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December 20, 2015

Obama taps veteran diplomat to be Afghan envoy

President Barack Obama is tapping a veteran diplomat with experience in Kabul to be the next U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan.

December 20, 2015

Sources say second American killed fighting with ISIS in Syria identified as Abdirahmaan Muhumed

A second American reportedly killed fighting with the Islamic State group in Syria has been identified as Abdirahmaan Muhumed, of Minneapolis, two sources told 91±¬ÁÏ late Wednesday.

December 20, 2015

Defense official says Pentagon has evidence Russia firing missiles inside Ukraine

A senior U.S. defense official said Wednesday that Russian troops have fired missiles inside Ukraine at central government military positions, providing further evidence for the Obama administration's charges that Russia is orchestrating new military operations in eastern Ukraine.  

December 20, 2015

Iran speeds weapons deliveries to US ally in Iraq

U.S. officials are taking a wary view of the disclosure this week that Iran – one of four countries the United States accuses of supporting terrorism – has begun arming the Kurdish Regional Government in northern Iraq, as the Kurds scramble to combat the threat posed by ISIS.

December 20, 2015

US diplomats barred from ALS ice bucket challenge

The charity stunt has lured athletes, celebrities, politicians and rock stars and gone viral on the Internet, but don't look for U.S. diplomats to get in on the fun.

December 20, 2015

American at North Korea labor camp gets visit from Swedish Embassy

Spokeswoman Marie Harf said Wednesday this week's visit was the 12th by Swedish representatives since Kenneth Bae was arrested in November 2012. 

December 20, 2015

State Department hires company to prep officials for congressional grillings

The Washington Times reports that the department has hired a company called AMTIS, Inc. to train staffers to effectively speak with lawmakers and testify at congressional hearings.

December 20, 2015

Kerry in Afghanistan to meet feuding candidates, after general's murder

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Afghanistan on an unannounced visit to try to calm tensions between the country's two feuding presidential candidates.

December 20, 2015

Congress passes visa extension for Afghan translators

The Senate unanimously passed an extension to the U.S. visa program for at-risk Afghan translators who worked alongside U.S. troops on Friday, shortly after the number of available visas ran out and hours before Congress was set to leave for summer break.

December 20, 2015

Senate confirms US ambassador to Russia

After a period in limbo with a slew of other nominees to be U.S. diplomats around the world, John Tefft gained Senate confirmation Thursday night as America's new envoy to Russia.