Today's news

Prince acknowledges students' debt worries
Students have "just cause" to be worried about the burden of loans and student fees, Prince William said yesterday, during an interview to mark his 21st birthday. The eldest son of the Prince of Wales came close to entering the political debate raging in England over so-called top-up fees when he gave a rare interview to the Scottish Press Association. The prince said he was aware of issues such as student loans and university fees but declined to involve himself actively in student politics in his chosen university - St Andrew's. "I do listen to what goes on and I know there are sensitive issues. There are some students who have just cause to be worried about loans and fees but most students here, as far as I know, don't get involved," he said.
(Financial Times)

Troops at Peru rally shoot dead student
At least one student was killed and others shot when troops tried to stop the protest, at a university in the southern Peruvian city of Puno. Demonstrators took to the streets in defiance of a state of emergency declared by the country's president Alejandro Toledo.
(Independent)

US scientists announce first mule clone
A cloned mule has been born at the University of Idaho’s Northwest Equine Reproduction Laboratory, proving that it is possible to clone members of the horse family and hybrid animals that cannot normally reproduce. The journal Science, which reports the birth of Idaho Gem, says the cloning of a mule offers insights into cloning endangered species that do not reproduce successfully in captivity. The birth also promises new insights into human cancers, because the cloning procedure has enhanced understanding of the biology of cell growth and activity.
(Times, Financial Times, Daily Telegraph, Independent)