U.S. Embassy vehicles in Sudan came under fire on Monday, but those inside were unharmed. Students, faculty members, and staff at the University of Khartoum have been trapped inside campus buildings for more than three days due to the fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary group. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on all sides to cease fire and work towards a peaceful resolution.
Posts tagged as “State Antony Blinken”
Vladimir Kara-Murza, a prominent Kremlin critic and Russian human rights advocate, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on charges of treason and denigrating the Russian military by a Moscow court. His detention has been widely condemned as a politically motivated move to silence dissent, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the European Union expressing their deep concern over the ruling.
The US State Department has officially declared Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich wrongfully detained by Russia, empowering the Biden administration to explore avenues such as a prisoner swap to try to secure his release. The Wall Street Journal has called for Gershkovich’s immediate release, saying the espionage charges against him are “absurd” and “unfounded”. It is unclear when he will be released, but the State Department’s designation gives the Biden administration additional resources to secure his freedom.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed grave concern over the detention of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia on espionage charges, and has called for his immediate release. The Journal and Dow Jones have denied the unsubstantiated allegations and the U.S. government is closely monitoring the situation, with the safety and security of American citizens around the world a top priority.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee has issued a subpoena to Secretary of State Antony Blinken for sensitive cables from the U.S. embassy in Kabul. The subpoena, signed by Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul, requests an internal dissent cable written by 23 State Department employees in Afghanistan. The document is seen as a vital piece of information as the committee investigates the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Biden administration is facing criticism from both sides of the aisle. The State Department has yet to comment on the subpoena.
The U.S. State Department is facing an "unprecedented demand" for passports as Americans prepare to travel again following the COVID-19 pandemic. The State Department is receiving 500,000 passport applications a week, with wait times of 10 to 13 weeks for a regular passport and seven to nine weeks for an expedited passport. The State Department is hiring additional staff and increasing resources to meet the increased demand and is urging travelers to plan ahead and apply for passports as soon as possible.
Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping held a face-to-face meeting in Moscow on Monday, days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the visit indicates China's support for Russia in the face of international criticism. The three-day state visit is seen as a sign of strengthening ties between the two countries, and the outcome of the visit will be closely watched.
After six years in captivity, American aid worker Jeff Woodke has been released from Niger. The Biden administration has not released any further information, but expressed relief and gratitude to the U.S. special presidential envoy for hostage affairs and other department officials whose work on Woodke's plight finally came "to fruition."