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Brazil's top court wrestles with abortion during hearings
Updated 9:54 am CDT, Friday, August 3, 2018
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil's top court has begun two days of extraordinary hearings on whether to decriminalize abortion in Latin America's largest nation.
In opening Friday's session, Supreme Federal Tribunal Justice Carmen Lucia called for "tolerance" of all points of view.
More than 40 experts from all sides of the debate are expected to testify. While no ruling is expected, the hearings will continue on Monday and could be closely watched as the nation wrestles with the thorny topic.
Currently, abortion is illegal except for in three cases: rape, danger to the mother, or a brain-dead fetus.
Brazil has the world's largest number of Catholics and fast-growing evangelical churches. While Christian faiths exert considerable influence in maintaining a ban on abortion, there have also been calls for change.
https://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Brazil-s-top-court-wrestles-with-abortion-during-13129443.php
(Short article, no more at link.)
