World

Nordic countries continue to have the smallest equality gaps between men and women

New York, USA, 27 October – Iceland (1) has claimed the top spot of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2009 from Norway (3) which slipped to third position behind Finland (2). Sweden (4) completed the Nordic countries’ continued dominance of the top four. The report’s Index assesses countries on how well they are dividing their resources and opportunities among their male and female populations, regardless of the overall levels of these resources and opportunities.    » read more »

Clean Energy Partnership, Export Opportunities

November 3, 2009 -- HONOLULU – Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle has concluded a successful round of meetings in Beijing as part of the Administration’s ongoing strategic effort to strengthen the state’s long-term economy by promoting Hawaii as a visitor destination to China’s growing outbound tourism market, developing export opportunities for Hawaii products and services and forming partnerships in clean energy.

Beijing was the first stop on the Governor’s six-city tour to promote economic development opportunities for Hawaii with one of the world’s most important emerging economies. Pictures are available at www.hawaii.gov/gov or by request.

Encouraging Chinese Tourism    » read more »

03 November 2009 -- BP, and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), announced today that they have signed a technical service contract with Iraq's state-owned South Oil Company (SOC) to expand production from the Rumaila oilfield, near Basra in southern Iraq

The signing follows BP's successful bid for the contract with CNPC in Baghdad in June.

The consortium led by BP (38 per cent) with partners CNPC (37 per cent) and the Iraq government's representative State Oil Marketing Organisation (SOMO - 25 per cent), has agreed to nearly triple the Rumaila field's output to almost 3 million barrels of oil a day (b/d), which would make it the world's second largest producing oilfield.    » read more »

Pivotal testing of RTS,S is on track for target enrollment of 16,000 children

NAIROBI, KENYA November 3, 2009 -- A pivotal efficacy trial of RTS,S, the world’s most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate, is now underway in seven African countries: Burkina Faso, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. The trial, which is expected to involve up to 16,000 children, is on schedule, with more than 5,000 children already enrolled, researchers announced Tuesday at the 5th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria Pan-African Malaria Conference.    » read more »

Proposed Acquisition Of A Majority Stake In Zhejiang Tianyuan

November 04, 2009 -- Basel, November 4, 2009 - Novartis has reached an agreement to acquire an 85% stake in the Chinese vaccines company Zhejiang Tianyuan Bio-Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. as part of a strategic initiative to build a vaccines industry leader in this country and expand the Group's limited presence in this fast-growing market segment. This proposed acquisition will require government and regulatory approvals in China.    » read more »

Makes Loan to Indonesia’s Biggest Geothermal Power Plant

JAKARTA, Indonesia--Wednesday, November 04, 2009-- Tapping into growth in Asia and in renewable energy, GE (NYSE: GE) unit GE Energy Financial Services announced today it has loaned US $50 million to Indonesia’s biggest geothermal power producer, a 220-megawatt emissions-free plant set in a volcanic region of tea and quinine plantations.

The loan for the Wayang Windu plant -- near the town of Pangalengan, 200 kms southeast of Jakarta – represents the first geothermal power investment by GE Energy Financial Services outside the United States, as well as the continued execution of its global growth strategy.    » read more »

Bayh, Lieberman, and Kyl Call for Prompt Final Passage of Bill by Full Senate

October 30, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN), Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) issued the following statement today, following the unanimous passage by the Senate Banking Committee of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act of 2009:    » read more »

Fact Sheet

October 29, 2009 -- U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, together with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan, co-chaired the 20th JCCT in Hangzhou, China, on October 28-29, 2009. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack also participated. Other participants included U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (TDA) Acting Director Leocadia Zak, and representatives from the Treasury and State Departments.    » read more »

HANGZHOU, Oct. 29, 2009 - China agreed today to reopen its market to U.S. pork and live swine, remove barriers for American firms to China's growing clean energy market, and clamp down on Internet piracy at the 20th session of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) in Hangzhou, China, co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk along with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack led the discussions on key agricultural issues.    » read more »

October 29, 2009 -- Washington -- The Honorable Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, today issued the following statement on China’s agreement to re-open the Chinese market to United States pork and live swine, consistent with science-based international standards.

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the agreement at the conclusion of meetings with Chinese officials at the US-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.    » read more »

Move Will Deliver Needed Boost to North Dakota Producers, Senator says

October 29, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Senator Kent Conrad was joined by North Dakota’s pork producers in cheering a decision today that will allow U.S. pork products to re-enter the Chinese market.

“Pork producers in North Dakota and all across the country have been hurt by the baseless ban of their products in China,” Senators Conrad said. “The decision to reopen this market to trade will benefit pork producers in North Dakota and across the nation.”

Senator Conrad, along with 23 of his colleagues, sent a letter earlier this month calling on the Chinese government to end the ban on American pork and pork products.    » read more »

Data will help protect public health from harmful emissions

10/26/2009 -- TIJUANA, MEXICO – Today in Tijuana B. C., Mexico, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Mexican Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), the Environmental Protection Agency of Baja California, the California Air Resources Board and the Border Environment Cooperation Commission will initiate the Baja California Air Monitoring Network coverage assessment study and the Tijuana-Rosarito Emissions Inventory.    » read more »

Washington, DC -- October 28, 2009 -- Following her meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad today, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced a contribution of $125 million for the first phase of a Signature Energy Program in Pakistan aimed at increasing electricity output and conserving wasted energy and money.

The funding will be aimed at repairing generation facilities, improving the overall effectiveness of local utilities providers, replacing inefficient tube well pumps and promoting energy efficiency.

The six projects announced by Secretary Clinton today will begin reducing the frequency of electricity blackouts, that interfere with commerce and have plagued the Pakistani economy.

These six projects include:    » read more »

Michael H. Posner, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

Washington, DC -- October 26, 2009 -- ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Thank you, Madame Secretary, for your remarks and for your leadership on this issue of religious freedom. I have recently been confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. In this position, I’m charged with leading the bureau in which the Office of International Religious Freedom is a part.    » read more »

October 27, 2009 -- Robert J. Cabelly, 61, of Washington, D.C., has been indicted in the District of Columbia in an eight-count indictment charging him with conspiracy to violate the Sudanese sanctions regulations and to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign power, four counts of violating the Sudanese sanctions regulations, as well as one count apiece of money laundering, passport fraud and making false statements.    » read more »