Here’s a look at what US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other top diplomats have been up to this week:

Ethiopia

The US State Department has raised the Ethiopia travel advisory at Level 4 Tuesday, asking Americans not to travel to the country due to “armed conflict, civil unrest, communications disruptions, crimes and the risk of terrorism and kidnapping in border areas.” It came as Ethiopia’s federal government declared a nationwide state of emergency on Tuesday, as its battle against Tigrayan forces reached the one-year threshold and fighting escalated in the north. from Ethiopia.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey Feltman, the US special envoy for the Horn of Africa, will visit Ethiopia on Thursday and Friday. The State Department said the United States was increasingly troubled by the expansion of combat operations and inter-communal violence in Ethiopia and was closely monitoring the situation, calling on all Ethiopians to commit to peace and grievance resolution through dialogue.

Ethiopian government declares state of emergency

Spyware

The United States has added four foreign tech companies to its restricted list, saying they “have developed and supplied spyware to foreign governments” and that the spyware has been used “to maliciously target officials. government, journalists, businessmen, activists, academics and embassy workers. “The State Department accused the companies of” engaging in activities contrary to national security or US foreign policy interests ”.

US blacklists four foreign companies for “malicious cyber activity”

Sudan

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he admires the millions of Sudanese who demonstrated peacefully on Saturday to express their aspirations for a democratic Sudan. Meanwhile, a senior U.S. official said the Sudanese military had shown restraint during Saturday’s protests and that restraint raised the possibility of a return of the country to a power-sharing deal.

Sudanese army has shown restraint in anti-coup protests, US special envoy says

China

Blinken met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday as part of the Group of 20 summit – an outreach designed to ensure that the extremely competitive relationship between the world’s two largest economies does not degenerate into open conflict.

Blinken raises concerns over Taiwan with China

The State Department said Blinken asserted areas in which the United States and China can work together, including North Korea, Myanmar, Iran, Afghanistan and the climate crisis, while raising concerns over a series of Chinese actions that are undermining rules-based international order, including those related to human rights, Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, East and South China Seas and Taiwan.

Afghanistan

U.S. officials have confirmed that a newly formed armed group resisting the Taliban regime in Afghanistan has registered with the Justice Department to conduct political lobbying activities in the United States. A State Department spokesperson said at the weekend that US officials “knew that an entity calling itself the ‘National Resistance Front’ had registered under the Foreign Agent Registration Act October 26 “.

Anti-Taliban group registers with US in attempt to bolster Afghan resistance

Iran

The State Department confirmed on Wednesday that the next round of Iranian nuclear talks will resume on November 29. US Special Envoy Robert Malley will lead the US participation in these talks. Spokesman Ned Price said if all parties were to close the remaining points of disagreement, talks “should begin precisely where the sixth round of talks left off.”

Leaders of the United States, Germany, France and the United Kingdom have warned Tehran that its continued nuclear advances and obstacles to the work of the International Atomic Energy Agency will jeopardize its return to the agreement Iranian nuclear power plant of 2015.

At G-20, US, Europe urge Iran to return to JCPOA compliance

Meanwhile, the United States on Friday sanctioned individuals and companies allegedly associated with a network of companies linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Blinken said in a tweet that the United States is “firmly committed to countering all threatening activities by Iran and those who support them.”

US sanctions individuals, businesses for supporting Iran’s drone program