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BioSci News and Highlights

Thursday, 19 February 2004, 8:57 am
Press Release: BioScience News and Advocate

Daily Highlights Bioconfinement baloney Swedish firm buys IP from GM sheep project Bird flu continues to spread New form of BSE possible, Italian scientists say Climate change could boost cash crops US researchers treat child with umbilical stem cells

Bioconfinement baloney Throughout North American history humans have been bringing (accidentally andintentionally) all manner of destructive microbes, plants, fish and animals, Michael Fumento writes.But that's just f... More... http://www.BioSciNews.com/files/news-detail.asp?newsID=6296

Swedish firm buys IP from GM sheep project PPL has sold to a Swedish drug discovery company, Arexis B, the knowledge behind a new product which was being developed to help ease digestive problems in premature babies and those with cystic fibro... More... http://www.BioSciNews.com/files/news-detail.asp?newsID=6294

Bird flu continues to spread The United Nations warned today that Asia's bird flu crisis was far from over as Thailand battled a major resurgence of the virus and new cases were reported in China and Japan. The disease, which... More... http://www.BioSciNews.com/files/news-detail.asp?newsID=6293

New form of BSE possible, Italian scientists say There's more than one way to make a cow mad, say Italian scientists who think they have discovered a new form of the deadly mad cow disease.Associate Professor Salvatore Monaco, a researcher with ... More... http://www.BioSciNews.com/files/news-detail.asp?newsID=6289

Climate change could boost cash crops Climate change could boost yields from one of America's most important crops, say plant biologists who have simulated the expected atmospheric conditions of 2050 in a US field.Andrew Leakey of the... More... http://www.BioSciNews.com/files/news-detail.asp?newsID=6274

US researchers treat child with umbilical stem cells Researchers in the United States say they have successfully used stem cells to treat a child with genetic disorders.Scientists from Duke University in North Carolina have told an annual scientific... More... http://www.BioSciNews.com/files/news-detail.asp?newsID=6286

Business Headlines | Sci-Tech Headlines

BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH > >

Sky City : Auckland Convention Centre Cost Jumps By A Fifth

SkyCity Entertainment Group, the casino and hotel operator, is in talks with the government on how to fund the increased cost of as much as $130 million to build an international convention centre in downtown Auckland, with further gambling concessions ruled out. The Auckland-based company has increased its estimate to build the centre to between $470 million and $530 million as the construction boom across the country drives up building costs and design changes add to the bill.
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RMTU: Mediation Between Lyttelton Port And Union Fails

The Rail and Maritime Union (RMTU) has opted to continue its overtime ban indefinitely after mediation with the Lyttelton Port of Christchurch (LPC) failed to progress collective bargaining. More>>

Earlier:

Rail And Maritime Transport Union - Lyttelton Port workers begin overtime ban
Lyttelton Port of Christchurch - LPC operations will continue as usual during overtime ban
Environment Canterbury - Next phase of Lyttelton Port recovery underway

Science Policy: Callaghan, NSC Funding Knocked In Submissions

Callaghan Innovation, which was last year allocated a budget of $566 million over four years to dish out research and development grants, and the National Science Challenges attracted criticism in submissions on the government’s draft national statement of science investment, with science funding largely seen as too fragmented. More>>

ALSO:

NZ Govt - Submissions on future of science system
Science Media Centre - Year in Review: the big science stories of 2014

Scoop Business: Spark, Voda And Telstra To Lay New Trans-Tasman Cable

Spark New Zealand and Vodafone, New Zealand’s two dominant telecommunications providers, in partnership with Australian provider Telstra, will spend US$70 million building a trans-Tasman submarine cable to bolster broadband traffic between the neighbouring countries and the rest of the world. More>>

ALSO:

Spark NZ - New trans-Tasman telecommunications cable plan confirmed
InternetNZ - New cable a positive sign for the future

Scoop Business - ComCom pushes out final decision on Chorus copper pricing
Commerce Commission - Backdating prices for Chorus’ copper lines and broadband
TUANZ - TUANZ welcomes further clarification by Commerce Commission
Spark NZ - Spark New Zealand Moving Ahead in 4g Network Build

Statistics: Current Account Deficit Widens

New Zealand's annual current account deficit was $6.1 billion (2.6 percent of GDP) for the year ended September 2014. This compares with a deficit of $5.8 billion (2.5 percent of GDP) for the year ended June 2014. More>>

ALSO:

Scoop Business - NZ Sept quarter current account deficit near six-year high

Still In The Red: NZ Govt Shunts Out Surplus To 2016

The New Zealand government has pushed out its targeted return to surplus for a year as falling dairy prices and a low inflation environment has kept a lid on its rising tax take, but is still dangling a possible tax cut in 2017, the next election year and promising to try and achieve the surplus pledge on which it campaigned for election in September. More>>

ALSO:

BusinessDesk - Economy can grow faster than thought before inflation bites
Audio - Treasury Forecast Announcement for 2015
NZ Treasury - Half Year Economic and Fiscal Update 2014
Office of the Clerk - Public Submissions - Budget Policy Statement 2015
NZ Govt - Government focused on surplus in 2014/15 - English: National is focussed on achieving surplus
Labour - Bill English’s face is redder than his books - Failure to diversify puts prosperity at risk
United Future - Dunne Speaks - Christmas Edition
Greens - Irresponsible tax cuts lead to seventh successive deficit
NZ First - Dishonesty Only Thing in Surplus in Forecasts
CTU - Cuts in public services likely from Budget Policy Statement
PricewaterhouseCoopers - New Zealand Government signals reversal of fortune
NZ Taxpayers' Union - Cut Taxes + Cut Waste = Surplus
TV3 Video - Don't blame deficit on tax cuts - English
Earlier - Cuts to Health Suggested

Job Insecurity: Time For Jobs That Count In The Meat Industry

“Meat Workers face it all”, says Graham Cooke, Meat Workers Union National Secretary. “Seasonal work, dangerous jobs, casual and zero hours contracts, and increasing pressure on workers to join non-union individual agreements. More>>