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JOHANNESBURG (AP) — "Baby Thomas never had a chance," begins a South African newspaper report about the toll of fetal alcohol syndrome.
The Cape Times article has instead become a flashpoint for debate about media and politics after a leading South African politician questioned its reliability, noting "vague" information about a baby that allegedly suffered effects from his mother's alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Opposition leader Hellen Zille is premier of Western Cape province, where the baby is reported to have been born. The provincial government decided not to renew subscriptions to the Cape Times following the article's publication.
The Independent Media group, whose titles include the Cape Times, says in a statement that the government's move violates press freedom. The statement does not refer to "Baby Thomas."
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