Senate Democrats Rail at ‘Sloppy, Rushed’ State Dept. Firings

Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said the changes were needed and called the outrage overblown.

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Lawmakers Tell Rubio to Refrain From Mass Layoffs at State Department

Democrats say they are worried about reports that about 700 career diplomats will be fired. The agency has said it plans to lay off 2,000 employees soon.

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William H. Luers, Diplomat Who Backed Czech Dissident Leader, Dies at 95

His longtime career in the Foreign Service included protecting Vaclav Havel, the writer and dissident who became the first president of the Czech Republic.

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Trump Draft Order Would Drastically Overhaul U.S. State Department

The draft executive order to be signed by President Trump would eliminate Africa operations and shut down bureaus working on democracy, human rights and refugee issues.

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New Trump Executive Order Calls for ‘Reform’ to the U.S. Diplomatic Corps

“Failure to faithfully implement the president’s policy is grounds for professional discipline, including separation,” the order says.

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Morton I. Abramowitz, Diplomat Who Made Refugees a Priority, Dies at 91

As ambassador to Thailand and Turkey, and later as president of the Carnegie Endowment, he pushed for making human rights central to foreign policy.

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The Perfect Novel for the Baku Climate Summit: Lydia Kiesling’s Mobility

The U.N. climate conference, held in a petrostate, is a surreal moment. This darkly funny novel about Baku, oil companies and climate change in the first Trump term helps make sense of it all.

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