Tag Archives: Libya

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.

U.S., Mexico Unite Against Drugs / “Heavy” Team Aids after NZ Quake / 50 Years of the Peace Corps

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The U.S. and Mexico vow to work together to fight drug trafficking. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton calls for a new nuclear weapons treaty. The U.S. and international relief organizations are increasing their efforts to airlift those fleeing from the violence in Libya. The Los Angeles “heavy” team has flown to New Zealand to help after the earthquake. And, the Peace Corps turns 50.

U.S.-Mexico relations

U.S., Mexico Anti-Drug Efforts
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President Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon pledged to work more closely to thwart continuing illicit drug trafficking and its related violence. “As I’ve said before, President Calderon and the Mexican people have shown extraordinary courage in the fight for their country,” Obama said during a joint press conference at the White House.

A Nuclear Materials Treaty
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton calls for the Conference on Disarmament to move ahead quickly on a proposed multilateral treaty that would ban the production of nuclear-weapons using fissile materials. “Our long-term goal, our vision, is a world without nuclear weapons,” says Clinton.

Airlifting Libyan Refugees
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President Obama announced that U.S. planes will fly Egyptian citizens home from Tunisia, where they fled to escape weeks of violence in Libya. Obama’s announcement came as an internationally-backed airlift began, with more than 50 flights carrying migrant workers home.

“Heavy” Team Aids after NZ Quake
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After the February 22 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, The U.S. Agency for International Development called the Los Angeles County Urban Search and Rescue “heavy” team. Within about 30 hours, the 74-member unit and all their equipment were flying across the Pacific. Explains Los Angeles Battalion Chief Larry Collins, “It’s heavy muscle coming in.”

Peace Corps Marks 50 Years
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On March 1, the Peace Corps celebrated 50 years of service. President John F. Kennedy created the Peace Corps as a challenge to American college students to give up two years of their lives to help people in countries in the developing world. Over five decades, more than 200,000 volunteers have served 139 host countries. At right, the community of Likpe Todome in the Volta region of Ghana with their Peace Corps volunteer, Leanne Polachek.

A Libyan Refugee Crisis / Libya Ousted From Human Rights Council / Green Dentists

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A refugee crisis is boiling over at Libya’s border. The United Nations votes Libya out of the the U.N. Human Rights Council. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urges Congress to approve the administration’s budget for the State Department. The U.S. and China must cooperate on a nuclear-free Korean peninsula. Some U.S. dentists are going green. And, finally, International Women’s Day is March 8.

Refugee Crisis at Libya Borders
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The situation in Libya has become not just a political crisis, but a potential humanitarian crisis as well, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees says. Foreign workers and frightened Libyans are pouring to the borders to escape the turmoil, and international aid agencies are gearing up resources to cope with needs for food, shelter and clothing.

UNGA Suspends Libya
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All 192 member nations of the United Nations General Assembly have voted to suspend Libya from the U.N. Human Rights Council due to its government’s violent attacks on protesters opposed to Muammar Qadhafi’s rule. U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Susan Rice describes the vote as “unprecedented” and “a harsh rebuke – but one that Libya’s leaders have brought down upon themselves.”

Pass Obama Budget, Clinton Says
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urges Congress to approve President Obama’s budget request for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, and warned that cutting funding could harm key investments in countries across the Middle East. “The entire region is changing, and a strong and strategic American response is essential,” Clinton says in testimony to the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

North Korea’s Nuclear Activities
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Senior State Department officials say China and the United States share the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons programs from the Korean Peninsula and that both countries will need to work together to resolve North Korea’s status as a nuclear weapons state. North Korean nuclear activity “is an issue which is at the very center of the U.S.-China relationship,” says Special Representative for North Korea Policy Stephen Bosworth.

When Your Dentist Turns Green
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A movement is building to “green” America’s 125,000-plus dental offices. Since Ina and Fred Pockrass founded the Eco-Dentistry Association in 2008, dental offices in 45 states and 13 other countries have pledged to reduce their impact on the environment.

Shirley Chisolm “Broad Shouldered” Women
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This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first , which recognizes women’s past struggles and accomplishments and focuses on what needs to be done to provide greater opportunities for women today. At right, Shirley Chisholm, who in 1968 became the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Congress.

Clinton Condemns Libyan Violence / Growing U.S. Farm Exports / Hoops Diplomacy

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The chorus of condemnation of the Libyan government continues with remarks from the U.S. representative to the U.N. and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. The U.S. is promoting its agricultural products worldwide. As they prepare to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, U.S. officials believe governments must foster innnovation. Armenian, Turkish and U.S. athletes meet on the basketball court.

The World Speaks “With One Voice”
The world has spoken “with one voice” and “with an unusual and important sense of urgency” in condemning the Libyan government’s violence against its people, says Susan Rice, the U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations. Rice speaks at the White House following President Obama’s meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Clinton on Libyan Violence
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton calls for Libya’s leader, Muammar Qadhafi, to be held accountable for violent acts “which violate international legal obligations and common decency.” “These violations of universal rights are unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Clinton, right, tells the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Growing U.S. Farm Exports
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U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says that the United States will continue to aggressively promote its agricultural products around the world. “We are very focused on exports, and we are doing it in a very strategic way,” Vilsack said during the 2011 Agricultural Outlook Forum.

Fostering Innovation
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Fostering and supporting innovation is a key message the United States government wants to convey as it prepares to host the annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in November. Speaking at a recent meeting in Washington, Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs Robert D. Hormats says “government policies can help create an environment conducive of innovation.”

Muresan with Turkish and Armenian playersHoops Diplomacy
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Two dozen Armenian and Turkish basketball players came to the U.S. for a second round of hoops diplomacy January 29-February 12. The teams, who first met in August 2010 at a U.S.-hosted basketball program in Turkey, aimed to learn about scholastic sports and leadership, and trained with former professional star Gheorghe Mureşan, at right, in Izmir and in Washington, D.C.

New U.S. Pressure on Libya / The Kiwi Quake / A Boost in Biotech Crops

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President Obama says it is time for Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi to go. Rescuers continue to search for survivors of the New Zealand earthquake, though hope is dimming. An American blogger digitally speaks with students in Palestine’s West Bank about social media as a means for social change. February is Black History Month in the United States. And studies show large gains in the production of biotech crops.

Obama Backs Qadhafi Ouster
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President Obama calls on Libya’s leader, Muammar Qadhafi, to leave power now, saying that he and his government must be held accountable for violating the human rights and brutalization of the Libyan people. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton further amplifies the president’s position, saying that it is clear the Libyan people want Qadhafi out of power.

Kiwi Quake’s Deadly Toll
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A U.S. Search and Recovery team is on the scene in Christchurch, New Zealand hoping more survivors can be pulled from the city’s rubble. New Zealand Police put the death toll at 113 late February 25, while 70 survivors have been found alive in the days since the 6.3 magnitude quake. More than 200 people are still thought to be missing.

Social Media, Social Change
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Blogger Zerlina Maxwell spoke with 25 students in the Palestinian Territories’ West Bank via digital video conference for a State Department dialogue on “Promoting Social Media as a Means for Change.” Speaking about Hosni Mubarak’s resignation as president of Egypt, Maxwell said, “I think that social media allowed me, someone who is sitting in New Jersey with a computer, to experience that moment as if I were there.”

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.

Biotech Boosts Small Farm Yield
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Between 1996 and 2010, the production of crops genetically modified to increase yield rose 87-fold, surpassing 1 billion hectares, according to new statistics from the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications. Of the 15.4 million farmers planting such biotech crops, 90 percent are small, resource-poor farmers in developing countries. Developing countries produce 48 percent of global biotech crops. Above, a farmer tends to genetically enhance papayas in Hawaii.

Obama Condemns Violence in Libya / Human Rights Abuses in Iran / Social Networks Help Missing Kids

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President Obama calls on the world to unite in condemnation of the Libyan government’s violent response to protests seeking new leadership. President Obama offers condolences to the people of New Zealand in the aftermath of a major earthquake. The U.S. has designated two Iranian officials for “serious human rights abuses in Iran.” And social networking is helping missing children.

Obama Condemns Violence in Libya
President Obama says it is imperative that the world speak “with one voice” to condemn the suppression of peaceful demonstrators in Libya and to support their universal rights, and adds that the administration is preparing “a full range of options” that the United States can take unilaterally and multilaterally in response to the ongoing violence.

Aftermath of Quake in New Zealand
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President Obama has conveyed the condolences of his family and the United States to the people of New Zealand affected by a second major earthquake in just six months. “As our New Zealand friends move forward,” Obama says, “may they find some comfort and strength in knowing that they will have the enduring friendship and support of many partners around the world, including the United States.”

Human Rights Abuses in Iran
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The U.S. Departments of State and Treasury have announced the designation of two Iranian officials for “serious human rights abuses in Iran.” “These designations underscore our enduring commitment to support Iranians seeking to exercise their universal rights and express our solidarity with victims of torture, persecution and arbitrary detention,” says Assistant Secretary of State Michael Posner.

Finding Missing Kids Online
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Authorities in Canada, the United States and elsewhere are using social media as a tool to help find missing children. Police in Canada have established Facebook, YouTube and Twitter accounts to post descriptions of suspected child abductors and Facebook has partnered with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the U.S. Department of Justice to expand a U.S. system that alerts the public when children go missing.

From Libya to USA, Boosting Business Opportunity for the Blind

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Omar Abdelaziz Abdelati al-Obeidi is one of many entrepreneurs in Washington recently for the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship. He directs the Vision Center, in Benghazi, Libya. He opened an Internet café for the blind in Benghazi and plans to open another in Tripoli.

Thomas Panek is vice president of National Industries for the Blind, the largest employer of blind people in the USA. He earlier served as president of the Chicago office of the World Trade Center and senior trade specialist for the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service.

Omar Abdelaziz Abdelati al-Obeidi

Omar Abdelaziz Abdelati al-Obeidi

Omar Abdelaziz Abdelati al-Obeidi:
I have been blind since eye cancer took my sight when I was two years old. When I was nine years old, I intended to invent the world’s first car for the blind. (I have not realized that ambition yet, but I have not forgotten it.)

I have always believed that a blind person can function as well as a person with sight because his brain is as good as anyone else’s. But that view is not held by many in the Arab world, including the blind themselves. I graduated from high school at the top of my class in 1992 but was denied entrance into university because of my disability. This led me to go abroad for six years to study.

I have owned and operated several small businesses.

Now as director of Vision Center in Libya, I’m engaged in the business of training and providing computers and other resources to people with vision disabilities. Vision Center has achieved a number of things already, such as starting the first computer laboratory in Gaza and the first online library for the blind in the Arab world. This library is located in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates. It enables the blind to read thousands of books, which were unavailable to them in the past. In 2009, Vision Center opened the first Internet café for people with impaired sight. We’re planning to open a second café in Tripoli in 2010. I am also on the board of directors of a foundation that supports a business incubator for the disabled. At present, I am seeking financing for a business project that was fostered by the incubator. I have been looking for a loan of $160,000 for ten months now.

Thomas Panek

Thomas Panek

Thomas Panek:
I am proud to learn of your Internet cafés that cater to the blind in Libya, Omar. Your experiences are not only the very definition of entrepreneurship, you are a “social entrepreneur,” creating social value through the improvement of goods and services offered to the community.

When it comes to businesses and blindness, the Arab world and the United States are not that far apart.

As a businessman, like you, I have worked in many countries, including the UAE, changing perceptions about the capabilities of the blind, but we have most of our work yet to do. My last trip to Dubai, my white cane was confiscated at the airport for lack of understanding. Recently, in Washington, I was prohibited from entering a business because of my Seeing Eye Dog. In the U.S., seven of ten working-age Americans who are blind are not employed.

Many Americans who are blind are gaining independence by joining the National Industries for the Blind (NIB), whose mission is to enhance opportunities for the blind by creating jobs. NIB is part of the AbilityOne Program, which helps more than 45,000 blind or disabled people find employment. The program coordinates with nonprofitts to provide goods and services to the federal government at fair-market prices.

Finally, it is not too late to realize your childhood dream to invent the world’s first production car for the blind…but you better hurry! Earlier this year, a university here, Virginia Tech’s Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory, created a vehicle that can be driven by blind people.

You and I are a world apart, but we both have courage gained from business experiences. Keep the ambitions you had when you were a child and apply them to your new venture.