… People gathered on Friday evening to watch as the scaffolding was erected US District Court Judge Christopher Cooper ruled in late May that the venue in central Washington DC cannot be renamed without congressional approval. …
… Freedom 250 unveiled the artists on Wednesday for the 16-day series of events planned on the National Mall in Washington DC between 25 June and 10 July. …
… Bondi, who in April was removed from her post as America’s top law enforcement officer by US President Donald Trump, testified behind closed doors on Friday in Washington DC. …
… The Washington DC venue cannot be renamed without congressional approval, the judge ruled on Friday, also blocking the centre’s temporary closure during upcoming proposed renovations. …
… Freedom 250, the group behind the Great American State Fair, unveiled the artists on Wednesday for the 16-day event planned on the National Mall in Washington DC between 25 June and 10 July. …
… On Friday, the president posted on Truth Social that he would not attend his son Donald Jr’s wedding this weekend so he could remain in Washington DC “during this important period of time”. …
… He also retitled Washington DC institutions, such as the Kennedy Center and Institute of Peace to add his name and has announced plans for a 250-ft triumphal arch near the Arlington National Cemetery.
Ghana's Ministry of Sports and Recreation has called on FIFA to intervene after midfielder Thomas Partey was denied entry into Canada, making him unavailable for Ghana's World Cup Group L opener against Panama on 17 June. The Ministry argues that all qualified nations should have access to their eligible players throughout the competition.
Why it matters
Ghana's Sports Ministry seeks FIFA help over Partey's visa denial ahead of World Cup opener—major sports story with immediate consequences for national team.
Ghana's Ministry of Sports and Recreation has called on FIFA to intervene after midfielder Thomas Partey was denied entry into Canada, making him unavailable for Ghana's World Cup Group L opener against Panama on 17 June. The Ministry argues that all qualified nations should have access to their eligible players throughout the competition.
Workers have begun removing US President Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center in Washington after a federal judge ruled the addition was unlawful and ordered its removal. The judge found that the venue cannot be renamed without congressional approval.
The annual White House Correspondents' Dinner, originally planned for April 25, has been rescheduled to July 24 after a gunman attempted to access the venue and exchanged fire with Secret Service agents. The rescheduled event will include significantly enhanced safety measures and will be held at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington DC, with President Trump confirming his attendance.
US President Donald Trump posted that the nation's 250th birthday concert series should be cancelled after several artists dropped out over the event's White House affiliation, calling remaining performers "overpriced" and "boring". He suggested replacing it with a "Make America Great Again rally".
Former US Attorney General Pam Bondi testified before the House Oversight Committee, defending her handling of the release of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, stating the Department of Justice produced nearly 3 million pages of material under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Bondi, who was removed from her post in April, acknowledged the process was complicated but said the Department produced everything required by law, though the release has faced criticism over withheld documents and identifiable victims.
A US judge ordered the removal of President Donald Trump's name from the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, ruling the venue cannot be renamed without congressional approval. Trump's name must be removed from the institution's title, façade, signage, and official materials within 14 days, though the centre said it would appeal the order.
Multiple performers, including Young MC, Morris Day, the Commodores, Bret Michaels and Martina McBride, have withdrawn from Freedom 250, a 16-day festival scheduled for June–July on Washington DC's National Mall celebrating America's 250th birthday. The artists say they were misled about the event's political affiliation; Freedom 250's organizers deny the fair is politically affiliated and describe it as non-partisan.
US President Donald Trump says an agreement with Iran has been "largely negotiated" and will include reopening the Strait of Hormuz, though he provided no further details. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman cautioned that converging positions do not guarantee agreement on key issues.
A US Senate official has ruled against using taxpayer funds from a spending package for security upgrades related to President Trump's White House ballroom project, after Democrats challenged the provision. Trump has said private donors will fund the $400m ballroom, but Republicans had sought to use a portion of $1bn in taxpayer funds for Secret Service security upgrades.
The IMF will present Ghana's sixth and final programme review and a request for a new Policy Coordination Instrument to its Executive Board on July 27. Once approved, Ghana is expected to receive a final tranche of more than $318 million under its bailout programme.
The Senate parliamentarian struck down security funding for President Trump's White House ballroom project from a proposed spending package, after Democrats argued the money doesn't belong in the bill. Trump has said private donors will fund the $400 million ballroom, while Republicans had sought to use taxpayer funds for Secret Service security upgrades.
Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli air strike on the southern town of Harouf killed six people, including three paramedics, as the US announced Israel and Lebanon had agreed to a 45-day ceasefire extension following negotiations in Washington.
Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli air strike on the southern town of Harouf killed six people, including three paramedics. The US announced that Israel and Lebanon had agreed to extend their ceasefire for 45 days following talks in Washington DC.
Ghana is likely to adopt an IMF Policy Coordination Instrument after its Extended Credit Facility programme ends in August 2026, which sources say would signal fiscal discipline to investors and development partners and help align government agencies with fiscal consolidation goals.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, pleaded not guilty to federal gun crimes and attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump after allegedly attacking the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC. Prosecutors say Allen tried to storm a security checkpoint and fired at a Secret Service agent, who was hit but protected by a bulletproof vest, before agents tackled Allen near a staircase.
King Charles visited a UK Space Agency observatory in Bermuda and launched Project Nova, which will install a network of telescopes across five sites to track space debris such as old satellites and rocket stages. His Sustainable Markets Initiative, which promotes private sector sustainability including in the space industry, has been closely involved in the £40m project.
King Charles III has arrived in Bermuda following a four-day state visit to the US, during which he and Queen Camilla concluded their trip with a community parade in Virginia before the King travelled to the island for his first visit as monarch.
Donald Trump has announced he will remove all tariffs and restrictions on whisky imports, including Scottish and Irish whiskey, in honour of King Charles and Queen Camilla's recent state visit to the US. The UK government confirmed the move applies to all whisky tariffs, and industry representatives said distillers would be able to "breathe a little easier during a period of significant pressure on the sector."
The US will release a limited number of passports featuring a portrait of President Donald Trump as part of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence in July. The passports will be available to any American citizen who applies at the Washington Passport Agency, as long as availability lasts.
White House officials preparing for the 2026 World Cup in the United States say reopening the Department of Homeland Security is "essential," citing a security incident at a Washington DC gala where a man was charged with attempting to assassinate President Trump. The incident has prompted a White House security review and concerns from those planning the tournament.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, was charged with attempting to assassinate US President Donald Trump after attempting to storm a White House Correspondents' Association dinner gala in Washington on Saturday night carrying a semi-automatic handgun, pump-action shotgun and three knives. A Secret Service agent was shot but not seriously wounded during the incident, and Trump and other officials were evacuated from the venue.
A mentalist performing at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington DC locked eyes with US President Donald Trump as they took cover during gunshots on Saturday night. The performer, Oz Pearlman, was performing mind tricks for Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and press secretary Karoline Leavitt when the shots were fired.
Cole Tomas Allen, 31, from California, was arrested after exchanging fire with security at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday. According to CBS sources, Allen told officials he wanted to shoot Trump administration officials, and US media report a history of anti-Trump social media posts and a document describing plans to target administration members.
Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from California, was arrested after shots were fired inside the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday night. According to acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche, preliminary findings suggest he was targeting administration officials, though the motive remains under investigation.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will arrive in the United States on Monday for a four-day state visit aimed at renewing UK-US relations, according to the UK ambassador. The trip will proceed largely as planned with some security modifications following a shooting incident in Washington DC, and will include visits to the White House and the 9/11 Memorial.
A final decision on King Charles and Queen Camilla's state visit to the US was expected on Sunday after a shooting incident at a Washington DC White House Correspondents' Dinner raised security concerns. The UK government indicated the trip would begin as planned on Monday, possibly with minor adjustments to public-facing events.