US state department to lay off nearly 15% of its domestic staff | First Thing

The move, which is expected to eliminate 1,800 jobs, will come into force after the supreme court sided with the Trump administration. Plus, Florida records more than 700,000 human trafficking victims in 2024

Good morning.

The US state department has announced that it will proceed with mass layoffs that would slash domestic staffing levels by almost 15%.

Why is it happening now? The move was long expected, but will now be put into action after the supreme court this week ruled that the firings could go ahead.

Is any resistance to Israel’s actions gaining ground internationally? EU diplomats have presented 10 options to sanction Israel over Gaza after finding “indications” that it has breached its human rights obligations in the territory and the West Bank. It remains unclear if any will move ahead.

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