Culture

Washington, D.C. — The projected cost of the new White House State Ballroom has surged far beyond initial estimates as global gold prices hit unprecedented levels, raising fresh questions about the feasibility of President Trump’s plan to furnish the space with gold-covered fixtures and décor.

Gold prices have climbed to historic highs in early 2026, with spot bullion trading above $4,800 per ounce amid geopolitical tensions and market uncertainty, making precious metals exceptionally expensive for construction and luxury uses.

ATLANTA — Thousands of Georgians gathered Monday to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a day of reflection, celebration, and community engagement. In recognition of the national holiday, Stone Mountain Park offered free admission, drawing families, tourists, and local residents to enjoy a range of activities and historical exhibits.

Washington, DC -- In a New Year’s Eve celebration that blended politics, performance, and showmanship, the newly renamed Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosted a festive puppet show that drew an enthusiastic--albeit tiny--audience despite ongoing controversy surrounding the venue’s rebranding earlier this year.

Washington, D.C. — White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Friday that she and her husband are expecting their second child. Leavitt, 28, shared the news in a social media post, revealing that the couple’s baby girl is due in May 2026.

In a last-minute editorial shift that drew attention across the media landscape, 60 Minutes decided to replace its scheduled investigation on Venezuelan deportations with a cultural segment examining the historical accuracy of Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming film, The Odyssey.

PHOENIX — At the annual Turning Point USA AmericaFest conference this weekend, Vice President J.D. Vance offered the traditional “Festivus blessing” and invited attendees to participate in an Airing of Grievances during the gathering’s concluding sessions. The comment came on the final day of the multiday conservative youth organization’s flagship event, held at the Phoenix Convention Center.

Washington - President Donald Trump drew intense criticism over the weekend after making remarks widely viewed as insensitive in the wake of filmmaker Rob Reiner’s murder. The President appeared to double down during an unscripted exchange with reporters on Monday.

In comments that quickly circulated online, Trump described one of Reiner’s films, Being Charlie, as “tepid and insipid,” adding, “It was feloniously derivative of Truffaut’s The 400 Blows and lacked the visceral realism of Scorsese’s Taxi Driver.”

Washington — A new tranche of photographs from the estate of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein includes previously unpublished images showing a number of high-profile figures, among them actor Dick Van Dyke, filmmaker Woody Allen and King Charles III, according to materials released Friday by Democrats on the U.S. House Oversight Committee.

Los Angeles - Acclaimed filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has announced plans for a stylized reinterpretation of Carrie, Stephen King’s classic 1974 novel about a bullied teenager with telekinetic powers. The project, described by sources close to the production as a “mythic, emotionally heightened fable,” is slated to begin pre-production early next year.

Canberra — Australia has formally enacted a nationwide ban on social media use for minors under 16, marking one of the strictest measures globally aimed at curbing children’s exposure to online platforms.