News In Brief

US aid agency refuses funding to planned-parenthood group

The Agency for International Development refused Wednesday to renew government funding of $17 million a year for the private International Planned Parenthood Federation, citing the group's financing of abortion-related services overseas.

The federation of family planning associations in 119 nations reacted to the cutoff by saying it was ''certain to increase illegal abortions worldwide and cause the deaths of more mothers and children in Africa, Latin America, and Asia."