Year: 2025

(Photo by Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images) (WASHINGTON) — Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency group has made swift work of the billionaire’s goal to scale back or dismantle much of the federal government, end diversity policies [Read More…]

How environmental groups are battling the 1st actions of the Trump administration

(SimpleImages/Getty Images) (WASHINGTON) — Environmental nonprofits are gearing up to challenge some of the actions President Donald Trump has issued since taking office. There is litigation coming for the majority of the executive orders Trump [Read More…]

30th annual Critics Choice Awards: The winners

NBCUniversal The 30th annual Critics Choice Awards took place Friday night, hosted by Chelsea Handler. The show aired on E! and is now available to stream on Peacock. Here’s the list of winners: Film categories: [Read More…]

Hamas releases 3 more Israeli hostages in exchange for 183 Palestinian prisoners

Palestinians released by Israel during the 5th round of prisoner-hostage swap between Hamas and Israel, return to their families after taken by the International Committee of the Red Cross’ buses, in Ramallah, West Bank on [Read More…]

Children, schools face renewed fears over heightened immigration enforcement

(Stella/Getty Images) (WASHINGTON) — In classrooms across the country, children of immigrants are facing heightened fears over news that immigration enforcement officers are now allowed to enter schools, according to educators. While it’s unclear if [Read More…]

Judge blocks Trump administration from placing 2,200 USAID employees on leave at midnight

Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images (WASHINGTON) — A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from orchestrating its plan to place 2,200 employees of the United States Agency for International Development on leave at [Read More…]

Federal judge denies effort to block DOGE from accessing DOL data despite ‘concerns’

Al Drago/Getty Images (WASHINGTON) — A federal judge, in a ruling late Friday evening, has denied an effort to block the Department of Government Efficiency from accessing sensitive data from the Department of Labor. In [Read More…]

JFK assassination files one step closer to possible public release

Tetra Images/Getty Images (WASHINGTON) — The decades-long wait for the release of the government’s secret files on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy could be nearing an end, with word from the Office of [Read More…]

Transgender, nonbinary people sue Trump administration over passport policy

Tetra Images/Getty Images (WASHINGTON) — Seven people have filed a federal lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring that the U.S. government would only recognize a person’s sex assigned at birth on government-issued documents. [Read More…]

Cancer research group calls on Trump administration to restore data access

In this undated stock photo, signage for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is shown. (STOCK PHOTO/Adobe Stock) (WASHINGTON) — Medical groups are expressing deep concern about the sudden removal or alteration of government [Read More…]

Quiksilver, Billabong and Volcom stores are closing in the US in 2025

(Bundit Minramun/Getty Images) (NEW YORK) — Quiksilver, Billabong, and Volcom, known for their surf and skate products, are closing stores in the United States. The parent company of the brick-and-mortar stores, Liberated Brands, filed voluntary [Read More…]

From New Kids on the Block to Kendrick Lamar: A modern Super Bowl halftime history

Steve Granitz/WireImage When Kendrick Lamar takes the stage for the Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, he’ll become the first solo hip-hop artist to headline the show, proving that the event has come a long [Read More…]

Jessica Alba, Cash Warren file for divorce after 16 years of marriage

Monica Schipper/Getty Images, FILE Jessica Alba and Cash Warren have filed for divorce after 16 years of marriage. According to court documents, both parties filed on Feb. 7, and both listed irreconcilable differences as the [Read More…]

Ag News

Wisconsin farmer anticipates no major adjustments to spring schedule

A Wisconsin crop farmer is not expecting any big changes to his spring plans. Shane Goplin raises corn, soybeans, and alfalfa near Osseo, Wisconsin. He tells Brownfield his spring inputs are lined up. “Everything is [Read More…]

Ag News

Costello: Illinois would feel impacts of trade war

The director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture says a new trade war would impact every aspect of the state’s economy. Jerry Costello tells Brownfield, “These tariffs only affect you if you drive a vehicle, [Read More…]

Ag News

Closing Grain and Livestock Futures: February 7, 2025

Mar. corn closed at $4.87 and 1/2, down 7 and 3/4 centsMar. soybeans closed at $10.49 and 1/2, down 11 centsMar. soybean meal closed at $301.40, down $5.00Mar. soybean oil closed at 45.98, up 58 [Read More…]

Ag News

Cash hogs mixed to end the week

Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle futures were steady to firm and feeders were mixed, consolidating after Thursday’s drop. April live was unchanged at $196.77 and June was up $.27 at $192.10. March feeders were down [Read More…]

Ag News

Soybeans, corn see profit taking, still up on week

Soybeans were lower on profit taking and technical selling, but did end the week with decent gains. There was cooler temperatures and a chance of rain in the forecast for dry parts of Argentina, while [Read More…]

Alexander brothers plead not guilty, prosecutors say they raped more than 60 women

Matias J. Ocner/Pool/Getty Images, FILE (NEW YORK) — Luxury real estate brokers Tal and Oren Alexander, along with their brother Alon, on Friday pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to drug and sexually assault [Read More…]

All USAID humanitarian work has effectively stopped, current and former officials say