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...

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...

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...

Fried Rice

M.J. Akbar January 23, 2005
During her confirmation hearings with the Senate Foreign Relations committee last week, US Secretary of State nominee Condoleeza Rice said that the Bush administration had a “contingency plan” in the event of a coup in Pakistan. She implied that if something “happened” to President Pervez Musharraf, and “Islamic fundamentalists” obtained access to Pakistan’s nuclear weapons, the United States...

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...

AIDS: Facing the Second Wave

Pramit Mitra January 20, 2005
As AIDS starts to spread into "second-wave" countries, governments and health organizations alike are struggling to find the most effective ways to cope with the pandemic. Pramit Mitra examines India's challenges in confronting the disease, noting lessons other countries can garner from India's experience. With the second largest infected population in the world – at 4.58...

Chinese Cell Phone Breaches North Korean Hermit Kingdom

Rebecca MacKinnon January 17, 2005
International interest in Northeast Asian affairs has focused primarily on the stalemate between Pyongyang and Washington. Across North Korea's northern and southern borders, however, business and technology - particularly in the telecommunications industry - are booming. With Chinese telecom companies setting up relay stations near the border, an increasing number of North Koreans may now...