On Tuesday’s episode of The Excerpt podcast: Hamas says it will stop releasing hostages, while accusing Israel of ceasefire violations. Israel accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement. USA TODAY Justice Department Correspondent Bart Jansen breaks down why a group of states sued over billions in research cuts. Also in the courts, a judge extended the pause on a deadline for federal workers to decide on buyouts. Plus, a judge ruled the Trump White House failed to comply with a court order on frozen federal spending. And – refugee resettlement organizations asked a federal judge Monday to restore the U.S. refugee program. In other White House news, Trump fired the government’s top ethics official. And he’s announced a plan to stop making new pennies. USA TODAY Pentagon Correspondent Tom Vanden Brook digs into the Pentagon’s revival of its ban on transgender troops joining the military.
