A U.S. judge temporarily blocked part of the Trump administration’s directive to freeze federal loans, grants, and other financial assistance. This freeze, which was set to affect billions of dollars in funding for education, healthcare, disaster relief, and other essential programs, was scheduled to take effect on January 29 but was halted by U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan until February 3. The White House had implemented the freeze to align federal spending with President Trump’s recent executive orders, particularly those ending diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Several states, including New York, Massachusetts, and California, filed a lawsuit to protect essential federal funding, especially for Medicaid. Critics, including law professors, argued the freeze violated Congress's control over public funding. While the Justice Department had not yet responded, the White House maintained that the freeze would not affect programs Americans rely on. Another court hearing is scheduled to discuss the matter further.
A U.S. judge ordered Yahoo Inc to face a nationwide class-action lawsuit accusing it of illegally intercepting the content of emails sent to Yahoo Mail subscribers from non-Yahoo Mail accounts, and using the information to boost advertising revenue.