Tag Archives: India

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

Posted on by

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
(mobile version)
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
(mobile version)
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
(mobile version)
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
(mobile version)
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 
(mobile version)
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 Bahrain / Hip-Hop in Tajikistan / Civil Society and Democracy

Posted on by

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urges restraint in Bahrain. Egyptian Americans are hopeful about the future of their homeland. This March, the Kennedy Center will host Maximum India. The United States and China are growing relations through a new garden. American hip-hop dancers bring the beat to Tajikistan. And finally, what is civil society? This photo gallery has some answers.

U.S. Urges Restraint in Bahrain
(mobile version)
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton telephoned Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad al-Khalifa to express U.S. concerns over violence by Bahraini security forces against anti-government protesters. Clinton says she had telephoned the foreign minister earlier in the day and “emphasized how important it was” that the Friday prayers and the funerals of the victims that will be held February 18 “not be marred by violence.”

Egyptians Americans are Hopeful
(mobile version)
Egyptian Americans, proud of the victory of pro-democracy protesters in Egypt, are looking to the future of their homeland with a mix of optimism, hope and a dash of realism.

Maximum India
(mobile version)
This March, the Kennedy Center in Washington will host the Maximum India festival, which will include performances, events and exhibitions by 500 artists in cooperation with the Indian Council for Cultural Resources. Maximum India marks the culmination of the Kennedy Center’s five-year exploration of the arts and cultures of the peoples along the legendary Silk Road, including Japan, China and the Middle East.

U.S., China Grow as Partners
(mobile version)
The United States and China have committed to construction of a classical Chinese garden at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington. “Today’s signing ceremony illustrates the commitment our two countries have to horticulture, science and the arts,” says Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack during a ceremony with China’s ambassador to the United States, Zhang Yesui.

Hip-Hop in Tajikistan 
(mobile version)
In 2010, the U.S. Embassy in Dushanbe and the private cultural-exchange group American Voices arranged a series of dance workshops in Tajikistan led by two U.S. hip-hop dancers. The workshops highlighted the upbeat hip-hop sound that has had unexpectedly universal appeal worldwide, with a fast-growing fan base in Tajikistan.

Lech WalesaPhoto Gallery: Civil Society
(mobile version)
Civil society “is the conscience of our communities,” President Obama has said. Human progress, he said, has been shaped by individuals who can freely join forces and by nongovernmental organizations. But what is civil society, exactly? Why is it important? And what does it need to flourish? Explore this photo gallery about civil society around the world. In Poland, Lech Walesa, right, a shipyard electrician, was able to establish Solidarity, the Soviet bloc’s first independent trade union. At its height, the union had some 10 million members and was instrumental in the downfall of communism in the country.

Gates in China / Clinton in Yemen / An Indian Novelist

Posted on by

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
(mobile version)
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
(mobile version)
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
(mobile version)
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
(mobile version)
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
(mobile version)
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
(mobile version)
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.

A New India-U.S. Partnership / Government Corruption Examined / Learning in the USA

Posted on by

India and the United States are forging a new global partnership. We’ve got a pair of reports from an international conference on corruption going on in Bangkok. Through different State Department programs, journalists from Africa and around the world witness America’s free press and learn how public service groups operate, and foreign teachers learn about American educational practices. And finally, international students are attending U.S. colleges and universities at a rate never seen before.

A New India-U.S. Partnership
President Obama’s visit to India highlighted a new global strategic partnership between the two countries, U.S. officials say. “This is now a partnership with two countries standing together as peers capable of addressing the challenges that the world faces these days,” says U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah, right.

 

 
How Corruption Furthers Slavery
Continued progress toward ending trafficking of people for sex and labor could hinge on breaking the crime’s connection with government corruption, say experts at an international conference in Bangkok. The experts also called for cross-border legal cooperation and for engaging citizens, businesses and nongovernmental organizations in the fight against human trafficking.

Assessing Government Corruption
A landmark international convention to stop government corruption faces challenges as governments and activists test-run its monitoring mechanism. The convention, established by the U.N. Convention Against Corruption, requires countries to self-assess their compliance and submit their assessments for review by other countries.

The Legacy of Edward R. Murrow
More than 30 African journalists joined colleagues from around the world as participants in the recent Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists, during which they traveled the United States and witnessed the role a free and independent press plays in a democratic society.

A Journalist’s Tour of America
Rachida Bami, a journalist who covers regional issues for Morocco’s leading French daily Le Matin, spent three weeks in the United States learning how public service groups operate in America. Bami was one of 150 emerging leaders in journalism from around the world who participated in the State Department’s Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists.

Arab Educators Visit
Twenty-six science teachers from around the world traveled to the United States through a U.S. State Department program. The visit was entitled “A New Beginning: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education.”

Educating the World
The number of international students at U.S. colleges and universities reached an all-time high of nearly 691,000 during the past school year, the Institute of International Education says. While Asian countries continued to send the highest numbers of students to the United States, the sharpest growth in enrollment came from the Middle East. At right, Sameer Mohd, from New Delhi, India, is one of 3,017 international students at Iowa State University.

Photos: The Obamas in India and Indonesia

Posted on by

The White House’s official photographer has just released two photo albums of President Obama’s recent trip to Asia.  They offer glimpses of Mr. and Mrs. Obama in India and Indonesia that you might not have yet seen in newspapers or on television, including photos taken inside Air Force One and photos of Mrs. Obama’s meetings and activities in both countries.  We especially like the one of the first lady playing hopscotch. 

Photos from India: http://bit.ly/c2F9Pp

Photos from Indonesia: http://bit.ly/agzxO5

President Obama on Democracy in Asia

Posted on by

In recent days President Obama visited the world’s most populous democracy and the world’s most populous Muslim country, also a democracy.  Not surprisingly, he took time in both India and Indonesia to talk about the value of democratic systems and the success both countries have seen as a result. 

In India the president noted that democracy has created shared values between the U.S. and India.  Speaking to a group of students at St. Xavier College in Mumbai Obama said:

“As two great powers and as the world’s two largest democracies, the United States and India share common interests and common values — values of self-determination and equality; values of tolerance and a belief in the dignity of every human being.”

In Indonesia, where the president spent part of his childhood, he said that the country had greatly changed since his time there.  During a speech at the University of Jakarta the president remarked:

“Indonesia has charted its own course through an extraordinary democratic transformation — from the rule of an iron fist to the rule of the people.  In recent years, the world has watched with hope and admiration as Indonesians embraced the peaceful transfer of power and the direct election of leaders.  And just as your democracy is symbolized by your elected President and legislature, your democracy is sustained and fortified by its checks and balances:  a dynamic civil society; political parties and unions; a vibrant media and engaged citizens who have ensured that — in Indonesia — there will be no turning back from democracy.”

Do you agree with the president’s statements on Democracy?

Obama in India / Clinton in Australia / Dengue Fever

Posted on by

President Obama says the United States will support India in its bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. He also addresses the flawed vote in Burma, trade, terrorism and relations between India and Pakistan, during his three-day visit to India. At the same time, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Australia as her trip to the Asia-Pacific region continues. There are few treatments for Dengue fever, but researchers from the United States and Indonesia are seeking ways to control the painful, sometimes deadly, disease.

U.S. Backs India Security Council Bid
President Obama says the United States would support India’s bid for a permanent seat on a reformed United Nations Security Council. Speaking to a joint session of the Indian parliament in New Delhi, Obama says the United States “not only welcomes India as a rising global power, we fervently support it, and we have worked to help make it a reality.”

Obama Condemns Burma Vote
President Obama says that Burma’s parliamentary elections on November 7 were neither free nor fair and failed to meet any internationally accepted standards. “The elections…demonstrated the regime’s continued preference for repression and restriction over inclusion and transparency,” Obama said in a statement.

Obama on India-Pakistan Relations
President Obama tells Indian college students that their country is taking “its rightful place” in the world and urges India to work toward a peace settlement with neighboring Pakistan. “I am absolutely convinced that the country that has the biggest stake in Pakistan’s success is India,” Obama, at right with students, says during a town hall meeting at St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai.

India’s Resolve Against Terror
President Obama pays tribute to terror victims and the resilience of Indian society, during a visit to the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower hotel buildings in Mumbai which were attacked by terrorists in 2008. Since the attacks, the governments of India and the United States have worked together more closely “sharing intelligence, preventing more attacks, and demanding that the perpetrators be brought to justice,” Obama says.

Obama Promotes U.S.-India Trade
President Obama says increased trade will be a “win-win proposition” for the United States and India and welcomed India’s rapid economic rise as “one of the most stunning achievements in human history.” He says trade ties are “a dynamic, two-way relationship that is creating jobs, growth, and higher living standards in both our countries.”

Clinton on U.S.-Australia Trade
Trade between the United States and Australia is vital to generating jobs, creating economic opportunities, and improving lives and livelihoods, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says. “Done right, free trade and open markets are powerful tools to improve living standards far and wide,” Clinton says during a speech at the Port of Melbourne Education Center.

Enhancing U.S., Australia Ties
The United States and Australia pledge to strengthen military and defense cooperation as the two nations celebrate more than 70 years of close diplomatic relations. “Our relationship continues to be a strategic anchor of security and prosperity in this region and beyond, and our countries are working closely together,” Secretary Clinton says.

Controlling Dengue Fever
Indonesian and U.S. universities, government agencies and nonprofit organizations are working together to control dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease that can be fatal. Dengue affects 50 million people annually worldwide, and drug treatment and vaccinations are currently not available. Right, investigators from Indonesia and the United States examine a well in Yogjakarta.

Clinton in New Zealand / Help for Haiti / The World’s Small Farms

Posted on by

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton continues her Asia Pacific trip, stopping in New Zealand. The U.S. is helping Haiti deal with nature’s latest onslaught. We’ve got two reports on the U.S. congressional elections, one looking at the balance of power in the Senate and another at its impact on President Obama’s agenda. On the eve of President Obama’s trip to India, there is a call for a renewed U.S.-India partnership. Indonesia has become a test bed for entrepreneurship. And finally, in agriculture, there is a focus on small farms.

U.S., New Zealand Sign Accord
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Murray Stuart McCully signed The Wellington Declaration to enhance the partnership between the nations. The agreement is designed to address a variety of issues including nuclear nonproliferation, counterterrorism and climate change. “This Wellington Declaration makes it clear that we want to cooperate across the board in every aspect of our civilian efforts and our military as well,” says Clinton.

U.S. to Provide Storm Relief in Haiti
The United States has supported the Haitian government’s response to Tropical Storm Tomas by prepositioning relief supplies for 125,000. An official said U.S. relief supplies are stockpiled in several areas of the country and they are able to get these supplies out quickly to those in need.

Democrats Keep Senate Gavel
The results of U.S. midterm elections will shift the composition of the Senate a bit to the right as Republicans gain seats, but Democrats will retain control of the chamber when the next Congress convenes. The Democrats will control at least 53 of the Senate’s 100 seats, with the outcome of the race in Alaska yet to be determined.

After Election, No Shift in U.S. Foreign Policy
Republican gains in the November 2 congressional elections will present new challenges for President Obama and his legislative agenda, but his foreign policy objectives are not expected to change.

McCain: Expand U.S.-India Ties
Senator John McCain says the U.S.-India strategic partnership, substantial though it is, should be expanded greatly in coming years for the benefit of both countries and the Asia-Pacific region. “The potential to expand our partnership is immense,” McCain said on the eve of President Obama’s state visit to India.

Indonesia’s Entrepreneurs
As Indonesia gets ready to welcome President Obama November 9, the country already has become a test bed for his administration’s efforts to promote entrepreneurship. Indonesian entrepreneurs have formed the Global Enterprise Program Indonesia, which launches in Jakarta in mid-November as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week.

New Tools Boost Small Farms
Agribusinesses are designing tools to help smallholder farmers in countries seeking to produce more food. Such measures may slow down a predicted food shortage in years ahead, as the world’s population continues to grow, especially in regions like Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. At right, an Indian farmer heads to work on a tractor designed for use on small plots.

Haiti Braces for Tropical Storm / New U.S. Central Bank Initiative / Social Media, Social Change

Posted on by

The U.S. is helping Haiti prepare for tropical storm Tomas. The Federal Reserve announces an aggressive new economic plan while the U.S. Treasury announces new sanctions on terror groups. Americans celebrate their heritage in many ways; explore a photo gallery showing some of them. And finally, watch a video of students from America and Kosovo discussing the potential of social media for effecting social change.

Haiti Braces for Storm, With U.S. Help
U.S. civilian and military personnel are helping the Haitian government prepare its people for tropical storm Tomas which is bearing down on the island nation. Of special concern: More than one million Haitians who have lived in temporary shelters after being displaced from their homes by the January 13 earthquake. At right, a man holds a child in a refugee camp.


New Action by U.S. Central Bank
The Federal Reserve has stepped in to boost the sputtering U.S. economy with an aggressive plan to buy $600 billion in U.S. Treasury securities aimed at reducing interest rates and spurring employment. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, right, says the buying of Treasury securities has helped in the past and looks to be effective again.

New Sanctions for Terror Groups
The U.S. Treasury Department announces actions against the financial and support networks of two Pakistan-based terrorist groups, including sanctions to seize or freeze the assets of their key leaders. The two terrorist groups, Lashkar-e Tayyiba and Jaish-e Mohammed, “have proven both their willingness and ability to execute attacks against innocent civilians,” says Under Secretary Stuart Levey.

Americans Preserving Cultural Heritage
Americans preserve music, dance and other cultural expressions by living and celebrating them in communities both large and small. This photo gallery explores ways Americans celebrate their cultural heritages. It includes shots from a Vietnamese Cultural Center in Boston, Massachusetts; a steel drum performance in Houston, Texas; and a Scottish Heritage Festival and Celtic Gathering in West Virginia. The photo gallery is part of an eJournal called “A Living Legacy: Preserving Intangible Culture”

Student Dialogue: New Media and Social Change
In the below video, students from the United States and Kosovo meet in Washington, D.C. to discuss the role of new media tools, such as Facebook and Twitter, and their profound effects on social change. One woman says that the international view of Kosovo as a whole has changed because observers see that young people in Kosovo are up-to-date on movies, culture and global issues and are not “all about war.” Another woman discusses how social media “gives people a voice who didn’t have a voice before.” See what others had to say.

[video href = "http://www.america.gov/multimedia/video.html?videoId=653165684001"]

Human Rights in Burma / A U.S. Election Update / Kids And Robots

Posted on by

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton backs a probe of human rights violations in Burma. We also have three more reports in our continuing coverage of the U.S. midterm elections, including one on President Obama’s campaign travels. The U.S. and Japan mark a 50 year relationship. The U.S.  urges support for the Lebanese government. Obama’s portfolio for his coming trip to India is packed largely with economic issues.  Learn how lost early American films turned up in a Russian film archive. You can study anything, virtually. In an international program for journalists, Bob Woodward stresses the importance of facts. Meet American fine-art photographer Peter Steinhauer and his Southeast Asian inspirations. And finally, here’s yet another reason robots are cool.

A Focus on Human Rights in Burma
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton backs an international inquiry into human rights abuses in Burma and pledges U.S. support for efforts to improve the lives of its citizens. Speaking in Hawaii at the beginning of a 13-day visit to the Asia-Pacific region, Clinton, right, promises to “seek accountability for the human rights violations that have occurred in Burma.”


Obama’s Daily Campaigning
President Obama was warmly welcomed to the popular comedy program The Daily Show, but during his lengthy interview with host Jon Stewart it became clear the appearance was very much a campaign stop. With congressional Democrats facing tough challenges in the 2010 midterm elections, the comedy show’s first interview with a sitting U.S. president was another in a series of more than 25 campaign stops for Obama in recent weeks.

The Muslim Vote in America
The week before national midterm elections in the U.S., discussions over Islam’s place in America is prompting American Muslims to make their voices heard through voting. Various Muslim organizations are working to acquaint American Muslims with the voting process and to encourage voter turnout.

America’s Endangered Senators
On Election Day, only 37 U.S. senators will be chosen, but some of those political contests are among the most contentious in the 2010 elections. The 2010 midterm elections include 12 Democrats and 11 Republicans seeking re-election and 14 “open” seats (no incumbent running) that currently are split evenly between Democrats and Republicans.

The U.S.-Japan Alliance at 50
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara marked the 50th anniversary of the U.S.-Japan alliance with praise for a relationship “based on deep friendship between our people, on mutual respect, and on common goals and values.” The two met in Honolulu on the first day of Clinton’s seven-nation Asia-Pacific tour. 

U.S. Urges Support for Lebanon
The United States urges support for the Lebanese government as it works to reduce the threat posed by instability and conflict, says U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice.

Economy Tops Obama India Agenda
Expanding economic ties and growing business relationships between the United States and India will be atop the agenda as President Obama travels to South Asia beginning Nov. 6. Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs Mike Froman says India represents “one of the most important emerging economic relationships for the United States, both multilaterally and bilaterally.”

“Lost” Silent Films Found
Some of America’s early film history that was thought to have been lost forever has been recovered. Ten films from Hollywood’s silent film era have been found in Gosfilmofond, the Russian state film archive, restored, copied and presented to the Library of Congress. “This is like finding a lost Picasso,” says Pat Loughney, chief of the library’s $200 million Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation. At left, a still image from the 1922 crime drama Kick In, one of the found films.

Learning Virtually Anything
Salman Khan hopes to make his online classroom “the world’s first free, world-class virtual school where anyone can learn anything.” Based in California, the Khan Academy received a $2 million grant from Google to build the software needed to translate its content into the world’s most-spoken languages.

Woodward on Journalism
American investigative journalist Bob Woodward met with some 150 journalists from 125 countries in an interactive session at the U.S. Department of State as part of the Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists, named for the award-winning and pioneering broadcast journalist. Woodward stressed the importance of what he called “neutral fact-getting” and meticulous reporting.

Visions of Vietnam 
American Peter Steinhauer is a successful Hong Kong-based fine-art photographer whose work is displayed in museums and galleries worldwide, and also at the U.S. embassies and consulates in Vietnam and Burma. Steinhauer was inspired by a 1993 trip to Vietnam, and his work primarily consists of landscapes and portraits portraying Vietnamese culture.

Robots Draw Kids to Science
Robots that kick soccer balls, solar-powered vehicles and helmets that offer virtual bike rides were some of the attractions at America’s first national science exposition, the grand finale of two weeks of activities intended to motivate more young people to pursue careers in science. The expo drew an estimated half million visitors to the National Mall in Washington, D.C.