Seven years after the last UK (Conservative) government 'White Paper' on science, Tony Blair's Labour administration will try to make its own marriage between science and government policy.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are good for the poor and hungry, say seven national and international academies of science.

Contrary to much reporting in the West, China is having to pay attention to public concerns about biotechnology, says Zhao Zhizen, TV science broadcaster.

Robert Walgate asks: Do Thabo Mbeki's opening words at the 13th International AIDS Conference in Durban at the weekend justify the reported reaction?

Europe's forest area is expanding by half a million hectares a year, enough to cover Belgium in six years or Switzerland in eight, according to a joint report of the Food and Agriculture Organization and the UN Economic Commission for Europe.Moreover, claims the report, temperate and boreal forests absorb about as much carbon every year as is released by tropical deforestation, thus slowing the speed of climate change.The report covers the forest resources of not only Europe, but also the Commo

The General Medical Council promises reform.

The views of South African President Thabo Mbeki - who has expressed doubts whether HIV causes AIDS, ascribing the disease to poverty - have stimulated 5000 scientists and doctors from over 80 countries to sign a declaration stating that the virus really does cause the disease. The issue is crucial for two reasons: first because South Africa faces one of the worst AIDS epidemics in the world, and if the country doubts the cause of the disease health interventions will go awry; and second because

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, best known for its very visible work in short-term humanitarian disasters, has made a dramatic shift to the longer view - where disease is the great killer.Releasing its latest annual report this week, the Societies say that the death toll from infectious diseases such as AIDS, malaria, respiratory diseases and diarrhoea is 160 times greater than the number killed in last year's natural disasters, including the massive earthqu

Small signs of hope amidst increasing gloom. That's the world AIDS situation according to UNAIDS.

Small signs of hope amidst increasing gloom. That's the world AIDS situation according to UNAIDS.

Small signs of hope amidst increasing gloom. That's the world AIDS situation according to UNAIDS.

Small signs of hope amidst increasing gloom. That's the world AIDS situation according to UNAIDS.