Recent News

By Region: Asia/Pacific

Russia Orders WMD-Resistant Infant Carriers

(Global Security Newswire) The Russian Federal Security Service has called for production of over 100 special carriers intended to safeguard infant children of high-level government personnel in the event of a chemical, biological or nuclear strike, Russia Today reported on Thursday. The carriers are constructed from a unique dispersion substance and are designed to prevent Read More »

May 28, 2012
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, Europe, Countermeasures, Policy & Initiatives, and Public Health
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Shortfalls Seen in Western Pacific Biolab Controls

(Global Security Newswire) An audit of disease research facilities in Western Pacific nations turned up a slew of shortcomings in measures to prevent the spread of dangerous biological agents, specialists announced in London last week. Slightly less than one-third of barriers for biological agent handling tables failed to function as intended, according to an examination Read More »

May 25, 2012
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, Europe, North America, Biosafety, International, and Policy & Initiatives
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Researchers take virus-tracking software worldwide

(R & D Magazine) A biomedical informatics researcher who tracks dangerous viruses as they spread around the globe has restructured his innovative tracking software to promote even wider use of the program around the world.

May 24, 2012
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, Europe, North America, Countermeasures, International, Public Health, and Research
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South Korea to Ramp up Biodefense Efforts

(Global Security Newswire) South Korea is preparing to ramp up efforts to defend against a possible disease-agent terror attack over the next half-decade, the Korea Times reported on Monday. Personnel from the South’s National Institute of Health held discussions with biodefense specialists on the project, according to a source. The agency aims to heighten development Read More »

May 23, 2012
| Filed under Asia/Pacific, Countermeasures, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
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Biosafety concerns for labs in the developing world

(Nature.com) Biocontainment labs across the Asia-Pacific region all too often fail to live up to the term. An inspection of dozens of labs has found that nearly one-third of the biosafety hoods intended to protect workers from deadly pathogens did not work properly — an offence for which a Western lab could be shut down. Read More »