MANILA: Philippines’ top court on Tuesday approved a deeply controversial birth control law.
The Supreme Court’s ruling was hailed by supporters as a triumph in the battle to ease crippling poverty, empower women and curtail a population explosion in the Southeast Asian nation of 100 million people.
But the Catholic Church, which had led a bitter campaign against efforts to introduce any form of family planning laws, vowed to continue resisting what it termed an “unjust” law.
“The reproductive health law is not unconstitutional,” Supreme Court spokesman Theodore Te told reporters as he announced the ruling, striking down more than a dozen petitions against the reproductive health law from church-backed groups.
The legislation requires government health centers to supply birth control pills, as well as mandating that sex education be taught in schools.
It also requires that public health workers receive family planning training, while medical care after an abortion will also be legalized. The Philippines is the only country where divorce remains illegal, and abortions are also outlawed.
“This monumental decision upholds the separation of church and state and affirms the supremacy of government in secular concerns,” legislator Edcel Lagman said.
Philippine court approves birth control law
Philippine court approves birth control law
Greece, Israel to cooperate on anti-drone systems, cybersecurity, Greek minister says
- Greece and Israel operate an air training center on Greek territory
- Greece last year approved the purchase of 36 Israeli-made PULS rocket artillery systems
ATHENS: Greece will cooperate with Israel on anti-drone systems and cybersecurity, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said on Tuesday after meeting his Israeli counterpart in Athens.
“We agreed to exchange views and know-how to be able to deal with drones and in particular swarms of unmanned vehicles and groups of unmanned subsea vehicles,” Dendias said in joint statements with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
“We will also work together in order to be ready to intercept cyber threats.”
With strong economic and diplomatic ties, Greece and Israel operate an air training center on Greek territory and have held joint military drills in recent years.
Greece last year approved the purchase of 36 Israeli-made PULS rocket artillery systems for about 650 million euros ($762.52 million). It has also been in talks with Israel to develop an anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic multi-layer air and drone defense system, estimated to cost about 3 billion euros.
“We are equally determined regarding another critical issue: not to allow actors who seek to undermine regional stability to gain a foothold through terror, aggression or military proxies in Syria, in Gaza, in the Aegean Sea,” Katz said.
Dendias and Katz did not say who would pose drone, cyber or other threats to their countries. But Greece and Israel both see Turkiye as a significant regional security concern.
