Reports of Pressure On Sen. Nelson

Senator Bill Nelson (D, Nebraska) has been a stalwart opponent of abortion funding in any health care reform bill from the senate. Earlier this month an amendment put forward by him and Senator Hatch of Utah was voted down that would have prevented federal funding of abortion in the bill. Although he has refused to vote for any bill that does not have similar protection against federal funding like that of the House's Stupak Amendment, there are reports that he is being pressured by the president with a closing of Offut Air Force Base if he does not comply. Closing of this base would result in a substantial financial blow to Nebraska.

More at The Catholic Key Blog

Embryonic Stem Cell Researchers May Attempt Human Trial

American Researchers have applied for a license to attempt a trial on human patients with macular degeneration (a cause of vision loss). They hope to begin transplanting "spare" embryonic stem cells, that have been developed to replace tissue in the eye, into their test patients early next year.

Source Article from The Independent

New Book Proposes Changes to United Nations

"At a United Nations (UN) press conference Wednesday a group of conservative policy experts put forth an agenda for UN reform including alternatives to major UN programs on social issues and methods for making the UN more accountable to member states. The event featured authors of the new book ConUNdrum: The Limits of the United Nations and the Search for Alternatives, published by the Washington DC-based Heritage Foundation." - C-FAM News

More at C-FAM

Pakistani Catholics Pray for Conversion of Terrorists

Some 1,000,000 Pakistani Catholics, part of a community that has been targeted by anti-Christian attacks, gathered at a Marian shrine over the weekend to pray for their persecutors.

Article from Catholic Culture News

President May Get Special Controls Over Internet in Emergencies

In the case of an emergency involving an "immediate threat to strategic national interests", a new bill being composed by Sen. Jay Rockefeller may give the president "in coordination with relevant industry sectors" the authority to take temporary control over various private networks. There is also mention of periodic mapping of private networks deemed of high-level importance. Critics say the current draft (S.773) of this bill is too vague and does not have any clear limitations or boundaries for the state controls.


Excerpt of Bill S.773
Article at CNET

Bill in progress - may be updated from "Excerpt" Link

Some in UN Want To Teach 5 Yr Olds About Masturbation

link to article at Foxnews

UN Meeting on Health Leaves Out the Abortion Language

During a UN Meeting on health in Geneva, delegations from the United States, France, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, and Estonia attempted to insert recognition for "reproductive health 'rights', 'sexual and reproductive health services' and 'universal access to family planning'." However, Ireland, Poland, and Malta led a dialogue against these terms intended to promote and protect abortion as a reproductive right.

The ambassador from Malta issued a statement that is mentioned in the C-Fam article below in which he defends the right of unborn children to live from conception, and that life is denied in the practice of abortion.


UN Document

C-Fam article