F.D.A. Commissioner and other top health officials plan to step down
“The Food and Drug Administration commissioner, Dr. Andrew C. von Eschenbach, said Tuesday that he would resign on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, part of a parade of expected departures at the nation’s crucial public health agencies. Leaders of these agencies have sometimes straddled administrations, but the Obama administration is expected to make a clean sweep in part because of repeated assertions that the Bush administration allowed politics to play an unusually forceful role in science policy […] Dr. Elias Zerhouni has already left his post as director of the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wrote in a November e-mail message to her staff that she expects to leave ‘after the administration changes.’ And Dr. John E. Niederhuber, director of the National Cancer Institute, is expected to surrender his leadership job, although he may remain at the institute.” (New York Times; 16Dec08; Gardiner Harris) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/health/17FDA.html?ref=us
[Indian] Gov't to set up six more bird flu testing labs
“As part of measures to check bird flu, the Centre will set up six more laboratories in different parts of the country to detect the avian influenza virus, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said on Tuesday. […] While bird flu outbreak was often being reported from various parts of the country, there is only one laboratory located at Bhopal for detecting the virus in samples. […] The Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Bill, 2005 passed by the House, is aimed at providing a uniform legislation throughout the country to monitor and control infectious animal diseases.” (Times of India; 16Dec08) http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Govt_to_set_up_six_more_bird_flu_testing_labs_/articleshow/3847564.cms
Veolia [Environmental Services in Port Arthur, Texas] wraps it up
[VX byproduct hydrolosate incineration] “A year and a half ago, the first shipments of deactivated VX nerve agent, known as hydrolosate, arrived at Veolia Environmental Services to be incinerated in compliance with international treaties mandating the destruction of the nation’s chemical weapons arsenal. This past week, the final shipment — 2 million gallons or so — was destroyed. The program was part of a $49 million contract entered into between Port Arthur’s Veolia and the U.S. Army’s Chemical Materials Agency.” (Texas Examiner; 15Dec08; Jerry Jordan)
http://www.theexaminer.com/npps/story.cfm?ID=2798
Years later, Gulf [War, 1991] ills linger
“For more than a decade, federal officials have denied that sick veterans of the Gulf War share a distinct illness. But a 452-page federal report by an independent committee of scientists and veterans, released last month by the Boston University School of Public Health, found that at least 174,000 veterans, or 1 in 4 people deployed by the US military to the Persian Gulf in 1990 and 1991, have Gulf War illness, manifesting in a range of symptoms, probably caused by pesticide exposure and an experimental drug that hundreds of thousands were ordered to take as a precaution against chemical attack. The drug, pyridostigmine bromide, and certain pesticides […] affect the central nervous system, the report found, and are associated with memory and focus problems, persistent headaches, respiratory and digestion problems, and ‘widespread pain.’ The report concludes that there are no effective treatments […].” (Boston Globe; 15Dec08; Bina Venkataraman) http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/12/15/years_later_gulf_ills_linger/
Rule OK’s chemical tankers through cities
“Federal security officials have long considered railroad tankers full of such chemicals as chlorine or anhydrous ammonia to be potential weapons of mass destruction. If attacked by a terrorist or disturbed individual in the middle of a city they could cause thousands of deaths. The finalization of the rail routing rule is one of the latest ‘midnight rule changes’ pushed through by the outgoing administration […] the regulation leaves the decision of which route to take with deadly chemicals primarily in the hands of the railroads. Critics contend that this leaves too many communities vulnerable to a serious security threat and that state, local, and federal officials should have more input to ensure the chemicals are transported along the shortest, safest, and most secure routes.” (Christian Science Monitor; 15Dec08; Alexandra Marks) http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2008/12/15/rule-ok’s-chemical-tankers-through-cities/
US-Jordan agreement seeks to prevent smuggling of nuclear, radioactive material
“The United States and Jordan on Tuesday agreed to begin a cooperative effort to detect, deter and interdict illicit smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive material. […] The agreement provides a foundation for the US Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to cooperate with the JNRC and other government agencies, in order to install radiation detection equipment and associated infrastructure at the Port of Aqaba and selected land border crossings. In addition, the NNSA will train Jordanian officials on the use of such equipment and provide maintenance services for a specified period, the statement said.” (Mid-East North Africa Financial Network; 17Dec08)
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093224872
Quarantined employee ‘livid’ after Friday's anthrax scare [Carson City, Nevada]
“The 15 employees quarantined in Friday's anthrax scare in Carson City are now questioning the response of the officials to the incident and why they were left in the dark following final test results. […] Not long after her arrival, the News 4 reporter was taken into custody when officials told her she wandered to [sic] close to the contaminated area. It was an area that she says, gave no indication of a threat. […] An anonymous mailroom employee says she was never notified when officials received word that the powder that had her isolated in the cold for more than seven hours was actually cooking flour. […] Another anthrax scare that left a business in Carson City on edge Monday morning turned out to be a hoax after onsite testing revealed the suspicious substance was actually crushed aspirin.”
(News 4, Carson City; 15Dec08; Sami Davies)
http://www.krnv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9528180&nav=menu113_1_3
Washington latest state to get suspicious powder
“A suspicious white powder that was sent in a letter to Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire […] has been declared harmless. State Patrol Sgt. Ted DeHart says the powder was tested Monday. […] Two people were decontaminated as a precaution. Mailings with powders found to be harmless have been received at governors' offices in 39 states and two U.S. territories since last week.” (Associated Press; 16Dec08) http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5giqzbHkY5aUtwYUxwihgAvCtsZLwD953G4SG0
Harmless white powder mailed to US embassies [throughout Europe]
“Eight U.S. embassies in Europe have received suspicious letters of white powder, the FBI said Tuesday in what the agency called a hoax. […] which also contain an unspecified note, FBI spokesman Rich Kolko said. […] ‘The FBI has contacted the governors' offices and State Department to be on the lookout for additional letters,’ Kolko said.” (Associated Press; 16Dec08) http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hRXPAI74ls3KjW2x2uc_l-UtBfhwD9543OVG0
CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD Terrorism.
Showing posts with label nevada. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nevada. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- July 21, 2008
Vangent Awarded $23 Million Contract to Support Force Health Protection & Readiness
“Vangent, Inc., a leading global provider of information management and strategic business process outsourcing solutions, today announced that the Department of Defense (DoD) Force Health Protection & Readiness Program Office (FHP&R) has awarded the company a $23 million contract to manage and enhance FHP&R automated information systems.” (Market Watch; 21July08) http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/vangent-awarded-23-million-contract/story.aspx?guid=%7B35B81569-1FFA-40FB-8D80-30DC606F97E7%7D&dist=hppr
Killer Kevlar: Clothing That Shields From Germs
“Researchers in South Dakota report progress toward the first Kevlar fabrics that can kill a wide range of infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, and the spores that cause anthrax. […]The scientists developed a special process to coat Kevlar samples with acyclic N-Halamine, a potent germ-fighting substance. They then exposed coated and uncoated fabric samples to E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida tropicalis (a fungus), MS2 virus, and Bacillus subtilis spores (to mimic anthrax).” (Science Daily; 21July08) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721092412.htm
Bio Weapons Monitor System Draws Criticism
“Homeland Security experts consider Southern Nevada a high-risk target for terrorist attacks […] one of 30 major cities nationwide that actually monitor the air for biological weapons. The program is called BioWatch. BioWatch has drawn criticism since it began five years ago. Just this week, members of a Congressional subcommittee heard it characterized as a ‘parasite’ by the local public health officials tasked with running it.”
(Las Vegas Now; 21July08)
http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=8701384&nav=168X
Completion of VX neutralization means many things to [Vermillion] Valley [Indiana]
“For more than 40 years, one of the last and deadliest remnants of the Cold War — 2.5-million pounds of VX — has been sitting quietly in carbon steel barrels in Vermillion County, part of a stockpile of chemical weapons the United States has been trying to dispose of for more than a decade.” (The Tribune-Star; 21July08; Deb Kelly) http://www.tribstar.com/local/local_story_201225101.html
Boone, Avondale [Colorado] to hold chem-demil meetings
“Public meetings on the next phase of the Defense Department’s effort to destroy Pueblo’s stockpile of chemical weapons will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday in Boone and Avondale.” (The Pueblo Chieftain; 21July08; John Norton) http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2008/07/20/news/local/doc4882d6376a7c2288377999.txt
RNC [Republican National Convention] has hospitals ready for anything
“Medical personnel scrambled to set up decontamination showers in an ambulance garage. Others donned head-to-toe hazardous materials protection suits. Pagers beeped madly as doctors and nurses rushed to help victims. Luckily, none of it was real. It was just the latest drill by metro hospitals in more than a year of preparation for medical calamities in advance of the Republican National Convention […]” (Star Tribune; 18Jul08; Chen May Yee) http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/conventions/25638404.html?page=1&c=y
Defentect Invited to Join 'Operation Golden Phoenix' Disaster Response Training Event
“Defentect™ gamma radiation detection network will be a participating technology at the Golden Phoenix real world disaster response laboratory environment in San Diego, July 21 – 24. Federal, state and local agencies will engage in a large-scale terrorism training event led by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection, the County of San Diego, the City of San Diego and U.S. Marine Corps Aircraft Group-46.” (The Earth Times; 21Jul08) http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/defentect-invited-to-join-operation-golden-phoenix-disaster-response-training-event,473859.shtml
Soviet uranium removed from Bulgaria
“The last of the highly enriched uranium stored in Bulgaria was removed from the country Thursday and transported to a secured site in Russia. […] The removal of the uranium, stored in Bulgaria since the 1970s, is part of an initiative to deter nuclear proliferation by terrorist groups and other militants whose stated goals include detonating a dirty bomb constructed with nuclear material.” (The Middle East Times; 18Jul08; United Press International)
http://www.metimes.com/Security/2008/07/18/soviet_uranium_removed_from_bulgaria/9b36/
Would-be Vegas hitman’s story ends in Irish jail
“Essam Ahmed Eid, a 53-year-old Egyptian man living in Vegas and dealing poker at the Bellagio, dreamed of becoming a hit man. […] After [Sharon] Collins [the alleged contractor] was arrested, police searched Eid’s cell and found he had a contact lens case with traces of Ricin inside. That evidence, on top of the e-mail, the phone calls, the testimony from Engle and the money Lying Eyes sent to Vegas, was enough for a jury to find Eid and Collins guilty. Collins was convicted of soliciting and conspiring to murder the Howards. Eid was convicted of extortion, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in Ireland, and assorted theft charges, for the office break-in.” (Las Vegas Sun; 20Jul08; Abigail Goldman) http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jul/20/would-be-vegas-hitmans-story-ends-irish-jail/
Another Former High-Ranking Iraqi Official Confirms WMD Went to Syria
“Ali Ibrahim al-Tikriti says he was southern regional commander for Saddam Hussein’s Fedayeen militia in the late 1980s and a personal friend of the dictator. Units under his command dealt with chemical and biological weapons. He was known as the ‘Butcher of Basra’ due to his campaigns and defected shortly before the Gulf War in 1991. This interview aims to gain some insight into the current situation in Iraq.” (International Analyst Network; 21July08; Ryan Mauro)
http://www.analyst-network.com/article.php?art_id=2276
City [Johnstown, Pennsylvania] hosting physicians’ disaster-Training program
“Eight physicians have begun Training in the four-year program, with an emphasis on disaster response and bioterrorism. [...] If approved by the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, the subspecialty will be incorporated with Memorial’s [hospital] newest residency program.”
(The Tribune-Democrat; 20July08; Randy Griffith) http://www.tribune-democrat.com/local/local_story_202201422.html
[National] College [Salem, North Carolina] Helps Prepare for Disaster
“National College in Salem partnered with the Near Southwest Preparedness Alliance (NSPA) [...] They sponsored a three-day planning and Training seminar by the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center that prepared medical teams for situations involving weapons of mass destruction, bioterrorism, radiation exposure and even chemical warfare.” (Red Orbit; 19July08; Jones Ryan)
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1485718/college_helps_prepare_for_disaster/
US military to be part of NZ exercise
“A large United States military delegation will take part in an international security exercise in New Zealand in September. […] The exercise, which involves stopping a ship carrying materials that could be used to make weapons of mass destruction, is being organised as part of New Zealand's commitment to the Proliferation Security Initiative. The initiative was set up by the United States five years ago to get countries to cooperate on stopping illicit shipments of weapons and materials that could be used to make chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.”
(Stuff.co.nz; 21July08; The Dominion Post, Hank Schouten) http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4626131a6160.html
International Journalists Discuss Iranian Missile Threat
“Iran’s testing of two separate rounds of long-range ballistic missiles earlier this month has aggravated tensions between Tehran and the United States, Israel, and even the Arab states in the region. […] Iranian journalist Ali Reza Nourizadeh, who directs the Center for Arab and Iranian studies in London, agrees that Tehran has probably exaggerated the range and accuracy of its missiles. Nonetheless, they are still ‘very dangerous’ because the hundreds of kilos of explosives they carry could be ‘turned to chemical and biological warheads.’” (VOA News; 21July08; Judith
Latham)
http://www.voanews.com/english/NewsAnalysis/2008-07-21-voa25.cfm
CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.
“Vangent, Inc., a leading global provider of information management and strategic business process outsourcing solutions, today announced that the Department of Defense (DoD) Force Health Protection & Readiness Program Office (FHP&R) has awarded the company a $23 million contract to manage and enhance FHP&R automated information systems.” (Market Watch; 21July08) http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/vangent-awarded-23-million-contract/story.aspx?guid=%7B35B81569-1FFA-40FB-8D80-30DC606F97E7%7D&dist=hppr
Killer Kevlar: Clothing That Shields From Germs
“Researchers in South Dakota report progress toward the first Kevlar fabrics that can kill a wide range of infectious agents, including bacteria, viruses, and the spores that cause anthrax. […]The scientists developed a special process to coat Kevlar samples with acyclic N-Halamine, a potent germ-fighting substance. They then exposed coated and uncoated fabric samples to E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida tropicalis (a fungus), MS2 virus, and Bacillus subtilis spores (to mimic anthrax).” (Science Daily; 21July08) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080721092412.htm
Bio Weapons Monitor System Draws Criticism
“Homeland Security experts consider Southern Nevada a high-risk target for terrorist attacks […] one of 30 major cities nationwide that actually monitor the air for biological weapons. The program is called BioWatch. BioWatch has drawn criticism since it began five years ago. Just this week, members of a Congressional subcommittee heard it characterized as a ‘parasite’ by the local public health officials tasked with running it.”
(Las Vegas Now; 21July08)
http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=8701384&nav=168X
Completion of VX neutralization means many things to [Vermillion] Valley [Indiana]
“For more than 40 years, one of the last and deadliest remnants of the Cold War — 2.5-million pounds of VX — has been sitting quietly in carbon steel barrels in Vermillion County, part of a stockpile of chemical weapons the United States has been trying to dispose of for more than a decade.” (The Tribune-Star; 21July08; Deb Kelly) http://www.tribstar.com/local/local_story_201225101.html
Boone, Avondale [Colorado] to hold chem-demil meetings
“Public meetings on the next phase of the Defense Department’s effort to destroy Pueblo’s stockpile of chemical weapons will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday in Boone and Avondale.” (The Pueblo Chieftain; 21July08; John Norton) http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2008/07/20/news/local/doc4882d6376a7c2288377999.txt
RNC [Republican National Convention] has hospitals ready for anything
“Medical personnel scrambled to set up decontamination showers in an ambulance garage. Others donned head-to-toe hazardous materials protection suits. Pagers beeped madly as doctors and nurses rushed to help victims. Luckily, none of it was real. It was just the latest drill by metro hospitals in more than a year of preparation for medical calamities in advance of the Republican National Convention […]” (Star Tribune; 18Jul08; Chen May Yee) http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/conventions/25638404.html?page=1&c=y
Defentect Invited to Join 'Operation Golden Phoenix' Disaster Response Training Event
“Defentect™ gamma radiation detection network will be a participating technology at the Golden Phoenix real world disaster response laboratory environment in San Diego, July 21 – 24. Federal, state and local agencies will engage in a large-scale terrorism training event led by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Customs and Border Protection, the County of San Diego, the City of San Diego and U.S. Marine Corps Aircraft Group-46.” (The Earth Times; 21Jul08) http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/defentect-invited-to-join-operation-golden-phoenix-disaster-response-training-event,473859.shtml
Soviet uranium removed from Bulgaria
“The last of the highly enriched uranium stored in Bulgaria was removed from the country Thursday and transported to a secured site in Russia. […] The removal of the uranium, stored in Bulgaria since the 1970s, is part of an initiative to deter nuclear proliferation by terrorist groups and other militants whose stated goals include detonating a dirty bomb constructed with nuclear material.” (The Middle East Times; 18Jul08; United Press International)
http://www.metimes.com/Security/2008/07/18/soviet_uranium_removed_from_bulgaria/9b36/
Would-be Vegas hitman’s story ends in Irish jail
“Essam Ahmed Eid, a 53-year-old Egyptian man living in Vegas and dealing poker at the Bellagio, dreamed of becoming a hit man. […] After [Sharon] Collins [the alleged contractor] was arrested, police searched Eid’s cell and found he had a contact lens case with traces of Ricin inside. That evidence, on top of the e-mail, the phone calls, the testimony from Engle and the money Lying Eyes sent to Vegas, was enough for a jury to find Eid and Collins guilty. Collins was convicted of soliciting and conspiring to murder the Howards. Eid was convicted of extortion, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in Ireland, and assorted theft charges, for the office break-in.” (Las Vegas Sun; 20Jul08; Abigail Goldman) http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jul/20/would-be-vegas-hitmans-story-ends-irish-jail/
Another Former High-Ranking Iraqi Official Confirms WMD Went to Syria
“Ali Ibrahim al-Tikriti says he was southern regional commander for Saddam Hussein’s Fedayeen militia in the late 1980s and a personal friend of the dictator. Units under his command dealt with chemical and biological weapons. He was known as the ‘Butcher of Basra’ due to his campaigns and defected shortly before the Gulf War in 1991. This interview aims to gain some insight into the current situation in Iraq.” (International Analyst Network; 21July08; Ryan Mauro)
http://www.analyst-network.com/article.php?art_id=2276
City [Johnstown, Pennsylvania] hosting physicians’ disaster-Training program
“Eight physicians have begun Training in the four-year program, with an emphasis on disaster response and bioterrorism. [...] If approved by the American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, the subspecialty will be incorporated with Memorial’s [hospital] newest residency program.”
(The Tribune-Democrat; 20July08; Randy Griffith) http://www.tribune-democrat.com/local/local_story_202201422.html
[National] College [Salem, North Carolina] Helps Prepare for Disaster
“National College in Salem partnered with the Near Southwest Preparedness Alliance (NSPA) [...] They sponsored a three-day planning and Training seminar by the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center that prepared medical teams for situations involving weapons of mass destruction, bioterrorism, radiation exposure and even chemical warfare.” (Red Orbit; 19July08; Jones Ryan)
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1485718/college_helps_prepare_for_disaster/
US military to be part of NZ exercise
“A large United States military delegation will take part in an international security exercise in New Zealand in September. […] The exercise, which involves stopping a ship carrying materials that could be used to make weapons of mass destruction, is being organised as part of New Zealand's commitment to the Proliferation Security Initiative. The initiative was set up by the United States five years ago to get countries to cooperate on stopping illicit shipments of weapons and materials that could be used to make chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.”
(Stuff.co.nz; 21July08; The Dominion Post, Hank Schouten) http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4626131a6160.html
International Journalists Discuss Iranian Missile Threat
“Iran’s testing of two separate rounds of long-range ballistic missiles earlier this month has aggravated tensions between Tehran and the United States, Israel, and even the Arab states in the region. […] Iranian journalist Ali Reza Nourizadeh, who directs the Center for Arab and Iranian studies in London, agrees that Tehran has probably exaggerated the range and accuracy of its missiles. Nonetheless, they are still ‘very dangerous’ because the hundreds of kilos of explosives they carry could be ‘turned to chemical and biological warheads.’” (VOA News; 21July08; Judith
Latham)
http://www.voanews.com/english/NewsAnalysis/2008-07-21-voa25.cfm
CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.
Saturday, May 03, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News-May 2, 2008
Heparin Contamination May Have Been Deliberate, F.D.A. [Food & Drug Administration] Says
“Federal drug regulators believe that a contaminant detected in a crucial blood thinner that has caused 81 deaths was added deliberately, something the Food and Drug Administration has only hinted at previously.[Marker] ‘F.D.A.’s working hypothesis is that this was intentional contamination, but this is not yet proven,’ Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s drug center, told the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations in written testimony given Tuesday.” (New York Times; 30Apr08; Gardiner Harris).
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/health/policy/30heparin.html?em&ex=1209700800&en=2c7f1b380ee3057e&ei=5087%0A
Researchers determine drug target for the most potent botulinum neurotoxin
“Although experimental vaccines administered prior to exposure can inhibit the destructive action of this neurotoxin - the most deadly protein known to humans - no effective pharmacological treatment exists. Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) have taken the first step toward designing an effective antidote to the most potent form of the toxin. They have found that they can trick the toxin to bypass its normal binding protein, thereby blocking its deadly action.” (Science Centric; 01May08).
http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/08050129.htm
Attomolar Detection of Botulinum Toxin Type A in Complex Biological Matrices
“A highly sensitive, rapid and cost efficient method that can detect active botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) in complex biological samples such as foods or serum is desired in order to 1) counter the potential bioterrorist threat 2) enhance food safety 3) enable future pharmacokinetic studies in medical applications that utilize BoNTs. […] The sensitivity, specificity, speed and simplicity of the BoNT ALISSA should make this method attractive for diagnostic, biodefense and pharmacological applications. […] The BoNT/A ALISSA is an inexpensive, simple and robust procedure that ensures high analytical specificity and attomolar sensitivity for the detection of BoNT/A in complex biological samples.” (Plos One; 30Apr08; Karine Bagramyan, Jason R. Barash, Stephen S. Arnon, Markus Kalkum).
http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0002041
California Senate committee confirms first public health director
“A legislative panel Wednesday unanimously confirmed the nomination of Dr.Mark Horton as the first director of the California Department of Public Health, despite concerns about the department's capability. […] Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, expressed concern about the department's lagging disbursement to counties of federal Homeland Security funds for hospital and bioterrorism preparedness. During the past fiscal year, the department has passed out $210 million of the $370 million at its disposal. Horton said roughly one-third of the counties have not received money because they have not submitted plans detailing how they will spend it.” (Sacramento Bee; 01May08; Aurelio Rojas).
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/904018.html
Toward a 21st-century intelligence enterprise
“The globalization of technology is expanding opportunities for how, where and by whom chemical, biological and nuclear weapons can be acquired or produced. […] No single intelligence agency can deal successfully with an issue that involves complex dual-use technologies, carefully hidden secrets and worldwide sources of supply and transport. Keeping terrorists from acquiring WMD requires U.S. intelligence agencies to excel at rapidly linking collection, analysis and action […].” (Belleville News-Democrat; 01May08; Kenneth C. Brill).
http://www.bnd.com/285/story/327168.html
Govt approves setting up of National Police University [India]
“Government today agreed in principle to establish a National Police University […] The university is likely to offer graduates, post graduates and PhD courses to civilians and serving police officer in a range of subjects including biological warfare, criminal psychology, public relations, human rights, insurgency and communal tensions.” (Press Trust of India; 01May08).
http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/E6F5199AA22A73EB6525743C005D12AB?OpenDocument
Researchers design ‘smart bomb’ to fight infections
“The technology can create new treatments for influenza and other communicable diseases, even anthrax and small pox […] researchers have isolated antibody-secreting cells, or plasma cells, from people vaccinated for influenza, and then cloned antibody genes from these cells. […] said Patrick Wilson of Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. ‘It is a rapid and efficient way to make fully human antibodies.’ […] Findings of the study have been published in the online publication of the journal Nature.”(Thai-Indian News; 01May08).
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/researchers-design-smart-bomb-to-fight-infections_10043869.html
I-Team: First Responders Get Radioactive Ready [Nevada]
“Since 9/11, the Nevada Test Site has hosted thousands of first responders to teach them the basics of radiation. One of the very first goals is to overcome an emotion that is nearly synonymous with the term nuclear -- fear. […] The National Nuclear Security Administration runs the program with a grant from the Department of Homeland Security. […] By the time this group leaves here after a full week of classroom and field experience, they are expected to return to their hometowns with knowledge gathered through a half a century of nuclear experience at the test site. The program costs taxpayers about $30 million each year...” (Las Vegas Now; 01May08; Mark Sayre).
http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=8253378
Workshop on nuclear terrorism ends
“The regional workshop on Suppression of Nuclear Terrorism organized by the National Committee for Combating Drugs, in conjunction with United Nations' Middle East and South Africa regional office for drugs and crime, concluded at Sharq Hotel on Wednesday, with the participants underlining the threat posed to development by terrorism. […] The participants aired their worry on the increasing threat of the spread of nuclear weapons and possession of chemical, biological and nuclear materials by non-member countries of the UN.” (The Peninsula; 02May08).
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=May2008&file=Local_News2008050224542.xml
A Brave New~World?: President Mikhail Gorbachev on the nuclear age and Russia’s future
“Where do you see the primary threat of nuclear terrorism coming from? […] I think that when we talk about the threat of nuclear terrorism today, we should talk about it in preventive terms. We should prevent that threat from emerging. And it could become more real, if we have the proliferation of nuclear weapons.” (Harvard Political Review; 30Apr08; Nicholas Tatsis interview with Mikhail Gorbachev).
http://hprsite.squarespace.com/a-brave-new-world-042008/2008/5/1/a-brave-new-world.html
Memorial for Porton Down victims
“Victims of experiments at the Porton Down research centre have been honoured during a service at Staffordshire's National Memorial Arboretum. A plaque and a tree have been unveiled at the arboretum, in Alrewas, in recognition of Cold War veterans. […] It ended a long-running legal dispute between the government and the servicemen. […] The history of the [sarin] tests was highlighted during an inquest into the death of Ronald Maddison, a 20-year-old aircraftsman from County Durham. In 1953, he volunteered to take part in what he believed to be a trial for a cold cure, but died within an hour of having sarin dabbed on his arm.” (BBC News; 01May08).
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/staffordshire/7377946.stm
U.S. terror report mentions witness intimidation in Kosovo
“Serbia cooperated with the U.S. on a wide range of terrorism issues, a report says. The United States State Department Country Reports on Terrorism released yesterday, also says that although Serbia joined the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, the bilateral Weapons of Mass Destruction Agreement, signed in 2006, has not yet been ratified. ‘Failure of the Serbian Parliament to ratify the agreement prohibited the duty free import and donation of equipment that could be used to counter terrorism,’ the document says.” (B92, Serbia; 01May08).
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=05&dd=01&nav_id=49883
Outrage Rises at U.N. Over Libya’s Disruptive Presence On Security Council: Israeli Envoy: This Is What Happens When ‘Terrorists’ Given Council Seat
“Following secret negotiations with the United States and Britain, Libya agreed in 2003 to halt its nuclear and chemical weapons programs and to compensate victims of terrorist attacks, prompting a lifting of U.N. and American sanctions and, in 2006, Libya’s removal from America’s list of terrorist sponsors. […] ‘This is what happens when the Security Council is infiltrated by terrorists,’ [Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Dan Gillerman] declared at the time, to which [Libya’s ambassador, Ibrahim Dabbashi] retorted, ‘We don’t need a certificate of good conduct from the Israeli terrorist regime or its representative here.’” (The Jewish Daily Forward; 01May08; Marc Perelman).
http://www.forward.com/articles/13295/
Iran Is Most Significant State Sponsor of Terrorism, Report Says
“And also worrisome is that some of these countries that provide aid to terrorist groups also have the capability to make nuclear, biological and chemical weapons that could easily get into the hands of terrorists, the annual report says.” (NewsBlaze; 01May08; Merle D. Kellerhals).
http://newsblaze.com/story/20080501115150tsop.nb/newsblaze/WORLDNEW/World-News.html
CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.
“Federal drug regulators believe that a contaminant detected in a crucial blood thinner that has caused 81 deaths was added deliberately, something the Food and Drug Administration has only hinted at previously.[Marker] ‘F.D.A.’s working hypothesis is that this was intentional contamination, but this is not yet proven,’ Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the Food and Drug Administration’s drug center, told the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations in written testimony given Tuesday.” (New York Times; 30Apr08; Gardiner Harris).
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/health/policy/30heparin.html?em&ex=1209700800&en=2c7f1b380ee3057e&ei=5087%0A
Researchers determine drug target for the most potent botulinum neurotoxin
“Although experimental vaccines administered prior to exposure can inhibit the destructive action of this neurotoxin - the most deadly protein known to humans - no effective pharmacological treatment exists. Now, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) have taken the first step toward designing an effective antidote to the most potent form of the toxin. They have found that they can trick the toxin to bypass its normal binding protein, thereby blocking its deadly action.” (Science Centric; 01May08).
http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/08050129.htm
Attomolar Detection of Botulinum Toxin Type A in Complex Biological Matrices
“A highly sensitive, rapid and cost efficient method that can detect active botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) in complex biological samples such as foods or serum is desired in order to 1) counter the potential bioterrorist threat 2) enhance food safety 3) enable future pharmacokinetic studies in medical applications that utilize BoNTs. […] The sensitivity, specificity, speed and simplicity of the BoNT ALISSA should make this method attractive for diagnostic, biodefense and pharmacological applications. […] The BoNT/A ALISSA is an inexpensive, simple and robust procedure that ensures high analytical specificity and attomolar sensitivity for the detection of BoNT/A in complex biological samples.” (Plos One; 30Apr08; Karine Bagramyan, Jason R. Barash, Stephen S. Arnon, Markus Kalkum).
http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0002041
California Senate committee confirms first public health director
“A legislative panel Wednesday unanimously confirmed the nomination of Dr.Mark Horton as the first director of the California Department of Public Health, despite concerns about the department's capability. […] Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, expressed concern about the department's lagging disbursement to counties of federal Homeland Security funds for hospital and bioterrorism preparedness. During the past fiscal year, the department has passed out $210 million of the $370 million at its disposal. Horton said roughly one-third of the counties have not received money because they have not submitted plans detailing how they will spend it.” (Sacramento Bee; 01May08; Aurelio Rojas).
http://www.sacbee.com/111/story/904018.html
Toward a 21st-century intelligence enterprise
“The globalization of technology is expanding opportunities for how, where and by whom chemical, biological and nuclear weapons can be acquired or produced. […] No single intelligence agency can deal successfully with an issue that involves complex dual-use technologies, carefully hidden secrets and worldwide sources of supply and transport. Keeping terrorists from acquiring WMD requires U.S. intelligence agencies to excel at rapidly linking collection, analysis and action […].” (Belleville News-Democrat; 01May08; Kenneth C. Brill).
http://www.bnd.com/285/story/327168.html
Govt approves setting up of National Police University [India]
“Government today agreed in principle to establish a National Police University […] The university is likely to offer graduates, post graduates and PhD courses to civilians and serving police officer in a range of subjects including biological warfare, criminal psychology, public relations, human rights, insurgency and communal tensions.” (Press Trust of India; 01May08).
http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/E6F5199AA22A73EB6525743C005D12AB?OpenDocument
Researchers design ‘smart bomb’ to fight infections
“The technology can create new treatments for influenza and other communicable diseases, even anthrax and small pox […] researchers have isolated antibody-secreting cells, or plasma cells, from people vaccinated for influenza, and then cloned antibody genes from these cells. […] said Patrick Wilson of Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. ‘It is a rapid and efficient way to make fully human antibodies.’ […] Findings of the study have been published in the online publication of the journal Nature.”(Thai-Indian News; 01May08).
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/researchers-design-smart-bomb-to-fight-infections_10043869.html
I-Team: First Responders Get Radioactive Ready [Nevada]
“Since 9/11, the Nevada Test Site has hosted thousands of first responders to teach them the basics of radiation. One of the very first goals is to overcome an emotion that is nearly synonymous with the term nuclear -- fear. […] The National Nuclear Security Administration runs the program with a grant from the Department of Homeland Security. […] By the time this group leaves here after a full week of classroom and field experience, they are expected to return to their hometowns with knowledge gathered through a half a century of nuclear experience at the test site. The program costs taxpayers about $30 million each year...” (Las Vegas Now; 01May08; Mark Sayre).
http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=8253378
Workshop on nuclear terrorism ends
“The regional workshop on Suppression of Nuclear Terrorism organized by the National Committee for Combating Drugs, in conjunction with United Nations' Middle East and South Africa regional office for drugs and crime, concluded at Sharq Hotel on Wednesday, with the participants underlining the threat posed to development by terrorism. […] The participants aired their worry on the increasing threat of the spread of nuclear weapons and possession of chemical, biological and nuclear materials by non-member countries of the UN.” (The Peninsula; 02May08).
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=May2008&file=Local_News2008050224542.xml
A Brave New~World?: President Mikhail Gorbachev on the nuclear age and Russia’s future
“Where do you see the primary threat of nuclear terrorism coming from? […] I think that when we talk about the threat of nuclear terrorism today, we should talk about it in preventive terms. We should prevent that threat from emerging. And it could become more real, if we have the proliferation of nuclear weapons.” (Harvard Political Review; 30Apr08; Nicholas Tatsis interview with Mikhail Gorbachev).
http://hprsite.squarespace.com/a-brave-new-world-042008/2008/5/1/a-brave-new-world.html
Memorial for Porton Down victims
“Victims of experiments at the Porton Down research centre have been honoured during a service at Staffordshire's National Memorial Arboretum. A plaque and a tree have been unveiled at the arboretum, in Alrewas, in recognition of Cold War veterans. […] It ended a long-running legal dispute between the government and the servicemen. […] The history of the [sarin] tests was highlighted during an inquest into the death of Ronald Maddison, a 20-year-old aircraftsman from County Durham. In 1953, he volunteered to take part in what he believed to be a trial for a cold cure, but died within an hour of having sarin dabbed on his arm.” (BBC News; 01May08).
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/staffordshire/7377946.stm
U.S. terror report mentions witness intimidation in Kosovo
“Serbia cooperated with the U.S. on a wide range of terrorism issues, a report says. The United States State Department Country Reports on Terrorism released yesterday, also says that although Serbia joined the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, the bilateral Weapons of Mass Destruction Agreement, signed in 2006, has not yet been ratified. ‘Failure of the Serbian Parliament to ratify the agreement prohibited the duty free import and donation of equipment that could be used to counter terrorism,’ the document says.” (B92, Serbia; 01May08).
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/politics-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=05&dd=01&nav_id=49883
Outrage Rises at U.N. Over Libya’s Disruptive Presence On Security Council: Israeli Envoy: This Is What Happens When ‘Terrorists’ Given Council Seat
“Following secret negotiations with the United States and Britain, Libya agreed in 2003 to halt its nuclear and chemical weapons programs and to compensate victims of terrorist attacks, prompting a lifting of U.N. and American sanctions and, in 2006, Libya’s removal from America’s list of terrorist sponsors. […] ‘This is what happens when the Security Council is infiltrated by terrorists,’ [Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Dan Gillerman] declared at the time, to which [Libya’s ambassador, Ibrahim Dabbashi] retorted, ‘We don’t need a certificate of good conduct from the Israeli terrorist regime or its representative here.’” (The Jewish Daily Forward; 01May08; Marc Perelman).
http://www.forward.com/articles/13295/
Iran Is Most Significant State Sponsor of Terrorism, Report Says
“And also worrisome is that some of these countries that provide aid to terrorist groups also have the capability to make nuclear, biological and chemical weapons that could easily get into the hands of terrorists, the annual report says.” (NewsBlaze; 01May08; Merle D. Kellerhals).
http://newsblaze.com/story/20080501115150tsop.nb/newsblaze/WORLDNEW/World-News.html
CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Congressional Leaders Unite in Praise, Support for Troops in Iraq
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
March 13, 2008 - Congressional leaders honored U.S. troops who have served in Iraq and elsewhere around the world during a bipartisan remembrance ceremony here today in the Capitol Rotunda. During the ceremony, which marked the upcoming fifth anniversary of the Iraq war, the Congress members extended praise and appreciation to all U.S. servicemembers, emphasizing that their support for the troops transcends political lines.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, speaker of the House, opened the ceremony by lauding servicemembers who responded without delay when their nation called.
"When sent into battle, they performed their duties effectively with bravery, dignity and honor that are the hallmark of American soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast Guardsmen and Marines," she said. "After five years of the war in Iraq and more than six in Afghanistan, the selflessness of our heroes continues to make us proud."
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, Senate minority leader, acknowledged the ongoing debate about the future of war in Iraq and overall war on terror.
"There is passion and seriousness and patriotism on both sides," he said. "Yet one thing is certain: The men and women of our military have done their jobs. Their purpose is just. And on this day of remembrance, in this place of honor, we thank all who have served."
Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, Senate majority leader, emphasized that today's ceremony rose above any political differences.
"Today we stand together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans, all to honor every airman, soldier, sailor and Marine who has served and every American hero who has perished in that far-off land of Iraq," he said.
Reid joined the other leaders in extending his recognition to troops who have served in Afghanistan. "We could not possibly honor our troops with words to match the honor of their brave action," he said.
Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, House minority leader, thanked troops following in the footsteps of those who have served the country throughout its history.
"The men and women of our military and their families are our nation's greatest heroes, and their incredible accomplishments are indeed a cause for celebration," he said. "Their achievements are too numerous to count and too widespread to fully catalogue. The least we can do is to take time from our daily routine to stop, to think, and to express our thanks and gratitude for the sacrifices our military (and their) families ... continue to make."
The lawmakers paid special tribute to wounded troops and the families of those who have died serving their country.
"We honor the service of our men and women in uniform of our armed services, those who have returned home, and their brothers and sisters in arms we've lost," Pelosi said. "We mourn every day."
"We honor their parents, children, husbands, wives and friends, those they loved and those who loved them," Reid added. "They too bear a heavy burden in service to the ideals we cherish."
McConnell said those who sacrificed did so because "they loved their families and believed their service would keep their families safe."
"We've been humbled by the sacrifice of so many Americans," he said. "And today we recommit ourselves to their service, to the care of those who have returned and to the full support of those who fight."
All the speakers expressed hope for a time of peace.
Pelosi looked to the statue of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who expressed hope for a future when people can live together in peace. "In the spirit of his farewell prayer, we seek to end conflict, to promote peace and to build a future worthy of the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform," she said.
McConnell said America's servicemembers are helping to secure that peace. "On this day of remembrance, we can be sure that as long as good and generous souls rise up to defend America, the world can hope for days of peace to come," he said.
American Forces Press Service
March 13, 2008 - Congressional leaders honored U.S. troops who have served in Iraq and elsewhere around the world during a bipartisan remembrance ceremony here today in the Capitol Rotunda. During the ceremony, which marked the upcoming fifth anniversary of the Iraq war, the Congress members extended praise and appreciation to all U.S. servicemembers, emphasizing that their support for the troops transcends political lines.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, speaker of the House, opened the ceremony by lauding servicemembers who responded without delay when their nation called.
"When sent into battle, they performed their duties effectively with bravery, dignity and honor that are the hallmark of American soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast Guardsmen and Marines," she said. "After five years of the war in Iraq and more than six in Afghanistan, the selflessness of our heroes continues to make us proud."
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, Senate minority leader, acknowledged the ongoing debate about the future of war in Iraq and overall war on terror.
"There is passion and seriousness and patriotism on both sides," he said. "Yet one thing is certain: The men and women of our military have done their jobs. Their purpose is just. And on this day of remembrance, in this place of honor, we thank all who have served."
Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, Senate majority leader, emphasized that today's ceremony rose above any political differences.
"Today we stand together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans, all to honor every airman, soldier, sailor and Marine who has served and every American hero who has perished in that far-off land of Iraq," he said.
Reid joined the other leaders in extending his recognition to troops who have served in Afghanistan. "We could not possibly honor our troops with words to match the honor of their brave action," he said.
Rep. John Boehner of Ohio, House minority leader, thanked troops following in the footsteps of those who have served the country throughout its history.
"The men and women of our military and their families are our nation's greatest heroes, and their incredible accomplishments are indeed a cause for celebration," he said. "Their achievements are too numerous to count and too widespread to fully catalogue. The least we can do is to take time from our daily routine to stop, to think, and to express our thanks and gratitude for the sacrifices our military (and their) families ... continue to make."
The lawmakers paid special tribute to wounded troops and the families of those who have died serving their country.
"We honor the service of our men and women in uniform of our armed services, those who have returned home, and their brothers and sisters in arms we've lost," Pelosi said. "We mourn every day."
"We honor their parents, children, husbands, wives and friends, those they loved and those who loved them," Reid added. "They too bear a heavy burden in service to the ideals we cherish."
McConnell said those who sacrificed did so because "they loved their families and believed their service would keep their families safe."
"We've been humbled by the sacrifice of so many Americans," he said. "And today we recommit ourselves to their service, to the care of those who have returned and to the full support of those who fight."
All the speakers expressed hope for a time of peace.
Pelosi looked to the statue of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who expressed hope for a future when people can live together in peace. "In the spirit of his farewell prayer, we seek to end conflict, to promote peace and to build a future worthy of the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform," she said.
McConnell said America's servicemembers are helping to secure that peace. "On this day of remembrance, we can be sure that as long as good and generous souls rise up to defend America, the world can hope for days of peace to come," he said.
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