State Department

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US Bigwigs Get Paid Well to Push for Iranian Group

It's hoping to come off the list of designated terrorist groups

(Newser) - Prominent US leaders from Rudy Giuliani to Howard Dean have been visiting the White House to fight for an Iranian opposition group currently on the State Department's terror list—and those visits are drawing scrutiny at the Washington Post . The Treasury Department already has looked into the possibility that...

'Differences' With Obama Drive Out Kenya Envoy

J. Scott Gration, a longtime Obama adviser, had called it his 'dream job'

(Newser) - The US ambassador to Kenya resigned today, citing "differences with Washington regarding my leadership style and certain priorities." Former Air Force Major General J. Scott Gration didn't give any more specific reason for his departure, but it comes on the heels of a recent dustup with Nairobi,...

Clinton Breaks Travel Record
 Clinton Breaks Travel Record 
Jun 28, 2012 6:00 AM CDT

Clinton Breaks Travel Record

Secretary of state chalks up 100 countries with visit to Latvia

(Newser) - Four years after telling staffers that she would "not in a million years" consider becoming secretary of state, Hillary Clinton is setting a record: She visits Latvia today, the 100th country she has visited in the role. Clinton is now the best-traveled secretary of state in American history, having...

US Ensures Summer Jobs Go to Students —Foreign Ones

Work-travel program gets new rules, but that doesn't please everyone

(Newser) - Youth unemployment is pretty darn bad , and that has many raising new eyebrows over America's long-running work-travel program. The State Department revamped the program this month following allegations of poor working conditions , ensuring that the 100,000 foreign students participating this year will work at "light, seasonal occupations"...

US: We Won't Scrap Iraqi Police Training

But embassy in Baghdad doesn't deny program cuts

(Newser) - The US embassy in Baghdad today denied a New York Times report that Washington may scrap its Iraqi police training program, AFP reports. "The Police Development Program is a vital part of the US-Iraqi relationship and an effective means of standing by our Iraqi friends," an embassy rep...

State Dept's 'Take Your Kids to Work Day' R-Rated

Children hear all about Secret Service sex scandal

(Newser) - "Take Your Kids to Work Day" was quite the titillating experience at the State Department this year. Despite the presence of youngsters, reporters didn't censor their questions about the Secret Service sex scandal at a Q&A yesterday, Politico reports. They mentioned sex seven times, prostitution four times,...

US Diplomat: &#39;We Lost the War&#39; in Iraq
US Diplomat:
'We Lost the War' in Iraq
OPINION
Apr 9, 2012 2:41 PM CDT

US Diplomat: 'We Lost the War' in Iraq

Peter Van Buren says State is punishing him for blowing the whistle

(Newser) - Don't let anyone tell you the US "won" the Iraq war. During his stint in Iraq, State Department officer Peter Van Buren was so shocked by "the eye-watering waste and mismanagement" he saw that he wrote a blistering book about it. Nothing that's happened since has...

Al-Qaeda Websites Oddly Go Dark for 11 Days

Ex-State Department official: 'It looks like a takedown'

(Newser) - Al-Qaeda's most popular web forums have gone dark for 11 days now in what experts are calling a likely cyber attack, the Washington Post reports. "It sure looks like a takedown," said a former State Department official. If website administrators were dealing with mere technical glitches, they...

Iraqis Fume Over US Drone Use
 Iraqis Fume Over US Drone Use 
Jan 30, 2012 7:55 AM CST

Iraqis Fume Over US Drone Use

State Department is operating surveillance drones in the country

(Newser) - Many Iraqi officials are outraged that the US is operating drones in the country a month after the American military left, calling the drones a violation of Iraq's sovereignty, reports the New York Times . It's the State Department, not the CIA or Pentagon, that's behind the program,...

Egypt Bans Ray LaHood's Son From Leaving

Along with other Americans monitoring Egyptian elections

(Newser) - Egypt has placed Ray LaHood's son and several other Americans working for pro-Democracy groups on a no-fly list, barring them from leaving the country. Sam LaHood tried to board a plane out of Egypt in Cairo on Saturday, Politico reports, but was prevented from doing so. A State Department...

US Hangs Iraqi Translators Out to Dry

With visa process slowed, many now fear for their lives

(Newser) - When the US signed up translators in Iraq, it promised them an inside track for a special visa to the US. But now that the war is over, the visa approval process has slowed to a crawl, leaving translators stuck in Iraq—where many want them dead for helping the...

Hillary Clinton Starts Historic Burma Visit

Landmark visit to be first in more than 50 years

(Newser) - Hillary Clinton arrived in Burma’s capital of Naypyidaw today, kicking off the first visit by a US secretary of state to the country in more than 50 years. Clinton says her goal is to see for herself how serious Burma’s junta is about its halting steps toward democratic...

US Cuts Off Funding to UNESCO Over Palestine

Political workaround unlikely to go anywhere

(Newser) - The US has officially cut off all funding to the UN’s Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization over its acceptance of Palestine as a full member. The impact will be felt immediately, because the US had a $60 million dues payment due in November, the AP reports. The Obama administration’...

US Ambassador to Syria Flees After Threats

State media has published more incendiary things about Robert Ford than usual

(Newser) - US Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford was pulled from the country this weekend, after the Obama administration received “credible threats against his personal safety,” a State Department spokesman announced today, accusing Bashar Assad’s regime of waging an “incitement campaign” against the ambassador. “At this point...

Iran Terror Plot: US Says Tehran Will Be Held Accountable
 US Vows Iran 
 Will Be Held 
 Accountable 
TERROR PLOT
Oct 12, 2011 7:45 AM CDT

US Vows Iran Will Be Held Accountable

Clinton: 'Very strong message' to be sent to Tehran

(Newser) - The plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US had the support of elements of the Iranian government and Iran is going to pay, US officials vow. "The United States is committed to holding Iran accountable," Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters after the plot was exposed....

Global Terror Attacks Up, Deaths Down

US report tags Iran as chief state sponsor of terrorism

(Newser) - Last year saw deaths from terrorism drop for the third year in a row, although the number of terror attacks was up slightly, according to the State Department's annual report on global terrorism . Some 13,186 people were killed in 11,500 terror attacks in 72 countries, down from...

US to Demand Assad Go: Sources

Obama administration will call for Syrian president to step down

(Newser) - After months spent turning up the heat on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the Obama administration is finally ready to demand his departure. Officials tell the AP that the White House's new, tougher line will come tomorrow or by the end of the week, as a direct response to Assad'...

US Enters 2nd Day of North Korea Talks

Officials looking for concrete signs of change

(Newser) - US officials, heading into a second day of talks with North Korea today, are looking for concrete signs that the nuclear-armed country is willing to take "irreversible steps" to give up its nuclear weapons programs. The State Department called yesterday's five hours of talks "serious and business-like....

Congress: US Wasting Billions in War on Drugs

Pair of reports blast counter-narcotics spending in Latin America

(Newser) - The Obama administration has essentially no evidence that the billions spent combating the drug trade in Latin America have done anything to stem the flow of narcotics into the US, according to a pair of scathing new congressional reports. “We are wasting tax dollars and throwing money at a...

US Pulls Diplomats Out of Yemen

Obama renews calls for Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down

(Newser) - With the situation in Yemen deteriorating rapidly, the US yesterday ordered all nonessential diplomats and the families of all US Embassy staff to leave the country. "The security threat in Yemen is extremely high due to terrorist activity and civil unrest," the State Department writes in a new...

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