Latest news with #TheStateDepartment
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Breaking News Live Updates: Trump says Putin 'playing with fire' as sanctions pressure grows
Breaking News Live Updates: US President Donald Trump warned Vladimir Putin Tuesday that he was "playing with fire," taking a fresh jab at his Russian counterpart as Washington weighs new sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine war. Trump's latest broadside showed his frustration with stalled ceasefire talks and comes two days after he called the Kremlin leader "absolutely CRAZY" following a major drone attack on Ukraine. Moscow, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, insisted it was responding to escalating Ukrainian strikes on its own civilians and accused Kyiv of trying to "disrupt" peace efforts. Diplomatic efforts to end the war have intensified in recent weeks, but Putin has been accused of stalling peace talks. "What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire!" Trump said on his Truth Social network. Trump did not specify what the "really bad" things were. Starship upper stage lost after 'uncontrolled reentry': live feed SpaceX mission control lost contact with the upper stage of Starship Tuesday as it leaked fuel, spun out of control, and made an uncontrolled reentry after flying halfway around the world, likely disintegrating over the Indian Ocean, officials said. "Just to confirm, we did lose contact with the ship officially a couple of minutes ago. So that brings an end to the ninth flight test," said SpaceX's Dan Huot during a live feed. US stops scheduling visa interviews for foreign students while it expands social media vetting The State Department has halted the scheduling of new visa interviews for foreign students hoping to study in the U.S. while it prepares to expand the screening of their activity on social media, officials said. A U.S. official said Tuesday the suspension is intended to be temporary and does not apply to applicants who already had scheduled their visa interviews. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an internal administration document. A cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and obtained by The Associated Press says the State Department plans to issue guidance on expanded social media vetting. 'Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consulate sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor visa appointment capacity" until the guidance is issued, the cable says. "Pakistan's entire system is based on terrorism": Sanjay Kumar Jha in Singapore JDU MP Sanjay Kumar Jha slammed Pakistan for promoting terrorism and said that their entire system is based on it. Interacting with the Indian diaspora in Singapore on Wednesday (local time), Jha said, "All the political parties are together. We are going to the world to tell the truth about Pakistan and its Army... Pakistan's entire system is based on terrorism, their way and their politics are like this only - to equip, to sponsor, to train them and then send them across the border." Speaking about Operation Sindoor, Jha reiterated that India's target was to eliminate terrorists who are trained, financed, and have a launch pad on the Pakistan side. "Our target was to eliminate terrorists who are trained, financed, and have a launch pad on Pakistan side. Accordingly, 9 terrorist infrastructure were hit, demolished with precision. This operation started at night so that no civilian is targeted. No civilian was hurt, no military infrastructure was targeted on 7th May when this Operation Sindoor started," he said. "Tura Secretariat will function as 'additional secretariat' for Garo hills": Meghalaya CM Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma declared that the Tura Secretariat will function as "additional secretariat" for the people of Garo Hills. Speaking at a programme at Samanda and Williamnagar on Tuesday, CM Sangma unveiled the architectural drawing of the Tura Secretariat. "Initially, the project was conceptualised as a mini Secretariat, but the government felt that the infrastructure should be upgraded to accommodate all department offices, the chief minister office, ministers office and bureaucrats", he said, while stating that the Tura Secretariat will ensure delivery of government services to the people of Garo Hills. "We want to stand with India in the campaign for peace": Panama Assembly President pledges support Panama Assembly President, Dana Castaneda on Tuesday (local time) expressed solidarity with India in its fight against terrorism after she held a meeting with Congress MP Shashi Tharoor-led delegation. Speaking with ANI, Assembly President Castaneda said, "We very clearly understand the message that they have conveyed. Panama wants to stand with India in this campaign for peace, and we hope that we can defeat terrorism. We have spoken about these issues in detail, and this will help us understand each other better in India's fight against terrorism," Tharoor informed ANI that the delegation presented a Kashmiri shawl to Assembly President Castaneda and in return the Panama Assembly President gave a symbol of the warriors of Panama, symbolising strength to fight against terrorism. "When we presented the president with a shawl from Kashmir, where the tragedy (Pahalgam terror attack) happened. She, in turn, gave us a symbol of the warriors of Panama, saying she hopes that we will fight against terror with that strength and that I thought was an excellent message to leave the National Assembly with," Tharoor said. Trump says Putin 'playing with fire' as sanctions pressure grows US President Donald Trump warned Vladimir Putin Tuesday that he was "playing with fire," taking a fresh jab at his Russian counterpart as Washington weighs new sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine war. Trump's latest broadside showed his frustration with stalled ceasefire talks and comes two days after he called the Kremlin leader "absolutely CRAZY" following a major drone attack on Ukraine. Moscow, which invaded Ukraine in February 2022, insisted it was responding to escalating Ukrainian strikes on its own civilians and accused Kyiv of trying to "disrupt" peace efforts. Diplomatic efforts to end the war have intensified in recent weeks, but Putin has been accused of stalling peace talks. "What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire!" Trump said on his Truth Social network. Trump did not specify what the "really bad" things were.
Business Recorder
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
US mission to Pakistan restricts all personnel movements, State Department says
The US mission to Pakistan has restricted all personnel movements, the US Department of State Consular Affairs said on Saturday. Operation 'Bunyan ul Marsoos': Pakistan destroys Udhampur airbase, Pathankot airfield in India, state media reports The State Department said it will reassess the situation this afternoon, adding that the Pakistan Army on Saturday advised all residents of the country to remain at home until further notice.
Bloomberg
01-04-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
US State Department Approves $5.6 Billion in F-16s for Philippines
The State Department told Congress it has approved a possible $5.6 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines, a move that would send US warplanes to a key ally in Southeast Asia that has clashed with China. The proposed sale is for 20 F-16's, made by Lockheed Martin Corp., and other equipment including missiles, radars and spare engines, according to a statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
The Hill
20-03-2025
- Business
- The Hill
US offers $15M reward for team accused of smuggling drone tech to Iran
The State Department is offering a $15 million reward for information linked to four Chinese nationals it says have helped the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) procure U.S. military equipment and drone technology. Liu Baoxia, Li Yongxin, Yung Yiu Wa and Zhong Yanlai are accused of facilitating the sale of U.S. goods to front companies based in China that would send the technology to Iran, according to a State Department release. Iran would then transport products to the IRGC and its linked companies including Shiraz Electronics Industries and Rayan Roshd Afzar, which use U.S.-controlled technology to develop and manufacture unmanned aerial vehicles, arms and weapons systems, according to the State Department. Manufactured products are then sold to governments and groups in allied countries such as Russia, Sudan and Yemen in violation of U.S. sanctions. Officials are now urging individuals with information about the illegal sale of technology to report information through their anonymous Tor Browser to receive a monetary reward.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Yahoo
Spring break warning: What to know about crime in these tourist hot spots
Thousands of travelers are expected to take vacations during spring break this year and the Caribbean islands are among the popular tourist spots. And while these places offer plenty of scenery and activity for visitors, they can also be susceptible to crime. TheState Department has a travel advisory ranking for these renowned destinations in the Caribbean islands. These advisories are ranked from Level 1 (the lowest travel security risk) to Level 4 (the highest travel security risk). Why you should care TheState Department's Level 1 Travel Advisory is the lowest travel security risk. According to the agency, while there is some risk in any travel, conditions may vary at any time in countries outside the United States. The Caribbean islands under the Level 1 Advisory designation include Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Sint Maarten, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia, FOX News reported. A Level 2 Travel Advisory is a warning for tourists to "be aware of heightened risks to safety and security." The Caribbean islands listed under Level 2 include the Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Netherlands Antilles and Turks and Caicos. Dig deeper In 2024,Turks and Caicos was in the news after five unsuspecting Americans were arrested and detained for months after being caught with ammunition in the linings of their luggage, FOX News noted. The islands recently scrapped a mandatory 12-year prison punishment for the five Americans accused of carrying ammunition. FOX News reported that an Illinois deputy waskilled by a stray bullet while vacationing on the islands. The Dominican Republic, while a relatively safe and popular tourist destination for Americans, borders "Level 4" Haiti. The country recently heightened its security at its border with Haiti. Jamaica is the only island in the Caribbean with a Level 3 Travel Advisory. This means tourists are encouraged to "reconsider travel due to serious risks to safety and security," per the State Department. If American visitors do leave their resorts or hotels in high-crime areas, they should use precaution and consider carrying a tracking device, like an Apple Airtag, so that their loved ones know where they are at all times, ex-DEA senior special agent Michael Brown, and current global director of counter-narcotics technology at Rigaku Analytical Devices, told FOX News. Haiti is the only Caribbean country with a Level 4 Travel Advisory which means Americans are advised not to travel there at all because it may present "life-threatening risks", and FOX News noted that the U.S. government has a "limited ability to provide assistance, including during an emergency." The State Department encourages Americans currently in Level 4 territories to leave "as soon as it is safe to do so." The Department also recommends Americans in Level 4 countries write wills prior to traveling and "leave DNA samples in case of worst-case scenarios." Local perspective Gang violence in Haiti has climbed torecord heights with more than 5,000 people killed and an additional 3,700 injured or abducted in 2024, FOX News noted, citing a report from the Office of theUnited Nations Commissioner for Human Rights. The Source Information for this story was provided by FOX News and the State Department's website. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.
