Hit hard

german farmers cultivating genetically modified (gm) crops will now be responsible for the contamination caused to non-gm crops in neighbouring fields. They will also have to record, in a public register, all the land they use for gm cultivation. These are some provisions of a new law passed by the German parliament on November 26, much to the vexation of farmers and biotech companies. But it has received support from environmental groups.

Outrageous

Indigenous Community Genes Brazil/USA

Thumbs up for Monsanto's maize

The European Commission (ec) has permitted import of food products containing Monsanto's genetically modified (gm) nk 603 maize. The decision was announced on October 26, 2004. It is meant to take effect immediately and would remain valid for 10 years.

Fighting back

advocates of genetically modified (gm) food in India have lodged a strong protest against a report of the Indian Council of Medical Research (icmr) that sounds caution about gm food. On August 10, 2004, they sent an open letter to the director of icmr, urging the organisation to make fresh assessments.

State and scandal

Independent laboratory tests carried out in Hong Kong revealed genetically engineered (ge) seeds in packages of papaya seeds being sold by the department of agriculture's research station in the province of Khon Kaen. One of the fields at the research station has been ascertained as the source of the ge seeds.

French dilemma

a group of France's most renowned wine producers have issued a warning against the introduction of any genetically modified (gm) vines.

Trans-Atlantic GM tangle

Proceedings in one of the most controversial disputes at the World Trade Organization (wto) have got underway. The matter deals with a "de facto" moratorium placed by the eu on approving genetically modified (gm) products.

Big Mac chickens out

In the wake of strong protests by activists and pressure groups, fast food giant McDonald's has decided to source only non-genetically modified (gm) feed for its chicken products in New Zealand. Earlier, the protestors launched a four-week public campaign targeting McDonald's stores throughout the country.

Under pressure

The genetically modified (gm) food aid issue is snowballing into a major controversy across the continent. More than 60 groups -- representing farmers, consumers as well as environmental and development organisations -- from 15 African countries have sent an open letter of protest to the World Food Programme (wfp) regarding the matter.

Bytes

only mother's son: Japanese and Korean scientists have created a mouse without using a sperm. The feat is akin to the birth of Dolly, the world's first cloned mammal. Bees, ants, aphids, some fish and reptiles reproduce without having sex in a process called parthenogenesis. But creating a living mammal from same sex parents was thought to be impossible. The birth of Kaguya, the daughter of two female mice, proves otherwise.