Top US diplomat acknowledges toll of Mideast crisis on his staff

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has acknowledged the emotional toll that the war between Israel and Hamas has taken on US diplomats amid media reports of internal dissent over Washington's handling of the conflict.Blinken sent a letter to all State Department employees Thursday night noting the "challenging" circumstances affecting the US diplomatic corps, some of whom feel the "ripples of fear and bigotry" the conflict has generated.