News,

A criminal investigation into the damage caused to unborn babies by alcohol has begun in Northern France, The Independent reports. The preliminary inquiry has accused persons unknown of 'placing the lives of others in danger, accidental wounding and fraudulent marketing.' The potential defendants will be the French alcohol industry and the French government for failing to warn women of the dangers of drinking while pregnant. The Esper pressure group wants drinks companies to be forced to add warnings about drinking during pregnancy to their bottles. [The Independent, 6 August ] A report by Australia's Birth Control Services claims that Catholic women in Sydney are more likely to have abortions than women of any other religious persuasion. The report is based on figures at Sydney's main abortion facility in which under half of the 6000 women who underwent abortions agreed to disclose their religion. Of those who did, 40% said they were Catholic. The Facility's medical director claimed that the real figure might be higher because Catholics might be more reluctant to divulge their religion than others. [CathNews, 6 August ] Paul Tully of SPUC commented: "This survey does not stand up to scrutiny and the spin being placed on it is misleading, particularly the assumption that Catholic women would be more reluctant to acknowledge their religious background than, for example, Muslims or Jews. However, if it is to be believed, how is the clinic responding? Given claims by abortion providers that Catholic women suffer more adverse reactions than others, will they be counselling Catholics seeking abortion to reconsider, and provide better post-abortion care in the light of this study?" [SPUC Source] The barbaric nature of abortion has been graphically illustrated after a mother gave birth to the head of her unborn child, several hours after undergoing an abortion. The mother had been 12 weeks pregnant, was fitted with an intra uterine device (IUD) following the abortion and gave birth to her unborn child's head at home. The mother is traumatised and plans to give the head a burial. A photo of the head, clearly showing the child's eyes, nose, mouth and ears, was published in a national newspaper. [The Voice, 2-8 August ].