Trump administration unlawfully directed mass worker terminations, judge rules
US federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration acted unlawfully when it ordered the mass dismissal of about 25,000 probationary federal employees in February, Reuters reported.
Judge William Alsup said the Office of Personnel Management had overstepped its authority, but he stopped short of reinstating the workers, pointing to limits set by the Supreme Court on judicial power over executive hiring and firing.
Instead, he ordered 19 agencies — including Defense, Veterans Affairs, Treasury and Agriculture — to correct affected employees’ records by November 14 and barred them from carrying out similar directives in the future.
According to Reuters, the case was brought by unions, nonprofits and the state of Washington, who argued the terminations caused lasting harm. The White House and plaintiffs’ representatives declined to comment on the ruling.
New French PM gives up predecessor's idea to cut back two public holidays
New French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has dropped his predecessor’s proposal to abolish two public holidays aimed at reducing the national deficit.
Lecornu, who took office on September 10, said he wants to focus on stability and dialogue with opposition parties rather than divisive measures, Reuters reported.
He now faces the challenge of forming a government, preparing the 2026 budget, and steering through a fractured parliament after France’s credit rating was downgraded to A+. Lecornu pledged a pragmatic approach, stressing that his priority is “neither instability nor stagnation.”
Over 100,000 anti-immigration protestors march in London
More than 100,000 people marched through central London on Saturday in one of the UK’s largest right-wing demonstrations in recent years, led by anti-immigration activist Tommy Robinson under the banner Unite the Kingdom, Reuters reported.
Police estimated about 110,000 joined the march, while a nearby counter-rally by Stand Up to Racism drew around 5,000 participants. Officers reported clashes as Robinson’s supporters attempted to breach cordons and reach opposing groups, with several police assaulted. Reinforcements, including mounted units, were deployed.
The march capped a tense summer marked by protests outside migrant housing. Demonstrators waved Union Jacks, St George’s Crosses, and some US and Israeli flags, with a number wearing MAGA hats. Many carried placards targeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer and demanding deportations, according to Reuters.
Students among 18 killed in Myanmar strike on Rakhine schools: Armed group
At least 18 people, mostly teenagers, were killed when Myanmar’s military bombed two private schools in Kyauktaw township of Rakhine state, western Myanmar, according to local media and the Arakan Army (AA).
The AA said a fighter jet dropped two bombs on the schools while students were inside. More than 20 others were injured, several critically, and nearby homes were also damaged, Al Jazeera reported.
UNICEF condemned the “brutal attack”, warning of rising violence against children and families in Rakhine.
Myanmar has been in conflict since the 2021 military coup, with air strikes intensifying as resistance groups, including the AA, gain ground. Rakhine, bordering Bangladesh along the Bay of Bengal, was also the scene of the 2017 military crackdown that forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya to flee, according to Al Jazeera.
