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Ethics of agricultural
technologies under scrutiny ?
Responding
to Commission President José Manuel Barroso's request, the EU
executive's ethical advisory body will issue an opinion on
modern agricultural technologies by the end of 2008.
Under discussion throughout the day were the ethics of food
security, the sustainability of agriculture, global trade, biofuels, the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), GMOs
and intellectual property rights (IPR), all of which are set
to be addressed by the Commission's opinion.
Airport security
technology under scrutiny -
Tuesday's terrorist attacks
have some leading aviation experts calling for improved
technology and beefed-up surveillance at the nation's
airports--regardless of privacy advocates' concerns.
"Travelers will see increased security measures at our
airports, train stations and other key sites," Transportation
Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said in a statement Wednesday.
"There will be higher levels of surveillance, more stringent
searches. Airport curbside luggage check-in will no longer be
allowed. There will be more security officers, random
identification checks."
"The technology is only as good as the people who use
it...It's a mind-numbing experience to watch 300 bags cross
the screen and try to determine if that's a hair blow-dryer or
an explosive device," said aviation expert Paul Dempsey,
director of the Transportation Law Program and professor of
law at Denver University.
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