Tonight a federal judge blocking that midnight deadline for millions of federal workers under pressure to take buyouts.

The growing nationwide protest says the Trump administration races to shrink the federal workforce,

now saying 60,000 government employees have taken the offer to leave.

All of it, as serious questions emerge about Elon Musk and his Doge

allies efforts to access sensitive data. The winter storm wreaking havoc, white out conditions

in the Midwest, a tornado touchdown in Kentucky, as West Virginia's capital floods. Thousands

of flights delayed, plus the coming storms ahead. Al Roker tracks it all for us.

Also tonight, Washington-Ragan Airport scaling back flights after that deadly mid-air collision

that Black Hawk involved hoisted today from the icy Potomac. The flu explosion, one of the worst seasons in years,

leaving classes empty and schools closed.

The warning about addiction to nitrous oxide, known as Wippets, the popular flavored gas that's easily available,

one woman's stark warning after she had to relearn how to walk.

Our bird's eye view above Bourbon Street, the epic effort to secure the

Super Bowl after the deadly New Year's terror attack in New Orleans. And the right stuff,

how thousands of people like you are joining the race to preserve handwritten notes dating back

to the Revolutionary War. This is NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt.

Good evening and welcome.

New roadblocks are standing in front of Elon Musk's efforts to slash government spending.

A federal judge today placing a hold on the Trump administration's offer to pay federal

workers to resign their positions,

an offer that was to expire tonight. The buyouts accepted by over 60,000 employees, according

to a senior government official, but NBC News reporting the Trump administration is applying

...