Tag Archives: State Department

Blinken Cancels Meeting With Russian Foreign Minister

Reuters reports: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday he had canceled a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov planned for Thursday after Moscow’s recognition of two separatist regions in Ukraine as independent entities. Blinken said he had agreed to meet with Lavrov, his counterpart, only if Russia did not invade Ukraine. “Now that we see the …

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State Department Evacuates Ukraine Embassy Staffers

Bloomberg News reports: The U.S. evacuated State Department personnel and embassy operations from Ukraine to Poland on Monday, amid fears that security conditions could deteriorate following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of two separatist regions in the eastern part of the country. “For security reasons, Department of State personnel currently in Lviv will spend the night in Poland,” according to …

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US Warns Of Possible Terror Attacks In Russian Cities

CBS News reports: The U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a security alert on Sunday warning that “according to media sources, there have been threats of attacks against shopping centers, railway and metro stations, and other public gathering places in major urban areas, including Moscow and St. Petersburg as well as in areas of heightened tension along the Russian border with …

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Russia Expels Senior US Diplomat Amid Shelling Claims

The Washington Post reports: Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists accused each other Thursday of violating a cease-fire in the eastern part of the country, a potential flash point in what Western officials say are Russian preparations for a possible attack by growing forces massed near Ukraine’s borders. In Moscow, the Russian government ordered the expulsion of the U.S. Embassy’s second-ranking diplomat, …

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State Department To Evacuate US Embassy In Kyiv

The Associated Press reports: The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. U.S. officials said the State Department plans to announce early Saturday that virtually all American staff at the Kyiv embassy will be required to leave ahead of a feared Russian invasion. …

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“External Energy Source” May Cause Havana Syndrome

The Washington Post reports: An external energy source may explain disorienting and sometimes debilitating symptoms suffered by U.S. government personnel, a panel of experts has found, reaching a conclusion that, while not definitive, suggests that a foreign power could have mounted attacks on U.S. diplomats, intelligence officers and military personnel serving overseas. The findings by the expert panel, which was …

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State Department Urges US Citizens To Leave Ukraine

From the State Department: The security situation in Ukraine continues to be unpredictable due to the increased threat of Russian military action and can deteriorate with little notice. The U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens in Ukraine to consider departing now using commercial or other privately available transportation options. U.S. citizens wishing to depart Ukraine currently have multiple options via commercial …

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Families Of US Diplomats Ordered To Leave Ukraine

The New York Times reports: The State Department said on Sunday that it had ordered family members of U.S. Embassy personnel in Kyiv, Ukraine, to leave the country amid increasing concerns about a possible Russian invasion. The embassy will remain open for now, senior State Department officials said in a briefing with reporters, but some diplomats have been authorized to …

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Biden Nominates Jane Hartley As Ambassador To UK

The Hill reports: President Biden will nominate Jane Hartley to serve as ambassador to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, the president announced on Wednesday. Hartley was the ambassador to France and Monaco during the Obama administration and the White House said in a statement that she strengthened the U.S. relationship with France while focusing on counterterrorism cooperation. The prestigious …

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Blinken To Visit Ukraine Amid Tensions With Russia

The Associated Press reports: Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Ukraine this week and meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as tensions between the U.S. and Russia escalate over a possible Russian invasion of its neighbor, the State Department said Tuesday. Blinken will be in Kyiv on the hastily arranged trip to show U.S. support following inconclusive diplomatic talks between …

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State Dept Issues “Do Not Travel” Warning For Canada

NBC News reports: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. State Department on Monday advised against travel to neighboring Canada because of a rising number of COVID-19 cases as the Omicron variant spreads. The CDC elevated its travel recommendation to “Level Four: Very High” for Canada, telling Americans they should avoid travel, while the State Department …

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State Department Issues Warning On Overseas Travel

Via press release from the State Department: International Travel Challenges During COVID-19 U.S. citizens who choose to travel internationally should be aware that they may face unexpected challenges related to COVID-19 as they attempt to return to the United States or attempt to travel from one overseas location to another. U.S. citizens who do choose to travel internationally should make …

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US To Lift Travel Restrictions On Eight African Nations

Reuters reports: The Biden administration will lift travel restrictions on eight southern African countries imposed last month over concerns about the fast-spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant, the White House said Friday. Foreign nationals who are barred from the United States because they have been in one of the eight countries within the prior 14 days will again be allowed on U.S.-bound …

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US Warns Russia Against Invading Ukraine [VIDEO]

Reuters reports: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Moscow of the “severe costs” Russia would pay if it invaded Ukraine, urging his Russian counterpart on Thursday to seek a diplomatic exit from the crisis. Blinken delivered the warning to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at what he called a “candid” meeting in Stockholm and said it was likely that …

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State Dept: Do Not Travel To Germany Or Denmark

Reuters reports: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the State Department on Monday advised against travel to Germany and Denmark because of a rising number of COVID-19 cases in those countries. The CDC elevated its travel recommendation to “Level Four: Very High” for the two European countries, telling Americans they should avoid travel there, while the …

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State Department: US Citizens Should Leave Haiti Now

Via press release from the State Department: The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to make plans to depart Haiti now via commercial means. U.S. citizens should carefully consider the risks of traveling to or remaining in Haiti in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges. Widespread fuel shortages may limit essential services in an emergency, including access …

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Graham Calls On Countries To Turn Away Americans With “X” Gender Marker Passport For “Flaunting God”

Posted today to Franklin Graham’s Facebook page: The U.S. State Department has issued its first passport with X for gender, rather than M for Male and F for Female. They plan to issue more such passports in the months to come, with no requirement for any medical certification of a person’s gender. I hope countries will reject recognizing this passport …

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US Issues First Passport With “X” Gender Marker

NBC News reports: The United States has issued its first passport with an “X” gender marker, which denotes that someone is neither exclusively male nor female, the State Department said Wednesday. This marks a milestone for nonbinary and intersex Americans, who make up an estimated 1.2 million and 4 million Americans, respectively, according to the Williams Institute at the UCLA …

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Turkey Set To Expel US And Other Western Diplomats

The Hill reports: Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan announced on Saturday that he had called on his foreign minister to banish 10 ambassadors from Western countries, including the United States, after they called for the “urgent release” of a Turkish philanthropist. “I gave the necessary order to our foreign minister and said what must be done: These 10 ambassadors must be …

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Biden Orders Flags To Half-Staff To Honor Colin Powell

Via press release from the White House: General Colin Powell was a patriot of unmatched honor and dignity. The son of immigrants, born in New York City, raised in Harlem and the South Bronx, a graduate of the City College of New York, he rose to the highest ranks of the United States military and to advise four Presidents. He …

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