U.S. State Department News on The Federal Newswire

U.S. State Department

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Recent News About U.S. State Department

  • Today marks 25 years since the People's Republic of China (PRC) initiated a campaign of repression against practitioners of Falun Gong, a self-described spiritual practice. For two and a half decades, PRC authorities have targeted Falun Gong practitioners and their families in a campaign of abuses and rights violations.


  • On behalf of the United States of America, I extend my congratulations and best wishes to the people of Colombia on your Independence Day. Our nations share an enduring partnership rooted in mutual respect and shared values. Our continued cooperation toward bolstering peace and security, creating equitable economic opportunities, strengthening respect for human rights and the rule of law, and addressing the effects of climate change is creating a brighter future for both our countries. We share deep cultural and people-to-people ties that continue to bind the progress of our...


  • Acting Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs John Bass will travel to Chad and Tanzania from July 20 to July 25.


  • The United States has designated two members of the Russian hacktivist group Cyber Army of Russia Reborn (CARR) for their involvement in cyber operations targeting U.S. critical infrastructure entities.


  • Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Ambassador Bonnie D. Jenkins will travel to Bucharest, Romania from July 20-24, 2024.


  • The Kyrgyz Republic has successfully repatriated 22 women and children from the al-Hol and Roj displaced persons camps in northeast Syria. This marks the second such return of its nationals this year and the sixth overall since February 2023. A statement commended the Kyrgyz Republic for its continued efforts, describing repatriation as "the only durable solution to the humanitarian and security challenges in northeast Syria."


  • The United States officially opened its embassy in Port Vila today. This opening marks the growth of the relationship with Vanuatu and underlines the strength of the commitment to bilateral relations, to the Ni-Vanuatu people, and to partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region.


  • Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will participate in a fireside chat moderated by Mary Louise Kelly, co-host of National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, on Friday, July 19, 2024, at 11:05 a.m. EDT/9:05 a.m. MDT at the Aspen Security Forum in Aspen, Colorado.


  • The U.S. Department of State and Department of Energy, in coordination with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Energy, held the 2024 U.S.-Kazakhstan Strategic Energy Dialogue on July 18 in Astana. The dialogue deepened cooperation on shared priorities of enhancing energy security, accelerating the clean energy transition and methane mitigation, and developing Kazakhstan’s critical minerals sector.


  • Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell met with Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. He congratulated President Faye and the Senegalese people for holding free and fair presidential elections conducted peacefully in March. During the meeting, the Deputy Secretary reiterated the United States’ ongoing commitment to the U.S.-Senegal partnership and underscored shared dedication to democracy, respect for human rights, regional security, and prosperity for all. The two leaders also discussed opportunities to increase bilateral trade and investment, particularly in the...


  • Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Mexican Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena on July 17, 2024, to reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Mexico relationship for the shared security and prosperity of both nations. The meeting was reported by Spokesperson Matthew Miller.


  • The Houthis in Yemen continue to receive substantial revenues from the illicit shipment of Iranian commodities. This funding stream enables the Houthis’ ongoing attacks against commercial shipping in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways. Today, the United States is sanctioning an additional two individuals and five entities, as well as identifying five vessels as blocked property, for being associated with these schemes.


  • Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi to offer condolences for the recent shooting incident targeting worshippers at a mosque in Muscat. Secretary Blinken expressed the United States’ solidarity with the people of Oman and appreciation for the efforts of the Royal Oman Police during the attack.


  • The following statement was released by the Government of the United States of America and the European Commission on July 18, 2024.


  • Today marks the 30th anniversary of the 1994 Iran-backed Hizballah bombing of the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. "We honor the memory of the 85 Argentines – Jews and non-Jews – killed in the attack and recall the scores who were injured," said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. "We also remember the five Israelis and a Bulgarian national killed 12 years ago today in another Hizballah bombing in Burgas, Bulgaria. We are committed to holding the perpetrators of these vicious attacks to account."


  • The U.S. Department of State, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), has announced the CHIPS ITSI Western Hemisphere Semiconductor Initiative. This initiative, supported by the CHIPS Act International Technology Security and Innovation (ITSI) Fund, aims to enhance semiconductor assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) capabilities in Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica.


  • Secretary Antony J. Blinken addressed the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity Foreign Affairs Track Ministerial on July 17, 2024, in Washington, D.C. In his remarks, Blinken emphasized the historical and geographical ties binding countries from Canada to Chile and highlighted shared challenges such as climate change, irregular migration, and unequal opportunity.


  • The Department of State announced further actions today aimed at promoting accountability for gross violations of human rights and activities that undermine peace, security, or stability in the West Bank.


  • The following statement was released by the governments of the United States of America, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay on the occasion of the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity July Ministerial.


  • Ten years ago today, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine in territory controlled by Russian and Russia-led forces, taking the lives of 298 innocent people, including 80 children. A Joint Investigation Team in 2018 found that the aircraft was shot down by a Russian-made BUK surface-to-air missile fired from that territory, and that the missile launcher used to shoot down MH17 originated from the 53rd Anti-aircraft Brigade of the Russian Federation, stationed in Kursk, Russia. Our thoughts remain with those who perished, and we join with their...