In the News Archives - State Magazine

From left: Department of State Spanish interpreter Irene Bruno and Japanese interpreter Lefteris Kafatos interpret in the Hub for a remote meeting. Photo by Erric Briggs

Language Services opens remote interpreting hub

By Lefteris Kafatos Since its founding by Thomas Jefferson, the Office of Language Services (LS/I) has acted as America’s foreign mouthpiece to all non-Anglophone interlocutors. In the realms of...

Police with the Lagos Special Program for Embassy Augmentation Response (SPEAR) team pose alongside U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) counterparts, including Consulate Lagos Regional Security Officer Special Agent James Suor (middle, khaki pants), November 2020. SPEAR teams are quick-response forces trained and funded by the DSS Office of Antiterrorism Assistance. State Department photo

Nigeria SPEAR Team protects U.S. diplomats during unrest in Lagos

By Vincent Crawley Thousands of Nigerians began protesting in early October 2020 after a video was widely shared on social media showing police officers with Lagos’ Special Anti-Robbery Squad...

Nonimmigrant Visa Chief Ryan Haley (far right) and Consul General Deanna Abdeen (fourth from right) join the Embassy Bogota Consular Team’s vice consuls and locally employed staff during Student Visa Day, 2019. Photo by Héctor Henao

Bogota delivers “¡Con Gusto!” through consular language program

By Ana Maria Fernandez Embassy Bogota’s consular section strives to achieve the highest standards of customer service, starting with effective client communication. In 2015, post established the Language Buddy...

The student team from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis presents their research during DipLab Demo Day, Feb. 12. Photo by Ana Paula Gonzalez

DipLab Demo Day showcases research from partner universities

By Bryan Gerhart The COVID-19 pandemic upended the entire world, and the academic sector was no exception. Institutions of higher education were forced to confront existential threats and operational...

The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) purchased a housing campus in Santo Domingo that they had been leasing for years, August 2020. The compound was built to OBO seismic, safety, and security standards and is conveniently located less than one mile from the embassy. Photo by the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations

Investing in the safety of American diplomats serving abroad

By Elizabeth Slaughter, Mark Schmidt, and Erich Chan The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) is committed to providing safe and secure housing for all U.S. diplomats serving overseas....

Several Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations staff participated in many different events to raise awareness and money for the 2020 Combined Federal Campaign. Photo by Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations

Reimagined engagement bolsters CFC effort during pandemic

By Shawn Williams

The Regional Security Office personnel at Embassy Sarajevo conduct an exercise for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) decontamination to introduce host nation police officers to basic chemical and biological agents, Nov. 17, 2020. Host nation police officers (standing, left) look on and learn as local guard force WMD first responders conduct the exercise. State Department photo

RSO Sarajevo conducts innovative security training

By Star Hy When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Regional Security Office (RSO) at Embassy Sarajevo relied heavily on host nation law enforcement for timely information...

Clockwise from top left: Razi Hashmi, Selena Gallagher, Ibrahim Beshir, Usra Ghazi, Moshtayeen Ahmad, Nursultan Eldosov, Wesam Hassanein, Saira Saeed, Sameer Hossain, and Asim Ali. Photo courtesy of Mosaic

New EAG makes positive impact in the workplace and community

By Krish Das Many organizations within the private, academic, and government sectors host employee affinity groups (EAGs)—a collection of individuals who share similar interests and goals. The Department of...

Embassy Tokyo Staff Assistant Houston Harris (back row, far left) joins Tokyo park regulars who have become acquainted with Harris through their interest in his jump roping. Photo by Emi Matsumoto Hayashi

Jumping for Joy

By Ellen Bremenstul Diplomacy takes many forms. Through art, music, sports, and dialogue, Department employees can engage with others, conduct business, keep the peace, and have fun.