In The News

Counting Sheep?

Seema Sirohi January 28, 2005
Christian missionaries are no strangers to the lands surrounding the Indian Ocean. Europeans traveled to the region throughout the 19th century in an effort to spread their belief in the "one true God." Even today, missionaries work tirelessly in South and Southeast Asia to draw converts from local Hindu and Muslim populations. Yet their zeal has irked the ire of many in the region...

Critics See Hypocrisy in China's Support for Baghdad Elections

Mark Magnier January 28, 2005
China contributed US$1 million to help ensure the success of Iraq's upcoming election this Sunday. But at home, democracy is still something to which leaders have a serious aversion. Chinese officials argue that their country's history provides a tenuous foundation for democracy and that their people are too poor and uneducated to participate in the electoral process. Yet neighboring...

Preparing for a New Global Threat – Part II

Thomas Abraham January 28, 2005
Almost as quickly as scientists upgrade vaccinations, communicable viruses are adapting – by genetic mutation – to break through vaccine barriers and transmit faster. Thomas Abraham warns against a "biological tsunami" that is "brewing deep within the microbial world": avian influenza virus, or H5N1. Bird-to-human transmission was once believed impossible, but recently...

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...

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...

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...