Latest news with #UnitedStatesDepartmentofState
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
DR Congo and Rwanda sign draft peace agreement
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda have signed a provisional agreement aimed at stopping the conflict in eastern DRC, according to a joint statement from the two countries and the United States Department of State. The development late on Wednesday in Washington, DC, came after 'three days of constructive dialogue regarding political, security, and economic interests', the statement said. The draft agreement contains provisions on issues including disarmament, the integration of non-state armed groups and the return of refugees and internally displaced people. Eastern DRC has been riven by conflict for decades, with armed groups competing for access to natural resources. Fighting in the region escalated in January when the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group captured Goma, the mineral-rich area's largest city. A few weeks later, the group seized the strategic town of Bukavu. Rwanda denies supporting the rebels. Thousands of people have been killed in the region and hundreds of thousands of others displaced since the conflict intensified earlier this year. Several of the parties to the conflict have been accused of carrying out human rights abuses. In a report published in May, Amnesty International accused M23 of torturing and killing civilians. 'These acts violate international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes,' Amnesty said at the time. On Monday, Volker Turk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said that the rebels, DRC troops and allied armed groups had all carried out human rights called on all sides 'to commit immediately to a ceasefire and resume negotiations, and to respect international humanitarian and human rights law'. The US hopes to bring an end to the fighting and to unlock billions of dollars of Western investment in the eastern DRC, which has large mineral reserves including cobalt, copper, gold and lithium. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described the twin aims of peace and investment as a 'win-win'. As part of the diplomatic efforts, Massad Boulos, the US envoy to Africa, travelled to the DRC and Rwanda in April. During his visit, he urged Kigali to end its support for the M23 rebels. Although the African countries have agreed to at least six truces since 2021, none has lasted. Angola stepped down in March from its role as mediator, with the US and Qatar currently leading efforts to secure peace in the eastern DRC. The draft agreement is due to be formally signed on June 27 by ministers from the DRC and Rwanda in the presence of Rubio.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Trump administration resuming student visa appointments, State Dept official says
United States Department of State logo and U.S. flag are seen in this illustration taken April 23, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration WASHINGTON - The United States is directing its U.S. diplomatic missions abroad to resume student visa applications, but is requiring applicants to make their social media profiles public for vetting purposes, a senior State Department official said on Wednesday. On May 27, the Trump administration ordered its missions abroad to stop scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants as the State Department prepared to expand social media vetting of foreign students. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said updated guidance would be released once a review was completed. On Wednesday, a State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said under new guidance, consular officers will conduct a "comprehensive and thorough vetting" of all student and exchange visitor applicants. "To facilitate this vetting, all applicants for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas will be asked to adjust the privacy settings on all their social media profiles to 'public.' Posts may resume scheduling F, M, and J visa applications," the official said. "The enhanced social media vetting will ensure we are properly screening every single person attempting to visit our country." Trump administration officials have said student visa and green-card holders are subject to deportation over their support for Palestinians and criticism of Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, calling their actions a threat to U.S. foreign policy and accusing them of being pro-Hamas. Trump's critics have called the effort an attack on free speech rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
American tourists in popular vacation spot face increased risk of being killed, robbed
Officials are warning Americans to "exercise increased caution" when traveling to a popular summer tourist destination in light of violent crime rates and a lack of law enforcement resources throughout the country. The United States Department of State has issued an updated travel advisory for the Dominican Republic, according to the agency's website. "Violent crime is a concern in the Dominican Republic despite more police presence in areas often visited by tourists," the department said in a statement. "Do not display wealth and be wary of meeting individuals from online in secluded locations." Us Renews Travel Advisory To Popular Destination Amid 'Terrorism Fears': 'Exercise Increased Caution' The warning, which previously listed the Caribbean vacation destination as a Level 2 advisory, was posted on June 12 following a periodic update, according to a State Department spokesperson. Countries are assigned advisories from Level 1-4 based on the area's risk factors, such as civil unrest and natural disasters. Read On The Fox News App A Level 2 advisory is considered mid-level and advises travelers to "exercise increased caution" while traveling abroad, according to the State Department. A Level 3 advisory cautions visitors to "reconsider travel," while a Level 4 advises against traveling altogether. The warning also noted that "criminals are rarely caught and prosecuted," with instances of robbery, homicide and sexual assault prevalent throughout the country. Us Warns American Travelers About Caribbean Island's Increased Danger Of 'Terrorism And Kidnapping' The State Department encourages visitors to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and make a plan for emergency situations. State Dept Upgrades Travel Advisory For El Salvador, Considered Safer Than France, Other European Countries In a security report released in December 2024, the Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) pointed to the Dominican Republic's heightened levels of organized crime, such as drug trafficking and money laundering. "The wide availability of weapons, the use of drugs, and the developing criminal justice system all contribute to the high level of criminality in the country," the OSAC previously said in a December 2024 security report, adding that "a lack of law enforcement resources, poorly paid and trained police officers, and corruption exacerbate the situation."Original article source: American tourists in popular vacation spot face increased risk of being killed, robbed
Kuwait Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Partial evacuation of US embassies in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq
Iran threatens to strike US bases in region; Kuwait urges IAEA cooperation WASHINGTON/TEHRAN/VIENNA: The United States Department of State on Wednesday was preparing to order nonessential embassy personnel and family members to leave Kuwait and Bahrain, the Associated Press reported. The US embassy in Iraq is also preparing for an evacuation, an Iraqi security official and a US source told Reuters on Wednesday. 'The State Department is set to have an ordered departure for (the) US embassy in Baghdad. The intent is to do it through commercial means, but the US military is standing by if help is requested,' a US official said. An Iraqi foreign ministry official said a 'partial evacuation' of US embassy staff had been confirmed due to what the official termed 'potential security concerns related to possible regional tensions'. US military dependents in Bahrain can temporarily depart due to the heightened regional tensions, a US official told Reuters. Another US official said that there was no change in operations at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military base in the Middle East and that no evacuation order had been issued for employees or families linked to the US embassy in Qatar, which was operating as usual. This came after Iran threatened Wednesday to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out, while US President Donald Trump said he was 'less confident' about reaching a nuclear deal. Tehran and Washington have held five rounds of talks since April to thrash out a new nuclear deal to replace the 2015 accord that Trump abandoned during his first term in 2018. Since returning to office in January, Trump has revived his 'maximum pressure' campaign on Tehran, backing nuclear diplomacy but warning of military action if it fails. 'All its bases are within our reach, we have access to them, and without hesitation we will target all of them in the host countries,' Iran's Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said in response to US threats of military action if the talks fail. 'God willing, things won't reach that point, and the talks will succeed,' the minister said, adding that the US side 'will suffer more losses' if it came to conflict. The United States has multiple bases in the Middle East, with the largest located in Qatar. Iran and the United States have recently been locked in a diplomatic standoff over Iran's uranium enrichment, with Tehran defending it as a 'non-negotiable' right and Washington calling it as a 'red line'. On Monday, the United Nations nuclear watchdog began a board of governors meeting in Vienna that will last until Friday to discuss Iran's atomic activities and other issues. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting followed a report issued by it criticizing 'less than satisfactory' cooperation from Tehran, particularly in explaining past cases of nuclear material found at undeclared sites. Iran has criticized the IAEA report as unbalanced, saying it relied on 'forged documents' provided by its Zionist arch-foe. Kuwait on Wednesday called on Iran to cooperate with the IAEA. More cooperation from Tehran would allow the UN nuclear agency's inspection teams to carry out their work with more efficiency and accuracy, Kuwaiti permanent delegation to the UN member Dr Sara Al-Ajmi told the IAEA's board of governors. Such a measure would pave the way for a more comprehensive nuclear agreement that ensures the wider region's security and stability, she added, underlining Kuwait's backing for the mandate of the UN nuclear watchdog, which aims to promote and monitor the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, she said. Trump had previously expressed optimism about the talks with Iran, saying during a Gulf tour last month Washington was 'getting close' to securing a deal. But in an interview published Wednesday, Trump said he was 'less confident' the United States and Iran could reach a deal, in response to a question on whether he believed he could stop Tehran from enriching uranium. Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close though still short of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead. Western countries, including the United States and its ally the Zionist entity, have long accused Iran of seeking to acquire atomic weapons, while Tehran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Last week, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said enrichment is 'key' to Iran's nuclear program and that Washington 'cannot have a say' on the issue. During the interview with the New York Post's podcast 'Pod Force One', which was recorded on Monday, Trump said he was losing hope a deal could be reached. 'I don't know. I did think so, and I'm getting more and more — less confident about it. They seem to be delaying and I think that's a shame. I am less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago,' he said. 'Something happened to them but I am much less confident of a deal being made... Maybe they don't wanna make a deal, what can I say? And maybe they do. There is nothing final.' Trump maintained that Washington would not allow Tehran to obtain nuclear weapons, saying 'it would be nicer to do it without warfare, without people dying'. On May 31, after the fifth round of talks, Iran said it had received 'elements' of a US proposal for a nuclear deal, with Araghchi later saying the text contained 'ambiguities'. Iran has said it will present a counterproposal to the latest draft from Washington, which it had criticized for failing to offer relief from sanctions — a key demand for Tehran, which has been reeling under their weight for years. 'As we resume talks on Sunday, it is clear that an agreement that can ensure the continued peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program is within reach — and could be achieved rapidly,' Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X on Wednesday. Another sticking point in the talks has been Iran's missile program. Ballistic missiles form an important part of Iran's arsenal. Nasirzadeh said that Tehran recently tested a missile with a two-ton warhead and does not accept limitations. Khamenei had said in February that Iran should further develop its military, including its missiles. – Agencies
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
U.S. Issues Level 4 Travel Warning For Iraq
As the summer tourist season heats up, the United States Department of State has warned Americans from traveling to one country in the Middle East altogether. In a Level 4 travel advisory – the most severe category – the State Department warned American citizens not to travel to Iraq "for any reason," citing a number of safety concerns. "Do not travel to Iraq due to terrorism, kidnapping, armed conflict, civil unrest, and the U.S. government's limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Iraq. Do not travel to Iraq for any reason," the travel warning stated on Wednesday, June 11. The latest travel advisory, issued on Wednesday, June 11, comes after the Department of State ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel due to heightened regional tensions, signaling just how dangerous it has become in Iraq, even for diplomats. "U.S. citizens in Iraq face high risks, including violence and kidnapping. Terrorist and insurgent groups regularly attack Iraqi security forces and civilians. Anti-U.S. militias threaten U.S. citizens and international companies. Attacks using improvised explosive devices, indirect fire, and unmanned aerial vehicles occur in many areas, including major cities. The Department of State requires U.S. government personnel in Iraq to live and work under strict security due to serious threats," the travel advisory continued. The advisory noted that U.S. government personnel in Baghdad are even prohibited from using Baghdad International Airport due to safety concerns. The State Department issued a number of rather ominous warnings and suggestions for anyone who does ignore the travel advisory and visit Iraq, anyway. Establish a personal security plan in coordination with your employer or host organization or consider consulting with a professional security organization. Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney. Leave DNA samples with your medical provider in case it is necessary for your family to access them for identification purposes. Have departure plans that do not rely on U.S. government assistance. Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care/custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc. Share important documents, login information, and points of contact with loved ones so that they can manage your affairs if you are unable to return to the United States as planned. Needless to say, Iraq should not be in your immediate travel plans. U.S. Issues Level 4 Travel Warning For Iraq first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 12, 2025
