Two teams of Chinese researchers claim to have created live mice from reprogrammed cells. In a complex experiment, the researchers inserted so-called induced pluripotency stem (iPS) cells into modified mouse embryos, and brought the resulting embryos to birth via female mice. Some of the born mice displayed physical abnormalities, details of which the team would not reveal. [Nature, 23 July] http://is.gd/1J6DW SPUC comment: The use of human iPS cells as an ethically acceptable alternative to human embryonic stem cell research is only ethical if no human embryos are involved.

Other stories:

Life-sized model of unborn child named after Spanish minister who said unborn babies not human at 13 weeks [Catholic News Agency, 23 July] http://is.gd/1K1xA

Head of the Pontifical Academy for Life opposes government-funded abortion in America [Catholic News Service, 22 July] http://is.gd/1J6JI

Two teams of Chinese researchers have created live mice from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells [Nature, 23 July] http://is.gd/1J6DW

Church urges Uruguay not to legalize embryonic stem-cell research [Catholic Culture, 22 July] http://is.gd/1K1BF

The government in the Chinese city of Shanghai is to encourage some parents to have a second child [BBC, 24 July] http://is.gd/1K1rG N.B. SPUC has warned that reports in the

Western media of alleged relaxations of the one-child policy is usually propaganda by, or on behalf of, the Chinese Communist regime.

A man whose terminally ill partner committed suicide in Switzerland has been arrested on suspicion of assisted suicide [BBC, 23 July ] http://is.gd/1J6MX

The investigation into the deaths of an eminent conductor and his wife at a Swiss suicide centre will be referred to Britain's top prosecutor [Evening Standard, 23 July] http://is.gd/1K24A