The Interior Department announced plans to lay off more than 2,000 employees, including hundreds at the National Park Service, according to a social media post by reporter Anna Kramer on October 20th, 2025, at approximately 5:04 PM UTC. This action follows a federal judge's frustration and expansion of a restraining order against the department. The layoffs are a direct response to the judicial order, the specifics of which were not detailed in the provided information, but the court's intervention appears to have accelerated the department's restructuring plans. The number of affected personnel suggests a significant impact on the National Park Service and other bureaus within the Interior Department. In separate news, new evidence regarding the impact of cell phone bans in schools was released by John Holbein on October 20th, 2025. The findings indicate a short-term increase in student suspensions, but disciplinary actions and a notable improvement in student test scores emerged after the first year of implementation, suggesting a period of adjustment. This news comes as a federal government shutdown continues for its 20th day. Previous reports from October 20th, 2025, indicated ongoing legislative efforts in Congress to address funding. President Donald Trump had also commented on October 20th, 2025, that the United States was "in the process of trying to make a deal" regarding Russia and Ukraine, and that providing more weapons was not a simple solution. Additionally, the Supreme Court announced on October 20th, 2025, that it would hear the case "United States v. Hemani," concerning the constitutionality of statutes barring individuals with addiction from possessing firearms. This case carries significant implications for Second Amendment rights.
