Just like any other American family, our pre-Thanksgiving discussions involved the question: "Your family or mine?" Yet the question was not whether we would go to his parents or my parents, but whether we would share the holiday with his office family (the Pol-Mil section) or mine (Public Affairs). In true State Department fashion, we reached a compromise and brought both sections together to create a memorable Thanksgiving celebration in Kabul.

At other overseas posts, my husband and I have delighted in sharing the Thanksgiving tradition with non-American expatriates and host country nationals. In Kabul, by contrast, everyone was able to indulge on the "giving" part of the day by preparing something for the meal.

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As the M23 crisis has unfolded in the eastern Congo, the US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice has emerged as a holdout within American foreign policy, a sort of minority report to the prevailing criticism of Rwanda and the M23.

The first indication of this emerged in June, when Rice delayed the publication of UN Group of Experts' interim report, insisting that Rwanda be given a chance to see the report first and respond. While these UN investigations are supposed to give the accused the opportunity to respond and explain--the Group says it was refused meetings by the Rwandan government, which Kigali denies--they rarely allow them to see the entire report before publication. In any case, the Group finally did brief a Rwandan delegation in New York in June in New York ...

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This week it was suggested that the growing numbers of city dwellers keeping chickens were spreading disease and harming birds. But is it just bad blood on the part of big food producers?

Billy, seven, brings me a book. "Have you seen this?" It is a well-worn copy of Keeping Chickens, with colour photos and illustrations on every page, several of them featuring attractive children shot against beautiful blue skies. On the table in the open-plan living space of his north London family home, the book falls open on a chapter headed "What to consider".

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Last week, entrepreneurs from across the United States and around the globe were celebrated and lauded for their efforts to promote growth, innovation, and job creation at more than 40,000 events in 130 countries during the fifth annual Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW). The White House and the State Department marked the week with the "Celebration of Global Entrepreneurship" event on November 15, which brought together an all-star cast of speakers to highlight the importance of global entrepreneurship; the role of government, youth, and diaspora in promoting entrepreneurship; skills building; enabling policy; and ensuring access to capital. Over 150 government, private sector, and diplomatic corps representatives joined the event at the White House and provided suggestions... more ...

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Once again, Egypt is making headline news as President Mohammed Mursi aims to maximize his power, and stabilize Egypt. Not a popular move among some, and there are lots of protests taking place, mainly in the urban centers. So, is it safe to travel to Egypt right now?

I was asked the same question a year and a half ago, because the streets of Egypt were ablaze, and the US Department of State had not issued an official "Travel Warning". That's what happens when there's politics involved. However, being cautious before saying "don't go" is smart since many Egyptians rely on tourism to earn a living. An off the cuff remark about lack of safety can do a lot of unnecessary damage (think Kenya in 2008). So, is it safe to travel to Egypt?

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Critics fear the new south-east Asian declaration of human rights sanctions the Cambodian government's maltreatment of dissenters and undermines international standards

Human rights groups in Cambodia fear a new south-east Asian declaration of human rights could conversely offer the government in Phnom Penh a figleaf to clamp down on dissent. Cambodia signed the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) human rights declaration on Sunday, two days before the arrival of the US president, Barack Obama, on his tour of the region.

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At the Department of State, we believe that fostering greater cross-cultural exchange and mutual understanding between our nation and others around the world is a critical part of our mission. 21st Century Statecraft requires us to use every diplomatic tool at our disposal to advance the United States' global interests. Harnessing the unique power of food to unite and bring people together is a part of this approach. Last week, the Department organized two events designed to promote cultural exchange and help tell the story of America by sharing our time-honored Thanksgiving culinary traditions with the world.

On November 13, the Bureau of International Information Programs hosted "Live!... more »

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Has microfinance genuinely benefited the world's poor, or are the motives for loans and credit altogether more sinister?

Held up for decades as something of a "miracle cure" for global poverty, microfinance became one of the world's most high-profile and generously funded development interventions. Everyone, it seemed, was talking about how small loans could unlock endless opportunities for the world's poor people.

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Last week, we celebrated International Education Week here in the United States and around the world. New data in our annual Open Doors Report shows that international students are coming to the United States in higher numbers than ever, and more American students are going abroad to more diverse places. Students who seize the chance to study abroad enrich classrooms across the globe and return to their home countries to become leaders who promote more prosperous, equitable, and stable societies. Here at the State Department, our goal is to help a wider range of students have access to international education.

On November 20, I had the opportunity to join Eileen... more »

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UK aid watchdog advises DfID to scrap £102m joint girls education programme as aid shows limited benefits

Tens of millions of pounds poured into Nigeria's education system by the UK government have had "limited benefits" in a nation that accounts for a third of all out-of-school children in sub-Saharan Africa.

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