Cattle cull to be extended by 100,000

Ministers are poised to announce the slaughter of up to 100,000 extra cattle in the drive to eradicate "mad cow" disease and get the export ban on British beef lifted.

Lord Plumb, leader of the Conservative Euro-MPs, said he hoped an announcement would be made within days. The former president of the National Farmers' Union was part of a delegation of MEPs who on Thursday met Roger Freeman, the minister in charge of the anti-BSE programme.

More than a million cattle over thirty months old have already been slaughtered and removed from the food chain. Stephen Goodwin

Fees boost for

universities

University vice-chancellors decided to postpone any decision on charging new levies or fees for full-time home students until next autumn. The news follows a decision by Kenneth Clarke, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to devote an extra pounds 100m to higher education. Barrie Clement

Man slashes throat in court

A row between two brothers over the assets of a sports club ended at the High Court in London yesterday with one of the men slashing his throat with a knife.

Edward Mason, of St Paul's Cray, Kent, made his bloody protest following a judgment on a preliminary issue in his dispute with brother Michael over the disposal of assets relating to their club and ski slope. Police said the wounds were not deep and he was taken to hospital for treatment.

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