Condoleezza Rice, Gov. Bentley and Others Welcome Japanese Business Leaders to Birmingham

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2015/11/Condoleeza-e1447776466310.jpeg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:480;s:4:"file";s:38:"2015/11/Condoleeza-e1447776466310.jpeg";s:5:"sizes";a:10:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:38:"Condoleeza-e1447776466310-336x252.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:38:"Condoleeza-e1447776466310-140x140.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:36:"Condoleeza-e1447776466310-80x80.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:38:"Condoleeza-e1447776466310-600x338.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:38:"Condoleeza-e1447776466310-600x480.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:480;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:38:"Condoleeza-e1447776466310-415x311.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:38:"Condoleeza-e1447776466310-353x265.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:353;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:28:"ab-block-post-grid-landscape";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:38:"Condoleeza-e1447776466310-600x400.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:400;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:25:"ab-block-post-grid-square";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:38:"Condoleeza-e1447776466310-600x480.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:600;s:6:"height";i:480;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:38:"Condoleeza-e1447776466310-125x125.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_wp_attachment_backup_sizes] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:7:{s:9:"full-orig";a:3:{s:5:"width";i:640;s:6:"height";i:480;s:4:"file";s:15:"Condoleeza.jpeg";}s:14:"thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"Condoleeza-140x140.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:11:"medium-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"Condoleeza-336x252.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:18:"wbhm-featured-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"Condoleeza-451x338.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:451;s:6:"height";i:338;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:23:"wbhm-featured-home-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"Condoleeza-415x311.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:415;s:6:"height";i:311;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:27:"wbhm-featured-carousel-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"Condoleeza-353x265.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:353;s:6:"height";i:265;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:19:"post-thumbnail-orig";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:23:"Condoleeza-125x125.jpeg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}
        )

    [_media_credit] => Array
        (
            [0] => Esther Ciammachilli
        )

    [_navis_media_credit_org] => Array
        (
            [0] => WBHM
        )

    [_navis_media_can_distribute] => Array
        (
            [0] => 
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:216803;s:14:"optimized_size";i:149449;s:7:"percent";d:31.07;}s:5:"sizes";a:9:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:66:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/Condoleeza-e1447776466310.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:65067;s:14:"optimized_size";i:40932;s:7:"percent";d:37.090000000000003;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:74:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/Condoleeza-e1447776466310-336x252.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:22982;s:14:"optimized_size";i:16849;s:7:"percent";d:26.690000000000001;}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:72:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/Condoleeza-e1447776466310-80x80.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:3518;s:14:"optimized_size";i:3486;s:7:"percent";d:0.91000000000000003;}s:13:"wbhm-featured";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:74:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/Condoleeza-e1447776466310-600x338.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:44547;s:14:"optimized_size";i:29304;s:7:"percent";d:34.219999999999999;}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:74:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/Condoleeza-e1447776466310-300x300.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:23572;s:14:"optimized_size";i:17256;s:7:"percent";d:26.789999999999999;}s:18:"wbhm-featured-home";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:74:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/Condoleeza-e1447776466310-415x311.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:31782;s:14:"optimized_size";i:23057;s:7:"percent";d:27.449999999999999;}s:22:"wbhm-featured-carousel";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:74:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2015/11/Condoleeza-e1447776466310-353x265.jpeg";s:13:"original_size";i:25335;s:14:"optimized_size";i:18565;s:7:"percent";d:26.719999999999999;}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1635867529 
1447667997

Japanese business leaders met Monday at the historic Alabama Theater in Birmingham with delegates from a handful of southern states for a conference aimed at strengthening cultural ties and expanding commercial opportunities.

Governor Robert Bentley played host to the group at the South East U.S. – Japan Conference, which included Governor Bill Haslam of Tennessee and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Rice spoke about growing up in Birmingham, her time as Secretary of State during 9/11 and her support of the Trans Pacific Partnership, or TPP. She says the plan will only strengthen the U.S. trade relationship with Japan and she expects Congress to vote in favor of the agreement.

Rice also talked about an urgent need to deal with ISIS, noting that many members of the group hold European and American passports, making them a security threat here in the U.S. as well as abroad.

Governor Bentley boasted the who’s who of Japanese businesses call Alabama home, including Honda and Toyota. Since 1999, Japanese firms have invested more than $4.8 billion in the state, creating nearly 16,000 jobs.

 

U.K. Conservatives pick Kemi Badenoch as their party’s new leader

The party elected Kemi Badenoch as its new leader as it tries to rebound from a crushing defeat that ended 14 years in power. She is the first Black woman to lead a major British political party.

Chef Edward Lee reflects on ‘Culinary Class Wars’, identity and his next chapter

After three decades in Southern cuisine, Lee's next culinary chapter explores Korean American cooking, moving beyond traditional recipes and fusion concepts.

Iran’s supreme leader threatens Israel, U.S. with ‘crushing response’ to Israeli attack

Iran's supreme leader threatened Israel and the U.S. with “a crushing response” over attacks on Iran and its allies. The Pentagon said Friday that more U.S. forces would be coming to the region.

At a historic cemetery in the South, a Dia de los Muertos festival takes root

At a historic Southern cemetery, a Mexican tradition has found a home.

As ACA sign ups start, more Americans have health insurance than ever. Will it last?

Enrollment in Affordable Care Act health plans has grown every year of the Biden administration, leading to record low numbers of people who are uninsured.

Women sharing personal stories about abortion bans have become a political force

Women who have suffered unnecessarily after being denied abortions are talking about it publicly, and to support candidates. Could these stories have a political impact in the upcoming election?

More Economy Coverage