Bird flu stories
New bird flu cases in European Russia, Â Australia's CSL says dosage key to quick flu vaccine,
Roche Warns Against Generic Tamiflu
A new outbreak of bird flu has been confirmed in European Russia 400 km (250 miles) southeast of Moscow, and Croatia has more suspected cases and is culling flocks. The European Union is considering banning imports of live captive and pet birds. There have been a number of false alarms. Australia believes that a vaccine that it is currently testing for dosage on humans will protect against a pandemic form of the H5N1 virus if it does not undergo major genetic changes.
Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG is holding on to its patent on the antiviral drug Tamiflu and warns countries against producing their own generic versions, as they do not have its experience with the complex and dangerous manufacture of the drug. India is considering invoking a law that would allow it to make the drug.
World not doing enough to fight bird flu: FAO chief
The director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organization says that it is hard prevent the spread of bird flu among birds because fear of a pandemic among people causes people to focus on that. Additionally, promised aid has not arrived from donor nations, and it falls far short of what is needed. Health ministers and officials from 30 countries were in Ottawa Monday for a two day conference.
Europe Said to Be Prepared for Bird Flu, Â EU to propose temporary import ban of pet birds
Europe is said to be ready for bird flu and should be able to contain it and prevent a human pandemic. It has already reached Russia, Romania, Turkey and possibly Croatia, however, so Europe should not be complacent. The greatest threat is in Asia. Europe was considering banning imports of live poultry and wild birds. An infected parrot died in quarantine in the UK. Countries in South America are also taking precautions. Columbia banned some rice imports because wild birds land in rice fields.
Other stories
Floods maroon one million in eastern India
More than one million people in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal were marooned on Monday after torrential rains. Rivers burst their banks and 14 people were killed.
Cherry products must drop disease claims - FDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned a number of companies selling cherry products to stop claiming that they help treat or prevent cancer, heart disease, arthritis and other diseases.
Explosion at Coal Mine in China Kills 15
15 miners have been killed and 3 injured in an explosion at a coal mine in southern China on Sunday. More than 6,000 miners killed last year in China's mines.
Africa, donors unveil plan to fight desertification
The Terrafrica partnership to fight desertification across Africa was launched Monday by African governments and donors. The World Bank's Africa regional manager said, "Its objectives are to improve the policies and governance that affect the management of land, to augment the analysis of the causes of land degradation and the solutions that actually work on the ground". The World Bank would administer the in a trust fund money initially. Desertification causes chronic food shortages and is likely to lead to millions of environmental refugees in coming decades. Forest clearing for agriculture, overplanting and overgrazing are major causes of desertification. Kenyan Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai said that, "No matter how many policies we put in place, how much we talk in these international fora, until we can go down to work with those farmers down there in the valley, stop the deforestation and protect these very fragile environments, we can talk but I can assure you there will be another Terrafrica in another 30 years".
EU launches new measures to protect seas, oceans
The seas around the European Union are vulnerable to climate change, oil spills and commercial fishing. The EU executive has launched new measures to clean them up and protect them. "Estimates suggest that by 2080, between 13 percent and 25 percent of the world's coastal wetlands could be lost due to sea level rise alone," the Commission said. "Tourism would be severely hit by the degradation of marine ecosystems."
Britain defends watered-down CO2 limit
Britain is going to court to try to get its carbon dioxide pollution limits eased, but Environment Minister Elliot Morely said it was not undermining the European Union's emissions trading system.
Please see the following message for the remaining stories. Sue [sysop in NewsForum, World Issues, All Animals forums] | 
