Tag Archives: Secretary Clinton

New Humanitarian Aid for Libya / Food Costs Soar Globally / A Monumental Work by an Indian Artist

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President Obama announces more humanitarian aid for Libya. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton unveils a new initiative on women’s leadership. Global food prices have reached record highs. Learn about the legacy of the Alliance for Progress, launched by President Kennedy in 1961. And an Indian artist offers up a monumental work.

Aid for Libya Refugees
More Humanitarian Aid for Libya
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President Obama says the United States and other countries will stand with the people of Libya and announces additional U.S. humanitarian assistance to support international aid organizations in Libya. Both the United States and Australia support democracy and human rights around the world and will stand with the Libyan people, says Obama in remarks with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Women’s Leadership Initiative
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton launches a new initiative aimed at using international exchanges to nurture women in leadership positions around the world. “Women’s Leadership: The Next Hundred Years” is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and is bringing 100 women leaders from 92 countries to the United States this year to explore women’s political, economic and civic leadership.

Food Prices Reach Record High
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Global food prices reached a record-high level in February, driven mainly by higher prices for cereals, meat and dairy products. The increases have raised concerns that millions more people could be pushed further into poverty and civil unrest could result, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

The Alliance for Progress
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In 1961, President John F. Kennedy launched the Alliance for Progress, an ambitious foreign-aid program for Latin America which called for broad social and economic reforms. Although the Alliance is perhaps largely forgotten now, it marked a fresh approach to U.S.-Latin American relations, says Arturo Valenzuela, assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs.

Maximum India’s Falling Fables 
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Indian artist Reena Saini Kallat’s monumental installation, Falling Fables, celebrates and mourns the passing of time and disappearance of architecture. On display at “maximum INDIA,” a 20-day festival of dance, theater, music, art and crafts at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, the work is a massive fallen pillar covered with more than 30,000 hand-crafted rubber stamps, Kallat’s signature motif.

Clinton on Civil Society / World Food Prices / Color in Freedom

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton calls for enhanced engagement between civil society groups and the United States. Food prices are up by 29% worldwide. President Obama’s Global Health Initiative will turn its focus to solutions for the poorest, most rural areas around the world. A top diplomat discusses President Obama’s Western Hemisphere policy. Some effortless fixes can reduce greenhouse gases. Finally, meet African-American artist Joseph Holston.

Clinton on Civil Society
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Speaking at the inaugural Strategic Dialogue with Civil Society, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton calls for more interaction between civil society groups and U.S. officials. At right, Clinton meets with Azeri civil society leaders in 2010 and emphasizes the importance of engaging with groups outside government that work to improve their countries.

Food Prices up 29% Worldwide
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The World Bank says global food prices have risen 29 percent from a year ago, driven by a combination of weather shocks and food export bans, which are forcing millions more people into extreme poverty. “This is (a) serious cause for concern,” says World Bank President Robert Zoellick.

Health Care for the World’s Most Needy
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President Obama’s Global Health Initiative will turn its focus to community-based approaches and health care solutions for the poorest, most rural areas around the world, says Dr. Rajiv Shah, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). “That is our battleground, and I’m proud to say that is where USAID will try to lead the fight,” he says.

U.S. Western Hemisphere Policy “Informed,” “Optimistic”
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President Obama’s Western Hemisphere policy is “informed, engaged, dynamic, collaborative and optimistic,” says Arturo Valenzuela, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs.

Energy Conservation Targets
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Energy efficiency programs target relatively inexpensive and effortless fixes that can have a big effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, many U.S. states are pushing ahead with energy-saving targets for power companies. Together, these states will help the United States reduce emissions in a significant way.

The final movement of Color in FreedomColor in Freedom: Journey Along the Underground Railroad
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Artist Joseph Holston creates art based on African-American subjects, saying he feels that African Americans should have “a voice through art.” His series Color in Freedom: Journey Along the Underground Railroad, which is currently touring the U.S., goes beyond the conventional understanding of the Underground Railroad as a historical episode and instead conveys a broader narrative about the African American experience. At right, the final movement of Color in Freedom shows the fruition of the struggle for freedom.

Clinton on Violence in Egypt / Clinton in Security Talks / Black History Month

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton calls for both sides to move toward a peaceful transition of power in Egypt. Next, Clinton is heading to Munich for international security talks. An intellectual property lawyer talks about how counterfeiting is stealing. And February is Black History Month.

Clinton Calls for Talks in Egypt
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The Obama administration condemns continued violence in Egypt and government officials and opposition groups to immediately come together in serious negotiations for a credible political transition. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, said that attacks on reporters are, “a violation of international norms that guarantee freedom of the press” and “unacceptable under any circumstances.”

Security Talks in Munich
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will meet with more than 350 top-level decision makers from across the globe at the 47th Munich Security Conference February 4-6. Clinton, above, is expected to make a major speech on security issues and Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will exchange instruments of ratification for the New START Treaty.

Intellectual Property Rights
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Zayd Alathari, an attorney who practices intellectual property rights law in Washington, D.C., says the ramifications of buying illegally manufactured goods are vast. “Counterfeiting is stealing,” says Alathari.

Black History Month
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Each February, Black History Month honors the struggles and triumphs of millions of American citizens and their contributions to the nation’s cultural and political life. February was chosen because it includes the birthdays of President Abraham Lincoln and the abolitionist Frederick Douglass. At right, a man and his son see the bus in which Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in 1955, a landmark moment in the civil rights movement.

Gates in Japan / Clinton in the Middle East / Martin Luther King Jr.

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In Japan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates calls for stability on the Korean Peninsula. At the Forum for the Future in Qatar, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks about the Middle East in the 21st century. Vice President Biden holds talks in Pakistan. The Obama admistration says that the level of violence in Tunisia is “unacceptable” and calls upon the Tunisian government for swift action. Muslim Americans continue to contribute to the relief effort in Haiti. A group of Russian environmental officials traveled to New York to examine how the U.S. handles toxic waste. And finally, in honor of Martin Luther King Day this coming Monday, view a photo gallery about Dr. King’s life and work.

A Plea for Stability on the Korean Peninsula
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Peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is in the common interest of China, Japan, South Korea and the United States, Defense Secretary Robert Gates says. “This requires that North (Korea) cease its belligerent behavior and its provocation,” Gates says during a press conference with Japanese Defense Minister Tosihimi Kitazawa, left, in Tokyo.


Clinton on Middle East Reform
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The people and leaders of the Middle East must work together to build a stronger foundation for their region, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told leaders at the Forum for the Future in Doha, Qatar. Clinton says the people of the Middle East “are looking for real leadership in the 21st century, and I think it can be provided, and I know that this is the moment to do so.”

Biden and Pakistani Prime Minister Hold Talks
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Vice President Biden and Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani have held “extremely useful” discussions in Islamabad on “combating terror, issues of regional stability and promoting reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan.”

Violence in Tunisia
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The Obama administration says there remains “an unacceptable level of violence” in Tunisia and calls upon the Tunisian government to “aggressively” respond to popular calls for economic reform and greater political openness.

Muslims Helping in Haiti
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Islamic Relief USA and the Zakat Foundation of America continue to help victims with food, shelter and medicine one year after an earthquake devastated Haiti.

Sharing Toxic Waste Strategies
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The U.S. government recently invited a delegation of 16 Russian environmental protection officials to Washington and New York to examine how the United States deals with abandoned industrial sites contaminated with hazardous wastes.

King with President Lyndon Johnson as he signs the Civil Rights ActPhoto Gallery: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. dedicated his life to the nonviolent struggle for racial equality in the United States. January 17, 2011, marks the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King Day, a federal holiday that honors King’s legacy and challenges citizens to engage in volunteer service in their communities. Visit this photo gallery to learn more about Dr. King’s Life and work. At right, King attends the 1964 signing of the Civil Rights Act into federal law by President Lyndon Johnson.

Gates in China / Clinton in Yemen / An Indian Novelist

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Defense Secretary Robert Gates praises China for helping to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Progress to rebuild Haiti is on track one year after the devastating earthquake. Speaking in Yemen, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the United States seeks “a broad relationship” with both Yemen’s leadership and the Yemeni people. The United States is pleased with the progress of the referendum on southern Sudan’s self-determination. Vice President Biden says the Taliban’s momentum has slowed in Afghanistan. And finally, meet the Indian novelist and blogger Chandrahas Choudhury.

Robert Gates with Chinese President HuChina Playing Key Role in Korean Peninsula
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Defense Secretary Robert Gates says Chinese leadership has played a vital role in the last several months to dampen tensions on the Korean Peninsula. “What I think we would like to see are some concrete actions by North Korea that show that they’re serious about moving to a negotiation and an engagement track,” Gates says in Beijing. Right, Gates meets with China’s President Hu Jintao.

One Year Later: Haiti on Track
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U.S. officials and leaders say progress to rebuild Haiti is on track one year after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake devastated the country, with international efforts contributing significantly to sustainable development.

Clinton in Yemen
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that the Obama administration is committed to providing Yemen with economic, social and political assistance as well as cooperation against violent extremists.

Good Progress in Sudan
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Senior State Department officials say they are pleased with the progress of the referendum on southern Sudan’s self-determination and praised leaders from both northern and southern Sudan for their cooperation in the process. “We could now be at the very cusp of seeing the end of one of Africa’s longest wars and longest tragedies,” says Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson.

Breaking the Taliban’s Momentum
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The United States, its allies and Afghan security forces are breaking the momentum of the Taliban insurgents working to regain control over portions of Afghanistan, Vice President Biden says. “It’s fair to say we have largely arrested the Taliban momentum here in some very important areas,” Biden says at a joint press conference in Kabul with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

Chandrahas Choudhury at podiumMeet Indian Writer Choudhury
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Novelist, critic and blogger Chandrahas Choudhury, who lives in Mumbai, recently joined 37 other writers from 32 countries for International Writing Program at the University of Iowa. Along with exposure to the work of a diverse group of international poets and writers, the conference allowed Choudhury, right, to examine the contrasts and similarities between Indian and American literary culture.

Volunteer From Anywhere / TechWomen / A Gallery of Gadgets

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Volunteering has never been easier, thanks to the Internet. Applications are being accepted for the TechWomen mentoring program. A power company in Bangalore will be exploring smart grid technology. Meet the very prolific Bangladeshi author Anisul Hoque. And finally, explore a photo gallery of gadgets that are changing the world.

Work Locally, Help Globally
The U.N. Volunteers program allows anyone with a computer to volunteer in any of 130 countries around the world without leaving home. Above, Sandrine Cortet, an online volunteer who translates documents from her native French to English and vice versa, works at her home in Edison, N.J.

TechWomen
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Bringing the power of global business, technology and education together, the TechWomen Program will pair women in Silicon Valley with 38 of their counterparts in the Middle East and North Africa for a five-week professional mentorship program at leading technology companies beginning in the summer of 2011. Online applications must be submitted by February 1, 2011. For more information, visit the TechWomen Fact Sheet.

A Smarter Grid for Bangalore, India
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A power company in Bangalore, India, will be exploring smart grid technologies with the help of a pilot study funded by the United States. The two nations are seeking to build expertise and market share in the emerging clean energy sector.

Bangladeshi Author Anisul Hoque
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Meet Bangladeshi writer and journalist Anisul Hoque, who has written between 60 and 70 books, short stories, poetry, plays, television scripts, and four full-length films.

Photo Gallery: Gadgets That Are Changing the World
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People often take small devices for granted. But gadgets alter our lives and sometimes improve the world around us. These products can make life more comfortable, safer and healthier. Explore a photo gallery of gadgets that America.gov editors believe are reshaping the world. At left, the LifeStraw, a cigar-shaped device that purifies water, removing bacteria, viruses and parasites, some of which cause cholera and other illnesses. It has been distributed in the poorest areas in Africa and recently in Haiti.

Obama Denounces Iran Attack / The Carbon Capture Challenge / Native American Art

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President Obama denounces a terrorist attack on a mosque in Iran. Reducing greenhouse gases is going to take more than cap-and-trade. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton hosts a town hall meeting to discuss the release of the first Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. Read our handbook on U.S. media law. The U.S. gives Jordan vehicles to help in its fight to protect intellectual property. Global citizens speak up about climate change. And finally, explore a photo gallery of Native American art.

Obama Denounces Iran Attack
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President Obama denounces a bombing attack targeting Iranian civilians in Chabahar as “disgraceful and cowardly” and says those who carried out the attack must be held accountable. “The murder of innocent civilians in their place of worship during Ashura is a despicable offense,” Obama says.

The Challenge of Carbon Capture
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Cap-and-trade and renewable energy alone likely won’t be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This reality has prompted governments and companies to increasingly look for new and unconventional solutions to the climate problem.

A Diplomacy, Development Review
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A newly released internal study of the U.S. State Department lays out a plan for better coordinating U.S. responses to crises, conflicts and natural disasters around the world. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, unveiled the State Department’s Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review, which suggests changes in organization, coordination with other U.S. government agencies, and implementation of overseas programs.

Media Law Handbook
What are the privileges and responsibilities of a free press? In Media Law Handbook, Professor Jane Kirtley, Silha Professor of Media Ethics and Law at the University of Minnesota, explores how free societies answer this question.

Protecting Intellectual Property in Jordan
The Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement donates ten vehicles to the Jordan Standards and Metrology Organization headquarters to contribute to Jordan’s robust intellectual property rights enforcement regime.

Global Messages: Climate Change
America.gov asked people around the world to write a message to world leaders about climate change. We received responses from all corners of the globe. Read their messages.

Photo Gallery: Native American Art
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The artistic traditions of American Indians convey the resilience of the United States’ indigenous peoples. Thanks to the U.S. State Department’s Art in Embassies program, which installs art in U.S. diplomatic posts, global audiences can enjoy the talents of many American artists — tribal and otherwise. Explore the work in this photo gallery. At right, a portrait of the legendary Sioux chief Jack Red Cloud.

Hope for a Global Climate Treaty / Core Issues in the Middle East / A Muslim Basketball League in the USA

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After the COP-16 climate summit, there is renewed hope for a global climate treaty. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the Middle East peace process should focus on core issues. Chinese and U.S. defense officials talk. At a conference in Algeria, North African business is on the agenda, while talks in New Zealand center on economic cooperation. It’s called mHealth and it’s improving health care for remote populations. U.S. officials mark Human Rights Day. We’ve got a two part series on an Iranian American activist. And finally, there’s a basketball league in California with a Mecca division and a Medina division.

Hope for Global Climate Treaty
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Because of agreements reached at the U.N.-led COP-16 climate summit in Cancún, Mexico, the world may finally be on its way toward a legally binding treaty that includes all major greenhouse gas emitters and compensates nations most vulnerable to climate change. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton calls the outcome a “significant step forward.” At right, environmental activists call attention to rising sea levels outside the conference.

Clinton: Focus on Core Issues in ME Process
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The United States believes it is time for the Middle East peace process to focus on the core issues of the conflict: borders and security, settlements, refugees and Jerusalem, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. “It is no secret that the parties have a long way to go and that they have not yet made the difficult decisions that peace requires,” Clinton, right, says.

U.S., Chinese Military Talks
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U.S. and Chinese defense officials recently discussed how to develop more sustained and durable military-to-military relations, Under Secretary of Defense Michele Flournoy says. “I won’t say that we agreed on every issue. Where we did differ, we had a very candid and frank and productive exchange of views,” she says.

A International Business Conference in Algiers
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At the U.S.-Maghreb Entrepreneurship Conference held in Algeria, North African and American business leaders discussed the potential, and the challenge, of launching businesses in countries from Libya to Mauritania. Inspired by President Obama’s June 2009 speech in Cairo and last April’s Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, the conference provided workshops and networking opportunities for North African entrepreneurs.

Trans-Pacific Partnership Talks
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Negotiations aimed at updating the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement made steady progress across a range of issues during just-concluded talks in New Zealand, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.

Take Two Aspirin and Text Me in the Morning
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Mobile phone health information, or mHealth, is improving health in populations that are difficult for doctors to reach. Even the most basic mobile phone can make medical information more accessible to doctors and patients alike.

A Day to Remember Human Rights
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U.S. officials from the president on down marked International Human Rights Day on December 10, which commemorates the adoption by the United Nations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

An Iranian American Activist
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Melody Moezzi is an Iranian American who became a lawyer, then a writer, a speaker and a political volunteer. She embraced Islam, then wrote and spoke against stereotypes of Muslims in America. When she learned she had bipolar disorder, she began writing for fellow patients and works to clear up misconceptions about them. Read our two part series on Moezzi and her activism.

A Muslim American Basketball League
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Orange County’s Muslim Basketball League, started in 2004 with eight teams, now includes 33 teams, split into the Mecca division and the Medina division. The league grew out of a desire for young Muslim men to socialize while doing something they love. At left, the Mecca division team Intifada after winning a championship.

Obama in Afghanistan / Clinton in Bahrain / Banjo Diplomacy

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President Obama makes a surprise visit to Afghanistan to deliver holiday greetings to the troops. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says Iran’s nuclear ambitions are a global concern. We’ve got two stories on trade: U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says trade can no longer depend so heavily on consumers, and the U.S. and South Korea wrap up four days of trade talks. A presidential commission releases a controversial new plan on reducing the budget deficit. And finally, find out how the U.S. and Russia are strengthening their relationship, with banjos.

President Obama in Afghanistan
President Obama made a quick, unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Friday. He traveled there to meet with American officials, speak to Afghan president Hamid Karzai, and thank U.S. troops for their service. Above, Obama is greeted by NATO Commander in Afghanistan General David Petraeus, left, and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Elkenberry, center, after stepping off Air Force One.

Iran’s Nuclear Threat
There is “no debate” in the international community over its shared concern that Iran may be developing nuclear weapons, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. Speaking with Bahraini Foreign Minister Khaled bin Ahmed Al Khalifa in Manama, Clinton says a nuclear armed Iran could destabilize the Middle East.

Easing World Trade Imbalances
U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke says nations that have been overly reliant on exports to fuel economic growth will benefit by pursuing policies that will help boost their own consumer demand. “We can no longer depend so heavily on consumers in the United States, Europe and other developed countries to be engines of global economic growth,” says Locke.

U.S.-Korea Trade Talks Conclude
U.S. and South Korean trade negotiators wrapped up four days of trade talks on a bilateral free trade agreement. An announcement of the details is not expected before negotiators brief President Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

Cutting the U.S. Deficit
Warning Americans that “the moment of truth” had come, a presidential commission released a sweeping and controversial plan to reduce U.S. chronic budget deficits and slow the growth of the public debt by 2020. The proposal calls for drastic cuts in defense and other government spending, the elimination of popular tax breaks, and an increase in taxes most working Americans pay for social programs.

Building Bridges with Banjos
The banjo, a traditional American instrument, is helping strengthen relations between the American and Russian people. The California-based Deering Banjo Company recently chose Liza Karpacheva, a 15-year-old Russian orphan from Obninsk, Russia (sister city of Oak Ridge, Tennessee), to receive the Brian Friesen Banjo Award. Karpacheva, right, is the first non-American to receive this award.

Clinton in Kazakhstan / Climate Talks in Cancun / World AIDS Day

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In Kazakhstan, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses the OSCE Summit and speaks about the role of civil society activism at a town hall meeting. After returning from Asia, Clinton will host foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan in Washington. Faith can be a force for healing among nations, says U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice. At the COP-16 talks in Cancun, countries strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, today is World AIDS Day; read how the United States is leading the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Clinton Urges Stronger OSCE
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called on the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to expand its role in promoting human rights, preventing regional conflicts and enhancing security across the continent. Speaking in Kazakhstan, Clinton also outlined U.S. priorities for the OSCE, the first of which is to increase the group’s role in supporting stability in Afghanistan.

The Role of Civil Society Activists
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says governments cannot build strong democracies, thriving economies or stable societies by themselves. “Governments hold so much of the future in their hands, but they are not the most powerful determinant. That is the people themselves, and particularly the organizations that bring people together in civil society,” said Clinton, speaking at a town hall meeting in Astana.

U.S. to Meet Allies on North Korea
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will host the foreign ministers of South Korea and Japan in Washington for discussions concerning recent North Korean activities and their impact upon regional security.

Faith Among Nations
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice says faith can be a force for partnership and healing among nations.

Climate Talk at COP-16
Leaders from more than 190 countries are attending the COP-16 climate meeting in Mexico to try to build on commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions made during last year’s gathering in Copenhagen. Though a legally binding treaty remains elusive, some 140 countries have signed on to the Copenhagen Accord, and more than 80 have submitted greenhouse gas reduction targets.

World AIDS Day
Increased U.S. support for antiretroviral treatments will help deliver life-saving drugs to more than 4 million people living with HIV around the world by 2013, the State Department says. “By investing in what we know works, we can save millions more in the future,” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says in marking World AIDS Day.