WASHINGTON (AP) — Barely a week after mass firings at the Food and Drug Administration, some probationary staffers received unexpected news over the weekend: The government wants them back.

Beginning Friday night, FDA employees overseeing medical devices, food ingredients and other key areas received calls and emails notifying them that their recent terminations had been "rescinded effective immediately," according to messages viewed by The Associated Press.

Four FDA staffers impacted by the decisions spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity because they planned to continue working for the agency and weren't authorized to discuss its internal procedures.

The reversal is the latest example of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk's chaotic approach to cost-cutting, which has resulted in several agencies firing, and then scrambling to rehire, employees responsible for nuclear weapons, national parks and other government services.

The FDA reinstatements followed pushback by lobbyists for the medical device industry, which pays the agency hundreds of millions of dollars annually to hire extra scientists to review products. The industry's leading trade group said Monday "a sizable number" of device reviewers appear to be returning to FDA.

"This would be welcome news, and I appreciate the administration for acting quickly," AdvaMed CEO Scott Whitaker said in an emailed statement. "We all share the same goal — an efficient, effective FDA review process that helps advance the medical technologies American patients depend on."

FDA staffers said entire teams of five or more medical device reviewers had been reinstated.

In the agency's food program, at least 10 staffers responsible for reviewing the safety of new ingredients were offered their jobs back, according to a food staffer who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss internal agency matters.

The FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, Jim Jones, resigned last week, citing "the indiscriminate firing" of nearly 90 staffers in his division, according to a copy of his resignation letter obtained by the AP. The food program recently underwent a major restructuring to better oversee essential products like infant formula and baby food.

The FDA hasn't released official numbers on the terminations, but former FDA officials have pegged the number at roughly 700, with more than 220 coming from the medical device center. That would represent roughly 10% of the program's total staffing.

The FDA did not respond to requests Monday about how many employees were being reinstated.

Like other agencies, the FDA terminations went to employees in their probationary period, typically the first two years of federal employment. But that approach resulted in firings across key areas where the agency has been working to beef up staffing, including rapidly evolving fields like artificial intelligence and digital health. The cuts also included agency leaders who were recently hired for senior roles.

"The disarray caused by the wholesale termination of a wide swath of device center staff was counterproductive and appears to have caused a variety of unintended and negative results," said Steve Silverman, a former FDA device official who now runs a consulting firm. "It's encouraging to see a shift in the opposite direction that recognizes the critical expertise of these staffers."

Many reviewers have advanced degrees in specialized medical and technological fields. They can typically earn more in the private sector than in government.

Last week, the lobbying group AdvaMed pushed back on the firings, calling on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse course. The group warned that the cuts would result in slower approvals for companies and fewer new treatment options for patients.

"FDA will lose hundreds of new employees, the best and most innovative hires under our most recent agreement," Whitaker wrote in a statement posted online. He noted that the hiring of FDA device reviewers is largely financed through an ongoing five-year agreement between the FDA and medical device companies.

More than half the device program's $791 million budget last year came from industry fees, according to federal figures. In return, the FDA is obligated to meet certain benchmarks for quickly and predictably reviewing applications for new and updated devices.

FDA staffers who were reinstated said their immediate supervisors received no explanation or advance notice on the decisions. Instead, staffers received calls or emails from the FDA's "Office of Talent Solutions," informing them that their access to FDA computer systems and offices had been restored.

"We are so grateful to still have you working for the FDA and serving the American public!" the emails concluded.

A week earlier, the same employees received emails stating that they were "not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and skills do not fit the agency's current needs."

Nearly half the FDA's budget, or about $3.3 billion, comes from fees paid by drugmakers, device and tobacco companies. The result is that broad cuts to those programs won't add much toward Musk's stated goal of shrinking the federal budget.

But the financial support of industry fees did not appear to help staffers in other parts of the agency.

FDA's tobacco center — which reviews new products like electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches — is 100% funded by industry fees. But there did not appear to be an effort to rehire the estimated 100 or so employees fired from that center.

AP Health Writer JoNel Aleccia contributed to this story.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738862484363.png" alt="File photo Elon Musk-courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Elon Musk-courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Barely a week after mass firings at the Food and Drug Administration, some probationary staffers received unexpected news over the weekend: The government wants them back.Beginning Friday night, FDA employees overseeing medical devices, food ingredients and other key areas received calls and emails notifying them that their recent terminations had been "rescinded effective immediately," according to messages viewed by The Associated Press.Four FDA staffers impacted by the decisions spoke with the AP on condition of anonymity because they planned to continue working for the agency and weren't authorized to discuss its internal procedures.The reversal is the latest example of President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk's chaotic approach to cost-cutting, which has resulted in several agencies firing, and then scrambling to rehire, employees responsible for nuclear weapons, national parks and other government services.The FDA reinstatements followed pushback by lobbyists for the medical device industry, which pays the agency hundreds of millions of dollars annually to hire extra scientists to review products. The industry's leading trade group said Monday "a sizable number" of device reviewers appear to be returning to FDA."This would be welcome news, and I appreciate the administration for acting quickly," AdvaMed CEO Scott Whitaker said in an emailed statement. "We all share the same goal — an efficient, effective FDA review process that helps advance the medical technologies American patients depend on."FDA staffers said entire teams of five or more medical device reviewers had been reinstated.In the agency's food program, at least 10 staffers responsible for reviewing the safety of new ingredients were offered their jobs back, according to a food staffer who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss internal agency matters.The FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, Jim Jones, resigned last week, citing "the indiscriminate firing" of nearly 90 staffers in his division, according to a copy of his resignation letter obtained by the AP. The food program recently underwent a major restructuring to better oversee essential products like infant formula and baby food.The FDA hasn't released official numbers on the terminations, but former FDA officials have pegged the number at roughly 700, with more than 220 coming from the medical device center. That would represent roughly 10% of the program's total staffing.The FDA did not respond to requests Monday about how many employees were being reinstated.Like other agencies, the FDA terminations went to employees in their probationary period, typically the first two years of federal employment. But that approach resulted in firings across key areas where the agency has been working to beef up staffing, including rapidly evolving fields like artificial intelligence and digital health. The cuts also included agency leaders who were recently hired for senior roles."The disarray caused by the wholesale termination of a wide swath of device center staff was counterproductive and appears to have caused a variety of unintended and negative results," said Steve Silverman, a former FDA device official who now runs a consulting firm. "It's encouraging to see a shift in the opposite direction that recognizes the critical expertise of these staffers."Many reviewers have advanced degrees in specialized medical and technological fields. They can typically earn more in the private sector than in government.Last week, the lobbying group AdvaMed pushed back on the firings, calling on Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to reverse course. The group warned that the cuts would result in slower approvals for companies and fewer new treatment options for patients."FDA will lose hundreds of new employees, the best and most innovative hires under our most recent agreement," Whitaker wrote in a statement posted online. He noted that the hiring of FDA device reviewers is largely financed through an ongoing five-year agreement between the FDA and medical device companies.More than half the device program's $791 million budget last year came from industry fees, according to federal figures. In return, the FDA is obligated to meet certain benchmarks for quickly and predictably reviewing applications for new and updated devices.FDA staffers who were reinstated said their immediate supervisors received no explanation or advance notice on the decisions. Instead, staffers received calls or emails from the FDA's "Office of Talent Solutions," informing them that their access to FDA computer systems and offices had been restored."We are so grateful to still have you working for the FDA and serving the American public!" the emails concluded.A week earlier, the same employees received emails stating that they were "not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and skills do not fit the agency's current needs."Nearly half the FDA's budget, or about $3.3 billion, comes from fees paid by drugmakers, device and tobacco companies. The result is that broad cuts to those programs won't add much toward Musk's stated goal of shrinking the federal budget.But the financial support of industry fees did not appear to help staffers in other parts of the agency.FDA's tobacco center — which reviews new products like electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches — is 100% funded by industry fees. But there did not appear to be an effort to rehire the estimated 100 or so employees fired from that center.___AP Health Writer JoNel Aleccia contributed to this story.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

FDA moves to rehire medical device, food safety staffers fired earlier

NEW YORK (AP) — Apple announced Monday that it plans to invest more than $500 billion in the United States over the next four years, including plans to hire 20,000 people and build a new server factory in Texas.

The move comes just days after President Donald Trump said Apple CEO Tim Cook promised him that the tech giant’s manufacturing would shift from Mexico to the U.S. Trump noted the company was doing so to avoid paying tariffs. That pledge, coupled with Monday’s investment commitment, came as Trump continues to threaten to impose tariffs that could drive up the cost of iPhones made in China.

“We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our long-standing U.S. investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” Cook said in a company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/02/apple-will-spend-more-than-500-billion-usd-in-the-us-over-the-next-four-years/" target="_blank">blog post</a>.

Apple outlined several concrete moves in its announcement, the most significant of which is the construction of a new factory in Houston — slated to open in 2026 — that will produce servers to power Apple Intelligence, its suite of AI features. The company claims this factory will create “thousands of jobs.”

The announcement is similar to one Apple made in early 2018 — during the first Trump administration — that promised to create 20,000 new jobs as part of a $350 billion spend in the U.S. Trump was also mulling a tariff then that could have affected iPhones at the time, but he didn’t end up targeting those devices during his first administration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740416399652.png" alt="White House image" />
 <figcaption>White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Apple announced Monday that it plans to invest more than $500 billion in the United States over the next four years, including plans to hire 20,000 people and build a new server factory in Texas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740428118054.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The move comes just days after President Donald Trump said Apple CEO Tim Cook promised him that the tech giant’s manufacturing would shift from Mexico to the U.S. Trump noted the company was doing so to avoid paying tariffs. That pledge, coupled with Monday’s investment commitment, came as Trump continues to threaten to impose tariffs that could drive up the cost of iPhones made in China.“We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our long-standing U.S. investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” Cook said in a company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/02/apple-will-spend-more-than-500-billion-usd-in-the-us-over-the-next-four-years/" target="_blank">blog post</a>.Apple outlined several concrete moves in its announcement, the most significant of which is the construction of a new factory in Houston — slated to open in 2026 — that will produce servers to power Apple Intelligence, its suite of AI features. The company claims this factory will create “thousands of jobs.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740416459994.png" alt="Apple suppliers already manufacture silicon in 24 factories across 12 states. Pictured: Texas Instruments’ new semiconductor wafer fabrication plant in Lehi, Utah.-image courtesy Apple" />
 <figcaption>Apple suppliers already manufacture silicon in 24 factories across 12 states. Pictured: Texas Instruments’ new semiconductor wafer fabrication plant in Lehi, Utah.-image courtesy Apple</figcaption>
 </figure>The announcement is similar to one Apple made in early 2018 — during the first Trump administration — that promised to create 20,000 new jobs as part of a $350 billion spend in the U.S. Trump was also mulling a tariff then that could have affected iPhones at the time, but he didn’t end up targeting those devices during his first administration.

Apple announces historic $500 billion investment in US

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/daniel-bongino">Dan Bongino</a>, a former U.S. Secret Service agent who has penned best-selling books, ran unsuccessfully for office and gained fame as a conservative pundit with TV shows and a popular podcast, has been chosen to serve as FBI deputy director.

President Donald Trump announced the appointment Sunday night in a post on his Truth Social platform, praising Bongino as “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country.” He called the announcement “great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice.”

The selection places two staunch Trump allies atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency at a time when Democrats are concerned that the president could seek to target his adversaries. Bongino would serve under Kash Patel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">who was sworn in as FBI director at the White House on Friday</a>&nbsp;and who has signaled his intent to reshape the bureau, including by relocating hundreds of employees from its Washington headquarters and placing greater emphasis on the FBI’s traditional crime-fighting duties.

The deputy director serves as the FBI’s second-in-command and is traditionally a career agent responsible for the bureau’s day-to-day law enforcement operations. Bongino, like Patel, has never served in the FBI, raising questions about their experience level when the U.S. is facing escalating national security threats.

The two are inheriting an FBI gripped by turmoil as the Justice Department over the past month has forced out a group of senior bureau officials and made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-justice-department-jan-6-ff003e46ea48c4e8be710d1ba2eb2d02">highly unusual demand for the names of thousands of agents</a>&nbsp;who participated in investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Bongino served on the presidential details for then-Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, before becoming a popular right-wing figure. He became one of the leading personalities in the Make America Great Again political movement to spread false information about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">the 2020 election</a>, which Trump and allies have continued to maintain was marred by widespread false&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2020-election-lies-debunked-4fc26546b07962fdbf9d66e739fbb50d">even though such claims have been widely rejected</a>&nbsp;as false by judges and former Trump attorney general William Barr.

For a few years following Rush Limbaugh’s death in 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-63a666e68368c60ac11af1377714a46c">he was chosen for a radio show</a>&nbsp;on the same time slot of the famous commentator.

Bongino worked for the New York Police Department for several years in the 1990s before joining the Secret Service. He began doing commentary on Fox News more than a decade ago, and had a Saturday night show with the network from 2021 to 2023. He is now a host of The Dan Bongino Show, one of the most popular podcasts, according to Spotify.

Bongino ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland in 2012 and for congressional seats in 2014 and 2016 in Maryland and Florida, after moving in 2015. He lost the three races.

During an interview last fall, Bongino asked Trump to commit to forming a commission to reform the Secret Service, calling it a “failed” agency and criticizing it for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">two assassination attempts</a>&nbsp;last year.

“That guy should have been nowhere near you,” Bongino said about the man who authorities say camped outside Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, before he was spotted with a rifle.

During the same interview, Trump praised the Secret Service agent who saw the rifle’s barrel coming out of a bush.

Patel and Bongino will succeed the two acting FBI leaders, Brian Driscoll and Robert Kissane, who have led the bureau since the departure in January of former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chris-wray-fbi-farewell-trump-patel-partisanship-afe159a6e112e68dd5319ceac905d517">Director Christopher Wray</a>, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 and held the job for the next seven years before resigning at the end of the Biden administration to make way for his chosen success.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740405860491.png" alt="Bongino photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Bongino photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/daniel-bongino">Dan Bongino</a>, a former U.S. Secret Service agent who has penned best-selling books, ran unsuccessfully for office and gained fame as a conservative pundit with TV shows and a popular podcast, has been chosen to serve as FBI deputy director.President Donald Trump announced the appointment Sunday night in a post on his Truth Social platform, praising Bongino as “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country.” He called the announcement “great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/dbongino?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dbongino</a> for being named Deputy Director of the FBI! Dan’s experience in law enforcement as an NYPD officer and a Special Agent in the Secret Service makes him an excellent choice to serve alongside FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi. I… <a href="https://t.co/n5VizLUYAC">pic.twitter.com/n5VizLUYAC</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1893846825347457509?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The selection places two staunch Trump allies atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency at a time when Democrats are concerned that the president could seek to target his adversaries. Bongino would serve under Kash Patel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">who was sworn in as FBI director at the White House on Friday</a>&nbsp;and who has signaled his intent to reshape the bureau, including by relocating hundreds of employees from its Washington headquarters and placing greater emphasis on the FBI’s traditional crime-fighting duties.The deputy director serves as the FBI’s second-in-command and is traditionally a career agent responsible for the bureau’s day-to-day law enforcement operations. Bongino, like Patel, has never served in the FBI, raising questions about their experience level when the U.S. is facing escalating national security threats.The two are inheriting an FBI gripped by turmoil as the Justice Department over the past month has forced out a group of senior bureau officials and made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-justice-department-jan-6-ff003e46ea48c4e8be710d1ba2eb2d02">highly unusual demand for the names of thousands of agents</a>&nbsp;who participated in investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.Bongino served on the presidential details for then-Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, before becoming a popular right-wing figure. He became one of the leading personalities in the Make America Great Again political movement to spread false information about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">the 2020 election</a>, which Trump and allies have continued to maintain was marred by widespread false&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2020-election-lies-debunked-4fc26546b07962fdbf9d66e739fbb50d">even though such claims have been widely rejected</a>&nbsp;as false by judges and former Trump attorney general William Barr.For a few years following Rush Limbaugh’s death in 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-63a666e68368c60ac11af1377714a46c">he was chosen for a radio show</a>&nbsp;on the same time slot of the famous commentator.Bongino worked for the New York Police Department for several years in the 1990s before joining the Secret Service. He began doing commentary on Fox News more than a decade ago, and had a Saturday night show with the network from 2021 to 2023. He is now a host of The Dan Bongino Show, one of the most popular podcasts, according to Spotify.Bongino ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland in 2012 and for congressional seats in 2014 and 2016 in Maryland and Florida, after moving in 2015. He lost the three races.During an interview last fall, Bongino asked Trump to commit to forming a commission to reform the Secret Service, calling it a “failed” agency and criticizing it for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">two assassination attempts</a>&nbsp;last year.“That guy should have been nowhere near you,” Bongino said about the man who authorities say camped outside Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, before he was spotted with a rifle.During the same interview, Trump praised the Secret Service agent who saw the rifle’s barrel coming out of a bush.Patel and Bongino will succeed the two acting FBI leaders, Brian Driscoll and Robert Kissane, who have led the bureau since the departure in January of former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chris-wray-fbi-farewell-trump-patel-partisanship-afe159a6e112e68dd5319ceac905d517">Director Christopher Wray</a>, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 and held the job for the next seven years before resigning at the end of the Biden administration to make way for his chosen success.

Kan. U.S. Senator congratulates media personality picked as FBI deputy director

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;STEVE PEOPLES,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/eric-tucker">ERIC TUCKER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/amanda-seitz">AMANDA SEITZ</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Confusion and chaos loom as hundreds of thousands of federal employees begin their workweek on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-trump-federal-workers-f44257ce4cf8c04c96c8ce0ce262842f">facing a deadline</a>&nbsp;from President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting chief, Elon Musk, to explain their recent accomplishments or risk losing their jobs.

Musk’s unusual demand has faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-federal-workers-trump-demand-firings-06553df358086db05917d3c50f3699d6">resistance from several key U.S. agencies</a>&nbsp;led by the president’s loyalists — including the FBI, State Department, Homeland Security and the Pentagon — which instructed their employees over the weekend not to comply. Lawmakers in both parties said that Musk’s mandate may be illegal, while unions are threatening to sue.

Trump over the weekend called for Musk to be more aggressive in his cost-cutting crusade through the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and posted a meme on social media mocking federal employees who “cried about Trump and Elon.”

Musk’s team sent an email to hundreds of thousands of federal employees on Saturday giving them roughly 48 hours to report five specific things they had accomplished last week. In a separate message on X, Musk said any employee who failed to respond by the deadline — set in the email as 11:59 p.m. EST Monday — would lose their job.

Mass confusion followed on the eve of the deadline as some agencies resisted the order, others encouraged their workers to comply, and still others offered conflicting guidance.

One message on Sunday morning from the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., instructed its roughly 80,000 employees to comply. That was shortly after the acting general counsel, Sean Keveney, had instructed some not to. And by Sunday evening, agency leadership issued new instructions that employees should “pause activities” related to the request until noon on Monday.

“I’ll be candid with you. Having put in over 70 hours of work last week advancing Administration’s priorities, I was personally insulted to receive the below email,” Keveney said in an email viewed by The Associated Press that acknowledged a broad sense of “uncertainty and stress” within the agency.

Keveney laid out security concerns and pointed out some of the work done by the agency’s employees may be protected by attorney-client privilege: “I have received no assurances that there are appropriate protections in place to safeguard responses to this email.”

Democrats and even some Republicans, including Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, were critical of Musk’s ultimatum.

“If I could say one thing to Elon Musk, it’s like, please put a dose of compassion in this,” Curtis, whose state has 33,000 federal employees, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “These are real people. These are real lives. These are mortgages. ... It’s a false narrative to say we have to cut and you have to be cruel to do it as well.”

Newly confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-patel-fbi-justice-department-518329110ea230e2989095bfcbe34c59">FBI Director Kash Patel</a>, an outspoken Trump ally, instructed employees to ignore Musk’s request, at least for now.

“The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures,” Patel wrote in an email confirmed by the AP. “When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-us-attorney-federal-prosecutor-martin-trump-58e8b630e5a450cf10982e5fe9011a56">Ed Martin</a>, interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, sent his staff a message Sunday that may have caused more confusion.

“Let me clarify: We will comply with this OPM request whether by replying or deciding not to reply,” Martin wrote in the email obtained by the AP, referring to the Office of Personnel Management.

“Please make a good faith effort to reply and list your activities (or not, as you prefer), and I will, as I mentioned, have your back regarding any confusion,” Martin continued. “We can do this.”

Officials at the Departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security were more consistent.

Tibor Nagy, acting undersecretary of state for management, told employees in an email that department leadership would respond on behalf of workers. “No employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command,” Nagy wrote in an email.

Pentagon leadership instructed employees to “pause” any response to Musk’s team, according to an email from Jules Hurst, the deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

The Homeland Security Department, meanwhile, told employees that “no reporting action from you is needed at this time” and that agency managers would respond, according to an email from R.D. Alles, deputy undersecretary for management.

Thousands of government employees have already been forced out of the federal workforce — either by being fired or through a “deferred resignation″ offer — during the first month of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s second term</a>. There is no official figure available for the total firings or layoffs so far, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">the AP has tallied</a>&nbsp;hundreds of thousands of workers who are being affected. Many work outside of Washington.

Musk on Sunday called his latest request “a very basic pulse check.”

“The reason this matters is that a significant number of people who are supposed to be working for the government are doing so little work that they are not checking their email at all!” Musk wrote on X. “In some cases, we believe non-existent people or the identities of dead people are being used to collect paychecks. In other words, there is outright fraud.”

He has provided no evidence of such fraud. Separately, Musk and Trump have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-payments-deceased-false-claims-doge-ed2885f5769f368853ac3615b4852cf7#">falsely claimed</a>&nbsp;in recent days that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments.

Meanwhile, thousands of other employees are preparing to leave the federal workforce this coming week, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-job-cuts-trump-doge-31e3ed62f5f35a5e5a4a07fd8708232f">probationary civilian workers at the Pentagon</a>&nbsp;and all but a fraction of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-trump-musk-foreign-aid-firings-a3af8ce6ef17878b718c8e2ed3bf98e4">U.S. Agency for International Development staffers</a>&nbsp;through cuts or leave.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740270477857.png" alt="Musk’s team sent an email to federal employees on Saturday giving them roughly 48 hours to report five specific things they had accomplished last week.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Musk’s team sent an email to federal employees on Saturday giving them roughly 48 hours to report five specific things they had accomplished last week.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;STEVE PEOPLES,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/eric-tucker">ERIC TUCKER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/amanda-seitz">AMANDA SEITZ</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Confusion and chaos loom as hundreds of thousands of federal employees begin their workweek on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-trump-federal-workers-f44257ce4cf8c04c96c8ce0ce262842f">facing a deadline</a>&nbsp;from President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting chief, Elon Musk, to explain their recent accomplishments or risk losing their jobs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739917649688.png" alt="-File photo Elon Musk during his address to the World Government's Summit last week" />
 <figcaption>-File photo Elon Musk during his address to the World Government's Summit last week</figcaption>
 </figure>Musk’s unusual demand has faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-federal-workers-trump-demand-firings-06553df358086db05917d3c50f3699d6">resistance from several key U.S. agencies</a>&nbsp;led by the president’s loyalists — including the FBI, State Department, Homeland Security and the Pentagon — which instructed their employees over the weekend not to comply. Lawmakers in both parties said that Musk’s mandate may be illegal, while unions are threatening to sue.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Defense Department Statement on OPM Mail Guidance. <a href="https://t.co/fq8V7ltI2A">pic.twitter.com/fq8V7ltI2A</a>&mdash; Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofDefense/status/1893749113876787235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump over the weekend called for Musk to be more aggressive in his cost-cutting crusade through the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and posted a meme on social media mocking federal employees who “cried about Trump and Elon.”Musk’s team sent an email to hundreds of thousands of federal employees on Saturday giving them roughly 48 hours to report five specific things they had accomplished last week. In a separate message on X, Musk said any employee who failed to respond by the deadline — set in the email as 11:59 p.m. EST Monday — would lose their job.Mass confusion followed on the eve of the deadline as some agencies resisted the order, others encouraged their workers to comply, and still others offered conflicting guidance.One message on Sunday morning from the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., instructed its roughly 80,000 employees to comply. That was shortly after the acting general counsel, Sean Keveney, had instructed some not to. And by Sunday evening, agency leadership issued new instructions that employees should “pause activities” related to the request until noon on Monday.“I’ll be candid with you. Having put in over 70 hours of work last week advancing Administration’s priorities, I was personally insulted to receive the below email,” Keveney said in an email viewed by The Associated Press that acknowledged a broad sense of “uncertainty and stress” within the agency.Keveney laid out security concerns and pointed out some of the work done by the agency’s employees may be protected by attorney-client privilege: “I have received no assurances that there are appropriate protections in place to safeguard responses to this email.”Democrats and even some Republicans, including Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, were critical of Musk’s ultimatum.“If I could say one thing to Elon Musk, it’s like, please put a dose of compassion in this,” Curtis, whose state has 33,000 federal employees, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “These are real people. These are real lives. These are mortgages. ... It’s a false narrative to say we have to cut and you have to be cruel to do it as well.”Newly confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-patel-fbi-justice-department-518329110ea230e2989095bfcbe34c59">FBI Director Kash Patel</a>, an outspoken Trump ally, instructed employees to ignore Musk’s request, at least for now.“The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures,” Patel wrote in an email confirmed by the AP. “When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-us-attorney-federal-prosecutor-martin-trump-58e8b630e5a450cf10982e5fe9011a56">Ed Martin</a>, interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, sent his staff a message Sunday that may have caused more confusion.“Let me clarify: We will comply with this OPM request whether by replying or deciding not to reply,” Martin wrote in the email obtained by the AP, referring to the Office of Personnel Management.“Please make a good faith effort to reply and list your activities (or not, as you prefer), and I will, as I mentioned, have your back regarding any confusion,” Martin continued. “We can do this.”Officials at the Departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security were more consistent.Tibor Nagy, acting undersecretary of state for management, told employees in an email that department leadership would respond on behalf of workers. “No employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command,” Nagy wrote in an email.Pentagon leadership instructed employees to “pause” any response to Musk’s team, according to an email from Jules Hurst, the deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.The Homeland Security Department, meanwhile, told employees that “no reporting action from you is needed at this time” and that agency managers would respond, according to an email from R.D. Alles, deputy undersecretary for management.Thousands of government employees have already been forced out of the federal workforce — either by being fired or through a “deferred resignation″ offer — during the first month of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s second term</a>. There is no official figure available for the total firings or layoffs so far, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">the AP has tallied</a>&nbsp;hundreds of thousands of workers who are being affected. Many work outside of Washington.Musk on Sunday called his latest request “a very basic pulse check.”“The reason this matters is that a significant number of people who are supposed to be working for the government are doing so little work that they are not checking their email at all!” Musk wrote on X. “In some cases, we believe non-existent people or the identities of dead people are being used to collect paychecks. In other words, there is outright fraud.”He has provided no evidence of such fraud. Separately, Musk and Trump have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-payments-deceased-false-claims-doge-ed2885f5769f368853ac3615b4852cf7#">falsely claimed</a>&nbsp;in recent days that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments.Meanwhile, thousands of other employees are preparing to leave the federal workforce this coming week, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-job-cuts-trump-doge-31e3ed62f5f35a5e5a4a07fd8708232f">probationary civilian workers at the Pentagon</a>&nbsp;and all but a fraction of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-trump-musk-foreign-aid-firings-a3af8ce6ef17878b718c8e2ed3bf98e4">U.S. Agency for International Development staffers</a>&nbsp;through cuts or leave.

Key federal agencies fight Musk over latest demand in cost-cutting crusade

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

An event coming in March will celebrate inclusion with dance.

Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas is a vibrant dance recital in Hays.

The free event, which will take place on March 2 at the Beach-Schmidt Performing Arts Center at Fort Hays State University, begins with raffle sales at 4 p.m. and ends with the show at 5 p.m.

DSNWK, Styles Dance Centre and two high school students are leading the event to raise funds and awareness for individuals with disabilities.

Hays High School senior Allison Dreiling and Thomas More Prep-Marian senior Macara Rohr have long participated in Dancing Together and are now choreographing and planning the event.

"Music is such a good thing for individuals with disabilities, and it just reaches a different part of their brain. They all love it so much," Dreiling said.

"Getting to see their faces is so much fun," Rohr said. "Getting to be more a part of it was a big thing for me."

Dancing Together includes a raffle with donated baskets from local businesses and community members. Proceeds benefit DSNWK's Spring Fling, an annual gathering for individuals with disabilities across 18 counties.

Raffle prizes include coolers, sneakers and gift cards. Tickets are priced at $1 each, $5 for six and $20 for 25.

Styles Dance Centre owner Alyssa DeChant said the event originated from a Fort Hays State University leadership class. It has since grown into an annual tradition and is Rohr's chosen class project with assistance from Dreiling.

"It really is inspiring. It's truly my favorite show of our season," DeChant said.

The Dancing Together event has been in the works since December and brings together participants ages 5 to 60 as they prepare to take the stage for their big performance.

Alison Krier of DSNWK said their clients were excited when they learned about the practice. They asked about it daily until they arrived at the center to rehearse in large and small groups.

"They have a blast when they get here. They're very excited," Krier said. "They enjoy meeting all of the different partners that they get assigned with, being able to have a fun day out of classes and day services."

Steve Keil, DSNWK's development director, enjoys watching connections form between the dancers and the individuals his organization serves.

"Inclusion is a real possibility. Inclusion is part of how we should be as a community and society," Keil said.

You can follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dsnwk">DSNWK </a>and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stylesdancecentre">Styles Dance Centre</a> on Facebook.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740066284241.jpeg" alt="Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants at rehearsal at the Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Courtesy Photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants at rehearsal at the Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Courtesy Photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostAn event coming in March will celebrate inclusion with dance.Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas is a vibrant dance recital in Hays.The free event, which will take place on March 2 at the Beach-Schmidt Performing Arts Center at Fort Hays State University, begins with raffle sales at 4 p.m. and ends with the show at 5 p.m.DSNWK, Styles Dance Centre and two high school students are leading the event to raise funds and awareness for individuals with disabilities.Hays High School senior Allison Dreiling and Thomas More Prep-Marian senior Macara Rohr have long participated in Dancing Together and are now choreographing and planning the event."Music is such a good thing for individuals with disabilities, and it just reaches a different part of their brain. They all love it so much," Dreiling said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740066387362.jpeg" alt="Dancing Together for&nbsp;Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Dancing Together for&nbsp;Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740066430674.jpeg" alt="Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>"Getting to see their faces is so much fun," Rohr said. "Getting to be more a part of it was a big thing for me."Dancing Together includes a raffle with donated baskets from local businesses and community members. Proceeds benefit DSNWK's Spring Fling, an annual gathering for individuals with disabilities across 18 counties.Raffle prizes include coolers, sneakers and gift cards. Tickets are priced at $1 each, $5 for six and $20 for 25.Styles Dance Centre owner Alyssa DeChant said the event originated from a Fort Hays State University leadership class. It has since grown into an annual tradition and is Rohr's chosen class project with assistance from Dreiling."It really is inspiring. It's truly my favorite show of our season," DeChant said.The Dancing Together event has been in the works since December and brings together participants ages 5 to 60 as they prepare to take the stage for their big performance.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740066473719.jpeg" alt="Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo By Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740066574376.jpeg" alt="Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Alison Krier of DSNWK said their clients were excited when they learned about the practice. They asked about it daily until they arrived at the center to rehearse in large and small groups."They have a blast when they get here. They're very excited," Krier said. "They enjoy meeting all of the different partners that they get assigned with, being able to have a fun day out of classes and day services."Steve Keil, DSNWK's development director, enjoys watching connections form between the dancers and the individuals his organization serves."Inclusion is a real possibility. Inclusion is part of how we should be as a community and society," Keil said.You can follow <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dsnwk">DSNWK </a>and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/stylesdancecentre">Styles Dance Centre</a> on Facebook.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740066643347.jpeg" alt="Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740066680000.jpeg" alt="Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Dancing Together for Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas participants rehearsing at Styles Dance Centre in Hays. Photo by Tony Guerrero/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>

Dancing Together for DSNWK set for March 2 in Hays

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/ellen-knickmeyer">ELLEN KNICKMEYER</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved its fast-paced dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development toward what appeared to be its final phases, telling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-musk-doge-7ec0a2b4032d4782d41c00164003b5de">all but a fraction of staffers</a>&nbsp;worldwide that they were on leave as of Monday and notifying at least 1,600 of the U.S.-based staffers they were being fired.

The move was the latest and one of the biggest steps in what President Donald Trump and cost-cutting ally Elon Musk say is their goal of gutting the six-decade-old aid and development agency in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-federal-workers-trump-demand-firings-06553df358086db05917d3c50f3699d6">broader campaign to slash the size of the federal government</a>.

The move comes after a federal judge on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-staffing-cuts-lawsuits-d1ec029b4d14c37c25abc5dc07066471">allowed the administration to move forward</a>&nbsp;with its plan to pull thousands of USAID staffers off the job in the United States and around the world. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols rejected pleas in a lawsuit from employees to keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-trump-rubio-48f8460804d33bdaa18d7765c4b24f9e">temporarily blocking</a>&nbsp;the government’s plan.

“As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally,” according to the notices sent to USAID workers that were viewed by The Associated Press.

At the same time, the agency said in the notices to staffers that it was beginning a firing process called reduction in force that would eliminate 2,000 U.S.-based jobs. A version of the notice posted later on USAID's website put the number of positions to be eliminated lower, at 1,600.

The administration gave no explanation for the discrepancy. USAID and the State Department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Within hours of that notice, individual staffers began reporting receiving the notices of their upcoming dismissal under the reduction in force.

The Trump appointee running USAID, deputy administrator Pete Marocco, has indicated he plans to keep about 600 mostly U.S.-based staffers on the job in the meantime, in part to arrange travel for USAID staffers and families abroad.

The move escalates a monthlong push to dismantle the agency, which has included closing its headquarters in Washington and shutting down thousands of aid and development programs worldwide following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-trump-foreign-aid-bf047e17ef64cb42a1a1b7fdf05caffa">freeze on all foreign assistance</a>. A judge later temporarily blocked the funding freeze. Trump and Musk contend that USAID's work is wasteful and furthers a liberal agenda.

Lawsuits by government workers' unions, USAID contractors and others say the administration lacks the constitutional authority to eliminate an independent agency or congressionally funded programs without lawmakers' approval.

The Trump administration efforts upend decades of U.S. policy that aid and development work overseas serves national security by stabilizing regions and economies and building alliances.

The notices of firings and leaves come on top of hundreds of USAID contractors receiving no-name form letters of termination in the past week, according to copies that AP viewed.

The blanket nature of the notification letters to USAID contractors, excluding the names or positions of those receiving them, could make it difficult for the dismissed workers to get unemployment benefits, workers noted.

A different judge in a second lawsuit tied to USAID said this past week that the administration had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-judge-f995a8ccf69fc62826f69442196e94ed">kept withholding foreign aid</a>&nbsp;despite his order temporarily blocking the funding freeze and must restore the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-aid-usaid-pepfar-africa-hiv-396263cd9e7281af7d543d3c68fa465a">funding to programs worldwide</a>.

The separate ruling from Nichols, a Trump appointee, on Friday also cleared the way for the administration to start the clock on a planned 30-day deadline for USAID staffers and their families to return home if they want their travel paid for by the government.

The judge said he was satisfied by Trump administration assurances that workers abroad would be allowed to stay in their jobs while on leave beyond the 30 days even if they chose to remain overseas.

Foreign staffers fear that continued problems with funding flows and the gutting of most of the headquarters staff will make a safe and orderly return difficult, especially those with children in school, houses to sell and ill family members.

USAID's notice Sunday said it was “committed to keeping its overseas personnel safe” and pledged not to cut off USAID staffers abroad from agency systems and other support.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738896794184.jpeg" alt="File photo-Members of Congress protest USAID cuts earlier this month -Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo-Members of Congress protest USAID cuts earlier this month -Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/ellen-knickmeyer">ELLEN KNICKMEYER</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved its fast-paced dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development toward what appeared to be its final phases, telling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-musk-doge-7ec0a2b4032d4782d41c00164003b5de">all but a fraction of staffers</a>&nbsp;worldwide that they were on leave as of Monday and notifying at least 1,600 of the U.S.-based staffers they were being fired.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740351671351.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The move was the latest and one of the biggest steps in what President Donald Trump and cost-cutting ally Elon Musk say is their goal of gutting the six-decade-old aid and development agency in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-federal-workers-trump-demand-firings-06553df358086db05917d3c50f3699d6">broader campaign to slash the size of the federal government</a>.The move comes after a federal judge on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-staffing-cuts-lawsuits-d1ec029b4d14c37c25abc5dc07066471">allowed the administration to move forward</a>&nbsp;with its plan to pull thousands of USAID staffers off the job in the United States and around the world. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols rejected pleas in a lawsuit from employees to keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-trump-rubio-48f8460804d33bdaa18d7765c4b24f9e">temporarily blocking</a>&nbsp;the government’s plan.“As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally,” according to the notices sent to USAID workers that were viewed by The Associated Press.At the same time, the agency said in the notices to staffers that it was beginning a firing process called reduction in force that would eliminate 2,000 U.S.-based jobs. A version of the notice posted later on USAID's website put the number of positions to be eliminated lower, at 1,600.The administration gave no explanation for the discrepancy. USAID and the State Department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.Within hours of that notice, individual staffers began reporting receiving the notices of their upcoming dismissal under the reduction in force.The Trump appointee running USAID, deputy administrator Pete Marocco, has indicated he plans to keep about 600 mostly U.S.-based staffers on the job in the meantime, in part to arrange travel for USAID staffers and families abroad.The move escalates a monthlong push to dismantle the agency, which has included closing its headquarters in Washington and shutting down thousands of aid and development programs worldwide following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-trump-foreign-aid-bf047e17ef64cb42a1a1b7fdf05caffa">freeze on all foreign assistance</a>. A judge later temporarily blocked the funding freeze. Trump and Musk contend that USAID's work is wasteful and furthers a liberal agenda.Lawsuits by government workers' unions, USAID contractors and others say the administration lacks the constitutional authority to eliminate an independent agency or congressionally funded programs without lawmakers' approval.The Trump administration efforts upend decades of U.S. policy that aid and development work overseas serves national security by stabilizing regions and economies and building alliances.The notices of firings and leaves come on top of hundreds of USAID contractors receiving no-name form letters of termination in the past week, according to copies that AP viewed.The blanket nature of the notification letters to USAID contractors, excluding the names or positions of those receiving them, could make it difficult for the dismissed workers to get unemployment benefits, workers noted.A different judge in a second lawsuit tied to USAID said this past week that the administration had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-judge-f995a8ccf69fc62826f69442196e94ed">kept withholding foreign aid</a>&nbsp;despite his order temporarily blocking the funding freeze and must restore the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-aid-usaid-pepfar-africa-hiv-396263cd9e7281af7d543d3c68fa465a">funding to programs worldwide</a>.The separate ruling from Nichols, a Trump appointee, on Friday also cleared the way for the administration to start the clock on a planned 30-day deadline for USAID staffers and their families to return home if they want their travel paid for by the government.The judge said he was satisfied by Trump administration assurances that workers abroad would be allowed to stay in their jobs while on leave beyond the 30 days even if they chose to remain overseas.Foreign staffers fear that continued problems with funding flows and the gutting of most of the headquarters staff will make a safe and orderly return difficult, especially those with children in school, houses to sell and ill family members.USAID's notice Sunday said it was “committed to keeping its overseas personnel safe” and pledged not to cut off USAID staffers abroad from agency systems and other support.

Read the notice: Trump admin. placing USAID staffers on leave worldwide, firing hundreds

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=baseball&amp;id=13441">GAME 1 BOX SCORE</a> <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=baseball&amp;id=13442">GAME 2 BOX SCORE</a>

FORT SMITH, Ark. - The Fort Hays State baseball team opened its conference schedule with a doubleheader sweep against Arkansas-Fort Smith on Sunday, winning 9-3 and 2-1 at Crowder Field. The Tigers are now 7-4 overall and 2-0 in MIAA play, while the Lions dip to 5-6 on the year and 0-2 in league action.

Trey DeGarmo&nbsp;came up huge for the Tigers in game one, going 4-for-6 at the plate with three RBI. Cade Flaherty&nbsp;tossed a gem in the second game, tossing a complete game while matching his career high with 10 strikeouts.

The Tigers and Lions will wrap up their series on Monday (Feb. 24) beginning at 1 p.m. before FHSU returns to Larks Park for three-straight weekend series.

GAME 1: Fort Hays State 9, Arkansas-Fort Smith 3 Fort Hays State set the tone early in the opener, scoring in the top of the first thanks to a two-out rally. After the first two batters of the game struck out, Elliott Herrmann&nbsp;swung at the first pitch he saw and delivered a double to center. Derek Woolwine&nbsp;then worked a walk before DeGarmo came through with an RBI single to center field.

Ty Riley&nbsp;(3-0) also took care of business from the jump, allowing just one hit over the first three innings. The righty's performance gave the Tiger bats a chance to add to its lead in the top of the third. Another two-out rally started when Herrmann was hit by a pitch. Woolwine followed with a single before DeGarmo turned in another RBI single, doubling the Tiger lead.

The home team managed to tie the score in the bottom of the fourth off three hits and a walk, but Fort Hays State answered right back with two more runs in the next half inning. Tony Moore&nbsp;led off with a double before Isiah Ural put runners on the corners with a single. Herrmann was again hit by a pitch in the next plate appearances, loading the bases for Woolwine who drove in one with a single. Another run came in to score when DeGarmo grounded into a double play, putting FHSU up 4-2.

Riley gave up just two more hits over his last two innings of work while striking out three batters in the sixth to end his day with eight strikeouts over 6 innings pitched.

The Tigers kept things rolling down the stretch, adding two runs in the sixth before scoring single runs in each of the last three frames. Moore worked a bases-loaded walk in the sixth to make the score 5-2 before Isaiah Ural lifted a sacrifice fly to center. Cesar Saavedra&nbsp;made the score 7-2 in the top of the seventh with another sacrifice fly before DeGarmo drove in another run in the eighth with an RBI bunt.

Branson Chavez&nbsp;came out of the bullpen in the seventh inning to slam the door and collect his third save, allowing just one run on two hits over 3.0 innings while striking out eight of the 12 batters he faced. Another bases loaded walk to Woolwine gave Fort Hays State its ninth run in the top of the ninth.

DeGarmo collected four hits in the win, while Ural finished 3-of-5 with two runs. Moore, Woolwine and Cooper Howell&nbsp;all had two hits each.

GAME 2: Fort Hays State 2, Arkansas-Fort Smith 1 Moore and Ural led off game two with a pair of singles, but the Tigers were unable to take advantage. Flaherty took to the mound and also worked around a leadoff single to post a scoreless first, but the Lions were able to strike first with a run in the second.

Flaherty settled in after that, retiring nine in a row over the next three frames while allowing no more than one baserunner in any inning the rest of the way. The senior allowed just one run on five hits and three walks while striking out 10 batters over the complete game.

While Flaherty was dealing on the mound, the Tigers were unable to get much going on offense. FHSU did not manage another hit until the sixth and added another in the seventh but were unable to do anything with the baserunners.

The Tigers finally broke through in the eighth when Luis Ayala&nbsp;led off with a single. The catcher moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt before coming in to score on a two-out RBI from Moore, leveling the score at one.

The Lions stranded a man on second in the home half of the eighth before Fort Hays State took its first lead of the game in the ninth. Herrmann led off the inning with a double before Woolwine reached on a dropped fly ball, allowing Herrmann to advance to third. The first baseman later scampered home on a wild pitch, scoring an unearned, go-ahead run.

Flaherty sealed the deal by retiring the last six batters he faced, including his 10th punchout for the last out of the game.

Moore had three of FHSU's seven hits in the game, while Herrmann added two hits.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740361810801.png" alt="FHSU Athletics photo/Jacob Lawson" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics photo/Jacob Lawson</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=baseball&amp;id=13441">GAME 1 BOX SCORE</a> <a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=baseball&amp;id=13442">GAME 2 BOX SCORE</a>FORT SMITH, Ark. - The Fort Hays State baseball team opened its conference schedule with a doubleheader sweep against Arkansas-Fort Smith on Sunday, winning 9-3 and 2-1 at Crowder Field. The Tigers are now 7-4 overall and 2-0 in MIAA play, while the Lions dip to 5-6 on the year and 0-2 in league action.Trey DeGarmo&nbsp;came up huge for the Tigers in game one, going 4-for-6 at the plate with three RBI. Cade Flaherty&nbsp;tossed a gem in the second game, tossing a complete game while matching his career high with 10 strikeouts.The Tigers and Lions will wrap up their series on Monday (Feb. 24) beginning at 1 p.m. before FHSU returns to Larks Park for three-straight weekend series.GAME 1: Fort Hays State 9, Arkansas-Fort Smith 3 Fort Hays State set the tone early in the opener, scoring in the top of the first thanks to a two-out rally. After the first two batters of the game struck out, Elliott Herrmann&nbsp;swung at the first pitch he saw and delivered a double to center. Derek Woolwine&nbsp;then worked a walk before DeGarmo came through with an RBI single to center field.Ty Riley&nbsp;(3-0) also took care of business from the jump, allowing just one hit over the first three innings. The righty's performance gave the Tiger bats a chance to add to its lead in the top of the third. Another two-out rally started when Herrmann was hit by a pitch. Woolwine followed with a single before DeGarmo turned in another RBI single, doubling the Tiger lead.The home team managed to tie the score in the bottom of the fourth off three hits and a walk, but Fort Hays State answered right back with two more runs in the next half inning. Tony Moore&nbsp;led off with a double before Isiah Ural put runners on the corners with a single. Herrmann was again hit by a pitch in the next plate appearances, loading the bases for Woolwine who drove in one with a single. Another run came in to score when DeGarmo grounded into a double play, putting FHSU up 4-2.Riley gave up just two more hits over his last two innings of work while striking out three batters in the sixth to end his day with eight strikeouts over 6 innings pitched.The Tigers kept things rolling down the stretch, adding two runs in the sixth before scoring single runs in each of the last three frames. Moore worked a bases-loaded walk in the sixth to make the score 5-2 before Isaiah Ural lifted a sacrifice fly to center. Cesar Saavedra&nbsp;made the score 7-2 in the top of the seventh with another sacrifice fly before DeGarmo drove in another run in the eighth with an RBI bunt.Branson Chavez&nbsp;came out of the bullpen in the seventh inning to slam the door and collect his third save, allowing just one run on two hits over 3.0 innings while striking out eight of the 12 batters he faced. Another bases loaded walk to Woolwine gave Fort Hays State its ninth run in the top of the ninth.DeGarmo collected four hits in the win, while Ural finished 3-of-5 with two runs. Moore, Woolwine and Cooper Howell&nbsp;all had two hits each.GAME 2: Fort Hays State 2, Arkansas-Fort Smith 1 Moore and Ural led off game two with a pair of singles, but the Tigers were unable to take advantage. Flaherty took to the mound and also worked around a leadoff single to post a scoreless first, but the Lions were able to strike first with a run in the second.Flaherty settled in after that, retiring nine in a row over the next three frames while allowing no more than one baserunner in any inning the rest of the way. The senior allowed just one run on five hits and three walks while striking out 10 batters over the complete game.While Flaherty was dealing on the mound, the Tigers were unable to get much going on offense. FHSU did not manage another hit until the sixth and added another in the seventh but were unable to do anything with the baserunners.The Tigers finally broke through in the eighth when Luis Ayala&nbsp;led off with a single. The catcher moved up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt before coming in to score on a two-out RBI from Moore, leveling the score at one.The Lions stranded a man on second in the home half of the eighth before Fort Hays State took its first lead of the game in the ninth. Herrmann led off the inning with a double before Woolwine reached on a dropped fly ball, allowing Herrmann to advance to third. The first baseman later scampered home on a wild pitch, scoring an unearned, go-ahead run.Flaherty sealed the deal by retiring the last six batters he faced, including his 10th punchout for the last out of the game.Moore had three of FHSU's seven hits in the game, while Herrmann added two hits.&nbsp;&nbsp;

⚾ Tigers sweep Arkansas-Fort Smith in MIAA opener

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis remained in critical condition Sunday and blood tests showed early kidney failure but he remains alert, responsive and attended Mass, the Vatican said, as the 88-year-old pontiff battles pneumonia and a complex lung infection.

In a late update, the Vatican said Francis hadn’t had any more respiratory crises since Saturday night but was still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen.

Some blood tests showed “initial, mild, kidney failure,” but doctors said it was under control.

“The complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback, dictate that the prognosis remains guarded,” Francis' doctors concluded.

Prayers for Francis, meanwhile, poured in from around the world, from his native Argentina to the seat of Sunni Islam in Cairo to schoolchildren in Rome.

In New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan admitted what church leaders in Rome weren't saying publicly: that the Catholic faithful were united “at the bedside of a dying father.”

“As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death,” Dolan said in his homily from the pulpit of St. Patrick's Cathedral, though he later told reporters he hoped and prayed that Francis would “bounce back.”

Doctors have said Francis’ condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease. His condition has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-incapacitated-vatican-charge-3b6afdf158e01662d553945efbbff2ce">revived speculation</a>&nbsp;about what might happen if he becomes unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, and whether he might resign.

Francis was supposed to celebrate Mass on Sunday morning in St. Peter's Basilica and ordain deacons as part of the Vatican's yearlong Holy Year commemoration.

The organizer of the Holy Year, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, celebrated the Mass in his place and offered a special prayer for Francis from the altar before delivering the homily the pope had prepared.

“Even though he is in a hospital bed, we feel Pope Francis close to us. We feel him present among us,” Fisichella told the hundreds of white-robed deacons.

A pre-written message that had been prepared for Francis to read Sunday, but he did not deliver, said he was “confidently continuing my hospitalization at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment; and rest is also part of the therapy!” The message asked for prayers for him — as he always asks — and noted the upcoming anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity.”

Meanwhile in Francis' native Argentina, Catholics prayed for the pope at the Buenos Aires cathedral and the city's iconic obelisk was lit up “Francis, the city prays for you.”

In Cairo, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning who forged a close bond with Francis, wished him well.

“I pray to Allah to grant my dear brother, Pope Francis, a swift recovery and to bless him with good health and well-being so that he may continue his journey in serving humanity,” Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb wrote in a Facebook post.

The American Jewish Committee also offered prayers. “We stand together with our Catholic brothers and sisters during this challenging time,” the group wrote on X.

And school children from around Rome deluged the Gemelli hospital with get-well cards, while Italian bishops led rosary prayers and celebrated special Masses across Italy.

The main threat facing the pope is sepsis

Doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-illness-explainer-pneumonia-vatican-6c90fdb0d03ed1703293564686a80978">sepsis</a>, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. To date there has been no reference to any onset of sepsis in the medical updates provided by the Vatican, including on Sunday.

On Saturday, Francis developed a low platelet count, which remained low but stable Sunday. Platelets are cell-like fragments that circulate in the blood that help form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal. Low platelet counts can be caused by a number of things, including side effects from medicines or infections.

Francis also developed anemia and, during blood transfusions Saturday, was given hematin, a treatment designed to increase the level of hemoglobin in his his blood, which in turn helps the blood carry more oxygen. Doctors reported Sunday that the therapy had been beneficial.

Francis, who has chronic lung disease and is prone to bronchitis in winter, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-gemelli-hospital-0a88f9b701a0933ac6a781df785cd0db">weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened</a>.

Doctors first diagnosed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7">complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it.

Francis’ recent reforms suggest he knew he was getting older and more fragile

Francis has taken several recent decisions that suggest he was well aware that he was getting old and frail.

Last year, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-funeral-rites-francis-vatican-d8b24d48b743e4b6b11f565196741504">revised the funeral rites</a>&nbsp;that will be used after he dies, simplifying the rituals to emphasize his role as a mere bishop and allowing for burial outside the Vatican in keeping with his wishes. But the core elements of the rites remain, including the three key moments that must be observed between the death of a pope and his funeral: In his home, in St. Peter’s Basilica and in the place of burial.

In December, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-cardinals-pope-7b4c2e55b2f0d42436a6ec65182e489a">created 21 new cardinals</a>. All but one were under age 80 and thus eligible to vote in a conclave to elect his successor. Their additions brought the overall number of voting-age cardinals to 140, well over the 120 limit set by St. John Paul II. But several of the current electors are turning 80 this year, bringing the number down.

Earlier this month, once he was already sick, Francis decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-pope-camerlengo-a2dc467fd152255e4301109b96a13901">extend the five-year term of the current dean</a>&nbsp;of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, rather than make way for someone new. As depicted in the film “Conclave,” the dean of the College of Cardinals plays an important role in the life of the Catholic hierarchy, and is a crucial figure during the transition between one papacy and the next.

Francis also decided to extend the term of the vice-dean, Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740262535769.png" alt="Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Pope Francis remained in critical condition Sunday and blood tests showed early kidney failure but he remains alert, responsive and attended Mass, the Vatican said, as the 88-year-old pontiff battles pneumonia and a complex lung infection.In a late update, the Vatican said Francis hadn’t had any more respiratory crises since Saturday night but was still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen.Some blood tests showed “initial, mild, kidney failure,” but doctors said it was under control.“The complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback, dictate that the prognosis remains guarded,” Francis' doctors concluded.Prayers for Francis, meanwhile, poured in from around the world, from his native Argentina to the seat of Sunni Islam in Cairo to schoolchildren in Rome.In New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan admitted what church leaders in Rome weren't saying publicly: that the Catholic faithful were united “at the bedside of a dying father.”“As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death,” Dolan said in his homily from the pulpit of St. Patrick's Cathedral, though he later told reporters he hoped and prayed that Francis would “bounce back.”Doctors have said Francis’ condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease. His condition has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-incapacitated-vatican-charge-3b6afdf158e01662d553945efbbff2ce">revived speculation</a>&nbsp;about what might happen if he becomes unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, and whether he might resign.<h2>Prayers for pope at Vatican</h2>Francis was supposed to celebrate Mass on Sunday morning in St. Peter's Basilica and ordain deacons as part of the Vatican's yearlong Holy Year commemoration.The organizer of the Holy Year, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, celebrated the Mass in his place and offered a special prayer for Francis from the altar before delivering the homily the pope had prepared.“Even though he is in a hospital bed, we feel Pope Francis close to us. We feel him present among us,” Fisichella told the hundreds of white-robed deacons.A pre-written message that had been prepared for Francis to read Sunday, but he did not deliver, said he was “confidently continuing my hospitalization at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment; and rest is also part of the therapy!” The message asked for prayers for him — as he always asks — and noted the upcoming anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity.”Meanwhile in Francis' native Argentina, Catholics prayed for the pope at the Buenos Aires cathedral and the city's iconic obelisk was lit up “Francis, the city prays for you.”In Cairo, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning who forged a close bond with Francis, wished him well.“I pray to Allah to grant my dear brother, Pope Francis, a swift recovery and to bless him with good health and well-being so that he may continue his journey in serving humanity,” Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb wrote in a Facebook post.The American Jewish Committee also offered prayers. “We stand together with our Catholic brothers and sisters during this challenging time,” the group wrote on X.And school children from around Rome deluged the Gemelli hospital with get-well cards, while Italian bishops led rosary prayers and celebrated special Masses across Italy.<h2>The main threat facing the pope is sepsis</h2>Doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-illness-explainer-pneumonia-vatican-6c90fdb0d03ed1703293564686a80978">sepsis</a>, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. To date there has been no reference to any onset of sepsis in the medical updates provided by the Vatican, including on Sunday.On Saturday, Francis developed a low platelet count, which remained low but stable Sunday. Platelets are cell-like fragments that circulate in the blood that help form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal. Low platelet counts can be caused by a number of things, including side effects from medicines or infections.Francis also developed anemia and, during blood transfusions Saturday, was given hematin, a treatment designed to increase the level of hemoglobin in his his blood, which in turn helps the blood carry more oxygen. Doctors reported Sunday that the therapy had been beneficial.Francis, who has chronic lung disease and is prone to bronchitis in winter, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-gemelli-hospital-0a88f9b701a0933ac6a781df785cd0db">weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened</a>.Doctors first diagnosed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7">complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it.<h2>Francis’ recent reforms suggest he knew he was getting older and more fragile</h2>Francis has taken several recent decisions that suggest he was well aware that he was getting old and frail.Last year, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-funeral-rites-francis-vatican-d8b24d48b743e4b6b11f565196741504">revised the funeral rites</a>&nbsp;that will be used after he dies, simplifying the rituals to emphasize his role as a mere bishop and allowing for burial outside the Vatican in keeping with his wishes. But the core elements of the rites remain, including the three key moments that must be observed between the death of a pope and his funeral: In his home, in St. Peter’s Basilica and in the place of burial.In December, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-cardinals-pope-7b4c2e55b2f0d42436a6ec65182e489a">created 21 new cardinals</a>. All but one were under age 80 and thus eligible to vote in a conclave to elect his successor. Their additions brought the overall number of voting-age cardinals to 140, well over the 120 limit set by St. John Paul II. But several of the current electors are turning 80 this year, bringing the number down.Earlier this month, once he was already sick, Francis decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-pope-camerlengo-a2dc467fd152255e4301109b96a13901">extend the five-year term of the current dean</a>&nbsp;of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, rather than make way for someone new. As depicted in the film “Conclave,” the dean of the College of Cardinals plays an important role in the life of the Catholic hierarchy, and is a crucial figure during the transition between one papacy and the next.Francis also decided to extend the term of the vice-dean, Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Pope Francis diagnosed with early kidney failure as prayers pour in

INDIANOLA, Iowa -Former Hays High state champion wrestler Sarah Zimmerman has qualified for the&nbsp; NCWWC Championships. Zimmerman, who is a sophomore at NCAA Division III Simpson College (IA), went 3-1 and placed third at the&nbsp;NCWWC REGION VII hosted by Simpson College.

Zimmerman made a statement with a commanding 10-0 shutout over Wartenburg's Hope Chiatello to open her day. After falling to eventual champion and No. 2 ranked Ava Bayless, Zimmerman responded with back-to-back pins to clinch the third place finish and trip to nationals. Her final pin over Paw Hobza (Sioux Falls) came in just 27 seconds.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740412470212.jpeg" alt="Simpson College Athletics photo" />
 <figcaption>Simpson College Athletics photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays PostINDIANOLA, Iowa -Former Hays High state champion wrestler Sarah Zimmerman has qualified for the&nbsp; NCWWC Championships. Zimmerman, who is a sophomore at NCAA Division III Simpson College (IA), went 3-1 and placed third at the&nbsp;NCWWC REGION VII hosted by Simpson College.Zimmerman made a statement with a commanding 10-0 shutout over Wartenburg's Hope Chiatello to open her day. After falling to eventual champion and No. 2 ranked Ava Bayless, Zimmerman responded with back-to-back pins to clinch the third place finish and trip to nationals. Her final pin over Paw Hobza (Sioux Falls) came in just 27 seconds.

🤼‍♀️ Former HHS standout heading to nationals

Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about the Heart of America group and its work on commercial and housing development in Hays on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

<div><iframe title="Grow Hays: Heart of America Organization" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=ae6ub-1810294-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Reporter Cristina Janney speaks with Doug Williams of Grow Hays about the Heart of America group and its work on commercial and housing development in Hays on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

🎙 Post Podcast: Doug Williams of Grow Hays discusses Heart of American group

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-kash-patel-what-happens-next-6b2678baba229362d25b468ed2f61f87">New FBI Director Kash Patel</a>&nbsp;is expected to be named the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a Justice Department official said Saturday.

Patel could be sworn in next week, the official said, putting Patel in charge of two of the Justice Department’s largest agencies in an unusual arrangement that raises questions about the future of the bureau that has long drawn the ire of conservatives.

The Justice Department official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the move before it’s announced publicly. White House officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday evening.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">Patel was sworn in Friday</a>&nbsp;as FBI director after winning Senate approval despite Democrats’ concerns about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kash-patel-fbi-trump-things-to-know-4cb7802bb3378576f3aa37df5f9770ad">steadfast Trump ally’s</a>&nbsp;plans to radically overhaul the FBI.

ATF is a separate agency with about 5,500 employees and is responsible for enforcing the nation’s laws around firearms, explosives and arson. Among other things, it’s in charge of licensing federal firearms dealers, tracing guns used in crimes and analyzing intelligence in shooting investigations.

The move was first reported Saturday by ABC News.

The news comes days after Attorney General Pam Bondi fired the ATF’s top lawyer. Bondi said in a Fox News interview Friday that she fired chief counsel Pamela Hicks because the agency was “targeting gun owners.” Hicks, who spent more than 20 years as a Justice Department lawyer, said in a social media post that being ATF chief counsel was the “highest honor” of her career.

Conservatives have long railed against ATF over its role in regulating firearms and have suggested shuttering the agency. Under the Biden administration, the ATF advanced new regulations aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">cracking down on ghost guns</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-administration-background-checks-atf-rule-70261cc0512eea8d52ef9585a9a48ab2">requiring thousands more firearms dealers to run background checks</a>&nbsp;on buyers at gun shows or other places outside brick-and-mortar stores.

In an executive order earlier this month, President Donald Trump directed the attorney general to review all actions taken by the Biden administration around firearms “to assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights of our citizens.”

Gun safety groups have raised alarm about putting Patel in charge of the FBI, with gun control group Brady calling him a “known gun rights extremist.” Gun Owners of America, a gun rights group, called his confirmation as FBI director “a major victory for gun owners and constitutional rights advocates nationwide.”

The last confirmed ATF director was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-shooting-victims-gun-violence-atf-dettelbach-12c3ed0f8d8826b6d13dd88bf185f4e9">Steve Dettelbach</a>, a former federal prosecutor, who led the agency from July 2022 until last month. He was the first confirmed director since 2015 as both Republican and Democratic administrations failed to get nominees through the politically fraught process.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740279531054.png" alt="<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">Patel was sworn in Friday</a>&nbsp;as FBI director after winning Senate approval despite Democrats’ concerns about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kash-patel-fbi-trump-things-to-know-4cb7802bb3378576f3aa37df5f9770ad">steadfast Trump ally’s</a>&nbsp;plans to radically overhaul the FBI.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">Patel was sworn in Friday</a>&nbsp;as FBI director after winning Senate approval despite Democrats’ concerns about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kash-patel-fbi-trump-things-to-know-4cb7802bb3378576f3aa37df5f9770ad">steadfast Trump ally’s</a>&nbsp;plans to radically overhaul the FBI.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-kash-patel-what-happens-next-6b2678baba229362d25b468ed2f61f87">New FBI Director Kash Patel</a>&nbsp;is expected to be named the acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a Justice Department official said Saturday.Patel could be sworn in next week, the official said, putting Patel in charge of two of the Justice Department’s largest agencies in an unusual arrangement that raises questions about the future of the bureau that has long drawn the ire of conservatives.The Justice Department official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the move before it’s announced publicly. White House officials didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday evening.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1737910381416.png" alt="Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Patel in December -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall met with Patel in December -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">Patel was sworn in Friday</a>&nbsp;as FBI director after winning Senate approval despite Democrats’ concerns about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kash-patel-fbi-trump-things-to-know-4cb7802bb3378576f3aa37df5f9770ad">steadfast Trump ally’s</a>&nbsp;plans to radically overhaul the FBI.ATF is a separate agency with about 5,500 employees and is responsible for enforcing the nation’s laws around firearms, explosives and arson. Among other things, it’s in charge of licensing federal firearms dealers, tracing guns used in crimes and analyzing intelligence in shooting investigations.The move was first reported Saturday by ABC News.The news comes days after Attorney General Pam Bondi fired the ATF’s top lawyer. Bondi said in a Fox News interview Friday that she fired chief counsel Pamela Hicks because the agency was “targeting gun owners.” Hicks, who spent more than 20 years as a Justice Department lawyer, said in a social media post that being ATF chief counsel was the “highest honor” of her career.Conservatives have long railed against ATF over its role in regulating firearms and have suggested shuttering the agency. Under the Biden administration, the ATF advanced new regulations aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">cracking down on ghost guns</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-administration-background-checks-atf-rule-70261cc0512eea8d52ef9585a9a48ab2">requiring thousands more firearms dealers to run background checks</a>&nbsp;on buyers at gun shows or other places outside brick-and-mortar stores.In an executive order earlier this month, President Donald Trump directed the attorney general to review all actions taken by the Biden administration around firearms “to assess any ongoing infringements of the Second Amendment rights of our citizens.”Gun safety groups have raised alarm about putting Patel in charge of the FBI, with gun control group Brady calling him a “known gun rights extremist.” Gun Owners of America, a gun rights group, called his confirmation as FBI director “a major victory for gun owners and constitutional rights advocates nationwide.”The last confirmed ATF director was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-shooting-victims-gun-violence-atf-dettelbach-12c3ed0f8d8826b6d13dd88bf185f4e9">Steve Dettelbach</a>, a former federal prosecutor, who led the agency from July 2022 until last month. He was the first confirmed director since 2015 as both Republican and Democratic administrations failed to get nominees through the politically fraught process.

New FBI Director will also be named acting head of the ATF, official says

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

An Italian immigrant raised in Pennsylvania met the love of his life in the little town of Antonino, Kansas, during World War II.&nbsp;

It was an 80-year love story that would burn brightly through war, sickness and even death.&nbsp;

Jo Ann Jennings of Hays told the incredible love story of Frank Malizia and his wartime bride Irene Deter during a presentation at the Hays VFW on Feb. 16.

The <a href="https://haysartscouncil.org/">Hays Arts Council</a>, of which Jennings is vice president of the board, sponsored the event. The center accepted free-will donations for its Heart of Hays capital campaign.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b3802757-2724-44c4-9b56-cca58f4db683">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays Arts Council launches $3M capital campaign</a>

Jennings met Malizia through her connection with the Coffelt database, the most comprehensive collection of information on U.S. Armed Forces casualties in Vietnam.

Jennings's husband, Richard Coffelt, with the assistance of others, established the database over many years. It is now available to access for free through the National Archives.

After Richard’s death, a veteran's magazine published a story in 2013 about the database. Malizia, who was 92 at the time, read that story and recognized Hays as a familiar place. This led him to contact Jennings.

This would spark a friendship that would span years and 227 pages of correspondence between Jennings and Malizia in which Frank detailed his love story with Irene and the eventual heartbreak that followed.

Jennings said the couple's love story came through the letter in short "chapters," as Frank called them, as he said he would become too emotional to share all of his memories of Irene at once.

Frank was born in Italy. Shortly after he was born his father left to settle in America. When Frank was 7, he and his mother came to the United States on a ship, entered the country through Ellis Island and joined Frank's Father in New Castle, Pennsylvania.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740087128143.jpeg" alt="Frank and Irene (Dater) Malizia, met when Frank was stationed in Great Bend during World War II. Irene was from Antonino. The couple were married on Nov. 23, 1943. After visiting Irene's grave for almost 80 years, Frank was recently buried next to the love of his life in the Antonino cemetery. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Frank and Irene (Dater) Malizia, met when Frank was stationed in Great Bend during World War II. Irene was from Antonino. The couple were married on Nov. 23, 1943. After visiting Irene's grave for almost 80 years, Frank was recently buried next to the love of his life in the Antonino cemetery. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740088607786.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostAn Italian immigrant raised in Pennsylvania met the love of his life in the little town of Antonino, Kansas, during World War II.&nbsp;It was an 80-year love story that would burn brightly through war, sickness and even death.&nbsp;Jo Ann Jennings of Hays told the incredible love story of Frank Malizia and his wartime bride Irene Deter during a presentation at the Hays VFW on Feb. 16.The <a href="https://haysartscouncil.org/">Hays Arts Council</a>, of which Jennings is vice president of the board, sponsored the event. The center accepted free-will donations for its Heart of Hays capital campaign.&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b3802757-2724-44c4-9b56-cca58f4db683">SEE RELATED STORY: Hays Arts Council launches $3M capital campaign</a>Jennings met Malizia through her connection with the Coffelt database, the most comprehensive collection of information on U.S. Armed Forces casualties in Vietnam.Jennings's husband, Richard Coffelt, with the assistance of others, established the database over many years. It is now available to access for free through the National Archives.After Richard’s death, a veteran's magazine published a story in 2013 about the database. Malizia, who was 92 at the time, read that story and recognized Hays as a familiar place. This led him to contact Jennings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740087712280.jpeg" alt="Irene Dater of Antonino when she was 16 or 17 years old. Irene met soldier Frank Malizia at a local dance when he was stationed in Great Bend. He referred to the woman who later became his wife as "the most beautiful girl." Courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Irene Dater of Antonino when she was 16 or 17 years old. Irene met soldier Frank Malizia at a local dance when he was stationed in Great Bend. He referred to the woman who later became his wife as "the most beautiful girl." Courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>This would spark a friendship that would span years and 227 pages of correspondence between Jennings and Malizia in which Frank detailed his love story with Irene and the eventual heartbreak that followed.Jennings said the couple's love story came through the letter in short "chapters," as Frank called them, as he said he would become too emotional to share all of his memories of Irene at once.Frank was born in Italy. Shortly after he was born his father left to settle in America. When Frank was 7, he and his mother came to the United States on a ship, entered the country through Ellis Island and joined Frank's Father in New Castle, Pennsylvania.In his first letter to Jennings, Frank explained how the article had sparked memories of his time at Walker Airbase and Great Bend during World War II.Frank was drafted into the Army in 1942. He was based in Salt Lake City before being transferred to Great Bend. He was friends with Sylvester Sauer, an Ellis native.Malizia wrote in his first letter about “the most beautiful girl in the world” from Antonino, whom he met through Sauer at a local dance.&nbsp;“At that time in my life, I didn’t dance,” he said, “but at the end of the evening, Sylvester introduced me to this beautiful girl from Antonino, Kansas. Wow! Was I overcome! I asked this beautiful girl if the next time I was in town if she would like to go to a movie, and she said all right,” Malizia said in his first letter to Jennings.Malizia rented a bike built for two, and the lovebirds took a ride into the country."I was so, so impressed with her," Malizia wrote. "I just had to see her again. This beautiful girl was 17, and I was 21. We hit it off great. I proposed to this beautiful girl from Kansas."The two were married on Nov. 23, 1943.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740087876844.jpeg" alt="Irene was pregnant when Frank was deployed to the Pacific during World War II. She signed this photo to her husband, "Love Irene." Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Irene was pregnant when Frank was deployed to the Pacific during World War II. She signed this photo to her husband, "Love Irene." Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>After receiving the letter, Jennings realized the couple's anniversary was approaching, so she, accompanied by her mother, took flowers to Irene's grave.&nbsp;Jennings mother, who was about the same age as Frank, heard the story and was filled with questions. Jennings was at first reluctant to pry."He'll tell me when he wants to tell me," she told her mother.Her mother said, "Jo Ann, he's 92."But Frank was forthcoming, laying out more of his life with Irene in letter after letter.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740089574355.jpeg" alt="A copy of Frank Malizia's first letter to Jo Ann Jennings. Frank would send 225 more pages of correspondence to Jennings of Hays over the next 10 years. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>A copy of Frank Malizia's first letter to Jo Ann Jennings. Frank would send 225 more pages of correspondence to Jennings of Hays over the next 10 years. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Irene became pregnant with a son. Before Irene gave birth, Frank was deployed to the Pacific.&nbsp;Irene went into labor. She was taken to the hospital in Hays, but the doctor was unavailable.Jennings said it is unclear what happened next, but according to Frank, a belt was tied either around Irene's belly or her legs to keep her from delivering before the doctor arrived. As a result, the baby, which the couple named Robert, was stillborn. He was buried in the Antonino cemetery."I think Frank never really got over that because even after the war ended and he came back to Hays, he went to the hospital to try to find answers to what happened with Robert, but he was told it would be best if he didn't cause any trouble," Jennings said.After the end of the war, Irene and Frank moved back to Frank's home in Pennsylvania.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740088026357.jpeg" alt="Irene and Frank after WWII. Tragically, shortly after the couple's daughter, Carol Ann, was born, Irene was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Irene and Frank after WWII. Tragically, shortly after the couple's daughter, Carol Ann, was born, Irene was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Irene became pregnant again and delivered a healthy baby, Carol Ann, on Dec. 8, 1946.About a month after Carol Ann was born,&nbsp;Irene was diagnosed with tuberculosis. The family worked with multiple doctors seeking treatment for Irene. She was in sanitoriums in Pennsylvania and then Illinois.Despite Frank and the doctor's efforts, Irene's condition deteriorated."She was 19 years old. Imagine. She was 19 years old, and she tells him, 'I think I'm dying. I have a 1-year-old baby and a wonderful husband. I don't think I'm going to live, and I want to go home to my mother and dad," Jennings said.Against the doctors' recommendations, Frank hired a private car for himself and Irene and returned to Kansas. Doctors saw Irene in Wichita before being transferred to another sanitorium in Norton. Frank worked at a meat packing plant in Hays during the week and visited Irene in Norton on the weekends.Irene died on May 30, 1949, of tuberculosis at the age of 22. She was buried in the Antonino cemetery next to their infant son, Robert.Frankn said of Irene in the very first letter to Jennings, "I never stopped loving that most beautiful girl from Antonino."Irene's parents had been raising Carol, but Frank decided to return to Pennsylvania, where he raised Carol Ann. He later told Jennings that taking his daughter out of Kansas and away from her maternal family was one of the biggest regrets of his life."At that time, I was 27. I had been in a major war. I lost the love of my life. I had a 2-1/2-year-old. I didn't know what I was going to do," Frank told Jennings.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740088265878.jpeg" alt="Members of the Hays V.F.W. Post No. 9076 color guard, along with the husband of one of Frank's cousins, serve as pallbearers as soldier Frank&nbsp;Malizia is finally laid to rest next to his first wife, Irene, and their infant son, Robert, in the&nbsp;Our Lady of Help Cemetery in Antonino. Frank, who lost his wife when he was 27, was just short of 102. He said he never stopped loving Irene. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Hays V.F.W. Post No. 9076 color guard, along with the husband of one of Frank's cousins, serve as pallbearers as soldier Frank&nbsp;Malizia is finally laid to rest next to his first wife, Irene, and their infant son, Robert, in the&nbsp;Our Lady of Help Cemetery in Antonino. Frank, who lost his wife when he was 27, was just short of 102. He said he never stopped loving Irene. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Frank would go on to have a full life. He remarried about 20 years after he lost Irene. He had two more children, Kim and Frank. However, his second marriage ended in divorce.&nbsp;Frank retired as a Hotel and Restaurant Owner of the Leslie Hotel, The Hut and Dino's. He had also worked as a food equipment salesman.According to his obituary, he also&nbsp;enjoyed playing Bocce, going golfing and having coffee with friends.Frank told Jennings that since Irene's death, he had been traveling every other year to Antonino from his home in Pennsylvania to decorate his former wife's grave.&nbsp;On one of these trips, Jennings and Frank met and spent about two weeks together. Frank shared more stories about Irene and his time in Kansas.He continued to travel back to Ellis County to visit Irene until his health began to fail.&nbsp;He asked Jennings to continue the tradition of visits to Irene's grave.On Jan. 12, just short of his 102nd birthday, Frank died. His last request was to be buried next to Irene in the Our Lady of Help Cemetery in Antonino.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740087447985.jpeg" alt="The Hays V.F.W. Post No. 9076 color guard stands at attention during a graveside service for Sgt. Frank Malizia, who was buried beside his wartime bride, Irene, on Jan. 23 in the&nbsp;Our Lady of Help Cemetery in Antonino. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post." />
 <figcaption>The Hays V.F.W. Post No. 9076 color guard stands at attention during a graveside service for Sgt. Frank Malizia, who was buried beside his wartime bride, Irene, on Jan. 23 in the&nbsp;Our Lady of Help Cemetery in Antonino. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post.</figcaption>
 </figure>On a blustery day on Jan. 23, with a cousin, Jennings, a couple of members of the Antonino parish, Father Curtis Carlson, and the Hays V.F.W. Post No. 9076 color guard, Frank finally rejoined Irene."It's a long love story," Jennings said. "We should all be so lucky to be loved for 80 years and a love that was deep and strong."Frank asked Jennings to continue visiting and maintaining his and Irene's graves in the small cemetery off a lonely road in Antonino."I had been taking care of Irene's grave since I found out about this love story, and I promised I would take care of his, the two of them," Jennings said. "As long as I'm here, it is now my responsibility."She said she usually takes flowers near the anniversary of Irene's death, which falls close to Memorial Day. She also decorates the graves on Frank and Irene's anniversary."And I shall do it as long as I can for both of them," she said.