Podcasts, RSS, and ListservsThe U.S. Department of State offers a variety of electronic subscription services, including podcasts, RSS feeds, and listservs. Whether you wish to automatically receive audio content, the latest news headlines, or e-mail updates, the U.S. Department of State offers serveral options. Listed below are several new and innovative ways to receive the latest official information on U.S. foreign policy, travel warnings, per diem rates and more.
Podcasts
Podcasts are an easy way to download available remarks from senior officials, such as Secretary Rice's message on World AIDS Day, and the daily State Department press briefing and listen to them on your media player. To begin receiving podcasts, add this URL:
http://www.state.gov/rss/channels/briefings.xml to your podcast software.
If you use iTunes, search for "State Department."
RSS Feeds
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an easy way to get the news you want whenever it is updated even if you are not on www.state.gov. The Department of State provides continually updated headline feeds from all the top sections and delivers them directly to your desktop news reader.
How can I use RSS?
There are several ways to access RSS feeds. You can install a news reader that displays RSS feeds from the Web sites you select. Like an email program or a Web browser, the news reader serves as a kind of information portal, and provides a real-time interface to the feeds you select. Once the RSS reader is set up to access Department of State, it will continually poll the Department of State RSS feeds for the latest headlines. A number of free and commercial news readers are available for download.
After installing the news reader, you can add each feed manually from the Web site by clicking on the "XML" orange button next to the feed you choose.
What RSS feeds are available?
www.state.gov currently offers RSS feeds from 4 of our top sections. Keep checking this page as we will update it with the latest feeds we make available
If you have a newsreader, select the feed that interests you from the list provided below. Click on the feed title link or the XML button to obtain the RSS URL, which you will see in the "address" field of your browser. Simply copy this URL and follow the instructions for your particular newsreader to subscribe.
| State Department Highlights |
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| Press Briefings |
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| Press Releases |
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| Remarks by Secretary Rice |
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| Avian Influenza |
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Listservs
You can automatically receive via email full texts of selected U.S. Department of State documents and publications that provide key official information on U.S. foreign policy; you also can receive notifications of travel warnings and Foreign Travel Per Diem updates.
To subscribe to any one of the email lists for the following information, complete the online subscription form or send an email to LISTSERV@LISTS.STATE.GOV and type in the message body "SUBSCRIBE LISTNAME YOURNAME". (Omit the quotation marks, and be sure to replace the YOURNAME portion above with your own name -- or, if preferred, ANONYMOUS -- and the LISTNAME with the name of the list below that you wish to subscribe to.)
You may cancel an existing electronic mail subscription by completing the online signoff form or following the instructions received after subscribing to a list.
DOSBACK
Background Notes are updated periodically and include information on U.S. bilateral relations with foreign countries and on their governments, political conditions, and foreign relations. Via DOSBACK you will receive the full-text version of newly released Background Notes. You can expect the DOSBACK list to generate about 20-30 email messages per month.
DOSBRIEF
The State Department conducts press briefings, usually Monday through Friday. The Office of the Spokesman, Bureau of Public Affairs, releases the press briefings the same day unless otherwise indicated in the Department of State State Department's daily press briefing calendar; full texts of these briefings are distributed via DOSBRIEF. You can expect the DOSBRIEF list to generate about 4-5 email messages per week.
DOSCHATS
This list will generate one upcoming web chat notification per month and one completed chat transcript with a U.S. diplomat per month on varied foreign policy topics issues.
DOSDESIGNATIONS
This list is specifically for U.S. companies that want to avoid doing business with terrorists and terrorist organizations designated by the Secretary of State.
DOSFACTS
Fact Sheets and Newsletters are concise (1 or 2-page) summaries of U.S. policy on current foreign affairs issues. They are updated irregularly. You can expect this listserv to generate 2-3 emails a week
DOSINTLWMN
This list will distribute an electronic newsletter, fact sheets, speeches, reports and other releases that are pertinent to International Women's Issues. You can expect the DOSINTLWMN list to generate 2 - 3 messages per month.
DOSIRAQ
This list will distribute speeches, interviews, press briefings and other documents and releases that are pertinent to Iraq. You can expect the DOSIRAQ list to generate a substantial number of email messages per month.
DOSPDIEM
This list provides notification of updates to the Maximum Travel Per Diem Allowance for Foreign Areas, Section 925, a supplement to the Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas). Foreign Travel Per Diem Rates are released monthly by the State Department's Office of Allowances. Via DOSPDIEM you will receive monthly notification of the availability of Travel Per Diem Rate updates.
DOSPPT
This list provides subscribers with updated passport information, including new requirements, fee changes, etc. In an effort to keep U.S. citizens informed, Passport Services will send out updated information as soon as it is made available to the public. You can expect the DOSPPT list to generate 2-3 emails a year.
DOSPPTTRV
This list provides travel agents with updated passport information, including new requirements, fee changes, etc. You can expect the DOSPPTTRV list to generate 2-3 emails a year.
DOSPRESS
The Office of the Spokesman, Bureau of Public Affairs, releases about 2-5 press statements or notices to the press each day. You can expect the DOSPRESS list to generate about 20 email messages per month; each day's releases will be compiled into one message. Press statements are posted to our web site as they are released throughout the day.
DOSREFUGEE
This list will distribute an electronic newsletter, fact sheets, speeches, reports and other releases that are pertinent to U.S. refugee assistance and admissions issues. You can expect the DOSREFUGEE list to generate 2 - 3 messages per week.
DOSSCHEDULE
The Daily Appointments Schedule of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick. DOSSCHEDULE will generate a daily email.
DOSSDO
Senior State Department officials regularly address various groups and testify before Congress. These postings to the DOSSDO list are disseminated by the Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs, as soon as they are provided by the senior official's office. You can expect the DOSSDO list to generate about 8-12 email messages per month.
DOSSEC
The Secretary of State regularly addresses various groups and testifies before Congress. Full texts of Secretarial addresses and remarks are disseminated by the Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs, for posting to the DOSSEC list as soon as they are released. You can expect the DOSSEC list to generate an average of 10-15 email messages per month.
DOSTRAVEL
This list provides notification of updates to the Travel Warnings issued when the State Department decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Countries where avoidance of travel is recommended will have Travel Warnings as well as Consular Information Sheets and Public Announcements. You can expect the DOSTRAVEL list to generate an average of 10-15 email messages per month.
DOSVIDEO
This list is specifically for all audio/video products and releases. You can expect the DOSVIDEO list to generate about 4-5 email messages per week.
DOSWHA
This list will distribute an electronic newsletter twice a month on issues relating to the Western Hemisphere/Americas region, which includes Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.
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