President Obama praises the coordinated effort of security authorities from the United States and its allies in heading off attempted aircraft bombings. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks to the East Asia Summit. The Obama administration seeks renewed international cooperation to fight corruption. A young entrepreneur from Bangladesh has a growing agribusiness. Read about an organization that opens a new children’s library somewhere in the world every four hours. And, in the U.S., Americans go to the polls to choose national, and state, leaders. 

International Cooperation Helped Thwart Attack
The Obama administration credits the diligence and cooperation of security services from the United States and its partners overseas for identifying and neutralizing two bombs placed aboard cargo jets that were bound for the United States. President Obama, right, said the plot was a “credible terrorist threat” that counterterrorism professionals are very taking seriously.

Clinton Highlight East Asia Summit
The United States wants to help strengthen the East Asia Summit as a key forum for political and strategic issues in the Asia-Pacific region, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. “The conversations that take place here are of great consequence for every country in the Asia-Pacific region,” she says.

Snapshots of the Muslim World 
Derek Brown spent 14 months photographing people in 28 different countries including Pakistan, Senegal, Jordan and Turkey, to demonstrate the diversity of the Muslim world. His exhibit of photographs, “Imagining the Muslim World,” is on display through mid-November at Busboys & Poets in Washington D.C.

Bolder Action on Corruption
The Obama administration is pushing for bolder efforts to fight corruption, building on progress made last year by the international community. In 2009, state parties to the UN Convention Against Corruption agreed to establish a peer review mechanism of compliance with the convention.

Agribusiness in Bangladesh
Mazharul Anowar, a young entrepreneur from Bangladesh, is expanding his integrated food business. He was inspired by a recent trip to the U.S. through a State Department program which introduces foreign visitors to U.S. counterparts who give them advice on developing their careers in their home countries.

Making “Room to Read”
Room to Read began in 1998 and now operates in nine countries — India, Nepal, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zambia and South Africa. On average, Room to Read opens a children’s library every four hours.

37 States to Choose Governors
No presidential contest will top U.S. ballots on November 2, but citizens in 37 states are choosing governors who will make key decision on everything from spending policies to appointing judges. In the U.S. system, states levy taxes, establish license fees, determine how state revenues are spent, regulate businesses and administer the systems of health and safety services that affect the daily lives of their citizens.

Volunteers and Election Day
Election Day in the United States is the culmination of months of hard work — a day when volunteers of all ages and backgrounds enjoy the excitement of democracy in action. Most political organizations rely heavily on unpaid volunteers to mount effective campaigns, and both parties actively recruit volunteers on national, state and local levels.