DOJ Investigates Group Linked to Reid Hoffman Over E. Jean Carroll Lawsuit Funding 
Brazil Supreme Court Convicts Eduardo Bolsonaro Over U.S. Lobbying Efforts 
Frank Stronach Found Guilty of Sexual Assault and Indecent Assault in Ontario Court 
Pakistan, Qatar Mediation Secures Preliminary U.S.-Iran Deal Amid High-Stakes Negotiations 
Judge Dismisses Trump Administration Lawsuit Against Boston Sanctuary City Policy 
U.S. Reinstates Sanctions on U.N. Expert Francesca Albanese Amid Legal Battle 
Zelenskiy Backs Lula’s Peace Initiative as Ukraine Seeks New Diplomatic Path to End War 
US Military Strike in Eastern Pacific Kills Three Amid Legal and Human Rights Concerns 
U.S.-Iran Talks in Switzerland Postponed as Questions Over Interim Deal Persist 
HSBC Australia Faces A$35M Penalty Over Scam Protection Failures 
Trump Lawyers Face Scrutiny After Missing Deadline in $10 Billion BBC Defamation Lawsuit 
Australia Sues 3M for Over A$2 Billion Over PFAS Firefighting Foam Contamination 
Bolivia Nears End to 50-Day Crisis After Government Reaches Deal With Workers 
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Renovation Faces Scrutiny After Paint Peels 
US Appeals Court Allows Trump Military Enlistment Ban on Transgender Recruits, Protects Current Service Members 
South Korea Ex-President Yoon Suk Yeol Sentenced to 30 Years Over Martial Law Plot 
Sable Offshore Wins Key Court Battle Over California Oil Pipeline 
A federal judge in California has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s plans to carry out mass layoffs of federal employees amid the ongoing government shutdown. U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued the order on Wednesday, siding with two labor unions that argued the layoffs were unlawful.
The decision pauses job cuts across more than 30 federal agencies while the case proceeds. The ruling is expected to be appealed, but it offers immediate relief to thousands of federal workers facing termination as the partial shutdown continues into its third week.
According to court filings, about 4,100 employees from eight agencies have already received layoff notices. The White House had recently announced plans for broader workforce reductions, with Budget Director Russell Vought stating that more than 10,000 jobs could be eliminated. President Donald Trump also extended a hiring freeze for federal positions, excluding military and political appointees.
Judge Illston cited statements by Trump and Vought suggesting political motives behind the cuts, including claims that the layoffs would target “Democrat agencies.” She emphasized that such politically motivated actions violate federal law, saying, “You can’t do that in a nation of laws.”
Democracy Forward, representing the unions—the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees—hailed the ruling as a victory for civil servants. “Playing games with workers’ livelihoods is cruel and unlawful,” said Skye Perryman, the group’s president.
Illston ordered the administration to submit a detailed report by Friday outlining any pending layoffs and steps being taken to comply with her order. The Justice Department declined to comment on the legality of the layoffs during the hearing.
The ruling underscores escalating tensions between the White House and federal workers as the shutdown continues without a funding agreement in Congress.
