Latest news with #USDepartmentOfState
Fox News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
US warns Venezuela now poses 'highest risk' for American travelers
The United States government is advising U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to Venezuela and its borders. Venezuela currently has the highest Travel Advisory with a level 4. Per the U.S. Department of State, citizens are warned not to travel to Venezuela due to severe risks. The risks include wrongful detention, torture in detention, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, and poor health infrastructure. Currently, more U.S. nationals are wrongfully detained in Venezuela than anywhere else in the world. In March 2019, the DOS withdrew all diplomatic personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Caracas and suspended operations. This means there is no U.S. consulate operating in Venezuela and the U.S. government cannot provide routine or emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Venezuela. Police and security forces have instituted a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy or anti-regime demonstrations, including the use of tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets against participants, which occasionally devolve into looting and vandalism. If you are planning to still travel to Venezuela, the State Department recommends you do the following before traveling. Travelers should prepare a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and power of attorney. Develop a communication plan with family or your company with a "proof of life" protocol and consider hiring a professional security detail. Travelers should have an understanding that medical care will be limited in Venezuela, especially over-the-counter medication. Avoid Venezuela's border areas with Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana as Colombian terrorist groups operate in those areas. If you choose to travel to Venezuela, the U.S. will not be able to assist you in recovering lost, stolen or expired travel documents. It is advised that any U.S. citizen currently in Venezuela should depart immediately.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
U.S. Has Active Travel Advisory for Jamaica
As summer fast approaches, many Americans have already begun planning their trips and out-of-the-country vacations for the next few months. But as you plan your travel, the United States has an active travel warning for one of the more popular vacation spots in the Caribbean. Jamaica is one of the more popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean, with the country welcoming 4.3 million visitors in 2024, which generated $4.3 billion for the country's economy, according to the Jamaica Tourist Board. However, the United States Department of State is warning Americans to think again before visiting the Caribbean vacation destination. The United States has an active Level 3 travel advisory for Jamaica, warning Americans to "Reconsider Travel" to Jamaica as a result of crime and health concerns. The travel advisory warned that violent crime occurs throughout Jamaica. While the tourist destinations typically experience less of this crime, U.S. citizens have been victims of violent crimes even while on resorts, and law enforcement is often slow and/or inadequate. "The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica is among the highest in the Western Hemisphere. Armed robberies and sexual assaults are common," the travel advisory states. "The U.S. Embassy routinely receives reports of sexual assaults, including from U.S. citizen tourists at resorts. U.S. citizens report slow or unsatisfactory response to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a final verdict and sentence." In addition to concerns about violent crime, the State Department also warns that Jamaica's health care may not be adequate in the case of a medical emergency, either. "U.S. citizens should not expect the same level of health care available in Jamaica as is available in the United States," the advisory states. "This includes generally lower levels of emergency service response times or routine care for illness or injury. Private hospitals require payment up front before admitting patients and may not have the ability to provide specialized care. Ambulance services are not always staffed with EMTs or always readily available, especially in rural areas. U.S. citizens should bring extra prescription medication as common medications such as insulin can be difficult to obtain." Needless to say, if your travel plans include Jamaica this summer, it would be wise to reconsider or at least take special care.
Al Jazeera
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
‘I cannot stand by': Former ambassador denounces Ukraine shift under Trump
A recent United States ambassador to Ukraine has published an opinion column explaining her decision to resign her post, and criticising President Donald Trump for siding with Russia over Ukraine. On Friday, former diplomat Bridget Brink published an article in the Detroit Free Press, a newspaper in her home state of Michigan, expressing concern about current US foreign policy. The US has long been an ally of Ukraine, and since 2014, it has provided the war-torn country with military assistance, as it fends off Russia's attempts at invasion and annexation. But Brink wrote that there has been a shift since President Trump returned to office for a second term in January. 'I respect the president's right and responsibility to determine U.S. foreign policy,' she wrote. 'Unfortunately, the policy since the beginning of the Trump administration has been to put pressure on the victim, Ukraine, rather than on the aggressor, Russia.' Brink pointed out that her time at the US Department of State included roles under five presidents, both Democrat and Republican. But she said the shift under the Trump administration forced her to abandon her ambassadorship to Ukraine, a position she held from 2022 until last month. 'I cannot stand by while a country is invaded, a democracy bombarded, and children killed with impunity,' she said of the situation in Ukraine. 'I believe that the only way to secure U.S. interests is to stand up for democracies and to stand against autocrats. Peace at any price is not peace at all ― it is appeasement.' Brink's position as ambassador has spanned much of the current conflict in Ukraine. After annexing Crimea and occupying other Ukrainian territories starting in 2014, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022. Brink assumed her post that May. But the slow-grinding war in Ukraine has cost thousands of lives and displaced many more. While campaigning for re-election in 2024, Trump blamed the war's eruption on the 'weak' foreign policy of his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden. He also pledged to end the war on his first day back in office, if re-elected. 'I'll have that done in 24 hours. I'll have it done,' Trump told one CNN town hall in 2023. Since taking office, however, Trump has walked back those comments, calling them an 'exaggeration' in an interview with Time Magazine. Still, his administration has pushed Ukraine and Russia to engage in peace talks, as part of an effort to end the war. How those negotiations have unfolded under Trump, however, has been the source of scrutiny and debate. Ukraine and its European allies have accused Trump of sidelining their interests in favour of his one-on-one negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. They also have criticised Trump and his officials for seeming to offer Russia concessions even before the negotiations officially began. On February 12, for instance, his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told an international defence group in Brussels that Ukraine may never regain some of its occupied territory. 'We must start by recognising that returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective,' he said, adding that membership in the NATO military alliance was also unlikely. 'Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering.' Trump has gone so far as to blame Ukraine's NATO ambitions as the cause of the war, something critics blast as a Kremlin talking point. Amid the negotiations, the relationship between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has grown increasingly testy. Already, during his first term, Trump faced impeachment proceedings over an alleged attempt to pressure Zelenskyy by withholding military aid. During his second term, though, Trump upped the ante, calling the Ukrainian president a 'dictator' for not holding elections, something prohibited under Ukraine's wartime laws. One public display of frustration came in the White House on February 28, when Trump shouted at Zelenskyy, calling him 'disrespectful' during a gathering with journalists. The US president also used the appearance to defend his warm relationship with Russia's president. ' Putin went through a hell of a lot with me,' Trump told Zelenskyy. The shouting match led to a brief suspension of US aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine. In the months since, their two countries have agreed to a deal that would establish a joint investment fund that would allow Washington access to Ukraine's mineral resources — a long-desired Trump goal. The US president has voiced concern about the amount of money invested in Ukraine's security, with Congress appropriating more than $174bn since the war began in 2022. He has also argued that a US mining presence would help deter foreign attacks in Ukraine. But peace between Russia and Ukraine has remained elusive. Talks between the two warring parties on Friday ended after less than two hours, though they did agree to an exchange of 1,000 prisoners each. In her op-ed column, Brink was clear that she held Russia responsible for the ongoing aggression. 'Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, it has done what can only be described as pure evil: killed thousands of civilians, including 700 children, with missiles and drones that hit their homes and apartments in the dead of night,' she wrote. She added that Europe has not experienced 'violence so systematic, so widespread and so horrifying in Europe since World War II'. Brink warned that, if the US did not stand up to Russia, a domino effect could occur, paving the way for military assaults on other countries. 'If we allow Putin to redraw borders by force, he won't stop with Ukraine,' she wrote. 'Taken at his word, Putin's ambition is to resurrect an imperial past ― and he can't do that without threatening the security of our NATO allies.'
Times of Oman
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
US welcomes India-Pakistan "ceasefire," commends both nations for choosing peace
Washington DC: Following the recent cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, the US Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott emphasised the importance of direct communication between both countries. He also commended India and Pakistan for choosing the path of peace. On being asked if the US received any assurance or commitment during their talks with Pakistan, whether Pakistan will dismantle its terror infrastructure or no longer support terror groups in the country, Pigott while addressing the press briefing on Tuesday said, "I can only reiterate that we welcome the ceasefire reached between India and Pakistan this weekend. We commend both Prime Ministers for choosing the path of peace. We also want to encourage direct communication between the parties." Earlier, US President Donald Trump, while participating in the US-Saudi Investment Forum, took credit for the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan. Trump said that he used trade to a large extent to reach the agreement. "Just days ago, my administration brokered a historic cease-fire to stop the escalating violence between India and Pakistan, and I used trade to a large extent to do it. I said, fellas, come on, let's make a deal, let's do some trading, let's not trade nuclear missiles, let's trade the things that you make so beautifully, and they both have very powerful leaders, very strong leaders, smart leaders, and it all stopped," he said. Trump further hoped that the cessation of hostilities remain and credited US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Vice President JD Vance for it. "Hopefully ,it will remain that way but it all stopped. I was very proud of Marco Rubio and all of the people that worked so hard. Marco, what a great job you did on that. Thank you, JD Vance," he said. Trump offered that both sides, India and Pakistan have a 'nice dinner' together as a mark of them getting back together. "The whole group worked with you but there's a great job. They are actually getting along. Maybe we can even get them together a little bit, where they go out and have a nice dinner together. Wouldn't that be nice? We've come a long way," he said. Trump added that millions could have died in the conflict that 'started off small'.
Asharq Al-Awsat
12-05-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
US State Department to Asharq Al-Awsat: Trump Visit Stresses Saudi Arabia's Pivotal Role in Resolving Regional Crises
Regional spokesman for the US Department of State Samuel Warburg said that US President Donald Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday will focus on bolstering peace efforts in the region through cooperation with allies. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Warburg stated that the visit reflects, without any room for doubt, the important and strategic role Saudi Arabia plays in the region. The US sees the Kingdom as a pivotal partner in efforts to boost regional security and stability, he added. The visit to the Kingdom will not overlook the role Saudi Arabia has played in hosting negotiations related to the war in Ukraine and its role in easing tensions in Sudan and Yemen, he remarked. The US values the Kingdom's initiatives in supporting political solutions to conflicts and its ongoing efforts to secure energy markets, he said. It also values its contributions towards achieving regional stability through regional and international diplomacy. Trump will discuss with Saudi officials strategic files related to regional security, defense cooperation and investments in technology and renewable energy, Warburg told Asharq Al-Awsat. The visit will bolster cooperation over threats to marine navigation in the Red Sea, as well as developments in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Iraq and confront Iran's destabilizing behavior in the region, he revealed. Commitment to partnership Warburg noted that this was Trump's first official foreign visit since his reelection as president. Heading to Saudi Arabia on his first visit reflects the United States' deep commitment to its strategic partnerships in the Middle East. Moreover, the visit is taking place at a critical time when the region is facing rising security and economic challenges, while the US is seeking to bolster its cooperation with Gulf partners in the defense and energy fields, and in investment, he added. The visit will also tackle means to expand joint efforts to confront regional threats, such as Iran's destabilizing behavior, the war in Ukraine and the need to restore peace in Gaza, he remarked. On the bilateral level, Trump's visit is an important opportunity to deepen the strategic partnership between the US and Saudi Arabia in the fields of defense, security, investment and energy, he stated. The US is keen on strengthening this cooperation to confront regional and international challenges and build more diverse and sustainable economic ties that focus on joint interests, he stressed. Furthermore, Trump's visit underscores Washington's firm commitment to strengthening its alliances with main partners in the Middle East, he said. Strategic consultations The US is committed to working with regional partners to reach sustainable political and diplomatic solutions to crises and supporting efforts to restore calm in Gaza and reach a permanent ceasefire, as well as confronting threatening activity in the Red Sea, Warburg remarked. On Iran, he refrained from elaborating on the current negotiations taking place between it and the US. He stressed, however, that Trump's policy is clear: The US will not allow Tehran to acquire nuclear weapons. Washington will use all means of political and economic pressure to prevent it from developing nuclear arms. He also stressed the need to confront Iran's destabilizing behavior in the region. Warburg noted Saudi Arabia's efforts in achieving stability in the region and containing international crises. The US welcomes the Kingdom's pivotal role in facilitating negotiations that were held between American, Russian and Ukrainian representatives. The talks, which were held in Riyadh earlier this year, led to tangible progress in several humanitarian files.
