Trump announced plans to build a new ballroom at the White House in June last year. The proposal has grown to include a rooftop "drone port", an underground hospital and "top secret" military facilities. The estimated price has doubled to $400m (£300m) The White House says it hasn't changed its plans for the ballroom.
China's regional strategy has been driven by the premise that economic engagement can generate long-term geopolitical influence. The BRI expanded into the Western Hemisphere, and Chinese influence became a permanent feature of discussions about Latin America's geopolitical future. Beijing’s leaders need to ask whether they overestimated the geopolitical returns those investments would generate – and whether similar assumptions are shaping Chinese strategy elsewhere.
U.S. job openings rose by the most in five years in April. Initial weekly jobless claims unexpectedly rose 6.1% in May. May nonfarm payrolls report due out on Friday. A forecast net increase of 85,000 jobs there would be a bumper result compared with the more pessimistic scenarios predicted earlier in the year.
Vote for your favorite ice creamery in the poll at the bottom of the article or tell us a local spot that we missed. There are only a handful of dedicated ice creameries within city lines, and you’ll have to venture out around the rest of Pierce County for more options.
Jon Scheyer will not be leaving Duke to head to the NBA, according to reports. The Mavericks are still trying to get a hold of both Scheyer and Michigan head coach Dusty May. Scheyer coached Flagg as a Blue Devils freshman in 2024-25. The Blue Devils are chasing their sixth National Championship in program history.
Satrapi directed The Voices, starring Ryan Reynolds, and Radioactive, a 2019 biopic of the two-time Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie. Other celebrated works by Satrapi include her graphic novel “Chicken With Plums” (“Poulet aux prunes”)
Gold Derby’s theater experts are here to help you make your final picks in some of the closest races. Which beloved Broadway veteran is going to take home the Best Actor in a Play statuette: Death of a Salesman's Nathan Lane or Giant's John Lithgow? And which Ragtime vs. Cats: The Jellicle Ball brawl will win Best Musical?
The High Court of Justice unanimously accepted a petition against the state’s sweeping ban on visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross to security prisoners. The ruling cited arrangements dating back to the aftermath of the Six-Day War, as well as IPS procedures from 2002 that regulated Red Cross visits to prisons.
Asked what concessions he had urged Putin to make to end the war, Trump declined to provide details but said both sides would need to compromise. He said the talks could be hosted by a neutral third country, ruling out both Moscow and Kyiv as venues. He suggested Switzerland, Turkey or Arab states as possible hosts for negotiations.
Experts say Kim wants international recognition as a nuclear state so he can demand the lifting of the sanctions. Kim has pushed for a more assertive foreign policy by expanding ties with countries locked in confrontation with the United States. His trip will be the latest in a series of steps by China to reinforce its close ties with its nuclear-armed neighbor.
Water began refilling the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on Thursday. Trump showed a video during an unrelated event with water bubbling into the freshly painted basin at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial. “That’s clean, beautiful water,” the president said of the water.
The bill would provide $1.3 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. It would also authorize $8 billion in arms sales and extend a Biden-era military lend-lease program. The bill passed in a 296-195 House vote and advances to the Senate where it needs 60 votes to go to Trump’s desk.
Hezbollah turned its weapons inward and effectively seized control of Beirut, sending a clear message: the arsenal was here to stay. The conflict partially altered the political landscape created after Hariri’s assassination and gave Hezbollah another justification for retaining its arsenal. That authority would later pass to Hassan Nasrallah, the late secretary-general of Hezbollah.
Dawa Sherpa was found alive and well on Mount Everest. The incident has raised questions about the dangers faced by Sherpa guides. Officials are expected to review the circumstances surrounding Dawa's discovery. The investigation will also look at how to improve the safety of Sherpas on the mountain.
Jamshid Ghomi, 63, charged with conspiracy to violate U.S. sanctions laws. Ghomi allegedly supplied export-restricted American networking, security and encryption equipment to customers in Iran. Investigators say the alleged sanctions-evasion scheme generated millions of dollars for Ghomi. He then took steps to disguise the money's origin before moving it into the United States.
Shares of Nvidia (NVDA) fell 1% in after-hours trading on Thursday following a report that Sen. Elizabeth Warren invited CEO Jensen Huang to testify before the Senate Banking Committee. Warren wrote that testifying would give Huang “an opportunity to testify about NVIDIA’s views on U.S. export control laws and regulations” Huang has till Monday to confirm his appearance.
Pauken worked "at the direction and control of people he knew worked for the PRC" from at least 2019 until February this year. Two other people, identified as "William" and "Cathy," were also working for the Chinese government. The two men were arrested in February after arriving from China.
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Dutch police received tip-offs from agencies in England and Germany. They raided the homes of eight suspects aged between 21 and 51. The number of victims is not yet clear and more arrests could follow. The charges against the suspects vary. They include alleged part in the drugging and sexual assault of women.
The New York Times published the allegations Thursday evening based on interviews with three of Platner's former romantic partners. One, who now works in conservative politics, also says Platner knew that his skull-and-crossbones tattoo had Nazi associations. The Platner campaign “strongly disputes” claims of physical intimidation or altercations.
Market Momentum Shifts Rapidly in Maine. Markets And Polls Begin To Diverge. The shift is notable because it appears to originate from outside traditional polling. A drop from 72 percent to near parity suggests traders now assign a much higher chance that late-breaking developments could reshape voter perceptions.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie live in rent-controlled palace properties paid for by their uncle, King Charles III. Charles pays for the accommodation for Beatrice in St James Palace and EugenIE in Ivy Cottage, Kensington Palace, from his own private income, called the Privy Purse. By contrast, Prince William and Princess Kate live in rented properties owned by the Royal Household.
Saudi national Almunthir Daqamah, 21, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of an offensive weapon, two counts of possession of a bladed article and possession of Class B drugs. He remains in hospital and we continue to provide support to his family, Surrey Police said. A University of Surrey spokesperson said: "We have been informed that our colleague is now in a stable condition"
Bill Pulte is the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. He has no known national security experience and investigated Trump foes for mortgage fraud. The president said he wasn't "greatly experienced in national security" but that he's done a "really great job" with the job.
Reza Valizadeh was charged with "collaborating with a hostile government" The charge is a vague national security offense that Iranian authorities routinely use against journalists. He believed he had been given assurances by Iranian authorities that it was safe for him to return to Tehran, where most of his family resides.
BKGI: Risk Diversification Helps Outperform Pure Energy Infrastructure Funds. BKGI's blend of traditional and non-traditional infrastructure assets provides risk diversification, outperforming pure energy infrastructure funds during sector downturns. The fund offers a 2.69% yield via a globally diversified infrastructure portfolio, with a utility-heavy allocation.