鈥淭he less we do with the smallpox virus in the way of manipulation at this point, the better off we are.鈥�
D. A. Henderson, who led the successful drive to eliminate smallpox, on WHO plans to seek approval for genetic manipulation of smallpox virus (The Independent, London, 22 January)
鈥淚鈥檓 not sure we鈥檝e ever been that precise but it鈥檚 accurate enough. We鈥檝e always said [we鈥檒l give away] the vast majority.鈥�
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Bill Gates agreeing with estimates that through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation he will give away around 95 per cent of his $46 billion fortune to organisations like the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (The Guardian, London, 25 January)
鈥淭he soldier鈥檚 weapon is not at his shoulder, it鈥檚 up to half a mile away.鈥�
Bob Quinn, spokesman for the company that is sending a metre-high remote-controlled robotic machine gun to assist US troops in Iraq (Associated Press, 22 January)
鈥淗e鈥檚 dangerous. He publicly posts working cellphone viruses that any clown anywhere can easily download and use.鈥�
Security expert Mikko Hypponen on Marcos Velasco, the Brazilian who has posted a Bluetooth phone virus on the web (The New York Times, 24 January)
鈥淭he privacy of farmers is not an issue. You can see a speck, but you don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 a person, an animal or a tractor.鈥�
A European Commission spokesman defends the use of satellite imaging to monitor farmers鈥� complicity with EU rules (The Times, London, 24 January)