A federal judge rules the Trump administration’s deferred resignation program can move forward, affecting about two million government workers. And there are major developments regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025.
Hamas says it will release Israeli hostages on Saturday as planned
Hamas announced early Thursday morning, Feb. 13, it will release Israeli hostages this weekend as planned, resolving a major dispute that threatened the ceasefire in Gaza.
The terror group said mediators from Egypt and Qatar will work to “remove all hurdles,” and Hamas indicated it will release three more Israeli hostages on Saturday, Feb. 15.
Hamas had threatened to delay the hostages’ release, claiming Israel violated terms of the ceasefire.
President Donald Trump said “all hell would break out” if Hamas did not release the hostages, and Israel threatened to renew its offensive if the hostages were not freed as planned.
Mass firings begin as Trump admin looks to slash federal workforce: Reports
Multiple media outlets reported Thursday morning that mass firings of federal government employees began less than 24 hours after Trump signed an executive order giving Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) more power over the federal workforce.
CNN and Politico reported that probationary employees at the Department of Education and Small Business Administration were terminated on Wednesday, Feb. 12. These are the first mass firings under the new Trump administration, which is looking to shrink the federal workforce dramatically.
It also comes as a federal judge ruled the administration’s deferred resignation program can proceed. This news comes after about 75,000 employees have accepted the offer, allowing them to leave their jobs but be paid through the end of September.
Also Wednesday, five unions sued the Trump administration to block the possible firing of hundreds of thousands of additional federal employees who refuse to accept buyouts.
In a complaint filed in Washington, D.C. federal court, the unions accused the White House and others in the executive branch of undermining Congress’ role in creating and funding a federal workforce, violating separation of powers principles.
This workforce issue started when Trump began his new administration by demanding that federal employees who work remotely return to the office. He believes many employees are not producing and are taking advantage of the system.
NATO allies say Ukraine must be part of peace talks between US and Russia
Several NATO allies stressed that Ukraine and Europe must not be cut out of any peace negotiations after the Trump administration signaled it’s planning face-to-face talks with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine without involving them.
It also comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Ukraine should give up hopes of joining NATO or winning all of its territory back from Russia.
“We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine,” Hegseth told NATO allies during a meeting Wednesday. “But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering.”
He added, “The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops.”
On Wednesday, Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to begin negotiations immediately to end the war. In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president said he and Putin have decided to “work together very closely” to swiftly end the conflict in Ukraine, including visiting each other’s countries.
Trump later spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump said the conversation went well and that Zelenskyy wanted to make peace.
Zelenskyy posted on X that they “talked about opportunities to achieve peace” and “discussed our readiness to work together at the team level.”
On Thursday morning, the Wall Street Journal reported that Chinese officials had floated a proposal to the Trump team to hold a summit between Trump and Putin and facilitate peacekeeping efforts after an eventual truce. However, the Journal said a White House official said that option was “not viable at all.”
So, what happens next? On Friday, Feb. 14, Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a delegation to the Munich Security Conference to meet with Zelenskyy.
Senate to vote on RFK Jr., Linda McMahon nominations Thursday
On Thursday, the Senate will confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for health secretary. The Senate cleared a major procedural hurdle to his nomination on Wednesday.
Senators voted 53-47 along party lines to end debate on Kennedy’s nomination, teeing him up for a final vote.
Since his nomination, Kennedy has faced scrutiny from both sides of the aisle over his previous stances on health matters, most notably on the effectiveness of vaccines. One senator even pressed him on whether he was a conspiracy theorist.
For his part, Kennedy vowed to make America healthy again through nutrition and food choices as well as address obesity rates and other health problems.
A confirmation hearing will also be held Thursday for Trump’s education secretary pick, Linda McMahon.
She could soon lead the federal Department of Education despite several former WWE employees and current and former education officials raising concerns about her suitability for the position.
Critics questioned her lack of education experience. Also, there was a lawsuit alleging McMahon was involved in turning a blind eye to child sex abuse during her tenure as a WWE executive and how she might implement executive orders on gender issues and school choice.
So far, no Republicans have objected to McMahon leading the DOE, giving her a clear path to confirmation. The hearing also comes amid reports that Trump plans to dismantle the federal education department completely.
Department of Justice sues New York, local leaders
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Wednesday the justice department is suing New York state over its policy of not cooperating with the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. The lawsuit targets New York’s “green light law,” which grants driver’s licenses to people in this country illegally.
“New York has chosen to prioritize illegal aliens over American citizens,” Bondi said. “It stops and it stops today.”
In addition, the law bars questions about a person’s immigration status and bans the state Department of Motor Vehicles from sharing information with law enforcement or federal agencies unless directed to be a judge.
Bondi added, “If you don’t comply with federal law, we will hold you accountable. We did it to Illinois; strike one. Strike two is New York, and if you are a state that’s not complying with federal law, you’re next, get ready.”
The lawsuit names New York’s Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, Democratic Attorney General Letitia James and the head of the DMV. Mark Schroeder, saying from vehicle stops to border crossings to executing arrests and searches, immigration authorities depend on these records to assess in real-time the situations they face and the people they encounter.
Hochul’s press secretary issued a response saying Hochul “supports deporting violent criminals who break our laws, believes that law-abiding families should not be targets and will coordinate with federal authorities who have a judicial warrant.”
James also said, “Our state laws, including the green light law, protect the rights of all New Yorkers and keep our communities safe.”
Reports Thursday indicated that Gov. Hochul and Trump agreed to meet next week when she travels to Washington for the National Governor’s Association meeting.
Musk’s X to pay $10M to settle Trump lawsuit: Reports
X, the social media platform owned by close Trump ally Elon Musk, agreed to pay to settle a lawsuit from the president over being kicked off the platform, then known as Twitter, following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots.
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, court filings from this week show that both parties filed a motion to dismiss the appeal and pay their own costs. X agreed to pony up about $10 million. A judge granted the dismissal on Monday, Feb. 10.
Last month, Meta settled a similar lawsuit for $25 million regarding the suspension of Trump’s Facebook account after Jan. 6.
9 elephants trumpet happiness after move to new home
A herd of elephants in Australia literally trumpeted the end of their move to a new home. It was a move that was years in the making.
The herd, comprised of one adult male Asian elephant, five adult females and three two-year-old calves, seemed happy with their new digs after making the 25-mile trip from the zoo in the heart of Melbourne to the Werribee Open Range Zoo.
The animals’ new enclosure is ten times bigger than their former home.
The move took nearly two years of planning, three convoys of specially made air-conditioned trucks, a police escort and synchronized traffic lights to make it happen.