State Department working to meet ‘unprecedented demand’ for passports, says Antony Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that the State Department is facing “unprecedented demand” for passports, and that it has increased staff and resources to address this situation. Blinken said the current waiting time for a regular passport is “about 10 to 13 weeks, and for an expedited passport about seven to nine […]
The US presented Russia with a “serious proposal” to free Paul Whelan, says Antony Blinken

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed publicly for the first time on Thursday that the United States has put forward a “serious proposal” to secure the release of Paul Whelan, wrongfully detained from Russia. US officials have long stressed their commitment to bringing home Whelan, who has been detained in Russia since 2018, but […]