristians.com) reported on other recent incidents, including the killings of two Christian children, six and sixteen, in their Baghdad home.
SECTARIAN 'WARFARE'
Monday's attack against the Assyrian compound further confirmed that "the anti-democratic forces in Iraq are trying to start sectarian 'warfare'", the community said in a statement released via the Internet.
Yet, "by attacking the various Assyrian Christian offices...they have failed to generate support from the Iraqi public who have been sympathetic to the plight of the Christians. This latest savage attack as the previous ones will fail because the Iraqi people understand what is happening," an official said.
The mainly Assyrian Christians are the indigenous people of Iraq, and experts say many were forcibly converted to the Moslem religion throughout the centuries and especially under the last years of the Saddam Hussein regime.
MASSIVE MIGRATION
While some church officials claim there are around 2.5 million Assyrian Christians still in Iraq, most estimates suggest the real figure may be roughly 750,000, due to persecution and massive migration.
"With the rise of radical Muslim clerics the situation has changed dramatically and there has been an exodus of these once large communities," said Ken Joseph, a spokesman for the Assyrian Christians in Iraq.
A hitherto unknown group, the "Planning and Follow-up Committee in Iraq", claimed responsibility for the attacks. It said: "Your mujahideen brothers dealt painful blows to the dens of the Crusaders, the dens of evil, corruption, vice and Christianization," the Daily Telegraph reported.
ENCOURAGED
However Joseph said he was encouraged that the "one Assyrian Christian Minister" in the government, Pascale Warda, enjoys "broad support" within the cabinet "for her courage and outspoken views supporting a strong and independent Iraq."
In addition Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's senior Shia cleric, has denounced the church bombings as "hideous crimes". Iraq's interim government blamed them on foreign Islamist militants led by the al-Qaeda-linked terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, news reports said.
Yet at least one Assyrian Christian reportedly said Christians are showing defiance. "We were afraid before, we are no longer so," the unidentified woman was quoted as saying in an internet message from the Assyrian community. "I will wear my cross proudly. Nobody is going to force me, my family or our people from our country. The more they try the stronger we are becoming." she added.
Read more on these and other news stories on news agency BosNewsLife at website http://www.bosnewslife.com
Google It!. 8:09:40 PM
|
|
|
TURKMENISTAN: Why register when persecution continues? |
|
By Felix Corley, Forum 18 News Service |
|
Despite gaining state registration under the much-trumpeted "liberalisation" of the religion law, secret police raids and threats against a Baptist congregation in Turkmenistan have not stopped, Forum 18 News Service has learnt. Last Wednesday (4 August), NSM secret police raided a meeting for prayer and bible study, arrested participants for three hours, confiscated bibles and hymn books, and threatened a "big problem" if meetings continued. Another state registered community, the Hare Krsihnas, have been told by state officials that they do not know whether the community should be allowed to operate. A wide range of religious communities have either been unsuccessful with registration applications, or do not want to apply because of the harsh controls they would be subjected to. Asked about making a registration application, one Jehovah's Witness said to Forum 18 "Why should we when persecution continues?" [read more...] |
Google It!. 10:45:18 AM
|
|
Chinese Officials Give O.K. to Brothel in Government Building [The Eoch Times]
Despite the current campaign in China to stamp out pornography and prostitution, one brothel operates out of a government office building, with the full knowledge of local officials. According to TVBS news, on July 16, the police department of... [more]
. 10:33:08 AM
|
|
© 2004 Radio Free China
Last Update: 9/1/2004; 12:42:31 PM
|
|
|
