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A2 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 29 January 2025

Legal battle is joined as Trump orders a funding freeze during a

review of federal loans and grants

By CHRIS MEGERIAN general announced a law-
Associated Press suit asking a federal judge
WASHINGTON (AP) — The to block the Republican
White House is pausing fed- president’s moves.
eral grants and loans start- “There is no question this
ing Tuesday as President policy is reckless, danger-
Donald Trump’s adminis- ous, illegal and unconstitu-
tration begins an across- tional,” said New York Attor-
the-board ideological re- ney General Letitia James,
view of its spending, caus- who added that the fund-
ing confusion and panic ing freeze is already hurting
among organizations that vital programs.
rely on Washington for their Her California counterpart,
financial lifeline. Rob Bonta, said he fears
Administration officials said the move will affect money
the decision was necessary for wildfire recovery. And
to ensure that all funding Peter Neronha in Rhode Is-
complies with Trump’s ex- land described the pause
ecutive orders, which are as “a ham-handed way to
intended to undo progres- run a government.”
sive steps on transgender The issue dominated the
rights, environmental justice first briefing held by White
and diversity, equity and in- President Donald Trump speaks to reporters aboard Air Force One en route from Miami to Joint House press secretary Karo-
clusion, or DEI, efforts. Base Andrews, Md., Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. line Leavitt.
They also said that federal Associated Press She said the administra-
assistance to individuals freeze could affect trillions tives. Even grants that have access money from Medic- tion was trying to be “good
would not be affected, of dollars, at least tem- been awarded but not aid and Head Start, stirring stewards” of public money
including Social Security, porarily, and cause wide- spent are supposed to be anxiety with answers hard by making sure that there
Medicare, food stamps, spread disruption in health halted. State agencies and to come by in Washington. was “no more funding
student loans and scholar- care research, education early education centers ap- Court battles are imminent, for transgenderism and
ships.However, the funding programs and other initia- peared to be struggling to and Democratic attorneys wokeness.”q

‘Doomsday Clock’ moves closer to midnight amid threats of

climate change, nuclear war, pandemics, AI

Earth is moving closer to de- past two years and “when weapons, and that’s terrify-
struction, a science-orient- you are at this precipice, ing.”
ed advocacy group said the one thing you don’t Starting in 1947, the advo-
Tuesday as it advanced its want to do is take a step cacy group used a clock
famous “Doomsday Clock” forward,” said Daniel Holz, to symbolize the poten-
to 89 seconds till midnight, chair of the group’s sci- tial and even likelihood of
the closest it has ever been. ence and security board. people doing something to
The Bulletin of the Atomic The group said it’s con- end humanity.
Scientists made the annu- cerned about cooperation After the end of the Cold
al announcement which between countries such War, it was as close as 17
rates how close human- as North Korea, Russia and minutes to midnight. In the
ity is from ending citing China in developing nucle- past few years, to address
threats that include climate ar programs. Russia Presi- rapid global changes, the
change, proliferation of dent Vladimir Putin has also group has changed from
nuclear weapons, instabil- Former Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, second talked about using nuclear counting down the minutes
ity in the Middle East, the from left, and Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists member Robert weapons in his war against until midnight to counting
threat of pandemics and Socolow, second from right, reveal the Doomsday Clock, set Ukraine. down the seconds.
incorporation of artificial in- at 89 seconds to midnight, as fellow members Herbert Lin, left, “A lot of the rhetoric is The group said the clock
telligence in military opera- and Suzet McKinney, right, watch during a news conference at very disturbing,” Holz said. could be turned back if
tions. the United States Institute of Peace, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in “There is this growing sense leaders and nations worked
The clock had stood at 90 Washington. Associated Press that ... some nation might together to address exis-
seconds to midnight for the end up using nuclear tential risks.q