A federal judge Thursday extended a temporary restraining order blocking President Donald Trump's administration from implementing mass layoffs of hundreds of thousands of federal employees, delivering a significant blow to the administration's government restructuring plans.

A federal judge extended a temporary block on a bid by US President Donald Trump’s administration to lay off hundreds of thousands of federal employees, saying he needed permission from Congress before restructuring the US government.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday blocked President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department and ordered the agency to reinstate employees who were fired in mass layoffs. The administration said it would challenge the ruling.