Nuclear Accidents in Japan / Russians Visit U.S. Parks, Lakes / Dazzling Indian Art

The March 11 earthquake in Japan triggered accidents at two nuclear power plants. President Obama’s visit to El Salvador during his trip to Latin America will underscore the strong U.S.-El Salvadoran relationship. Depsite challenges, U.S. aid is reaching the Libyan people. A group of Russian park officials visit protected sites in Florida to observe conservation efforts, while Russian hydrologists visit U.S. lakes to study watershed management practices. And finally, many dazzling pieces of Indian art are currently on display at the Kennedy Center as part of the maximum INDIA festival.

Hospital patients awaiting evacuationReactor Accidents in Japan
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Nuclear experts are on the relief team that the U.S. Agency for International Development sent to Japan after the March 11 earthquake, which triggered accidents at two nuclear power plants. At the Fukushima Daiichi and the Fukushima Daini facilities, the cooling systems meant to dissipate the intense heat of the reactor core failed. Explosions occurred at the Daiichi facility, though their cause is not clear. At right, hospital patients awaiting evacuation risk radiation exposure.

U.S.–El Salvadoran Relations
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The United States and El Salvador have enjoyed strong political and economic ties for more than two decades, and President Obama’s visit during a five-day, three-nation trip to Latin America is designed to underscore the value of that relationship.

U.S. Aid Reaching Libyan People
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Although the security situation in Libya is preventing a U.S. Disaster Assistance Response Team from entering the country, Obama administration officials say U.S. humanitarian assistance is arriving through nongovernmental organizations on the ground.

Russians Visit U.S. Parks
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A group of Russian park officials recently visited several federally protected sites in the state of Florida to gain firsthand insight into issues such as wildlife conservation, resource management, the role of volunteerism and the balance between public access and environmental conservation.

Russians Study U.S. Lakes
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A delegation of Russian hydrologists recently visited Lake Tahoe and two other nearby U.S. lakes on a program sponsored by the California-based Tahoe-Baikal Institute designed to find solutions to shared economic and development problems.

Pankas, Indian handcrafted fansDazzling Indian Art
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Many works of art are currently on display at the Kennedy Center in Washington as part of the maximum INDIA exhibition, a 20-day festival of music, theater, art and artifacts. At right, pankas, or handcrafted fans, by the artist Jatin Das.

U.S.-Brazil Cooperation / A Regional Response in Libya / Blending Indian Dance Styles

President Obama heads to Latin America as the United States and Brazil are partnering on regional and global issues.  The Obama administration wants a regional response to the violence in Libya. Vice President Biden meets with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Meet Coca-Cola’s global clean water advocate. The United States, Canada, Norway and others join a health care initiative for poor mothers and their children. And, finally, two of India’s most respected dancers blend traditionally styles.

For U.S. and Brazil, a Partnership of Global Significance
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President Obama’s visit to Latin America comes as Brazil and the United States are cooperating closely on regional issues and global challenges that run the gamut from security and economic prosperity to food security, clean energy and global inequality. “Brazil and the United States seek to promote open and accountable government, civil rights, a vibrant civil society and social inclusion,” says Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

A Regional Response to Libya Violence
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The Obama administration wants regional participation in any potential military response to the political violence in Libya, and also says it has been in direct contact with a variety of opposition groups that have de facto control over much of the eastern part of the country. National Security Advisor Tom Donilon says any military action by NATO, such as the enforcement of a no-fly zone, “would need to respond to a demonstrable need and have a sound legal basis.”

Biden, Putin see Improved U.S.-Russian Relations
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Vice President Biden and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin welcome the improved relationship between Russia and the United States following the 2009 “reset” in relations. Speaking with Putin in Moscow, Biden says he and President Obama “agree 100 percent on the need to continue to establish a closer and closer relationship.”

On Water and Sugar Mills
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Joe Rozza travels the world on behalf of Coca-Cola Company to oversee water and wastewater management projects initiated by the Water and Development Alliance, a partnership between his employer and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Saving Mothers and Babies
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The United States, Canada, Norway and other partners join in a development initiative – Saving Lives at Birth — to commit science and technology to saving more lives in rural, under-developed villages around the world. “It is simply unacceptable that millions and millions of people, women and children, die from conditions that we know how to prevent,” says Secretary Clinton.

A Blend of Indian Dance Styles
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The appearance by two of India’s most respected dancers and teachers — Alarmel Valli and Madhavi Mudgal — highlights a 20-day festival of Indian dance, music, theater, film, arts and crafts at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. At right, Valli, left, and Mudgal, right, in a production called Samanvaya: A Coming Together.

Locke Named U.S. Ambassador to China / Biden on Russia WTO Bid / Women of Courage

Commerce Secretary Gary Locke is tapped to be the next U.S. ambassador to the People’s Republic of China. The United States supports Russia’s bid to join the World Trade Organization. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton discusses the common interests of APEC nations. A top U.S. national security advisor offers praise for American muslims. The United States honors 10 women of courage.

Locke Named Ambassador to China
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President Obama announces the appointment of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to become the next U.S. ambassador to the People’s Republic of China and, if approved by the Senate, he would become the first Chinese-American to hold the post in U.S. history. Locke would succeed Ambassador Jon Huntsman, the former Republican governor of Utah who recently asked to step down.

U.S. Supports Russia’s WTO Bid
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Vice President Biden says the United States is a strong supporter of Russia’s bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Obama administration also wants to end Soviet-era restrictions on bilateral trade. “The primary purpose of my visit is to explore how we can resolve the remaining challenges in our economic relationship,” Biden says.

APEC Economies’ Common Interests
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the 21 economies in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) share a common interest in increasing business opportunities across the region, and urged members to embrace long-term strategies that will benefit everyone. Speaking in Washington March 9, Clinton says the United States and its partners in APEC are all looking for more opportunities to do business with each other. “We are well positioned to rise together, to achieve greater prosperity in partnership, to offer all of our people a chance at a better future,” she says.

Praise for American Muslims
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Denis McDonough, the president’s deputy national security advisor, travels to one of the country’s largest mosques to talk about President Obama’s approach to combating terrorism and to praise American Muslims for their contributions to strengthening America. “The bottom line is this — when it comes to preventing violent extremism and terrorism in the United States, Muslim Americans are not part of the problem; you’re part of the solution,” he says.

Women of Courage
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Ten women have been honored by first lady Michelle Obama and Secretary Clinton for their exceptional courage in advocating for women’s rights and empowerment, often at great personal risk. At left, First lady Michelle Obama, Women of Courage winner Eva Abu Halaweh of Jordan and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

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U.S.-Brazil Talks / From Egypt, Inspiration / Drumming for the Deaf

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton holds bilateral talks with Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota and previews President Obama’s trip to South America. Clinton also calls peaceful protests in Egypt inspirational. A group of Russian national park and nature reserve managers is visiting the U.S. to exchange ideas about managing protected areas. And, we have two reports on a program that brought Louisiana’s Southern University Marching Band drum line to North Africa.

Secretary Clinton speaking

U.S.-Brazilian Talks
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Secretary Clinton, above, and Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota held broad-ranging talks on U.S.-Brazilian issues, regional concerns and President Obama’s upcoming trip to South America in March. Obama’s trip “comes at a time when we are cooperating closely, and our bilateral work on issues and global challenges, including food security and human rights and clean energy and global inequality, is key to both of us,” says Clinton.

From Egypt, Inspiration
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Secretary Clinton says Egyptians have inspired Americans through their “extraordinary example of nonviolent, peaceful protest.” In a social media dialogue, she urges Egyptians to remain vigilant, but says the United States stands ready to assist them.

U.S. and Russia Talk Parks
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A group of Russian national park and nature reserve managers is visiting the U.S. to exchange professional information and experience about managing protected areas. Vsevolod Stepanitsky, the delegation leader and a deputy director in the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, says that Russia might find U.S. practices in wildlife management, environmental education and public outreach applicable.

American Drummers in Algiers
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In a program sponsored by the U.S. Embassy and supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, drummers from Louisiana’s Southern University Marching Band entertained residents in Algiers, Benthala, Sidi Fredj, and Tiaret, from January 31 to February 5.

Louisiana’s Southern University Marching Band drum lineDrumming for the Deaf
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Members of Louisiana’s Southern University Marching Band drum line, right, performed before several hundred people at the Mohamed V National Theatre in Morocco with Moroccan musicians who, like many members of the audience, were deaf. “It really gives new meaning that if you are deaf, blind, come from a different country or speak a different language, music is basically a universal language,” says drummer Alexander Riggins.

Clinton on Afghanistan/ A New U.S. Representative to Afghanistan, Pakistan / America I AM

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton outlines a three-point plan for Afghanistan. Veteran diplomat Marc Grossman will be President Obama’s new special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, succeeding the late Richard Holbrooke. In the U.S., the time might be just right for wind power. Volcanoes are currently a hot topic for the U.S. and Russia. And learn about American I AM, an exhibit showcasing the contributions of African Americans to life in the U.S.

In Afghanistan, a 3-Part Plan
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the United States is following a three-part strategy to support transition in Afghanistan, a process through which Afghans will “take responsibility for their own future.” The plan, she says, includes a military offensive against al-Qaida terrorists and Taliban insurgents, a civilian campaign to bolster democratic institutions in Afghanistan and Pakistan and an intensified diplomatic push.

Grossman is New U.S. Af-Pak Rep
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Veteran diplomat Marc Grossman will be President Obama’s new special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, succeeding Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, who died in December. Speaking at the Asia Society in New York, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Grossman “knows our allies and understands how to mobilize common action to meet shared challenges.”

Time for Wind Power
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The U.S. government is pushing for large-scale wind power development, and a recent study says that costs for electricity generated by onshore wind are now on par with costs for coal-generated power. President Obama has called for 80 percent of U.S. energy to come from renewable sources, such as wind power, by 2035.

A Hot Topic for U.S., Russia
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Russian and U.S. scientists are planning research on a 4,000-kilometer long arc stretching from the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East across the Aleutian Islands chain to mainland Alaska where volcanoes and other geological event have occurred. Dr. John Eichelberger, program coordinator of the U.S. Geological Survey Volcano Hazards Program, says that ongoing cooperative research between the United States and Russia in this field is vital.

Purple guitarAmerica I AM
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The exhibit America I AM: The African American Imprint looks at the contributions of African Americans to life in the United States and recently came to the National Geographic Museum in Washington for Black History Month. The exhibition presents multimedia displays and more than 200 historical and cultural artifacts, including the guitar at right, which the musician Prince played at the Super Bowl.

The Future of Egypt / U.S., China Work Toward Nuclear Security / Black History Month

The White House says only Egyptians can shape their country’s future. An arms control scholar discusses the newly enacted START treaty. The U.S. and China are working together on nuclear security. President Obama congratulates the people of South Sudan. February is black history month in the United States.


Egypt Must Shape its Own Future
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The White House continues to champion self-determination for the Egyptian people and to condemn the use of violence to achieve political ends. “Who leads Egypt…is a determination that can only be made by the Egyptians,” says White House press secretary Robert Gibbs.

START: A Treaty that “Makes Sense”
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The START nuclear arms reduction treaty signed recently by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is a win for both countries, a Washington arms control scholar says. Tom Collina, research director of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, says the treaty “benefits both sides” and “makes sense from every perspective.”

A Pledge on Nuclear Security
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The United States and China pledge to cooperate on combating nuclear proliferation and to establish a Center of Excellence on Nuclear Security in China. The collaboration will facilitate exchange of information and best practices, creation of training courses and technical collaboration to improve nuclear security throughout Asia.

Recognizing South Sudan
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The Obama administration says it intends to recognize the new, independent south Sudanese state in July and it is beginning the process of withdrawing Sudan from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. “After decades of conflict, the images of millions of southern Sudanese voters deciding their own future was an inspiration to the world and another step forward in Africa’s long journey toward justice and democracy,” President Obama says.

Black History Month
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Each February, Black History Month honors the struggles and triumphs of millions of American citizens and their contributions to the nation’s cultural and political life. February was chosen because it includes the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and the abolitionist Frederick Douglass. At right, Carter G. Woodson, founder of Black History Month.

START Treaty Ratified / The Smart Grid / Gifts That Give Back

The Senate ratifies the U.S.-Russia START strategic nuclear arms pact. The U.N. General Assembly adopts an amendment supporting gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights. The United States is working with Pakistan to help it recover from devastating floods, working with Russia on smart grid technology, and working with some of Côte d’Ivoire’s neighbors to investigate how to reinforce the U.N. peacekeeping force in the country during the ongoing political crisis. Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants are spending a year in America. And finally, this holiday season, give a gift that gives back.


START Ratified by U.S. Senate
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The U.S. Senate ratified the New START arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia that will reduce each nation’s nuclear arsenals to their lowest levels in more than a half century. The Senate gave its approval by a vote of 71 to 26 on December 22. The new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was signed by President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on April 8 in Prague. 

U.N. Includes LGBT Rights
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The Obama administration welcomed the U.N. General Assembly’s adoption of a U.S.-sponsored amendment that restores gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in its broad condemnation of extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. “Killing people because they are gay is not culturally defensible – it is criminal,” says White House press secretary Robert Gibbs.

A U.S.-Pakistan Partnership
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The United States and Pakistan are working together on several new projects to help rebuild and improve agriculture, health, transportation and other services in Pakistan as that country continues to recover from devastating floods.

U.S. and Russia Talk Smart Grid
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Making energy use more efficient, reliable, affordable, secure, and more consumer-driven through smart grid technology was the topic of a series of recent meetings between Russian and American energy experts in Washington, D.C. and in Texas, made possible by the Energy Working Group of the U.S.–Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission.

U.N. Force in Côte d’Ivoire
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The United States is in discussions with some of Côte d’Ivoire’s neighbors to investigate how to reinforce the U.N. peacekeeping force in the country and ensure that it is capable of maintaining peace and security as its political crisis continues. Along with refusing to hand over power after his election defeat, Laurent Gbagbo has demanded that the 9,000-member U.N. peacekeeping force withdraw. The U.N. Security Council unanimously passed a resolution to extend the force’s mandate until June 30, 2011.

Fulbright Language Teachers
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More than 400 Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistants from 49 countries are spending a year in the United States, to not only hone their knowledge of the English language and American life, but also to encourage American students to study foreign languages and culture.

Photo Gallery: Gifts that Give Back
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During the holiday season, many people want to give gifts that have a greater meaning. It’s easier than ever to make a purchase that can help provide income to artisans in developing countries, support donations of food or medicine to the needy, aid victims of war or abuse, or support environmental efforts. Explore this photo gallery of “gifts that give back.” At right, a “Path to Peace” basket created by Rwandan women.

A New Government for Iraq / Archives Hosts Newest Americans / Tweeting the Civil War

President Obama calls the new Iraqi government a major step forward. The United States puts new pressure on those who are undermining democracy in Côte d’Ivoire. Not news: Twenty-five new U.S. citizens are sworn in. News: They are sworn in within sight of the U.S. Constitution. A new U.S. initiative is aimed at fighting world hunger through agriculture. A summit for U.S. and Russian class presidents is held in Russia. Finally, what would Lincoln tweet? 

A New Government for Iraq
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The Council of Representatives swore in a new Iraqi government led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on December 21 in Baghdad after approximately nine months of debate. President Obama, at right with al-Maliki, calls the new government, “a significant moment in Iraq’s history and a major step forward in advancing national unity.”

New U.S. Response to Flawed Election Process in Côte d’Ivoire
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The United States has imposed travel restrictions upon Côte d’Ivoire’s President Laurent Gbagbo, members of his regime and others who are undermining their country’s democratic process. The Obama administration continues to urge Gbagbo to step down in favor of president-elect Alassane Ouattara.

New Citizens and Old Documents
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Twenty-five new citizens of the United States were sworn in squarely in front of the nation’s founding documents — the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The new citizens were joined by friends and family members at a ceremony in the rotunda of the National Archives building.   

Fighting World Hunger
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Fighting world hunger is at the heart of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s new Feed-the-Future global initiative, which was implemented in May to further a pledge made by President Obama of $3.5 billion toward agricultural development. The program helps nations produce more higher-quality food and improve targeting the right food to the very young and to pregnant women, says Dr. Rajiv Shah, the administrator of USAID.

A Gathering of U.S., Russian Student Leaders
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Student body presidents representing U.S. colleges and universities across the United States went to Russia in November to meet their counterparts in what many officials and academics hope will be the first of many such exchanges in coming years. It was the first program under the auspices of the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission’s Education, Culture and Sports Working Group.

The American Civil War, Online
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News aggregators, blogs and social media outlets like Twitter are providing a new way to experience the 1861-1865 American Civil War in “real time” as the conflict has its 150-year anniversary. Online resources allow access to richer information sources and invite everyone to be a participant.

Obama in Afghanistan / Clinton in Bahrain / Banjo Diplomacy

President Obama makes a surprise visit to Afghanistan to deliver holiday greetings to the troops. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Iran’s nuclear ambitions are a global concern. We’ve got two stories on trade: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says trade can no longer depend so heavily on consumers, and the U.S. and South Korea wrap up four days of trade talks. A presidential commission releases a controversial new plan on reducing the budget deficit. And finally, find out how the U.S. and Russia are strengthening their relationship, with banjos.

President Obama in Afghanistan
President Obama made a quick, unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Friday. He traveled there to meet with American officials, speak to Afghan president Hamid Karzai, and thank U.S. troops for their service. Above, Obama is greeted by NATO Commander in Afghanistan General David Petraeus, left, and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Elkenberry, center, after stepping off Air Force One.

Iran’s Nuclear Threat
There is “no debate” in the international community over its shared concern that Iran may be developing nuclear weapons, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. Speaking with Bahraini Foreign Minister Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa in Manama, Clinton says a nuclear armed Iran could destabilize the Middle East.

Easing World Trade Imbalances
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says nations that have been overly reliant on exports to fuel economic growth will benefit by pursuing policies that will help boost their own consumer demand. “We can no longer depend so heavily on consumers in the United States, Europe and other developed countries to be engines of global economic growth,” says Locke.

U.S.-Korea Trade Talks Conclude
U.S. and South Korean trade negotiators wrapped up four days of trade talks on a bilateral free trade agreement. An announcement of the details is not expected before negotiators brief President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Cutting the U.S. Deficit
Warning Americans that “the moment of truth” had come, a presidential commission released a sweeping and controversial plan to reduce U.S. chronic budget deficits and slow the growth of the public debt by 2020. The proposal calls for drastic cuts in defense and other government spending, the elimination of popular tax breaks, and an increase in taxes most working Americans pay for social programs.

Building Bridges with Banjos
The banjo, a traditional American instrument, is helping strengthen relations between the American and Russian people. The California-based Deering Banjo Company recently chose Liza Karpacheva, a 15-year-old Russian orphan from Obninsk, Russia (sister city of Oak Ridge, Tennessee), to receive the Brian Friesen Banjo Award. Karpacheva, right, is the first non-American to receive this award.

Bringing American Music to Belarus / A Leader in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS

A New York professor takes American music to Belarus. A doctor in Kenya is having some success in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Live from COP-16, climate change webcasts. The stakes are high in the global fight against corruption. Looking for information on Iran? Try the Encyclopaedia Iranica. Since last year, the number of partnerships between American and Russian universities has nearly doubled. And finally, learn what a group of students did to raise awareness and money for flood victims in Pakistan.
 

American Music in Belarus
New York choral conductor, baritone, and music professor Ira Spaulding has traveled to over 55 countries, spreading a passion and appreciation for American jazz and traditional American Negro spiritual songs. Recently returned from a concert and teaching tour to Belarus, Spaulding called his latest visit a “truly wonderful experience.” At right, Spaulding performs with the State Chamber Choir of Belarus in Minsk.
 
 

The Fight Against HIV/AIDS
Dr. Frederick Sawe is deputy director of the Kenya Medical Research Institute/Walter Reed Project HIV Program, a prevention, research and treatment project run jointly by his home country of Kenya and the U.S. military’s international HIV program. Reaed about his success.

Webcasts: Cop-16, Climate Change
Through its webcasts, CO.NX is providing you access to dozens of live, 90-minute programs taking place at the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP-16. Programs — hosted at the U.S. Center at COP-16 in Cancun, Mexico — run from November 29 through December 10.

A Global Effort Against Corruption
Officials attending major international gatherings have vowed to turn anti-corruption commitments into action as the stakes in the global fight against bribery, graft and embezzlement have grown greater.

Iranica: An Online Encyclopedia
Encyclopedias have been around for 2,000 years, but websites like the online Encyclopaedia Iranica are reinventing them. With Encyclopaedia Iranica, the reader can click on any of hundreds of featured entries that pop up randomly on the online version’s home page and also jump from one article to another with a click.

U.S.-Russia University Ties
Since the U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission was formed by Presidents Obama and Medvedev in July, 2009, the number of partnerships between American and Russian universities has nearly doubled.

Flags for Flood Awareness
To increase awareness of conditions in Pakistan and encourage support for its 160 Pakistani alumni, Plymouth State University student leaders covered the New Hampshire campus lawn with 25,000 neon green flags, each representing 800 persons displaced by flooding. They call the display the “Flood of Flags” and it helped raise more than $3,000 for flood relief. At left, student leaders Bryan Funk (left) and Sam Wisel (right) were among the organizers.