The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is set to reduce its workforce by up to 500 employees, amounting to around 20% of its current staff, as part of a strategic long-term reorganization. This announcement coincides with an ongoing external review concerning the foundation’s previous connections with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.

According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, a memo was circulated to staff on Tuesday. A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation confirmed to Fox News Digital that this external review was initially communicated to all employees via email last month and has been endorsed by both the board and Bill Gates himself. However, the foundation has not clarified whether these job reductions are related to the review.

The decision to cut jobs was first mentioned earlier in the year during the foundation’s budget discussions. Meanwhile, the review has intensified public interest regarding the foundation’s historical dealings with Epstein and its processes for evaluating potential partnerships, prompting broader inquiries into the governance of one of the leading philanthropic entities globally.

“Earlier this year, our CEO, Mark Suzman, initiated an external review to evaluate the foundation’s previous interactions with Epstein and to scrutinize our current protocols for establishing and nurturing new philanthropic collaborations,” a statement from the foundation noted. “This review is currently in progress, and we anticipate that both the board and management will receive an update by this summer.”

The Gates Foundation also informed Fox News Digital that the decision to downsize its workforce was originally disclosed in a press release issued in January.

The organization also said employees were informed about the job cuts during discussions of its 2026 budget in a January press release.

“This cap will reduce the foundation’s current headcount target of 2,375 positions by up to 500 positions by 2030, with targets and timelines to be calibrated on an annual basis,” the press release said.

The Gates Foundation was founded by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda Gates.

The review comes as renewed attention has been placed on Epstein’s connections. In February, the Department of Justice released more than 3 million of Epstein’s investigative records, including personal emails. Bill Gates’ name appeared in the emails, which reportedly indicated he had affairs while married to Melinda Gates and sought medication to treat a sexually transmitted infection without her knowledge.

Bill Gates (left) has previously spoken about his connection to Jeffrey Epstein. (Getty Images)

Gates later reportedly acknowledged having two affairs that Epstein was aware of but said neither involved Epstein’s victims.

“I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit,” Gates said, according to a town hall recording reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.

Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, is scheduled to appear before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee June 10 to speak about his relationship with Epstein. (Ore Huiying/Bloomberg)

Bill Gates is scheduled to appear before the House Oversight Committee June 10 for a transcribed interview as part of its ongoing investigation into Epstein.

In response to a recent shooting at a popular tourist site, the Mexican government has announced plans to enhance security measures at key attractions. This decision follows an incident where a gunman opened fire on tourists at the pyramids near Mexico City, occurring just weeks before the start of the FIFA World Cup.

The attack took place on Monday at Teotihuacan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Mexico’s most visited locations. Tragically, the shooting resulted in the death of one Canadian tourist and left a dozen others injured. The assailant acted alone, scaling one of the ancient pyramids to carry out the attack.

The incident prompted a wave of inquiries to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum from reporters eager to understand the government’s security plans as the country prepares to co-host the World Cup alongside the United States and Canada next summer.

Teotihuacan, situated about an hour from Mexico City, was expected to be a major draw for visitors during the World Cup festivities. In the days leading up to the shooting, local legislators had even proposed reinstating a nighttime interactive light show on the pyramids, an attraction that had been paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This shocking act of violence poses a significant challenge to President Sheinbaum’s administration, which has been striving to maintain a perception of safety in advance of the global sporting event. This effort comes on the heels of a surge in cartel-related violence earlier this year in Guadalajara, another World Cup host city.

“Events like this only further magnify the negative images that Mexico has on security issues, undermining the narrative that President Sheinbaum is trying to build that Mexico is a safe country,” said Mexican security analyst David Saucedo.

‘An isolated incident’

On Tuesday, Sheinbaum acknowledged that the archaeological site lacked security filters to prevent the attack in part, she said, because the shooting “was an isolated incident” that hasn’t occurred before in such a public space.

While Mexico suffers from cartel violence, especially in strategic and rural areas, mass shootings in public spaces are rare in Mexico compared to the US, where it is much easier to legally obtain a gun.

She noted that the shooter appeared to be motivated by “outside influences,” particularly the 1999 Columbine massacre in Colorado.

“Our obligation as a government is to take the appropriate measures to ensure that a situation like this does not happen again. But clearly, we all know — Mexicans know — that this is something that had not previously taken place,” Sheinbaum said Tuesday morning.

Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch, the face of the government’s crackdown on cartels, said on Tuesday that security forces had been ordered to “immediately strengthen security” at archaeological sites and major tourist destinations across the country.

He said the government will increase the presence of Mexican National Guard, boost security checks at key sites and fortify surveillance systems to “identify and prevent any threats” against citizens and visitors.

Security concerns ahead of World Cup

The announcement was an effort by Mexican authorities to assuage ongoing concerns about violence in Mexico ahead of the tournament.

Sheinbaum’s government has touted security successes under her leadership. Homicides have dipped sharply since she taken office to the lowest levels in a decade, government figures show. The government has also taken out a number of top capos and highlighted a dip in fentanyl seizures at the U.S.-Mexico border.

But they have hit hurdles in recent months, namely a burst a violence in Guadalajara in February, triggered by the killing of Mexico’s most powerful cartel boss.

The bloodshed was met with a wave of concern by people in and outside of Mexico. Sheinbaum vowed there would be “no risk” for fans coming to the tournament and FIFA president Gianni Infantino said he had “full confidence” in Mexico as a host country. Sheinbaum later met with FIFA representatives to assess security for the World Cup matches to be played in Mexico.

Mexico’s government doubled down on security measures, which include deploying 100,000 security forces across the country, particularly concentrated in the country’s three host cities, Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Officials said it would deploy more than 2,000 military vehicles, as well as dozens of air crafts and drones, and establish security perimeters around areas like stadiums and airports in key cities.

“As you can see, we are very prepared for the World Cup,” Sheinbaum said in early March.

Despite the rare nature of the Monday shooting at the pyramids, the extreme act of violence reignited scrutiny by some about the government’s capacity to prevent violence during the soccer tournament, and once again boosted pressures on the government.

FIFA was approached for comment about the pyramid shooting, but the soccer body typically does not address security issues and incidents that happen away from tournament venues.

Saucedo, the security analyst, said that pressures to concentrate security in host cities and tourist areas like Teotihuacan may come at the expense of other more crime-torn areas in greater need of police and military.

“Events like the one that took place yesterday in Teotihuacan clearly show that public safety agencies are overwhelmed,” he said.

In a move that could significantly influence the upcoming midterm elections, Virginia voters have endorsed a mid-decade redistricting initiative. This decision could potentially pave the way for Democrats to secure four more U.S. House seats in an election that will determine the balance of a closely contested Congress.

The recent approval by voters of a constitutional amendment allows Virginia’s Democratic-led General Assembly to implement new district maps, essentially bypassing a bipartisan redistricting commission. However, this decision faces a legal hurdle as the state Supreme Court deliberates on the plan’s legality, a ruling that could render the referendum’s outcome void if deemed unconstitutional.

The Virginia referendum represents a notable defeat for President Donald Trump, who last year initiated a national redistricting campaign. He encouraged Republicans in Texas to redraw district lines in an effort to bolster their representation in the House and maintain a slim majority, a strategy aimed at countering the political tides that often favor the opposition party during midterm elections.

This initiative in Texas spurred a nationwide wave of redistricting efforts. Republicans are optimistic about potentially gaining up to nine additional House seats through newly designed districts in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio. Meanwhile, Democrats are eyeing gains of up to five seats in California, following a similar mid-decade redistricting approval, and an additional seat in Utah, courtesy of court-mandated district changes.

Virginia stands as a crucial battleground for Democrats, who are looking to close the gap created by Republican redistricting gains. Having successfully flipped 13 state House seats and reclaimed the governor’s office in the previous election cycle, Democrats hope to continue their momentum in Virginia.

But the back-and-forth battle is continuing in Florida, where the Republican-led Legislature is to convene April 28 for a special session that could result in more favorable congressional districts for Republicans.

In Virginia, Democrats currently hold six of the 11 U.S. House seats under districts that were imposed by the state Supreme Court in 2021 after a bipartisan commission failed to agree on a map based on the latest census data.

The new plan could help Democrats win as many as 10 seats. Five seats are anchored in the Democratic stronghold of northern Virginia, including one stretching out like a lobster to consume Republican-leaning rural areas. Revisions to four other districts across Richmond, southern Virginia and Hampton Roads dilute the voting power of conservative blocs in those areas. And a reshaped district in parts of western Virginia lumps together three Democratic-leaning college towns to offset other Republican voters.

Democrats portrayed the Virginia redistricting as a response to Trump. It is “pushing back against what other states have done in trying to stack the deck for Donald Trump in those congressional elections,” Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger said during an online rally last week.

Ads for the “yes to redistricting” campaign featuring former President Barack Obama flooded the airwaves.

But opponents of the redistricting also distributed campaign materials citing statements from Obama and Spanberger, who had both criticized gerrymandering in the past.

Congressional redistricting typically is done once a decade after each census.

In 2020, Virginia voters approved a constitutional amendment meant to diminish political gamesmanship by shifting redistricting responsibilities away from the legislature.

But lawmakers endorsed a new constitutional amendment allowing mid-decade redistricting last fall, then passed it again in January as part of a two-step process that requires an intervening election in order for an amendment to be placed on the ballot. The measure allows lawmakers to redistrict until returning the task to a bipartisan commission after the 2030 census.

In February, they passed a new U.S. House map to take effect pending the outcome of the redistricting referendum.

Republicans have filed multiple legal challenges against the redistricting effort.

A Tazewell County judge ruled that the redistricting push was illegal for several reasons. Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. said lawmakers failed to follow their own rules for adding the redistricting amendment to a special session. He ruled that their initial vote failed to occur before the public began casting ballots in last year’s general election and thus didn’t count toward the two-step process. And he ruled that the state failed to publish the amendment three months before that election, as required by law.

If the state Supreme Court agrees with the lower court, the referendum results could be rendered moot.

Elizabeth Smart, known for her resilience and advocacy, has unveiled a surprising new chapter in her life. Over two decades after enduring a traumatic abduction, she has now captivated her followers with photos from her latest venture: bodybuilding competitions.

At 38, Smart has not only embraced this challenging sport but has also excelled, clinching victories in various contests. She recently shared striking images on Instagram, dressed in a navy bikini and heels, proudly displaying her achievements on stage.

These images were taken during her fourth competition, which took place over the weekend in Salt Lake City. Her decision to reveal this side of her life took many by surprise, as she acknowledged in her Instagram post. “When I shared the pictures of me on stage, I know it shocked many of you,” she wrote. “Just a couple of years ago, if you had asked me if I would compete in a bodybuilding show, I would have said, ‘Absolutely not! Never in a hundred years!’”

Smart, a mother of three, had kept her involvement in bodybuilding under wraps, concerned about how it might be received. Now, by sharing her journey, she continues to inspire those who follow her story, showing once again that she is much more than her past.

The mother of three said she had kept her involvement in the sport private until now, admitting she feared how it might be perceived.

‘This is actually the fourth competition I’ve done, but I was too afraid to post it before. Worried that I would be judged, not taken seriously, somehow perceived as less than or now unworthy to continue work as an advocate for all survivors,’ she explained.

Smart said the realization that those fears mirrored what many survivors experience pushed her to finally go public.

‘Then this past weekend it struck me how eerily familiar these feelings and thoughts are for too many survivors,’ she wrote.

Smart said the realization that those fears mirrored what many survivors experience pushed her to finally go public. She is pictured here in June 2025

Her transformation has been both physical and deeply personal.

‘This was a big change for me, it was hard, it pushed me, challenged me not to give up,’ she shared. ‘I am so proud of myself for doing this. I am so proud of my body, and I want to celebrate it.’

She added that her body represents survival – not just strength.

‘My body has carried me through every worst day, every hellish grueling experience, it’s created and nurtured three beautiful children, my body has risen to every single challenge life has presented it with, and carried me through so I refuse to be ashamed of it,’ she wrote.

‘I refuse to feel embarrassed about trying something new and am embracing my chance at life to the absolute fullest I can.’

Smart also reflected on how her perspective has evolved over time, saying she no longer wants to be defined by a single identity.

‘I think it’s easy to be labeled as one thing, and honestly, that’s not me nor do I think it’s any of us we are more than just one topic, one idea, one label,’ she wrote.

Elizabeth Smart, 38, revealed she has been competing in bodybuilding competitions and recently shared photos from her fourth event

Smart is pictured with her husband and their three children last fall

Smart is seen above as a child before she was abducted from her home in June 2002

Elizabeth Smart’s picture was on missing posters all across the country following her June 2002 kidnapping

‘I am interested in many things, and as I get older I realize more and more how important it is to make the most of today, we don’t know what tomorrow brings.’

‘And I don’t want to reach the end of my life and look back and feel regret for only living a half-life, not going after all the things I want to do and try.’

The competition, the Wasatch Warrior event in Salt Lake City, marked another milestone in her journey. 

Smart placed first in the novice category, third in the Masters 35+ division and second in Class D.

Smart was just 14 years old when she was abducted from her bedroom in Salt Lake City in June 2002. She was held captive for nine months before being rescued in March 2003.

In the years since, she has become one of the most prominent advocates for child safety and survivors of sexual violence, founding the Elizabeth Smart Foundation and speaking publicly about her experiences.

Smart is now happily married and the mother of three children Chloé, now 10, James, 8, and Olivia, 6

Elizabeth Smart (seen age 14) managed to orchestrate her own rescue by convincing her abductors to return to Utah

She revisited her case earlier this year in the Netflix documentary ‘Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart.’

Now married to Matthew Gilmour, whom she wed in 2012, Smart is also a mother to three children – Chloé, James and Olivia – and says her latest pursuit is about fully embracing life.

‘I only hope that we all find the courage to chase new experiences, goals, bettering ourselves, and most importantly happiness,’ she wrote.