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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: State Department

State Department stories: 155 news summaries

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 Putin: US Sparked Georgia War

Part of plot to win votes for McCain, he claims

Aug 29, 08 4:26 AM CDT
(Newser) - Invoking the era of Cold War conspiracies, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the US of sparking conflict in Georgia to give John McCain a campaign boost. “They need a small victorious war,” the told CNN. He insisted the US encouraged Georgia to attack their two breakaway... More »

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Russia • John McCain • Vladimir Putin • State Department • Georgia • David Miliband • Dmitry Medvedev • George W. Bush • Abkhazia • South Ossetia • Shanghai Cooperation Organization

On Land and Sea, Passport Info in the Cards

State Dept.'s new high-tech 'document' features built-in chip

Aug 18, 08 3:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - Starting this month, US residents have the option to use a wallet-size passport card instead of the traditional booklet when crossing land and sea borders, the Miami Herald reports. The cards, which aren't accepted for air travel, cost less than standard passports and speed the border-crossing process. The State Department... More »

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State Department • passport

UPDATED

 Russia Opens
 Second Front
 in Georgia


Aug 11, 08 11:57 AM CDT
(AP) - Russia opened a second front of fighting in Georgia today, sending armored vehicles beyond two breakaway provinces and seizing a military base and police stations in the country's west, officials told the AP. Meanwhile, the US State Department evacuated more than 170 American civilians to Armenia. The new forays into... More »

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Russia • State Department • Georgia • invasion • South Ossetia

US Expands
Visa Program for Iraqis Tenfold

5,000 allies, plus families, can come
to America annually

Jul 25, 08 7:57 AM CDT
(Newser) - The US embassy in Baghdad announced a major expansion of its visa program for Iraqi employees of the American government, raising tenforld the number of work permits it currently offers. The move is the latest step by the Bush administration to answer criticism that it has neglected the Iraqis, particularly... More »

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Iraq • Baghdad • State Department • US embassy in Baghdad • visa • translation • Iraqi refugees

Gov't Workers Peeked at Celeb Passport Data

Report suggests 127 million Americans' information unsafe

Jul 4, 08 7:45 AM CDT
(Newser) - Government employees have been taking unauthorized peeks at electronic passport records of celebrities, says a State Department report that suggests the travel data of 127 million Americans is at risk. One high-profile person's records were opened 356 times by more than six dozen people, the Washington Post reports. Five contractors... More »

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Joe Biden • State Department • celebrity • passport

White House in Loop on Troubling Iraq Oil Deal

Bush crony's Kurdistan deal undermined Baghdad government

Jul 3, 08 3:04 AM CDT
(Newser) - The State Department was fully aware that a Texas firm linked to President Bush planned to sign a controversial Kurdistan oil deal that undermined the Iraqi government, reports the New York Times. Documents released by a congressional committee yesterday reveal that Hunt Oil—run by a close associate of the... More »

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Iraq • Iraq oil • State Department • Kurdistan • Hunt Oil • House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

 Mandela Finally
 Removed From
 US Terror List 

US takes icon off terrorist watch list

Jul 2, 08 4:52 AM CDT
(Newser) - Former South African President Nelson Mandela is finally being removed from US terrorism watch lists, CNN reports. The 90-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate was designated a terrorist because he battled against the old apartheid regime in South Africa. His name was never officially removed from the US lists until a... More »

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terrorism • John Kerry • State Department • South Africa • apartheid • Nelson Mandela • Nobel Peace Prize • African National Congress

US Axes Fulbrights for 8 Palestinians

Israel won't let the students leave Gaza
to study abroad

May 30, 08 6:17 AM CDT
(Newser) - Eight Palestinians have had their Fulbright scholarships taken away because Israel won't grant them visas to leave the Gaza Strip, reports the New York Times. Israel has isolated Gaza since Hamas took control of the territory last year. The State Department has allocated the prestigious scholarships to students the West... More »

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Israel • Gaza • Hamas • State Department • university • scholarship • scholar • Palestinians

US Bounty Program Fails
to Rein In Terrorists

Lure of huge rewards does little to dent al-Qaeda leadership

May 17, 08 1:17 PM CDT
(Newser) - Money may be the root of all evil, but the almighty dollar is doing a poor job to stop it: Washington’s efforts to catch terror suspects using steep bounties is largely a bust, the Washington Post reports. “The program could use some rejuvenation,” said one ex-official.... More »

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State Department • counterterrorism • Ayman al Zawahiri • Osama bin Laden • al-Qaeda • Rewards for Justice

Al-Qaeda Is Still Worst Terrorist Threat: US

Safe havens in Pakistan have helped group recharge

Apr 30, 08 4:21 PM CDT
(Newser) - Al-Qaeda remains the terrorist group that most threatens the US, Reuters reports. An annual State Department survey of worldwide terrorist activity, out today, said the group killed 5,400 civilians—50% Muslims—in 2007. Though weaker now than in 2001 due to multilateral anti-terrorism efforts, the group has used the... More »

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Iraq • War on Terror • terrorism • Pakistan • jihad • State Department • Islamic extremists • Waziristan • al-Qaeda • Islamic terrorism • terrorist attack

 Carter Meets 
 With Hamas Chief 

Ex-president draws widespread criticism for talks with Palestinian group

Apr 18, 08 1:47 PM CDT
(Newser) - Jimmy Carter met today with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal despite protests from the US State Department and the Israeli government. A Hamas deputy told the AP the agenda would include strategies to calm tensions between Israel and Hamas, as well as the fate of a kidnapped Israeli soldier. Carter has... More »

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Israel • Jimmy Carter • Gaza • Hamas • State Department • West Bank • Israel and Palestinians • Khaled Meshaal • terrorist groups

Diplomat Corps May Be Forced Into Iraq Service

Yanks face orders
to fill understaffed
Bagdad embassy

Apr 16, 08 4:28 AM CDT
(Newser) - American diplomats may be forced to serve in Iraq if enough qualified candidates don't come forward voluntarily, reports CNN. The US embassy in Baghdad is chronically short-staffed, and the State Department has threatened that no other diplomatic jobs will be filled until the Baghdad bureau is up to speed. A... More »

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Iraq • Baghdad • State Department • diplomat • foreign service

Carter to Meet Hamas Leader Despite White House Policy

State Dept. 'counseled against' Syrian trip

Apr 10, 08 4:42 PM CDT
(Newser) - Jimmy Carter plans to visit leaders of Palestinian extremist group Hamas in Syria next week despite warnings by the State Department that the rendezvous violates the Bush administration’s policy of isolating terrorist organizations, Reuters reports. Carter has scheduled talks with Khaled Meshaal, who heads Hamas’ Syrian branch and claims... More »

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Bush administration • Jimmy Carter • Hamas • US foreign policy • State Department • terrorist lists • terrorist groups

Workers Charge Laptops to Lingerie on Fed Credit Cards 

Audit: Nearly half of purchases broke rules

Apr 9, 08 8:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - Millions of dollars government employees charged to federal credit cards went for less-than-appropriate perks ranging from digital cameras to dating services, sexy lingerie, laptops, and a $13,000 postal party, reports the Washington Post. An investigation by the Government Accountability Office found that 48% of major purchases on federal credit... More »

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State Department • Department of Homeland Security • Department of Defense • Norm Coleman • Government Accountability Office • USPS • Department of Agriculture • purchase cards • Forest Service • Debra K. Durfey • Office of Management and Budget • Government Credit Card Abuse Prevention Act

 Condi Debunks Veep Rumors 

She's 'last to know about it,' quips aide

Apr 8, 08 6:32 AM CDT
(Newser) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has once again quashed speculation that she is seeking the vice presidential nomination as John McCain's running mate, reports the Washington Post. A McCain-Rice ticket would satisfy many of McCain's conservative critics and represent a formidable challenge to a Dem ticket headed by a woman... More »

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John McCain • Condoleezza Rice • State Department • Stanford University • vice president • foreign policy • Grover Norquist • Iraq war • Fitness magazine


 Feds Renew
 Blackwater Deal 

FBI still probing incident that left 17 Iraqis dead

Apr 4, 08 7:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - Washington renewed Blackwater USA's multimillion-dollar contract for another year today pending two probes into the contractor's conduct in Iraq, the AP reports. The FBI is still investigating a Baghdad shooting last year in which Blackwater guards gunned down 17 civilians and sparked outrage among Iraqis; US lawmakers are also probing... More »

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FBI • State Department • Blackwater • security contractors • Iraq war • Iraq war spending

World Attitudes Toward US Improving: Poll 

Fewer believe US exerts negative influence

Apr 2, 08 4:30 AM CDT
(Newser) - A worldwide wave of anti-Americanism appears to be abating a bit, though global views toward the US continue to be mainly negative, according to a BBC World Service poll. The average percentage of people saying the US is a negative global influence dropped to below 50% for the first time... More »

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Iran • Israel • Japan • State Department • US • Iraq war • attitudes • anti-Americanism • US influence • Program on International Policy Attitudes

Passport Leaks Traced to
2 Va. Companies

Workers for passport-maker and intel firm breached files

Mar 21, 08 7:37 PM CDT
(Newser) - Federal contractors who breached Barack Obama and John McCain passport records worked at to two Virginia companies, MSNBC reports. US passport maker Stanley, Inc. said today that it promptly fired two workers for accessing Obama's records this year. But a worker for The Analysis Corporation is still employed after probing... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • John McCain • State Department • breach of security • passport files • Stanley, Inc. • subcontractor

 Clinton, McCain 
 Passport Files
 Also Breached 

Rice apologizes to candidates for State Dept. snoopers

Mar 21, 08 11:51 AM CDT
(Newser) - The State Department said today that Hillary Clinton’s and John McCain’s passport files also have been breached—just hours after Condoleezza Rice apologized to Barack Obama for the same thing, CNN reports. Rice promised a full investigation. “If it's true, it's reprehensible, and the Bush administration has... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • John McCain • Condoleezza Rice • State Department • breach of security • passport files

 State Dept.
 Fires 2 Over
 Breach of
 Obama Files 

Employees looked at his passport records

Mar 20, 08 7:57 PM CDT
(Newser) - The State Department has fired two employees and disciplined a third for taking unauthorized looks at Barack Obama's passport records, NBC News reports. It's not clear what they were trying to do, but their explanations for looking at the files didn't satisfy their bosses. The Obama camp said it smacked... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • State Department • passport • breach of security • Bureau of Consulate Affairs • passport files

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