USAID food assistance in Ghana (Wikipedia).

America’s foreign aid apparatus may be taking a major blow as the Trump Administration on Sunday announced it is cutting 2,000 jobs at the U.S. Agency for International Development.

According to the Associated Press, most of those remaining will be placed on leave.

President Donald Trump and associate Elon Musk argue that the agency’s work is wasteful and emphasizes “liberal” values.

USAID provides medical, educational and scientific assistance to nations across the world, especially those considered “third world” with high levels of diseases, poverty and unemployment.

In a curious legal situation, one federal judge refused to block the layoffs while another refused to allow the stoppage of the foreign aid.

Center-right party winning in Germany

Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union is favored to be elected as the next chancellor of Germany based on results published on Sunday.

FRIEDRICH MERZ (Wikipedia).

The CDU polled less than 30 percent of the vote in the parliamentary elections, while Chancellor Olaf Scholz (Social Democrat) came in with 16.2 percent of the vote, according to United Press International.

The far-right Alternative for Germany party had its best showing to date with 20.1 percent. Immigration and economic concerns are credited with its rise.

The chancellor is not elected directly by the public, but by the Bundestag, similar to the U.S. Congress. While no party has a majority, it’s likely the CDU and Social Democrats will form a coalition.

IN OTHER NEWS … Pope Francis, already suffering from double pneumonia, has suffered from “minor” kidney failure, the Vatican has announced … Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky offered to step down from his office in exchange for his nation’s membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization …

Weather: The 80s are in sight.

For those of us in our West Orange County cities waiting for some serious early spring signs, they are right around the comer. For Monday, the forecast calls for a daytime high of 74 with an overnight low of 52 under partly cloudy skies. Tuesday will be similar at 74 (50) with mostly sunny conditions. But the sun should really break through on Wednesday with a high of 83 and a low of 57. Thursday will be mostly cloudy but with a high of 82 (55).