News

Last Thursday US Appeals Court Judge Barbara Crabb upheld a Wisconsin law requiring a 24-hour waiting period before abortions. The law was under attack by Planned Parenthood.  (Nando.net)

A legal abortion performed Saturday in the Marie Stopes abortuary in Nelspruit, South Africa has resulted in the death of a 30-year-old mother, as well as the death of her child, Africa Eye News Service reported yesterday. An investigation is underway. (Africanews.org)

On August 9th, The “Hinomaru flag law” and “Kimigayo anthem law” were passed in Japan making the flag and anthem national symbols and requiring daily exercises during which all school students bow before the flag and sing the “Kimigayu”. Teachers are also required to instruct and lead their students in this practice. Teachers who fail to guide students “appropriately”  during ceremonies involving the “Hinomaru” and “Kimigayo” can face disciplinary action. Many Christians in Japan are concerned about increased persecution because they intend to disobey such orders since the anthem involves Shintoist religious emperor worship and the bowing to the flag is a traditional sign of recognition of the divinity of the emperor.