A showdown possible of reaching the Supreme Court looms between the Trump administration and state attorneys general over the administration’s move to freeze federal aid and certain programs. And President Donald Trump gives federal employees an ultimatum, with a deadline to decide whether they’ll return to full-time in-person work. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.
Judge temporarily blocks Trump federal funding freeze
President Donald Trump’s freeze on federal grants and loans has set the stage for a potential Supreme Court showdown. A federal judge temporarily blocked the move on Tuesday, Jan. 28, after nonprofit groups and more than 20 Democratic state attorneys general filed lawsuits over it.
A memo sent by the Office of Management and Budget on Monday, Jan. 27, immediately sparked questions about its implications for federal assistance programs such as Medicare, nonprofits and Americans enrolled in government aid programs.
Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor outlined the key issues and what’s at stake.
Trump signs order restricting gender-affirming care for people under 19
Trump signed an executive order Tuesday, restricting gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The order changed the federal government’s official policy.
The federal government will no longer “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 said 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 directed the Department of Justice to investigate states that protect access to sex change procedures.
Trump administration offers federal employees buyout option
In a move to downsize the government, Trump offered federal workers a choice to decide by next week whether to resign or return to the office.
On his first day in office, the president signed an executive order mandating that all federal employees return to in-person work instead of working from home. A new memo released Tuesday by the Office of Personnel Management said those workers must decide whether to opt in by Feb. 6.
They’re being offered the option of “deferred resignation,” which means that while they must make their decision by next week, they won’t be out of a job until Sept. 30. Those who do decide to resign will still get full pay and benefits and are exempt from in-person work until then.
“We’re five years past COVID and just 6% of federal employees work full-time in the office. That is unacceptable,” the White House said in a statement.
A senior White House official told CBS News up to 10% of federal employees are expected to take the deal — about 200,000 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.
Several feared dead after stampede at India’s Kumbh Mela religious festival
Several people are feared dead after a ritual in India took a tragic turn Wednesday, Jan. 29. A massive crowd of pilgrims rushed to take ritual baths in sacred rivers at a festival in northern India, leading to a stampede.
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 reported at least ten people have died.
In a televised statement, a top elected official said 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. Officials said about 30 million people had taken the holy bath by early Wednesday morning.
Doomsday Clock now closest it’s ever been to midnight
Some of the world’s top scientists shared an ominous warning as they set the Doomsday Clock another second closer to midnight. The clock symbolizes 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 Tuesday.
“The world has not made sufficient progress on existential risks, threatening all of humanity,” said chair Daniel Holz.
The clock sat 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 1947.
The decision was based on countries with nuclear weapons “investing hundreds of billions of dollars in weapons that can destroy civilization many times over.”
The group also cited progress in developing “disruptive technologies,” such as artificial intelligence.
Mysterious drones were authorized by the FAA: White House
The White House said the drones spotted in the skies above New Jersey last month were not so mysterious.
On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the FAA authorized the drones to fly for “research purposes and various other reasons.”
The drones sparked concerns in December when people along the East Coast spotted drones hovering in the sky nightly. Many people captured videos, including lawmakers, and demanded answers.
The FAA implemented drone bans over critical infrastructure in response to public concern. Those bans have since expired.
The Trump administration’s explanation aligned with what Biden administration officials said previously.
