Contraception and Catholicism in the Philippines
STOUT: I'm Kristie Lu Stout in Hong Kong. You're watching NEWS STREAM, and these are your world headlines.</s>STOUT (voice-over): Now North Korea has launched a long-range rocket defying U.N. resolutions. Pyongyang says it successfully placed a satellite into orbit. And North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD says the rocket does appear to deploy some kind of object into orbit. U.S. President Barack Obama has announced that his government now recognizes the Syrian opposition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. An endorsement is expected to be formalized at a meeting of Syrian opposition leaders in Morocco today. The move will be a major psychological boost for the rebels, but it doesn't mean Washington will be supplying them with weapons any time soon. Egypt's main opposition is calling on supporters to vote no in this weekend's constitutional referendum. The country has been rocked by competing demonstrations for and against President Mohammed Morsi over the last few weeks. Egypt's army chief has called for crisis talks between the government and the opposition.</s>STOUT: South Korea and Japan are leading international condemnation of North Korea's rocket launch. China is often thought to be North Korea's main ally, but now it, too, had expressed regret over North Korea's decision to launch and urged everyone involved to stay calm.</s>HONG LEI, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS SPOKESMAN (through translator): China has taken notice of relevant reports on the satellite launch and has noted relevant parties' reactions. We have expressed regret to North Korea's decision to launch, despite concerns among the international community. China has always insisted on bringing peace and stability to the Korean Peninsula through multilateral dialogue. We hope relevant parties stay calm in order to maintain peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.</s>STOUT: The Japanese government says after takeoff, the North Korean rocket passed over Okinawa. Alex Zolbert has the reaction from Tokyo.</s>ALEX ZOLBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The condemnation coming from far and wide around the globe in reaction to North Korea's launching of this rocket. Here in Japan, they were somewhat caught by surprise with this morning's launch, the launch coming just before 10:00 am here in Tokyo. But Prime Minister Noda, who's just four days away from a general election, as well as the country's foreign minister, wasted little time in issuing a stern response to North Korea.</s>YOSHIHIKO NODA, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): It's extremely regretful and unacceptable conduct. We've made a strong complaint to North Korea.</s>KOICHIRO GENRA, JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER: We can only say that this is an act of grave provocation against the stability of the region, which includes Japan and the security treaty.</s>ZOLBERT: In recent days, we had seen Japan put up a missile defense system that included missiles set up in three locations in greater Tokyo, one actually in the ministry of defense that we looked at late last week, sitting on two baseball fields, basically in the heart of Tokyo, a city that's home to more than 12 million people. There were also missile defense systems set up on Okinawa in four different locations as well as systems on destroyers that were out at sea. But according to the Japanese government, they did not take any actions to attempt to shoot down this North Korean rocket because it seems they did not feel it threatened Japanese citizens or Japanese property -- Alex Zolbert, CNN, Tokyo.</s>STOUT: U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described the North Korean rocket launch as a provocative act and clear breach of U.N. Security Council resolutions. Let's bring in Richard Roth from the United Nations in New York. And Richard, because this launch appears to be a technical success, there must be even more urgency there at the U.N. to respond.</s>RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Ban Ki-moon had urged the North Koreans not to launch. I'm -- we have video this morning of the North Korean top two diplomats entering their mission here in New York City. They had no comment. This is a ritual we've seen after other launches. Let's listen for a few seconds during this crush.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me. Excuse me, (inaudible).</s>ROTH (voice-over): That's the deputy to the North Korean ambassador.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Inaudible).</s>ROTH (voice-over): You'll soon see Sin Son-ho, the United Nations North Korean ambassador come in a few shows -- a few video of him after his deputy got through that gauntlet, a lot of Asian regional cameras here, of course, always having interest. It's unclear whether the ambassador will later be visiting the U.N. That's the deputy again.</s>ROTH: The Security Council, how many times over the last years, of course, has condemned North Korea launches and warned the North Koreans not to do anything, any testing of any type. Now one senior official in Washington telling CNN that United States ready to, quote, "come with a full head of steam" back to New York with another Security Council resolution to increase sanctions that already exist on Pyongyang. One North Korean analyst, one analyst who has watched North Korea closely, who was recently in Pyongyang told me the other day about the technology that North Korea has and what its goals might be.</s>GORDON CHANG, AUTHOR: The technology to put a satellite into space is essentially the same as to put a warhead into another country. The North Koreans clearly have been not launching satellites. They've never put one into space, despite what they've said. They are just testing their ballistic missiles. And a launch, whether it's successful or not, advances North Korean technology, which means that the North Koreans and the Iranians are also advancing their technologies because they run a joint missile program.</s>ROTH: Various U.N. Security Council sanctions reports always mention North Korea parts, missiles, other things getting to other countries, far across the globe. Kristie, no timetable on any Security Council meeting yet regarding North Korea's successful launch. Undoubtedly in the next 24- 48 hours, there will be some sort of meeting in action here in New York, Kristie.</s>STOUT: That's right. Japan has called for an emergency meeting. Now whenever we talk about sanctions, we have to talk about Russia and China. I mean, both countries, they warned North Korea not to go ahead with the launch. But the launch happened anyway. But would Russia and China allow a new resolution?</s>ROTH: It may not be that easy, but it won't be as hard as with Syria. In the past, Moscow and Beijing have gone along with Security Council countries such as the United States and Japan when they were on the council to increase sanctions. The atmosphere, of course, has been very poor inside the Security Council among the major powers when it comes to sanctioning people. It appears that North Korea may be the only focus crisis area where the big powers can agree. But it may be tough for the United States to get what it wants. We'll have to see.</s>STOUT: All right. Richard Roth joining us live from New York, thank you very much indeed. Now let's turn to the Philippines and lawmakers there in this mostly Catholic country, they are voting on a controversial reproductive health bill. Now it would guarantee universal access to birth control among other things. Anna Coren introduces us to the people who'd be most affected by the legislation.</s>ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a maternity hospital in downtown Manila, another baby has just been born. After a 10-hour labor, Janet Leopaadas (ph) has given birth to a baby girl. This is Janet's (ph) 9th child. "I didn't think I would have so many children," the 37-year old explains. It's a story so familiar in this devout Catholic country where approximately 2 million babies are born each year, the majority into poor families. And while contraception is available for those who can afford it, for a third of the population that live below the poverty line, that is not an option. Nor should it be, according to the church.</s>MELVIN CASTRO, CATHOLIC PRIEST: We have empowered the people, good economy, good education and good livelihood. And contraceptives will never be the answer to that.</s>COREN (voice-over): The Catholic Church considers contraception to be a sin and the equivalent to abortion, which is illegal in the Philippines. But despite its staunch views, there is a movement underway to change the laws in this country providing free contraception for the poor and family planning clinics across the country, where, experts say, 11 Filipinas die each day giving birth, of which 90 percent are preventable.</s>ELIZABETH ANGSIOCO, DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST WOMEN OF THE PHILIPPINES: And it will save women's lives, definitely it will save poor women from dying. And to me that's the most important thing for me as a woman, as a mother. It's the most important thing. No woman deserves to die. No woman deserves to die in the process of giving life.</s>COREN (voice-over): The reproductive health bill has been before congress for the past 15 years. And despite overwhelming public support for it, supporters believe the church, with its power and influence, has killed this each time. For the women in the Jos, Fabella Hospital, squeezing several to a bed, it's a hard life that's only going to get harder.</s>DR. JOSELITO MATHEUS, PEDIATRICIAN: It's quite alarming at times, since you know that they cannot afford to have another baby, and yet another baby comes around. So it's a problem, especially for us.</s>COREN: This hospital is known as Manila's baby factory. Just yesterday, 65 babies were born and that's considered a slow day. During their busiest month, 120 newborns are delivered each day, which means there are not enough beds for these women to stay overnight.</s>COREN (voice-over): At a time when there should be so much joy and happiness, Janet (ph) is fearful of her future. And now Janet (ph) has another mouth to feed. "I am worried," she says. "I may not be able to feed them all, to send them to school and clothe them. Education is most important." Which, of course, is the key to breaking this cycle -- Anna Coren, CNN, Manila.</s>STOUT: You're watching NEWS STREAM. And still ahead, Bradford should have been no match for mighty Arsenal. Instead, it was a night to remember for the tiny club. Amanda Davies will have that and the rest of the "WORLD SPORT" update.