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France’s Sarkozy May Help Turn Page on Franco-American Relations

One of the most beloved U.S. presidents, Thomas Jefferson, asked himself, “In what country on earth would you rather live?” He first answered, “Certainly in my own, where are all my friends, my relations and the earliest and sweetest affections and recollections of my life.” But, he continued, “which would be your second choice?” His answer: “France.” USINFO takes a look at relations between the United States and France on the occasion of the U.S. visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy. More...

Indonesia Still Not Sharing Virus Samples for Avian Flu Vaccines

Despite agreeing to share viruses with the World Health Organization (WHO) in March, Indonesia -- the nation with the highest rates of infection and death from avian influenza -- still has not done so. Thus, says WHO Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases David Heymann, the country is “putting in danger its own population, because if those viruses are not freely shared with industry, vaccines will not contain the elements of the Indonesia infection.” All countries except Indonesia are sharing human samples of the H5N1 avian flu virus with the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance Network so experts can assess the risk that a viral strain might mutate to pass easily from person to person and so diagnostic tests and vaccines can be developed. More...

Baseball Icon Cal Ripken Using Sports to Bridge Cultures

Baseball Hall of Fame player Cal Ripken Jr. is taking his talents teaching kids the fundamentals of the sport to a higher level as a new U.S. State Department public diplomacy sports envoy. Ripken’s first assignment will be visiting China October 28-November 6 to train Chinese youngsters in the Asian country’s budding baseball program. Ripken, who set a record by playing in 2,632 consecutive games, says at a State Department ceremony that he plans to use his new position to bridge the gap between people of different languages and cultures. More...

U.S., Middle Eastern Experts Join in Fighting Breast Cancer

When Kendra Woods asked 25 colleagues at America’s leading cancer treatment center to serve as advisers for a program to fight breast cancer in the Middle East, all agreed -- plus another person who heard about it. Woods oversees international collaborations at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, part of the U.S.-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research. The center is working with the King Hussein Cancer Center in Amman, Jordan, to develop research projects, training, exchanges and other programs to improve health care for Middle Eastern women. More...