US education department plans to cut half its workforce

The US Department of Education is planning to cut about half of its workforce, as the Trump administration works to slash the size of the federal government. The mass layoffs will affect nearly 2,100 people who are set to be placed on leave from 21 March. Trump has long sought to eliminate the department, a long-cherished goal of some conservatives, but such an action would require approval by Congress. The department, which has an annual budget of around $238bn (£188bn), employs more than 4,000 people. Established in 1979, the department oversees funding for public schools, administers student loans and runs...