A U.S. judge on Thursday extended the deadline for federal workers to consider a buyout offer from the Trump administration, delaying the original midnight cutoff until at least Monday as labor unions urged employees to remain in their positions.
U.S. District Judge George O’Toole’s ruling in Boston marks a temporary victory for labor unions that have sued to block the buyout program entirely. A follow-up hearing is scheduled for Monday, where the deadline could be extended further.
The Trump administration has pushed for workers to accept the offer, which would provide payments through October, as part of an effort to significantly reduce the U.S. civil service.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that more than 40,000 federal employees—about 2% of the government’s 2.3 million civilian workforce—have accepted the buyout so far. In a typical year, about 6% of federal employees retire or resign, according to the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service.
The administration warned earlier Thursday that employees who decline the buyout could still face job cuts.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump could meet in February or March, a senior Russian lawmaker said Thursday.
Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the State Duma’s International Affairs Committee, said preparations for the meeting were at an “advanced stage.”
“Whether it’s February or March, let’s not speculate — let the leaders competently and comprehensively prepare for it,” Slutsky said, adding that more details would be released soon.
The Kremlin confirmed Wednesday that Russian officials had recently increased contacts with members of Trump’s administration. Trump said Sunday that White House officials were in discussions with Russia about ending the war in Ukraine but did not confirm whether he had spoken directly with Putin.
Putin said last month that he was open to meeting with Trump to discuss Ukraine and other issues of mutual interest.
Slutsky suggested the talks could cover key global issues, including Ukraine, the Middle East, and international relations. His comments followed a closed-door briefing by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the State Duma, according to Kremlin-aligned Telegram channels.
A U.S. military service member and three defense contractors were killed on Thursday when their aircraft crashed in the Philippines, according to a statement from the U.S. military.
The aircraft, which was contracted by the U.S. military, had been conducting an intelligence and surveillance support mission at the time of the crash.
Officials have not yet disclosed the cause of the incident or the type of aircraft involved. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
The tragedy underscores the risks associated with U.S. military operations in the region, as Washington continues to strengthen security ties with Manila amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
Australia has introduced mandatory jail terms ranging from one to six years for hate symbols and terrorism-related offenses, following a series of high-profile antisemitic attacks that have sparked nationwide debate.
The amendments, passed in parliament on Thursday, have been described by the government as the “toughest laws Australia has ever had against hate crimes.”
Under the new laws, individuals caught performing a Nazi salute or displaying hate symbols now face a minimum of one year in prison. Other penalties include a mandatory three-year sentence for financing terrorism and six years for committing or planning terrorist acts.
The changes come amid a rise in antisemitic attacks across the country. Last week, authorities in Sydney discovered a caravan filled with explosives and an antisemitic note. This followed an arson attack on a childcare center near a Jewish school and synagogue, where antisemitic graffiti was found on the walls.
In December, a synagogue in Melbourne was set ablaze with worshippers inside. While no one was seriously injured, the incident sent shockwaves throughout Australia.
Despite the tough new measures, the governing Labor Party has faced criticism for allegedly backtracking on its long-standing opposition to mandatory sentencing. Former Labor senator Kim Carr called the amendments a “clear breach of the Labor Party national platform,” which opposes mandatory jail terms on the grounds that they do not effectively reduce crime and undermine judicial independence.
However, opposition parties also criticized Labor, accusing the government of acting too slowly. “The parliament is not acting today because of the decisiveness of the Labor Party,” Liberal senator James Paterson said. “The prime minister has been dragged kicking and screaming to finally introduce tough legislation that will ensure there are real penalties for this behavior.”
Performing Nazi salutes and displaying Nazi symbols, such as the swastika, have been illegal since January 2024, carrying up to one year in jail. The latest amendments make those sentences mandatory.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke defended the legislation, emphasizing that it was about public safety rather than politics.
“This is about whether the Australian Parliament believes it’s acceptable to advocate, threaten, or commit violence against another person because of who they are, who they pray to, or who they love,” Burke said as he introduced the amendments.
The new laws mark a significant shift in Australia’s approach to hate crimes, as the country grapples with rising concerns over extremism and community safety.
A convoy of Mexican National Guard and Army trucks patrolled the border between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, marking the first wave of 10,000 troops deployed to Mexico’s northern frontier in response to U.S. tariff threats.
Masked and armed National Guard members combed through brush along the border barrier, removing makeshift ladders and ropes hidden in trenches before loading them onto trucks. Similar patrols were spotted in other high-traffic areas near Tijuana.
The deployment follows a week of tense negotiations after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would delay imposing tariffs on Mexican goods for at least a month. In exchange, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to send the National Guard to bolster border security and crack down on fentanyl smuggling.
Trump has maintained that the U.S. border remains in a state of emergency, despite official data showing declines in migration and fentanyl-related overdoses over the past year. As part of the agreement, the U.S. also pledged to increase efforts to curb the flow of American firearms into Mexico, where cartel violence continues to escalate.
On Tuesday, the first wave of National Guard troops arrived in border cities, disembarking from government aircraft. Troops confirmed their mission during Wednesday’s patrols.
“There will be permanent surveillance on the border,” José Luis Santos Iza, a National Guard commander overseeing the deployment in Ciudad Juárez, told reporters. “This operation is primarily to prevent drug trafficking from Mexico to the United States, mainly fentanyl.”
Government figures show Ciudad Juárez will receive at least 1,650 troops, making it one of the largest recipients of reinforcements, second only to Tijuana, which is set to receive 1,949 personnel.
During U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent diplomatic tour of Latin America, where migration was a key topic, the Mexican government said Rubio expressed gratitude for Mexico’s efforts to tighten border security.
The move by Sheinbaum, Mexico’s newly elected leader, has been interpreted as a strategic political maneuver. Analysts had questioned whether she could handle negotiations with the Trump administration as effectively as her predecessor and ally, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
By securing a delay in U.S. tariffs while avoiding direct confrontation, Sheinbaum’s approach signals a pragmatic stance toward U.S.-Mexico relations, a dynamic likely to remain crucial as Trump’s presidency progresses.
Thousands of protesters in Bangladesh set fire to the home of the country’s founding leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, as his daughter, ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, called on her supporters to resist the interim government.
The South Asian nation, home to 170 million people, has faced ongoing political strife since Hasina fled to neighboring India in August following weeks of violent protests against her rule that left more than 1,000 dead.
– Demolition of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s house continues for a second day
– Hasina calls on supporters to stand against the interim government
Witnesses reported that thousands of demonstrators, some carrying sticks and hammers, gathered outside the historic residence and independence monument late Wednesday. Others arrived with a crane and an excavator to dismantle the building.
By Thursday, much of the house’s front facade had been destroyed, with protesters breaking inside to remove steel, wooden fixtures, and books. The attack was part of a wider demonstration, dubbed the “Bulldozer Procession,” aimed at disrupting Hasina’s scheduled online address.
Many protesters, including members of the “Students Against Discrimination” group, expressed anger over Hasina’s speech, viewing it as a direct challenge to the newly formed interim government.
The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has struggled to control the escalating unrest. Demonstrators have increasingly targeted symbols associated with Hasina’s administration, including the residence of her father, which was first set ablaze in August.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s house holds deep historical significance, as it was from there that he declared Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971. Mujibur Rahman and most of his family were assassinated there in 1975, with Hasina among the few survivors. She later converted the house into a museum honoring her father’s legacy.
“They can demolish a building, but not history. History takes its revenge,” Hasina said in her speech Wednesday, urging Bangladeshis to resist the interim government, which she accused of taking power unconstitutionally.
Yunus’ press office distanced the administration from the attack on Mujibur Rahman’s residence, calling it “unintended and unwanted” but attributing it to anger over Hasina’s leadership.
“Sheikh Hasina has insulted and humiliated those who sacrificed themselves in the July uprising,” Yunus’ office said in a statement. “Sheikh Hasina has threatened to create instability in the country.”
Political analysts suggest that those who led last year’s movement against Hasina fear she could return to power, reviving her Awami League party.
Despite promises of reform, Bangladesh’s interim government has yet to deliver significant economic or social changes, according to Shakil Ahmed, associate professor of government and politics at Jahangirnagar University.
“The government is managing politics, not the economy and society,” Ahmed said, noting that the ongoing unrest stems from deeper economic and social grievances.
Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL.O), has announced it will eliminate its hiring goals for underrepresented groups and review diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, following similar moves by other major U.S. corporations.
“In 2020, we set aspirational hiring goals and focused on growing our offices outside California and New York to improve representation,” Alphabet’s Chief People Officer Fiona Cicconi wrote in an internal email reviewed by Reuters. “But in the future, we will no longer have aspirational goals.”
Google had previously been a strong advocate for workplace diversity, particularly in response to 2020 protests over the police killings of George Floyd and other Black Americans. That year, CEO Sundar Pichai set a goal for 30% of Google’s leadership to come from underrepresented groups by 2025. At the time, 96% of Google’s U.S. leadership was white or Asian, and 73% of leaders worldwide were men.
In 2021, Google began incorporating diversity and inclusion into executive performance evaluations, following the high-profile departure of an artificial intelligence researcher who alleged she was fired for criticizing the company’s diversity efforts. Google’s Chief Diversity Officer Melonie Parker stated in a 2024 interview with the BBC that the company had achieved 60% of its five-year diversity goals.
On Wednesday, an Alphabet spokesperson confirmed that the company did not have updated figures regarding Pichai’s original diversity targets.
Alphabet’s recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission omitted a prior statement affirming its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as part of its mission. That language had appeared in the company’s annual reports from 2021 to 2024.
A company spokesperson said the wording change reflects Google’s ongoing review of DEI programs.
The Alphabet Workers Union criticized the decision, with union president Parul Koul stating, “This is a real attack on gains that workers have made in the tech industry through movements fighting against racism, gender, and LGBTQ discrimination. This is part of a troubling right-wing, anti-worker trend developing within tech companies that AWU is committed to fighting against.”
Google, a federal contractor providing cloud computing and other services to the U.S. government, also cited compliance with recent federal policy changes as a factor in its DEI review.
“Because we are a federal contractor, our teams are also evaluating changes to our programs required to comply with recent court decisions and U.S. Executive Orders on this topic,” Cicconi stated.
Despite these shifts, Google will maintain internal employee resource groups such as “Trans at Google,” “Black Googler Network,” and the “Disability Alliance,” which the company has said inform its product and policy decisions.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the internal memo on Wednesday.
Google joins other tech giants in scaling back DEI initiatives. In January, Meta Platforms (META.O) announced the discontinuation of DEI programs for hiring, training, and supplier selection. Amazon (AMZN.O) also confirmed in an internal memo that it was “winding down outdated programs and materials” related to representation and inclusion.
The corporate pullback comes as conservative groups, emboldened by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision striking down affirmative action in college admissions, intensify legal challenges against DEI policies in the private sector.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that no U.S. troops would be required for his proposal to take over the Gaza Strip, clarifying earlier comments that suggested a possible military presence.
In a statement on his Truth Social platform, Trump said Gaza would be “turned over to the United States at the conclusion of fighting.”
The clarification comes as administration officials appeared to temper the president’s initial language on the proposal. On Tuesday, Trump had suggested the U.S. would deploy troops “if necessary.”
Trump reiterated that Palestinians would be “resettled in far safer and more beautiful communities, with new and modern homes, in the region.” He did not specify locations, as Egypt and Jordan have publicly opposed taking in displaced Palestinians.
The president also said his administration is working “with great development teams from all over the world” on reconstruction plans for Gaza.
Trump’s comments follow his meeting Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, during which he proposed a U.S. takeover of Gaza, stating the site would be “leveled” and rebuilt.
The administration’s approach to Gaza is part of a broader reshaping of U.S. foreign policy under Trump’s second term.
The president is scheduled to speak Thursday at the National Prayer Breakfast before meeting with members of Congress and signing executive orders.
The White House appeared to backtrack Wednesday on President Donald Trump’s remarks suggesting that Palestinians should be permanently resettled from Gaza, following widespread criticism.
During a meeting Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump had proposed relocating Palestinians to a “beautiful area” where they could live permanently, away from ongoing violence in Gaza. He also suggested the United States could take over the territory, saying, “We’ll own it.”
His comments drew global condemnation, particularly after he described a vision for Gaza as “the Riviera of the Middle East” under long-term U.S. administration.
On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sought to clarify Trump’s remarks, stating that any relocation would be temporary.
“The president has made it clear that they need to be temporarily relocated out of Gaza for the rebuilding of this effort,” Leavitt told reporters.
She added, “It’s a demolition site right now. It’s not a livable place for any human being.”
Leavitt also stated that Trump “has not committed” to deploying U.S. troops to Gaza but did not rule out the possibility.
Netanyahu signaled support for the revised position, suggesting Middle Eastern countries could temporarily house displaced Palestinians during reconstruction. Speaking on Fox News’ “Hannity,” he said, “Neighboring states, wealthy states would do it… They can relocate and come back.”
Trump’s remarks come as nearly 16 months of Israeli bombardment have devastated Gaza, where the Hamas-run health ministry reports more than 47,000 casualties. The conflict escalated after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and led to the abduction of roughly 250 hostages.
U.S. immigration authorities launched a large-scale operation Wednesday in Aurora, Colorado, targeting alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The raids, led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), involved multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and U.S. Marshals Service.
The ICE Denver field office said on social media that the agencies aimed to locate and detain more than 100 suspected gang members. However, officials had not confirmed the number of arrests by midday.
The operation comes weeks after President Donald Trump held a rally in Aurora, where he outlined his immigration policies and announced plans for a nationwide crackdown on gangs, dubbed “Operation Aurora.”
Since taking office last month, Trump has issued a series of executive orders tightening immigration enforcement. Federal officials have since highlighted targeted operations across the country as part of what Trump has vowed will be mass deportations.
ICE Acting Director Caleb Vitello, speaking from one of the raid sites, said in a video posted on social media that the agency would continue its efforts against suspected criminals.
“As long as there are bad guys in the streets, we’re going to be out here arresting them,” Vitello said.
Aurora, a Denver suburb with a significant migrant population, has been at the center of discussions about gang activity. Some residents claim that Tren de Aragua has infiltrated the city, while local officials have dismissed those assertions as misleading and inflammatory.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston said in a statement that city officials were not involved in the raids and had not been given prior notice.
“Denver Police and city authorities were not involved in these actions,” Johnston said.
The Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, an advocacy group, criticized the operation, alleging that officers conducted raids at apartment complexes and did not show warrants to residents.
“Families are being prevented from leaving their homes—even to take their children to school,” the group said on social media. “This action, taking place in Aurora, a focal point of Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric, is a direct attempt to criminalize immigrant communities.”
Federal authorities have not responded to the allegations, and ICE has not confirmed how long the operation will continue.
