LONDON - Northern Ireland is set to decriminalize abortion and set the stage for legalization of same-sex marriages as of midnight Monday, bringing its laws in line with the rest of the U.K. This is happening because British lawmakers voted last year in favour of changing these laws if Northern Ireland’s government wasn’t up and running by Oct. 21. Women will be offered free transportation to obtain abortion services in England in the meantime. Activists on both sides of the abortion issue gathered outside the Stormont Assembly on Monday in hopes of pressuring lawmakers. The assembly was sitting for the first time since March 13, 2017 after being recalled by lawmakers wishing to protest changes to the abortion laws.

Source: thestar October 21, 2019 14:36 UTC