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.
Diplomatic Service, Embassies and Consulates
U.S. to Downgrade Palestinian Affairs Office in Jerusalem, Officials Say
The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, plans to shut down a direct communications channel between U.S. diplomats in Jerusalem working on Palestinian issues and agencies in Washington.
After Nudge From Trump, Senate Sets Fast Pace in Confirming His Ambassadors
Republicans have raced to approve the president’s picks to serve as top diplomats around the globe, in some cases with solid backing from Democrats.
State Dept. Expands Plans for Closing Embassies and Consulates
A departmental memo describes paring back the American diplomatic presence on every continent.
Trump Administration Fires U.S. Aid Workers in Quake Zone in Myanmar
The move comes despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying the U.S. would still do some humanitarian work while shrinking foreign aid. Democratic lawmakers have denounced the cuts.
In Burisma Letter, Hunter Biden Sought Support from State Department
While Joe Biden was vice president, his son used the letterhead of a Ukrainian energy company when writing to a U.S. ambassador with ties to the family.
Draft List for New Travel Ban Proposes Trump Target 43 Countries
A draft circulating inside the administration lists three tiers of countries whose citizens may face restrictions on entering the United States.
Plan to Return Russian Diplomats to U.S. Poses Espionage Risk
The Trump administration is negotiating the return of more Russian diplomats to the United States. Some are likely to be spies.
State Dept. Plans to Close Diplomatic Missions and Fire Employees Overseas
American officials, including in the C.I.A., are concerned about mass closures hampering national security work. And China has overtaken the United States in global diplomatic footprint.
U.S. Embassies Halt Air Quality Monitoring Abroad
Since 2008, embassies and other diplomatic posts had been publishing data about local air quality. In many countries, it was the only reliable source of such information.