In the papers...

Bulgaria pays reduced FP6 fee    
Bulgaria's payment into the European Union's 6th framework programme has been reduced by BGN 4 million (£1.4 million), after a meeting between Bulgarian education minister Daniel Vulchev and EU commissioner Janez Potocnik.   Each EU member and aspirant state has to pay an annual fee to be entitled to receive EU funds for education and science.   Vulchev said it would be a challenge to meet the Lisbon criteria of spending three per cent of GDP on science and education.    
Sofia news agency, 11 April 2006

China to use Australian uranium for peaceful purposes    
Chinese and Australian officials have agreed that  Australian uranium    bought by China will only be used for peaceful purposes.   'China has a  nuclear weapons program whether we like it or not. It's not going to make the slightest difference whether we have this agreement with China or whether we don't to their nuclear weapons program,' said Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer, who signed the agreements.    
Asia Times Online, 4 April 2006

Relief in UK over bird flu 
A  dead swan found on the Scottish coast has tested positive for avian flu. Officials investigating the discovery of the lethal  H5N1 strain of bird flu in Britain revealed a 'working hypothesis' that the bird had already succumbed to the virus before washing up in Cellardyke harbour. The news suggests Britain's case of bird flu might be a one-off. No birds have tested positive for the virus since the dead swan was recovered. Tests on the virus that killed the swan indicate that it is almost identical to a strain that has infected more than 100 birds in Germany.    
Guardian Online, 12 April 2006