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By Category: International

A hinge moment for the BWC?

(Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists) Although it was an eleventh-hour decision, the Seventh Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC) Review Conference in Geneva did manage to produce a consensus final document this past December. As the saying goes, “a win is a win,” and in the end the final document — adopted with less than Read More »

January 31, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, North America, South America, South Asia, Biological Weapons, International, and Policy & Initiatives
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International Partnerships Focus on Preventing Animal Diseases

(Agricultural Research) Rift Valley fever, East Coast fever and foot-and-mouth disease are three devastating diseases that harm livestock and threaten the livelihood of poor farmers. To help keep animals alive, healthy and productive, scientists at the Agricultural Research …

January 30, 2012
| Filed under Africa, North America, Agriculture, Countermeasures, International, and Research
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Pakistani Lawmakers Delay Biological Weapons Pact Bill

(Global Security Newswire) Pakistani lawmakers on Wednesday postponed consideration of a bill aimed at ensuring the nation meets its obligations as a member of the Biological Weapons Convention over questions about specific elements of the proposal, Pakistan Today reported. The National Assembly’s foreign affairs panel asked Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir to address a provision stating Read More »

January 27, 2012
| Filed under South Asia, Biological Weapons, International, and Policy & Initiatives
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Invitation to a Dialogue: Research and Its Risks

(New York Times) There is great debate in the scientific and public health community about what should be done regarding recent experiments in which scientists mutated H5N1 bird flu strains so that they could spread readily between ferrets.

January 26, 2012
| Filed under Europe, North America, International, Policy & Initiatives, and Research
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A New Moratorium on Research Into Engineered Avian Flu: What It Means for Science

(Popular Science) In an unusual move, an international coalition of flu researchers agreed last week to a hiatus on work surrounding a highly contagious, mammal-adapted version of the avian influenza virus. Research on transmissible H5N1 flu will halt, and two manuscripts describing how to modify the virus won’t be published, at least not yet.