Judge extends block on Trump's federal assistance freeze indefinitely
CBSN
Washington — A federal judge in Rhode Island barred the Trump administration from freezing federal assistance, extending the block he put in place weeks ago in a case brought by a group of 23 states and the District of Columbia.
U.S. District Judge John McConnell issued a preliminary injunction Thursday that prohibits agencies from halting the flow of federal funds awarded to the states through grants, contracts or other financial assistance based on a memo from the Office of Management and Budget issued during President Trump's first days in office.
"The executive's categorical freeze of appropriated and obligated funds fundamentally undermines the distinct constitutional roles of each branch of our government," McConnell, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, wrote. "The interaction of the three co-equal branches of government is an intricate, delicate, and sophisticated balance — but it is crucial to our form of constitutional governance. Here, the executive put itself above Congress."
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday that the central bank can remain patient in adjusting its benchmark interest rate, citing uncertainty around potential impact of President Trump's economic policies.
The son of a Mexican drug cartel boss was sentenced to life in a U.S. prison for his leadership role in one of the country's largest and most violent narcotics trafficking organizations.
The Department of Homeland Security said Friday it is ending the collective bargaining agreement with the union representing thousands of frontline workers with the Transportation Security Administration, a decision the TSA union called an "unprovoked attack."
An arrest has been made in connection with the death of a 20-year-old Southern University student after an off-campus fraternity hazing ritual, Baton Rouge authorities announced Friday.
The Trump administration's barrage of tariffs on key U.S. trading partners and ongoing crackdown on immigration is likely to result in higher prices for American consumers and businesses, according to Wall Street analysts.
A South Carolina man is facing execution by firing squad Friday — the first execution of its kind in the U.S. since 2010 and just the fourth firing squad execution since the death penalty resumed in the country 49 years ago.
It was just a few months ago that Australia's beloved Pesto the Penguin went viral for weighing nearly 50 pounds at just 9 months old. Now, the U.S. has its own baby penguin that some are saying is "the new Pesto" with its massive size at such a young age.
An unmanned spaceplane sent into Earth's orbit in late 2023 returned on Friday, landing at California's Vandenberg Space Force Base overnight, the U.S. Space Force said on Friday.
President Trump suggested Thursday that members of the U.S.-led NATO transatlantic military alliance would not come to the aid of the U.S., should America come under attack. NATO members are bound to back each other militarily in the face of any aggression under the collective defense clause in the alliance's founding treaty.
Washington — President Trump said Friday that he is "strongly considering" imposing sanctions and tariffs on Russia until it agrees to a ceasefire and peace deal that would halt Moscow's three-year war with Ukraine.
Washington — Former Vice President Kamala Harris will decide whether she will run for governor of California in 2026 by the end of summer, a person familiar with her decision-making process said.
Employers across the U.S. added 151,000 jobs in February, below economists' forecasts and pointing to a slowdown in the labor market amid signs of slowing economic growth.
Washington — References to a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, the Enola Gay aircraft that dropped an atomic bomb on Japan and the first women to pass Marine infantry training are among the tens of thousands of photos and online posts marked for deletion as the Defense Department works to purge diversity, equity and inclusion content, according to a database obtained by The Associated Press.