In The News

Read My Ears

Thomas L. Friedman January 27, 2005
As President Bush prepares for his visit to Europe next month, he faces widespread criticism across the continent. In this New York Times op-ed, Thomas Friedman writes that Bush has one good option if he wants to truly mend relations: He should talk less and listen more. Most Europeans believe that Bush does not take their opinions seriously enough. According to Friedman, Bush could change...

Preparing for a New Global Threat – Part I

David Heymann January 26, 2005
From the historic Spanish Flu to the recent SARS outbreak, communicable diseases have periodically challenged the world community. SARS was caused by a new strain of coronvirus that was identified and stopped. But the latest threat comes from avian influenza virus of the type that could mutate and pass on to humans. Due to their genetic instability and swift multiplication, influenza viruses are...

Driven by Costs, Fertility Clients Head Overseas

Felicia R. Lee January 25, 2005
Most Americans seeking fertility treatment stay close to home. Yet for many, the procedure is unaffordable in the United States. A single in vitro treatment can cost over US$10,000, and insurance rarely covers the procedure. Despite concerns about quality and safety, middle-class couples are increasingly heading overseas. "For the price of one I.V.F. cycle in the U.S.A. the patient can come...

Militant Imams Under Scrutiny Across Europe

Lowell Bergman January 25, 2005
On Sunday, German police arrested a man they accused of recruiting for the Iraqi insurgency. The police are confident that larger networks of recruitment and smuggling to Iraq will soon be discovered in Germany. Across Europe, security forces - often working with the United States - are stepping up arrests and surveillance of militant Muslims, in the belief that recruitment from Europe to Iraq is...

New Bush Policy Not to Affect Ties with Pakistan

Anwar Iqbal January 24, 2005
In his inauguration speech from last Thursday, President Bush echoed the theme of his first term in linking US foreign policy to the spread of freedom and democracy. Bush spoke forcefully throughout, declaring the end of tyranny to be the ultimate goal of the United States. Despite the tone of the speech, top Bush officials have assured foreign leaders that it marks no change in relations with...

Post-election America Is a Deeply Divided Nation

January 24, 2005
President George Bush’s inauguration last week ushered in a second term that seems poised for deep divisions in both the domestic and foreign arena. The Pew Research Center has released the results of polling about US public opinion in the wake of 9/11 and a highly contentious election. The survey showed a remarkably partisan voting population. Despite the tight race, the report concludes that...

Battling AIDS in India

Joydeep Sengupta January 21, 2005
India is on the brink of a public health crisis. About 4.6 million of its billion citizens are HIV-positive, and that number could explode by the decade's end. India's public health infrastructure is already overburdened with a burgeoning impoverished population, making widespread prevention efforts difficult. And although high-risk groups like sex workers may be aware of HIV's...