Jean Pascal Zanders

#ChemicalWeapons #BiologicalWeapons #OSINT #Disinformation #Verification Evidence Poisoning: The OSINT Crisis Nobody Is Ready For (by @dutch_osintguy) the-trench.org/evidence-pois… Over the past decade and a half, we have been confronted with chemical warfare, assassination operations involving nerve agents and lethal animal toxins, and accusations of illicit biological research activities, all indicative of serious breaches of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC). The incidents were accompanied by information warfare, typically of the type in which one side claimed the allegations were fake and the other side argued their veracity. A characteristic of this information warfare is that the same antagonists – government outlets, organisations and institutions, individual scientists or academics, and motley groups of loosely connected activists – may switch between accusing and defending roles depending on the incident. Yet the same protagonists spread disinformation, while the same challengers counter the disinformation onslaught with facts. Too often, the context in which the claims are made is poisoned. Conditioning information elements have been planted in advance, not infrequently years before a particular incident, and help make certain arguments plausible. And in international forums, the truth is all too often political, despite the presentation of facts obtained through internationally negotiated investigative protocols and grounded in the most advanced scientific insights and forensic evidence. In today’s security environment, every individual should ‘know’ instead of ‘believe’ and ‘think’ instead of just ‘being told’ to be able to make informed judgements. The piece below offers a detailed toolbox for analysts to construct credible arguments with minimal ambiguity and for readers to analyse controversial debates critically. Originally published by Nico Dekens (NL) on his excellent blog covering open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysis in May, we reproduce it here with his permission.

#ArtificialIntelligence #SyntheticBiology #Governance #Ethics #Research #Medicine #Neuroscience Inside the data centres built with lab-grown human brain cells standard.co.uk/news/tech/dat… [...] In March last year, the company began creating and commercialising modular brain cell boxes called CL1s, with shipping beginning that summer. The size of a shoe-box and set at a temperature of 37C, CL1s contain a chip no bigger than a stamp, with a grid of electrodes that harness about 800,000 neurons sitting on top as a fleshy film. Most of the box is taken up with its life-support loop, because brains need brain food. It’s called “media” and is that nutrient-rich salt and sugar liquid we mentioned at the beginning. The neurons, which live for between six months to a year, cost $35,000 each, or $20,000 each for a rack of 30. Alternatively, you can rent one remotely via the cloud for $300 a week. This interface between digital hardware and lab-grown neurons is called biOS (Biological Intelligence Operating System). But unlike iCloud, lab-grown neurons will not store your photos. Instead, you can train them to do things in the same way that they were trained to play video games. But toys they are not — to buy a box you need a proper laboratory. Cortical’s buyers so far are mainly labs and researchers. One of them is Nii Osae, who runs Mindbeam, a company that works on speeding up AI models. “We need a different computational power, one that is very energy efficient, they [neurons] will take things to the next level,” he says. [...]

#ChemicalWeapons #BiologicalWeapons #Disarmament #verification [#OpenSource - PDF available]

#BiologicalWeapons #Terrorism #Hoax #USA Man charged with mailing hundreds of letters containing powder to officials ahead of the election apnews.com/article/white-pow… [...] Robin Martin, 67, is charged with conveying a hoax and mailing threatening communications. He was arrested Monday and appeared Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City before being returned to jail to await a detention hearing next week. The Federal Public Defender office, which represents Martin, said it would not comment on the allegations. A daughter, Ava Martin, declined to comment when reached by The Associated Press. Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg called it a “calculated attempt to terrorize public servants” who didn’t know if the powder could sicken them. The investigation stretched back to 2024 when election officials in multiple states reported mail with a white substance and a three-page letter declaring war, the FBI said. Some bore warnings that could only be read under ultraviolet light, such as, “Stay on the right side of history! Your life may depend on it!!” [...]

#ChemicalWeapons #Sudan #Sanctions #USA US Imposes More Sanctions on Sudan Over Alleged Chemical Weapons Use military.africa/2026/11/us-i… [...] The measures tighten US export controls and add financial and aviation penalties. Exports to Sudan of goods and technology on the Commerce Control List, the US register of controlled dual-use items, are now blocked under a presumption of denial. Limited exemptions remain for safety of flight in civil passenger aviation, encryption products, deemed exports to Sudanese nationals, subsidiaries of US and foreign firms operating in Sudan, and a few other specified licence exceptions. Food and agricultural commodities, and ordinary items that are not on the control list, remain outside the ban. The United States will also oppose loans and financial or technical assistance to Sudan from multilateral development banks, except for help that meets the basic human needs of Sudanese citizens. The Department of Transportation will suspend the right of airlines owned or controlled by the Sudanese government to fly to or from the United States. The sanctions will stay in place for at least one year and until further notice. Their practical bite on the military is limited: army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo were already under personal US sanctions. [...]

#ChemicalWeapons #Threat #Allegation #Iran #Israel #USA Israeli Claims of Iranian Chemical Weapons Divide U.S. Officials nytimes.com/2026/11/03/world… [...] People briefed on the new intelligence had different views on how quickly — or effectively — Iran could deploy a chemical weapon. While mounting a chemical weapon on a ballistic missile is not difficult, ensuring that the weapon can effectively disperse a chemical agent is, according to weapons experts and U.S. officials. Smuggling a bomb across a border also poses challenges. Using a drone to deliver a chemical weapon is also a possibility. A regional official said Israel had presented Gulf countries with claims that Iran was working to make its chemical weapons operational. Israeli officials did not share evidence but briefed the officials on their assessments, which the official said Gulf governments found unserious. [...]

#ChemicalWeapons #Syria #CivilProtection #Europe Syria takes part in ninth European Civil Protection Forum sana.sy/en/syria/2355736/ A delegation from the Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management, headed by Deputy Minister Ahmed Ekzayez, participated Tuesday in the ninth European Civil Protection Forum in the Belgian capital, Brussels. The participation aims to explore ways to strengthen cooperation in civil protection and disaster management, exchange expertise and benefit from European experience in enhancing emergency response capabilities and reducing disaster risks. The ninth edition of the forum is being held on November 3–4 under the theme “Preparing today, ready for tomorrow”. [...]

#ChemicalWeapons #Novichok #USSR #Russia Russian scientist who helped develop Novichok nerve agents dies at the age of 80 theins.press/en/news/299119 Vladimir Uglev, one of the scientists involved in developing the Novichok family of nerve agents, has died at age 80, The Insider has learned. Uglev previously advised The Insider during investigations into the use of military-grade Novichok nerve agents by Russia’s security services. The late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok agent in 2020. The Insider learned that Uglev died Oct. 26. In recent years, he had lived in the southern Russian resort city of Anapa. His name became widely known in 2018 when the biochemist gave a series of interviews following the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, England. Uglev also spoke extensively to the media about the properties of Novichok after Navalny was poisoned in 2020. [...]

#DNA #Space #Asteroid All 5 fundamental units of life’s genetic code were just discovered in an asteroid sample theconversation.com/all-5-fu… A new study reveals all five fundamental nucleobases – the molecular “letters” of life – have been detected in samples from the asteroid Ryugu. Asteroid particles offer a glimpse into the chemical ingredients that may have helped kindle life on Earth. The Ryugu samples were returned from space in 2020 by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Hayabusa2 mission. In 2023, an international team reported they had found one of the nucleobases in these samples – uracil. Now, in a study published in Nature Astronomy today, a team of Japanese scientists has confirmed all five nucleobases are present in this pristine asteroid material. This means these ingredients for life may have been widespread throughout the Solar System in its early years. [...]

#ChemicalWeapons #Allegation #Denial #Sudan #OPCW Persistent claims: Sudan denies chemical-weapons allegations iiss.org/online-analysis/onl… [...] As a member of the CWC, Sudan has a seat on the OPCW’s Executive Council from May 2026–May 2027. Having the country on the Executive Council is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it holds the SAF-led government to a higher standard of accountability, forcing it to engage with accusations rather than to dismiss them, as has been done in the past. Indeed, claims from Sudanese officials that US inspectors have already visited the country to investigate the 2024 accusations contrast with events in 2016, when UN forces were denied access to Jebel Marra to assess Amnesty International’s claims. The position on the Executive Council could also provide more levers, such as the threat of removing Sudan from its role or its voting rights. These are in addition to other mechanisms such as the OPCW’s Challenge Inspections or more specific Investigations in Cases of Alleged Use of Chemical Weapons. Moreover, the Executive Council could arguably strengthen its credibility should it act against one of its own members. On the other hand, having a country that is widely regarded as non-compliant on the Executive Council could undermine the organisation’s credibility, particularly if accusations continue and gain traction internationally but do not translate into further action. [...]

#ChemicalWeapons #BiologicalWeapons #DualUse #Governance #Ethics Call for abstracts: The First Annual THESEUS Conference polito.it/impatto-sociale/ce… Emerging technologies developed within academic research play a crucial role in advancing science, innovation, and social well-being. However, many of these technologies have a dual-use potential: the same knowledge, methods, or tools that enable beneficial applications may also be repurposed for military or harmful uses. This duality raises important questions about research responsibility, academic freedom, ethics, and governance. This international conference invites contributions exploring dual-use technologies in academic research from both engineering and social sciences and humanities (SSH/STS) perspectives. Its goal is to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on how dual-use concerns emerge, how they are addressed in practice, and how they influence or reshape the relationship between technology, society, and institutions. We welcome abstracts addressing dual-use issues in engineering and scientific fields –including, but not limited to, aerospace, chemical and nuclear engineering, biotechnology, cybersecurity, data-intensive systems, and artificial intelligence – as well as contributions from ethics, sociology, science and technology studies (STS), history of technology, economics, political science, law, and related disciplines. [...]

#ChemicalWeapons #Terrorism #Philippines #Threat #CounterTerrorism World must unite vs real chemical threat — Marantan journalnews.com.ph/world-mus… ANTI-TERROR Council-Program Management Office (ATC-PMO) Executive Director, Undersecretary Hansel M. Marantan has called for a joint action on chemical security which he said is a real threat in Southeast Asia. “At the end of this forum, we hope to adopt the Clark Declaration which would set out our shared principles and provide a voluntary framework for continued dialogue, technical cooperation ,capacity-building and identifying priority areas for join action on chemical security in Southeast Asia,” the retired police general told the Southeast Asia Chemical Security Forum 2026 being held in Clark, Pampanga. The forum is being attended by representatives from different Southeast Asian countries led by those from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, government officials, health security experts and academes as well as those from the United States Embassy and U.S. Department of State. [...]

#BiologicalWeapons #Biodefence #ArtificialIntelligence #Therapeutics #USA Radical Numerics Launches Omnii-1, a New Generation of Biological AI, as First AI-Designed Phage Therapy Reaches Human Patient businesswire.com/news/home/2… Radical Numerics, an AI research lab building general biological intelligence, today launched Omnii-1, a biological AI model that learns across DNA, RNA, proteins and other molecular data. Researchers used Omnii to design a bacteriophage and administered it to a patient with a drug-resistant bacterial infection, marking the first AI-designed phage given to a human patient. [...]

#BiologicalWeapons #ChemicalWeapons #ArtificialIntelligence #Governance #Regulation #USA The AI accord leaves weapons out tribune.com.pk/story/2638147… [...] Talking about "polarising algorithms" Sir Ken McCallum pointed out how AI was supercharging the cybersecurity contest between attackers and defenders. This warning from intelligence officials coincided with an unprecedented shift in September 2026, when heads of leading AI labs, including Anthropic, OpenAI and xAI, called for slowing the pace of frontier development. Three developments drove the shift. In one incident, AI agents hacked Hugging Face and OpenAI's systems and effectively slipped out of containment. There was evidence of attempts to use Claude for bioweapons research. And public anxiety built steadily. Despite these warnings, everyone remains locked in a classic prisoner's dilemma. No single entity wants to slow down unilaterally, given the massive capital expenditure flowing into chip exports. The pressure is both financial and competitive, particularly as leading frontier labs head towards public offerings. [...]

#BiologicalWeapons #Legislation #USA #Biosecurity Bipartisan, Bicameral Bills Would Designate Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing as Critical Infrastructure lawbc.com/bipartisan-bicamer… On September 24, 2026, the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) announced the introduction of two bills “that would require the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to protect biotechnology data and infrastructure from malicious actors.” Senators Todd Young (R-IN), NSCEB Chair, and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced the bills in the Senate, and Representatives and NSCEB Commissioners Stephanie Bice (R-OK) and Ro Khanna (D-CA), as well as Representative Scott Peters (D-CA), introduced the bills in the House. The Protecting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing as Critical Infrastructure Act (H.R. 10569, S. 5502) would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop and execute a work plan within 45 days to ensure that biotechnology and biomanufacturing is protected as critical infrastructure, without adding a new sector. [...]

#ChemicalWeapons #Syria #Disarmament #OPCW Cleaning up Assad’s Toxic Legacy armscontrol.org/act/2026-11/… [...] Dallafior’s visit was a recognition of the progress that Syria has made, as well as the challenges remaining, to address Assad’s toxic legacy. She visited, however, in the shadow of an OPCW financial crisis that threatens to undermine this progress and the global chemical weapons nonproliferation regime more generally.1 A comprehensive effort to clean up Assad’s toxic legacy rests on three pillars: verification and destruction of the former Syrian government’s chemical weapon program; accountability for regime officials who were responsible for using chemical weapons; and support for the victims of these chemical attacks. So far, Syria has made the most progress on verification and destruction and taken promising steps toward accountability. Providing support for victims and their families has received the least attention. Likewise, international assistance to Syria is most extensive, but still insufficient, for verification and destruction, while it is just beginning to take shape on accountability and is completely lacking when it comes to supporting victims. The serious challenges that Syria faces in each of these areas are surmountable, but only through close cooperation with the OPCW and other international partners. [...]

#BiologicalWeapons #1972BWC #Verification #ArtificialIntelligence With 189 Nations Bound By A Bio-Weapons Ban, AI Is Exposing The Treaty’s Fatal Enforcement Gap foreignpolicyjournal.com/202… [...] As biotechnology accelerates and AI lowers the barrier to advanced pathogen research, pressure is mounting on governments and international institutions to finally close the verification gap that has left the world’s biological weapons ban largely dependent on trust.

#ChemicalWeapons #OPCW #Denmark #Disarmament #Syria Denmark provides more than EUR 800,000 in voluntary funding to enhance OPCW’s work opcw.org/media-centre/news/2… The Kingdom of Denmark has contributed more than EUR 800,000 to the Trust Fund for Syria Missions. The contribution will enable the OPCW to continue its independent technical work in Syria, including verification activities and the deployment of expert missions in support of the full implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. The OPCW’s work in Syria remains central to the Organisation’s mission to uphold the global norm against chemical weapons.   [...] Together with this contribution, Denmark has provided over EUR 1.37 million in voluntary contributions to strengthen the Organisation’s activities.   [...]

#BiologicalWeapons #Smallpox #Vaccine #Industry #UK Bavarian Nordic gets four-year contract for mpox and smallpox vaccine from UK government reuters.com/business/healthc… [...] * Bavarian ⁠Nordic will supply its ​MVA-BN vaccine through scheduled ​deliveries * The contract also includes optional flexibility provisions * "It is vital to ensure ​that the UK ​has the right vaccines available to ‌protect ⁠the public from a range of infectious disease threats," the UK Health Security ​Agency ​said ⁠in the same statement * Bavarian Nordic did not ​disclose the contract ​value * Mpox ⁠is a viral disease that causes fever and skin ⁠lesions ​and spreads ​through close physical contact

#ArtificialIntelligence #Surgery #Experiment An AI Agent Injected Drugs Into a Live Mouse’s Brain wired.com/story/an-ai-agent-… If you give an AI agent a robotic arm, an injector, and a live mouse, it might just perform brain surgery. Biotech founder Gabriel Ocana Santero recently did that using an agent to successfully carry out a brain injection procedure on a living mouse. Though it required some extra steps, it offers a glimpse into how AI could eventually become an active participant in laboratory research. Santero posted about the experiment on social media and tells WIRED he was interested in exploring what happens when AI agents are given direct access to lab equipment, rather than simply being asked to design experiments or analyze results. [...]

#ChemicalWeapons #BiologicalWeapons #UNSGM #Russia #FirstCommittee #UNGA #Statement Joint Statement In Support of the Efforts to Strengthen the United Nations Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigation of the Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons, New York, October 19, 2026 mid.ru/en/foreign_policy/new… [...] We note efforts by the UN Secretary-General and UN Secretariat, as well as national initiatives to provide relevant training to experts that could support the Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigation of Alleged Use of Chemical and Biological Weapons (UNSGM). At the same time we recognize that there have been developments in the field of science and technology related to the UNSGM and that the situation relating to the CWC, the BWC and the Geneva Protocol regimes (including new challenges and threats such as chemical and biological terrorism) has changed since the establishment of the UNSGM in 1987 and the endorsement of its technical guidelines and procedures in 1990. Therefore we are convinced that there is need for intensifying efforts of the international community with support of the UN Secretariat to strengthen the expert and technical capabilities of the UNSGM. Particular attention should be paid to the UNSGM guidelines and procedures (document A/44/561), which have not been updated with the exception of their technical appendices (few of their points were revised in 2007) since their endorsement by the UN General Assembly resolution А/45/57С dated December 4, 1990. [...]