FDA Names Tracy Beth Høeg as Acting CDER Director After Richard Pazdur Announces Retirement 
Afghan Suspect in Deadly Shooting of National Guard Members Faces First-Degree Murder Charge 
China’s Expanding Maritime Military Presence Alarms Taiwan and Japan 
U.S. Justice Department Orders Intensified Probe Into Antifa and Domestic Extremist Groups 
Pentagon Probe Finds Hegseth’s Use of Signal Risked Exposing Sensitive Yemen Strike Details 
Flights Briefly Grounded at Philadelphia International Airport After Bomb Threat Resolved 
YouTube Agrees to Follow Australia’s New Under-16 Social Media Ban 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
U.S. Halts Visa Processing for Afghan Nationals Amid Security Concerns 
Cuba Reaffirms Anti-Drug Cooperation as Tensions Rise in the Caribbean 
Trump Administration Plans Major Rollback of Biden-Era Fuel Economy Standards 
EU Prepares Antitrust Probe Into Meta’s AI Integration on WhatsApp 
Australia and Japan Strengthen Defence Cooperation Amid Rising Regional Tensions 
Germany Moves to Approve €2.9 Billion Defense Procurement Package 
IMF Deputy Dan Katz Visits China as Key Economic Review Nears 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
Peru Moves to Declare State of Emergency at Chile Border as Migrant Tensions Rise 
The U.S. Department of Education will lay off nearly half its workforce as part of President Donald Trump’s aggressive government downsizing. The move aligns with Trump’s long-standing goal of eliminating the department, which oversees $1.6 trillion in student loans and enforces school civil rights laws.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed on Fox News that the department’s closure is in progress. Staff reductions will leave only 2,183 employees, down from 4,133 at the start of Trump’s presidency. Employees affected by the cuts will be placed on administrative leave starting March 21.
The layoffs come as agencies rush to meet Trump’s Thursday deadline for large-scale staff reductions. Led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the administration has already cut over 100,000 federal jobs, frozen foreign aid, and canceled numerous programs, triggering legal battles and public backlash.
To facilitate voluntary departures, agencies are offering buyouts of up to $25,000 before tax and relaxed early retirement options. The Office of Personnel Management, Social Security Administration, and FDA are among those implementing these measures. The Securities and Exchange Commission has gone further, offering bonuses of up to $50,000.
Despite criticism from unions and lawmakers, the administration remains committed to mass layoffs. The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to cut 80,000 jobs, while NOAA is set to eliminate over 1,000 positions.
Legal challenges and public opposition continue to mount as agencies scramble to finalize plans. However, Trump recently reassured department heads that they, not Musk, hold final authority over staffing decisions.
With the March 12 deadline looming, agencies must submit job-cutting plans to OPM, setting the stage for the next wave of federal workforce reductions.
