United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake will travel to Maldives for a first-hand assessment of the current political crisis in the island nation. "Assistant Secretary Blake has decided that he will add a stop in Male, capital of the Maldives, to his upcoming trip to the region. He will be there on Saturday, February 11, en route also to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as planned," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said.
The United States has said it favours a democratically elected civilian government in Pakistan and noted it is for the people of the country to determine their future in a just and transparent manner.
The United States on Monday said it had made "considerable progress" with Pakistan in negotiations on the re-opening of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation supply routes to Afghanistan, on the eve of crucial meetings in Pakistan to discuss the issue.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has reached out to her counterparts of more than a dozen countries, including Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, as the Obama Administration stepped up its effort to increase pressure on the Syrian regime.
The United States on Thursday appointed veteran diplomat Laurence Pope as the new charge d'affaires to Libya, following the murder of its envoy in September. "Mr Pope's selection as charge d' Affairs emphasises the commitment of the US to the relationship between our two countries and to the people of Libya as they move forward in their transition to a democratic government," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said.
"Absolutely untrue", State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said, when asked there was a feeling inside Pakistan that they are being sidelined in these talks with Taliban.
"I think that Leno would be appreciative if we make the point that his comments are constitutionally protected in the United States under free speech, and frankly, they appeared to be satirical in nature," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told media persons.
India as the G20 host has a 'unique role' to play in bringing about an end to the war in Ukraine due to its 'longstanding historical' ties to Russia, the United States has said, expressing hope to work closely with New Delhi to find a way to stop the conflict.
"There is no change (in US policy)... he (Modi) is welcome to apply. All visa decisions are made on a case by case basis, and I'm not going to prejudge it here," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told media persons at her daily news conference.
This move responds to Russia's cessation of implementation of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, which began in December 2007, and the subsequent impasse with Moscow on a way forward," State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, said on Tuesday.
Cricket might be Greek to the Americans, but they still support cricket diplomacy between arch rivals India and Pakistan. "We are for cricket. We don't understand it, but we like it," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said while replying to a query on the resumption of cricket ties between India and Pakistan.
A video purportedly showing gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, lodged in Ahmedabad's Sabarmati Central Prison since August 2023, speaking to Pakistan's gangster Shahzad Bhatti on a video call surfaced on Tuesday, prompting the Gujarat government to order a probe.lawr
The United States on Monday described as 'horrific' the Taliban announcement to ban polio vaccine in the tribal regions of Pakistan unless America stops the drone strikes.
The Taliban claimed that they have gained control of several public office buildings.
The United States on Monday asked India and Pakistan to take steps to end the exchange of fire and resume normal trade and travel across the Line of Control.
According to the Federation of Resident Doctors Association, during the indefinite strike, all outpatient departments, operation theatres, and ward duties will be shut, but emergency services will continue to operate as usual, ensuring that urgent patient care remains unaffected.
Ahead of the proposed August 16 fast against corruption by social activist Anna Hazare, United States has hoped that New Delhi would exercise democratic restraint in the way it deals with peaceful protest.
The United States has said that it is willing to address all the concerns of Pakistan and find a middle ground to take forward their important and crucial relationship.
United States State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland has said that India played no role in the bounty being placed on the former Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder.
The United States said it does not endorse the new "controversial" Chinese map on its passport, which depicts certain disputes territories as its own, causing a major diplomatic row in the region including with India.
The United States is in conversation with these 12 countries on ways and means to avoid the American sanctions against them.
The United States has said it is strongly supportive of India's investment in the civil nuclear power sector and does not favour its NGOs opposing anti-nuclear activities in the country. "We are supportive, as a government, of India's investment in civil nuclear power. That's not what we support NGOs to do in India," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said when asked about recent statements by Indian authorities that American NGOs are involved.
There is no action against the "BJP-linked" school management but an arrested accused is shot dead in suspicious circumstances, he said, adding "we have no trust in Badlapur police".
India is upset at a reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by a US state department official while defending the immunity it had extended to Saudi Arabian ruler Mohammad bin Sultan, who is facing allegations of killing journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Thousands of workers of every description -- from journalists to steel workers, from painters to New York cops, from auto to engineering workers -- marched for two hours down 5th Avenue one of Manhattan's most iconic thoroughfares, reports Jyoti Punwani.
The United States has said it is not part of the Indian investigation that is looking into doctored images and videos being uploaded on the internet by elements in Pakistan to create social unrest in the country.
The Barack Obama administration has publicly expressed its displeasure over world leaders attending the summit meeting of the Non Aligned Movement in Tehran. "This is an organisation that we are not a member of. Our point is simply that Tehran, given its number of grave violations of international law and United Nations' obligations, does not seem to be the appropriate place," said State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland.
The US has refused to involve itself in the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Italy over two Italian marines who skipped bail while on trial for murder, saying it is an issue for the two nations to resolve.
America's decision to give India exemption from imposition of certain sanctions for the development of the port is driven by the South Asian strategy, which was announced by President Donald Trump in August.
The United States said on Monday that it is playing its part in the Indian effort to bring to justice all those who were responsible for terrorist attack in Mumbai in November 2008.
The United States is closely monitoring the situation along the India-China border, a senior official said on Tuesday and expressed concerns over Beijing's pattern of ongoing attempts to intimidate its neighbours.
If Pakistan decides not to take action against the Haqqani network, the United States would carefully consider how to proceed ahead, a top US official said on Tuesday.
US Secretary of State John Kerry has had "two conversations" over the "last two days" with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on this issue, even as India explores a range of diplomatic options to isolate Islamabad.
Long queues were seen at outpatient department ticket counters in government hospitals, where senior doctors joined their junior colleagues in the protest.
Strongly reacting to Pakistan jailing a doctor who helped the Central Intelligence Agency find Osama bin Laden to 33 years, the United States has said there was no basis for the verdict and it will raise the issue with the leadership in Islamabad. "We continue to see no basis for (Shakil) Afridi to be held," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters.
The United States on Monday urged all people concerned to protect the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in view of allegations of a Chinese plot to assassinate him.
President Trump's daughter Ivanka had led the US delegation at the three-day event.
Canada has expelled an Indian diplomat as it was investigating what Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called 'credible allegations' of the involvement of 'agents of the Indian government' in the killing of a Sikh extremist leader in Surrey in June, claims outrightly rejected by New Delhi as 'absurd' and 'motivated'.
The US and others have long complained that Pakistan provides safe haven to the Afghan Taliban and their allies, the Haqqani network.
Terming Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's scheduled visit to India as "very constructive", the United States has said it does not want any new strains in Indo-Pak ties over the $ 10 million bounty offered by it for Lashkar-e-Tayyiba founder Hafiz Saeed.
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