UN votes to ban therapeutic cloning - UK defiant:

The United Nations has approved the adoption of a Declaration under which member states would be called on to prohibit all forms of human cloning, including so-called "therapeutic cloning" for research purposes. On February 19, the UN's General Assembly voted 71-35 in favour, with 43 abstentions. The UK said it regretted the outcome, arguing that "states should reach their own national consensus on whether to permit or prohibit therapeutic cloning", given the potential medical benefits of the technology. It added that the Declaration is non-binding and would thus not affect the UK's approach to stem cell research, where "therapeutic cloning research would continue to be permitted".