The Latest Breaking News from State Department

EU reaches 'total consensus' on granting Ukraine candidate status

EU ministers on Tuesday backed granting war-torn Ukraine candidate status to join the bloc ahead of a summit expected to formally greenlight the move later this week, France's Europe minister said. In fighting on the ground, Ukraine said it was encountering difficulty in the east as Russian forces captured more…

France 24 · Jun 21, 2022

Second American reported killed while fighting in Ukraine

The State Department says it's "provided all possible consular assistance" to Stephen Zabielski's family.

Axios · Jun 21, 2022

Former US Marine jailed in Venezuela attempts suicide, is hospitalized in Caracas

Matthew Heath, a former U.S. Marine jailed under terrorism charges by the Nicolàs Maduro regime in Venezuela, has been hospitalized after trying to take his life on Saturday by using a piece of porcelain broken off from a sink to try to cut his veins, persons close to his defense…

Tribune News Service · Jun 21, 2022

Dick Vitale Shares Statement About Brittney Griner Situation

The Mercury star has been held by Russia since Feb. 17, which the U.S. has classified a “wrongful detainment.”

Sports Illustrated · Jun 18, 2022

Biden administration bans 5 Cuban judges involved in 'unfair' trials from entering US

The Biden administration banned five Cuban judges from entering the United States over their involvement in “unfair trials” of anti-government protesters who took to the streets on July 11 last year, the State Department said Friday.

Miami Herald · Jun 17, 2022

Biden says US doesn’t know what happened to American fighters missing in Ukraine

President Joe Biden Friday said the U.S. does not know what has happened to at least two Americans who have gone missing while fighting in Ukraine.

Tribune News Service · Jun 17, 2022

Russia jails former US diplomat for 14 years for smuggling medical marijuana in luggage

Teacher has been accused of running drug smuggling ring into Russia

The Independent UK · Jun 17, 2022

U.S. supports Philippines in South China Sea, State Department says

The United States supports the Philippines in calling on China "to end its provocative actions and respect international law in the South China Sea," the State Department said on Friday.

Reuters · Jun 17, 2022

Trudy Rubin: We’ve betrayed tens of thousands of Afghans who helped us and are under Taliban threat

It has been almost one year since the ugly U.S. departure from Kabul. Yet tens of thousands of Afghans who were promised special immigrant visas (SIVs) — meant for those who worked for U.S. soldiers and civilians — remain trapped under terrifying Taliban rule.

The Philadelphia Inquirer · Jun 17, 2022

US slams ‘offensive comments’ on Prophet by BJP members in India

State Department spokesman says the US ‘encourages India to promote respect for human rights’.

Al Jazeera · Jun 17, 2022