Dutch Ambassador Boudewijn Johannes Van Eenennaam Netherlands Seeks Balance Between Freedom and Security by Larry Luxner As the worldís superpowers grapple with the issue of Islamic extremists, even smaller nations are discovering they are not immune from the global war on terrorism. For the Netherlands, where Muslims constitute more than 5 percent of the population, the issue has become one of the top policy dilemmas facing the peaceful and prosperous nation. more... House Select Intelligence Committee Chairman Peter Hoekstra Key Lawmaker Says U.S. Needs Strategic Plan for Intelligence by John Shaw Rep. Peter Hoekstra, chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, is examining the complex challenges that confront Americaís intelligence community in obvious ways. more.... Barbie Dolls and Biology: Helping Women of Talent in Science by Carolyn Cosmos When the president of Harvard University recently mused that the scarcity of women in the highest levels of science could perhaps be a matter of nature rather than nurture, he set off a storm of public discussion. more.... State Department Slowly Easing Visa Obstacles for Foreign Students by Carolyn Cosmos The State Department and the Department of Homeland Security are making visa applications less onerous for foreign students and visiting scholarsóan d the relief arrives not a moment too soon, government and academic officials say. more.... End of Textile Quotas May Leave Poorer Countries Hanging by a Thread by Alan B. Nichols A Hong Kong apparel company with a manufacturing plant in Mauritius is returning to China after 30 years in the tiny African island nation, putting 6,000 employees out of work. Since 2003, Mauritius has lost some 20,000 apparel jobs, a trend exacerbated by the termination on Jan. 1, 2005, of all global textile and apparel quotas. more.... Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace Generates Ideas, Many Distinctly Conservative by John Shaw Nestled in a corner of Stanford Universityís stunningly beautiful campus in California, the Hoover Institution has been the home of large ideas and important people for more than 75 years. more.... Receiving Line: Take the Bus German Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger took a ride on a bus in the name of bilateral friendship. more....

Culture Section Check out the arts section for the latest in museum exhibits, dance, theater and much more. See March 2005 Automotive Insert Special Senegal Supplement Sponsored by Dakar Port Authority U.S. Monitoring Chilean Pension Model to Learn More About Private System by Michael Coleman Chile has been getting a lot of attention from Americans latelyónot for its beautiful beaches, fabulous shopping or fascinating culture, but for something decidedly less sexy: its pension system. more.... Governments, Organizations Slowly Addressing Issue of Human Trafficking by Heather Nalbone As countries commemorate International Womenís Day this month, The Washington Diplomat examines one of most underreported human rights issues plaguing the world: human trafficking. more.... Moroccoís Move to Democracy Serves as Example, but Also Offers Lessons About Pitfalls of Change by Craig Mauro If one views U.S. policy in Iraq as the stick in President George W. Bushís strategy for promoting democracy in the Arab world, then Morocco could well represent the carrot. more.... Madagascarís Pro-Business President Cites Countryís Achievements by Larry Luxner Madagascar, the worldís fourth-largest island, is home to 17 million people and thousands of plant and animal species that live nowhere else on Earthóyet most Americans know absolutely nothing about the place. more.... New Options Becoming Available for Treating Tourette Syndrome by Gina Shaw Tourette syndrome is not as uncommon as doctors once though, occurring in anywhere from one to 10 of every 10,000 peopleóadults and children. more....