The discovery of the gene that controls Rett syndrome could lead to the developmentof a test to diagnose the disorder before birth and new methods to prevent the debilitating effects of the disease.
In a separate development, Cyprus announced a partial relaxation of capital controls, raising the ceiling for financial transactions that did not require central bank approval and allowing the use of cheques to 9, 000 euros per month.
"Export controls remain the most powerful obstacle to the development and free flow of encryption, but they are steadily being relaxed because of the Internet and demands for secure electronic commerce, " the report said.