Guardian - Arkansas firm rescued Huntingdon Life Sciences

Andrew Clark. Stephens Group, a family controlled, Arkansas-based investment firm with close links to the former Clinton administration has emerged as the "secret" rescuer of Huntingdon Life Sciences, the controversial animal testing company. It has extended a long term loan of about £10m to Huntingdon, replacing credit facilities cancelled by Royal Bank of Scotland last week.

www.guardian.co.uk

Telegraph: Activists pledge to ruin backers who saved animal research firm

Richard Alleyne. As HLS put the final touches to a long-term deal with an undisclosed group of American backers, activists vowed to track them down and "financially destroy" them. Protesters also reacted angrily to news that the Royal Bank of Scotland had written off its £11 million loan to the company.

www.telegraph.co.uk

Telegraph: Minister set up deal to save animal lab

David Harrison, Environment Correspondent. Lord Sainsbury, the science minister, brokered an agreement to refinance the company after the Royal Bank of Scotland withdrew a loan of £22.6 million because staff and customers had been threatened by animal rights protesters.

www.telegraph.co.uk

BBC: Animal demos may prompt law change

Home Secretary Jack Straw is to propose changes in the law in the wake of animal rights demonstrations at Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS).

news.bbc.co.uk

Telegraph: Citibank drops protest lab

Benjamin Wootliff. The bank confirmed that it would not act as custodian for its clients who hold shares in HLS. Officials refused to comment on the decision, but the bank is believed to have received threats against its staff.

www.telegraph.co.uk

Telegraph: Picketing laws to protect workers at animal laboratory

Philip Johnston, home affairs editor. Laws brought in to stop trade unions victimising strike-breakers are to be used against animal rights protesters trying to close Britain's biggest animal testing laboratory.

www.telegraph.co.uk

Telegraph: Animal welfare thugs funded via US charity

Daniel Foggo. Animal rights extremists waging a campaign to close Huntingdon Life Sciences, the biggest animal testing laboratory in Europe, are being funded by money channelled through the charity Animal Rights America (ARA) in New Jersey, USA.

www.telegraph.co.uk

Guardian: Huntingdon Life Sciences to list in the US

Andrew Clark. "Huntingdon Life Sciences was accused of raising the white flag to animal rights extremists yesterday as it announced plans to quit the London Stock Exchange for a listing in the US." UK.

www.guardian.co.uk

Guardian: In brief: Animal activist jailed for attack

David Blenkinsop, one of three animal activists who attacked the managing director of the animal research firm Huntingdon Life Sciences in Cambridgeshire with wooden staves and pick axe handles, was yesterday jailed for three years by Peterborough crown court.

www.guardian.co.uk

Daily Telegraph: Counter-terrorism

Leader. HLS was a company engaged in lawful and important work, supported by an association representing more than 100 medical research charities, being driven to ruin by a small bunch of terrorist fanatics. The decision has already put the animal rights terrorists on the defensive.

www.telegraph.co.uk

Ananova: Animal protesters target director's home

Two protesters have climbed on to the roof of a house in the latest demonstration against animal testing company Huntingdon Life Sciences.

www.ananova.com

Guardian: Straw pays tribute to animal test lab

Michael White, political editor. The home secretary's visit came as Tony Blair announced a ministerial committee to look at further ways to protect such firms - and their staff - from attacks from animal rights militants, whose loose organisation has defied police efforts to bring them to account.

www.guardian.co.uk

Sunday Telegraph: When bankers face the terrorists

Alasdair Palmer. Professor Colin Blakemore, the Waynefleet Professor of Physiology and a staunch defender of the importance of experimenting on animals in order to achieve medical benefits for people, has, over the years, been threatened with both kidnapping and murder by animal rights terrorists. He has been beaten up and had letter bombs sent to his home, one of which contained half a pound of high explosive packed with needles. It was wrapped so as to appeal to his children, to whom it was delivered.

www.telegraph.co.uk

BBC: Euro MPs fight 'cruel' cosmetics

MEPs back a ban on animal-tested cosmetics - sparking warnings of a US trade war if EU governments implement it.

news.bbc.co.uk

Guardian: Malicious protesters: the Huntingdon gang must be punished

Leader. 275m animals, mainly rats and mice, are killed every year by cats in a gratuitously brutal way. If the animal rights protesters really cared about prolonging animal life rather than intimidating humans for experimenting on animals, they should turn their energies on the domestic cat.

www.guardian.co.uk