A federal judge has directed the Trump administration to send full SNAP payments to states by Friday. U.S. District Judge John McConnell issued the order Thursday after two weeks of uncertainty over food stamp funding during the government shutdown. The administration had used $4.65 billion in contingency funds to cover about 65% of eligible households but declined to use funds reserved for child nutrition programs. (Story URL)
A White House press conference led by President Trump on Thursday was briefly halted after a man collapsed in the Oval Office. The event, streamed live, focused on lowering costs for weight loss drugs. The man fell near Trump’s desk while Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks was speaking. Reporters were escorted out as the White House Medical Unit responded. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later said the man was “okay.” (Story URL)
Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi announced she will not seek re-election after 40 years representing California in Congress. Pelosi, 85, shared her decision in a video posted on X, saying she looks forward to her final year of service. She called it her greatest honor to speak for the people of San Francisco. Her retirement follows the passage of California’s Prop 50, a redistricting measure she championed with Gov. Gavin Newsom. (Story URL)
The Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to enforce its rule ending the use of the “X” gender marker on U.S. passports. The 6-3 decision freezes a lower court order that had blocked the policy, which requires passports to list a person’s biological sex at birth. The ruling restores President Trump’s directive reversing a Biden-era policy that let applicants choose “M,” “F,” or “X” based on gender identity. (Story URL)
Forty U.S. airports will reduce flights as the federal government shutdown limits air traffic control staffing. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said, “Our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible.” He added that the cuts target areas under the most pressure. A source told ABC News the reductions will begin at 4% and rise to 10%, affecting operations from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Story URL)
