PLANNED PARENTHOOD
Planned Parenthood official says no profit from fetal organs
WASHINGTON (AP) — The president of Planned Parenthood is defending the donation of organs from aborted fetuses as “laudable” and beneficial “to potentially save lives of others. “
On ABC’s “This Week,” Cecile Richards was asked about undercover videos that show Planned Parenthood officials discussing how they provide fetal organs for research.
Republican Senator Rand Paul told Fox News Sunday that the videos show a Planned Parenthood doctor chatting about “rotating the baby around so she can get better access to baby parts that she’s going to harvest for sale to researchers.”
Richards denied that Planned Parenthood abortions are adjusted to salvage organs for sale, and said it charges only the cost of providing them to researchers.
The Planned Parenthood president said her tax-supported organization is doing nothing illegal and is the target of a smear campaign. She says insisted that it’s doing much good. Richards said, “This is actually laudable, that women and their families choose to make fetal tissue donations in order to potentially save the lives of other folks.”
160-w-32-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards and Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky.)–The president of Planned Parenthood is defending its retrieval of organs from aborted fetuses. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (26 Jul 2015)
< GAY RIGHTS ORDINANCE-HOUSTON Texas high court: Repeal Houston law or put before voters HOUSTON (AP) — The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that Houston officials must either repeal the city’s gay rights ordinance or place it on the November ballot. Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who is gay and pushed for the ordinance passed by the City Council, said she was disappointed and was consulting with lawyers. Opponents who have fought the ordinance say they obtained the roughly 18,000 signatures required to force a voter referendum last year. But council members said too many signatures were invalid, even though the city secretary certified the petition. When church leaders sued, the city tried to subpoena their sermons. Gov. Greg Abbott praised the court’s ruling. He said, “Freedom of expression can only exist once government removes itself from stifling free speech, repressing religious liberty and interfering with the lives of its citizens.” CHATTANOOGA SHOOTING-MARINE MOURNED ‘His life made a difference’: Hundreds mourn US Marine WOODSTOCK, Ga. (AP) — A U.S. Marine who was killed in attacks on military facilities in Tennessee has been remembered at his funeral as a dedicated and courageous serviceman who was determined to excel. Hundreds of mourners filed into the First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Georgia, on Sunday for the funeral of 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Squire Wells, who was known to friends and fellow Marines as “Skip.” Wells was one of four military personnel killed July 16 when a Muslim man opened fire at two military facilities before being killed by police. Pastor Johnny Hunt said, “Skip’s life, as short as it was, mattered. His life made a difference.” VATICAN-POPE Pope signs himself up for World Youth Day using tablet VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has opened the registration period for next year’s World Youth Day in Poland, using a tablet computer to sign himself up from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square during the traditional Sunday blessing. The pontiff was joined by two young people as he extended an invitation to the world’s Roman Catholic youth to join him in Krakow July 25-31, 2016. The youths joined Francis in prayer for the release of the Rev. Paolo Dall’Oglio, who was kidnapped two years ago in Syria, as well as for the release of Orthodox bishops being held “and all the other people in conflict zones who have been kidnapped.” Francis called for renewed action by local and international authorities to win their release from captivity. 121-r-06-(Sound of faithful clapping, at St. Peter’s Square)–Sound of faithful clapping at St. Peter’s Square as Pope Francis, using a tablet computer, signs himself up for World Youth Day. (26 Jul 2015) < 120-r-10-(Sound of Pope Francis saying in Italian that he just signed up as a pilgrim for World Youth Day, at St. Peter’s Square)–Sound of Pope Francis telling pilgrims gathered for traditional Sunday blessing at St. Peter’s Square that he just signed up as a pilgrim for World Youth Day in Poland. (26 Jul 2015) < CAMEROON-VIOLENCE Authorities order mosques closed in north Cameroon YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Authorities have ordered the closure of mosques and Islamic schools following a series of suicide bombing attacks in northern Cameroon that have left at least 60 people dead. Child beggars are also being ordered off the streets because all the suicide bombers so far have been children, including the 13-year-old girl who detonated explosives in an attack Saturday evening. While there have been no claims of responsibility, authorities have blamed the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram (BOH’-koh hah-RAHM’), which has pledged its allegiance to the Islamic State group and abducted hundreds of girls and young women. The group’s leader has vowed to attack Cameroon because the Central African nation has aided neighboring Nigeria in its fight to defeat the extremists. ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS Israeli police enter Jerusalem holy site, block Arab youths JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police say they entered a holy Jerusalem site to prevent Arab youths from attacking visiting Jews who were marking a biblical holiday. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says police received prior warnings that masked Arab youths were barricading themselves inside the al-Aqsa Mosque armed with rocks and fire bombs. Rosenfeld says the youths planned to attack Jews visiting the area Sunday for Tisha B’Av — the Jewish holiday marking the destruction of ancient Hebrew temples. Rosenfeld says some officers were wounded as they pushed the youths back. Jews refer to the hilltop site — their holiest — as the Temple Mount. Muslims refer to it as the Noble Sanctuary. It is their third-holiest site, after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. The site is a flashpoint of tension between the faiths. MORMONS-MASS RESIGNATION Exiting LDS members formally resign in Salt Lake City event SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — About 100 people have publicly severed ties with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including the excommunicated founder of a Mormon women’s group. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that participants walked to the LDS Church Office Building on Saturday to deliver their resignation letters. The group then gathered at a Salt Lake City park to hear from speakers, including Kate Kelly. Kelly lost her membership in the church last year after being found guilty of apostasy, defined as repeated and public advocacy of positions that oppose church teachings. She founded Ordain Women in 2013 to advocate for including women in the all-male lay clergy. Kelly told people they should stay in the Mormon faith if it brings them joy and leave if it does not. SATAN STATUE-DETROIT Mass held to protest Satan statue that drew crowds DETROIT (AP) — Several hundred people have attended a Catholic Mass in Detroit to protest an 8½-foot-tall statue of Satan that hundreds of other people lined up to see. The Satanic Temple had said it would unveil the statue Saturday at a Detroit location that only people with tickets would know. Hundreds lined up Saturday evening to get the tickets as Christian protesters rallied nearby. Earlier Saturday, The Detroit News says 200-250 people attended Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church to protest the Satanic event. The bronze statue had been planned for the state Capitol in Oklahoma City until Oklahoma’s Supreme Court banned all religious displays on Capitol grounds. The Satanic Temple now says it wants to erect the statue outside Arkansas’ statehouse, where a Ten Commandments monument also is planned.
