Author: Loisa Lane

The Supreme Court has temporarily permitted construction of the White House ballroom to proceed, following Chief Justice John Roberts’ stay on a lower court’s injunction. This order will remain until the Court reviews the Justice Department’s appeal regarding the project’s funding and legality.

The United States is set to implement 50% tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods following unsuccessful negotiations. In response, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a matching tariff strategy, citing Washington’s last-minute changes as the cause for the breakdown in talks.

The Pentagon issued termination notices to Publisher Max Lederer, Editor-in-Chief Erik Slavin, and Reporter Lara Korte of Stars and Stripes, citing insubordination tied to recent interviews. Slavin plans to appeal, asserting that editorial independence is crucial for the outlet’s mission.

President Trump is set to award the Congressional Space Medal of Honor to the crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission on 28 August at Joint Reserve Base Ellington, Houston. The astronauts, including Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch, completed a historic 10-day lunar mission, returning safely on 10 April.

Liberia received its first group of “third country” deportees from the U.S. on Thursday, comprising around 20 migrants from Latin America. A small number of deportees resisted disembarkation, leading to their eventual return to the plane, with their current status unknown. Liberia plans to accept up to 1,200 deportees over the next year.

FBI agents executed search warrants on former Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell, seizing electronic devices amid a criminal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. The searches occurred shortly after Swalwell arrived in San Francisco and targeted his residence in Washington, D.C. He resigned from Congress in April.

Iran executed Ghaem Hosseini, an Afghan national, on Thursday for his role in the deaths of four police officers during anti-government protests. His execution marks the 30th since the resurgence of hangings in the country amidst ongoing unrest, according to the Iran Human Rights group.

Pentagon officials are reportedly considering terminating Max Lederer, publisher of Stars and Stripes, ahead of his planned retirement on 30 September. Lederer cited conflicting views with the Trump administration regarding the outlet’s direction, which has relied on Defence Department funding for over half its budget.

Rep. Jimmy Gomez faces allegations of sexual assault from an unnamed woman before the House Ethics Committee, which is investigating claims of inappropriate contact with a staffer. Gomez contends the actions were consensual, but the woman’s attorneys refute this. House Democratic leaders have called for a thorough inquiry.

Leftist congressional candidates have secured significant victories in recent primary races across various states, raising questions about the emerging influence of the progressive movement within the Democratic Party. Despite successes in deep-blue districts, challenges remain in competitive areas, highlighting a mixed impact on broader Democratic strategies.