The United States Department of State has announced reward offers of up to $15 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of individuals involved in LockBit ransomware attacks, as well as for the identification and/or location of key leaders of the LockBit ransomware group. This comes in response to over 2,000 LockBit attacks since January 2020, resulting in costly disruptions and significant ransom payments. The U.S. has also designated two individuals involved in LockBit under Executive Order 13694, and is collaborating with international partners to disrupt the criminal organization. Information can be directed to the FBI through various channels, and the reward is offered under the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program.
Secretary Blinken will travel to Albania and Munich to reaffirm U.S. relationships and commitment to NATO, while also discussing peace and security in the Middle East. The U.S. Department of State is uncertain about resuming funding for UNRWA due to a provision in a bill passed by the Senate, but remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. The Department is engaging with the Government of Israel to ensure the delivery of critical humanitarian aid to Gaza and is monitoring the situation in Rafah. Additionally, the U.S. is seeking information and consular access for American citizens detained in Israel and Gaza.
The Department of State has introduced the State Side H1B visa Pilot Program, allowing H1B visa holders to apply for visas and renewals within the United States. The program will accept applications from January 29 to April 1, 2024, with an initial limit of 20,000 applications. However, there is a catch - applicants must have had their H-1B visa previously renewed by Mission Canada or Mission India during specific timeframes. The pilot program aims to test the Department's ability to process visas in the country and reduce global visa wait times.
The Department of State (DOS) has released details of the H-1B visa renewal pilot program, set to launch on January 29, 2024, which will allow visas to be renewed domestically within the US. The pilot program will initially cover 20,000 participants, half of whom will be from India. The Indian diaspora hopes that the program will eventually expand to include spouses and children of H-1B visa holders. H-1B visa holders from Canada and India are eligible for the pilot project. The eligibility criteria for the pilot program have been outlined, and the DOS will begin accepting online applications from January 29, 2024. The program aims to address the challenges faced by H-1B visa holders when traveling abroad and experiencing delays in visa stamping.
President Joe Biden has announced his intention to nominate Kurt Campbell as Deputy Secretary of State at the Department of State. Campbell currently serves as Deputy Assistant to the President and Coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs on the National Security Council and has a distinguished career in various government and academic positions.
Although U.S. special operations forces led the evacuation of nearly 100 Americans from the embassy in Sudan, the 13 Marine security guards stationed there contributed to the effort by maintaining security and ensuring swift coordination with the Department of State. The Marines returned to the United States via Ramstein Air Base, Germany, after the successful evacuation. Marine security guards have been assigned to protect embassies and consulates since 1948 and have also helped in evacuations of the embassies in Kabul in 2021 and Kyiv, Ukraine, in 2022.
