In the news today: A federal judge removed a key legal hurdle for President Trump’s plan to trim the federal workforce; the Trump administration on Wednesday offered its clearest look yet at how they might try to end the war in Ukraine; and Germany’s far-right party is heading for its strongest national election result yet. Also, a deep-sea telescope has spotted the most energetic ghost particle identified to date.
President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office on Wednesday. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
POLITICS
Judge removes key legal hurdle for Trump’s plan to trim federal workforce with deferred resignations
A federal judge on Wednesday removed a key legal hurdle stalling President Donald Trump’s plan to downsize the federal workforce with a deferred resignation program. The Boston-based judge’s order in the challenge filed by a group of labor unions was a significant legal victory for the Republican president after a string of courtroom setbacks. Read more.
Key points:
About 75,000 federal workers accepted the offer to quit in return for being paid until Sept. 30, according to McLaurine Pinover, a spokesperson for the Office of Personnel Management. She said the deferred resignation program “provides generous benefits so federal workers can plan for their futures,” and it was now closed to additional workers.
U.S. District Judge George O’Toole Jr. in Boston found that the unions weren’t directly affected, so they didn’t have legal standing to challenge the program, commonly described as a buyout.
"But it’s not the end of that fight. Importantly, this decision did not address the underlying lawfulness of the program,” American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley said in a statement.
Hegseth suggests Ukraine should abandon hope of winning all territory back from Russia
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that NATO membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and suggested Kyiv should abandon hopes of winning all its territory back from Russia and instead prepare for a negotiated peace settlement to be backed up by international troops. Read more.
Why this matters:
Hours later, President Donald Trump said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin hadagreed to begin negotiations on ending the Ukraine war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said Zelenskyy and Trump also had a phone conversation.
Taken together, the statements by Trump and Hegseth offered the clearest look yet at how the new administration might try to end the war.
A far-right party is heading for its strongest result yet in Germany’s election
This February 23, Alternative for Germany is heading for its strongest national election result yet and is fielding its first candidate to lead the country. Read more.
Why this matters:
The far-right party first entered Germany’s national parliament eight years ago on the back of discontent with the arrival of large numbers of migrants in the mid-2010s, and curbing migration remains its signature theme. But the party has proven adept at harnessing discontent with other issues: Germany’s move away from fossil fuels, restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and support for Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly three years ago.
The AfD’s rise has coincided with that of far-right parties in many other European countries, including Austria’s Freedom Party and the National Rally in France.The party has also found an enthusiastic supporter in billionaire Elon Musk.
Scientists prepare to lower equipment used to detect neutrinos into the Mediterranean Sea. (Paschal Coyle, KM3NeT via AP)
A deep-sea neutrino telescope spots the most energetic ghost particle yet A neutrino detector submerged in the Mediterranean Sea has sniffed out the most energetic ghost particle yet, scientists reported Wednesday. The newly detected neutrino is around 30 times more active than the previous recordholder. Scientists think it came from outside the Milky Way galaxy but its exact source remains a mystery.
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