Iranís Fariborz Jahansoozan Despite Lack of Diplomatic Ties Door to Iran is Slowly Opening by Larry Luxner No Iranian flag flutters defiantly in the wind, and no security officer guards its front door. At first glance, thereís little to indicate that this nondescript street-level entrance at 2209 Wisconsin Avenueónext to a shop that sells Persian rugsóis anything other than a real-estate office or a travel agency. Step inside, however, and you quickly realize that the Iranian Interests Section isnít your typical diplomatic mission. For starters, none of the 45 bureaucrats who work in the rented office are diplomatsónot even the director, Fariborz Jahansoozan. "Our staff does not have diplomatic immunity, because the State Department does not allow us to have diplomats in the United States," said Jahansoozan...more... Maurice Strong UN Adviser Says World Must Focus On Sustainable Development by John Shaw Maurice Strong, a Canadian businessman, environmental activist and special advisor to the United Nations secretary-general, acknowledges that he has sharply conflicting views about how the future will unfold. During pessimistic moments, Strong sees a world that is ravaged by hunger, overpopulation, ecological and environmental disasters, dramatic climate change, the re-emergence of horrible diseases and political turmoil. But during periods of optimism, Strong believes that manís capacity to innovate, create and respond to major challenges will prevail and that essential changes in lifestyle and attitude will pave the way for a peaceful and secure future...more... < /tr> Hotels Section

Culture Section Inter-American Defense Board Works for Peace Through Security by Larry Luxner With the peaceful resolution of old border disputes and the end of Cold War-era proxy wars between leftist guerrillas and right-wing dictatorships, the militaries of Latin America are gradually turning their attention to other pressing concerns, such as disaster relief and the threat of global terrorism....more... Terrorist Attacks Having Repercussions In Economies of Many Asian Countries by Joshua Kurlantzick For many Americans, the Sept. 11 attacks seemed like the crushing blow that finally pushed the countryís teetering economy into recession. But halfway across the world, Asiaís economies, which export more than $1 trillion worth of goods and services to the United States, actually might suffer even greater damage from the terroristsí cruel plot....more... New Wave of Scanning Centers Sparks Medical Debate by Larry Luxner Entrepreneur Barry Blank has been self-employed since the age of 19. A native of Pikesville, Md., heís already launched two businesses in his careeróa regional title company and a nationwide retail janitorial supply chain. Now, at age 45, he hopes to strike it rich with his third venture: a chain of walk-in medical centers where patients can get full-body scans to detect illnesses they didnít know they had....more... Receiving Line ï Diplomats Turn Out for Ball ï Generous African Neighbors ï Slovakia Supports United States at Celebration