DUBLIN Pau Gasol Jersey , Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ireland will hold a referendum on its abortion laws by the end of May, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announced here Monday night.
The announcement came at a press conference after a cabinet meeting had formally approved a referendum on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland, which virtually forbids abortions in the country.
Varadkar said the referendum will ask citizens whether they want to retain the amendment or enable the Dail, the lower house of the Irish parliament, to make a new law that will allow abortion in hospitals up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
The Eighth Amendment recognizes the equal right to the life of the mother and the fetus. It was signed into law one month after a referendum in September 1983 with nearly 67 percent voting against abortions.
If the referendum is in favor of pro-abortion laws Michael Jordan Jersey , Varadkar said Health Minister Simon Harris has been asked to draft a bill that will be introduced in the Oireachtas, the Irish legislature.
The legislation will be drafted in line with recommendations made last month by the all-party Oireachtas committee, which proposed the repeal of the Eighth Amendment and permission for termination of pregnancy up to 12 weeks.
"We have abortion in Ireland, but it is unsafe, unregulated and unlawful Michael Carter-Williams Jersey , and in my opinion we cannot export our problems and import our solutions," Varadkar said.
Abortion in Ireland is illegal unless performed to save the life of the mother. Many Irish women travel to other countries for abortion or source abortion pills from abroad online.
According to Harris, at least 170,000 Irish women traveled to other countries, mostly to Britain Lauri Markkanen Jersey , for abortion since 1980.
In recent times, however, an increasing number of people have been supporting a more liberalized abortion law.
BEIJING, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- China said it will train farmers in an effort to promote the innovation-driven development and supply-side structural reform in the agricultural sector.
The general office of the State Council has issued a circular on promoting the development of hi-tech agricultural industrial demonstration zones.
The document, made public on Monday Kris Dunn Jersey , said such development should be guided by the country's innovation-driven development strategy and the rural vitalization strategy.
The main focuses should be promoting efficiency, increasing farmers' incomes and boosting green development in the agricultural sector, it said.
Scientific and technological innovation should be used to solve the prominent problems constraining China's agricultural development, the circular said.
It pledged greater efforts in promoting integration and sharing, more research and educational resources Kirk Hinrich Jersey , better information services and enhanced international cooperation in developing hi-tech agricultural industrial demonstration zones.
The authority will also give support in terms of finance, land use and technological management for the development of the hi-tech agricultural industrial demonstration zones, according to the circular.
BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will continue escort missions, a long-term task John Paxson Jersey , Yang Yujun, spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense (MOD) said at a press briefing Thursday.
China will continue to play its role in maintaining regional stability and safeguarding vital marine routes, Yang said when responding to reporters' questions on the resurgence of piracy in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia this year.
On April 15, Frigate Hengyang of China's 25th convoy fleet rescued a Panamanian ship from suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden.
The Chinese navy also freed a Tuvalu-registered vessel that had been hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden on April 9.
Since December 2008, Chinese fleets have escorted more than 6 Joffrey Lauvergne Jersey ,000 ships through the area and have rescued or assisted more than 60 ships.
Also at the press briefing, Yang Yujun pointed out the progress and improvements China's second aircraft carrier has made.
The aircraft carrier was launched Wednesday.
"Its design and construction drew on the experience of the Liaoning, and have improved on many aspects," said Yang, referring to the country's first aircraft carrier Jimmy Butler Jersey , which was rebuilt from the Soviet Union ship Varyag and completed in 2011.
The name of the new aircraft carrier will be announced when it is delivered and commissioned to the PLA Navy, according to Yang.
The new aircraft carrier, the first developed and built by China, will undergo equipment debugging, outfitting and mooring trials Jerian Grant Jersey , with its main body already completed.
5-day air show kicks off in central China's Henan
Metro train decorated with animation drawings in Hangzhou
In pics: Wind power generation project in north China
4th Flower Fest held in east China's Anhui
China launches second aircraft carrier
Jiaolong to conduct 1st South China Sea dive this year
Beautiful scenery of south China's Sansha City
China's passenger aircraft C919 passes fourth high-speed taxiing test
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