The State Department said it would close a number of US embassies and consulates in the Middle East on Sunday, Aug. 4 as a precautionary measure due to an al Qaeda threat. In the first Secretary of State visit to Pakistan since 2011, John Kerry and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif agreed to resume partnership talks that had been suspended for two years. Kerry said that President Obama has a timeline to end drone strikes in Pakistan and “we hope it’s going to be very, very soon.” Afghanistan decided not to impose fines on outgoing Coalition cargo after the US Senate passed a measure that would have cut aid to Afghanistan $5 for every $1 of fines. The White House said said it is “extremely disappointed” that Russia has given temporary asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden. A sweeping House of Representatives vote yesterday approved tough new sanctions on Iran; Senate approval is expected soon.
