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

Move comes after supreme court sides with Trump. Plus, Florida records more than 700,000 human trafficking victims in 2024

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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 resistance to Israel's actions gaining ground internationally? EU diplomats have presented 10 options to impose sanctions on 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 go ahead.