THE WEEKLY REPORT WEEK 43 1997

   SCIENTISTS CLAIM: Can clone headless people

   British scientists have developed a way that over time can lead to cloning of human beings without heads, scientists claim in a TV-documentary yet to be shown. The headless human is supposed to be grown in an artificial womb and "work" as an organ donor. The method used to make the head not emerge, is gene manipulation. Also called GM (genetic modification). A staggering, but modest view of the future, according to the scientists in question.

   Week 8 1998

   SOUTH - AFRICAN DESIRE TO CLONE HUMANS

   A South - African physician has filed an application to the local university stating his desire to clone humans. A local newspaper write that four women already has agreed to let themselves be cloned. The South - African secretary of health has no immediate plan to intervene. Earlier this year an American physician made waves when he announced plan to start up cloning clinics all over Europe and USA.

   WEEK 10 1998

   Humans WILL be cloned!

   If USA prohibits human cloning, The American Scientist Richard Seed, will seek avenues in other countries to go through with his plans. Seed has plans of creating an international network of research centers. The scientist has earlier announced his goal to develop a human clone within 2 years. This has created quite a stir all over the world.

   WEEK 34 1998

   GENE MODIFIED FOOD MAY BE DANGEROUS

   A new study by Scottish scientists, shows that gene modified food may be dangerous to humans. The study shows that rats fed by gene modified food, grow less than other rats and got lower resistance to disease. The study has led to demands to prohibit gene modified food in Britain.

   WEEK 48 1998

   «GENETIC INTELLIGENCE»

   Israel is working to develop a new strain of biological weapons, supposedly containing an intelligent gene. What this means is that the weapons will diversify between different genotypes in a given population. Released into a target area, it may work just on arabs and not jews.
   This is reported by the british newspaper Sunday Times. The paper are quoting israeli high military officials and western intelligence sources.
   The virus may be transferred through both air and water.

   Week 9 1999

   ISSUED WARNING AGAINST GENE MODIFIED FOOD

   Scientists are warning people about gene modified food because of results shown in a British research project, showing the food to be damaging to the immune defense system and also shrinking the brain of lab rats. The man in charge of the project was fired when he went public with the results, and since then the reports have disappeared.

   DEMANDING BAN

   The newspaper Mail on Sunday reports that the major American biotechnology corporation Monsanto, are supporting the a Scottish institute that recently fired a head researcher disobedient to institute policy.
   According to the British newspaper Monsanto has given approximately 200 000 USD to the Bowan institute in Aberdeen. Professor Arpad Pusztai was fired from the institute after his revelation of what happened to lab rats eating gene modified potatoes. 23 researchers from 12 nations support Pusztai. They’re demanding an immediate ban on gene modified food in Great Britain.

   WEEK 17 1999

   This week we examine more news from our multinational corporate pals in Monsanto. This time from New Zealand...

   TIME TO PANIC?

   For the average consumer determined not to consume GM (Gene Modified) food, the only viable option is to switch to organically grown or raised food. But genetically modified crops are now seen as a major threat to organic growers, even prompting suggestions of a conspiracy by chemical companies to drive organic producers out of business. Chief Sub-Editor and organics writer Duncan Campbell explores the risk genetic modification poses to the organic industry and also asks why we should accept the soothing words of industry-supported scientists that GM food will do us no harm?

   SUSPECTED ESCAPE OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROP IN CANTERBURY

   Alliance MP Phillida Bunkle is looking into reports of an unauthorized spread of genetically modified canola in Canterbury. It's believed the crop was being grown in a field test by Crop and Food Research in Lincoln, and has spread because crop isolation measures were inadequate.

   There is growing concern about genetically modifed canola because of its ability to grow rapidly.

   Phillida Bunkle says she'll be looking into the incident as a matter of urgency. She says the difficulty of enforcing containment is one of the major issues concerning genetic engineering. Phillida Bunkle says New Zealand has no inspection or enforcement provisions that are remotely adequate.

   FEARS OVER GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS

   The public is being urged to oppose the first mass planting of a commercial genetically engineered crop in New Zealand. Alliance health spokeswoman Phillida Bunkle says US firm Monsanto has confirmed it plans to plant thousands of acres of 'Roundup Ready Canola', throughout the south of the South Island this spring. She says the planting will pose unacceptable risks to the environment and to the human food chain.

   Phillida Bunkle says scientific studies have shown that bees feeding on genetically engineered canola plants, only live half as long as those feeding on normal crops. She says the mass planting could create a serious risk to bees, and all horticulture and agriculture in the south.

   WEEK 21 1999

   GENE MODIFIED FOOD NOT MARKED

   There are still unmarked gene modified Soya sold in Norwegian health food shops, in spite of demands from the governmental body of food control. Professor Ian f. Pryme by the University of Bergen, are stating that such food may lead to a number of diseases, such as reduction in a body’s ability to defend itself against diseases and plain malnutrition related diseases. Pryme believes that gene modified food may be far more dangerous than previously assumed.
   There are no demands to mark gene modified food in most of the world’s nations today.

   WEEK 27 1999

   SCIENTISTS WILL BAN GENE MODIFICATION

   British scientists are discovering ever more faults on and damages caused by gene modified plants, and wants a ban. New reports shows that the very use of plants resistant towards pesticides may cause consequences far beyond the actual use, on plants, animals and of course, humans.

   WEEK 41 1999

   GENE MODIFIED POLLEN SPREADING

   In fields in in Great Britain pollen from gene modified crops has spread from testing areas to the surroundings, in spite of confines raised by the authorities. The spread is illegal because one have sought to avoid contact between gene modified and natural crops. The pollen dust, spread by insects, was found 4.5 kilometers from the GM field. By now, in all probability, it’s spread even further.
   Researchers and environmentalists have claimed for years that GM crops have and would spread and contaminate natural environment, but the authorities, in various countries, allowing GM testing and the various corporations, among them Monsanto, have denied that it could ever happen.
   Now, with contamination a proven fact, neither public or corporate authorities, are willing to offer any statement.
   Specialists who do, however, state that there is really no way to keep the contamination from spreading further. A fact, they say, that should be well known among the various authorities, as they’ve been told this countless times.

   WEEK 4 2000 January 10th to 16th

   HUMANS WILL BE CLONED (II)

   American scientists have successfully cloned the first Primate, the magazine Science is reporting. The Primate, a Rhesus Monkey, was cloned at a research center in the state of Oregon, USA.
   The female monkey, given the name of Tetra, wasn’t cloned using the same technique as with the sheep Dolly. Tetra was made by splitting an embryo in four and using one of the parts, a technique commonly used on cows.
   Both Apes and Humanity are classified as Primates, very closely related species, and there are no significant genetic differences between them. There is a widespread understanding and opinion in the world’s scientific community that «at this stage we may clone a human being anytime».

   WEEK 10 February 21st to 27th

   ALLOWED TO CLONE HUMANS

   The decision of the European patent office in Munich to allow cloning of humans, is causing an uproar throughout the world. Questions are being asked of how and why this could happen. And the answers are not easily forthcoming. There’s a fact that the confusion and anger are present within the office itself.
   Some are claiming that it was all an oversight, that a mistake was made. The patent is not actually mentioning humans specifically, but the usual tag: «Not allowed on humans», are missing. And it’s valid immediately in all the 15 EU countries. Speculations run high, if it was done on purpose, that it was pushed through by the biotechnological industry «to break through a major barrier». Others are saying that «it was doomed to happen anyway, sooner or later, we could just as well be the first».
   One thing is certain. According to officials, an eventual appeal is a long and painful process that might take years.
   At least one company in the US is already freezing tissue samples from pets, to clone them after their death, «to reunite loved ones with their grieving owners».
   Critical voices are saying that Pandora’s Pantry is about to burst wide open, and that «we can’t say we weren’t warned».