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White House East Wing demolished - Trump presses ahead with $300M ballroom

Satellite and AP images show the White House East Wing reduced to rubble as the Trump administration pushes forward with a privately funded $300 million ballroom, igniting legal and ethical questions over authority, donors, and historic preservation.

Number

38 trillion - U.S national debt tops $38 trillion

Quote

"the land is going to be next" — President Donald Trump

SPX 6,738 ↑ 0.58% Dow 46,735 ↑ 0.31% Nasdaq 22,942 ↑ 0.89% Gold 4,128 ↓ 0.42% BTC 110,035 ↑ 2.25%

24 Hours

White House East Wing demolished - crews clear space for Trump ballroom

Satellite and on the-ground images show the White House East Wing has been demolished as the Trump administration moves forward with a privately funded ballroom that has drawn scrutiny over authority, costs and donor influence.

Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao - clemency granted

President Trump issued a high profile pardon for Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, prompting debate about the administration's ties to crypto figures and questions about motives and consequences.

FBI arrests NBA coach Chauncey Billups and player Terry Rozier in gambling raid

A sweeping federal probe led to dozens of arrests tied to organized gambling rings and alleged rigged poker schemes that include current and former NBA figures, raising integrity and criminality questions across the league.

Trump says he will inform Congress of plans to strike land based cartel targets

The Trump administration has escalated military pressure on suspected cartel networks with strikes at sea and plans to expand operations, including potential land strikes, prompting regional backlash and debate over authority and effectiveness.

US sanctions target Russian oil giants - Moscow’s revenues hit

The US and allies moved aggressively to sanction Russia's oil sector, driving up oil prices and prompting India and China to signal reduced imports, testing enforcement and global market responses.

Senate rejects bills to pay federal workers during government shutdown

With the federal shutdown continuing, Congress failed to pass measures to pay many federal workers while agencies scramble to recall staff for critical programs and states warn of looming benefits interruptions.

Air traffic control staffing issues delay US flights - safety warnings

Aviation officials warn the shutdown is already squeezing staffing at air traffic control and unions call on Congress to act as pilots cite safety and reliability concerns for flights.

Prosecutors say Adam Schiff probe lacks enough evidence and stalls

Multiple high profile legal and political investigations show strain and delays as prosecutors question evidence and officials maneuver over appointments and public testimony requests.

Trump and Xi to meet at Asia Pacific summit next week - bilateral sit down set

Ahead of a planned summit, the White House confirmed President Trump will meet Xi Jinping and reopened trade scrutiny into the 2020 deal as officials weigh compliance and economic leverage ahead of talks.

Lithuanian president says Russian military planes violated national airspace

NATO and Baltic states reacted after Russian military aircraft breached Lithuanian airspace, triggering scramble responses and raising tensions over regional security.

Netanyahu calls it days of destiny as US officials arrive to shore up ceasefire

Diplomatic and humanitarian efforts continue around the Gaza ceasefire as US and Israeli officials seek to implement agreements while aid shortfalls and hunger fears persist.

Trump administration finalizes Arctic drilling plan for Alaska refuge

The Interior Department finalized steps to open large swaths of Alaska to oil and gas development, reversing prior restrictions and reigniting debates with native groups and environmentalists.

Target to cut roughly 1800 corporate positions in major restructuring

Retail and EV employers move to cut costs as Target announces corporate layoffs and EV maker Rivian trims staff while semiconductor and equipment firms plan job reductions amid market pressures.

Intel beats on sales in first earnings report since US investment

Intel reported better than expected results and offered a stronger outlook, sending shares higher and signaling stabilization in the chipmaker's recovery after recent U.S. investment.

Video appears to show alleged Louvre jewel thieves escaping on cherry picker

New video footage and eyewitness accounts captured the brazen Louvre jewel heist and showed suspects escaping slowly on equipment, exposing security gaps and sparking an international manhunt.

Tensions between Trump and Petro escalate as boat attacks reach the Pacific

Ties between Washington and Bogotá frayed after US strikes on suspected drug-smuggling vessels prompted fierce rhetoric from Colombia’s president and demands to pause operations.

OpenAI acquires Sky maker to boost AI interface for Mac users

Major AI and cloud deals reshaped the tech landscape as OpenAI expanded its tooling with a Mac interface acquisition and Google struck a cloud partnership with Anthropic, signaling intensifying AI competition.

Four family members of Illinois governor candidate killed in Montana helicopter crash

A Republican gubernatorial candidate suffered a devastating personal loss when multiple family members died in a Montana helicopter crash, a tragedy that reverberated through the campaign and state politics.

Federal judges admit AI use led to botched rulings and retractions

Two federal judges admitted that AI use produced errors in their rulings, prompting retractions and renewed scrutiny about judicial reliance on automated tools in legal decisions.

Disney warns YouTube TV viewers that ABC and ESPN could go dark

Disney warned viewers that its channels, including ESPN, risk being dropped from YouTube TV amid carriage disputes, raising the prospect of major sports and broadcast disruptions for subscribers.

Here are the corporations and donors footing the bill for Trump’s ballroom

Questions over donor influence and pay to play swirl after the White House released lists of corporations and individuals funding the privately financed Trump ballroom, drawing ethics scrutiny and congressional warnings.

States warn SNAP benefits may stop in November as shutdown drags on

States and governors are scrambling to shield vulnerable residents from the shutdown as SNAP warnings mount and Virginia declared a state of emergency to expedite food aid distribution.

Trump says tech chiefs convinced him to call off San Francisco surge

After backlash and calls from tech leaders and the San Francisco mayor, the White House halted plans to deploy federal agents and the president credited tech CEOs with persuading him to stand down.

California issued commercial license to illegal driver charged in fatal crash

A fatal Southern California pileup and other recent crashes renewed focus on licensing and immigration as authorities scrutinize how an illegally present truck driver obtained a commercial license before the deadly collision.