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Photo of Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovics by Lawrence Ruggeri Heated Debate Over Teacher Pay May Signal New Era in Education by Carolyn Cosmos A compensation revolution may be under way for teacher pay, and nowhere is the debate over merit pay versus tenure louder than the nation’s capital. Bach to Rock Teaches to a Different Beat by Christine Cubé Parents say Bach to Rock hits all the right notes because the school goes beyond the traditional way of teaching music. Hospice Care Helps Dying Take Their Last Journey by Gina Shaw Hospice is not a service you want to think about needing — but it’s one that everyone should have access to at the end of their life. Hidden Heart Problems Can Trigger Sudden Deaths of Young Athletes by Carolyn Cosmos Although relatively rare, the sudden deaths of seemingly healthy young athletes from hidden heart problems are more common than many people realize. Autism: Hope is Eternal - The Story of HANDLE®

< Cover Profile: Latvia Latvia Sobers Up As the Party Ends by Larry Luxner “In a way, we have become victims of our own success,” admits Riga’s envoy, Andrejs Pildegovics, in an interview on Latvia’s fall from grace and its efforts to dig out of economic freefall. People of World Influence Colin Powell: Crises Force Rebalance, But Not a Return to ‘Worst of Times’ by John Shaw Colin Powell, the retired four-star general and former secretary of state, says we’re living through trying times, but not the “worst of times.” International Relations Taiwan Ditches Dollar Diplomacy In Favor of Cooperation With China by Larry Luxner After years of thumbing its nose at mainland China, Taiwan has lifted the prospect of cross-strait reconciliation to the most promising in decades — thanks to a new leader who favors cooperation over confrontation. Diplomacy Are Global Penalties Just Sanctioning Bad Behavior? by Mark Hilpert The cases of North Korea and Iran underline the fundamental dilemma with global sanctions: How do you find consensus and come up with effective penalties that hit the people who deserve it, while sparing those you’re trying to help? International Affairs Drama Off Somali High Seas Reflects Chaos On the Ground by Seth McLaughlin The pirate-infested seas off Somalia’s coast reflect a chaos that can at least in part be blamed on foreign policy blunders in a lawless country that continually threatens the region’s stability. Economy Baltic Neighbors Lithuania, Estonia Clean Up Their Own Economic Houses by Larry Luxner Estonia and Lithuania appear to be weathering the global economic storm far better than their neighbor Latvia, though the current clouds of gloom are likely to hang over the Baltics until at least the end of 2009. Development Aiding and Abetting? Economists Say Assistance Only Makes Africa Worse by Mark Hilpert Aid to Africa has been the mantra of politicians and rock stars alike, but a few lone voices argue that foreign assistance has only hurt, not helped, the continent. Defense U.S. States Partner With Countries Under Novel National Guard Program by Christopher Prawdzik As U.S. forces continue military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the National Guard is showing that the global presence of the U.S. armed services isn’t limited to combat. Also See: Stately Combinations—60 Partnerships Formed Between U.S. States and Foreign Countries

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