Biosecurity – Chechen Kidnapper Arrests – Human Cloning – Eating Kiwis – Queen Charlotte Track Closed – Space Walk – Number Plates – Butterfly Boom

BIOSECURITY: The Government has acted to strengthen NZ borders against Foot and Mouth. Lots of money is to be spent on dogs, x-ray machines, more staff and a publicity campaign to raise the level of biosecurity. Meanwhile NZ is upset about allegations from Germany that NZ sheep have diseases that they don’t have. One of the Germans from the organisation responsible arrived in the country today. Meat New Zealand is threatening to sue. Jim Sutton has spoken to German Ministers about the problem.

CHECHEN KIDNAPPER ARRESTS: Two Chechen’s suspected of being involved in the abduction and murder of NZer Stanley Shaw in 1998 have been arrested by Russian authorities. Shaw and two companions who had been working for a cell-phone company were found beheaded.

HUMAN CLONING: Human cloning law to be tightened. An Italian scientist and American Dr have announced plans to clone humans. The PM says she thinks there is a gap in the law that should be closed. Five laboratories in NZ have the technology to clone humans. An Australian laboratory has been accused of cloning embryos for two years.

EATING KIWIS: An idea from the ACT annual conference that Kiwis could be bred and eaten has lots of people surprised. Kiwis used to be eaten 100 years ago. The Alliance’s Sandra Lee says she is surprised that ACT wants to scoff the national icon. A chicken seller says they would be too small. Emu growers say Kiwis are too small.

QUEEN CHARLOTTE TRACK CLOSED: Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough Sounds has been closed due to fire concerns.

SPACE WALK: Two US astronauts spend 9 hours on a space walk at Space Station Alpha, setting a new record, and dropping something.

NUMBER PLATES: The last two letter car number plates have been issued and three letter plates are now in circulation.

BUTTERFLY BOOM: Monarch butterflies are in record numbers this summer due to a decline in the number of wasps.

© Scoop Media

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

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