State Department accuses House GOP of calling Blinken to testify about Afghanistan when he's away
The State Department has lashed out at House Republicans over a subpoena for testimony about the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, accusing them of repeatedly calling for hearings when they know Secretary of State Antony Blinken is unavailable to appear.
US wants more clarity from Ukraine on possible use of long-range weapons
U.S. officials say the Biden administration still isn't convinced that it should give Ukraine the authority to launch long-range missiles deeper into Russia.
Blinken says surprise escalations threaten to derail talks for a cease-fire in Gaza
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed frustration at surprise escalations that threaten to derail efforts to broker a cease-fire deal in Gaza.
Biden administration to host international AI safety meeting in San Francisco after election
Government scientists and artificial intelligence experts from at least nine countries and the European Union will meet in San Francisco after the U.S. elections to coordinate on safely developing AI technology and averting its dangers.
Blinken is heading back to the Middle East, this time without fanfare or a visit to Israel
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is heading to Egypt this week on his 10th trip to the Middle East since the war in Gaza began nearly a year ago.
An American activist killed by Israeli fire is buried in Turkey as Israel strikes Gaza
A Turkish-American activist who was killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank has been laid to rest in her hometown in Turkey with thousands lining the streets and anti-Israeli feelings in the country rising.
US hits Russian state media with sanctions for raising money for Moscow's troops in Ukraine
The U.S. State Department has announced new sanctions on Russian state media, accusing a Kremlin news outlet of working hand-in-hand with the Russian military and running fundraising campaigns to pay for sniper rifles, body armor and other equipment for soldiers fighting in Ukraine.
The US and British leaders will talk about Ukraine's push to ease weapons restrictions
President Joe Biden has brushed off a threat from Russian leader Vladimir Putin about war against the West if Ukraineโs allies allow it to use weapons deeper inside Russia.
US cites Egypt's help in Gaza as Washington sends full military aid despite human rights concerns
The Biden administration is sending Egypt its full $1.3 billion allocation of military aid.
Ukraine says Russia has started a counteroffensive in its Kursk border region
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia has launched โcounteroffensive actionsโ in its Kursk region to dislodge Ukrainian forces who stormed across the border five weeks ago and put Russian territory under foreign occupation for the first time since World War II.
Blinken wraps up Ukraine-focused Europe trip in Poland with arms requests on the table
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is wrapping up a three-nation, Ukraine-focused European tour in Poland after hearing repeated appeals from Ukrainian officials to use Western-supplied weaponry for long-range strikes inside Russia.
US and UK pledge almost $1.5 billion to help Ukraine during diplomats' visit to Kyiv
The United States and Britain have pledged nearly $1.5 billion in additional aid to Ukraine during a visit to Kyiv by their top diplomats.
The US and Britain accuse Iran of sending Russia missiles to use against Ukraine
The United States and Britain have formally accused Iran of supplying short-range ballistic missiles to Russia for its war in Ukraine and will take measures to punish those involved.
Israel says it likely killed an American activist by mistake. The US condemns its ally
The Israeli military says an American activist killed in the West Bank last week was likely shot โindirectly and unintentionallyโ by its soldiers, drawing a strong rebuke from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the activistโs family.
Blinken arrives in Haiti to show US support for fighting gang violence
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Haiti to reaffirm the governmentโs commitment to a multinational mission deployed to fight gangs in the Caribbean country and push for the organization of long-awaited general elections.
The US mulls a peacekeeping operation for Haiti to secure money and equipment to fight gangs
The U.S. assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs says the U.S. is mulling a U.N. peacekeeping operation in Haiti as one way to secure funding and staffing for a current mission led by Kenya to quell gang violence in the Caribbean country.
House Republicans subpoena Secretary Blinken for testimony on US withdrawal from Afghanistan
House Republicans have issued a subpoena for testimony from Secretary of State Antony Blinken as they finish their investigation into the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Israel-Hamas war latest: Israeli strikes kill at least 16 in Gaza, Palestinian officials say
Palestinian health officials say Israeli strikes have killed at least 16 people in the Gaza Strip.
Key mediator Egypt expresses skepticism about the Gaza cease-fire proposal as more details emerge
Key mediator Egypt is expressing skepticism about the proposal meant to bridge gaps in cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas.
Blinken ends latest Mideast visit without a cease-fire, warning 'time is of the essence'
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has ended his latest visit to the Middle East without securing a cease-fire in Gaza.
Israel-Hamas war latest: Blinken visits Gaza mediators in pursuit of cease-fire deal
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has visited fellow mediators Egypt and Qatar as he presses ahead with the latest diplomatic mission to secure a cease-fire in the war in Gaza, even as Hamas and Israel signal that challenges remain.
Israel-Hamas war latest: Blinken pushes for cease-fire in his 9th trip to Mideast since war began
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge differences holding up a cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza.
Blinken says Israel OKs a plan to break the cease-fire impasse and urges Hamas to do the same
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge differences holding up a cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza, and he called on Hamas to do the same, without saying whether the latest draft had addressed concerns cited by the militant group.
What is the latest on the high-stakes negotiations over a cease-fire in Gaza?
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet with Israelโs prime minister on Monday as mediators say they are closing in on a deal to halt the war in Gaza and free hostages captured by Hamas.
Blinken, on ninth Mideast trip since Gaza war began, seeks cease-fire momentum as talks to resume
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will use his ninth diplomatic mission to the Middle East since the start of the Israel-Hamas war to press for the quick conclusion of an elusive cease-fire agreement.
US will keep aid flowing to an Israeli unit accused of rights abuses, citing remediation efforts
The State Department says it's opted against what would have been its first-ever blocking of aid to an Israeli military unit over rights abuses.
Doug Emhoff heaps praise on Harris' VP pick Tim Walz at Paris fundraiser during Olympics trip
Vice President Kamala Harrisโ husband, Doug Emhoff, took time out of his Olympic duties to rally a group of enthusiastic supporters in Paris.
Israel-Hamas war latest: New Hamas leader can ensure a cease-fire deal is reached, Blinken says
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the newly chosen Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has the power to ensure that a cease-fire deal is reached for the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
US leaders call for calm in the Middle East, even as more American forces head to the region
Top U.S. national security leaders are calling for calm in the Middle East and say they are directly pressing Israel, Iran and others to avoid escalating the conflict.
An assassin, a Putin foe's death, secret talks: How a sweeping US-Russia prisoner swap came together
The 24-person blockbuster prison swap carried out this week required the U.S. to regroup after the unexpected death in February of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, whoโd been seen as a key cog in a potential exchange.
AP review of Venezuela opposition-provided vote tallies casts doubt on governmentโs election results
An Associated Press review of vote tally sheets released by Venezuelaโs opposition indicates that their candidate won significantly more votes in the presidential election than the government has claimed.
Israel-Hamas war latest: International calls for cease-fire grow after assassinations in the Mideast
The Pentagon has announced that the U.S. will move a fighter jet squadron to the Middle East and maintain an aircraft carrier in the region.
Israel-Hamas war latest: A cease-fire is key to ending the region's cycle of violence, Blinken says
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is calling for โall partiesโ in the Middle East to avoid escalatory actions that could plunge the region into further conflict.
Amid global turmoil Blinken aims to ease anxiety over US election on 6-nation Asia tour
With large parts of the world in turmoil and deep uncertainty over the future direction of Americaโs global role, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought this week to project an aura of calm normalcy as he traveled through Asia on his first overseas mission since President Joe Biden jolted the 2024 presidential race with his withdrawal.
Killing of Hamas political leader points to diverging paths for Israel, US on cease-fire
Israelโs suspected killing of Hamasโ political leader in the heart of Tehran points to an Israeli government ever more openly at odds with diplomatic efforts by the Biden administration to calm the region.
US suspends $95 million in aid to Georgia after passage of foreign agent law that sparked protests
The Biden administration is suspending $95 million in U.S. assistance to Georgia after its parliament adopted legislation related to foreign agents that critics say was inspired by a Russian law used to crack down on political dissent.
Two strikes on militant leaders risk inflaming a Middle East on edge
The targeting of two senior militant leaders in two Middle Eastern capitals within hours of each other โ with each strike blamed on Israel โ risks rocking the region at a critical moment.
US boosts alliance with the Philippines with $500 million funding and pact amid concern over China
Washington officials in Manila have announced $500 million in funding to boost Philippine defenses and progress in a proposed military intelligence-sharing pact amid shared concerns over China's increasingly aggressive actions in the region.
Netanyahu vows retaliation against Hezbollah after weekend strike as US warns against escalation
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Israel's response would be "severe" as he blamed Hezbollah for a weekend rocket strike from Lebanon that killed 12 children.
Venezuelan opposition says it has proof its candidate defeated President Maduro in disputed election
As thousands of people demonstrate across Venezuela, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzรกlez has announced that his campaign has the proof it needs to show he won the countryโs disputed election whose victory electoral authorities handed to President Nicolรกs Maduro.
Blinken says US has 'serious concerns' about announced result of Venezuelan election
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the United States has โserious concernsโ about the announced result of Venezuela's hotly contested presidential election that authorities say was won by incumbent Nicolas Maduro.
Blinken and envoys from Japan, Australia and India work to improve maritime safety in Asia-Pacific
Top diplomats from Japan, the U.S., Australia and India have compiled measures to reinforce maritime safety and cybersecurity and to support other Asia-Pacific countries in improving their defenses.
US-Japan security talks focus on bolstering military cooperation, underscores threat from China
Japanese and U.S. defense chiefs and top diplomats agreed to further bolster their military cooperation by upgrading the command and control of U.S. forces in the East Asian country and strengthening American-licensed missile production there, describing the rising threat from China as โthe greatest strategic challengeโ.
The US and China air global differences as their top diplomats meet for sixth time since last year
The United States and China have renewed their mutual grievances as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Chinese counterpart held their sixth meeting since last year amid an uncertain political situation in the U.S. and growing concerns about China's increasing assertiveness in Asia and elsewhere.
Southeast Asia top diplomats condemn Myanmar violence, urge peaceful means to settle sea disputes
Southeast Asian top diplomats have condemned violence in Myanmarโs ongoing civil war and urged for โpracticalโ means to defuse rising tensions in the South China Sea during the last of the three-day regional talks with allies including the U.S., Russia and China.
Blinken to celebrate Biden legacy, reassure allies in Asia after president drops out of 2024 race
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will make the case for the Biden administrationโs expanded commitment to Asia and the Indo-Pacific as he visits Laos, Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and Mongolia this week and next.
Southeast Asian diplomats meet with China as friction mounts over Beijing's sweeping maritime claims
Top diplomats from Southeast Asia have met with Chinaโs foreign minister for talks that come as friction escalates over Beijing's growing effort to press its sweeping maritime claims.
Ukraine's foreign minister in Hong Kong calls on officials to stop Russia from evading sanctions
Ukraineโs Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has called on Hong Kong to prevent Russia and Russian businesses from using the region to circumvent sanctions.
Myanmar violence, South China Sea tensions are top issues as Southeast Asian diplomats meet in Laos
Southeast Asian foreign ministers have gathered in the capital of Laos for a regional forum that runs through Saturday.
Biden aims for more achievements despite the bane of lame-duck presidents: diminished relevance
President Joe Biden says heโs โdetermined to get as much doneโ as he possibly can in his final six months in the White House.
Heading to Asia, Blinken aims to shore up Indo-Pacific ties and stress US commitment to the region
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will head to Asia this week on an eight-day trip aimed at shoring up ties with Indo-Pacific allies and partners but with the priority of assuring them that the United States remains committed to the region.
Blinken points to wider pledges to support Ukraine in case US backs away under Trump
Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Ukraine is on its way to being able to โstand on its own feetโ militarily and more than 20 other countries have pledged to maintain their own military and financial aid to the country even if the U.S. were to withdraw its support under a different president.
US says Iran moving forward on a key aspect of developing a nuclear bomb
Two top Biden administration officials say Iran is talking more about getting a nuclear bomb, and has made strides in developing one key aspect of a weapon in recent months.
Former CIA official charged with being secret agent for South Korean intelligence
The U.S. Justice Department says a former CIA employee and senior official at the National Security Council has been charged with serving as a secret agent for South Koreaโs intelligence service.
US Sen. Susan Collins says she will write in Haley, once again not vote for Donald Trump in 2024
Sen. Susan Collins didnโt vote for Donald Trump for president in 2016 or 2020, and the third time will not be the charm.
Ukraine is on an 'irreversible' path to NATO. But only after war with Russia ends
The 32-members of NATO are formally declaring that Ukraine is on an โirreversibleโ path to membership in the Western military alliance, offering a bare but more binding assurance of protection once its war with Russia ends.
To counter China, NATO and its Asian partners are moving closer under US leadership
New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and Australia are sending leaders or their deputies to the NATO summit in Washington this week as the military alliance shows growing interest beyond Europe and the Western Hemisphere.
US asks Haiti to prioritize electoral council amid gang violence and a humanitarian crisis
U.S. officials have asked Haitiโs prime minister to prioritize the establishment of an electoral council as the country strives to rebuild its government amid rampant gang violence.
Senior Blinken aide is taking a top job with Austin after Senate confirmation holdup
One of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's most senior aides is leaving for a top job with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and will be replaced by a brother of President Joe Biden's national security adviser.
US thanks Romania for its leader exiting the NATO leadership race to clear the way for Rutte
The Biden administration has thanked Romania for its president withdrawing from the race to lead NATO, saying the move would help ensure the Western military alliance stays properly focused.
Israel's Netanyahu blames Biden for withholding weapons. US officials say that's not the whole story
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is claiming that the United States is withholding weapons needed for the war in Gaza.
US, Cyprus embark on strategic dialogue that officials say demonstrates closest-ever ties
Cyprus-U.S. relations have reached their highest level yet after the two countries embarked on a strategic dialogue on key issues including defense, security, energy, crisis management and the fight against terrorism, officials say.
What are the main sticking points in the cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas?
The latest proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza has the support of the United States and most of the international community, but Hamas has not fully embraced it, and neither, it seems, has Israel.
Blinken says some of Hamas' proposed changes to a cease-fire plan in Gaza are workable and some not
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that mediators will keep trying to close an elusive cease-fire deal after Hamas proposed numerous changes to a U.S.-backed plan.
The Latest | Hezbollah rocket barrage ups pressure on Israel as Gaza cease-fire negotiations drag on
The Israeli military says about 215 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward northern Israel, hours after Israeli airstrikes killed a senior Hezbollah militant commander.
Hamas responds to Gaza cease-fire plan seeking some changes. US says it's 'evaluating' the reply
Hamas says it has given Qatari and Egyptian mediators its reply to the U.S.-backed proposal for a cease-fire in Gaza, seeking some โamendmentsโ on the deal.
Blinken pushes Israel on postwar Gaza plans as pressure mounts on Hamas to accept cease-fire plan
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged top Israeli officials to accept a plan for postwar Gaza as he pushed for more international pressure on Hamas to agree to a cease-fire proposal newly endorsed by the U.N. Security Council.
Blinken to push cease-fire proposal in eighth urgent Mideast trip since war in Gaza erupted
Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East on his eighth diplomatic mission to the region since the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza began in October.
The Latest | Israel bombs another UN-run school in Gaza, a day after strike on school killed 33
Israelโs military struck what it says was a Hamas position inside a U.N.-run school in northern Gaza.
US imposes travel bans on Georgian officials over new law that critics say will curb media freedom
The Biden administration is imposing sanctions on dozens of Georgian officials and law enforcement authorities.
US launches lobbying blitz to sell Gaza cease-fire plan to Hamas through Arab and Muslim nations
The Biden administration has launched an intense drive to persuade Hamas and Israel to accept a new cease-fire proposal in the nearly eight-month-old war in Gaza while it also presses Arab nations to get the militant group to go along with the terms.
NATO ministers meet in Prague as allies ease restrictions on Ukraine's use of their weapons
NATO foreign ministers are meeting in the Czech capital to prepare for this summerโs leadersโ summit as the alliance boosts support for Ukraine and countries one-by-one remove restrictions on how Kyiv can use western-supplied weaponry to combat Russiaโs invasion.
Biden partially lifts ban on Ukraine using US arms in strikes on Russian territory, US officials say
President Joe Biden has given Ukraine the go-ahead to use American weaponry to strike inside Russia for the limited purpose of defending Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv.
US pledges $135 million in aid to Western-leaning Moldova to counter Russian influence
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pledged $135 million in aid to Moldova for energy security and to counter Russian disinformation.
US announces $275M in new military assistance for Ukraine
The Biden administration has, as expected, announced an additional $275 million in military aid for Ukraine as Kyiv struggles to hold off advances by Russian troops in the Kharkiv region.
Blinken will head to eastern Europe as concerns mount about Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to eastern Europe next week as concerns mount about Russia's advances in Ukraine, potential Russian interference in neighboring Moldova and pro-Moscow legislation being promoted in the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
ICC prosecutor's warrant requests for Israel and Hamas leaders ignite debate about court's role
Prosecutor Karim Khan has broken new ground with his stunning announcement that he had requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defense minister and the leaders of Hamas on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Protesters against war in Gaza interrupt Blinken repeatedly in the Senate
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has denounced the chief prosecutor of the worldโs top war crimes court for seeking the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
State Department removes Cuba from short list of countries deemed uncooperative on counterterrorism
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has removed Cuba from the State Department's short list of countries deemed as not cooperating as much as they could in counterterrorism efforts.
Blinken's Kyiv song choice raises eyebrows as Ukraine fights fierce Russian attacks
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, an amateur musician, may have thought he had the perfect upbeat song to perform with a Kyiv bar band.
Ukrainian troops pull out of some areas and Zelenskyy postpones foreign trips amid Russian offensive
Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from some parts of the countryโs northeast and were battling Russian troops in other areas.
The Latest | UN says over half a million people flee fighting in Gaza; Israel marks Independence Day
The United Nations says more than half a million Palestinians have been displaced in recent days by escalating Israeli military operations in both southern and northern Gaza.
The Latest | Nearly half a million people flee fighting in Rafah and northern Gaza, UN says
The United Nations says nearly half a million Palestinians have been displaced in recent days by escalating Israeli military operations in both southern and northern Gaza.
Blinken in Kyiv tries to rally sagging Ukrainian spirits as Russia makes new military gains
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is seeking to rally the spirits of glum Ukrainians facing a fierce new Russian offensive.
Blinken delivers some of the strongest US public criticism of Israel's conduct of the war in Gaza
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has delivered some of the Biden administrationโs strongest public criticism yet of Israelโs conduct of the war in Gaza.
World Food Prize goes to 2 who helped protect vital seeds in an Arctic Circle vault
Two men who were instrumental in creating a global seed vault designed to safeguard the worldโs agricultural diversity will be honored as the 2024 World Food Prize laureates.
US repatriates 11 citizens from notorious camp for relatives of Islamic State militants in Syria
The United States has repatriated 11 of its citizens from sprawling camps in northeastern Syria that house tens of thousands of family members of suspected Islamic State militants.
Israel has briefed US on plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians ahead of potential Rafah operation
Israel this week briefed Biden administration officials on a plan to evacuate Palestinian civilians ahead of a potential Rafah operation to root out Hamas militants in the southern Gaza city.
Hamas is sending a delegation to Egypt for further cease-fire talks in the latest sign of progress
Hamas says it's sending a delegation to Egypt as soon as possible to continue talks in the latest sign of progress in the fragile cease-fire process.
The Latest | Hamas will send a delegation to Cairo to keep up cease-fire talks
Hamas said Thursday that it will send a delegation to Cairo as soon as possible to keep working on cease-fire talks, in response to Egyptโs latest proposal.