News and reports from the State Department.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken recently had a conversation with Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár in the wake of an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Robert Fico. The information was confirmed by Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

The United States has extended its warm congratulations to the Council of Europe on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. The Council of Europe continues to be a guiding light for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, with its influence growing each year.

On May 15, Elizabeth Richard, the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, took part in a meeting in The Hague focused on countering Hamas. This meeting was a follow-up to the December 13, 2023 engagement held in Paris with partner governments. The objective of these meetings is to coordinate international efforts aimed at dismantling Hamas' financial networks and targeting their online propaganda.

The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, has announced a reward offer of up to $5 million. The reward is intended for information leading to the disruption of financial mechanisms supporting certain activities in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Activities under scrutiny include money laundering that supports the Government of North Korea or any senior official or person acting on behalf of that government.

The United States has expressed profound concern over the reports of the disappearance of Chinese citizen journalist, Ms. Zhang Zhan, following her anticipated release from Shanghai Women’s Prison on May 13. She had been incarcerated for four years on charges related to her reporting on the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan.

The Department of State announced today that it has imposed visa restrictions on over 250 members of the Nicaraguan government. This includes police and paramilitary personnel, penitentiary officials, prosecutors, judges, and public higher education officials, as well as select non-government actors. These individuals have been targeted for their roles in supporting the Ortega-Murillo regime in its attacks on human rights and fundamental freedoms, repression of civil society organizations, and profiting off vulnerable migrants.

During Construction Safety Week, which took place from May 6-10 this year, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) reinforced its commitment to exemplary construction safety practices. OBO and its partners have consistently set high standards for international construction safety, emphasizing the importance of safety measures, sharing best practices, and reinforcing safety protocols on construction sites.

The United States has extended its heartfelt congratulations to Lawrence Wong as he assumes his new role as Singapore's fourth prime minister. Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State, expressed the country's eagerness to work with Prime Minister Wong in order to further fortify the U.S.-Singapore strategic partnership and uphold international norms and standards in the Indo-Pacific region and globally.

On May 15, 2024, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken had a phone conversation with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The dialogue was centered around efforts to achieve an immediate ceasefire, aiming to secure the release of hostages and alleviate the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza. This information was confirmed by Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

From May 20-24, the U.S. Department of State's Special Representative for Global Partnerships, Dorothy McAuliffe, and Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State, Patricia Gruber, will spearhead a "Deep Tech Inclusion" Partnership Opportunity Delegation (POD) to London, United Kingdom. The objective of this visit is to foster business-government and business-business partnerships between emerging technology companies and research institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom. The focus will be on fields pertinent to national security — artificial...

On May 15, Lithuania became the 40th signatory to the Artemis Accords in a ceremony held in Vilnius. The Artemis Accords were established in 2020 by the United States and seven other countries to set out a practical set of principles to guide space exploration.

Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, is set to travel to Amman, Jordan, and Baghdad and Erbil in Iraq. During his visit to Amman, he will engage in discussions with the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Dr. Saleh Kharabsheh about Jordan’s energy security, renewable energy goals, and green hydrogen potential. They will also discuss electricity interconnections with neighboring countries including Iraq, as well as partnerships with U.S. companies.

The Governments of the United States of America and Portugal released a joint statement on May 15, 2024, detailing the outcomes of the 51st U.S.-Portugal Standing Bilateral Commission (SBC) meeting. The session, held in Washington on May 14, focused on strengthening the bilateral relationship and security partnership in light of NATO's 75th anniversary.

The United States has imposed sanctions on two Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanders, Ali Yagoub Gibril and Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed, for their roles in leading RSF operations in Darfur. The RSF's military operation to encircle and besiege El Fasher, North Darfur, has endangered the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Attacks by the RSF, the Sudanese Armed Forces, and allied forces have resulted in civilian casualties and must immediately cease. External support for warring parties should also be halted. It is crucial that all impediments to humanitarian access be...

Secretary Antony J. Blinken made a surprise appearance at a music event, where he took to the stage with an unexpected performance on the guitar. The audience, including Mr. Temnyi, responded enthusiastically to his musical prowess.