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Roe v Wade abortion ruling turns 40 amid demonstrations Roe v Wade abortion ruling turns 40 amid demonstrations
(35 minutes later)
Anti-abortion protesters have gathered outside the US Supreme Court to mark 40 years since a landmark ruling backed abortion rights. Activists on either side of the US abortion debate are marking the 40th anniversary of a landmark Supreme Court ruling establishing abortion rights.
The 1973 Roe v Wade ruling, which upheld women's right to abortion, remains deeply controversial in the US. The 1973 Roe v Wade case, which granted women's right to abortion, remains deeply controversial in the US.
An anti-abortion rally was meanwhile held in Kansas, which has approved curbs on pregnancy terminations.An anti-abortion rally was meanwhile held in Kansas, which has approved curbs on pregnancy terminations.
A new opinion poll suggests that most Americans believe abortion should be illegal in most or all cases. A new poll suggests that for the first time, most Americans believe abortion should be legal in most or all cases.
Seven out of 10 respondents said they believed Roe v Wade should be overturned, according to the NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey. Fifty-four percent of adults say abortion should be legal either always or most of the time, according to the NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey.
While pro-choice activists rallied on Tuesday at the nation's highest court in Washington DC, abortion opponents demonstrated in the Kansas state capital, Topeka. Seven out of 10 respondents oppose overturning Roe v Wade, the survey said.
Republican Governor Sam Brownback has passed measures over the last two years to restrict access to abortions. The National Organization for Women, which supports abortion rights, planned a candlelight vigil in front of the Supreme Court on Wednesday, and other pro-choice groups held a protest at the Virginia state capitol in Richmond.
Meanwhile, anti-abortion activists demonstrated at the state capital in Kansas, a hotbed of anti-abortion politics.
Kansas' Republican Governor Sam Brownback has passed measures over the last two years to restrict access to abortions.
He is expected to support any further curbs on abortion approved by lawmakers in the state's legislature, which is dominated by his party.He is expected to support any further curbs on abortion approved by lawmakers in the state's legislature, which is dominated by his party.
The Supreme Court's decision on Roe v Wade said that the constitutional right to privacy applied to abortion. The Supreme Court's decision on Roe v Wade established that the US Constitution's right to privacy applied to abortion.
The case was between "Jane Roe", a pseudonym for Norma McCorvey and Henry Wade, who was at the time attorney general for Dallas, Texas.The case was between "Jane Roe", a pseudonym for Norma McCorvey and Henry Wade, who was at the time attorney general for Dallas, Texas.
McCorvey was a single mother, pregnant for the third time, who wanted to terminate her pregnancy.McCorvey was a single mother, pregnant for the third time, who wanted to terminate her pregnancy.
She sued over a Texas law that banned abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when there was a danger to the mother's life.She sued over a Texas law that banned abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when there was a danger to the mother's life.
A doctor, James Hallford, filed a complaint alongside Jane Roe, arguing that the law's provisions were unclear, making it hard to tell whether a patient was eligible for an abortion under the terms of the law.A doctor, James Hallford, filed a complaint alongside Jane Roe, arguing that the law's provisions were unclear, making it hard to tell whether a patient was eligible for an abortion under the terms of the law.
The case ended up in the Supreme Court, which ruled seven to two to overturn the Texas law. The justices' decision favoured Jane Roe, but was partially against the doctor.The case ended up in the Supreme Court, which ruled seven to two to overturn the Texas law. The justices' decision favoured Jane Roe, but was partially against the doctor.
In a separate decision on the same day, the Supreme Court gave states the right to restrict abortion access for later-term pregnancies.In a separate decision on the same day, the Supreme Court gave states the right to restrict abortion access for later-term pregnancies.