August (Web-only) 2004

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Send in the clones
The British government approved of human cloning for stem-cell research (but banned it for reproduction) in 2001. Yesterday, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority gave the first license to actually go ahead and do it.

Suzi Leather, chairwoman of the regulatory body, said the license was granted "after careful consideration of all the scientific, ethical, legal and medical aspects of the project. … This is an important area of research and a responsible use of technology. The HFEA is there to make sure any research involving human embryos is scrutinized and properly regulated."

Pro-life groups are trying to figure out if they can mount a legal challenge to the experiments.

"This is a deplorable step down the slippery slope," said Jack Scarisbrick, chairman of the pro-life charity Life "We should be ashamed of it. Stem cells from adults are likely to be just as good, if not better. The reason for seeking this is probably as much about power, forbidden fruit and breaching taboos as curing diseases."

Who's going to the Republican convention?
Ralph Reed told the Associated Press yesterday that invitations to the Republican National Convention "just started going out to evangelical figures, but he would not release any names." The rest of the AP story says that Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson haven't yet been invited. Well, um, maybe that's because invitations just started going out?

The AP story is titled, "Top Evangelicals Still Await GOP Invite," but Rachel Zoll knows better, quoting the recent PBS/U.S. News survey of evangelicals that shows few evangelicals consider Robertson and Falwell their leaders. Graham? Definitely. ...