California will cut ties with Walgreens over the company’s plan to drop abortion pills

March 7, 2023
EMILY OLSON

Last week, Walgreens said it will not distribute abortion pills in states where Republican officials have threatened legal action. Now a blue state says it will cut ties with the pharmacy giant because of the move.

"California won't be doing business with @walgreens – or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women's lives at risk," Gov. Gavin Newsom wrote in a tweet yesterday with a link to news coverage of Walgreen's decision.

Continued: https://www.npr.org/2023/03/07/1161590750/california-walgreens-mifepristone-abortion-pill

07.03.2023

News

California Pharmacists Association

Walgreens mifepristone

Canada adds indecency, abortion offences to list of ‘unjust’ historic convictions

David Fraser, The Canadian Press
March 7, 2023

OTTAWA - People who have been convicted of a number of indecency and anti-abortion offences that are no longer on the books can now have those convictions expunged.

The list of "historically unjust offences" is being expanded to include a raft of charges that date back as far as 1892 and were largely directed at the LGBTQ community and women.

Continued: https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-adds-indecency-abortion-offences-to-list-of-unjust-historic-convictions-1.6302792

07.03.2023

News

expunged convictions

historically unjust offences

LGBTQ rights

Marco Mendicino

Parole Board of Canada

Polish parliament rejects controversial abortion bill before elections

By Aleksandra Krzysztoszek | EURACTIV.pl
Mar 7, 2023

Parliament rejected a controversial bill that aims to further restrict one of the strictest abortion laws in Europe on Tuesday, with some conservative members of the ruling PiS saying off the record that they did not want the bill to cause a new wave of street protests ahead of the upcoming elections.

The controversial “Abortion is murder” bill was submitted to parliament by popular anti-abortion activist Kaja Godek and her “Life and Family” foundation, aiming to sanction those publicly promoting abortion in Poland and abroad, as well as those advising and distributing materials on the topic of abortion.

Continued: https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/polish-parliament-rejects-controversial-abortion-bill-before-elections/

07.03.2023

News

anti-choice legislation

Texas – Lawmakers hold press conference to unveil ‘Rosie’s Law’ abortion legislation

by Jessica Taylor
Mon, March 6th 2023

AUSTIN, Texas — A new bill is bringing abortion access and emergency contraception back into the spotlight. State Senator Sarah Eckhardt (D-Austin) is one of the lawmakers supporting the bill called Rosie’s Law.

Rosie’s Law is named after a McAllen, Texas mother who died from an unsafe abortion in 1977. Organizers say that Medicaid would not cover her care at her local clinic.

Continued: https://cbsaustin.com/newsletter-daily/lawmakers-hold-press-conference-to-unveil-rosies-law-abortion-legislation-texas-austin-medicaid-coverage-family-planning

Italy’s Prime Minister Meloni Speaks Out on Abortion, Same-Sex Marriage

Mar 1, 2023
Chiara Albanese, Bloomberg News

(Bloomberg) -- Giorgia Meloni has largely refrained from commenting on divisive social issues since becoming Italy’s most right-wing prime minister since Benito Mussolini some three months ago. But this week she spoke out against abortion, same sex marriage and gender self identification.

The government will help women avoid an abortion by providing financial support so that they do “not miss out on the joy of raising a child,” Meloni, 46, said in an interview published in the latest issue of Grazia magazine, without giving details.

Continued: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/italy-s-prime-minister-meloni-speaks-out-on-abortion-same-sex-marriage-1.1889917

01.03.2023

News

conscientious objectors

Japan moves toward approving abortion pill in major shift

KATHLEEN BENOZA
Feb 27, 2023

Japan is moving closer to approving an abortion pill for the first time, a step that could offer women more options amid calls for progress in gender equality, with a secondary panel at the health ministry expected to make a decision as early as March.

In January, an initial advisory panel at the health ministry approved the production and sale of the drug, Mefeego. It still needs approval from a separate panel at the ministry as it collects public comments online until Tuesday, with the final decision to be made by the health minister.

Continued: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/27/national/japan-abortion-pill-debate/

27.02.2023

Professional Women’s Coalition for Sexuality and Health

Germany’s coalition intends to liberalise abortion legislation

Abortion opponents want to protest for 40 days in front of abortion clinics. Germany’s Family minister wants to stop this and secure access to abortion counselling by law.

27-02-2023
CNE.news

Every year, the action group ’40 days for life’ organises protests across Europe around Lent. This year is no different in Germany. The demonstrations, modelled on the similar-named international Christian movement from the United States, aim to close down abortion centres through vigils, prayer and fasting.

The actions come as the centre-left German coalition government moves forward with its plans to decriminalise abortion — a plan set out at the beginning of its term. Family Minister Lisa Paus announced a law to give pregnant women who want to have an abortion unrestricted access to relevant counselling centres and medical practices. “Women must have unimpeded access to counselling centres and facilities that carry out abortions,” Paus told the editorial network Germany (RND). “Vigils in front of these institutions are border crossings and unacceptable interference in women’s highly personal decisions. The federal government will counteract this with legal measures.”

Continued: https://cne.news/article/2637-germanys-coalition-intends-to-liberalise-abortion-legislation

27.02.2023

Washington state attorney general says FDA rules on abortion drug are unreasonable

February 25, 2023
MICHEL MARTIN, GURJIT KAUR
8-Minute Listen with Transcript

Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson says he is suing the Food and Drug Administration because the restrictions on the abortion drug mifepristone are "entirely unreasonable and not medically necessary."

Ferguson, who spoke with NPR's All Things Considered on Saturday, is one of a dozen Democratic attorneys general who filed a lawsuit accusing the federal agency of excessively regulating the drug.

Continued: https://www.npr.org/2023/02/25/1159565357/washington-state-attorney-general-says-fda-rules-on-abortion-drug-are-unreasonab

25.02.2023

News

Bob Ferguson

Food and Drug Administration

mifepristone

safety of medication abortion

United States

Law

Politics

Mifepristone: 12 US states sue to expand access to abortion pill

Feb 24, 2023
By Sam Cabral, BBC News, Washington

A group of 12 Democratic-led US states has argued that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hampering access to a popular abortion pill. Mifepristone, part of a two-drug regimen that induces abortions, was approved in the year 2000, with restrictions to assure its safe use.
Allian
In a lawsuit filed on Thursday, the states claimed the limits on the drug are not supported by evidence.

Continued: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64762907

24.02.2023

News

Alliance Defending Freedom

Food and Drug Administration

Morocco – PJD Rebukes Justice Minister Over Decriminalization of Abortion, Sex Outside Marriage

The Islamist party argues that Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouhabi’s announcement of reform to Morocco’s Penal Code is an attack on Moroccan values.

Safaa Kasraoui
Feb. 21, 2023

Rabat - Morocco’s opposition Justice and Development Party (PJD) has accused Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi of trying to provoke sedition with his announcement that the country’s Penal Code is in need of reforms.

PJD issued its press release on Monday, saying that it strongly condemns Ouhabi’s attempts to “stir sedition” by adopting “trends” that are against “Islamic and national constants.”

Continued: https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/02/354139/pjd-rebukes-justice-minister-over-decriminalization-of-abortion-sex-outside-marriage

21.02.2023