<B>Journalist’s honour is saved</B>

Jacques Achille, acting editor-in-chief of week-end SCOPE, has won his case. The four policemen – police inspector Beeharry, sergeant Assyrigadoo and police constables Taurachand and Appalasamy – have been found guilty of brutailsing the journalist and fined Rs 2,000 each. Moreover, the trial against Jacques Achille for disturbance was struck out. After being arrested without any reason at the Jump Around Youth Concert in Anjalay Stadium last year while doing his reporting job, he stated that the police officers had taken him in their vehicle to the police station and beaten him up. He even had to be treated in hospital for head injuries.

<B>Virus wreaks havoc in primary school</B>

All the pupils of the Petite-Rivière Government primary school were sent home last week after the sudden death of Anastasia of encephalitis on Thursday. The authorities decided to close the school and have the premises disinfected. Ten other pupils are said to have developed the same symptoms (fever and discomfort) but no one knows yet whether they were due to the same virus. All the pupils including those of the pre-primary section went through medical tests over the week-end and the Ministry has confirmed that the virus is not contagious.

<B>High-tech agro centre for planters</B>

The foundation stone was laid for the Mauritius Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (Mabi) on Thursday. The aim of the centre is to offer viable alternatives to planters who have been facing difficulties recently, especially sugar producers or those who suffered from the heavy rains. Work should start in a few months to end in 2008 at a cost of Rs 400 m. The centre will be used as a platform for research and training of future scientific professionals. It is a way of maximising small planters’ profitability through new production techniques – mainly hydroponics.

<B>Container scanning enhanced</B>

Two high-tech scanners will be arriving in July to be placed in the harbour’s new container terminal and at the airport. This scheme will help discourage illegal transactions. The purchase of these two scanners, made by Nutech Co Ltd, China, has been financed by a loan from China. The scanners will be operational as from October and will check 25 containers per hour. Technicians from the Chinese company will come to commission the scanners and train customs and police officers, who will be using the machines.