Tech, crypto, tobacco, other companies fund Trump’s White House ballroom

The donor list includes several billionaires who have looked to curry favor with the Trump administration. Dozens of companies and individual billionaires are lining up to pay for President Donald Trump’s 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom, the administration revealed Thursday. The donors include tech giants whose leaders have dined with Trump during his second administration, including … Read more

Starmer’s grooming gang inquiry left in turmoil after two survivors quit panel

Fiona Goddard and Ellie-Ann Reynolds criticise handling of national inquiry, which is yet to appoint a chair Keir Starmer’s national grooming gang inquiry has been left in turmoil after two survivors resigned from its oversight panel and accused the Home Office and Labour of “contempt” and “political interference” before it has appointed a chair. Ellie-Ann … Read more

Wednesday briefing: The new, devastating flood risk facing nearly all of Britain

In today’s newsletter: Flooding is predicted to become so bad that some towns may need to be abandoned, and it’s not even campaigners raising the alarm – but insurers Good morning. For years, whenever I read about parts of Britain being wrecked by flooding, it always felt like something distant – because until your house … Read more

Restitution row: how Nigeria’s new home for the Benin bronzes ended up with clay replicas Philip Oltermann in Berlin and Eromo Egbejule in Abidjan

The public display of artefacts looted by British colonial forces at the new Museum of West African Art was supposed to be the crowning glory of a decades-long restitution effort. What went wrong? In a corner of the new Museum of West African Art, visitors can marvel at a sample display of the cultural treasures … Read more

‘I’m done being afraid’: How the shutdown has led federal workers to speak out

As the government shutdown stretches into its second week, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are not working — and more are not getting paid. The White House has thrown into question whether some will ever be made whole. Still, for the first time in awhile, Monica Gorman is upbeat. “I’m feeling energized, honestly,” says … Read more