Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the White House chief of staff — have been impersonated in recent weeks using artificial intelligence — a tactic that harnesses a rapidly developing technology that cybersecurity experts say is becoming the “new normal” in terms of cheap and easy scams targeting senior US officials.

The U.S. State Department said on Friday it was aware of the reported death of a U.S. citizen in the Israeli-occupied West Bank after reports emerged of Israeli settlers fatally beating a Palestinian American.

Mass layoff came days after the Supreme Court cleared the way for US president to gut entire government positions.

The involuntary staff reductions include 1,107 civil service and 246 foreign service employees, according to a notice sent to employees Friday morning.

The State Department will start sending notices to members of its workforce impacted by the reorganization soon, the agency's top official for management said on Thursday, as President Donald Trump's administration moves ahead with its plans to overhaul the U.

Dismissals are part of major reorganization of department, which proponents have touted as a streamlining measure and critics say will damage America's global leadership

The U.S. government has announced sanctions against Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel and other officials for human rights violations.

WASHINGTON: The State Department began firing more than 1,350 US-based employees on Friday (Jul 11) as the administration of President Donald Trump presses ahead with an unprecedented overhaul

US State Department laid off more than 1,300 workers as part of government efforts to cut federal workforce. According to CNN, the State Department began firing more than 1,300 people on Friday as part of a dramatic overhaul of the agency.

Republican leaders say the cuts are necessary to make the department more nimble and efficient, but diplomats say they will weaken U.S. influence.

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