Blinken meets Chinese VP as US-China contacts increase ahead of possible summit
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met with China's Vice President Han Zheng on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly as the Biden administration and Beijing step up high-level contacts ahead of what could be a leader-level summit this fall.
US moves to advance prisoner swap deal with Iran and release $6 billion in frozen Iranian funds
The Biden administration has cleared the way for the release of five American citizens detained in Iran by issuing a blanket waiver for international banks to transfer $6 billion in frozen Iranian money in South Korea without fear of U.S. sanctions.
Biden's commerce secretary is the latest Cabinet member to visit China in a bid for improved ties
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is the latest member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet to visit China as his administration tries to mend the deteriorating ties between the world’s two largest economies.
US challenges world to tell Russia to stop using Ukrainian grain as 'blackmail'
U_S_ Secretary of State Antony Blinken is challenging all countries to tell Russia to stop using the Black Sea and Ukraine’s grain as “blackmail” and stop treating the world’s hungry and vulnerable people as leverage in its “unconscionable war.”.
Blinken tells Australia that WikiLeaks founder is accused of 'very serious' crime
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pushed back against Australian demands for an end to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s prosecution, saying the Australian citizen was accused of “very serious criminal conduct” in publishing a trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.
Defense Secretary Austin says the US stands with countries against China's 'bullying behavior'
United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the U.S. stands with countries fighting Chinese “bullying behavior” as he starts bilateral talks in Australia aimed at countering Beijing’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Biden dispatches top adviser for talks with Saudi crown prince on normalizing relations with Israel
President Joe Biden dispatched his national security adviser Jake Sullivan to Saudi Arabia for talks with the kingdom’s de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on normalizing relations between the country and Israel.
Niger's president vows democracy will prevail after mutinous soldiers detain him and declare a coup
Niger’s president defiantly declared that democracy would prevail, a day after mutinous soldiers detained him and announced they had seized power in a coup because of the West African country’s deteriorating security situation.
US Defense Secretary Austin meets with Papua New Guinea leaders about boosting security ties
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has met with Papua New Guinea leaders to discuss developing the Pacific Island nation’s military strength and deepening security ties, as the U.S. competes with China for influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
China's sharp-tongued foreign minister is ousted, but his combative style is expected to continue
China’s sharp-tongued foreign minister, Qin Gang, was something of an avatar for nationalist Communist Party leader and President Xi Jinping, warning of “conflict and confrontation” with the U_S_, the stakes of which could be the “future of humanity.”.
Blinken heads to Tonga, New Zealand, Australia as US shifts Indo-Pacific strategy into overdrive
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Tonga, New Zealand and Australia next week as the Biden administration shifts its Indo-Pacific strategy into overdrive in part to counter China’s growing influence in the region.
US eyes massive ramp-up in diplomatic personnel and spending at new Pacific island embassies
The State Department says it plans a massive increase in diplomatic personnel and spending for facilities at new U.S. embassies in the Pacific islands as the Biden administration forges ahead with efforts to counter China’s growing influence in the region.
Did US deviate from usual sanctions after China balloon incursion? GOP chairman subpoenas documents
The House Foreign Affairs chairman has subpoenaed the State Department for classified documents that could indicate whether the U.S. deviated from its plans for sanctioning China after a Chinese surveillance balloon crossed over sensitive military sites across North America.
Chinese hackers breached State Dept., other government email on eve of Blinken visit, officials say
U.S. officials say state-backed Chinese hackers foiled Microsoft’s cloud-based security and hacked the email of officials at multiple U.S. agencies that deal with China ahead of Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s trip to Beijing last month.
Europe signs off on a new privacy pact that allows people's data to keep flowing to US
The European Union has signed off on a new agreement over the privacy of people’s personal information that gets pinged across the Atlantic, aiming to ease concerns about electronic spying by American intelligence agencies.
Myanmar violence and sea disputes to dominate ASEAN talks joined by US, Russian and Chinese envoys
Myanmar’s prolonged civil strife, tensions in the disputed South China Sea and concern over arms buildups in the region are expected to dominate the agenda when Southeast Asia’s top diplomats gather for talks this week in Indonesia.
Blinken says a multinational force is needed to help Haiti's National Police restore order
U.S. State Secretary Antony Blinken says a multinational force is needed to help Haiti’s National Police as he echoed recent appeals made by United Nations officials who warn that the country’s insecurity is worsening.
US says Armenia and Azerbaijan have made 'further progress' toward a peace deal
Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Armenia and Azerbaijan have made “further progress” toward a peace agreement in three days of U.S.-hosted talks between the two former Soviet republics that have repeatedly clashed over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Philippines considering US request to host visa processing center for Afghans despite concerns
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says a request for his country to temporarily host a U.S. immigrant visa processing center for thousands of Afghans faces security and other concerns but is still being considered by his administration.
Haley says Trump did 'too little' about China threats, warns of global conflict if Ukraine falls
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley is criticizing former President Donald Trump for being too friendly to China during his time in office while also warning that weak support for Ukraine would “only encourage” China to invade Taiwan.
Chinese human rights lawyer chased out of 13 homes in 2 months as pressure rises on legal advocates
A disbarred Chinese human rights lawyer has been forced to move 13 times in two months as part of a pattern of harassment against him and three other prominent rights advocates in Beijing that is further squeezing China’s battered civil rights community.
Allies pledge billions for Ukraine rebuilding and seek big-business investment at London conference
Ukraine’s allies have pledged several billion dollars in non-military aid to rebuild the country’s war-ravaged infrastructure, cut corruption and help pave its road to eventual membership in the European Union.
Blinken opens second day of talks in Beijing on mission to ease soaring US-China tensions
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has opened a second and final day of critical meetings with senior Chinese officials as the two sides expressed willingness to talk but showed little inclination to bend on hardened positions that have sent tensions soaring.
China calls hacking report 'far-fetched' and accuses the US of targeting the cybersecurity industry
China's government has rejected as “far-fetched and unprofessional” a report by a U.S. security firm that blamed Chinese-linked hackers for attacks on hundreds of public agencies, schools and other targets around the world.
Blinken heads to China this weekend on mission to salvage sinking ties and keep communications open
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to China this weekend as part of the Biden administration’s push to repair deteriorating ties between Washington and Beijing and keep lines of communication open.
US sending $325 million package of military aid to Ukraine
The State Department says the U.S. will deliver a new package of military aid to Ukraine, that totals up to $325 million, and will include a wide range of rockets, missiles and other munitions aimed at bolstering the counteroffensive against Russia that is in its early stages.
State Department offers Republican lawmaker a chance to view Afghanistan dissent cable
The State Department is offering to allow the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to view a classified cable from U.S. diplomats in Kabul sent shortly before the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.
GOP threatens Blinken contempt charge over Afghanistan docs
The House Foreign Affairs Committee's chairman has threatened to hold Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress if the State Department doesn't turn over classified cables related to the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
US: 'tangible progress' in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks
Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Armenia and Azerbaijan have made “tangible progress” in four days of U.S.-hosted peace talks between the two former Soviet republics that have repeatedly clashed over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Diplomats gather in Japan at 'historic turning point'
Top diplomats from Europe and North America are arriving in the hot spring resort town of Karuizawa, Japan, to discuss the world’s most intractable crises, including ways to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, confront China’s aggression toward Taiwan and lure North Korea back to nuclear disarmament talks.