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By Category: International

New Animal Virus Takes Northern Europe by Surprise

(Wired) Scientists in northern Europe are scrambling to learn more about a new virus that causes fetal malformations and stillbirths in cattle, sheep, and goats. For now, they don’t have a clue about the virus’s origins or why it’s suddenly causing an outbreak; in order to speed up the process, they want to share the Read More »

January 25, 2012
| Filed under Europe, Agents & Toxins, Agriculture, and International
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Powder Mailings Sent to Israeli Embassies

(Global Security Newswire) Israeli embassies and consulates at six U.S. and European locations have received mailings marked “anthrax” that carried a nontoxic white powder, Agence France-Presse reported on Tuesday. The envelopes arrived at Israeli embassies in London,The Hague, Netherlands, and Brussels, Belgium, AFP quoted Israeli news reports as saying. Consulates in New York, Houston and Read More »

January 25, 2012
| Filed under Europe, Middle East, North America, Agents & Toxins, Bioterrorism, and International
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Barriers to Integrating Crisis Standards of Care Principles into International Disaster Response Plans – Workshop Summary

(IOM) When a nation or region prepares for public health emergencies such as a pandemic influenza, a large-scale earthquake, or any major disaster scenario in which the health system may be destroyed or stressed to its limits, it is important to describe how standards of care would change due to shortages of critical resources. At Read More »

January 24, 2012
| Filed under North America, International, Policy & Initiatives, and Public Health
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European Union to Fund Global Efforts Against WMD Materials Trafficking

(Global Security Newswire) The European Union in coming years will provide $387 million for international efforts to prevent the smuggling of WMD materials, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday. Bruno Dupre of the EU European External Action Service noted the financial support during a conference in Nairobi, Kenya, on highlighting the threat posed by Read More »

January 23, 2012
| Filed under Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe, Middle East, Biological Weapons, Bioterrorism, International, and Policy & Initiatives
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More labs close to deadly bird flu mutations: researcher

(Reuters) The request by the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity has set off an intense debate about how to balance the free flow of scientific information against the threat of an “Armageddon” weapon if that research falls into the wrong hands. In a statement to Reuters, Science said that its “editors are optimistic Read More »