Federal agencies

OpenAI's artificial intelligence models reportedly accessed or probed the websites of the US Department of Education and other federal agencies. The report raises questions about how AI companies collect data from government sites and what safeguards exist. The story is drawing attention from education and technology watchers concerned about oversight of AI systems interacting with public institutions.

President Trump has canceled $810 million in federal spending, according to an NPR explainer on what the cuts cover and how they are being carried out. The canceled outlays reportedly span programs and grants affected by the administration's cost-cutting push, with details on which agencies and projects lose funding still emerging. Coverage focuses on what the money funded and the legal questions around the president unilaterally canceling appropriations.

Donald Trump has spoken out publicly, declaring 'we caught them' in a statement picked up by international media. The remark suggests authorities have apprehended individuals connected to an unspecified case, though details about who was caught and in what context have not been confirmed. Commentators are closely watching for further clarification from the White House and federal agencies.

The ACLU has filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security alleging inhumane conditions at the largest immigration detention facility in the United States. The suit targets the federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement and detention, though specific allegations and the facility's identity were not detailed in initial reports.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed the Pentagon's cyber and intelligence agencies to make defending US elections a priority, according to Nextgov/FCW. The order signals a shift in how the defense apparatus approaches election security ahead of upcoming voting cycles. The directive is drawing attention given ongoing debate over the federal government's role in protecting elections from foreign interference and cyber threats.

Federal health agencies have connected an E. coli outbreak to a raw milk cheese brand, according to the CDC and FDA. The announcement, picked up by multiple US news outlets, signals an ongoing food safety investigation. Details on the brand, the number of illnesses, and affected states have not yet been made available in the initial reports.

A partial government shutdown has begun affecting the Department of Homeland Security, with funding talks underway between congressional negotiators and the White House. The impasse raises concerns over pay for DHS employees, border and immigration operations, TSA staffing, and disaster response readiness. Lawmakers are under pressure to reach a deal quickly to limit disruptions to critical security agencies.

Four environmental organizations filed a petition Thursday urging the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its approval of a startup's plan to beam on-demand sunlight from space to Earth. The groups argue the agency failed to consider the project's potential impacts on wildlife and astronomy, reopening debate over how the FCC reviews emerging space-based technologies.

The Trump administration is considering building a baseball park in Grand Teton National Park. Major League Baseball contacted the administration about hosting a game in a national park, and an agency official scouted Grand Teton as a possible location. The proposal has drawn attention because of questions over commercial development in protected federal parkland.

The NFL has asked the Department of Homeland Security to take down a social media post that drew parallels between violent tackles in American football and the treatment of immigrants. The confrontation between the league and a federal agency has drawn attention across sports and political circles, touching on immigration policy and the league's public image.

A federal judge has rejected the Trump administration's attempt to cut off funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The ruling blocks the administration's effort to defund the agency, which oversees consumer financial products and enforcement against financial firms. The decision is a setback for administration officials seeking to curb the bureau's operations, and is drawing attention from both consumer advocates and financial industry observers.

Researchers and fishermen in the United States are calling on federal agencies to maintain funding for a deep-ocean observation system that tracks conditions far below the surface. The system provides data used for fisheries management, storm forecasting and marine research, and both groups warn that losing it would leave coastal communities and scientists without critical information about changing ocean conditions.

A federal judge has blocked FEMA from conditioning antiterrorism grant funding on changes to election rules. The ruling stops the agency from using homeland security money as leverage over state election administration. The decision lands amid ongoing legal fights over federal authority over elections and conditions attached to federal funding, and is drawing attention from government, law and politics observers.

The FDA has announced a nationwide recall of cheese products linked to a multistate E. coli outbreak. The agency is pulling affected items from store shelves as officials work to trace the source of the contamination. Consumers are being urged to check their refrigerators and discard any recalled cheese to avoid possible illness.

The National Football League has objected to the Department of Homeland Security using NFL game highlights in material promoting immigration enforcement, according to reporting by The Washington Post. The league said the footage was being used without authorization, in a dispute that has drawn attention to how federal agencies leverage popular sports content for political messaging.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that the federal government may use Social Security data to help identify noncitizens registered to vote. The decision, reported by The Washington Post, clears the way for expanded data-sharing between agencies to verify voter eligibility. Supporters call it a safeguard for election integrity, while critics warn it could enable improper purges of eligible voters.

A federal judge has ruled that FEMA cannot tie homeland security grant funding to changes in election-related policies or administration. The decision limits the agency's ability to use disaster and security grants as leverage over how states run their elections. The ruling is being closely watched for its implications on federal power over state election procedures.

A court has again rejected the Trump administration's effort to cut off funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The ruling blocks, for now, attempts to zero out the agency's budget, which is financed by the Federal Reserve rather than congressional appropriations. The decision preserves the consumer watchdog's operations while litigation over the administration's authority to reshape independent agencies continues.

Germany is creating a digital repository, described as a 'Noah's Ark', to back up American climate data amid fears the Trump administration could alter or delete federal scientific records. The initiative would safeguard datasets from US agencies so researchers worldwide can continue accessing them. Observers say the move reflects growing international concern about the reliability of US government climate science and a broader effort to protect open scientific data.

A federal agency has filed a lawsuit against an Ohio-based Catholic health system, accusing it of antisemitism. Details of the specific allegations, the agency involved, and the health system's response have not yet been made widely available, and it is not yet clear what conduct prompted the legal action or what remedies regulators are seeking.

Senators Ed Markey and Jeff Merkley, along with Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Rashida Tlaib and Ayanna Pressley, have reintroduced legislation that would stop federal government use of facial recognition and other biometric surveillance technology. The measure, first put forward in earlier sessions of Congress, targets concerns over misidentification, privacy violations and disproportionate policing of communities of color, renewing a debate among civil liberties groups, law enforcement agencies and technology firms.

A federal watchdog has found that the Internal Revenue Service is failing to adequately document how it uses artificial intelligence across its operations. The review highlights gaps in records describing the agency's AI use cases, raising accountability and transparency concerns about how taxpayer data and automated tools are managed at the tax collection agency.

Retail industry groups are pressing the Federal Trade Commission to reconsider its guidance on personalized pricing, the practice of charging different customers different prices based on their data. The groups argue the agency's current approach could create compliance burdens and legal uncertainty for retailers using data-driven pricing tools.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is exploring new technologies to reduce improper payments and fraud across its programs. The agency is looking at tools that could better detect errors and fraudulent claims in Medicare and Medicaid disbursements, which represent significant federal spending. The announcement signals a push to modernize oversight of health program payments.

Members of Congress are pushing back against the National Archives' plans to relocate historical records documenting Asian American history. Lawmakers argue the move could limit public access to materials important to Asian American communities and heritage preservation. The dispute has turned into a public standoff between legislators and the federal agency over how these archival records should be stored and maintained.

Federal agencies have opened an investigation into an E. coli outbreak believed to be linked to cheese. Health officials are working to trace the contaminated product and determine the scope of the outbreak, while consumers are being advised to watch for recalls and symptoms. Food safety experts stress the importance of identifying the source quickly to prevent further illness.