Topic: U.S. Department of State

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Immigration reform bill: Top 8 changes GOP senators want

More than 300 amendments were submitted for possible inclusion in a sweeping immigration reform package – at least 100 of them from two Republicans, Sens. Charles Grassley of Iowa and Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Here are eight notable changes GOP lawmakers want to see in bill, as the Senate Judiciary Committee takes up amendments between now and Memorial Day.

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Energy Voices State department approves pipeline to Canada. No, it's not Keystone XL.

A 430-mile-long pipeline from North Dakota to Alberta was approved by the US State Department Wednesday. The so-called Vantage Pipeline, not to be confused with Keystone XL, will mark the first time that liquids from North Dakota's reservoirs will flow into existing Albertan infrastructure.
Did Cuba's arms shipment to North Korea violate sanctions? U.N. will investigate.

Officials in Panama interrupted a shipment of arms from Cuba to North Korea last week. Now, the U.N. Security Council will investigate the incident for a possible breach of sanctions. North Korea says the weapons were being sent in for repairs.
Egypt upheaval: What does US hope to accomplish in dispatching a diplomat? (+video)

Deputy Secretary of State William Burns is holding talks with Egypt’s military-backed interim government and is also meeting with Egyptian business leaders during a two-day visit.
US lethal aid to Syrian rebels: What's the holdup?

Concern in congressional intelligence committees over the prospects of US small arms falling into the wrong hands has delayed the lethal aid to Syrian rebels. Some say it may arrive too late.
Energy Voices Quebec train fire: Will train derailment bolster case for oil pipelines?

Oil deliveries by rail have increased along with North American crude oil production. In a tit-for-tat season of pipeline and rail incidents, including the recent Quebec train fire, it's becoming clear there are no clear-cut winners for crude oil transit.
Backchannels US State Department response to Egypt uprisings, then and now

Spot the difference.
Israel greets Kerry with settlement declaration. Could that signal progress?

Israel's settlement announcement would seem to be a slap at Kerry's efforts to reopen peace talks. But as one Mideast veteran puts it, Netanyahu 'takes a step backward before he takes a step forward.'
Keystone XL pipeline: Did Obama just drop a big hint about his decision? (+video)

Obama said the Keystone XL pipeline would only be approved if it won't increase greenhouse gas emissions. That cheered some foes of the project, but others see the president finding a way to say yes.
Slavery: US gives bad marks to China and Russia in its annual report

The State Department report on slavery notes that more countries are prosecuting traffickers and providing services to rescued victims. But China and Russia are failing to make progress, the US says.
CIA deputy director Michael Morell steps down. Who is the new CIA No. 2?

Michael Morell, the CIA deputy director, is leaving. The new CIA deputy director: White House lawyer Avril Haines, who will be the first woman in the job.
Could State Department woes tarnish Hillary Clinton’s image?

A brewing scandal that potentially suggests some degree of State Department mismanagement during Hillary Clinton’s tenure could hurt not only her legacy, but also prospects for a 2016 presidential bid, some say.
Energy Voices Keystone XL: the 'Kim Kardashian of energy'?

Keystone XL plays an outsize role in US energy discourse, earning the nickname "the Kim Kardashian of energy" from one US senator. But Keystone XL serves as an important touchstone for both its supporters and detractors.
USA Update State Department may have covered up sex and drug scandals, report says

The State Department is under fire after an internal memo has surfaced that claims investigations into employee misbehavior were called off or manipulated.
American gang raped in Indian tourist town (+video)

American gang raped in India: Police say an American was gang raped in India, and this report comes on the heels of several other allegations of tourists being raped in India.
Backchannels Egypt to global democracy NGOs: Drop dead

A group of democracy activists, 16 of them US citizens, were sentenced to jail for their activities by an Egyptian court today.
Energy Voices Keystone XL: Hot topic in D.C. Ho-hum in rest of US.

The House of Representatives issued another symbolic vote Wednesday in favor of the Keystone XL pipeline. But after years of debate, a new poll shows half of Americans have never heard of it. Is anyone listening to the Keystone XL pipeline debate?
Verbal Energy Why 'spokesperson' still irks me

Not all gender-specific language is sexist.
Burmese optimistic after historic White House visit

Burmese are celebrating an end to their long international isolation with the first state visit to the US by a Myanmar president in almost 50 years.
Obama administration targets Fox News reporter in 'chilling' echo of AP probe (+video)

Last week, news broke that the Justice Department obtained records from AP for its investigation into an internal leak. Now, details are emerging about an investigation of a Fox News reporter that some experts say could harm investigative journalism even more.
Decoder Wire Bob Woodward compares Benghazi with Watergate. Is he right? (+video)

The similarities: line-by-line edits of what to tell the public, says Bob Woodward, the media's authority on all things Watergate. Regarding the White House Benghazi edits, they show pressure 'in the system not to tell the truth' about what happened, he said Friday.
Decoder Wire Why Benghazi talking points make US government seem like Dunder Mifflin (+video)

Let's put aside for a moment who did what to the talking points on Benghazi last September and focus just on the editing process, which could have come from an episode of 'The Office,' it seems.
Benghazi emails: What do they reveal?

One email confirmed officials removed information about CIA warnings regarding an al Qaeda threat before the attacks in Benghazi, Libya in September 2012 from talking points the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations presented to the public. The administration released the emails in an effort to seem more transparent.
USA Update White House releases Benghazi e-mails. Will that quiet critics? (+video)

The White House has released 100 pages of e-mails related to its handling of the terrorist attack on a US diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya. They present a fuller picture of a chaotic situation, but are unlikely to quiet critics questioning the administration's 'talking points' at the time.
Terrorism & Security I spy, you spy: Russian officials downplay Fogle incident

Russian officials are avoiding inflammatory language as they talk about the case of Ryan Fogle, a US diplomat suspected of being a CIA agent.
Decoder Wire Are IRS, Benghazi flaps affecting Obama's standing with US public? (+video)

Republicans might have good reason to believe that President Obama will be affected more by the IRS scandal than by new revelations about the terror attack in Benghazi, Libya.