The judge said the river was a site of special scientific interest and a European Union designated special area of conservation.

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The current rules mean that any crop that's approved at EU level can be grown anywhere in the Union unless countries have specific scientific reasons for blocking it.

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But Farmers' Union of Wales President Bob Parry said he wanted to see scientific justification for killing healthy animals, to ensure it was not being done for political reasons.

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The scientific research centre in Jamraya was established during the 1980s, at a time when the Soviet Union was the main military ally of the Syrian regime.

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The study was publicized widely throughout the world, but it was denounced by the European Union Food Safety Authority, rejected in a rare joint statement by the six French national scientific academies, and ridiculed by scores of scientists.

NEWYORKER: The Operator

Despite the fact that after the collapse of the Soviet Union many scientists and technologists left the country seeking opportunities abroad, Russia still remains strong in scientific education and human potential.

FORBES: Venture Capital, Russian Style