A Trump-Kennedy Center official warned a federal judge that stripping the president’s name from the renowned arts institution would cause unbearable financial damage, marking the latest twist in a months-long legal battle.
Charles Matthew Floca, the center’s 39-year-old executive director, filed a declaration Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, arguing the institution’s funding is inextricably linked to President Donald Trump.
“President Trump’s fundraising on behalf of the Center is exemplified by the tens of millions of dollars already raised,” Floca wrote. “Further, the President has committed to raise $150 billion on its behalf from private donors over the next two years.”
“Should President Trump’s name be removed from the Center, that vital fundraising connection will be severed, causing irreparable harm and fundamentally destabilizing the Center’s development efforts, severely impairing its trust-fund artistic programming, and rendering the continuation of ongoing trust-funded operations financially nonviable,” he continued.
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Floca’s declaration is part of a lawsuit filed in December 2025 by Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat, challenging the board’s decision to permanently add Trump’s name to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, following his installation as board chair. Since he took charge, Trump reportedly wants to move away from “woke culture” and push for performances that cater to a broader audience.
A Trump-Kennedy Center official said that removing the president’s name from the performing arts institution could render them ‘financially nonviable,’ according to a new court filing (Getty Images)
The Independent has reached out to Beatty and the White House for comment.
Beatty, an ex officio trustee of the center, described the rebranding as an unlawful “personal vanity project.” She also said she was silenced during a board meeting when she attempted to oppose the name change.
“Only Congress has the authority to rename the Kennedy Center. President Trump and his cronies must not be allowed to trample federal law and bypass Congress to feed his ego,” Beatty said in a December 22 news release. “This entire process has been a complete disgrace to this cherished institution and the people it serves. These unlawful actions must be blocked before any further damage is done.”
Her lawsuit also challenges the 79-year-old president’s plan to close the center for two years to carry out restoration and renovation work.
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The center remains open for now but is scheduled to shut down after the Fourth of July. Its website and signage have already been updated to reflect the board’s name change, and large lettering bearing Trump’s name was installed on the building’s marble facade in December.
Since he took charge of the center, Trump reportedly wants to move away from “woke culture” and push for performances that cater to a broader audience (Reuters)
In March, U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper partially sided with Beatty, ruling that she must be given a “meaningful opportunity to provide input.” He did not address the name change, however, saying that issue would be taken up later, according to ABC News.
At an April hearing, Cooper pressed Trump administration attorneys on why a complete two-year closure of the center was necessary.
Trump-Kennedy Center officials have argued that renovations are necessary to repair water damage and upgrade seating.
More Americans than not side with Beatty, according to a December 2025 YouGov poll. In the survey, 66 percent of respondents said they disapproved of renaming the center after Trump, while just 18 percent approved.
Further tests are being carried out into the cause of death of the man
A man has been arrested after police were called to an “unexplained death”. Norfolk Police were called to a property in Rectory Road, Outwell, near Wisbech, at around 12.40pm on Saturday, June 6.
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Officers found the body of a man in his 80s inside the property. The death is being treated as “unexplained”. Officers arrested a man in his 50s on suspicion of manslaughter on June 12.
A police spokesperson said: “He has been bailed to appear at King’s Lynn PIC on September 14, 2026.
“A Home Office post mortem examination carried out last week found the cause of death to be unascertained and further tests will now be carried out. Enquiries into the circumstances around the man’s death are ongoing.”
The Strictly Come Dancing duo will appear on Celebrity Gogglebox on Friday (June 26) night.
10:30, 25 Jun 2026Updated 10:31, 25 Jun 2026
TV presenter Lorraine Kelly shared some exciting news live on air.
The host confirmed that Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu will be making a return to our TV screens as they’re set to appear on Celebrity Gogglebox on Friday (June 26) night.
During Thursday’s (June 25) episode of Lorraine’s ITV chat show, she was joined by entertainment reporter Ross King, who was on hand to deliver his usual showbiz updates.
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Diving straight into the segment, Lorraine went on to say: “Some news for Strictly fans. A couple of Strictly characters are going to be in something else.”
Ross replied: “I’m thrilled for this. Our pal Amy Dowden along with Carlos, who of course won with Karen in that last season.
“He was just phenomenal and Karen was phenomenal. And we’ve spoken so much about Amy and she’s absolutely inspirational.”
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Ross announced: “The good news is they’re going to be in Gogglebox on Friday. They’re going to be together as a little couple and weirdly enough they absolutely love watching TV together.”
The show then cut to a clip of Amy and Carlos as they explained why they love watching TV together.
Amy explained: “I love watching TV (with Carlos) because of his honesty.” Carlos jumped in: “We can comment on everything and be brutally honest with each other.”
Amy added: “But also just spending time together and sometimes he brings good snacks, but not always.”
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The Strictly Come Dancing duo will take to the sofa for the first time as they join this week’s line-up. They will be swapping the ballroom for a night in front of the telly to share their take on the week’s biggest and best TV moments.
Armed with a table of mini pretzels, sweet & salty popcorn and an array of varying melons, the dancing duo are excited and eager to spend time together, where they get to ‘‘be brutally honest’’ and ‘‘comment on everything’’.
Upon discussing their specific pretzel snack selection, Amy asked Carlos ‘‘Have you tried the chocolate ones?’’ to which Carlos responded ‘‘Too much sugar, it ages you, you don’t want to be aged by sugar!!’’
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The brutally honest pair who “love watching a good drama” are “so excited” to take to the sofa and share their honest take on the week’s standout TV.
Ahead of her appearance, Amy said:“Celebrity Gogglebox was fab-u-lous! I’m so used to being on my feet performing, it was such a treat to sit back, laugh, and react to all those brilliant shows. Of course, I loved being able to share those genuine, feel-good moments with Carlos and everyone watching at home.”
Meanwhile Carlos Gu added: “I had the best time – honestly, it was so much fun! I’m very expressive anyway, so you can imagine, I don’t hold back when I’m watching TV! Celebrity Gogglebox is all about emotion, humour and just enjoying yourself, and that’s exactly what I love. It felt like me and Amy were having our own little party on the sofa!”
Lorraine airs weekdays from 9.30am on ITV1 and ITVX and Celebrity Gogglebox airs this Friday at 9pm on Channel 4
North Yorkshire Police added that a man who was initially arrested in connection with the incident on the day that it happened has now been released without charge.
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“We can confirm that a second man, in his 30s, has been arrested in connection with this incident and has been released on conditional police bail while further enquiries are carried out,” said a spokesperson for the force.
The incident is reported to have happened in Bar Lane, off Micklegate, at around 10pm last Tuesday (June 17) and the scene was cordoned off to the public whilst a forensic investigation took place.
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The cordoned-off area was approximately 60 metres long and on the Bar Walls side of the road.
A police van next to Micklegate Bar on Wednesday morning (June 17) (Image: Dylan Connell)
The force says the alleged victim is a woman who is receiving specialist support while the investigation continues.
Officers added that she is continuing to receive specialist support and care.
If you have any further information, please call North Yorkshire Police on 101 or if you prefer to remain anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or make an online report.
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Please quote reference number 12260111552 when providing details.
The applicant said that a care home would likely see “far less levels of comings and goings” than a hotel
A Cambridgeshire city hotel could be converted into a care home to meet an “identified community need”. Applicants Mr Peerbocus and Mr Khan have proposed to change the use of the former Lodge Hotel on Lincoln Road in Peterborough to become a supported living and care home for adults.
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The existing use, as a hotel with 11 bedrooms, would be converted to offer six bedrooms for the care home. The applicant said: “The proposal is to provide facility for adults from the age of 18 years+.
“The residents who will reside at the property will require some form of care/help and support but will mainly be independent. It is not proposed to accommodate ‘very high need adults’ or ‘secure accommodation’.”
The application states that the proposals would be “entirely aimed at meeting the housing needs of the most vulnerable”. The number of staff required at the site would include three day staff (one manager and two careers) and two staff overnight.
The site would accommodate a maximum of four on-site parking spaces. Shift patterns would be managed and staggered so there is no need for on-street parking.
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According to the proposals, staff would be recruited from Peterborough and as such “it is likely that some member[s] of staff will be able to cycle to the site”. The proposal would provide a total of 10 cycle spaces.
If the plans were approved, the property, near the city centre, would provide suitable accommodation for the residents as well as staff. This includes bedrooms, living area, kitchen, bathroom facilities, and outdoor space.
The applicant added: “Taking the above into account, it is considered that the proposal would meet an identified community need, provide suitable living conditions and be located within reasonable proximity to local services and facilities.”
A planning statement says that whilst the use would differ in character from a hotel, the existing use would “generate significant high level of comings and goings which would give rise to undue noise and disturbance in a residential area, compared to the proposed use”.
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It added that the proposals are considered to have “far less levels of comings and goings”.
Manchester United have been warned by a football finance expert that their new 100,000-seater stadium could cost in excess of £2billion, with the club’s finances also coming under scrutiny
10:11, 25 Jun 2026Updated 10:11, 25 Jun 2026
Football finance expert Stefan Borson has warned Manchester United that their proposed 100,000-seater stadium could set them back well in excess of £2billion, warning that now is ‘not the right environment’ for such an ambitious project.
Soaring interest rates mean the landmark move away from Old Trafford will come at a considerable cost. CityAM has also reported growing doubts over the finances, with the club allegedly approaching the government for assistance in funding the infrastructure surrounding the stadium, while being left to source private funding for the ground development itself.
United secured their return to European football’s top table after finishing third in thePremier League last season.Champions League qualification has bolstered their finances by nearly £100million, though much of that investment is likely to be swallowed up by wage increases following their top-four finish, as well as transfer expenditure this summer, with Michael Carrick’s squad widely expected to be active in the market.
It has been suggested that United are exploring a range of funding options for the stadium project, whether through private investment or ownership contributions, having already engaged with “several” potential investors.
However, it remains to be seen whether the Glazer family or minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe plan to foot the bill themselves, with the club having recently restructured £410million of their debts — which exceed £1billion in total — at interest rates of 5.36 percent.
“Of course, if the owners stick £2bn in and build the stadium themselves, then there’s no issue. But that’s not what’s been touted at the moment,” Borson toldCity AM.
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“The environment is not right to build a stadium. We have very high interest rates that don’t look like coming down and it doesn’t look like the owners will underwrite it.
“Man United, even with a 100,000-seater stadium, a football club able to deal with £3.5bn-£4bn of total debt? I say no it can’t.”
He added: “Their starting point is a heavy existing debt profile.
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“You have the senior debt, the secured loan and you have the revolving credit facility – effectively the overdraft – and a substantial amount owed to other clubs for historic transfers.
“Presumably because United have made the senior facility a little bigger at $550m (£415m), they won’t need to rely on the overdraft quite as much. But they’re still in an investment phase in the first team, so you would think they’re going to need cash for that.
“The top and bottom of it is: the existing debt isn’t coming down anytime soon. They’re not going to be in a position where they’re throwing off loads of excess cash to start repaying debt.”
This week marked a significant milestone in United’s ambitions to build a Wembley Stadium-style venue, with formal plans unveiled. The move would place the club alongside rivalsManchester City,Everton, andLiverpool in boasting a multi-purpose venue capable of generating additional income from music concerts, amongst other events.
Former Greater Manchester mayorAndy Burnham recently vacated his position after securing victory in the local election to become the member of parliament for the Makerfield constituency. Burnham, who was a strong supporter of the proposals and heavily linked to them, is considered one of the frontrunners to succeedKeir Starmer as Prime Minister, though his change of role would have no bearing on the plans.
Earlier this year, Burnham firmly ruled out using public money to fund the stadium’s construction. A United spokesperson said: “Our proposed new stadium will be financed privately, and we continue to have positive conversations with potential investors and all stakeholders.”
Thousands of fans upgraded their Premier League matchday last season. This is how they did it.
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The South Korea captain spoke out following their shock World Cup defeat to South Africa in Group A
South Korea starSon Heung-min has issued an apology to his team-mates after a shock defeat toSouth Africa left theirWorld Cup 2026 hopes clinging by a thread. The formerTottenham forward was surprisingly omitted from the starting XI by head coach Hong Myung-bo for the Group A decider, with Oh Hyeon-gyu and Hwang Hee-chan partnering Lee Kang-in up front.
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The Asian nation only needed a draw to secure their place in the Round of 32, having beaten Czechia 2-1 in their opener before losing 1-0 toMexico. However, they slumped to a disappointing defeat against South Africa, who progressed at their expense thanks to Thapelo Maseko’s 63rd-minute strike.
It was the first time that Son started a World Cup match on the bench on Wednesday since his international debut 16 years ago. That gamble from Hong appeared to backfire as he sent on the 33-year-old for the second half with the score still goalless.
However, the LAFC star was ineffectual in his 45-minute cameo, and Bafana Bafana went on to claim a famous victory. Following the game, Son issued a heartfelt apology to his teammates, admitting he felt like he let them down.
“It’s so frustrating that the match didn’t go the way we wanted it to, and we as players are obviously very disappointed,” Son said. “I feel sorry to my teammates that I didn’t give them much help on the pitch.”
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While many expected Korea to obtain the one point required to progress even without Son, leaving him out proved to be a costly blunder. The experienced winger is his nation’s all-time top goalscorer with 56 goals in 147 caps and had netted three times in his previous three World Cup tournament appearances.
Despite Son’s sincere apology, his manager appeared to absolve him of any responsibility by footing the blame for the defeat. Speaking after the game, Hong conceded he would’ve made different choices with his starting XI with hindsight.
“In terms of the process and preparing for this game, and how we would play on the field, that is something I put much thought into,” the ex-South Korea captain said. “Of course, if we knew what the result was going to be, I probably would have made different choices.
“But I had a strategy in mind. Whenever such a bad result happens, everyone has their own opinion. The result is really the responsibility of the head coach. Ultimately, it comes down to my hands, I guess I made the wrong decisions and that was the reason we had a bad result. Nothing more, nothing less.”
England’s 2026 World Cup kits
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England and Nike have launched the new home, away and goalkeeper kits to be worn at this summer’s FIFA World Cup. You can get free delivery on all orders with the code DEAL.
As reported by The Korea Times, Son issued a blunt response when discussing Hong’s decision to leave him out of the starting lineup: “I don’t really have anything to add to that,” he said, confirming his manager had informed him ahead of the game he would be left out.
Korea now face a nervous wait to discover their fate in the World Cup. With all three matches played in Group A, the Tigers’ hopes are pinned on other teams doing a favour for them to ensure they finish in the top eight slots of the best third-placed teams.
They are currently fourth with three points, albeit having played more games than several teams below them, includingBelgium,Ecuador andParaguay. The goal difference is the first tiebreaker in this table, followed by goals scored.
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Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package
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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.
Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.
The pair targeted vehicles across several counties including Cambridgeshire
07:23, 25 Jun 2026Updated 07:28, 25 Jun 2026
Two men stole 25 vehicles worth more than £600,000 across several counties, including Cambridgeshire. Aurimas Sarkis, aged 29, and Ignas Kisskiss, aged 36, stole 25 vehicles which were all Audis, BMWs or Mercedes, between October and December 2025.
The thieves target vehicles across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire. The men were arrested following a long-running investigation into organised thefts of high-value vehicles, using specialist equipment to bypass keyless vehicle security systems. Police estimate the total value of the cars taken to be more than £600,000, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Sarkis, of Swallow Drive, Raunds, Northamptonshire and Kisskiss, of Sisley Road, Barking, both appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Wednesday, June 24, after pleading guilty to multiple counts of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles. Sarkis was jailed for four years and one month and Kisskiss was jailed for four years and 10 months.
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Aamir Barrett from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The impact of the organised crime committed by Sarkis and Kisskiss extended well beyond financial loss. Many victims had to find alternative means of transport, were forced to replace essential items like children’s buggies and, in one case, had to repurchase specialist equipment and medication for a disabled family member.
“Our case was supported by evidence including automatic number plate recognition and phone data, as well as GPS data from a tag worn by Sarkis, which clearly linked both defendants to the offences. Faced with this evidence, they admitted their crimes.”
The countdown to the new season starts here for Swansea City.
Vitor Matos and the Jack Army are set to discover who they’ll face on the opening day of the new Championship season, and indeed their schedule for the rest of the campaign.
Former Premier League sides Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United are in the mix, while a clash with Burnley is could also carry the intriguing narrative of Craig Bellamy’s return to south Wales.
Bellamy is currently on the brink of taking the reins at Turf Moor.
The fixtures are set to drop at 12pm, and you can follow live updates with our blog below.
The first event will take place on Thursday, June 25, from 1 pm to 3.30 pm at the club, with refreshments available and all residents welcome to attend.
Caesar the gorilla arrives at his new home in London after a whirlwind tour of the capital. He is pictured with owner Adele Teale and Flight Centre general manager Joe Beevis (Picture: Jamie Henderson / Flight Centre)
He faced an uncertain future after being evicted from his home by the local council.
But Caesar, the 4ft fibreglass gorilla, has found a new place to stay after becoming a viral sensation.
The primate has been adopted by long-haul travel specialists Flight Centre and is now taking pride of place at their store on South Molton Street in London.
It’s a long way from the house in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, where he had been proudly displayed on a platform by owner Adele Teale for the last 12 months.
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Adele has owned the statue for 20 years and said she was delighted that he had found a new habitat (Picture: Jamie Henderson / Flight Centre)
The 59-year-old loves gorillas and Caesar had previously spent 15 years at her home in Leeds without causing any issues.
Caesar had never visited London before and took a scenic route to his new residence, posing at Big Ben, dropping in on Downing Street, and cruising through Piccadilly Circus.
Joe Beevis, general manager of Flight Centre, said: ‘We send nature lovers to see wildlife in Africa every year, so when we heard Caesar needed a new home, it felt like the natural fit. Caesar is a reminder that the best wildlife encounters are live ones.
Caesar at his old home in Stanley, Wakefield, before he was evicted by the council (Picture: Charley Atkins / SWNS)
‘Booking with companies who take sustainable tourism seriously, such as our travel partner Intrepid Travel, means the animals, their habitats and local communities that make those moments possible can continue to thrive.’
‘We took Caesar’s welfare extremely seriously on the journey down from Wakefield, and, on arrival in London we felt it was only right to show him the sights of our great city.
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‘He’s now installed at our South Molton Street store and is adjusting to Mayfair life very well. We’ve had no complaints, though he has developed strong opinions about the air conditioning.’
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The gorilla’s owner says that Caesar will not be London forever (Picture: Jamie Henderson / Flight Centre)
Adele, Caesar’s owner, added: ‘Caesar has been part of my life for more than 20 years and I wasn’t going to give up on him without a fight, but I’m really glad this is how it’s ended up.
‘“’He’s not gone forever; he’s just heading to London for a bit, which feels very him.
‘I was glad to be there to hand him over in person and I know he’s going to be properly looked after by Flight Centre, who care as much about animal welfare as I do.’
Caesar’s fans can see him in person at Flight Centre’s store on South Molton Street, Mayfair.
To celebrate Caesar’s arrival, Flight Centre is offering 10% off selected Africa Tours with Intrepid Travel for a limited time.
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