Ajuede.com

National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) member and General Services Administration head Ed Forst, NCPC Commissioner Michael Blair, and NCPC Chairman Will Scharf participate during a meeting to vote on the proposal for a new $400 million ballroom at the White House, on April 2, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images) The National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) has voted to approve President Donald Trump’s plans for the new White House ballroom. The NCPC derives its authority from the National Capital Planning Act of 1952. This federal law designates the NCPC as the central planning agency for the federal government in the D.C. region. Under the Act, any federal agency — including the Executive Office of the President — proposing a development project in the National Capital Region, must submit its plans to the NCPC for review. The commission is legally charged with ensuring that new construction is: Consistent with the “Comprehensive Plan for the National Capi...

A U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter aircraft is silhouetted by the sun on April 17, 2025, in Lakenheath, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) UPDATE: 10:08 AM –  One of the two crew members piloting the U.S. F-15E fighter jet reportedly downed in Iran has been rescued by American special forces, according to U.S. officials speaking to  CBS News  and an Israeli official speaking to  Axios . The pilot and weapon systems officer likely ejected on Friday, according to their training. Iranian media said helicopters were searching for the crew members. Videos on social media showed what appeared to be low-flying helicopters and a C-130 airplane in southwestern Iran,  The New York Times  reported. The search and rescue mission is ongoing.   This is a breaking story. Check back for updates. 9:00 AM –  A U.S. F-15 fighter jet has reportedly been shot down over southern Iran, with Iranian state media claiming the regime downed the aircraft. The incident p...

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a security assessment at the Kirya in Tel Aviv on April 3, 2026. (CREDIT: Roi Avraham/GPO) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu  vowed to crush the Iranian regime during a security assessment at the Kirya in Tel Aviv on Friday. “In full coordination between myself and President Trump, between the IDF and the United States Army, we will  continue to crush Iran . This regime is weaker than ever - Israel is stronger than ever,”  Netanyahu stated. He detailed that the Air Force has destroyed around 70% of the regime’s steel production capacity, describing the move as “a tremendous achievement that deprives the Revolutionary Guards of both financial resources and the ability to produce many weapons.” “Together with our American friends, we continue to crush the terror regime in Iran. We are  eliminating commanders , bombing bridges, striking infrastructure,” Netanyahu said of Operation Roaring Lion and Operation Epic Fury. "Togethe...

(L) Image of wreckage published by Iranian state media (via: Press TV; X) / (R) Image of wreckage published by Iranian state media (via: Press TV; X) A U.S. F-15 fighter jet has reportedly been shot down over southern Iran, with Iranian state media claiming the regime downed the aircraft. The incident prompted search and rescue missions for the aircraft’s two-person crew. Tehran’s state media shared images of debris from the crash on Friday. The Pentagon has not yet officially confirmed the incident, though one official speaking to  Reuters  on the condition of anonymity said that a search was already underway for any survivors.   President Donald Trump has not yet commented on the status of the aircraft or its crew, but has been briefed about the issue from multiple U.S. intelligence reports, according to  The New York Times. If reports are confirmed, this would mark the first time a United States aircraft has been shot down by enemy forces since the start of Operat...

(L) Screenshot via: One America News (OAN) live feed. /(Background) US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on March 27, 2026. (Photo by Leandro Lozada / AFP via Getty Images) Pushing forward the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hosted a high-stakes roundtable on Thursday to announce a federal offensive against microplastic contamination. Speaking from EPA headquarters alongside Administrator Lee Zeldin, Kennedy characterized the ubiquity of plastic fragments in American bodies as a “generational health crisis,” linking the pollutants to rising rates of chronic disease, cognitive decline, and reproductive issues. The event marked the official launch of STOMP (Systematic Targeting Of MicroPlastics), a $144 million initiative spearheaded by  ARPA-H. As the federal agency dedicated to accelerating high-impact solutions for society’s most urgent health crises, ARPA-H designed STOMP to...

Israeli soldiers stand near an Iranian missile embedded in the ground on March 24, 2026 in the Palestinian village of Hares, West Bank. Iranian missiles have routinely flown over, and sometimes landed in, the West Bank during Israel's war with Iran. (photo credit: Erik Marmor/Getty Images) Approximately half of Iran's  missile  launchers and one-way attack drones are still operational despite five weeks of heavy strikes by the US and Israel, according to a Friday CNN report citing recent US intelligence assessments.  The intelligence information, relayed to CNN by sources familiar with the situation, indicated that the count may include missile launchers that are currently inaccessible, such as those buried under rubble but not destroyed in the strikes.  Sources added that a large percentage of Iran's cruise missiles, which allow it to threaten shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, were still intact.  US President Donald Trump  said on Tuesday ...