Welcome to this week’s Pandora Report! This issue highlights the upcoming One Health Day campaign, the latest global H5N1 developments and renewed calls to strengthen oversight of the U.S. wildlife trade, the launch of Global BioFutures, and new analyses of evolving terrorism and counterterrorism trends in 2026.
One Health Day 2026 🌍
The annual One Health Day campaign is approaching on November 3rd and serves as a global reminder that the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment are deeply interconnected.
Bird Flu: Australia’s seabirds to America’s dairy herds
By Margeaux Malone, Pandora Report Associate Editor
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 remains a global presence, but the current impact differs by region.
In Australia, New South Wales became the latest state to confirm a case of bird flu after a migratory giant petrel tested positive, bringing the country to six infections across three states. The news follows a milestone last month, when Australia became the final continent to record a mainland case. Officials continue to stress that there is no spread to commercial poultry, that egg and chicken supplies are unaffected, and that human infections remain rare.
North America, by contrast, is in a seasonal lull. The United States passed a full month with no HPAI in commercial poultry. Canada’s last case in a commercial flock was in mid-May, and according to a recent report, all outbreaks have been declared closed. U.S. dairy cattle have not been so fortunate. Idaho recorded 40 newly infected herds in June, the bulk of all new domestic bird flu detections. Idaho’s state veterinarian, Dr. Scott Leibsle, said the virus strain is spreading cow-to-cow rather than from wild birds, complicating containment. State officials are considering expanding surveillance efforts and additional countermeasures like vaccines, if one becomes available. “Biosecurity only goes so far when you have a dairy of several thousand cattle that are infected with the virus,” Leibsle said. Nationally, the tally now stands at 1,154 affected herds across 20 states since the outbreak began.
A Call to Rethink the U.S. Wildlife Trade
The recent reemergence of New World screwworm in the U.S. has drawn national attention to livestock disease threats, but some argue it should also call attention to a historically overlooked pandemic risk: the country’s largely unregulated wildlife trade.
In a recent piece in Think Global Health, author Neil M. Vora argues that while officials police livestock and people at the border, they continue to ignore the tens of millions of live wild animals imported each year, primarily for the exotic pet market. According to the piece, most pandemics since 1918 have stemmed from zoonotic pathogens, and mammals in the wildlife trade are far more likely to share pathogens with humans. Over the past two decades, nearly three billion animals representing more than 20,000 species were legally imported into the United States; however, legal importation doesn’t mean these animals are safe. Imported wildlife are rarely screened for diseases, and importers and exporters often only need to attest to their animals’ health. Cases like the mpox outbreak in the Midwest in 2003 linked to Ghanian rodents or a mass mortality event among sloths in Florida earlier this year from a novel gammaherpesvirus highlight the disease risks posed by importation of exotic species.
The author points to fragmented oversight as a core problem, noting that responsibility is scattered across state and federal agencies with no single body accountable. Rather than waiting for Congress to pass new legislation, he contends that federal officials already have broad power under Title 42 to prevent introduction and transmission of communicable disease from foreign countries and the CDC has clear authority to regulate importation of animals into the country to reduce and prevent the spread of disease. Vora ultimately calls for creation of a carefully selected “permitted list” for trade, consisting only of species deemed to have a low risk for harboring pathogens based on rigorous review of scientific evidence, with all others barred except in limited cases. Although some may argue this conclusion is too restrictive, the article raises worthwhile points to consider for pandemic preparedness against zoonotic disease.
Further Reading:
- “New White Paper Calls for Stronger Action on Live Wildlife Trade to Prevent Future Pandemics,” Wildlife Conservation Society
- “China reports H9N2 avian flu in 1-year-old girl,” Stephanie Soucheray, CIDRAP
- “Animal health receives as little as 0.6 percent of global health spending despite mounting disease crises, new report warns,” World Organisation for Animal Health
The Launch of Global BioFutures
This week, Dr. Aparupa Sengupta announced the launch of Global BioFutures, a mission-driven organization building talent, institutions, and governance to strengthen global health security and shape responsible biotechnology. Dr. Sengupta has worked for more than a decade, most recently at the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), at the intersection of biological innovation, emerging technologies, biosecurity, and global policy. Biotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) are advancing at an unprecedented speed, but the governance, institutions, and talent needed to guide them responsibly are not keeping pace—particularly across the Global South. Yet this is where some of the world’s fastest-growing bioeconomies, scientific talent, and biotechnology innovation are emerging. Global BioFutures was founded to strengthen biological capacity by advancing AI-biotechnology governance, biosecurity, field building in the Global South, talent development, and strategic partnerships across emerging biotechnology ecosystems. Professor Gregory D. Koblentz, Director of the Biodefense Graduate Program at the Schar School of Policy and Government, has been selected to serve on the group’s founding Strategic Advisory Board. According to Professor Koblentz, “Global BioFutures recognizes that identifying emerging biorisks and devising innovative policies for mitigating these risks will require diverse perspectives from a broad range of stakeholders, especially in countries with booming bioeconomies. Global BioFuture’s awareness-raising and capacity-building initiatives reflect the reality that today’s biosecurity challenges are global—and so are the solutions”.
GMU Professor Highlights Terrorism and Counterterrorism Trends in First Half of 2026
In two new analyses for Homeland Security Today, Dr. Mahmut Cengiz, adjunct professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, examines how both terrorist organizations and counterterrorism efforts are evolving during the first half of 2026. Taken together, these articles identify key trends shaping global threat landscape, including the growing convergence of terrorism with transnational crime and emerging technologies, as well as the ways governments are adapting their operational strategies to address increasingly complex and interconnected security challenges.
IN OTHER NEWS
Global Health Security & Emerging Infectious Diseases
- “New virus catalogue reveals which pathogens pose the greatest threat,” Mark Woolhouse, The Conversation
- “Ebola deaths in Congo top 500 as health workers threaten to strike,” AP News
- “Armed conflict tied to higher measles burden worldwide,” Laine Bergeson, CIDRAP
- “White House Adds Pandemic Response Staff as Ebola Cases Rise,” Rachel Cohrs Zhang and Jessica Nix, Bloomberg
- “The virus hunter: In a bygone era, C.J. Peters learned how to bend the rules,” Helen Branswell, StatNews
- “The mysterious outbreak that sparked a sea of conspiracy theories,” Mark Honigsbaum, The Telegraph
Chemical Weapons, OPCW & International Security
- “Chemical weapons: EU sanctions six individuals involved in Navalny’s poisoning and death,” Council of the European Union
- “UK sanctions Russians developing chemical weapons used to kill Alexei Navalny and Dawn Sturgess,” Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP, GovUK
- “Nearly 14,000 Russian chemical attacks against Ukrainian forces recorded since February 2022,” Ukrinform
- “Executive Council reinstates the rights and privileges of Syria under Chemical Weapons Convention,” OPCW
- “OPCW report explores how chemical forensics can strengthen chemical weapons investigations,” OPCW
Biotechnology Governance & Biosecurity
- “Rethinking governance of synthetic cells,” David R. Gillum, Peter A. Carr, India Hook-Barnard, and Trisha Tucholski, Frontiers
- “The Dark Web as a Biosecurity Risk Enabler and How to Counteract It,” Shravishtha Ajaykumar and Soumya Awasthi, ORF
- “Securing Cell-Free Biomanufacturing as a Strategic National Capability,” Liyam Chitayat and Sriharshita Musunuri, FAS
- “Preparedness for the Nation’s Hidden Threats,” Pat McCrory, RealClear Defense
- “Almost $1 Billion Later, the US Still Can’t Make a Medical Glove,” Anna Edney, Bloomberg
Intelligence, Oversight, and Emerging Threats
- “Anna Paulina Luna Held a Hearing on CIA Mind Control. It Went Off the Rails.” Anna Merlan, Mother Jones
- “Congressional MKUltra Hearings as MAGA PSYOP,” David Price, Counter Punch
NEW: The 100 Days Mission and the Future of Vaccine Readiness – Webinar
From the Pandemic Center Biosecurity Game Changers Fellows: “Convened and moderated by and intended for early-to-mid-career professionals, the Game Changers Seminar Series shines a spotlight on major challenges that will confront the next generation of biosecurity leaders and explores impactful next steps that can be taken to lean forward faster to prevent biological crises.
This seminar will explore the future of vaccine readiness through the lens of the 100 Days Mission. The discussion will examine the scientific, policy, financing, and implementation requirements to achieving this goal, drawing on lessons from the recent Ebola and Hantavirus outbreaks to inform future pandemic preparedness.”
This webinar will take place on July 17 at 11:00 AM ET. Learn more and register here.
NEW: Biomanufacturing for Defense & Security Summit
From Diversified Solutions Incorporated (DSI Groups): “This event will bring together senior thought leaders and stakeholders from across DoW, Military Research Labs, Federal Government, Commercial Industry, & Academia to discuss how each are advancing biomanufacturing to enhance national security objectives, produce critical materials for defense applications, and strengthen the overall U.S. bioindustrial manufacturing base. Biomanufacturing is crucial for U.S. national security because it enables domestic production of critical materials, medicines, and defense supplies, reducing reliance on foreign adversaries, which in turn creates resilient supply chains for the military and economy.”
This event will take place from October 27-28 at the National Harbor, MD. Learn more and register here.
Data and Situational Awareness for Medical and Public Health Preparedness and Response: A Workshop Series
From the National Academies: “The Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Disasters and Emergencies workshop series will explore how medical, public health, emergency management, and critical infrastructure data are collected, integrated, analyzed, and translated into real-time information to support timely, coordinated decision-making before, during, and after disasters and emergencies.”
Sessions of the workshop series will take place on July 16, July 21, and July 28, followed by a capstone session on September 23. Learn more and register here.
Tracking Health Security Progress and Building Resilience in Africa – A Webinar
From the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI): “The world is shifting from a period of urgent health actions to one of vast growing neglect, even as biological threats continue to rise. Against this backdrop, the 2026 Africa Health Security Index shows great progress has been made across the continent – but substantial gaps remain.
Join NTI, the Brown University Pandemic Center, Economist Enterprise, and the Science for Africa Foundation for a discussion of the findings and recommendations of the 2026 Africa Health Security (AHS) Index, an independent assessment of health security capacities in Africa.
This webinar will convene global experts and policymakers to discuss how the AHS Index can shape policy decision-making and drive meaningful action to strengthen health security capacities and improve preparedness for future epidemics and pandemics.”
This webinar will take place on July 29 from 3:30 – 5:00 PM EAT (8:30 AM – 10:00 AM ET). Learn more and register here.
Preparing for a Future of AI-Enabled Biology
From the National Academy of Medicine (NAM): “Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the life sciences, including how researchers study biology, develop vaccines and treatments, and detect disease outbreaks. While these advances could improve public health and preparedness, they also raise important questions about safety, security, and the possibility of misuse.
To better understand these issues, the National Academy of Medicine, in collaboration with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and with support from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), will convene a two-day workshop on preparing for the future of AI-enabled biology.
The workshop will bring together experts from public health, medicine, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, biosecurity, government, and industry to explore how AI-enabled biological risks may evolve over the next decade.”
This hybrid event will take place on August 11-12, 2026. Learn more and register here.
Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention
From the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA): “We will convene the Ninth Session of the Working Group on the Strengthening of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). Chaired by Ambassador Frederico S. Duque Estrada Meyer of Brazil, the meeting will bring together State Parties, international organizations, academic institutions, and civil society representatives to continue discussions on strengthening the Convention and advancing efforts to address biological threats. Public sessions will be webcast through UN Web TV, and side events are expected throughout the week.
This event will take place from August 17-21 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Learn more and register by July 31 here.
Biosecurity Simulation Exercise (BSX 2026): Laboratory Incidents & Deliberate Biothreats
From the Asia Centre for Health Security: “This table-top simulation exercise aims to enhance inter-sectoral and inter-disciplinary preparedness for laboratory biosafety and biosecurity (LBB) and deliberate biothreat events (DBE). Through lectures, discussions, and structured, scenario-driven exercises, participants will explore decision-making to detect, risk-assess, and manage high-consequence biological incidents under conditions of incomplete information and unfolding events. Participants will collaborate in teams, building on expert perspectives to address issues in surveillance, diagnostics, public health response, security assessment, and risk communication.”
This in-person event will be held from August 27-28. Learn more and register here.
Training Course on ‘Biotechnology Innovation and Biosecurity’
From the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) and the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit: “This training focuses on strengthening capacities in biosecurity, biosafety, and biological risk management in the context of rapid advances in biotechnology with an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to manage biothreats at the intersection of humans, animals, plants and the environment. It addresses the governance, technical, and operational dimensions of preventing, detecting, and responding to biological threats, while promoting responsible and peaceful scientific research and innovation in accordance with article X of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).”
This in-person event will be held from October 12 – 16 in New Delhi, India. Learn more and apply here.
NEW: Senior Fellow and Director, The Technology and Global Security Program – Job Opening
From The Henry L. Stimson Center: “The Henry L. Stimson Center, an award-winning foreign policy think tank, seeks a highly motivated individual to serve as Senior Fellow and Director of its newly established Technology and Global Security Program. The Program will work on the security implications of a broad range of emerging and converging technologies, including quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, additive manufacturing, uncrewed systems, distributed ledger technologies, nuclear technologies, and other innovations reshaping the international security landscape.”
Learn more and submit your application here.
The Pandora Report 