U.S. Asia Pacific Media Hub

While the United States grew west from 13 original colonies in the East, its national park system developed along a reverse course. America’s first national parks, established in the late 1800s, showcased Western wonders, like the geothermal geysers of Yellowstone and Yosemite’s peaks and waterfalls.

Read more: https://share.america.gov/eastern-us-national-parks-captivate-with-sparkling-caves-fall-color/

As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, a 50-year-old cross-country bike route offers a quiet way to tour a welcoming nation.

On almost any summer evening in countless small towns, a familiar scene unfolds. A bicyclist, sweaty and tired from a long day’s ride, rolls in looking for a place to sleep — perhaps at a local resident’s home, a youth hostel or a church. The rider takes a shower and finds a meal. By morning, it’s time to get back on the road with a bike laden with bags containing snacks, clothing and tools to repair a flat tire.

This happens again and again, from Oregon to Virginia, in towns that exist far from highways and headlines.

Thousands of cyclists every year follow a 4,200-mile (6,760-kilometer) route that is not based on haphazard mapping but on a 1976 tribute to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Read more: https://share.america.gov/america-at-10-miles-per-hour/

Secretary Rubio on the Quad: "We are deeply committed to this partnership. It is a linchpin and a cornerstone of our global strategy as a nation in the United States."

Full remarks: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/05/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-with-indian-external-affairs-minister-subrahmanyam-jaishankar-australian-foreign-minister-penny-wong-and-japanese-foreign-minister-motegi-toshimitsu-remarks-to-press/

Secretary Rubio: Each of these four nations represented here today bring unique capabilities that collectively we can bring to bear on some of the most significant problems facing the world.

Full remarks: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/05/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-with-indian-external-affairs-minister-subrahmanyam-jaishankar-australian-foreign-minister-penny-wong-and-japanese-foreign-minister-motegi-toshimitsu-before-their-meeti/