n our news wrap Thursday, the Palestinian Health Ministry says Israeli settlers shot and killed a Palestinian-American in the occupied West Bank, National Park Service workers in Philadelphia began restoring a slavery exhibit at the site of George Washington’s former residence and the White House ballroom proposal has been approved by a panel whose members were handpicked by Trump himself.
Geoff Bennett:
In Philadelphia, National Park Service workers began restoring a slavery exhibit today at the site of George Washington’s former residence.
Cherelle Parker, Mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: And I want to say thank you. It’s all right. And I want you to know I’m grateful.
Geoff Bennett:
The city’s mayor, Cherelle Parker, thanked workers during a visit there this morning. The exhibit tells the story of nine enslaved people who lived there and has become the focus of a legal battle between the Trump administration and the city.
A federal judge ordered the displays be restored earlier this week while a lawsuit plays out. The Trump administration argues that it has the power to decide what stories get told at National Park Service sites.
President Trump’s White House ballroom proposal has been approved by a panel whose members were handpicked by the president himself. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts said the massive ballroom will increase hosting capacity for state dinners and other large events, which have traditionally been held in outdoor tents.
Another body, the National Capital Planning Commission, will pick up the matter next month. In October, crews hastily demolished the entire East Wing to make way for the ballroom. A federal court case seeking to halt construction is still pending.
Also today, workers installed a large banner featuring the president’s face at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C. The DOJ has a tradition of independence, and its presence highlights Mr. Trump’s growing influence over the department.
Separately, the military says Air Force One is getting a new look, red, white, blue and gold is seen in this artist’s rendering. Mr. Trump has been pushing to replace the lighter blue Kennedy era color scheme since his first term.
The nation’s trade deficit posted a small decline last year, even as President Trump’s tariffs upended the global flow of goods and services. The gap between what the U.S. sells overseas and what it buys narrowed to just over $901 billion. That’s down slightly from the year before, but is still the third highest on record.
And when it comes to physical goods, that is, taking out services, the deficit actually hit a record of around $1.2 trillion. That’s despite President Trump’s tariffs. It all comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is due to rule on the legality of those tariffs as soon as tomorrow.
Human rights experts at the U.N. say the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan carried out a campaign of destruction last year that bears hallmarks of genocide.
Mona Rishmawi, United Nations:
We reached the point of genocide now. Enough is enough.
Geoff Bennett:
An independent fact-finding mission found that the paramilitary group carried out mass killings and other atrocities in the city of El Fasher last October. The report cites sexual violence and public statements calling for the elimination of non-Arab communities there.
At the U.N. Security Council today, diplomats called on nations to exert maximum pressure to prevent any further bloodshed.
Yvette Cooper, British Foreign Minister:
This is not just a humanitarian crisis. It is a regional security crisis and a migration crisis too. This affects all of us. And that is why we need action, and we need the United Nations to be a force for countries to come together from across the world to demand peace.
Geoff Bennett:
Violence has raged in Sudan since 2023, when tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders boiled over. The U.N. estimates that at least 40,000 people have died, but aid groups say the real figure is much higher.
On Wall Street today, stocks ended lower as worries about a conflict with Iran weighed on the markets. The Dow Jones industrial average fell nearly 270 points. The Nasdaq slipped about 70 points on the day. The S&P 500 saw its first loss in four days.
And at the Winter Olympics today, there was a dash of disappointment, but plenty of triumph for Team USA. If you want to avoid some spoilers, this is your warning. Skating star Jordan Stolz came up short in his bid for a third gold medal of the Games, settling for silver in the 1,500-meter speed skate.
But in women’s figure skating, Alysa Liu won the first gold medal for the U.S. in more than two decades. And Team USA women’s hockey came up big when it counted, beating archrival Canada 2-1 in an overtime thriller. That helped bring the U.S. into second place in the overall medal count with 27 behind Norway.
Today was also the Olympic debut for ski mountaineering, or skimo, for short. It involves athletes climbing up the mountain first before skiing down. Switzerland and Spain took home gold in the women’s and men’s events respectively.
