Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The IRS is eliminating thousands of jobs in the middle of tax filing season. MPR. Scott Horsley reports the cuts are part of the Trump administration's widespread downsizing of the federal government. More than 6,000 IRS jobs are being eliminated or more than 6% of the agency's total workforce.

Under the Biden administration, the IRS had added staffers in an effort to improve customer service and crack down on wealthy tax cheats.

Nina Olson, who heads the Center for Taxpayer Rights, says cutting the agency's workforce will likely end up costing the government money.

The Internal Revenue Service is the accounts receivable function of the federal government.

And no business would underfund their accounts receivable function.

They wouldn't continue because the funds aren't coming in.

The union representing IRS workers is asked a judge to halt the job cuts there and at other government

agencies. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. Now the Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell has announced

he's retiring and will not be seeking re-election. The scramble is underway to fill his seat.

McConnell's current term ends in 2027. He chose today his 83rd birthday to make the announcement.

McConnell has a distinction of having been the longest serving Senate Party leader in U.S. history.

He leaves after a 40-year career in Congress.

Mexico's president is warning the U.S. against any invasion of its territory.

Imper's Adir-Pralda reports it comes as the U.S. designated six Mexican cartels as terrorist groups.

The U.S. now considers some of Mexico's biggest organized crime groups terrorists.

Mexican President Klaude Seambaum said this was a decision the U.S. took unilaterally.

She said Mexico, like the U.S., is committed to fighting drug cartels, but through cooperation, not coercion.

This designation, she said, cannot be used by the U.S. as an opportunity to undermine our sovereignty.

Shame bomb then proposed changes to the Mexican constitution that explicitly say the Mexican people

reject foreign interventions

or violation of Mexico's territory by land, sea, or air. President Trump has floated the

idea of bombing the Mexican drug cartels.

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