In Brief

Embassy Baghdad’s Regional Security Office presented Nir Khadge (left) with a flag flown over the embassy to mark his 40th year with the Department of State, July 27. Khadge—who as a personal services contractor financial advisor with the regional security office, manages post’s $1 billion budget for Diplomatic Security (DS)—began his career with the Department in 1982 in Kathmandu as a locally employed staff senior financial specialist/alternate certifying officer. Khadge, pictured with former U.S. Mission Iraq Deputy Chief of Mission Greg LoGerfo, has supported financial operations throughout his career at high-threat posts including Tripoli, Sana’a, and Juba. From 2006-2015, he helped establish the Global Financial Center in Charleston. In his current role in Baghdad, Khadge manages the daily financial operations of the largest DS operation in the world, with nearly 60 agents, a dozen security engineers, and more than 2,500 security personnel across three sites in Iraq. Photo by Saher Altwal

Embassy Baghdad celebrates personal services contractor’s 40 years of service

Embassy Baghdad’s regional security office presented Nir Khadge (left) with a flag flown over the embassy to mark his 40th year with the Department...
U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Godec (left) and local students helped Thai-Indonesian American artist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya (right) paint the embassy’s new mural on the street-side of the consular section. The mural depicts a group of bold women and non-binary people looking toward the horizon, forging new paths and working towards a shared future. The mural was inspired by the artist’s conversations with Thai women and nonbinary youth, and depicts a vision for Thai society that can be celebrated and championed by all. This mural is a visible public-private partnership between the U.S. Mission and Organon, a U.S.-based healthcare company. Photo courtesy of U.S. Embassy Bangkok

U.S. Embassy Bangkok unveils women’s empowerment mural

U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Godec (left) and local students helped Thai-Indonesian American artist Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya (right) paint the embassy’s new mural on...
U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim met with Brig. Gen. Arben Kingji, in his new capacity as chief of defense of Albania, to strengthen U.S.-Albania defense relations during the 100-year anniversary of relations between both nations. They agreed to increase cooperation following the historic Defender Europe 2021 exercise, and in preparation for the upcoming Defender Europe 2023 exercises. They noted the positive impact of the new U.S. Special Operations Command forward-based headquarters in Albania and the recent presence of the U.S. Army Security Force Assistance Brigade. The leaders also discussed the response to recent flooding that devastated northern Albania, with Kingji expressing appreciation for American contributions of training, equipment, and supplies. Photo credit to Antonio Cakshiri.

Embassy Tirana meeting highlights defense cooperation in Albania

On Nov. 21, U.S. Ambassador to Albania Yuri Kim (second from right) met with Brig. Gen. Arben Kingji (second from left), in his new...

GPA uses creative storytelling to spotlight diplomat hometowns

In honor of the 20th anniversary of the Hometown Diplomats program, the Bureau of Global Public Affairs (GPA) launched a creative new storytelling program...

Embassy Accra sponsors fact-check training for rural journalists

Journalists from rural parts of Ghana received Embassy Accra-sponsored training, Oct. 12, through Dubawa Ghana, a fact-checking organization based in Accra that directly debunks...

American service members’ remains returned from Papua New Guinea

The U.S. Embassy in Papua New Guinea and the Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) fulfilled America’s promise to the families of fallen...

In the News

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield addresses the Overseas Security Advisory Council’s Annual Briefing, Nov. 15-17, 2022. Photo courtesy of the Overseas Security Advisory Council

OSAC hosts Annual Briefing

By Elizabeth Winter The Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) hosted its hallmark event of the year with the OSAC Annual Briefing, Nov. 15-17, 2022. The event titled,  “Resilience as...
Political Officer Alex Gould provides cultural and historical context about American wines, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Danielle Neighbour

‘Wine diplomacy’ bears fruitful discussion

Guests at the Meridian International Center event, which celebrated the bicentennial of the Tangier Old Legation, inspect a replica of the Legation building built by the Lego group, Sept. 22, 2022. The replica contains approximately 45,000 Lego bricks and took 195 hours to construct. Photo by Stephen Bobb

Gala celebrates bicentennial of Tangier Old Legation

​​Director General of the National Institute of Medical Research Said Aboud (center, right) receives IT equipment meant to enhance the Tanzanian government’s AfyaMsafiri disease detection system during a handover event in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Oct. 29. Photo courtesy of Management and Development for Health

CDC boosts disease surveillance at Tanzania border

Embassy Podgorica staff members (from left) Siddha Page, Jason Smith, and Sarah Schumacher stand next to a new playhouse in front of the refurbished playground that was sponsored by the embassy, Oct. 28, 2022.

Embassy Podgorica officers refurbish shelter playground

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Office Spotlight

Making a Statement

The image is split down the middle with the "Making a Statement" logo in white on a blue background on the left, followed by the name Glenda Siegrist. Siegrist smiles on the right.

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