New Delhi: The Irish cabinet has reached an agreement which will allow limited legal abortions for the first time ever. This historic bill is part of legislative changes that were promised after Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar died after she was denied a life-saving abortion.
The new bill, which will have to be passed in both houses of the Irish Parliament, will allow for limited legal termination where there is a threat to the mother's life. Savita was 17 weeks pregnant when she was admitted to University Hospital Galway and died of blood poisoning four days after delivering a dead foetus. An inquest into her death in April revealed that her two requests for termination were turned down on the grounds that Ireland is a "Catholic country".
The Irish government, which was already reviewing the country's stringent laws on termination, had reassured the public on arriving at a consensus on the issue following international outrage over Savita's case. New laws would mean that hospitals will have clear, legal guidelines when they considered requests for an emergency termination.
The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill has deeply divided the government of Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny and some Catholic conservatives within his own party have vowed to reject the bill. While the new bill allows for maternal protection, including in cases of a credible threat of suicide, it does not include cases concerning rape, incest or fatal foetal abnormalities....
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05:14 PM, May 01, 2013
London: Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar's husband on Friday said he is hopeful of a fair verdict in the inquest into his wife's death following a miscarriage in 2012. "I am still optimistic. The question that has always been in my mind is why Savita died. It has been very tough. Today was actually our wedding anniversary so it's even more hard. Hopefully there will be bright days ahead and something...
07:45 PM, Apr 19, 2013
Dublin: Ireland is set to begin an inquiry into the death of Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar. She had died in 2012 after an Irish hospital denied her an abortion due to the country's strict Catholic laws. More than 50 statements by health experts have been furnished in the case. Ireland has promised that the probe will be transparent and open to public scrutiny. The quality of care provided by the...
10:10 AM, Apr 08, 2013
Rome: Pope Francis was formally installed as bishop of Rome on Sunday and he urged lapsed Catholics not to be afraid to return to God. Francis celebrated a Mass before thousands of people in the Rome Basilica of St John in Lateran to formally take possession of the cathedral in his capacity as bishop of the Italian capital, his other major role along with the papacy. Francis, the former archbishop...
07:14 AM, Apr 08, 2013
London: The Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has rejected a motion supporting regulation of abortion where there is a real and substantial risk to the life of a pregnant woman as in the case of Indian dentist Savita Halappanavar who died as a result of miscarriage. The motion was defeated by 42 votes to 32 at the IMO's annual conference in Killarney. In the heated debate, doctors also voted against a...
09:29 AM, Apr 06, 2013
Vatican City: Pope Francis wants the Catholic Church to "act decisively" to root out sexual abuse of children by priests and ensure the perpetrators are punished, the Vatican said on Friday. Francis, in a meeting with the Holy See's doctrinal chief, Archbishop Gerhard Mueller, had declared that combating sexual abuse was important "for the Church and its credibility", a statement said. Francis inherited a Church mired in problems and a...
06:35 AM, Apr 06, 2013
Pope Francis, leading the world's 1.2 billion Catholics into Easter for the first time, on Saturday urged those who have strayed from the faith to allow God back into their lives. ...
11:53 AM, Mar 31, 2013
Pope Francis celebrated a trimmed back Easter Vigil service on Saturday after having reached out to Muslims and women during a Holy Week in which he began to put his mark on the Catholic Church. ...
06:19 AM, Mar 31, 2013
Over a million people are expected in Rome for the enthronement of Pope Francis next week, the Italian capital's top government representative said. "We are taking measures to accommodate over a million people next Tuesday (March 19) for Pope Francis's enthronement," said Giuseppe Pecoraro, the prefect of Rome. ...
06:07 AM, Mar 16, 2013
Pope Francis returned on Thursday to the Church-run residence where he was staying before becoming pontiff, and insisted on paying the bill, despite now effectively being in charge of the business, the Vatican said. ...
02:26 AM, Mar 15, 2013
Special prayers were held during regular mass in Goa churches on Thursday after Pope Francis was elected to lead the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. ...
01:45 PM, Mar 14, 2013
Pope Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina, delivered his first blessing to a huge crowd in St Peter's Square on Wednesday night, asking for the prayers of "all men and women of good will" to help him lead the Catholic Church. ...
06:27 AM, Mar 14, 2013
Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected in a surprise choice to be the new leader of the troubled Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday, and said he would take the name Francis I. ...
01:09 AM, Mar 14, 2013
Cardinals elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as the new Pope. The new pontiff has chosen to be called Pope Francis. ...
11:52 PM, Mar 13, 2013
Black smoke rose from the Vatican's Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, signalling Roman Catholic cardinals had not agreed on a Pope to succeed Benedict on their first full morning of voting in a secret conclave. ...
04:33 PM, Mar 13, 2013
After a first inconclusive vote, Cardinals began the process of choosing a new pope in earnest on Wednesday, praying for inspiration at the start of the first full day in a conclave to choose a leader to face a major crisis in the Catholic Church. ...
04:00 PM, Mar 13, 2013
Feminist groups have long demanded a greater role for women in the Catholic Church, which only allows men to be ordained as priests. ...
01:47 PM, Mar 13, 2013
The papal conclave is going on and it's one of the oldest electoral traditions - rich in symbolism and secrets. ...
09:44 AM, Mar 12, 2013
One hundred and fifteen cardinals from around the world hold the future of the Catholic Church in their hands. ...
08:38 AM, Mar 12, 2013
Roman Catholic cardinals gather under the gaze of Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" on Tuesday to elect a new pope to tackle the daunting problems facing the 1.2-billion-member Church. ...
07:10 AM, Mar 12, 2013
