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president trump's freeze on federal aid now on hold. a federal judge blocking the plan pending a hearing next week. the plan still causing confusion among agencies and organizations that could be impacted as democrats call out the move as lawless. trump's immigration crackdown continues, including in new york city. what immigrants and lawyers are saying about the effects on their clients. confirmation hearings set to begin today for trump health secretary pick robert f. kennedy jr. why his cousin caroline kennedy is calling him a predator and urging senators to reject his nomination. his nomination bringing up controversy about seed oils. and a california couple returns to what's left of their home in the eaton fire. their search for an engagement ring is coming up on this wednesday, january 29th.

"early today" starts right now. good morning. i'm frances rivera. after a chaotic rollout, the white house plans to freeze federal funds and it has been put on hold. a judge blocked the order until at least monday after a group of non-profits filed a lawsuit. this allows time for more court briefings. but the president is trying other tactics to cut costs. offering roughly 2 million federal workers to buyout, a buyout to resign. nbc's garrett haake has more from the capitol. >> reporter: as part of his promise to reduce government spending, president trump is making more than 2 million federal workers an offer. quit now and accept a severance package. nbc news first reporting federal employees received the offer by e-mail. the white house expects 5% to 10% of the federal workforce to accept it, which could lead to $100 billion in annual savings. but, in a blow to the administration, a federal judge has temporarily blocked the president's attempt at another

government shakeup. after the office of management and budget ordered a temporary pause on grant, loan or federal assistance programs that might run counter to president trump's executive orders. >> it means no more funding for illegal dei programs, no more funding for transgenderism and wokeness across our federal brur /- bureaucracy. >> their is dangerous, lawless, destructive, cruel. it's illegal. it's unconstitutional. >> reporter: while several state democratic attorneys general sued to block the move. >> when congress dedicates funding for a progogram, the president cannot pull that funding on a whim. >> reporter: but republicans defending the freeze. >> let's get a handle on all this spending and figure out if it's going where it's supposed to go or if there's a lot of

fraud being involved. >> reporter: the white house saying individual federal assistance would not be paused or reviewed under its plan. >> social security benefits. medicare benefits. food stamps, welfare benefits. assistance that is going directly to individuals will not be impacted by this pause. >> reporter: but all of it sparked confusion about who would be impacted. the white house says head start, the early childhood education program for low-income families would not be affected. but connecticut democratic senator chris murphy posting, quote, head start reimbursement system is shut down in his state. what was your reaction when you heard about this order overnight. >> it was a shock. >> reporter: while in florida, this woman's son is one of those served by the program. she told me the uncertainty is nerve-wracking. >> you look for the options, but there aren't many options when you look at affordability in childcare. >> our thanks to garrett for that report. senate confirmation hearings will resume today on capititol

hill. beginning this morning with robert f. kennedy jr. to be health and human services secretary. caroline kennedy submitted a letter to senators urging them not to condition firm her cousin. she shared a video of herself reading the letter. >> it's no surprise that he keeps "birds of prey" as pets, because bobby himself is a predator. he preys on the desperation of parents of sick children, vaccinating his own kids while building a following hypocritically discouraging other parents from vaccinating theirs. >> he has said he is not anti-vaccine and won't take them away. agents arrested a ringleader of the venezuelan gang who they

say is wanted for kidnapping and assault. meanwhile, as i.c.e. raids escalate across the country, we are learning more about the harrowing affect it's having on immigrant communities. chris glorioso with our new york station has more. >> reporter: outside 26 federal plaza we sound sophia altar. she told us images on tv of i.c.e. raids have rattled her clients, even those here legally complying with the lawful asylum process. >> we have lots of clients who have been in the country for ten-plus years, they have anxiety, terrors of just their parents being deported. >> reporter: although kristi noem wrote on social media about rounding up migrants accused of crimes. they have confirmed there have been collateral arrests of

people who were not criminal defendants but happened to be in close proximity to a federal operation. it's one reason lawyers who represent migrants are fielding more calls from undocumented people wrestling with what to do if they find themselves nervous about a knock at the door. >> we're getting so many more calls. people worried. people who have been long-time residents of the united states are worried about what could happen to them. >> reporter: sarah is a chair of the immigration lawyers association. she says it's important for undocumented people to know, even non-citizens have fourth and fifth amendment rights against unreasonable searches and self-incrimination. >> no one needs to open their door if there's no actual warrant for their arrest. everyone still has the right to remain silent and not incriminate themselves, and everyone has the right to a lawyer. >> reporter: what can migrants without legal status expect in the coming days? for one, dhs has confirmed

intensified enforcement will continue in several big cities. the trump white house says it is a campaign promise being kept in real time. >> criminal drug dealers, the rapists, the murderers. the individuals who have committed heinous acts on the interior of our country and who have terrorized law-abiding american citizens, absolutely, those should be the priority of i.c.e., but that doesn't mean that the other illegal criminals who enter our nation's borders are off the table. >> our thanks to chris glorioso for that report. israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu is set to visit the white house next week. he'll be the first foreign leader to meet with president trump during his second term. a white house official confirmed it was mr. trump who extended the invite, and netanyahu accepted. in a letter to the prime minister, trump wrote, i look forward to discussing how we can bring peace to israel and its neighbors. and efforts to counter our shared adversaries. the two leaders will meet next tuesday. terrifying moments at an airport in south korea

yesterday. an airbus plane catching fire at the airport just before a flight to hong kong. fire officials say all 169 passengers and 7 crew members were safely evacuated. three suffered minor injuries. south korea's news agency says the fire began in the plane's tail. a huge winter storm is rolling across the great lakes and the northeast. let's turn to nbc meteorologist angie lassman who is tracking the timing of that system. >> this is going to be a quick mover, but we do have winter alerts downwind of the lakes. that's where we're going to see snow along with the great lakes today. this low pressure system is going to be out of here pretty quick but snow squalls in the meantime. here's what we're looking at in terms of totals. the highest totals downwind of the lake, two to three inches, up to four inches in isolated spots. we're going to see this ramp up of the next system that's going to bring rain and the potential

for severe weather. here's where we're watching for the potential for flash flooding. and, as we get into tomorrow that really ramps up. notice the heavy rain that will work across this region. we're really going to see that intense moisture stretch from the gulf to the midwest. this is going to give us the potential for severe weather focussed across the south, texas and louisiana and stretching into parts of mississippi. then we'll see potential for flash flooding as well. this is focussed a little farther to the north including parts of the midwest, stretching into for nashville and memphis. rain in the forecast for shreveport and dallas. 71 degrees in houston. and that's a look at your forecast, back to you. >> thanks so much. asian cultures around the

world are celebrating the lunar new year. 2025 is the year of the snake, ushering in themes of renewal and transformation. while the snake may get a bad rap in western cultures, it's highly revered in eastern traditions. two weeks of festivities kick off celebrating the arrival of spring. the health impact of seed oils. and live from new york, it's not martha stewart. why the lifestyle icon has been blocked from appearing on until. blocked from appearing on until. why are you shimmying? oh! unstopables has odor blocker snl. so i'll snl. even after a red eye. we all use unstopables. looks like he does too! smell unstopable. ( ♪♪ ) feel the power of osteo bi-flex®. taken every day, it's clinically shown to improve joint comfort in 7 days, with significant improvement over time. ( ♪♪ ) mom's gonna love this!

alright kids come on. it's time for bed! ( ♪♪ ) good morning, mr. snuggles. make breakfast special with the cocoa and hazelnutty goodness of nutella. ( ♪♪ ) can neuriva support your brain health? mary, janet, hey! eddie, no. frasier, frank. frank? —fred, how are you? —fred! support up to 7 brain health indicators, including memory. when you need to remember, remember neuriva. we are back with robert f. kennedy's pitch to make america healthy again. and a key ingredient many of us use to cook. >> reporter: the hot health topic this year. seed oils, like grape seed, corn

and canola. but they have become controversial, dividing health-conscious communities and doctors and experts in a way many say is overblown. some are referring to them as the hateful eight. >> they are horrible for humans. >> reporter: some going so viral they're prompting parodies. >> if you ingest any kind of seed oil, you will die within minutes. >> reporter: what's not a parody, president trump's pick to lead the department of health and human services, rfk jr., weighing in before the election. >> seed oils are one of the most unhealthy ingredients that we have in foods. >> reporter: hyperbolic comments like that, and those of other self-declared health influencers stoking the flames of debate. already chains like sweet green and steak & shake have announced plans to cut seed oils from some of their food. >> i never thought i should, like, advertise it. >> reporter: in california, carol and her husband jonathan opened their first parakeet cafe

as a healthier option for their family. how long has your food been seed-oil free? >> since we opened 13 years ago. >> reporter: now she says customers across her 12 california locations are lining up for her seed-oil- free menu. most of the fats are high in one type, omega six. the concern is that higher levels of omega six may drive up inflammation in the body and over time could lead to chronic disease. but experts like caroline susie say it's not that simple. >> there's a lot of negative connotation around omega six. and i think it's important that we clear up that omega six is an essential fatty acid. >> reporter: while it's true our

dies convert some omega six acids into inflammatory components, the amount of inflammation is not shown to be harmful. >> we have to consume it in our diet. and it's crucial for a number of things, essential for cellular survival. >> reporter: in fact, plenty of research shows people who eat more omega six have lower risks of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. >> we hear inflammation, and we think oh, my gosh, that's bad and terrible. when in reality, this is a very normal part of our process and how our bodies break down foods. >> reporter: that doesn't mean you should be eating ultra processed foods. they're used a lot because they're cheap. and deep frying foods in any oil, not good for you. rfk's advice to swap for beef tallow would be more expensive and high in saturated fat which could lead to health issues as

well. would you agree it's not just seed oils but everything combined? >> yes. >> reporter: a balanced diet with moderation is always key. still to come, does this count as a late christmas present or a really early one? the jonas brothers returning to their roots. ♪ that's not my name ♪ ♪ that's not my name ♪ ♪ that's not my name ♪ ♪ that's not my name ♪ ♪ can neuriva support your brain health? mary, janet, hey! eddie, no. frasier, frank. frank? —fred, how are you? —fred! support up to 7 brain health indicators, including memory. when you need to remember, remember neuriva. when you smell the amazing scent of gain flings... time stops. (♪♪) and you realize you're in love... steve? with a laundry detergent. (♪♪) gain flings. seriously good scent. mom's gonna love this! alright kids come on.

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♪ ♪ hi, we're the jonas brothers -- >> don't say it. you don't say it, you let them read it. >> oh, okay. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> to us, this announcement is perfect. the jonas brothers pay tribute to love actually tuesday, revealing that they will be starring in a christmas movie on disney+. nick, joe and kevin will appear as fictionalized versions of themselves trying to get home for the holidays.

it streams later this year. the mouse house is home for them, right? og. >> it is. >> so they starred in the series jonas, movies at camp rock and camp rock two. bringing it all back. now to a decision that martha stewart has not been living well with. appearing on the tonight show, the lifestyle icon reflected on the storied history of her impersonations on "saturday night live," when jimmy fallon asked her if she'd ever drop by studio 8h to host. >> they asked me as i was coming out of alderson, tt camp i was in for a while. and i was allowed to be out of my house eight hour as day. >> the parole officer said no? >> no. [ bleep ]. >> oh, boy. stewart famously served five months in federal prison after being convicted on fraud chargrs 2024. but she is one of the most-impersonated people on snl. so i think it would be nice if

she was on there. >> guests who impersonated her, too. i hope it's a never say never thing. bring snoop along with her. >> such a gogood sensef hume ir. >> she'd be great. when we come back, why a snack recalls evedo th ielat te highest risk level. and the doomsday clock just ticked forward. doesn't leave whe residue on clothes, and fights odor for 72 hours. for your pits, privates, chest, thighs, and feet! how do they do it? get native. can neuriva support your brain health? mary, janet, hey! eddie, no. frasier, frank. frank? —fred, how are you? —fred! support up to 7 brain health indicators, including memory. when you need to remember, remember neuriva. staying healthy can be hard, but this. this is a party. premier protein, my ride or die. boom! if you know, you know. let's go. this stuff changed my life.

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my kids can't hide anything from me. i'm home! especially when they've been using toilet paper that doesn't hold up. new charmin ultra strong has a diamond-weave texture that's more durable and it cleans better* so you can use less. enjoy the go with charmin. here's what's making headlines this morng. the bulletin of the atomic scientists have shifted the doomsday clock to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it's ever been. it cites climate change, nuclear weapons, pandemics and the u.s. of a.i. the fda has escalated its lays potato chip recall to level one. this means exposure or consumption of the chips could caused a verse health effects or death for customers with an

allergy. frequent marijuana use among young adults may damage the brain's working memory, the ability to retain and quickly use information for tasks. it found impairment in more than 67% of heavy users. elon musk plans to bring home the stranded astronauts as soon as possible. butch wilmore and suni williams' flight has been delayed ti march because the spacex craft is not ready to fly for spacex and nasa. self-care has never been this easy. gummy vitamins from nature made, the #1 pharmacist recommended vitamin and supplement brand. mom's gonna love this! alright kids come on. it's time for bed! ( ♪♪ ) good morning, mr. snuggles. make breakfast special with the cocoa

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we are back with new video emerging from around the time the eaton fire sparked in los angeles. a firm suing the utility company southern california edison released this edited video from a gas station, purporting to show electrical arcs and transmission tower sparks followed by flames minutes later. the utility told regulators in a court filing that it is reviewing the footage to assess any connection to the eaton blaze. the cause is still under investigation. meanwhile, with the biggest blazes nearly fully contained, stories of hope are emerging from the rubble. lolita lopez from our l.a. station has the story. >> this is my desk frame with the bow in the middle. >> reporter: brian mcshay and stephanie raynard look through what is left of their little bungalow days after they first sifted through the debris. >> he's looking at his studio. >> reporter: on that day, brian was looking for one particular thing. an engagement ring he had placed in his desk to surprise stephanie in the near future.

>> my first reaction was like oh, look, here it is. >> reporter: among the rubble and under guitar strings he found his diamond in the rough. >> you think about all this pressure, all this perfection you want in the moment that you propose. but, i found it, and it's like, oh, here it is. will you marry me? >> i cried. i was crying. i had my glasses with the going goggles on the top. >> reporter: the ring is not on her finger, they took it to get cleaned. they say altadena has always been part of their love story. >> los angeles has been supporting altadena and all the communities affected by the fires. i'm hoping they will strap in

for the long haul and we can spend some married years under the mountains, you know. >> their love and future rising from the ashes. our thanks to lolita lopez for that report. a contest is under way at a library in virginia, giving one lucky couple a preplanned all-expenses-paid wedding at the arlington wedding. it's complete with a planner, photographer, deejay, catering and decor. >> we're really trying to bring people together. libraries are already known as a third space where people from all different walks of life can come in and feel connected to each other. and, but nothing quite brings people together like a wedding. >> a library committee will pick the top three applications and interview the finalists. thanks so much for waking up with "early today." peouava weve.ira ho y he grt dneaes

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