Ambassador Javier Ruperez Spain Is Friend in War, Ally Against Terrorism by Larry Luxner From his spacious fourth-floor office overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue, Spanish Ambassador Javier Ruperez guides his countryís relations with the United States with a firm hand shaped by years of diplomatic experience in Addis Ababa, Warsaw, Helsinki and Madrid. Today, Ruperez says those relations are better than everóboosted, of course, by Spainís steadfast support of President Bush at a time when other European allies, led by France and Germany, angrily opposed his invasion of Iraq. more... Brookings Institution Foreign Policy Director James B. Steinberg Think Tank Expert Trying To Shape Changing World by John Shaw James B. Steinberg, director of the Brookings Institutionís foreign policy studies program, argues that the international political system is undergoing a profound transformation. It is being reshaped, he explained, by large historical forces, the policies of governments, the activities of corporations and civil society, and the grand strategies articulated by research groups and individual analysts. more.... Lawyers Line Up to Get Piece of Embassy Lobbying Business by Larry Luxner If you want to see the trappings of diplomacy in Washington, take a drive along tree-lined Massachusetts Avenue, where the colorful flags of dozens of embassies flutter from the tops of stately mansions. But the real grunt work is done on K Street, NW, where sleek steel-and-glass buildings house many of the capitalís 17,500 or so lobbyistsóthe hired guns who, for a fee, try to sway the White House, Congress and a bewildering array of federal agencies on behalf of their various clients. more.... Pneumonia Takes Aim at Most Vulnerable by Gina Shaw It took the life of comedian Bob Hope in July of last year, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek in October, and legendary Chicago Sun-Times columnist Irv Kupcinet in November. It also sent famed novelist Stephen King, weakened by his 1999 car accident, to the hospital. "It" is pneumonia, an inflammation of the lungs caused by infection that affects between 3 million and 4 million people annually in the United States alone. more....

Culture Section Check out the arts section for the latest in museum exhibits, dance, theater and much more. Haiti to Mark 200th Anniversary Amid Worsening Poverty by Larry Luxner On New Yearís Day 2004, Haiti will celebrate its 200th anniversary as the worldís first independent black republicóand the second-oldest independent republic in the Western Hemisphere after the United States. Yet the truth is, Haiti doesnít have much to celebrate. more.... Envoys From Small Nations Join Forces To Increase Profile in Washington by Anna Gawel One lone voice in a sea of loud voices may not make much of a sound, but combine that voice with five others and you can have quite a piercing chorus. Thatís the premise behind an informal grouping of six ambassadors who recently banded together to join forces and boost the profile of their respective nations. What makes their story more interesting is the size of their nations: They are all smallóvery small. more.... Special Adviser Maalouf Occupies Unique Spot in Arab-American Relations by Sean OíDriscoll Although the appointment of Walid Maalouf to the United Nations has not made major headlines in the United States, it is a major step for Arab Americansóintended to show that the Bush administration is working to better understand Arab culture. more.... Consular Corps Brings Together Range of Key Diplomats by Heather Nalbone Within the diplomatic ranks, no group has been hit quite as hard by post-9/11 restrictions as embassy consulars, whose daily work entails everything from assisting in immigration matters to handling tax issues for people living away from their home countries. Thatís where the Consular Corps comes in. more....