World

November 17, 2009 -- Beijing, China - Today, President Barack Obama and President Hu Jintao announced a far-reaching package of measures to strengthen cooperation between the United States and China on clean energy. Please see the attached fact sheets for additional details on each of the U.S-China clean energy announcements.    » read more »

Unprecedented Response in Voluntary Tax Disclosure Program

November 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Deputy Attorney General David W. Ogden released the following statement regarding the announcement today by the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue (IRS) regarding the results arising from previous settlements of civil and criminal cases against Swiss banking giant UBS AG.

The Justice Department and IRS announced that over 14,700 taxpayers have come forward to report previously-undisclosed foreign bank accounts under the voluntary disclosure program the IRS implemented following the settlement. This figure represents almost double the initial numbers the IRS announced in October and dwarfs the number of voluntary disclosures received in 2008.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- The current pandemic of H1N1 influenza highlights vulnerabilities in the world’s plans for dealing with widespread health emergencies, but also offers opportunities to better prepare for more deadly epidemics that will surely arise in the future, experts said at a recent symposium held in New York City.

The 16 October meeting, sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations and the journal Science, brought together experts on science, economics, public health and foreign relations to assess the impact of the flu pandemic and future implications.    » read more »

Use Annual Gathering of 110 Members to Confront Critics, Strengthen International Justice

November 17, 2009 -- (The Hague) - International Criminal Court member countries should use their annual meeting to strengthen international support for the court's mission and independence, Human Rights Watch said today. The ICC Assembly of States Parties, which oversees court administration, will meet in The Hague for nine days beginning November 18, 2009.    » read more »

November 14, 2009 -- Filing Center, Hotel Okura, Tokyo, Japan -- MR. GIBBS: Hello, everyone. I'll take a few questions after this. We've got joining us today Michael Froman, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, to walk you through a little preview of APEC; and Ben Rhodes, if there are any lingering questions from today's speech. And I'll give it to them.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- Museum of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China -- PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good afternoon. It is a great honor for me to be here in Shanghai, and to have this opportunity to speak with all of you. I'd like to thank Fudan University's President Yang for his hospitality and his gracious welcome. I'd also like to thank our outstanding Ambassador, Jon Huntsman, who exemplifies the deep ties and respect between our nations. I don't know what he said, but I hope it was good. (Laughter.)    » read more »

November 13, 2009 -- The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Japan welcome the renewed international attention and commitment to achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons and confirm their determination to realize such a world.

They welcome, in this context, the recent United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Summit on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Disarmament and UNSC Resolutions 1540 and 1887, as well as the resolution of the Government of Japan, co-sponsored by the Government of the United States, to the United Nations General Assembly entitled "Renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons."    » read more »

Washington, DC, November 12, 2009 -- During a visit to Washington, D.C., a delegation from the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS) met today with Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew J. Shapiro, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Thomas M. Countryman, and Robert W. Maggi, the Department’s Coordinator for Counter-Piracy, to discuss the threat to international shipping posed by pirates operating of the coast of Somalia and up to 1000 miles beyond its territorial waters.    » read more »

Panenza®, non-adjuvanted pandemic vaccine, licensed for use in adults and children 6 months of age and older

Lyon, France – November 16, 2009 - Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of the sanofi-aventis Group (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced today that the French drug agency Afssaps (Agence française de sécurité sanitaire des produits de santé) has granted marketing authorization in France for Panenza®, its non-adjuvanted Influenza A(H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine, produced at Sanofi Pasteur’s facility in Val de Reuil, France. The vaccine was made available to French health authorities.    » read more »

Swissmedic approval allows Novartis to begin shipments of Celtura to Switzerland, providing supplies of A(H1N1) vaccine immediately

Basel, November 13, 2009 - Novartis announced today that Celtura®, the company's adjuvanted cell culture-based Influenza A(H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine, has received approval in Switzerland from Swissmedic, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products.

This is the second marketing approval for the cell-culture based A(H1N1) pandemic vaccine in Europe. Celtura was approved in Germany earlier in November 2009. The company also has submitted a registration for Celtura in Japan, and will seek approval in a number of other countries.    » read more »

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 15, 2009 -- The U.S. government executed separate Letters of Offer and Acceptance with three of its key allies to purchase Raytheon Company's (NYSE: RTN) AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).

The three countries, in the order they signed their LOAs, are Kuwait, Morocco and Jordan.

"The AIM-120C-7 provides unparalleled air combat and air defense capabilities," said Col. Michael Andersen, commander of the U.S. Air Force's 328th Armament Systems Group. "By equipping our allies with the AIM-120C-7 through the Foreign Military Sales program, the U.S. government strengthens regional security and promotes coalition interoperability."    » read more »

ExxonMobil CEO Addresses APEC CEO Summit in Singapore

November 13, 2009 -- SINGAPORE -- Affordable and reliable energy supplies necessary to rebuild the global economy require polices that encourage investment, expand international trade and promote technological innovation, Rex W. Tillerson, chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corporation2 (NYSE:XOM), said today.

Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO’s Summit3, Tillerson said energy is critical to economic development, and despite the current downturn, demand is expected to grow4 in the years ahead, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.    » read more »

Washington, DC -- November 10, 2009 -- MR. TONER: Good morning. We’re very fortunate to have with us Joe Yun this morning from the Director of Maritime Southeast Asia; Susan Reichle, USAID’s Acting Administrator for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance; Alan Dwyer, USAID’s Foreign Disaster Assistance Principal Regional Advisor for East Asia Pacific; and Rick Scott, USAID’s East Asia Director, who are here with us today to preview the Secretary’s upcoming trip to the Philippines, although she’s actually en route, and to talk about humanitarian assistance in the wake of several recent natural disasters.

I’ll hand it off to you, Joe, and just to give an overview.    » read more »

Unlawful Detention Facilities Breed Violence, Threats, Extortion

November 11, 2009 -- (New York) - Since 2003, large numbers of Chinese citizens have been held incommunicado for days or months in secret, unlawful detention facilities known as "black jails" by state agents who violate detainees' rights with impunity, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today.

The 53-page report, "An Alleyway in Hell," documents how government officials, security forces, and their agents routinely abduct people off the streets of Beijing and other Chinese cities, strip them of their possessions, and imprison them. These black jails are often located in state-owned hotels, nursing homes, and psychiatric hospitals.    » read more »

The Indian government is stepping up investment in infrastructure

New Delhi, India, 10 November 2009 – Not only is India an IT superpower but it is also looking to find its place on the world stage in manufacturing, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry of India, told participants at one of the final sessions of the World Economic Forum’s Indian Economic Summit.

“A lot is happening on the manufacturing side,” he said. “The key impediment to becoming a global hub is not infrastructure bottlenecks, but entrepreneurship and leadership capability. Any country that has these two elements can overcome the hurdles.”    » read more »