Read the latest pro-life news from around the world

Abortion

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AUSTRALIA: Anti-life advocates from Monash University have presented a raft of recommendations to the federal government aimed at making abortions more affordable and accessible. Among the 9 recommendations are: increasing Medicare rebates for surgical abortions and providing abortion ultrasounds for free. Read the rest here

USA: A case before the Louisiana Court of Appeals involving out-of-state telehealth abortions could impact chemical abortion provision at the federal level. The State of Louisiana says the Trump administration is undermining its abortion pill restriction by allowing the sale of mail-order mifepristone. Read the rest here

GHANA: A Catholic Bishop has urged young people to choose life over abortion if an unplanned pregnancy occurs. Bishop Mathew Kwafi Gyamfi’s comments were made at the inaugural West Africa Youth Day at Accra. During Mass, Bishop Gyamfi said, “Say no to abortion and say yes to birthdays of all babies we conceive.” Read the rest here

UK: An American relief teacher has received an out-of-court settlement over her discussion of abortion with history students at a Scottish school. The teenagers had asked her about abortion and other social issues. Teacher Sarah Morse answered honestly that she was against the practice and was sacked later that day. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: ​Jess Wilson, Victoria’s Opposition Leader, has stated that there will be no changes to the state’s abortion laws if the Liberals win the next election. Ms Wilson said, “abortion is a personal decision made by women in consultation with their doctors.” Read the rest here

LIECHTENSTEIN: Abortion advocates declared a narrow victory in Parliament, despite the monarch’s veto power potentially scuttling their attempt. A citizens’ initiative to make abortion legal in the first trimester was approved by one vote. However, Prince Alois has already stated he will veto any attempt to legalise abortion. Read the rest here

USA: The Satanic Temple has release a music video of a woman performing an abortion ritual inside the Christian craft shop, Hobby Lobby. The video shows the woman consuming an abortion drug in the store’s toilet room, while reciting the text of the Satanic Temple’s abortion ritual. The song is dedicated to a Supreme Court judge who represented the decision to allow Hobby Lobby to be exempted from providing hormonal contraception in its employee health insurance. Read the rest here

USA: A new report shows that, despite an increase in the number of chemical abortions, most doctors are unwilling to prescribe abortion drugs. The report found that although a quarter of all American physicians have expressed interest in abortion provision, less than one percent are actually certified prescribers of the abortion pill. Doctors cite concerns about lawsuits and safety, legal requirements and a lack of surgical back-up as obstacles to becoming prescribers. Read the rest here

SINGAPORE: The government plans to boost Singapore’s dismal birth rate by offering attractive cash benefits for parents. A generous package will give a total of US$55,153 for every child under 17. It includes childcare subsidies, housing support, tax credits and a lump sum baby bonus. In the early 1970’s Singapore’s government ran a population control campaign aimed at limiting families to two children and now needs to reverse the trend. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: South Australian Labour politicians are urging their federal counterparts approve telehealth for potential assisted suicide patients, defying the policy of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. This makes South Australia the first state to formally request that the Commonwealth alter a federal law preventing medical professionals from using telehealth in consultations for voluntary assisted dying (VAD),  Read the rest here

CANADA: A 23-year-old man whose mother had protected him from committing assisted suicide, shopped around until he found a doctor who would help take his life. Kiano Vafaeian was living with multiple serious health conditions, none of which were life-threatening. He was rejected for euthanasia by authorities in Ontario but later accepted in British Columbia and put to death by the notorious Dr. Ellen Wiebe, a well-known MAiD provider. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A Sydney geriatrician has warned of the danger of allowing ‘telehealth’ consultations for prospective assisted suicide patients. Dr. John Obeid said that most doctors do not support telehealth for VAD and that the “gold standard” of care for older patients is excellent geriatric medicine services as well as first-rate palliative care.  Read the rest here

UK: The vote on the revived assisted suicide bill is to happen the day after World Suicide Prevention Day. The World Suicide Prevention Day campaign is organised by the International Association for Suicide Prevention and is co-sponsored by the World Health Organisation, aiming to “raise awareness around the globe that suicide can be prevented”. Yet the following day in the UK, the House of Commons will be voting on the progression of the assisted suicide bill through the legislative process. Read the rest here

UK: A government report admits that the elderly and disabled may feel pressure to take their own lives if assisted suicide legislation is passed. The impact assessment was published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The report is comprised of three document which evaluate potential impacts of the assisted suicide Bill. Read the rest here

COLOMBIA: A woman who has lived for. years after a devastating acid attack has announced she will commit assisted suicide. The woman, whose husband threw acid in her face 26 years ago, was previously encouraged by Pope Francis to keep on living. Maria Consuelo Cordoba has unfortunately not been given the help she needs to choose life. Read the rest here

UK: A University professor says he was given a “veiled threat’ for airing his opposition to assisted suicide. An Emeritus Professor of History Dr Kevin Yuill, said the University of Sunderland did not respect his freedom of speech, when it sent a letter warning him about his social media posts. The letter said there were complaints about Dr Yuill’s posts which did not reflect well on the University. Read the rest here

CANADA: An elderly hospitalised woman says she is being pressured to commit assisted suicide even though she is against the practice. The woman’s family have said their aunt is under pressure to accept the MAiD team’s “beautiful death” and that they team was successful in pressuring another patient in the neighbouring bed to commit assisted suicide. Read the rest here

CANADA: The only Catholic hospital in Nova Scotia will lost its Christian identity from October 1st, allowing euthanasia and abortions to be performed onsite. The government refused to renew its Catholic Mission Assurance Agreement with the Sisters of St. Martha, ending the Sisters’ right to refrain from offering services they deem to be immoral. The Sisters will leave rather than violate their consciences by offering abortions and MAiD. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A Melbourne marketing studio has launched a guide to disability inclusion with the aim of helping brands incorporate disability innovations into their own businesses. The 20-page digital guide by Studio Veronique includes advice on where brands can begin, what should be avoided and what those with disabilities need from the industry. Read the rest here

UK: A national survey has found that most conservative voters don’t want to see funding for disability services reduced. The British Social Attitudes (BSA) report found that almost half the respondents thought funding for the disability sector should be increased. The report concluded that potential cuts to disability funding “could be risky” for political parties. Read the rest here

SPAIN: A retail website is under scrutiny from the consumer watchdog for using AI images of a man with Down Syndrome to encourage customers to buy products out of pity. The AI-generated image of a young man known as “Fran” appears showing him creating bags by hand. Spain’s Facua-Consumidores en Acción organisation is urging the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to investigate the website. Read the rest here

SOUTH KOREA: The founder of Peter Pan Foundation, a charity to provide stable accomodation for the disabled has died. Jeon Kyung-chul, a writer and father of a disabled son, wanted adults with severe developmental disabilities to have a stable living community, even after their parents pass away. The charity has raised 447.6 million won (AUD 460,000) so far. Read the rest here.

WORLD: The Global Down Syndrome Foundation has released a new webinar on “Supporting Communication Development in Children with Down Syndrome: Partnering with your Pediatrician”. Featuring Noemi Spinazzi, MD, the webinar covers topics such as parental awareness of developmental and medical factors which affect a child’s ability to communicate; questions parents should be asking their paediatrician; and practical ideas to help families encourage effective communication development. Access the video here

UK: Motorsport UK is funding a conference on simulated racing for those with disabilities.  The Accessible Motorsport Conference will be held in November 2026 at Oxford Brookes University. There will be input from racing teams and competitors as well as from industry experts who will aim to help more neurodivergent and disabled and people to experience sim racing. Read the rest here

NEW ZEALAND: With the passage of the disability support bill, those affected are left wondering what tangible benefits they will be entitled to. According to the government, the bill opens up $2.1 billion in additional funding for disability support. However, many are concerned the money will not get to those most in need, as the system is not working efficiently. Read the rest here

INDIA: A mother is suing three doctors who failed to detect severe foetal anomalies in her unborn child whom she would have aborted had she known. The baby has Down’s syndrome, cardiac anomalies and ambiguous genitalia, none of which was detected during pregnancy. The mother is seeking the de-registration of the doctors. Read the rest here

USA: Singer Olivia Rodrigo and philanthropist Melinda Gates have each pledged USD $10 million for organisations that promote abortion. Gates announced at Rodrigo’s concert that she would match the latter’s recent pledge to give a large donation to 10 ‘reproductive health’ organisations, including Planned Parenthood. Read the rest here

UK: A pro-life advocacy group has asked the Scottish Parliament to take concrete action to protect the country’s most vulnerable citizens. The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) is calling on politicians to the expansion of abortion, to criminalise abortion coercion, to ban telehealth abortions, to give the existing Child welfare payment to poorer pregnant mothers and to increase funding for palliative care. Read the rest here

USA: The biological parents of a sick baby born to a surrogate are attempting to gain custody, despite previously wanting the child aborted. The baby boy is in a critical condition following the first of a series of operations for his congenital heart defect. The surrogate mother said she will drop the custody case if the parents commit to allowing the baby to continue receiving life saving surgery. Read the rest here

ANDORRA: The tiny principality, which is co-governed by the Catholic Church, looks set to decriminalise abortion in September. Under immense pressure to legalise abortion from the French President, the Andorran government is attempting to make a distinction between legalisation and decriminalistion. However, many fear that this is merely the thin edge of a wedge to allow abortions on Andorran soil. Read the rest here

IRELAND: A Catholic priest has stridently criticised a decision by the Belfast City Council to light up the city hall for World Safe Abortion Day. Fr Paddy McCafferty called the plan “grotesque” and “deeply offensive.” Sinn Féin, Alliance, Green and SDLP councillors voted in favour of the proposal at a recent meeting. Read the rest here

USA: The governor of New Jersey has passed a radical bill which prohibits pro-life advocates from praying outside abortion premises. The bill also extends protections for abortionists as well as for patients seeking abortions or so-called “gender-affirming care.” Read the rest here

SWITZERLAND: A coalition of pro-life groups is calling on the government to oppose the funding of abortions through the mandatory health insurance system. The change is set to go into effect in 2027 and would compel all insured Swiss residents to subsidise abortions regardless of their beliefs. Read the rest here

CANADA: The Canadian Medical Association Journal has announced that abortion data is incorrect because late-term abortions are being counted as stillbirths. Current numbers indicate that Canada has twice as many stillbirths as comparable countries. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A bill to protect babies born alive after an abortion procedure was presented to federal parliament this week. Coalition MP Llew O’Brien of Queensland put forward the bill which intends to provide comprehensive health care to aborted babies born alive. Read the rest here

USA: The lead singer of the band Aerosmith is requesting that details of an abortion he coerced be kept secret in an historical sexual abuse case. Singer Steven Tyler has been accused of exploiting a teenaged girl during the 1970’s. When she became pregnant, Tyler coerced the girl into aborting their child – something he wants excluded from the case’s evidence. Read the rest here

ARGENTINA: Argentina has joined an international campaign to oppose the promotion of abortion as a human right. The Geneva Declaration on Promoting Women’s Health and Strengthening the Family was launched in 2020 in the U.S. to strengthen families, and to improve health care for women and girls as well as health care systems. Read the rest here

USA: The unborn baby with a serious heart condition who is at the centre of a surrogacy custody battle has been born safely and is preparing to undergo surgery. The baby’s biological parents, who had demanded that he be aborted, have been given temporary custody of the child. His birth mother is using legal means to try to regain custody. Read the rest here

INDIA: The Doctors’ Association for Social Equality has criticised the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly speaker for his pro-life views. A spokesman said that the views of Speaker JCB Prabhakar were “contrary to the country’s laws and human rights.” Abortion has been legal in India since 1971. Speaker Prabhakar was also present at a recent March for Life. Read the rest here

USA: An abortion survivor advertisement aired during the final weekend of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after being banned from being shown during the Super Bowl six years ago. Manny Pacquiao, a boxer and 2022 presidential candidate, introduced the video, appearing alongside twelve survivors of abortion. The ad was an initiative of the pro-life group, Faces for Choice. Read the rest here

US: A teenaged couple has appeared in court on charges related to the death of their 31-week unborn child via chemical abortion pills. In their state of North Carolina, abortions are illegal past 12 weeks and the charges include assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and negligent child abuse inflicting serious bodily injury. In most jurisdictions, abortions using drugs are generally not recommended past 9 weeks. Read the rest here

LIECHTENSTEIN: The tiny Catholic nation is one step closer to legalising abortion in the first trimester. A citizen-initiated petition requiring only 1000 signatures to trigger a referendum or parliamentary review has reached almost 5000 signatures. Proponents are pushing ahead despite opposition from the Crown Prince, who has the power to veto any new bill. Read the rest here

INDIA: The Delhi High Court has upheld the case against a doctor accused of aborting the baby of a teenaged girl. The doctor went ahead with an abortion on the 16-year-old girl after her support person verified her age. The High Court stated that identification must be proven and not relied on by a verbal confirmation. Read the rest here

NETHERLANDS: The Dutch Association of Gynaecologists wants more hospitals to perform late-term abortions to “share out” the emotional impact on medical staff. The head of obstetrics at the UMCG in Groningen said that since late-term abortions are “emotionally difficult” for staff “the work needs to be shared out”. Abortion in the Netherlands is legal to 24 weeks for any reason, with those performed after 22 weeks taking place in a hospital setting.  Read the rest here

MEXICO: The nation’s Supreme Court has been accused of “judicial activism” after enacting a series of laws that have led to unrestricted access to abortion. Protections for the unborn have been gradually eroded, say Mexican pro-life advocates, since the Supreme Court has ruled that the right to life from conception is unconstitutional. Although many lawmakers and citizens do not support decriminalisation of abortion, Supreme Court rulings have provided it in practice. Read the rest here

INDIA: A mother died after an illegal sex-selection abortion performed in her home. Against the law, a scan to determine the baby’s sex had been done at a private ultrasound clinic. With the support of her family, the mother had decided to abort her third child due to the financial constraints associated with having a girl. Four people have been charged over the incident, including the woman’s mother. Read the rest here

USA: In the face of pressure from prospective parents to abort, a surrogate mother has secured live-saving surgery for the child she is carrying. Surrogate McKenna West is also attempting to adopt the child, should the parents refuse the surgery. The baby boy’s parents prospective have demanded the child be aborted due to his serious, but treatable, heart condition. Read the rest here

MEXICO: A campaign is underway to legalise euthanasia, with supporters holding a march through the streets of Mexico City. Representatives from the large march for the right to ‘dignified death’ also presented a draft bill petition with almost 200,000 signatures in favour of euthanasia at the Zócalo, (the Plaza de la Constitución). Mexico is one of several Central and Latin American nations seeking to allow access to active euthanasia. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: The Northern Territory has passed assisted suicide legislation, meaning that the practice is now available in every part of Australia. Attempts to have doctors initiate conversations about euthanasia with their patients were voted down, as was a change to the eligibility criteria. Read the rest here

FRANCE: Amendments to the newly-passed assisted-suicide legislation means that the conscience rights of medical staff and pharmacists will be protected. The exemptions came after pressure from pro-life groups not to force medical staff or pharmacists to participate in assisted suicide. Further amendments are still being sought to protect those with intellectual disabilities from being pressured into taking their own lives. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A Labor MP is calling for more dialogue with indigenous Australians before legalising assisted suicide in the Northern Territory. Chansey Paech said he will abstain from voting because he doesn’t believe Aboriginals have been fully informed about the new law. Although personally in favour of euthanasia, Mr Paech wants better palliative care and remote health services for the NT. Read the rest here

UK: As the date for voting on the UK’s controversial assisted suicide bill draws near, Catholic bishops have reaffirmed the need to oppose the bill. Bishops from the Anglican Church have also voiced their opposition to the bill. All are calling for more palliative care and protections for the most vulnerable. Read the rest here

UK: Murder charges against a woman who gave her mother drugs to help her commit suicide last year have been dropped. Although the woman was not terminally ill, the daughter said her mother begged her to help her to “die with dignity.” The daughter was charged with murder immediately after her mother’s death but prosecutors have since decided not to go ahead with the case. Read the rest here

FRANCE: A new assisted suicide law has come into effect with insurers now able to pay out to relatives of patients who chose to end their own lives. Critics are concerned that payouts could incentivise families coercing patients into choosing euthanasia. Read the rest here

CANADA: The family of an elderly woman whom they believe was euthanised without her consent has filed a complaint with the Chief Coroner of Ontario. Family members believe that a number of safeguards were overlooked and that the staff of Pearl Care Homes illicitly went ahead with the euthanasia procedure – something the woman had previously declined. Read the rest here

UK: Prominent identities with disabilities from the UK have called on the Prime Minister to halt passage of a new assisted suicide bill, set to go to the vote in September. High profile people with disabilities from charity organisations and from academia, the arts and the media have petitioned PM Andy Burnham for improved end-of-life supports and more funding for palliative care. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: The Archbishop of Sydney, has accused the ABC of biased reporting on the issue of assisted suicide. Archbishop Anthony Fisher said the reporting is not impartial, asking “whether its (the ABC’s) platforms … operated to amplify one side of a contentious policy debate”. He claimed pro-euthanasia commentators were given more prominence than those opposed to the practice. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: The Greens Party has proposed a bill to end the ban on telehealth consultations for assisted suicide. Their  Equal Access to Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill will close a loophole that prohibits Australians from accessing physician assisted euthanasia. Greens senator, Sarah Hanson-Young stated, “It is inhumane for this parliament to stand between a patient and their doctor.” Read the rest here

UK: The Catholic Medical Association has released a statement on the re-introduction of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, writing that it is “dismayed” by the Bill and “by the possibility of it being pushed through the Lords using the Parliament Acts.” The CMA writes that it “opposes the principle of assisted suicide” and of he lack of safeguards and the need for more palliative care. Read the rest here

USA: A Youtuber with fibromyalgia who announced plans to commit assisted suicide is reconsidering after encouragement from his fans not to give up on life. Years of chronic pain and the financial burden of medical care led him to consider taking his own life. He posted his decision to “reassess” after many of his 2 million followers encouraged him not to follow through with assisted suicide. Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: The Human Life Alliance has produced an Advanced Medical Directives fact sheet, to enable individuals to create their own end-of-life document. Included in the fact sheet is information on durable power of attorney, a living will and POLST (Provider Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment), as well as advice on how to best protect family members throughout the end-of-life decision-making process. Access the fact sheet here

UK: An open letter, signed by more than 140 medical professionals, has described the proposed assisted-suicide bill as ‘unsafe’. Doctors, consultants and other signatories call for increased funding for palliative care, citing pressures mounting on vulnerable patients to take their own lives. The letter states, “Whatever individuals’ views on the principles of assisted dying, we are united in our analysis that this bill is not safe for patients.” Read the rest here

LATVIA: A successful hospice day-care centre is proving to be a viable alternative to voluntary euthanasia. Although many Latvians, including medical staff, are in favour of assisted suicide, the government has so far refused to allow any debate on the issue. Rolling out the hospice model across the country could ensure that the push for euthanasia does not lead to its legalisation. Read the rest here

ISRAEL: Using an experimental treatment, doctors were able to treat a man who was planning assisted suicide. The man had experienced severe itching for years as a side-effect of his cancer treatment. Unable to find relief through conventional medicines, he had booked for euthanasia in Switzerland. Doctors re-evaluated his case then treated his immune system with a biological therapy, curing the itching. Read the rest here

USA: Catholic nuns at the centre of a battle to protect their conscience rights against a new assisted suicide law have won a temporary reprieve. District Judge Ann Nardacki ruled that the nuns should not be forced to facilitate assisted suicide for their patients against their consciences. Bishop John Oliver Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, one of the plaintiffs in the case said “Assisted suicide is a grave moral failure that puts the elderly, the disabled, and those suffering from mental and emotional illness at risk of abuse and manipulation.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, has called for the Catholic Church to continue providing alternatives to assisted suicide in the face of the push for expansion. He pointed to the Church’s work in palliative care, pastoral care, and respite care for families. Archbishop Fisher said that “the new push for “telehealth … is really tele-death,” Read the rest here

UK: The BBC has released a powerful documentary by anti-euthanasia and disability campaigner, Liz Carr. Ms Carr, from the organisation Better Off Dead, exposes the Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) regime in Canada, as well as the UK’s proposed legislation to legalise assisted suicide. She explains that the disabled are particularly vulnerable to pressure from euthanasia advocates. Watch the documentary here

LUXEMBOURG: A woman claiming her husband’s like is “worthless” wants him to be euthanised, despite him not having completed the paperwork. Under Luxembourg law, euthanasia is permitted without explicit documentary consent as long as a doctor agrees. According to Monique Bodson-Kraemer, her husband’s doctor won’t agree to put him to death as some of his organs still function well. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: An intellectually-disabled football fan with a huge social media following has been given a regular spot on community radio. 27-year-old Scotty Lamont, from Essendon, has more than 26,000 followers on TikTok and was offered the spot at Radio Port Phillip FM after an initial guest appearance. Mr. Lamont interviews football players and has a huge following of loyal listeners with a shared passion for football. Read the rest here

NEPAL: A proposed higher education plan will enable Nepalese youth with Down Syndrome to learn the skills that will prepare them for meaningful work. The project is being spearheaded by The Down Syndrome Society and would see students with Down Syndrome learn alongside their mainstream counterparts. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A 48-year-old Victorian man has been charged with fraudulently obtaining $700,000 in NDIS funds. The man set up two businesses for which he sent invoices but performed no services in return. The defendant allegedly used the proceeds to deal in property. Read the rest here

USA: A young Down Syndrome man whose parents founded a coffee shop chain dedicated to employing the disabled ten years ago, has started work in one of their cafes. Originally a single coffee shop in North Carolina, the chain now operates throughout the US. The founders, who have two boys with Down Syndrome wanted to create a world where those with disabilities feel valued and included. Read the rest here

JAPAN: Technology is being harnessed to enable more disabled people to find employment which matches their skill level. Competitive video gaming, known as ‘esports’ are providing the disabled with social interaction and experience to assist their entry into the workforce. Participation in esports challenges the assumption that those with disabilities are limited to simple tasks. Read the rest here

INDONESIA: A new government programme aims to equip 100,000 Indonesians living with disabilities for the workforce. The  Beneficiary Economic Empowerment and Independence Program will establish a vocational training centre in West Java to help prepare participants for employment. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Around 40% of disabled Australians who underwent NDIS assessments in the first quarter of this year had their funding cut. The average reduction was a staggering 19% of funding. Critics say the cuts are indiscriminate, and were introduced even before the government’s NDIS restructuring was finalised. Read the rest here

FIJI: The government has set a new target of ensuring that 2% of those employed in the tourism sector are living with a disability. The 12-month programme seeks to create more employment opportunities and to make workplaces more accessible; half the disabled employees will be women. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: The federal government’s controversial National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) bill has passed the senate with amendments and is set to also pass the lower house. The Coalition voted with Labour to have the bill passed, despite concerns from disability activists and support groups. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A disability rights activist is in a dispute with Virgin airlines after being ejected prior to a flight due to his electric wheelchair motor. Although Shane Hryhorec flies regularly for work with his wheelchair and service animal, this was the first time there had been a problem from flight attendants over storing his wheelchair’s motor. Mr Hryhorec said, “It made me feel humiliated, it made me feel so small, and it’s just awful this level of discrimination is occurring in the year 2026,” Read the rest here

SCOTLAND: A little boy who spent the first five years of his life in hospital has finally been able to go home to his family. In 2021, Theo Chatham was born at 32 weeks’ gestation and contracted necrotizing enterocolitis 3 weeks after birth. With multiple associated conditions Theo required more than 200 procedures and five years in hospital. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Down Syndrome Queensland has produced a useful resource for doctors on talking to parents about Down Syndrome. It also covers the topic of prenatal screening. The easy-to-read document provides doctors with tools to provide alternative to abortion after a DS diagnosis. Download the resource here

IRAN: The State Welfare Organisation has said it lacks the funding for more than 150,000 disabled patients who are waiting on nursing care payments. The patients all have severe disabilities and require assistance with treatment, transport, equipment and rehabilitation. Families have been forced to bear the burden of costs associated with these disabilities; payments have also stopped for beneficiaries of payments for less serious conditions. Read the rest here

MALDIVES: The Republic of Maldives is set to update its disability rights legislation, in an effort to provide more support for people with disabilities. The sweeping changes include the areas of healthcare, employment, government services and education. The new legislation will focus on clarifying responsibility for various support services, and also aims to increase inclusion of those with disabilities in the workforce. Read the rest here

GERMANY: A long-term study of over 1300 adults has shown that smoking accelerates the progression of multiple sclerosis. The study concluded that walking speed slowed and disability worsen more quickly in smokers compared with those who do not smoke. Researchers found that alcohol consumption did not affect the progress of MS. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: The Human Rights Commission has asked the federal government to halt proposed changes to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The call comes as the reforms are being reviewed by a Senate committee. There has been widespread criticism of the reforms from disability rights advocates and state disability ministers who claim the consequences have not been evaluated as decry the lack of consultation from within the disability sector. Read the rest here

USA: Doctors have perfected surgery which successfully treats a serious condition called gastroschisis in utero. Gastroschisis describes the condition when a baby has a hole in the abdominal wall through which its intestines develop externally. Doctors at Texas Children’s Hospital performed America’s first gastroschisis surgery on a baby boy last year – only the third of its kind in the world. Read the rest here

CANADA: Disabled employees are seeking the same flexibility for work-from-home arrangements as their able-bodied counterparts. The call comes as the government allowed exemptions from a work-from-home ban during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in order to reduce traffic and ease transport chaos. For many disabled people, the ability to work from home is the only way they can stay in employment. Read the rest here

UK: A young man with Down Syndrome has become the first competitive arm wrestler with the condition. 21-year-old Kevin ‘The Bull’ Legg has already won medals in several local tournaments. He said, “I’m the first person in the United Kingdom to do arm wrestling with Down’s Syndrome. It makes me feel brilliant.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Unscrupulous NDIS providers are exploiting disabled indigenous Australians living in the Northern Territory in huge numbers. Some providers have reopened under new names following disclosure of their immoral practices. A group of advocates for disabled indigenous Australians has addressed the Senate inquiry into NDIS reforms. Read the rest here

KOREA: Korean women are using cancer drugs to abort their unwanted children. With mifepristone banned, some mothers are aborting babies with other drugs such as MTX/methotrexate, an immunosuppressant used to treat cancer. While MTX takes more time to kill the baby than does mifepristone, it is being promoted by some medical doctors. Read the rest here

USA: A pro-life father of 11 who was targeted by the Biden administration has received a large settlement as compensation. Paul Vaughn took part in a peaceful prayer witness at an abortion business in 2021, to which police were called. There were no consequences until 18 months later, when police raided the Vaughn home early in the morning; Mr. Vaughn was later charged under the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Read the rest here

IRELAND: A former Sinn Fein politician has revealed that she aborted her child in the 1980’s rather than let down her team before their planned IRA terror attack.  Martina Anderson was imprisoned for over ten years for her part in the bombing. As an MEP, she pushed for the decriminalisation of abortion, only now revealing that, “I put the struggle first and I chose to have an abortion.” Read the rest here

SOUTH KOREA: President Lee Jae Myung has directed his government to facilitate distribution of the chemical abortion drug to mothers, despite the absence of any legal framework. Although abortion is legal in South Korea, no legal framework regarding gestational limits and procedures has been created. The President said, “Even if it causes some difficulties to the government, we have to allow them to take it appropriately.” Read the rest here

USA: A midwife accused of running an illegal abortion ring has been allowed to continue to operate. The Texan woman operates three abortion facilities and was initially barred from operating while the case against her was underway. After action from her lawyers, the Court of Appeals overturned the earlier ruling and has allowed the abortion business to continue operating. Read the rest here

SOUTH KOREA: In a case which is challenging South Korea’s vague abortion laws, a mother previously charged with infanticide has been acquitted. The two doctors who assisted the woman have had their sentences reduced. They killed the child after delivering it by caesarian section at 36 weeks’ gestation. Although abortion was decriminalised in 2019, the gestational limit for the procedure is not clear. Read the rest here

CHILE: Pro-life lawmakers have introduced a bill requiring mothers to listen to their baby’s heartbeat before they can be approved for an abortion.  The bill seeks to amend Chile’s 2017 abortion law; abortion is legal if the mother’s life is at risk, if the pregnancy is the result of rape or if the baby has a life-limiting condition. Objectors call the potential requirement an “emotionally charged cue”. Read the rest here

IRELAND: The Cabinet has given its approval to a bill mandating paid leave for mothers who abort their children in the first trimester. The same bill grants leave to mothers who miscarry in the first two trimesters. Sandra Parma of the Life Institute said, “The aim of the Government in including abortion in the new law is simply to persist in its efforts to normalise abortion. But they are being grossly dishonest. Abortion is the deliberate taking of a human life. The baby is deliberately killed.” Read the rest here

SWITZERLAND: Organisers of the March for Life are appealing the local government decision stopping them from holding the event in the centre of Zurich. Citing restrictions to their freedom of assembly and expression, the organisers are challenging the city of Zurich for forcing them to hold the March on the outskirts of the city. The March draws up to two thousand participants, with police effectively controlling anti-life protestors. Read the rest here

SCOTLAND: A schoolteacher was dismissed hours after telling her students she is against abortion. Students in a high school history class had asked Helen Morse for her opinion on politics and social issues. Ms. Morse is now suing the local council, who run the school, on the grounds of discrimination. Read the rest here

US: An obstetrician has produced a video report of her undercover investigation of the online abortion pill business. Dr. Christina Francis, OB-GYN, found flaws in medical oversight, patient safety, and informed consent.  Dr. Francis posed as a potentially pregnant 13-year-old with several serious health issues. Watch the report here

CANADA: A homosexual couple tried to force the surrogate who was carrying their child to abort due to the baby’s cleft palate diagnosis. The mother refused and is now being sued by the couple for $600,000 in damages. She said,  “I just feel used … They didn’t get the perfect child they wanted and they threw me away.” Read the rest here

CANADA: In Quebec, a province with one of the highest rates of abortion in Canada, a town has passed a resolution to officially protect the ‘right to life’ of trees. The town’s mayor said,  “A tree is like a human being. It breathes, it lives, it takes in water. It protects us from all sorts of things.” This stands in contrast to unborn babies who have no legal protection under Canadian law. Read the rest here

IRELAND: The Department of Health has released a report showing that there has been a 59% increase in the number of abortions since the practice was legalised. The report shows there were more than 10,000 abortions in Ireland in 2025. Eilís Mulroy of Pro Life Campaign said “It means that 1 in every 6 babies in Ireland now loses their life to abortion”. Read the rest here

IRELAND: Questions have arisen over the possibility of hospital chaplains unknowingly violating abortion exclusion zones. This follows the conviction of pastor Clive Johnston for “conducting a protest” after he took part in an open-air service near Causeway Hospital in July 2024. Although Johnson made no reference to abortion, he was convicted under the ‘Safe Access Zone law’. Read the rest here

RUSSIA: Russian women are accessing post-abortion support as never before. Two hundred million babies have been aborted since the practice was legalised in 1920, leading many to suffer in silence. Now groups like Rachel’s Vineyard are expanding to provide support for post-abortive men and women. Psychologist Irina Maltseva says, “In the Soviet era, abortion was considered a routine procedure. It has a destructive impact on the entire family, leading to psychological issues, emotional detachment, and even violence. That is why I believe that today, across the post-Soviet world, nearly every person is affected — directly or indirectly — by the consequences of post-abortion trauma.” Read the rest here

MALTA: A bid to have Malta’s abortion ban overturned has been unsuccessful. The case had been brought by Andrea Prudente, an American tourist who sought an abortion during her stay in 2022. Prudente’s baby had been diagnosed as ‘non-viable’ leading her to seek an abortion. Under Maltese law, abortion is legal only when pregnancy poses a ‘serious risk’ to the mother, and when doctors refused to abort, she travelled to Spain and aborted her child there. The judge ruled that Prudent’s life was never at risk and that she had been given “medical attention and cure par excellence” in Malta.  Read the rest here

USA: The years-long court battle by the Little Sisters of the Poor to exempt the Order from providing health coverage for abortifacients continues. Although the Sisters have won twice in the Supreme Court, two states are contesting their exemption, attempting to force the Order to provide abortifacient contraception in its healthcare plan. Provincial Mother Loraine Marie Maguire said, “It is painful that we have spent more than a decade defending that mission in court. We simply want to continue our work without being forced to violate our faith, and we pray Pennsylvania and New Jersey will end this needless harassment.” Read the rest here

GEORGIA: The leader of the right-wing party “Conservatives for Georgia”, met with the pro-life Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Shio III to discuss the future of Georgia. Their talk included discussions on abortion, demographics, surrogacy and constitutional monarchy. Zurab Makharadze’s party is apparently under sanctions and has close ties with Russia. Many are unhappy with the party’s anti-homosexual stance, referring to it as a “far-right” group. Read the rest here

WORLD: The UN’s radically pro-abortion special rapporteur on the right to health handed down her final report, calling for even more abortions. South African Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, a former abortionist, recommended the complete decriminalisation of abortion including limits on doctors’ conscience rights. She also promotes gender ideology, pornography and sex work, saying,  “I am a doctor, an expert in sexual health, but when you think about it, aren’t I a sex worker? And in some ways, aren’t we all?” Dr Mofokeng’s term as special rapporteur will end in July. Read the rest here

INDIA: Police uncovered an illegal abortion business, after a woman who was injured there presented at hospital. The mother was suffering from a perforated uterus due to abortion, leading authorities to track down the abortionist. The illegal abortion racket included a doctor and two nurses, who used government-provided medications which were intended to be supplied free of charge through the public health system. Read the rest here

ISRAEL: According to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the number of abortions has dropped. The number has decreased since the late 1980s and are currently at an all-time low. The report also stated that almost all of the women who request permission to abort through the Pregnancy Termination Committee are given approval. The Jewish pro-life organisation Be’ad Chaim, believes that “since 1948, more babies have been aborted in Israel than the number of children that died in the Holocaust.” The group provides support for mothers in need, education and pregnancy counselling, and exists to “end abortion and to preserve life in Israel.” Read the rest here

WORLD: A group of NGO’s from the European Union is asking for an international right to euthanasia to be included in a United Nations treaty. Until now, the treaty has been supported by advocates for the disabled and the elderly. But the anti-life group is now pushing for treaty to address “the right to die with dignity” as well as gender ideology, and “sexual and reproductive rights.”Read the rest here

UK: The new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has stated that he would not support assisted suicide while social support and palliative care services are underfunded. His comments come with the reintroduction to Parliament of an assisted suicide bill. With only 12 MPs needed to change their minds for the new bill to fail, the PM’s lack of support is a major blow for the euthanasia lobby. Read the rest here

CANADA: A social media celebrity who shared her journey with early-onset Alzheimer’s has ended her life via assisted suicide. Rebecca Luna, 48, was in the early stages of the diagnosis and deteriorated more quickly than expected. She made clear her wish to die by assisted suicide, even bringing forward the date by two weeks. Read the rest here

FRANCE: A French bishop has reminded politicians that they be refused Holy Communion should they support the proposed assisted suicide bill. Bishop Marc Aillet gave the warning ahead of the July 15 final vote on the bill. The bill is expected to pass; the bishop also demanded legal protection for those who have a conscientious objection to assisting in euthanasia procedures. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A private member’s bill to allow assisted suicide approval via telehealth will be put to federal parliament in August. Labor members will be allowed to vote with their consciences, as recently enshrined in the party’s platform. Under the current law, doctors can be fined up to $300,000 for discussing assisted dying with patients by phone. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: An assisted dying bill has been reintroduced in the Northern Territory, almost 30 years after the practice was banned. In 1996, the Northern Territory was first jurisdiction in the world to legalise assisted suicide. Under the proposed law, only patients with less than 12 months to live would be able to access VAD. Read the rest here

CANADA: A family has recounted the tragic experience of their elderly relative being euthanised in their presence without her informed consent. Although the grandmother at first stated explicitly that she didn’t want assisted suicide, medical experts used her disabilities to elicit her approval. Multiple violations of the MAiD guidelines are alleged to have taken place, leaving the family to seek answers. Read the rest here

USA: The State of New York is attempting to force religious sisters to facilitate assisted suicides. Four orders of women religious who care for the sick and dying are suing the state. The prioress general of one order said, “We strive to bring (Christ’s) compassion to those entrusted to our care, ensuring that no resident ever has to die alone. This law strikes at the heart of that vocation.” Read the rest here

USA: A new film by Alex Schadenberg shines a light on assisted suicide in America. Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, produced the film to show Americans that they are following in the footsteps of the brutal Canadian euthanasia regime. Released on July 20th, Prescription Poison is available for streaming. Access the film here

TAIWAN: Observers have noted that holding a referendum to decide on the introduction of euthanasia would ignore structural problems in Taiwan’s health system. Legalising euthanasia would be complicated as many areas of law need to be addressed. Opponents of the referendum are calling for increased funding for hospitals as well as a nuanced discussion around the deep ethical issues at stake. Read the rest here

UK: An assisted-suicide bill identical to that proposed by Kim Leadbeater, has been put forward by MP Lauren Edwards. The previous bill was heavily criticised by identified by disability, mental health and domestic abuse charities as well as the Royal Colleges, professional bodies, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Proponents will use a controversial legal manoeuvre, the Parliament Acts, to bypass the House of Lords and push forward passage of the Bill. Read the rest here

FRANCE: A bill legalising euthanasia has passed the next legislative hurdle, after approval by France’s National Assembly. It would allow adults suffering from terminal conditions to be given lethal medication to cause death. The bill will be reviewed for compliance with the French Constitution. Read the rest here

UK: The survivor of a serious stroke has written on his experiences in recovery and how he is grateful his desire for death was not heeded. Charles Collins believes all patients need to be reassured that they are not a burden and that they deserve to live, rather than being encouraged to be put to death by euthanasia. Read the rest here

US/WORLD: Bioethicists are suggesting that patients who express their desire for euthanasia and organ donation could be put to death by the organ-harvesting process itself. Until, it was deemed more ethical to take a patient’s organs after their death. This has limited the donation of some organs, such as the heart. Now researchers from the New England Journal of Medicine have written suggesting that organ procurement could be the cause of death. Read the rest here

NEW ZEALAND: Assisted suicide and euthanasia have increased by 50% for the year ending March 2026. The 486 deaths by euthanasia now account for 1.29% of all deaths in New Zealand. ‘Only 16 applicants had a psychiatric assessment to check for competence to make an informed decision about assisted suicide’. Read the rest here

GERMANY: A medical doctor has been convicted of murdering 15 patients. The 3 men and 12 women were killed between September 2021 and July 2024, leading to life imprisonment for the perpetrator. Although the patients were all critically ill, they were not expected to die straight away but were given a lethal combination of various drugs without their consent. In some cases, the doctor set the patient’s home on fire to hide what he had done. “Presiding judge Sylvia Busch said the conviction for 15 murders may well be only a glimpse of his many crimes. Prosecutors said during the proceedings that he was suspected of having killed more than 70 other people.” Read the rest here

NORWAY: A convicted murderer has been charged with assisting the suicide of a Swedish woman. Steinar Wangen had murdered a 7-year-old girl when he was 15. Describing himself as a “euthanasia activist”, Wangen smothered an elderly woman with a pillow after she had consumed sleeping pills and alcohol. He had previously been aquitted of assisted in the deaths of 4 other people who had sought euthanasia in Sweden. The family of the young girl he murdered said, Wangen is “A cold-blooded and calculating person.” Read the rest here

UK: After recently releasing a novel to promote assisted suicide, actress Dawn French is reconsidering her position. She said she is now concerned about the impact legal euthanasia would have on the poor and vulnerable. Admitting she doesn’t know enough about the issue, French said it is more nuanced than she had realised. She said, “I had never considered the social injustice it might bring. I had to have a second thought about that. And I need to investigate it a bit further” Read the rest here

NETHERLANDS: A report into the effects of euthanasia has shown that doctors are feeling pressured into performing the procedures. The researchers found that patients are increasingly feeling entitled to assisted suicide, even when they don’t qualify for it under the government’s guidelines. Lead researcher and healthcare ethicist Els van Wijngaarden said, “Euthanasia continues to be considered a special medical act. Many doctors experience its execution as morally burdensome, emotionally stressful, and time-consuming.” Read the rest here

CANADA: The Federal Government has provided almost AUS $300,000 for a podcast series promoting assisted suicide.  The series, entitled Disrupting Death; An examination of Canadian Experiences with Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) is by Dr. Kathy M. Kortes-Miller, from Lakehead University. The discovery is the result of a series of freedom of information (FOI) requests made by pro-life advocates. Read the rest here

HUNGARY: The appointment of a pro-euthanasia politician to a high-ranking government position has renewed interest in the legalisation of assisted suicide. The promotion of Judit Zeller to the position of Deputy State Secretary in the Ministry for Social Affairs and Family is seen by some as signalling a more permissive attitude to euthanasia. Speaking on the case of a husband who assisted his wife in her death, Zeller was critical of Hungary’s prohibition on legal euthanasia, saying, “You cannot look at this in isolation from the state of end-of-life care in Hungary. Perhaps it would not occur to anyone to choose this path if medical and social care were so excellent.” Read the rest here

CANADA: The Anglican Church of Canada has endorsed euthanasia by introducing blessings for those about to undergo, or who have undergone assisted suicide. Their new document, Pastoral Liturgies at the Time of Death in Contexts of Medically Assisted Dying reads, “It is not our intent to enter into the ethical arguments regarding MAiD, nor to provide a moral argument for or against MAiD.” Elsewhere in the document, assisted suicide is referred to as a “pastoral response.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A National Day of Action will be held on Saturday, August 1st to protest proposed changes to the NDIS. Rallies will be held in at least six cities prior to the Senate vote on the NDIS Amendment Bill on August 14. 70 disability organisations, are supporting the rallies, with more than 240,000 disabled individuals thought to be at risk of losing their funding along with another 100,000 prevented from being approved. Read the rest here

USA: A mother has been charged with manslaughter for leaving her Down Syndrome child to drown in the bath. Thee two-year-old lost consciousness after being left alone for around 14 minutes as twater filled the bath. This story highlights the vulnerability of those living with significant health conditions and the need for families to feel supported. Read the rest here

UK: The archives of a British photographer who documented the disability rights movement has been opened to the public. After his death, Keith Armstrong’s archives of photographs were discovered. Shooting from his wheelchair, Armstrong had a unique perspective on disability protests and other events. The protests culminated in the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995. Read the rest here

WORLD: A landmark study has found that those living with Down Syndrome possess unique molecular markers which could predict their future health conditions. This means that medical treatments could be tailored to each DS person.  As part of the Human Trisome Project, the Crnic Institute team analysed blood samples for over 100 different clinical traits. Read the rest here

US: There has been a 25% increase in the number of disabled students learning in mainstream classrooms since 2012. Most of this increase was in the cohort who spend the majority of their time in general education classes. Advocates are concerned the gains will not continue as the federal government plans to put special education under the Department of Health and Human Services, rather than the Health Department, as it is currently. Read the rest here

NORTHERN IRELAND: A disabled man is trying to raise funds to create purpose-built holiday accomodation to allow those with disabilities to enjoy a vacation by the sea. Richard Douglas was unable to find appropriate holiday accomodation in Northern Ireland, but has stayed in suitable homes elsewhere. Families caring for those with disabilities have noted the benefits of being able to enjoy a change of environment with their loved one. Read the rest here

MALTA: Parliamentarians are proposing a constitutional amendment which would protect disabled people from discrimination. The amendment would make disability a protected characteristic, guaranteeing protection from discrimination. It would ensure disabled persons have access to the civil court when cases of discrimination occur. Read the rest here

NEW ZEALAND: A new disability housing project has broken ground, and it aims to provide discreet specialist accomodation in a community setting. Situated in Paeroa, the development will include as unites designed to look like standard homes. The project is a collaboration between the Supported Lifestyle Hauraki Trust (SLHT) and inclusive living home developer Assisting Different Abilities Peoples Trust (ADAPT). Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Team Australia won 7 medals at the recent Virtus Open European Summer Games in Bydgoszcz, Poland. The team competed in three intellectual disability or autism (IDA) categories – II-1 (intellectual disability), II-2 (down syndrome) and II-3 (autism), winning two gold medals, two silver and three bronze. Competitor Hunter Thompson was particularly successful, wining his fourth consecutive II-3 men’s singles gold medal. Read the rest here

IRAN: A cost-of-living crisis has seen the government cut living allowances for disabled Iranians. Carer and hygiene subsidies have been delayed, and the price of drugs, healthcare and medical supplies has also increased. A tightening economy also means that the charities who could offer assistance are experiencing fewer donations. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Down Syndrome Australia has produced a handy fact sheet on Anxiety and Depression. Written in an easy-read format, the fact sheet is aimed at those living with Down Syndrome. Filled with simple explanations, contact numbers and advice for carers, the fact sheet is a valuable resource. Access the fact sheet here

AUSTRALIA: Under reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) almost 145,000 clients with autism will lost their funding. Health department documents show that the reductions will be implemented by 2030. Mark Butler, the NDIS minister, has reiterated that said the scheme was meant only for those with “significant and permanent disability”. Read the rest here

US/WORLD: Researchers from Johns Hopkins University have shown that babies can be successfully treated in utero for a dangerous kidney disorder. Without treatment, babies rarely survive, but trials have shown that with a procedure known as anhydramnios, more than 90% of babies are born alive, albeit prematurely. they can then be given kidney dialysis after birth. Read the rest here

UK: A report from several British universities has found that people with learning disabilities are still dying from avoidable deaths at a higher rate than the general population. Although numbers have decreased, there are almost twice as many avoidable deaths among this cohort. Epilepsy and respiratory complaints are the most common causes of death, which is attributed to a failure of patients to access timely and effective healthcare. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A new campaign has been launched to educate disabled renters in Queensland about their rights and to help property owners understand their needs. Queenslanders with Disability Network (QND) is working with the Real Estate Institute of Queensland to roll out the campaign. Many disabled renters don’t realise they are able to request modifications to their properties. Read the rest here

UK: An interim report into the personal independence payment (Pip)- the UK’s disability benefits system – has found that it is ‘not fit for purpose’. The benefit is intended to be an income supplement to help with the extra costs associated with having a disability. Almost 4 million people in England and Wales currently access the benefits, which are said to leave claimants feeling ‘degraded’ and ‘dehumanised’. Louise Murphy, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation, said, “The focus should be on reforming Pip so that it reflects how people actually experience disability, rather than on making short-term savings that have motivated the last two attempts at reform.” Read the rest here

GREECE: Disability advocates are calling on the government to embed accessible housing in its National Housing Strategy. The National Confederation of Disabled People (ESAmeA) highlights the expense associated with altering a standard home to accomodate someone with disabilities, as well as rising costs and discrimination. The group says many disabled people have higher energy needs due to medical equipment, and also face barriers to finance. It is asking the government to replace the term “affordable and quality housing” with “affordable, accessible and quality housing” in an effort to prioritise housing for the disabled. Read the rest here

INDONESIA: A coalition of disability support groups is working to train Down Syndrome children to become more independent. The Bandung Association of Parents of Children with Down Syndrome (POTADS) and PT Lautan Luas Tbk is running programmes to help DS children to develop new skills, with a view to them one day entering the workforce. As well as providing physiotherapy and speech therapy, the programme offers practical skills such as training in cafe work and hydroponics. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A disabled Paralympian who won gold for her country has been stripped of the majority of her NDIS funding under the government’s news policies. Tracy Barrell OAM, who is a single mother of two children has been left with only 4% of her NDIS inclme after her previous plan was cancelled with little warning. She says, “Because of my physical body and using the one arm my whole life, I’ve put so much pressure on my spine and it’s just crumbling now because it can’t support itself as I’m aging. Some days I can’t even use my arm — my carers have to feed me and wipe my face. I’m having to come to terms with what my life is at the moment, and having this stress of not being financed to be able to still live a dignified life.” Read the rest here

US: A woman whose baby died shortly after birth from anencephaly now helps other parents whose pre-born children receive a life-limiting diagnosis. Brittany Hunt’s daughter was diagnosed at 20 weeks’ gestation, but she refused to abort her child. Mrs Hunt said, “Her fate for dying in my womb was sealed before even being close to meeting her, and any hope I had to meet her alive was squelched. I felt like I was being reasonable medically, and I understood the gravity of her condition, but the lack of research-based, trauma-informed support made for a lonely journey carrying her for the following months.” She now counsels parents through her local pregnancy centre and beyond. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A profoundly disabled man who had had his ability to self-manage his support network revoked by the National Disability Insurance Agency has been given a six-month reprieve.  Joshua Ruff  was set to have his support team managed by an agency, but will be continued to self manage temporarily. The backflip by authorities came after media coverage of the case, sparked by an emotional social media video posted by Mr. Ruff. Read the rest here

JAPAN: In an effort to help disabled workers find jobs which are suited to their skillset, the government has developed a new welfare programme. The programme is designed to ensure that more skilled disabled employees are guided into mainstream workplaces rather than remaining in sheltered workshops. The new employment selection support service evaluates the a attributes of each worker, and suggests the environments to which they are most suited, aiming to help them find the most appropriate career path. Critics are concerned that some level of corruption could be at play in the new system, as agents try to support their own businesses. Read the rest here

LUXEMBOURG: The ‘freedom’ to abort one’s child has been officially adopted as part of the constitution. After an initial decision last March, the new ‘freedom’ was ratified in Parliament on June 16th. Luxembourg follows France which enshrined abortion as a constitutional right in 2024. While life advocates blame the move on feminist ideology, a spokesman for the left-wing Déi Lénk party said, “I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that we are making history today.” Read the rest here

ITALY: Thousands of Italians marched in the annual “Scegliamo della Vita” (“Letʼs Choose Life”) March on June 13th in Rome. A spokesman for teh March, Massimo Gandolfini, said that “We see that this right [to life] today is deeply wounded and heavily attacked with abortion law, and with this rumored law on assisted suicide, to which we are totally opposed”. Another pro-life advocate who attended the march said, “We want to show that choosing and protecting life is not only right, important, and necessary but also beautiful.” Read the rest here

INDIA: A 15-year-old rape victim has been given permission to abort her child, even though she is outside the legal gestational limit for an abortion. Indian law allows abortion up to 24 weeks, with an exception for survivors of rape. The girl, who is around 26 weeks pregnant, petitioned the Madras High Court through her father, who supports an abortion. The judgement of Justice Mini Pushkarna read, “In view of the desire of the minor as well as her father to terminate the pregnancy and the opinion of the Medical Board of AIIMS, New Delhi, in this regard, the prayer in the petition to medically terminate the pregnancy of the petitioner is allowed,” Read the rest here

USA: An abortion drug advertisement was flown over a US Open golf tournament during the Father’s Day weekend. A light plane flying a sign printed with the words, “Abortion Pills by Mail”, flew over a golf club in Southampton, New York. “Mayday Health, an abortion rights group, was responsible for the stunt, something it has done at other sporting events. Many attendees were unhappy with the message, with one stating that, “Especially when there are so many golfers and spectators who are strong in their faith – this felt like an intentional distraction by outside agitators to undermine the tournament.” Read the rest here

USA: A coalition of more than eighty national and state pro-life organisations is petitioning the Attorney-General to ban mail-order abortion drugs while the FDA conducts a rigorous inquiry into their use. Marjorie Dannenfelser of SBA Pro-Life America said, “Under the mail-order abortion drug regime, more abortions happen in America now than on the day the Dobbs victory came down four years ago—fueled by the abortion industry’s strategy of pushing unaccountable, dangerous drugs, just a click away, without ever seeing a doctor in person.” Read the rest here

KENYA: A complicated set of social and cultural norms leads many Christians to consider abortion rather than face the stigma of ill-timed pregnancies. Kenyan pastors are finding ways to support pregnant women without compromising on the standards for chastity, especially on sex prior to marriage. Simon Kurgat, the pastor of NewLife Church in Kenya, experienced his own child being born out of wedlock. He encourages others saying, “Many young men and women have ended up abandoning the church because of the stigma. [But] we need them in the church. God does not look at our past sins but the heart that repents.”Read the rest here

LIECHTENSTEIN: The staunchly pro-life Crown Prince Aloise has announced that he would veto any relaxation of abortion laws should proposed legislation succeed. The pro-abortion legislation could be introduced if a citizen’s initiated referendum is successful. SRF, the group behind the referendum bid, said that  “The people of Liechtenstein should be able to express their views on this issue. And should a majority vote in favour, this could be an opportunity to reconsider existing positions.” Prince Alois used his power of veto to throttle another abortion bid in 2011. Read the rest here

IRELAND: A bill to end a mandatory three-day waiting period prior to having an abortion has passed the second reading stage and will now go to committee. Members of Ireland’s Sinn Féin party are confident the bill will pass. Eilís Mulroy of the Pro Life Campaign said, “Many people who voted Yes in the 2018 referendum did so following assurances from people like Micheál Martin and Simon Harris that the three-day wait would be an integral part of any new law. Their decision today to renege on that assurance – particularly so soon after the referendum – represents a massive breach of trust with voters.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A bill which would have restricted late-term abortion access has failed to pass in South Australia’s lower house. The bill, put forward by Sarah Games, had passed by one vote in the upper house earlier in the day. Although put forward as a ‘pro-life’ bill, it contained exceptions for severe foetal abnormality and the health of the mother. One Nation MP, Chantelle Thomas, who put forward the bill in the lower house, referred to the rushed nature of the vote, saying: “It is disappointing that the members, some new and some old, will now not be able to consult properly with the constituents before speaking for them — especially on such an issue that weighs heavily on many South Australians.” Read the rest here

IRELAND: Sinn Féin MPs will this week introduce a bill to eliminate the mandatory three-day waiting period for mothers wanting to abort their children. Although just last month a pro-abortion bill which included the same provision and which was put forward by the Social Democrats, was soundly defeated, Sinn Féin believes its proposed bill will pass. Sinn Féin’s leader, Mary Lou McDonals said “It is time for the law to change, and this would be a significant move towards compassion and ensuring barriers to women accessing healthcare are removed.” Read the rest here

CANADA: The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has ruled that abortion victim images do not constitute ‘obscenity’. This was in response to a 2023 decision by the Parliamentary Protective Service to prohibit a pro-life group from exhibiting the images. The National President of the Campaign Life Coalition said in a press release that “The Court has confirmed that government officials cannot censor political expression simply because they find the message uncomfortable, difficult, or controversial. This is a big win for life and for free-speech rights. This ruling is especially important at a time when freedom of expression and pro-life advocacy are increasingly under pressure in Canada.” Read the rest here

USA: In another case of chemical abortion pills being given without consent, a Louisiana man has been charged with domestic abuse/battery of a pregnant victim and attempted first-degree foeticide. The man gave abortion pills to a pregnant woman who went into labour, requiring her child to be delivered by emergency caesarian section. The baby, born at 23 weeks’ gestation, is still in hospital. Read the rest here

USA: A man from Illinois has been charged with forcing chemical abortion pills onto his pregnant girlfriend. After pressuring her to abort their child, the man bought abortion pills from a third party and gave them to his girlfriend without her knowledge or consent, causing her preborn child to die. The defendant pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter of an unborn child and received seven years in prison. Read the rest here

LIBERIA: The proposed legalisation of abortion has caused a split in a prominent religious coalition between Catholics and Moslems. When the group, the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia (IRCL), gave official support for sweeping reforms which included the legalisation of abortion, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Liberia (CABICOL) condemned the endorsement and distanced itself from the coalition. Their action caused the IRCL to withdraw its support for the reforms. Read the rest here

BRAZIL: The legislature has voted in favour of a new bill overturning access to abortion for a child conceived in rape to an underage girl. In Brazil abortion is currently a crime with a penalty of up to four years in prison, with exceptions for health risks to the mother, serious foetal abnormalities and sexual assault. Although both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate have approved the new law, obstacles to its ratification remain. Read the rest here

SPAIN: During his trip to Spain, Pope Leo has reminded lawmakers that any society which fails to protect the most vulnerable is not “fully just”. In Spain, both euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal; abortion is also legal and abortion businesses are protected by exclusion zones. Speaking to members of the Spanish Parliament, the Pope said that “The defence of human life is neither a partisan issue nor a confessional interest: it is a goal of civilisation. Every human life must be recognised and safeguarded from conception to its natural end, in every circumstance of its existence.” Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: The influencer couple who aborted their baby because of a Down Syndrome diagnosis have said they would do the same with another child. The couple, whose social media following is in the millions, posted first the news that they were expecting a child then shared their decision to have the child killed. The baby’s mother said, “I don’t regret how we went about everything. We are open and honest with our audience because we have a close and personal relationship with a lot of them.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce addressed the crowd at a Sydney rally calling for the end to sex-selection abortion. A bill banning sex-selection abortion has been put forward by Libertarian upper house member, John Ruddick. Joyce told the crowd, “You must keep that fire burning for those people who can’t stand up for themselves, and I call them people, they’re not foetuses. They are people. Politically, does this make you popular? No, no. Probably lose half the votes every time you do it. But you know why you do it? Because it’s the right thing to do.” Read the rest here

USA: A woman whose ex-boyfriend forced abortion drugs into her mouth, killing their unborn child, has spoken out for the first time. In a piece published by The Daily Wire, Jona Affholder warns of the danger of allowing chemical abortion drugs to be ordered online and sent through the mail. Ms Affholder was prepared to raise her unplanned child on her own, and had rejected the father’s demands for an abortion. Despite that, the father – a now-disgraced surgeon – ordered abortion drugs which he used to poison her food, eventually crushing them and forcing them into her mouth as she slept. Read the rest here

USA: A new documentary from the Centre for medical Progress (CMP) outlines the case of an abortion business which routinely harvests organs from babies during the abortion procedure. The case involves the coerced abortion of a five-month gestation baby whose mother was extremely vulnerable and distressed. The unborn baby was deliberately kept alive during the early delivery so that its organs could be harvested. David Daleiden of CMP stated, “For over a decade, my investigative reporting has sounded the alarm for the public and government officials about the barbaric and illegal actions the taxpayer-funded abortion industry perpetrates against the most vulnerable people and their unborn children in foetal experimentation programs—including harvesting body parts from babies delivered alive.” Read the rest here

USA: The Wall Street Journal has revealed that records about the extent of adverse events due to the abortion pill were kept hidden for almost thirty years. In his article,  the General Counsel for the organisation Advancing American Freedom, J. Marc Wheat, is suggesting the need for more “transparency” around the Food and Drug Administration’s failure to make public all the documents referring to the abortion drug mifepristone. A new lawsuit is seeking the release of all communications “sent to, received by, or copied” to the FDA with reference to RU-486 or any other form of mifepristone. It is hoped that any eugenic motive for introducing abortion drugs will also be exposed. Read the rest here

CANADA: 17 babies from the province of Alberta were born alive after attempted abortions. Instead of receiving medical assistance, all of the babies were left to die. This was despite the Canadian Criminal law (s.223)  which states that “any infant born alive, under any circumstance, is a legal person,”indicating that babies born under these circumstances should be resuscitated. Rest the rest here

UK: The resignation of Keir Starmer as Prime Minister will potentially make it more difficult for the new assisted suicide legislation to pass. Starmer, who is in favour of assisted suicide and abortion, gave his support to the failed Leadbeater bill and made concessions which allowed it to progress through parliament. But his successor, Andy Burnham, does not welcome the new euthanasia bill, wanting instead to see palliative care services expanded. Read the rest here

CANADA: Canada’s Catholic bishops have released a statement condemning assisted suicide for the 10th anniversary of its legalisation. The statement describes the need for respect to be shown for every human life, and askes for more support services, saying, “We actively seek opportunities for effective, collaborative strategies to provide concrete and compassionate support to those living with serious physical or mental illness, those with disabilities, and those nearing the end of life, as well as their families and caregivers.” Read the rest here

SPAIN: The Supreme Court has ruled that families have a legal right to challenge euthanasia decisions. The ruling comes in the wake of the controversial case of Noelia Castillo, who was put to death at age 25 despite the objections of her father. The decision states that the family members must be close enough to the patient to hold ” … a sufficient capacity for knowledge and empathy with them to be able, if necessary, to detect possible flaws in the understanding and comprehension of the situation in which the applicant finds themselves.” Read the rest here

FRANCE: The Catholic bishops have launched nine-days of prayer for the defeat of an assisted suicide bill, which started on June 21st. A complicated legal process to enable euthanasia has been underway for four years. Lucie Pacherie of the pro-life Jérôme Lejeune Foundation says,  “There is strong pressure from the government to pass the bill in early July, as well as from the President of the National Assembly, Yaël Braun-Pivet, who has personally committed to it. It is clear that there is little chance of a genuine debate taking place during this third reading.” The prayer intention is for legislators, and that “the dignity of every person may always be recognised, protected, and respected.” Read the rest here

NETHERLANDS: It has been revealed that at least one child has been put to death under the Netherlands’ euthanasia protocol.  The Minister of Public Health, Sophie Hermans, reported the case to Parliament; it was then handed to the Public Prosecution Service. The Service contacted the doctor and will now evaluate whether any violation of the law took place. The child was terminally ill at the time. According to Dutch outlet NOS, “Since 2024 exists 
the possibility to actively end the lives of children between the ages of 1 and 12 who suffer unbearably and hopelessly in consultation with the parents. Until then, this was only possible in newborns and children over 12.” Read the rest here

UK: The former CEO of Britain’s biggest abortion provider has spoken out against the reintroduction of assisted-suicide legislation. The former head of BPAS, Anne Furedi, said that “If assisted dying becomes legal, we could end up in a situation where we offer one suicidal person hope and a helpline to guide them away from taking their own lives, and in another case, do everything we can to facilitate their suicide.” Furedi’s comments come as MP Lauren Edwards is attempting to revive the controversial Leadbeater bill, and opponents of euthanasia call for more support for palliative care services. Read the rest here

CYPRUS: The first man charged under Cyprus’ anti-euthanasia legislation has died at age 78. David Hunter, a British expat, killed his terminally-ill wife, after she ‘begged’ him to do so. Hunter was initially charged with premeditated murder, and spent 19 months in prison, but this was later downgraded to manslaughter, and he was released in August 2023 due to health problems. An appeal against the change in charges meant that the prospect of a return to prison was hanging over Hunter at the time of his death. Read the rest here

SOUTH KOREA: A man suffering from a debilitating disease is challenging South Korea’s ban on assisted suicide. 65-year-old Lee Myung-shik, who suffers from acute myelitis, was planning to kill himself at a Swiss clinic but backed out when he realised his daughter could be charged for assisting him. Lee’s lawyer said, “If the constitutional complaint succeeds, the legal interpretation of aiding and abetting suicide could shift, allowing people in similar circumstances to avoid criminal punishment.” Read the rest here

CANADA: A government-appointed committee has advised that those suffering from mental illness alone should never be eligible for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). The Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying (AMAD) gave their recommendation after the government requested an inquiry into the possibility of euthanasia on the basis of mental health problems. Co-chair of the AMAD Committee, Marcus Powlowski,who is also a doctor, said: “Numerous very experienced psychiatrists told us of seemingly irremediable cases where for some reason patients, after prolonged periods of seemingly irremediable suffering, the person eventually got better and started to enjoy life again.” Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: The Supreme Court has ruled that the use of nitrogen gas to kill prisoners sentenced to death is a “cruel and unusual punishment”, blocking the imminent death of criminal Jeffery Lee. Lee had requested death by firing squad after learning of the excruciating death experienced when nitrogen gas is used. However, anti-euthanasia activist Alex Schadenberg notes that the Sarco Pod, an invention of Philip Nitschke which allows patients to commit suicide alone, uses nitrogen gas to cause death. Schadenberg believes that use of the Sarco Pod “constitutes torture” and should not be available to individuals contemplating assisted suicide. Read the rest here

USA: The Southern Baptist Convention has officially renewed its prohibition to euthanasia, releasing a statement at its annual conference. The resolution condemned all forms of assisted suicide and euthanasia, also criticising related euphemisms such as ‘medical aid in dying’ and ‘death with dignity’. Politicians were urged to oppose anti-life laws while policy-makers and medical experts were encouraged to provide appropriate palliative care services. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A woman who deliberately killed her dying husband has been released on bail. The man, who was dying of motor neurone disease, had expressed a desire to die, should he reach the stage of incontinence. His wife introduced lethal drugs into his feeding tube, hoping to spare her husband from suffering and speed up his death. Lawyers believe the initial charge of murder could be downgraded to assisted suicide or manslaughter. Read the rest here

UK: Actress Dawn French has produced a novel which promotes assisted suicide. The main character, apparently modelled on French herself, is a healthy 68-year-old who chooses to commit suicide to spare her family from having to care for her as she ages. The book comes as British parliamentarians consider tabling another assisted-suicide bill after the failure of the previous Leadbetter bill. Read the rest here

ITALY: A new report shows that most Italians support assisted suicide. According to a national survey, 70% of the population believes assisted suicide should be available. This figure has risen from 40% support in 2019. One commentator points to a rise in cultural Catholicism: “The majority of Italians still claim to be Catholic, but not in the sense of being consistent with traditional Roman Catholic teachings on moral issues.” Read the rest here

CANADA: An alliance of over 90 organisations has petitioned Prime Minister, Mark Carney, to halt the expansion of assisted-suicide to those with mental illness. The mental health and disability bodies have written that “the majority of people with a mental illness continue to have unmet needs for therapies and services”, urging the government to expand support services rather pour more money in MAiD. The CEO of Inclusion Canada said, “We’re talking about a huge portion of the population. One in five Canadians do have, or will have at some point in their life, one of those labels that’s in that category.” Read the rest here

CANADA: A physician has shared the story of an experience he had with a dying patient who requested assisted suicide. The doctor found that by listening to his patient’s fears without supporting his decision to end his life via MAiD, he was able to change his patient’s mind. The doctor hopes to help other carers to learn from his example and encourage natural death rather than euthanasia. Read the rest here

FRANCE: The Senate has rejected an assisted-suicide bill for the second time. The bill was first blocked in January, and now again in June: this time due to a core part of the legislation which dealt with categories for eligibility. At the same time, the Senate gave support to a bill which will expand palliative care. The French Interior Minister, Bruno Retailleau, has recommended caution, saying, “If tomorrow the text were voted on … on the threshold of death, everyone will have to ask themselves if they are not a dead weight, if they are not a burden for society or for their loved ones.”  Read the rest here

SOUTH KOREA: Three doctors have released a thought-provoking book examining the moral, spiritual and emotional aspects of medically-assisted suicide. The doctors challenge South Korea’s “Assisted Dignified Death Act”, pointing to the ways in which euthanasia’s legality has changed the nature of suffering, aging and death itself. The authors write that “The moment death becomes one of several paths an individual can choose, being alive is reconstructed as a choice…” meaning that “the reasons for choosing to live must also be explained.” They say this forces patients to “face the burden of constantly justifying their lives, turning life itself into a task that must be explained.” Read the rest here

CANADA/WORLD: Unexpected outcomes during the course of euthanasia are leaving family members traumatised and rethinking their support for assisted suicide. More examples of prolonged deaths and other adverse events are coming to light as bereaved families are requesting more information prior to the suicide so that consent is fully-informed. Dr. Ramona Coelho, a former member of the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario’s MAID death review committee said, “… some MAID clinicians publicly portray MAID deaths as uniformly peaceful, beautiful and free of complications. This does not present an accurate picture of reality and risks influencing decisions about MAID”. Read the rest here

UK: An eating disorders expert has warned that when assisted-suicide legislation is re-tabled, it will still contain the troublesome loophole which allows it to be applied to those living with anorexia. Chelsea Roff gave evidence before the Commons Public Bill Committee, alerting Members that women with anorexia had been deemed eligible for assisted suicide in other jurisdictions. Referencing the previous bill which failed due to running out of time, spokesperson for Right to Life UK stated, “Supporters and opponents of the assisted suicide Bill eventually agreed that protections for people with eating disorders were not adequate in the Bill as drafted.” Read the rest here

BELGIUM: The background to the euthanasia death by a veteran paralympic athlete in 2019 has now been revealed publicly. Marieke Vervoort won her first paralympic medal in 2012, after competing for many years despite having reflex sympathetic dystrophy. She had obtained her euthanasia papers in 2008, but wanted to survive to compete in the 2016 games in Rio. Vervoot eventually took her own life in 2019, at the age of 40. Read the rest here

NETHERLANDS: A teenage girl with a history of depression chose to die by assisted suicide, with her parent’s approval. The young woman chose to voluntarily stopped eating and drinking (VSED) as the method of her death. In the Netherlands, VSED is often pursued as an option for those who can’t be approved for the more common forms of euthanasia. Although the girl’s depression was described as “untreatable” some child psychologists disagree, saying there is always hope for a cure. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A Victorian man needing specialised care claims changes made by the National Disability Insurance Agency have put his life at risk. Joshua Ruff, who lives with Duchene muscular dystrophy, says changes made without consultation by the NDIA have taken away his trusted carers and left him without autonomy. Mr. Duff says, “I pay for all my support, I manage the rostering, and I do everything that keeps my life exactly how I’ve set it up to be.” His support coordinator, Zachary Muir agrees, stating that “These changes place Joshua at immediate and significant risk of serious harm and potential loss of life due to the complexity and intensity of his care needs.” Read the rest here

UK: The Down’s Syndrome Association has released the video recording of its webinar entitled “Regression in adolescents and young adults”. The video explains how regression in Down’s syndrome is an accepted phenomenon, yet there is more to learn about what makes some people more susceptible than others. The video discusses the available information about regression. Watch the video here

NEW ZEALAND: A restructuring of disability support services could see harmful consequences for families. Caregivers fear that the Disability Support Services Bill will reduce funding for families, potentially leading to carer burnout. They are concerned at the impact this will have on the disabled children in their care. Some families have already faced funding cuts, with reductions in support from outside the home. There is anger over the lack of input from caregivers into the bill. A spokesman from Massey University’s school of psychology said, “If decisions are being made about systems that rely on our family and our whanau carers, then those carers need to be part of the conversation. Otherwise, I think we are relying on their labour while failing to protect their wellbeing.” Read the rest here

EUROPE: The Council of Europe has launched an initiative aimed at providing disabled people with equal access to sport. The project, entitled “Sport for all: promoting inclusion and combating discrimination against persons with disabilities”, is a joint project between the Council and the European Union. An event attended by policymakers, experts, athletes, and representatives from European sports organisations met to discuss the initiative, leading to the development of a toolkit aimed at furthering disabled participation in sport. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: The Federal government has agreed to extend its NDIS inquiry in the face of a public backlash since proposed changes were announced. In just over two weeks, more than 4000 submissions have been sent to the Senate Committee tasked with reviewing the NDIS. Many are unhappy with the government’s proposed cuts to NDIS funding and have been raising their concerns. The Greens party is credited with pressuring the government to extend the inquiry until mid-August. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A property developer from Queensland is facing charges of fraud for using money earmarked for disability accomodation to fund his lavish lifestyle. ASIC has charged David McWilliams with 13 criminal offences including using $10 million of disability housing funds to buy a hotel, cryptocurrency and an Aston Martin. “The money had been raised to build specialist disability accommodation – purpose-built housing for NDIS participants – across Queensland and Western Australia.” Read the rest here

UK: Disability advocates are working to ensure that the English countryside is accessible to all, regardless of their mobility. A number of groups are helping those with physical and intellectual disabilities to access nature through projects such as the creation of tracks suitable for all-terrain mobility scooters. Groups also liaise with local authorities to create lists of useful information for visitors with disabilities. A spokesman for Open Country, an organisation for the visually impaired, said, “Things are improving, albeit quite slowly. We were built to be outdoors, we were built to be immersed in nature. If anyone’s deprived of that, we’re all the poorer for it, in my opinion.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Down Syndrome Australia has compiled a set of resources on ageing with Down Syndrome. Topics range from physical health to mental health, including grief and loss and dementia. The goal is to provide information for those living with Down Syndrome and for their carers and medical professionals. Included is a survey to help shape the direction of future resources. The information on ageing forms part of Down Syndrome Australia’s national hub for DS resources. Access the resources here

UK: The mother of a disabled son is raising awareness of the benefits of early intervention after diagnosis. Her son has ADHD, autism and Fragile X Syndrome, and is now 13. Although initially overwhelmed by the lack of help for her family while living in the US, the family soon gained access to intensive therapies and specialist support. Now living back in the UK, they are educating families in similar situations about the value of genetic testing and early intervention. Other advocates are amplifying the message through fundraising and meeting with policymakers. Read the rest here

USA: Campaigners for the rights of those with disabilities have launched lawsuits in two different states, aimed at challenging new assisted suicide legislation. A coalition of anti-euthanasia groups launched the lawsuits in the Federal Courts of New York and Illinois. Both lawsuits cite violations of the 14th Amendment, Rehabilitation Act and Americans with Disabilities Act on the part of the states. A spokesman for one disability rights group said: “Assisted suicide laws in New York and Illinois create a separate and unequal system in which people with life-threatening disabilities are offered death instead of the support programs everyone else gets.” Read the rest here

UK: Campaigners from the disability rights group, Not Dead Yet, are urging an MP to forgo her ability to introduce a revived assisted suicide bill. Labour MP Lauren Edwards was handed a plea from the group requesting that she put forward a bill to expand palliative care services rather than introduce euthanasia. The letter said that “Before Parliament considers legislation that could put disabled and terminally ill people at risk of feeling pressured to end their lives, there is an urgent and unanswered case for dramatically improving the care that already exists.” Read the rest here

UK: Disability activists are alarmed at the recent removal of safeguards for profoundly disabled individuals by the UK Supreme Court. The ‘deprivation of liberty safeguards’ formerly applied to those who were not independent and required continuous supervision, to ensure that their freedoms were protected. With the removal of those protections, carers have less oversight, potentially leading to harmful situations for patients. Read the rest here

PACIFIC ISLANDS: Two Islanders have been appointed to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The two advocates, hailing from Samoa and Palau were named at the 19th Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP19) in New York. The Pacific Disability Forum chief executive said, “This is an electrifying moment for the Pacific. The election of both Faatino and Villaney reflects not only their exceptional leadership, but also the strength of our collective commitment to advancing disability rights. It is a victory that resonates deeply across our region.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A new resource video has been added to the collection at Down Syndrome NSW. Associate Professor Jasneek Chawla, who is a Paediatric Respiratory and Sleep Medicine Specialist from Children’s Health Queensland, presents on childhood sleep breathing disorders. Professor Chawla is joined by a Clinical Nurse to provide parents with information about Obstructive Sleep Apnea and how it can be managed. The video includes advice on using CPAP with small children. Watch the video here

USA: Parents of a two-year-old who was pronounced “brain-dead” are fighting the medical establishment to keep her on life support. The little girl had drowned, but medical staff were eventually able to restart her heart. They later pronounced her as “brain-dead” but her parents had a restraining order enacted, leading to the hospital advising that it had “exhausted all medically viable options. The girl’s parents are now hoping for their daughter to be transferred to another hospital for treatment. Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: There has been renewed support from around the world for children diagnosed with Down Syndrome after influencer Jesse Ridgway and his wife announced that they had aborted their preborn child. The couple had announced their decision to abort their child on the basis of a Trisomy-21 diagnosis to millions of followers on their social media platforms. The announcement drew responses from hundreds of parents who raised children with disabilities, as well as from American lawmakers. Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: The Lozier Institute has prepared resources for couples who receive an unexpected prenatal diagnosis, aimed at supported parents in keeping their children rather than aborting them. Through the use of medical studies as well as real-life case studies, the resource page provides hope for those dealing with an adverse diagnosis for this child. The resources provide clarity around medical terminology as well as reminding parents that diagnoses are often incorrect. Read the rest here

UK: A British paralympian has been cleared to live on a commercial space station, making him the first person with a disability to live in space. John McFall is a a member of the European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut reserve. He was accepted for a proposed mission to the Haven-a space station with a proposed launch date of 2027, in a deal between the British government and a private US company. McFall says, “We’re saying it’s OK for people with disabilities to be astronauts. We’ve demonstrated that it’s possible, that we’re open-minded enough to give people the opportunities to do this and recognise that they are equally capable.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Many Australians are receiving substandard medical care on the basis of their intellectual disability. A report on the ABC’s 7:30 revealed how medical staff routinely make assumptions about those with intellectual disabilities, either failing to include them in discussions about their own health decisions or restricting assistance until they can prove they have an appropriate “quality of life.” The report comes as recent changes to disability funding mean that the Health Ambassador programme, which advocates for people in cases like those mentioned above, will not be able to continue its vital work. Read the rest here

USA: A pre-born baby who was found to be suffering from Congenital High Airway Obstruction Syndrome (CHAOS) was given surgery which necessitated him being partially delivered by Caesarian-section. During the partial delivery at 25 weeks, doctors performed a tracheostomy, then allowed the baby to re-enter his mother’s uterus for the remaining few weeks of the pregnancy. The baby’s mother said, “Cassian was born twice!” and the family celebrates two birthdays for him: one for the partial delivery and another for the date of his complete delivery. Read the rest here

UK: A new programme to provide Super League football experience for those living with learning disabilities is being rolled out across the UK. More than 400 players from 19 clubs have registered for the Community Integrated Care Learning Disability Super League. The project allows players who have autism and learning disabilities to play at major Betfred Super League events. A Community Integrate Care spokesman said ” … it’s spectacular growth is a testament to the hard work of Community Integrated Care and our Rugby League foundations, creating a truly inclusive version of our great sport.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A couple has described how they have had to fight for “every cent” of their daughter’s NDIS funding, arguing that the benefits scheme is seen by some as a “slush fund”. Their 6-year-old daughter suffers from a number of serious health conditions including cerebral palsy and requires 24-hour care. Her parents have had to appeal against National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) decisions on many occasions in order to secure or maintain the funding for their daughter’s care. Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: A pro-abortion documentary called “Hollywood Does Abortion” will be premiered at the Tribeca Festival in June. According to the film’s promoters, it aims to examine “how Hollywood’s abortion storylines have shaped America’s political reality and pro-choice and anti-abortion stances.” The documentary includes classic scenes from films and television programmes such as Grey’s Anatomy, Juno, Dirty Dancing and Maude, exploring narratives around abortion and how they have shaped public perception of the issue. Read the rest here

SCOTLAND: Public Health Scotland has released its 2025 figures which show the highest number of abortions on record during that year. 18,783 babies were aborted in 2025, with an increase in the number of repeat abortions. Sadly, there were more babies aborted during the second trimester as well as more disabled babies aborted over previous years. Read the rest here

INDIA: A male accused of raping and impregnating a 12-year-old girl allegedly also forced her to take chemical abortion drugs. Police were alerted to the case after a tipoff and later shot the man in the leg to apprehend him. Read the rest here

UZBEKISTAN/TAJIKISTAN: Sex-selection abortions have led to a skewing of the balance between baby boys and baby girls across central Asia. Cultural and family pressures drive the desire for boys over girls, with many women agreeing to abortions, despite their desire to continue with their pregnancies. Sociologists and religious leaders are trying to revers the trend. The co-founder of the medical genetics centre Vita states, “The child’s sex depends on the father, not the mother … but society continues blaming women.” Read the rest here

IRELAND: Charges against a Christian mother of breaching a “Safe Access Zone” in Northern Ireland have been dropped. Claire Brennan had allegedly spoken to mothers on their way into an abortion business, but the trial collapsed as it was deemed there was insufficient evidence to sustain the charge. Mrs Brennan said, “This is a huge relief, not just for me, but for everyone who believes that compassion should never be criminalised. I have always acted peacefully, praying, offering hope and trying to help women who may feel they have no alternative.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Another bill aimed at banning late-term abortion has been introduced into South Australian parliament. The bill, which will restrict abortions to 24 weeks and six days, is the third of its kind touted in the past few years. Sarah Game, who has unsuccessfully put forward a previous late-term abortion bill, remains confident. She said, “Unless there is deliberate sabotage, looking at how people have voted in the past, I don’t see why this shouldn’t pass.” Read the rest here

USA: Abortion provider Planned Parenthood, has started sending “just in case” abortion drugs to women who want to keep them on hand. Women who are not pregnant are now able to stockpile the drugs for future use. Planned Parenthood Kentucky, Indiana, Alaska, Hawai’i and Great Northwest can now obtain stores of mifepristone and misoprostol, which have a shelf life of around two years, in person or by mail. Pro-life senator Cindy Hyde-Smith said, “It blows me away that you can get this with no doctor oversight, and it is a drug that will literally cause you intentionally to have an abortion and end the life of that child.” Read the rest here

GEORGIA: The Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church has spoken out against the country’s population decline and abortion. Shio III praised large families, saying: “If we do not improve our demographic situation, if we do not work to strengthen, save, and preserve the family, we face a real danger that other peoples will settle in our paradise-like beautiful country — people who love children, who do not avoid having children, and who protect their religion.” Read the rest here

USA: A former surgeon could spend up to five years in prison after forcing abortion drugs on his pregnant girlfriend. Dr. Hassan Abbas fraudulently obtained the drugs, using his estranged wife’s details, then tried to force the crushed pills into his pregnant girlfriend’s mouth while she was sleeping. Abbas entered a “no contest” plea at his court hearing, meaning “he does not accept guilt but acknowledges that facts laid out by prosecution in charging documents are true.” Read the rest here

UK: Two bills aimed at limiting abortions have been accepted by the House of Lords for the next parliamentary session. One of the bills is related to the rate of complications among mothers who have had abortions, and relies on a report showing that there is a discrepancy between data provided by abortion providers and that provided by hospitals. The second bill will attempt to force doctors to revive babies born alive after late-term abortions. It is estimated that 66 babies were born alive after abortion in 2008. Read the rest here

USA: The Supreme Court will allow the shipping of abortion drugs through the mail while a state lawsuit continues. The State of Louisiana is seeking to ban shipment of abortion drugs across its borders, an action that was appealed by the drugs’ manufacturer, Danco Laboratories. Although the Fifth Circuit Court paused the shipments, this was overturned by the Supreme Court first temporarily, and now indefinitely. Read the rest here

IRELAND: An extreme abortion bill, put forward by the Social Democrat party, has been resoundingly defeated. The bill would have expanded abortion accessibility up to birth and abolished the current 3-day cooling-off period. Pro-Life Campaign, the group who organised extensive lobbying prior to the decision, stated that the bill was “one of the most extreme abortion proposals to come before the Oireachtas.” Read the rest here

USA: A popular rapper has said in a social media video that he will have his unborn child aborted if it is not a boy. Daniel Hernandez, otherwise known as “Tekashi 6ix9ine said, “…. if it’s not a boy, it’s abortion“, and referring to the child’s mother said, “She’s down! She’s open-minded.” Hernandez has been involved in serious crimes including child pornography. As can be seen in the video, his friends reacted with shock and confusion at the announcement. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: The Family First party has promised to overturn abortion exclusion-zones in Victoria and New South Wales if it is elected. NSW legislative council candidate Lyle Shelton said, “If Australian law allows Greens founder Bob Brown to chain himself to bulldozers to save trees, Christians should be free to stand peacefully outside facilities where unborn babies are killed and to offer prayers and compassionate support to women who are often coerced into aborting their baby.” Read the rest here

UK: The British High Court has overturned the conviction of David Skinner, the pro-life activist who sent graphic abortion images to local councillors and police. After initially being found guilty of breaching communications legislation, the High Court judge ruled that the conviction violated Mr. Skinner’s right to free speech. He stated, “This prosecution should never have been brought. It has taken a heavy toll on me, but I hope this ruling will protect others who wish to speak out peacefully on matters of conscience without fear of being criminalised.” Read the rest here

USA: The CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (AAPLOG) has revealed how easy it is for anyone to access chemical abortion drugs online. Visiting the “Plan C” website, she searched as a young woman and found that she can easily obtain the drugs. She is concerned that they can be sent to girls as young as 16, for pregnancies up to 14 weeks’ gestation – well above the FDA recommendation. Read the rest here

IRELAND: A retired pastor has been found guilty of breaching an abortion exclusion-zone in 2024. 78-year-old Clive Johnston was charged after holding a prayer vigil near Causeway Hospital inside a ‘safe-access zone’. Although his sermon made no mention of abortion, Johnson was fined £450. He stated that “… the buffer zone legislation is so broad that holding a Sunday service has been found to be a criminal offence.” Read the rest here

UK: The Liberal Democrats have been prosecuted for religious discrimination after rejecting a pro-life candidate. David Campanale was originally selected in 2021 but was later rejected based on his beliefs. Activists within the party agitated for his removal because he is a Christian, and so is against abortion and euthanasia. Read the rest here

USA: The Supreme Court has intervened in a lower court decision which prohibited the supply of the chemical abortion drug mifepristone through the mail, allowing supply to continue. The state of Louisiana banned the transmission of the drug via mail on May 1st, in response to the FDA’s approval of the drug without an in-person appointment. The move has placated pro-abortion groups, who are seeking unfettered access to the abortion drug. Read the rest here

WORLD: Academics are now arguing that a foetus is part of its mother’s body and therefore has no absolute right to life. This philosophy is being used to justify abortion on demand using bodily autonomy arguments. Pro-abortion bioethicists are now suggesting that ” … contrary to popular belief, the foetus is not merely contained by the gestator’s body but a part of it.” Read the rest here

KENYA: The Court of Appeal has ruled that abortion is not a fundamental right, overturning a High Court decision from October, 2022. The High Court case had found that found that access to abortion fell within constitutional protections, effectively expanding abortion access. However, a group comprising Kenya Christian Professionals Forum, the State Law Office and others filed appeals, contending that life begins at conception and arguing for very limited abortions. Read the rest here

UK: The former Attorney-General for England and Wales has shared how her experience battling cancer has increased her opposition to assisted suicide. Baroness Victoria Prentis is concerned that good quality palliative care is not available to all patients who want it in the UK. She says that going through radiotherapy treatment “has made me question how we care for people far more ill than I am” …. “the juxtaposition between the mental costs and its all-too-physical toll is what gives me pause about assisted dying”. Read the rest here

CANADA: A doctor who performs euthanasia has been sanctioned for unprofessional behaviour and serious breaches of protocol. Dr. James McClean was reprimanded for for breaches including conducting an interview with a patient regarding a potential assisted-suicide outside a coffee shop. It is also documented that he pronounced dead a patient he had apparently euthanised, despite them regaining consciousness shortly afterwards. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: The ACT government will spend $3.1 million over two years conducting a review of its Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation. The recently-announced funding will go towards developing policy, community consultation, as well as the ongoing work of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Oversight Board. Advocacy groups, medical and legal experts and carers will provide recommendations to help shape future VAD policy. Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: The prominent medical journal Bioethics has published a paper suggesting that patients who refuse food and drink in order to starve themselves to death be given “terminal sedation” by a medical practitioner. Although adherents claim this to be a compassionate move to decrease suffering, critics say it is merely another form of euthanasia. They believe it will lead to the slipper-slope scenario of assisted-suicide expansion, with one writing, “Articles in professional journals are a means of constructing future public policy and people need to be warned about what is being planned before it is imposed from on high.” Read the rest here

URUGUAY: The first person to die by assisted suicide has been recorded, after Uruguay legalised euthanasia late last year. The “Dignified Death” bill allows assisted suicide for adult Uruguayans who are ‘mentally competent and in the terminal stage of an incurable disease that causes them suffering’. The patient was a 69-year-old woman suffering from terminal cancer. Despite its legality, Uruguayan doctors retain the freedom not to perform assisted suicide procedures. Read the rest here

CANADA: The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, headed by Alex Schadenberg, has sought to make an intervention in a court case brought forward by the pro-euthanasia group, Dying with Dignity. Dying with Dignity is aiming to support the expansion of MAiD to those living with mental illness, arguing that “… the exclusion of individuals living with grievous and irremediable mental illness from MAID eligibility is discriminatory.” The case comes as parliament is reassessing whether or not Canada will permit assisted suicide for mental illness alone. Read the rest here

SWEDEN: Christian church leaders are concerned that while Catholics are well informed about the pro-life stance of politicians in the upcoming election, their evangelical counterparts understand the issues less clearly. The general secretary of the Swedish Evangelical Alliance said, “Many evangelicals are, of course, grieving over this. But it also reflects the fact that very few churches are willing to take a public stance on abortion in today’s Sweden.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A newly-opened Mater hospital in Queensland will not be providing assisted suicide services to patients. The 180-bed hospital was built under the Catholic “Mater” umbrella and has been delivered in partnership with Mater and will maternity services, paediatrics, intensive care, specialist outpatient services and emergency care. As well as refusing to provide assisted suicide, the Mater will also not be providing abortions or contraception. Read the rest here

CANADA: Some analysts fear that Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) could be employed by the government solely as a cost-cutting measure. Alexander Raikin, from the Washington-based Ethics and Public Policy Center, says, “MAiD has already become in Canada a form of elder care. The people who are dying from MAiD are disproportionately vulnerable.” Sally Pipes of the California-based Pacific Research Institute, says, “This is a way for … the Canadian healthcare system, to reduce the cost of healthcare and reduce the waiting list.” Read the rest here

FRANCE: President Macron is pushing for proposed assisted suicide legislation to be kept alive, despite it being defeated twice by the Senate. The bill has passed both times in the National Assembly, leading to fears that the Senate could be bypassed in order to pass the bill. Bishop Marc Aillet of Bayonne, Lescar, and Oloron has requested a day of prayer and fasting and to oppose the proposed law: “We must ask for the light of the Holy Spirit so that the commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill’ remains at the heart of our laws and our civilisation.” Read the rest here

UK: An attempt is being made to revive the assisted suicide bill which failed to pass in the House of Lords last month. The architect of the original bill, Kim Leadbetter, wants to have it reintroduced by another MP, then pushed through Parliament, bypassing the House of Lords using a mechanism known as the Parliament Act. Former health secretary Jeremy Hun said that this could “raise ethical questions about the legislation itself”, adding that “The bill addresses complex moral issues and bypassing the Lords would likely be challenged so I would not be in favour of taking this action.” Read the rest here

FRANCE: The Senate has rejected an assisted suicide bill for the second time. The Conservative Party is calling for a referendum to ensure that the practice will not be introduced without the approval of the Senate. A key and controversial provision of the bill is the introduction of a ‘right to assisted suicide’. Catholic Bishop Marc Aillet said, “[T]he final adoption of this bill could only encourage the poorest or most vulnerable patients who lack access to palliative care, or so-called ‘eligible’ individuals who fear being a burden on their families, the medical community, or the social security budget, to resort to assisted suicide or euthanasia. “Read the rest here

BULGARIA: The Patriarch of the Orthodox church has reminded Christians in his country that assisted suicide is not morally licit. Prior to a service held for International Nurses Day, the Patriarch acknowledged the many challenges facing medical professionals, including the problem of legal euthanasia. He also pointed to the value of suffering, and said that “Today, we pray to the Lord to strengthen all our nursing colleagues in their noble calling,” reminding nurses that they are called to co-operate with God “… who is the physician of the souls and bodies of mankind”. Read the rest here

CANADA: A man who sent suicide kits to individuals around the world will plead guilty in exchange for his murder charge being dropped. Kenneth Law sent over 1200 suicide drug kits to more than 40 countries, selling them through his websites. Accepting the plea deal means that Law will receive a maximum of 14 years imprisonment on the charge of aiding and abetting suicide rather than life in prison for a charge of murder. Read the rest here

CANADA: A new organisation is hoping to provide alternatives to patients seeking Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) for economic reasons. “Right to Live” offers help to those facing homelessness, poverty or other social issues and who see MAiD as their way out. Dr. Sonu Gaind, of the University of Toronto says, “About half of all the people on Track 2 [MAiD] suffer from significant loneliness and feeling a burden on others – those are strong suicide risk factors.” He notes that Track 1 MAiD aims to “avoid a painful death,” whereas Track 2 provides “death to avoid a painful life.” Read the rest here

NETHERLANDS: Medical professionals in the Netherlands has issued a chilling warning to Canadian lawmakers. The psychiatrists gave evidence during the seventh and final meeting of a special joint committee debating the expansion of MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) to patients whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness. Dr. Jim van Os, a professor of psychiatry at Utrecht University medical Centre said, “My message to Canada: do not expand. The evidence is not there.” Read the rest here

CANADA: New polling has found that only 28% of Canadians are in favour of the government’s assisted suicide programme being expanded to mental health patients. The study also found that 50% of those polled are against the expansion and that 82% Canadians want more support for those afflicted with mental health issues before the expansion of MAiD is considered. Read the rest here

UK: The nephew of a woman who took her own life at a clinic in Switzerland says it is “a lie” that the decision “had her family’s blessing.” He says that the family were on fact shocked by news of her death. “They had no idea. It’s impossible that they could have had the blessings, or any type of support, from four siblings – especially her twin.” While acknowledging that his aunt was depressed, he said “But that in itself should have excluded her from being able to do it.” Read the rest here

UK: Alarming new figures show that every month, five British nationals consider travelling to Switzerland to be euthanised. High profile cases point to patients choosing suicide due to mental illness. Dr Gordon Macdonald of Care Not Killing said: “The UK government should be doing something to stop people operating from the UK to facilitate it, and the Swiss government should be doing something to stop it being made available to vulnerable foreign nationals”.Read the rest here

CANADA: An actress with serious mental health problems has requested assisted suicide, despite being physically healthy. Claire Brosseau, 49, suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and is bipolar; she has attempted suicide on a number of occasions. Her psychologists believe she can be healed in time and her family does not want her to take her own life. Read the rest here

WORLD: Bio-ethicists are now suggesting a regime for dementia patients aimed at limiting their nutritional intake so as to cause early death. “Minimal Comfort Feeding” (MCF) requires that food and liquid be limited only to what is needed to avoid discomfort, instead distracting patients with entertainment or company to take their mind of their appetite. Rather than being a form of compassionate care, this is actually slowly-delivered euthanasia. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Assisted suicide advocates in Victoria are pushing for aged care facilities to be forced to disclose their stance on the issue with their patients. While legislation in other states forces aged care facilities to state on their websites if they do not provide assisted suicide, Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) legislation makes no such mandate. This is due in part to Victoria’s prohibition on medical professionals raising the option of assisted suicide with their patients. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Former Macquarie banker, Michael Traill, has revealed his radical idea to overhaul the ailing NDIS. His plan involves limiting the number of NDIS-related agencies in order to create more oversight. Traill says, “The answer is not more fragmentation. It is fewer, larger, better-resourced providers. The sector needs organisations with the scale to invest in quality systems, retain good staff, absorb compliance costs, fund the technology a modern sector requires and be genuinely accountable for outcomes.” Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: An organisation started by two mothers to support special-needs families has celebrated 50 years of work. The Little Light House was founded to fill a gap after the two women realised they needed support for their own visually-impaired daughters. The Christian nonprofit now provides therapeutic services and tuition-free education to families in the US, as well as training supporters from abroad. Read the rest here

ALBANIA: A young man with Down Syndrome has appeared on the “Different, but together” podcast on CNA TV. The twenty-five year old described his daily life, including the challenges he faces at university. Gersi Troka said, “There are not many teachers or psychologists at school for these people … The difficulty for me has been very great. My friends have kept me close. The teachers have given me support, “don’t give up”, “move forward”. Watch the video here

AUSTRALIA: A group home for disabled residents in Western Australia has come under renewed scrutiny after media pressure. Located in Broome, the privately-operated NDIS group home has been operating for two years. Former carers have complained of inhumane conditions, failure to administer medication regularly and a child protection violation. Although the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission initially closed the case, it has now been reopened after the ABC brought nationwide attention to the matter. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A concerning 27% of schoolchildren have a disability diagnosis which requires them to receive an educational adjustment. The adjustments cover a range of actions from allowing rest breaks to providing noise-cancelling headphones. It is being suggested that the increase is due to the structure of funding provided by the NDIS; currently there is little financial incentive for schools to improve basic teaching skills whereas funding is available for those who need specialised adjustments. Read the rest here

NEPAL: An international consultation has highlighted obstacles to woman and girls with disabilities from accessing justice. The consultation suggested that women and girls with disabilities could be protected by the introduction of gender and disability-sensitive laws and judicial practices. The acting Chief Judge of the High Court Janakpur said that, “Women and girls with disabilities are still unable to fully enjoy their rights due to social, economic, physical, and legal barriers.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A survey commissioned by MS Australia has evaluated the experiences of patients living with Multiple Sclerosis to see how well they are being served by the NDIS. 61% of respondents claim that the NDIS does not understand their condition, reporting that they are expecting a reduction in funding and supports. MS Australia CEO Rohan Greenland said, “MS is often invisible and, for many people, progressive and fluctuating. When that is not properly understood or reflected in decision-making, people miss out on the support they need.” Read the rest here

UK: Disability rights activists are demanding that the government urgently address problems surrounding palliative and end-of-life care, including the prevalence of non-consensual Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders. A spokesman for the Care in Crisis Coalition said, “Palliative and end-of-life care is in a critical state. The assisted dying bill threw an uncomfortable spotlight on a national crisis- a postcode lottery where health and wealth inequalities dictate who does and doesn’t get care.” Read the rest here

DENMARK: A nationwide study has concluded that people with Down Syndrome have a higher-than-normal risk of developing severe kidney disease. Almost half of those with Down Syndrome will develop acute kidney injury (AKI) by the time they are 70. The study reports that vulnerability amongst those with Down Syndrome is due to biological factors such as them having smaller kidneys, leading to more stress on those organs. Any sleep problems and obesity add further complications. Read the rest here

TANZANIA: The mother of a young son with Down Syndrome is trying to change the culture after realising that her language has no word for “Down Syndrome”. Her native Swahili instead uses only insults, as most people believe that DS is the result of a parental curse. She says, “While the accusations made against parents are outrageous, if those parents do give in to the shame and hide their children, the consequences are heartbreaking. By locking their children away, these parents are denying them the opportunity to socialise and learn.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Experts are concerned that those living with visual impairment, psychosocial disability and Down Syndrome will suffer most from changes to the NDIS system. The Office of Impact Analysis (OIA) has reported that the health minister’s plan to cut funding for social, civic and community participation (SCCP) budgets will have a greater impact among these sectors of disabled clients. The report concluded: “Some disability types require limited day-to-day support for activities of daily living, but require significant support to access the community.” Read the rest here

NEW ZEALAND: The annual Healthvision Festival of Disability Sport will take place this May. One of New Zealand’s largest disability sporting events, the festival has been around for almost ten years. Founder Bryce McCall stated, “We started our first year with about 50 athletes. This year, we’re hoping to have over 250, and we’re showcasing it as a leading sporting event for disabled people in New Zealand, right here in the Bay.”  Read the rest here

SPAIN: The Real Madrid Foundation has held a conference aimed at increasing inclusion for disabled children in school sports. Over 150 professionals in education, disability, and sports met on May 9th to discuss strategies for supporting children living with disabilities to pursue sports practice. A teacher who gave the closing address said, “Inclusion is not improvised; it is built with every decision the teacher makes when designing activities that shape the teaching-learning process. Accessibility opens the door, understanding allows entry, but it is inclusive design that ensures everyone stays.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A family with two disabled children has invited the Federal Health Minister Mark Butler to stay with them so he can evaluate the impact of his proposed funding cuts first hand. Mother Kirsty Johnson sent the invitation out of concern that the cuts will negatively affect her two autistic sons. She told ABC news that “I’d really love to have Mark Butler come and live at my house for a week and tell me that my children don’t need the level of support they currently have.” Read the rest here

UK: Transport for London’s (TfL) “Priority Seating Week” aims to raise awareness of transport users who suffer from disabilities or conditions that are not immediately obvious. Artist Dame Tracey Emin has added her voice to the campaign, explaining how her own health issues made her aware of transport challenges. She said, “If you’re out and about in London, please do offer your seat if you don’t need it yourself – you never know what a difference you could make.” Read the rest here

USA: The actor Michael J. Fox, who has suffered from Parkinson’s disease for 25 years, was falsely reported to have died by CNN News. CNN issued a retraction, saying “… we have removed it from our platforms and send our apologies to Michael J. Fox and his family.” Mr. Fox took to his social media account, saying, ” I thought the world was ending, but apparently it’s just me and I’m ok.”  Read the rest here

UK:  The National Institute of Health and Care Research has launched a UK-wide research programme known as the Cleft@18-23 study which hopes to examine what it is like for young adults to live with a cleft lip. The programme evaluates patients aged from 18 to 23 who were born with a cleft. One older individual who has lived with a cleft writes,  “… it shapes feeding, hearing, speech, dental development, facial growth and emotional wellbeing from the very first days of life.” Read the rest here

KOREA: Disability rights activists blocked roads in central Seoul during peak-hour traffic, in an effort to raise awareness about mobility obstacles and public transport difficulties. Dozens of members of the Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination blocked the roads near Jonggak Station in Jongno District for around half an hour, occupying bus lanes on both sides of the main road. Simultaneous protests were held at two other locations in Seoul.
 Read the rest here

INDONESIA: A coffee shop in South Jakarta employs those living with with disabilities and from vulnerable groups and provides a disability-friendly environment. The cafe employs more than ten individuals with Down Syndrome. The cafe owner says, “It’s true that individuals with Down syndrome may not work as quickly as others, so when the café gets busy, they focus on delivering orders. Initially, they worked 2.5 hours per shift, but we found they were enthusiastic enough to work up to four hours.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A young man with cerebral palsy is suing the Federal Government for failing to evacuate him after an earthquake, because he required the use of a wheelchair. Sean Senbel-Lynch was visiting his grandmother along with his mother and sister when the magnitude 7.3 quake hit Vanuatu. Although the ADF flew 700 other Australians home, Sean was left stranded due to his disabilities. Read the rest here

INDONESIA: A support group is helping more than 260 parents of children with Down Syndrome, teaching them how to improve their children’s outcomes with a balanced diet and appropriate mental stimulation. Nazlee Abdul Aziz founded the group after having success with providing care to her Down Syndrome son. Her organisation promotes greater awareness, early intervention and inclusive education as keys to helping Down Syndrome children live a normal life. Read the rest here

WALES: Disabled candidates are facing physical barriers to accessing their constituents in the run-up to elections in the Sennedd. They believe that, as 20% of the population is disabled, it would be ideal for 20% of the Welsh parliament to be living with a disability in order to be truly representative. One candidate, a wheelchair-bound GP, said, “I think it really takes somebody with a disability to understand people with a disability to make that change, so that was why I got into politics, purely for disabled veterans and mental health.” Read the rest here

SCOTLAND: The charges against a grandmother who was arrested last year for holding pro-life signs outside an abortion business have been dropped. Rose Docherty was the first person to be charged under Scotland’s exclusion-zone legislation, the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act. Mrs. Docherty said, “This verdict is a major victory for free speech in Scotland and the UK. It shows that peacefully offering consensual conversation on a public street, which is all I have ever done, can never be a crime”. Read the rest here

MALTA: Abortion advocates have installed locked boxes containing chemical abortion drugs around the country to circumvent the nation’s anti-abortion laws. Mothers less than 9 weeks pregnant are able to contact the box owners to receive email instructions and access the abortion drugs at one of fifteen locations across Malta. Abortion is currently illegal in Malta unless the mother’s life is in danger, (which pro-life doctors believe never necessitates an abortion) but remains illegal in all other cases, including rape and incest. Read the rest here

IRELAND: The Social Democrats have introduced a bill which would remove a three-day cooling-off period for mothers seeking to abort their children. The bill would also expand access to late-term abortions. A press release from the Pro-Life Campaign stated, “In her public remarks today on RTÉ radio, Ms Cairns referenced the need to allow people to tell their stories. She should set the record straight on whether she herself has responded to the offer to meet with women who are heartbroken after their abortions and deeply regret the decision, and whether she has also taken the time to talk to women who availed of the three-day wait and subsequently didn’t go through with an abortion.” Read the rest here

POLAND: President Karol Nawrocki addressed the crowd during the National March for Life on April 19th. The March began with Mass then attendees walked through the streets to the Presidential Palace. President Nawrocki said, “I support initiatives that serve Poland, and this initiative certainly serves Poland. It is also a response to the deep demographic crisis. Today, the answer to many Polish problems lies precisely in Polish families, in our identity, in remembering where we come from and where we are going.” Read the rest here

EUROPE: Courts in Austria and Germany have ruled in favour of peaceful pro-life vigils being allowed outside abortion businesses. The German ruling strikes down the 100m bubble-zone legislation which was introduced in 2024. The court found that their law neither “generally prohibits the expression of opinion nor the confrontation of pregnant women with the opinions of those attending the gathering.” In Austria, the court found that a pro-life vigil which was originally prohibited should be allowed to go ahead. Read the rest here

UK: According to a new poll by abortion provider, MSI Reproductive Choices, 90% of young people believe abortion access is a right and that it should be accessible. The poll found that political affiliation A spokesman for MSI said “Over the past 50 years, we’ve seen a clear arc of progress towards greater openness and understanding, yet the loud anti-abortion minority get a disproportionate amount of attention in public debate. These findings show that anti-abortion views are far from mainstream.” Read the rest here

USA: The abortion giant, Planned Parenthood, has honoured a popular musician at their annual gala. The singer P!nk was honoured for her open support for abortion with the “Champion of Change” award – she is known to hand out Planned Parenthood brochures at her concerts. At the event, Planned Parenthood also announced that the number of abortions they performed is at an all-time high. Read the rest here

SPAIN: Christians are pushing back against proposals to enshrine abortion as a ‘human right’ in Spain’s Constitution. The Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain (FEREDE) released a statement condemning the proposed amendment to the health laws, which, if passed, would guarantee women’s access to abortion services. The statement explains that, “Talking about voluntary termination of pregnancy is to ignore the fact that it is not a matter of flipping a switch, but of eliminating a life.” Read the rest here

USA: A malpractice lawsuit has revealed that an abortionist used chemical abortion drugs to abort a third trimester baby. The Planned Parenthood abortionist had failed to examine the baby’s mother or give her an ultrasound before providing the drugs; after the mother delivered a dead near-term baby, the doctor attempted to cover up her own negligence. According to the lawsuit, the mother would not have aborted the baby, had she known its gestation, referring to the child as a “fully formed and otherwise healthy baby.” Read the rest here

USA: A former Planned Parenthood tech worker opens up about his journey from designing the website of the largest abortion provider in the United States to starting a family business selling resources to help form Catholic children. Matt Lorens describes how his experience of having a high-care disabled child led him to reject his lucrative work with Planned Parenthood and how his return to the faith of his childhood came to inform that decision. Read the rest here

HUNGARY: The defeat of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán signals growing opposition to faith, life and freedom in Hungary. After renewing the nation’s commitment to fighting abortion and promoting the traditional family in 2017, Orbán saw many pro-life successes during his tenure along with some significant defeats. Read the rest here

POLAND: The Polish President has pardoned a mother who faced prison for discouraging others from seeing a pro-abortion obstetrician. The doctor had previously misdiagnosed her child in utero, recommending that she abort the child. Without a pardon, the mother would have been imprisoned for failing to apologise to the doctor, who said she had publicly discredited him. Read the rest here

USA: Extreme promoters of abortion have teamed up to produce a new study which attempts to show that mothers are capable of assessing their own eligibility for chemical abortions using over-the-counter abortion drugs. The study is problematic for several reasons: the study’s cohort is very small; abortion advocates involved in the abortion drug industry undertook the study while claiming no conflict of interest; the results contradicted the evidence as evaluated by pro-life professionals. Read the rest here

POLAND: A mother of young children is facing imprisonment for refusing to apologise to a pro-abortion doctor over her social media comments discouraging women from seeing him for care. The mother, who had previously been advised to abort her own child by the doctor, discouraged another mother from seeing him in a Facebook group chat. She is now depending on a pardon from the Polish President in order to avoid going to prison. Read the rest here

USA: A study published in April 2026 shows that US states which banned abortion have not shown a statistically significant increase in the number of maternal deaths. Study authors claim there are 669 maternal deaths annually in the United States, a figure they believe is far too high. Although the overall maternal mortality has not increased, maternal deaths among non-Hispanic Asians have unfortunately risen. Read the rest here

WORLD: The rock band Florence + The Machine has invited representatives from Planned Parenthood to accompany them on their tour to offer advice on reproductive health to concertgoers. Lead singer Florence Welch stated “In this moment of uncertainty for our rights, I’m proud to support Planned Parenthood and create space on my tour for them to connect people with the care and information they need.” Read the rest here

RUSSIA: In an attempt to raise the nations’ falling birthrates, Russian authorities are using a number of strategies to reduce the number of abortions. These include bans on coercion, pro-life campaigns and cancelling abortion business licenses. In the Novgorod region, abortions in 2025 fell by 30% compared with the numbers for 2024. The governor of Novgorod said, “The [demographic] situation in our country is critical, and allowing elective abortions is too big a luxury.” Read the rest here

USA: The abortion giant, Planned Parenthood, has released its report for 2024/2025: abortions are up by 8% and taxpayer funding has increased by 5%. Planned Parenthood performed 434,450 abortions during the period, meaning the organisation is responsible for more than one-third of America’s abortions, including more than 40% of chemical abortions in the US. Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: Motherhood is being promoted among elite female cyclists thanks to a policy allowing women to defer their Grand Prix placement due to a pregnancy. The new policy allows women selected for the Life Time Grand Prix to postpone competing until the following year, if they wish to have a baby. The decision means that elite women cyclists are no longer under pressure to choose between motherhood and their sporting career. Read the rest here

USA: David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt, the two pro-life activists behind shocking undercover videos produced by their organisation, the Centre for Medical Progress, have finally been exonerated after years of high-level lawfare. The videos, which were released in 2015, exposed an illegal foetal tissue trafficking network organised by Planned Parenthood and led to the successful prosecution of various abortion providers. Read the rest here

MEXICO: The Mexican state of Aguascalientes has introduced a Day of the Unborn Child, to take place on March 25th of each year. Traditionally the feast of the Annunciation, the moment when Jesus Christ was conceived in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Day unites Christianity with secular concerns. Mexican lawmakers hope the Day will encourage better support for pregnant mothers, including those in difficult circumstances, as well as more support for family life in general. Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: Two academics from the University of Chicago are insisting that pregnant underage girls be forced to abort, if necessary using restraints and sedation. In their paper, Justice for Girls: On the Provision of Abortion as Adequate Care, Alyssa Izatt and Kimberley Brownlee examine the obligations of adults towards the young pregnant girl, concluding that her pregnancy is a “malady” which should be “terminated”. Read the rest here

PHILIPPINES: Despite being a majority-Catholic country, the Philippines is experiencing a rapid growth in the number of chemical abortions. Online forums supplying the abortion pills are flourishing, even though abortion is illegal in the Philippines, with stiff penalties of up to 6 years imprisonment for both mothers and abortionists. Read the rest here

MEXICO: The Catholic Church is speaking out as support for a proposed euthanasia bill appears to be growing. Palliative care is unfortunately quite rare in Mexico, with legislators regularly attempting to legalise euthanasia The Archdiocese of Mexico City recently published a statement which read,  “abortion, euthanasia and suicide are plagues that strike our humanity under the guise of being valid alternatives in the face of suffering.” Read the rest here

UK: Kim Leadbeater’s highly controversial assisted-suicide bill has failed to pass in the House of Lords. The bill met with massive opposition from 131 peers with another 80 putting forward and signing amendments. Support for the bill among politicians and in the public decreased over time as more people came to understand the flaws in the bill and learned of its procedural manipulation. Read the rest here

CANADA: A Catholic priest recovering from surgery was offered euthanasia twice by staff, despite them knowing he is against the practice. The 79-year-old was recovering from a hip fracture sustained from a fall, and says he was shocked to be offered euthanasia by both a doctor and a nurse. The hospital’s chaplain said, “This must surely be among the most appalling examples of Canada’s coercive and insensitive euthanasia regime.” Read the rest here

CANADA: A Canadian woman who was offered assisted suicide as her only alternative has received life-saving care in the US state of Texas. The woman was able to receive Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) surgery and chemotherapy as treatment for ovarian cancer. When other medical emergencies occurred, she was forced to return to the United States for care. She and her husband have now moved permanently to the United States. Her huband says, “There’s no MAiD here… No one talks about death. In fact, my wife is doing so good right now on chemo, while she’s already had two recurrences, and she’s going into a third remission… ” Read the rest here

UK: A mother travelled to Switzerland to end her life in an assisted suicide clinic, because she was unable to cope with the death of her only child. Although physically healthy, Wendy Duffy was hoping for the success of the UK’s proposed assisted suicide bill, but upon its rejection, paid the assisted suicide group Pegasos to help her die in Switzerland. The founder of Pegasos stated, “In historical terms, at English law, hers was a case of ‘sane suicide’.” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: The Tasmanian government is seeking submissions from members of the public on the issue of assisted suicide in preparation for a review of the state’s End-of-Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) Act 2021. An independent panel is carrying out the review to evaluate the law’s first three years in operation. Feedback can be provided online through email submissions, written comment, or completion of a web survey which will open in May. In-person consultation sessions will also be held throughout the state. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A popular talk-back radio personality has taken his life via assisted suicide after battling cancer for two years. James Valentine, 64, had been an ABC announcer for 30 years, although he recently retired to concentrate on his cancer treatment. Valentine was an outspoken advocate for assisted dying. His family’s statement read, “Throughout his illness, James did it his way, which lasted all the way until the end when he made the choice to do Voluntary Assisted Dying.” Read the rest here

UK: New polling indicates that most of the public does not want assisted suicide to be legalised. It also reveals a widespread ignorance about the nature of assisted suicide especially regarding Kim Leadbeater’s proposed bill. Most respondents were fearful of coercion, while a significant proportion were unaware that assisted suicide was different from palliative care. 67% of respondents stated that mental illness disqualified patients from seeking assisted suicide. Read the rest here

CANADA/UK: A Canadian man believed to have been involved in the assisted-suicide deaths of 120 people, is offering a plea deal which could see a massive reduction in his prison time. Kenneth Law has been in custody since 2023, charged with 14 counts of murder, but if he instead agrees to plead guilty to aiding in their suicides, he may face only 8 more years of jail. Law sold suicide kits world-wide via his website; some of his victims lived in the UK with many of them being under thirty. Read the rest here

UK: A British mother has called into a talk-back radio/interview to describe how her son who had been given 6 weeks to live has just celebrated his 33rd birthday. The mother called to voice her opposition to assisted suicide on the basis that medical staff aren’t able to definitively predict the lifespans of their patients. Read the rest here

CANADA: An often-overlooked aspect of assisted dying is its relationship to socialised health-care. Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) is effectively a denial of care on the basis of ‘compassion’. Experience shows that as the government becomes more involved with a health-care system, the standards and accessibility are lowered, so it is no surprise to see those same governments pushing for more euthanasia rather than providing better health care. Read the rest here

CANADA: According to a 2023 poll, 28% of Canadians said they support Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) to be administered to patients whose sole medical condition is mental illness. Only 50% of those polled were opposed to this criteria. 82% of those polled want to see the mental health system improved before MAiD eligibility criteria is expanded to include those whose sole condition is a mental illness. Read the rest here

USA: An article recently published in the New York Times draws attention to the issue of patients living in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) and raises questions about their quality of life and their prognoses. The subjective nature of a PVS diagnosis is explored, raising the possibility that such patients are being passively euthanised by having their food and hydration withdrawn, when they may be far more aware than given credit for. Read the rest here

USA: Although the state of Illinois recently voted to legalise assisted suicide, members of a south-central county board are pushing back against the change. Effingham County Board members have officially opposed the new law, despite at least one previously voting in support of assisted suicide. Sandi Rich said, “Under this law, on the death certificate, coroners must declare the primary cause of death as the underlying terminal illness. Essentially, coroners must lie on the death certificate.” Read the rest here

SOUTH AFRICA: a pro-euthanasia organisation has launched a constitutional challenge in the North Gauteng High Court in an attempt to render the existing common law prohibition on assisted suicide invalid and unconstitutional. As part of the challenge euthanasia advocates are requesting that the government implement laws legalising assisted suicide within 24 months. Read the rest here

CANADA: A prominent academic and euthanasia advocate is urging the Canadian government to push forward with allowing euthanasia for patients with mental illness. She justifies her position by saying it will stop patients committing suicide: “What will happen, if there is an extension or an exclusion, is that people will die by suicide.” Read the rest here

NETHERLANDS: A teenager with autism was approved for death by euthanasia by medical professionals on the grounds that he was lonely and deeply unhappy. The patient was experiencing anxiety, mood disorders, and depression, and had attempted suicide two years prior to his death. The number of deaths for mental illness have been increasing in the Netherlands. Read the rest here

UK: A new book by British philosopher, Kathleen Stock, raises the alarm over assisted suicide. Ms. Stock writes, “If it becomes socially acceptable to end one’s life, it also becomes acceptable for relatives or doctors to raise the idea. Gradually, over decades, society could see it as a sanctioned, funded solution for elderly people.” Read the rest here

UK: The independent island of Jersey has passed a law allowing assisted suicide for terminally ill adults and is now awaiting royal assent before the law can be enacted. Proponents say the new law has some of the most foolproof safeguards in the world and that over 60% of the island’s inhabitants support assisted suicide under limited circumstances. Read the rest here

USA: A family in Colorado is facing manslaughter charges arising from the death of their 91-year-old relative by euthanasia. Family members had attended a workshop by the pro-euthanasia group, Final Exit Network (FEN) just weeks before the woman’s death. The workshop taught attendees how to murder someone by a method which makes the death appear to be natural. A substantial inheritance appears to have been the motive for killing the elderly woman. Read the rest here

NETHERLANDS: Euthanasia deaths in the Netherlands during 2025 rose by 3.8% over the previous year, with more than 10,000 patients been killed by this method. The total saw a 17% increase in the number of dementia patients as well as a 20% increase of deaths of those with non-specified conditions. Pro-life advocates are concerned that the official figures may under-represent the true number of euthanasia deaths. Read the rest here

SPAIN/USA: A diplomatic disagreement has been sparked between Spain and the United States over the recent euthanasia death of the Spanish young mental health patient, Noelia Castillo. A leaked US diplomatic cable claims that the American Embassy in Madrid is opening an investigation into the young woman’s death. In response, the President of Catalan stated that “We will defend with full force the professionals of our healthcare system against any malicious attacks that seek to undermine their work”. Read the rest here

SWITZERLAND: Another Swiss canton has expanded euthanasia provision after a bill successfully passed in the cantonal parliament of Lucerne by 81 votes to 27. Although the bill was opposed by conservative and centre-right groups, hospitals in Lucerne will now be able to offer assisted suicide to patients. Previously, this was limited to specialised euthanasia clinics. Read the rest here

USA: A pregnant mother suffering with fibroids had them successfully removed during the pregnancy, despite doctors suggesting she abort her baby. A fibroid is a non-cancerous solid tumour which grows in the uterus, often causing prolonged bleeding as well as pain in the pelvis and abdomen. The mother was also advised to undergo a hysterectomy, but a pro-life doctor agreed to remove the 27-pound fibroid when she was 17 weeks’ pregnant. Read the rest here

UK: A baby who contracted a virus while in the womb was given a blood transfusion – the earliest ever provided to an unborn baby in the UK. When his mother was 16 weeks pregnant, her baby boy contracted parovirus, causing him severe anaemia. While parovirus is generally harmless, it can be serious for unborn babies, and in this case, led to heart failure in the child. The life-saving blood transfusion was administered and today, baby Arthur is a thriving one-year-old. Read the rest here

USA: Proposed changes to the social security system are threatening the wellbeing of disabled adults who live with the families. Under the proposed changes, adults with Down syndrome, dementia and other disabilities receiving supplemental income benefits and who live at home may have their benefits reduced. The suggestions has horrified many welfare recipients as those programs have strict eligibility standards and there are minimal instances of fraud. Read the rest here

INDIA: A young girl with Down Syndrome has played a leading role in a newly-released movie from India. Child actor Ahida Sarmai played a supporting role in Dhurandhar: The Revenge. Ahida Sarmai has made several unreleased films and slo acts on stage as well as creating her own artwork. Read the rest here

WORLD: Scientists believe new research may enable them to detect pre-cancerous genes in Down Syndrome children. Although those with Down Syndrome are generally less likely to contract cancer than the rest of the population, they have an increased risk of developing myeloid leukemia. “This international collaboration gives a broader understanding of human cancer, and how different genetic changes must be studied together to gain the full picture of how they interact and cause conditions such as myeloid leukemia.”Read the rest here

USA/WORLD: Some scientists are suggesting the use of controversial CRISPR gene-editing to disarm the extra chromosome carried by Down Syndrome babies. People with Down syndrome are born with an extra copy of chromosome 21, giving them 47 chromosomes instead of ‌the usual 46. The study’s spokesman explains that, “Because of this extra copy, many genes are disrupted and contribute to the cognitive impairment and early-onset Alzheimer’s disease” Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: Federal Health Minister Mark Butler has announced huge cuts to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Five key areas will be addressed: it will be harder for new clients to join; eligibility for existing clients will be reassessed; unregistered providers will be scrutinised; the payment system will be updated; and there will be cuts to social and community participation funding. Read the rest here

SPAIN: A baby from Senegal has received life-saving surgery thanks to the efforts of a Spanish NGO. The Fundación Infancia Solidaria takes five or six children to undergo surgery for serious conditions in Malaga every year. The latest child to receive their help is one-year-old with Down Syndrome who required heart surgery. “The mother is very grateful. They are very poor and it’s a country where the child had no opportunities. If he hadn’t had the surgery, he would have died in the medium term. Now he has that chance.”  Read the rest here

ZIMBABWE: A new initiative aimed at making disabled people more self-sufficient has reduced the need for them to find paid work away from home. By learning skills such as detergent making, soap production, perfume blending, knitting and flower vase design, those living with disabilities can work from home in their own cottage business.  A spokesman for the programme said, “These are not just theoretical lessons. Participants can start producing and selling immediately within their communities. That is how transformation begins at household level.” Read the rest here

CZECH REPUBLIC: A mother born through surrogacy has released a book in which she describes how a surrogate mother was forced to abort the child she was carrying due to him missing two fingers. Olivia Maurel said that although the mother wanted to keep the baby, the lawyers of the commissioning parents wanted to enforce the contract, saying that she would be sued and no money would be paid unless the woman aborted the child. “….She was forced to abort this baby, just because he was missing two fingers.” Read the rest here

PHILIPPINES: SM Malls, a chain of shopping centres, went all out to promote World Down Syndrome day last March 21. The company promoted its campaign “One Mic, One Message: For the Down Syndrome Community” nationwide, setting up special installations of standing microphones in every SM Mall. Employees, customers and carers were invited to publicly honour the Down syndrome community with messages of affirmation and respect. Read the rest here

USA: Former NFL-player-turned- analyst, Dan Orlovsky took his son, Madden into the NFL Live studio for World Autism Day. Madden lives with autism and Dan Orlovsky honoured his son in an emotional tribute. The show was a very helpful contribution to the normalisation of neuro-diversity. Watch the video here

AUSTRALIA: Down Syndrome Australia has released new resources on Ageing Well for those living with Down Syndrome. As well as a video, fact sheets cover topics such as: keeping my body healthy, perimenopause and menopause, dementia, anxiety and depression and grief and loss. The resources were compiled by medical professional, parents and people living with Down Syndrome. Read the rest here

USA: A doctor of physical therapy describes her experience carrying and then losing a daughter with an extremely rare genetic disease. “Her exact genetic code was so rare. She was born to two parents from completely different ancestral backgrounds who unknowingly carried the same ultra-rare gene that hadn’t even been described in medical literature yet.” Read the rest here

WORLD: The World Motor Sport Council has approved the use of a special karting seat with a roll hoop attachment which would enable drivers with disabilities to compete in karting events. The seat is manufactured from fibreglass and is laminated to help it withstand impact. A member of the FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission, Fabio Visentin said, “Our goal was to create a product that was not only safe and rigorously tested but also high-performing, ensuring it does not interfere with the chassis’ flexibility. Karters with disabilities now have access to a product that has all these features.” Read the rest here

USA: A baby with Down Syndrome has died after being removed from a liver transplant waiting list. While medical staff said he was too ill to undergo a transplant, his parents claim his infection had subsided and that he was denied life-saving treatment on the basis of having Down Syndrome. Read the rest here

ROMANIA: A new law has been passed, allowing parents of children diagnosed with autism and Down Syndrome to access free psychological counselling. The law is aimed at providing practical support to families caring for children with disabilities. “For the parents who, beyond the diagnosis, carry every day the worry, the fatigue, the fear, the loneliness.” Read the rest here

CANADA: A woman suffering from injury-related seizures has won a discrimination case against her former employers. The employers, who were relatives of the woman, refused to allow her dog to work alongside her. The dog is able to predict when a seizure is about to take place, thus ensuring she is able to take her medication to forestall it. Read the rest here

CANADA: Disability advocates in the province of Alberta are calling on authorities to provide more support for those living with disabilities than merely restricting them from being offered euthanasia. Legislation introduced last March, intends to ban assisted suicide (MAID) for those whose deaths are not reasonably foreseeable, including those with disabilities, which is the category of assisted-suicide victims known as Track 2 MAID. Read the rest here

UK: Massive decreases to social security payments for disabled clients, known as Universal Credit, are adding stress to households which are already in some cases unable to heat their homes or pay for groceries. In changes which have just come into effect, new claimants will receive only half of the amount given to existing claimants. The government claims this is an effort to force disabled individuals into the work force, yet it applies to those who may not be suited or capable of work. Read the rest here

AUSTRALIA: A Gold Coast group is providing a skate-boarding experience to those living eith disabilities. Adaptive skateboarding, which includes a safety harness and custom-built frame, allows disabled Queenslanders to exercise outdoors in an otherwise inaccessable sport while also giving them important social contact. Read the rest here

NORWAY: A new documentary follows the life of a young Norwegian man living with a disability. The film’s subject, Ola Henningsen, lives in a village for people with developmental and learning disabilities, and leads the viewer through his experiences, including a trip to Copenhagen to visit a former care worker. Read the rest here

TURKEY: The Istanbul Governorate and the Istanbul Provincial Directorate of National Education held a march through the streets to mark International Down Syndrome Day. Istanbul’s provincial director of National Education, stated that “Children’s education should not be confined to classrooms. Society as a whole must contribute to their development … ” Read the rest here