The Foreign Service Journal, May 2020

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MAY 2020 19 The CARES Act also permits addi- tional paid leave for State and USAID employees experiencing hardship due to COVID-19. It includes provisions allow- ing State to provide medical services to private U.S. citizens, and permits State and USAID oaths of office required by law to be administered remotely. U.S. Suspends Afghan Aid to Force Peace Deal T he United States is suspending $1 billion in aid until Afghan politi- cal factions form a government that can implement a U.S.-brokered peace deal with the Taliban, according to a March 23 Politico report. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the decision on March 23 after meeting in Kabul with Afghan Presi- dent Ashraf Ghani and former Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah. The two Afghan leaders were continu- ing to contest the results of Afghanistan’s September 2019 election, and progress on talks with the Taliban was stalled. D uring this time of social dis- tancing, listening to radio from around the world is one fun way to stay connected. From its beginning, radio signals have crossed borders. Radio makers and listeners have imagined connect- ing with distant cultures, as well as re- connecting with people from“home” from thousands of miles away. Visit Radio Garden, and you can spin the globe and listen to any of thousands of live radio stations from around the world. Each green dot represents a city or town. Tap Site of the Month Radio Garden (www.radio.garden ) the dot, and a pop-up shows radio stations from that city and starts to play a local station. You can add radio stations to your favorites list or choose from Radio Garden’s recommendations. Founded in 2015 in Amsterdam, Radio Garden launched mobile apps for iOS and Android platforms in 2018. “The United States is disappointed in themand what their conduct means for Afghanistan and our shared interests,” Secretary Pompeo said. “We havemade clear to the leadership that we will not back security operations that are politicallymoti- vated, nor support political leaders who order such operations or those who advo- cate for or support parallel government.” Afghans “fear the decision could push the country, almost entirely dependent on foreign aid, past the tipping point,” accord- ing to a March 24 New York Times report. The United States has been provid- ing about $4 billion in security aid and nearly $500 million in civilian aid to Afghanistan per year, according to The New York Times . The newspaper adds that roughly 75 percent of Afghanistan’s annual public expenditures are depen- dent on international donations. On Feb. 29, the United States reached a peace deal with the Taliban, marking the potential end of America’s longest war. The agreement, which did not include the government of Afghanistan, WELLNESS IN A CRISIS From the National Wellness Insti- tute, here is a list of questions to ask yourself daily: 1. What am I grateful for today? 2. Who am I checking in on or connecting with today? 3. What expectations of “normal” am I letting go of today? 4. How am I getting outside today? 5. How am I moving my body today? 6. What beauty am I either creating, cultivating or inviting in today? ACCESS MUSIC & CULTURE Here are a few ideas for getting to museums, going to the opera and sym- phony, and even learning to play guitar, all virtually. Virtual Museum Collections: The Museum Computer Network, which supports professionals who seek to transform the way their muse- ums reach, engage, and educate their audiences using digital technologies, offers an extensive directory of virtual museum resources, e-learning and online collections at mcn.edu/a-guide- to-virtual-museum-resources. Metropolitan Opera: The Metropol- itan Opera of New York City has been streaming a different performance, from its Met’s Live in HD series, every night at metopera.org. Seattle Symphony: The Seattle Symphony has been offering free performances several times a week at seattlesymphony.org/live. Fender Play: Fender Musical Instru- ments Corp. is offering three months of free online guitar, bass and ukulele lessons to the first 500,000 new sub- scribers to its Fender Play Service at try. fender.com/play/playthrough.