{"id":457983,"date":"2026-02-09T09:40:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T09:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/457983\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T09:40:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T09:40:13","slug":"washington-post-staff-raises-funds-for-stranded-international-reporters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/457983\/","title":{"rendered":"Washington Post Staff Raises Funds For Stranded International Reporters"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tUPDATED with a statement from The Washington Post<\/a>: After The Washington Post was hit with layoffs cutting a third of its staff<\/a>, its international reporters are faced with finding away home, some currently in war zones.<\/p>\n

\n\tFollowing Wednesday\u2019s restructuring at the Jeff Bezos-owned company, Tokyo\/Seoul bureau chief Michelle Ye Hee Lee launched a GoFundMe campaign in attempt to help the \u201cdozens of international employees who were essential to our coverage of global events\u201d in getting home safely.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cThese workers are not eligible for protection under the Washington Post Guild and are, in many instances, being laid off with less favorable terms while also facing immense logistical challenges and, in certain cases, serious security risks,\u201d the crowdfunding page<\/a> reads. \u201cPlease help us support this deeply courageous team of people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tA spokesperson for the outlet said, \u201cThe Washington Post is actively supporting employees impacted by last week\u2019s restructuring, including transition support for our international employees.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tOperated by Lee, Rebecca Tan and other Washington Post reporters, all of the campaign\u2019s proceeds will \u201chelp cover rent, legal guidance, relocation to a new or safer country, storage for belongings left behind, and other urgent transition needs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Overwhelmed and grateful for the many messages of support I\u2019ve received in the past 24 hours. I am lucky to be on a US union contract with good protections, but many of my international colleagues are not. The company is retaining some as contractors for now but we don\u2019t know for\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 Claire Parker (@cairo_claire1) February 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\n\tLizzie Johnson, a correspondent covering Ukraine, was one such person impacted by this week\u2019s layoffs<\/a>. \u201cI was just laid off by The Washington Post in the middle of a warzone. I have no words. I\u2019m devastated,\u201d she wrote on X<\/a> from Kyiv.<\/p>\n

\n\tInvestigative reporter Shibani Mahtani wrote<\/a>, \u201cI\u2019ve been laid off from the Post today, along with too many of my incredible colleagues, after eight incredible years, most of them in Hong Kong and covering China\u2019s expansion, a story that will define our generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tClaire Parker, the Cairo bureau chief, also shared the GoFundMe. \u201cOverwhelmed and grateful for the many messages of support I\u2019ve received in the past 24 hours. I am lucky to be on a US union contract with good protections, but many of my international colleagues are not. The company is retaining some as contractors for now but we don\u2019t know for how long. If you\u2019d like to donate to support them, some folks still with the paper have organized this fundraising drive,\u201d she wrote<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tFollowing a #SaveThePost social campaign<\/a>, The Washington Post initiated a restructuring on Wednesday, cutting more than 300 jobs<\/a> across its sports, books, metro and international sections, as well as shutting down the Post Reports podcast.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Washington Post Guild said in a statement that the layoffs \u201care not inevitable. A newsroom cannot be hallowed out without consequences for its credibility, its reach and its future.\u201d The guild also set up a GoFundMe<\/a> page for laid off employees.<\/p>\n