Entries Tagged 'International Affairs' ↓

that he’s going to devote a significant amount of attention to the developing Asian Bird flu (H5N1) story on his new blog EPIDEMIca. M-J was a top-notch investigative reporter who changed his life to pursue an interest in infectious diseases – I can’t think of a better combo for someone who’s going to sift through the news and rumours about this potentially civilization-altering story.

The current outbreak in Thailand, Vietnam and China of bird flu – the H5N1 variety of the influenza virus – could be the start of a global pandemic of the flu. All public-health officials believe that the world is overdue for a pandemic, like those that killed hundreds of millions in 1918 and 1967. So far, bird flu has infected and killed only a few score of humans, but if the avian influenza virus mutates and acquires the ability to be transmitted from human to human, and not just from infected birds to humans, a pandemic will likely explode.

a piece that looks at the problems with introducing high-tech passports: Border controls. From last month.

Will Bono’s next gig be World Bank president? I seriously doubt it, but this story is getting some serious press at the moment.

The Coming Wars: What the Pentagon can now do in secret. “The President has signed a series of findings and executive orders authorizing secret commando groups and other Special Forces units to conduct covert operations against suspected terrorist targets in as many as ten nations in the Middle East and South Asia.”

about the Guantanamo prison facility have leaked, and they’re not pretty: Red Cross Finds Detainee Abuse in Guantánamo.

at the Daily Kos: Terrorist Strategy 101. Very cogent and concise description of what’s going on and why the current policies do not address the issues adequately.
By Pericles, aka Doug Muder.