In The News

SARS: Wake-Up Call for a Strong Global Health Policy

Ilona Kickbusch April 25, 2003
As the economic consequences of Sars become more and more apparent, countries are scrambling for solutions. However, argues Ilona Kickbusch, Professor of Global Health at Yale University's School of Public Health, individual nation-states are unequipped to manage something like Sars by themselves. In an interconnected world, we must acknowledge the truly global nature of public health, and...

We're All Americans

Alfons Kaiser April 25, 2003
Anti-Americanism in Germany is widespread in the wake of the war on Iraq, and a major political rift between the US and Germany has formed. American culture has had a major impact on everyday life in Germany, however, and the Germans that condemn American politics cannot escape American music, clothing, and food. In that sense, Alfons Kaiser suggests, Germans are Americans, too. In fact,...

Virus Proves Baffling, Turning Up in Only 40% of a Lab's Test Cases

Lawrence K. Altman April 24, 2003
Canada's main virology laboratory has found the SARS virus identified by WHO in only some of its probable and suspect cases.

If Nike Defends Itself, Is That a Commercial?

Linda Feldmann April 23, 2003
Nike Inc. is the world's largest athletic footwear company. Nike, with its 900 factories in 51 countries and more than 600,000 employees, is currently embroiled in a Supreme Court case in the US. This case stems from a 1998 lawsuit, in which San Francisco activist Marc Kasky charged that Nike had made false statements about sweatshop conditions in its Asian factories. Mr. Kasky asserted...

Human Trafficking Casts Shadow on Globalization

Michele A. Clark April 23, 2003
Women and children have been among the biggest losers in this era of globalization, if we consider the massive increase in human trafficking in recent years. Cheated or sold into a life of sexual slavery or indentured servitude, the victims of human trafficking and their stories reveal the dark underside of increased international mobility. With the demise of socialist states, in particular,...

The SARS Virus is Going High-Tech

April 23, 2003
A new SARS-related computer virus might become troublesome for computer users. The virus sends itself to random e-mail addresses from users’ address books, and modifies the recipients’ Internet browsers to display WHO’s webpage describing SARS outbreak. Because it spreads via Windows e-mail programs by hiding in messages regarding SARS, the virus does not affect users of other operating systems....

The Perils of Empire

Paul Kennedy April 20, 2003
Historian Paul Kennedy argues that the perception of the United States as the world leader is borne out by its current economic, military and political strength and influence. At this historical juncture, the United States can use its military success in Iraq to push for democratic reforms in Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia. The United States also aspires to positively affect the conflict between...