PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS SET THE STAGE FOR A POTENTIAL SUPREME COURT SHOWDOWN WITH HIS FREEZE ON FEDERAL GRANTS AND LOANS. 

A FEDERAL JUDGE TEMPORARILY BLOCKED THE MOVE TUESDAY — AFTER NONPROFIT GROUPS AND MORE THAN 20 DEMOCRATIC ATTORNEYS GENERAL FILED LAWSUITS OVER THE FREEZE. 

A MEMO SENT MONDAY NIGHT BY THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET IMMEDIATELY SPARKED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS SUCH AS MEDICARE, NONPROFITS, AND AMERICANS ENROLLED IN GOVERNMENT AID PROGRAMS. 

STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS REPORT LAUREN TAYLOR EXPLAINS THE KEY ISSUES AND WHAT’S AT-STAKE. 

Lauren Taylor 

TUESDAY SAW SOME GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND AMERICANS IN A STATE OF CONFUSION — 

ABOUT WHETHER THEY’LL RECEIVE FUNDING FOR PROGRAMMING.  

A MEMO COMING DOWN FROM THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET —  

DIDN’T DETAIL EXACTLY WHAT’S IMPACTED BUT SAYS AGENCIES MUST IDENTIFY ALL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. 

THE MEMO STATES IN PART: “THE USE OF FEDERAL RESOURCES TO ADVANCE MARXIST EQUITY,  

TRANSGENDERISM, AND GREEN NEW DEAL SOCIAL ENGINEERING POLICIES IS A WASTE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.”  

AND ULTIMATELY MUST END ‘WOKENESS’ AND GOVERNMENT WEAPONIZATION.  

A NATIONWIDE FREEZE WAS SET TO TAKE EFFECT BY 5 P.M., HOWEVER — 

A FEDERAL JUDGE ISSUED A PAUSE UNTIL NEXT WEEK, REOPENING THE FLOW OF FEDERAL FUNDING. 

THE JUDGE’S STAY ORDER REQUIRES ALL AFFECTED AGENCIES TO DOCUMENT AND SUBMIT WHICH PROGRAMS WILL FACE EFFECTS OF A PAUSE. 

AHEAD OF THE RULING, 23 STATES AND WASHINGTON D-C FILED A LAWSUIT —  

THE STATES ATTORNEYS GENERAL SAY THEY ARE SUING TRUMP’S DECISION TO PUT FEDERAL MONEY ON HOLD.  

ARIZONA, NEW YORK AND RHODE ISLAND A-G’S ARE AMONG THE PLAINTIFFS CALLING THE ORDER DANGEROUS AND ILLEGAL  

THE PLANNED REVIEW IS SET TO PROBE THROUGH TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS GIVEN OUT BY THE GOVERNMENT.  

THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS ITS A NECESSARY ACTION TO HELP ALIGN WITH TRUMP’S PROPOSALS — 

INCLUDING EXPANSION OF FOSSIL FUELS, IMMIGRATION AND ENDING D-E-I PROGRAMS.  

WHITE HOSE PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT SAYS MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS — 

WILL NOT FACE INTERRUPTIONS – INCLUDING ANY THAT ASSIST AMERICANS WITH FOOD AND STUDENT LOANS.  

LEAVITT REJECTED ALLEGATIONS ABOUT TRUMP BYPASSING CONGRESS, AS CLAIMED, BUT INSTEAD SAYS HE’S ACTING WITHIN HIS EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY.  

ALTHOUGH REPORTS FLOODED IN ABOUT MEDICAID PORTALS BEING DOWN, OFFICIALS SAY ITS UNRELATED TO THE FREEZE AND NO PAYMENTS WERE AFFECTED.  

THE STAY ORDER ONLY IMPACTS PROGRAMS ALREADY RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDING. NEW GRANTS AND LOANS WILL BE SUBJECT TO FUTURE REVIEW BY THE WHITE HOUSE. 

[Craig Nigrelli] 

THAT WAS OUR LAUREN TAYLOR REPORTING. 

THE JUDGE’S ORDER BLOCKING THE FREEZE  IS ONLY IN PLACE UNTIL FEBRUARY 3-RD, AS OF NOW.

ALSO ON TUESDAY — PRESIDENT TRUMP SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER RESTRICTING GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE FOR TRANSGENDER MINORS. 

THE ORDER CHANGED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S OFFICIAL POLICY.  IT WILL NO LONGER QUOTE “FUND, SPONSOR, PROMOTE, ASSIST, OR SUPPORT THE SO-CALLED ‘TRANSITION’ OF A CHILD FROM ONE SEX TO ANOTHER.” 

THAT INCLUDES SURGICAL INTERVENTIONS AND THE USE OF PUBERTY BLOCKERS OR SEX HORMONES. 

THE ORDER SAYS THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MUST REVIEW THE TERMS OF INSURANCE COVERAGE UNDER MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TO END SOME GENDER-AFFIRMING PROCEDURES FOR AMERICANS YOUNGER THAN 19. 

IT ALSO GAVE THE DEPARTMENT 90 DAYS TO RELEASE A NEW SET OF BEST PRACTICES, MEANT TO REVISE GUIDANCE FROM THE WORLD PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR TRANSGENDER HEALTH, WHICH THE ORDER CALLED “JUNK SCIENCE.” 

THE ORDER ALSO DIRECTS THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO INVESTIGATE STATES THAT PROTECT ACCESS TO THE SEX CHANGE PROCEDURES.

IN A MOVE TO DOWNSIZE THE GOVERNMENT — PRESIDENT TRUMP IS OFFERING FEDERAL WORKERS A CHOICE: DECIDE BY NEXT WEEK IF THEY ARE GOING TO RESIGN OR RETURN TO THE OFFICE. 

ON HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE — THE PRESIDENT SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER MANDATING **ALL** FEDERAL EMPLOYEES GO BACK, TO IN-PERSON WORK, INSTEAD OF WORKING FROM HOME. 

NOW, A NEW MEMO, PUT OUT LAST NIGHT BY THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT,  SAYS THOSE WORKERS MUST DECIDE, WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO, AND IF THEY WILL **OPT-IN** BY FEBRUARY 6-TH. 

THEY’RE BEING OFFERED THE OPTION OF “DEFERRED RESIGNATION” — WHICH MEANS THAT WHILE THEY HAVE TO MAKE THEIR DECISION BY NEXT WEEK, THEY WON’T BE OUT OF A JOB UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30-TH. 

THOSE WHO DO DECIDE TO RESIGN WILL STILL GET FULL PAY AND BENEFITS, WHILE BEING EXEMPT FROM IN-PERSON WORK, UNTIL THEN. 

IN A STATEMENT, THE WHITE HOUSE SAID : “WE’RE FIVE YEARS PAST COVID AND JUST 6 PERCENT OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WORK FULL-TIME IN THE OFFICE. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.” 

A SENIOR WHITE HOUSE OFFICIAL TOLD C-B-S NEWS UP TO 10 PERCENT OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE THE DEAL — OR ABOUT 200-THOUSAND PEOPLE. 

THE MEMO ALSO CAUTIONED THOSE WHO DECIDE **NOT** TO ACCEPT THE BUYOUT,  COULD STILL LOSE THEIR JOB IF THEIR POSITION ENDS UP BEING ELIMINATED UNDER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

TO INTERNATIONAL NEWS NOW — SEVERAL PEOPLE ARE FEARED DEAD THIS MORNING AFTER A RITUAL IN INDIA TOOK A TRAGIC TURN. 

A MASSIVE CROWD OF PILGRIMS — TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HINDUS — RUSHED TO TAKE RITUAL BATHS IN SACRED RIVERS AT A FESTIVAL IN NORTHERN INDIA. 

THE RUSH OF PEOPLE LED TO A STAMPEDE, AS FESTIVAL-GOERS TRIED TO JUMP BARRICADES. 

HINDUS BELIEVE THAT A SWIM OR DIP IN THE CONFLUENCE OF THREE RIVERS THERE WILL CLEANSE THEM OF THEIR SINS AND END THEIR PROCESS OF REINCARNATION. 

SOME LOCAL WEBSITES ARE SAYING UP TO TEN PEOPLE HAVE DIED. 

IN A TELEVISED STATEMENT — THE TOP ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE REGION MENTIONED THERE WERE SOME SERIOUS INJURIES BUT DID NOT ELABORATE.  

INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI CALLED THE INCIDENT “VERY SAD” AND SENT HIS CONDOLENCES TO THE VICTIMS.  

POLICE TRIED TO MANAGE THE CROWDS AS PEOPLE’S BELONGINGS SUCH AS CLOTHES, BLANKETS AND BACKPACKS WERE STREWN ABOUT. 

INCREDIBLE NUMBERS THIS MORNING AS THE OFFICIAL SAID ABOUT 30 MILLION PEOPLE HAD TAKEN THE HOLY BATH BY EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING.

“The world has not made sufficient progress on existential risks, threatening all of humanity.” 

THAT OMINOUS WARNING COMING FROM SOME OF THE WORLD’S TOP SCIENTISTS AS THEY SET THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK ANOTHER SECOND CLOSER TO MIDNIGHT. 

THE CLOCK TO SYMBOLIZE  HOW CLOSE HUMANITY IS TO DESTROYING THE WORLD. 

THE BULLETIN OF ATOMIC SCIENTISTS MOVED THE MINUTE HAND ON THEIR CLOCK TO 89 SECONDS TO MIDNIGHT YESTERDAY. 

THE CLOCK HAD BEEN AT 90 SECONDS TO MIDNIGHT FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. 

THIS IS THE CLOSEST IT’S EVER BEEN TO MIDNIGHT SINCE THE ADVOCACY GROUP STARTED USING THE CLOCK IN 19-47. 

THEIR DECISION WAS BASED ON COUNTRIES WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS QUOTE “INVESTING HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN WEAPONS THAT CAN DESTROY CIVILIZATION MANY TIMES OVER.” 

THEY ALSO CITED PROGRESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF WHAT THEY CALL “DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES” — SUCH AS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

FINALLY THIS MORNING — MYSTERY SOLVED? 

THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THE MYSTERIOUS DRONES SPOTTED IN THE SKIES ABOVE NEW JERSEY LAST MONTH WERE NOT SO MYSTERIOUS AT ALL. 

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT SAYS MANY OF THE DRONES HAD RECEIVED AUTHORIZATION FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION TO FLY FOR – “RESEARCH PURPOSES AND VARIOUS OTHER REASONS” INCLUDING FOR RECREATION. 

THE DRONES SPARKED CONCERNS IN DECEMBER, PEOPLE WHO LIVE ALONG THE EAST COAST — MAINLY IN NEW JERSEY, — SPOTTED DRONES, HOVERING ABOVE,  NIGHT AFTER NIGHT.   MANY PEOPLE WENT OUT AND CAPTURED VIDEO — INCLUDING LAWMAKERS — AND THEN DEMANDED ANSWERS. 

IN RESPONSE TO PUBLIC CONCERN — THE F-A-A PUT DRONE BANS IN PLACE OVER CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE. 

THOSE BANS HAVE SINCE EXPIRED. 

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S EXPLANATION IS IN LINE WITH WHAT BIDEN ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS SAID AT THE TIME.