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• Humanity? Maybe it's in the wiring | Neuroscientists have given up looking for the seat of the soul, but they are still seeking what may be special about human brains, what it is that provides the basis for a level of self-awareness and complex emotions unlike those of other animals. Most recently they have been investigating circuitry rather than specific locations, looking at pathways and connections that are central in creating social emotions, a moral sense, even the feeling of free will. (The New York Times)
  
  
• Artificial sperm offers hope on infertility treatment | Recent experiments on mice have suggested that it will one day be possible to make synthetic eggs and sperm, a feat that could also open the way for homosexual couples to have children that are genetically their own. (The Telegraph)
  
  
• Global therapeutic cloning ban averted | A global ban on all medical applications of human cloning was averted by an eleventh-hour deal at the United Nations on Tuesday. Last-minute haggling in the aisles of the UN General Assembly in New York sealed a compromise which postpones debate on a cloning treaty until October 2004. (New Scientist)
  
  
• Health Min. bill will allow cloning for stem cell research | The Health Ministry presented the members of the Knesset's science committee this week with a proposal for a bill that would outlaw cloning experimentation for the purpose of reproduction, but would allow the cloning of embryonic stem cells for medical purposes. (Ha'aretz)
  
  
• House will vote on patent ban for human life forms | The biotechnology industry has fought for months against the provision but now says it is supporting the language because its concerns have been addressed (The Washington Times)
  
  
• There's no monkeying around with cloning | In 7 years, cats, sheep and other species have been replicated. But some fear that primate reproduction could lead to copying humans (Los Angeles Times)
  
  

Abortion:

• European case threatens abortion rights | British doctors could be barred from performing abortions if European judges rule in favour of a French woman who lost her baby because of a medical blunder. (The Independent)
  
  
• Should there be rights for the unborn child? | A woman whose pregnancy was wrongly terminated will attempt to persuade the European Court of a foetus's right to life. (BBC)
  
  
• Abortion test case goes to Europe | A woman whose pregnancy was wrongly terminated wants the European Court to accept a foetus' right to life. (BBC)
  
  

Religion and politics:

• White House aide angers pagans | Towey Suggests Groups Lack Concern for the Poor (Washington Post)
  
  
• 'Gettable' Episcopalians | While many Episcopalians are no doubt "gettable" for Democratic candidates, they don't number in the millions (Diane Knippers, The Washington Post)
  
  
• Firebrand now in a position to shake up Ulster politics | Ian Paisley has effectively become the new Protestant leader of Northern Ireland (The New York Times)
  
  
• Blending politics and religion | How much faith should we have in our political leaders? For once, that is not a question about spin, but about religion. If those in power claim to feel the hand of God on their shoulders, should we feel comforted, inspired or just afraid? (Roger Childs, BBC)
  
  
• Bush likely to press Wen on religious freedom | President George W. Bush is expected to raise the issue of religious freedom with the Chinese premier, Wen Jiabao, in the White House on Tuesday, following a decision by a US commission to call off a visit to China after it had been ordered not to speak to anyone in Hong Kong (Financial Times)
  
  

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December (Web-only) 2003, Vol. 47