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Board of trustees recommending that the main building be closed immediately due to costs, US newspaper reports.

The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, is on the brink of bankruptcy and could close as soon as Tuesday, The Washington Post has reported.

According to the report in the United States newspaper on Sunday, the institution’s board of trustees, of which President Donald Trump is the chairman, has argued that putting the president’s name on the facade could be the only way to avoid imminent and “certain fiscal collapse”.

The trustees also say the institution will not be able to pay employees or meet maintenance costs within a few weeks.

The assessment was set out in a 57-page report before a special meeting on Tuesday, when the Trump-led board is expected to consider the two main issues affecting the performing arts centre: A financial crisis and a physical one, as the building needs renovation.

The Post reported that board members are recommending that the main building be closed immediately due to costs.

The ⁠Post also said Trump ⁠would help the Kennedy Center if his involvement is acknowledged. The trustees’ report represents “a remarkable new phase in Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy ⁠Center, which has been engulfed by financial turmoil, leadership upheaval and litigation ⁠since he installed himself as chairman ⁠last year”, the paper said.

The Kennedy Center was named in honour of the late US president who championed civil rights before he was assassinated in 1963.

Trump placed himself as chairman of the Kennedy Centre shortly after beginning his second term last year, and in December his hand-picked board voted to rename it the “Trump-Kennedy” Centre, a move later blocked in court.

In response to Trump’s takeover, a host of artists have cancelled concerts, with US media reporting that ticket sales had fallen to their lowest levels since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Post reported that the centre was expected to collect about $124m of the projected $220m in revenue that it had budgeted, “leaving a roughly $23 million deficit even after substantial spending cuts” this past fiscal year.

It added that a spokesperson for the centre blamed the problems on “financial mismanagement by previous leadership” and said Trump’s name had attracted new donors.

LAURA Anderson has admitted she felt like the ‘biggest faliure’ after her split from Gary Lucy as she shared an emotional post about being a single mum.

Laura and Gary split not long after they revealed they were having a child together, but later got back together before ultimately calling it quits.

Now, Laura has shared a tender beach clip of her and her daughter playing in the sand, using the moment to open up about how she’s feeling now.

She wrote: “One day you’ll go through a break-up with your child’s father and you’ll think that being a single mum is the biggest failure.

“And then one day, not suddenly, but slowly and surely, you’ll look back and feel so proud of the mother you are and what you have been able to overcome.

“You’ll be proud of how much your child is thriving and how much you’ve achieved by yourself.

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“Because the one thing that determines the happiness of a child is the happiness of their mother.

“Her peace within the home and within her mind.

“And the only thing you’ll regret is not realising that sooner.”

Fans flocked to comment and one wrote: “Your an amazing mama to your baby Bonnie.”

Another added: “Absolutely agree.”

While a third stated: “Beautiful.”

Laura and Gary met while looking for love on Celebs Go Dating back in 2022.

Despite it being against the E4 show rules to date fellow celebs, the experts gave the green light after seeing their romantic spark.

During their whirlwind relationship after the cameras stopped rolling, Laura fell pregnant.

But the happy pregnancy news was tinged with sadness because by then the pair had secretly split for the first time.

The couple then split for good shortly before their daughter Bonnie was born in 2023

This sparked the start of one of the most toxic break-ups reality TV has ever seen.

Just this June, Laura took a swipe at Gary with a savage Father’s Day post.

And last month, she took another brutal swipe at Gary and confirmed she’s now single after her split from her footballer boyfriend.

WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security drew backlash over an AI-generated social media post featuring a Sikh man facing off against a character made to look like Optimus Prime from the movie “Transformers.” The agency later deleted the image.

Posted Wednesday to the official X account for DHS, the image created by artificial intelligence depicted the “Transformers” character opposite a bearded man wearing a bandanna over his hair. The image, made to look like a movie poster, stated, “America for Americans.”

“Get off our roads, you don’t know how to drive Mr. Singh,” it continued.

The post was denounced as “racist propaganda” and “completely unacceptable.”

Other X posts by DHS that reference Transformers remain online.

Sikh Americans and elected officials condemned the image and accused the Trump administration of using racist imagery to stigmatize Sikhs while promoting its deportation campaign.

Hasbro, which owns the franchise, issued a statement saying the posts by DHS were made “without permission and do not represent the Transformers brand or Hasbro.”

Singh, which translates to “lion,” is the most common last name for Sikh men.

DHS said the post depicted Harjinder Singh, an Indian truck driver accused of causing a fatal crash last year that left three people dead after his 18-wheeler collided with their minivan in Florida. He has pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide charges.

In photos released by DHS, Harjinder Singh wears similar clothes as the man in the now-deleted AI image.

In an emailed statement, a Homeland Security spokesperson, who did not identify themself, called criticism of the post “nonsensical drivel.” The spokesperson did not respond to a question asking why it had removed the post.

“Harjinder Singh is an illegal alien from India who should never have been in our country,” the statement said, adding that he had been granted a commercial driver’s license by California.

In its campaign against immigrant commercial drivers, the Trump administration has repeatedly pointed out Sikh and Indian truckers, who make up about 20% of that industry’s workforce.

The department recently cited California as a problem state that allows drivers who don’t speak sufficient English to obtain licenses. It also started a tip line asking members of the public to report truck drivers they suspect of being undocumented.

The press office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, which shared the deleted image in its own X post, called the post “disgusting” and “racist propaganda.”

Noting that the Central Valley is home to a large Sikh community, Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford) called the post “completely unacceptable” and said he’s glad it was removed.

“No American should be targeted because of their faith or their name,” Valadao wrote on X.

The Sikh Coalition noted that the DHS post comes as the country mourns the 25th anniversary of 9/11, after which Sikhs were targeted for hate crimes.

“We remain fearless in identifying as Sikhs — even when our government portrays us as enemies,” the coalition wrote on X.

OASIS have teased more huge gigs with a cheeky nod to their chaotic first tour that saw Liam Gallagher deported from Holland.

The band have been drip-feeding fans cryptic videos hinting at 2027 shows in the UK and Europe ahead of an official announcement.

So far sleuthing supporters have decoded gigs at the Etihad Stadium, Celtic Park and Munich’s Allianz Arena.

Now they’re convinced the band is heading to Amsterdam — two days after The Sun exclusively revealed the band will play shows at the Johan Cruyff Stadium as part of an extended world tour.

Back in 1994, the boozed-up band set sail for the Dutch city’s Paradiso Club only to clash with rowdy West Ham fans on the ferry.

All hell broke loose and Liam famously ran from police in scenes reminiscent of a Benny Hill sketch.

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Noel Gallagher wasn’t involved in the fracas, having headed to his cabin early, however, the damage was done and he joined Liam and the rest of the band on the next ferry home, with the scheduled gig cancelled.

The new clip sees two plucky young lads sprinting through a shipping yard, stopping to stick their fingers up at police officers in pursuit.

One fan commented on X: “I instantly thought of Liam getting arrested on the ferry in Amsterdam!!!”

Another said: “Ferry containers, running from the police, it’s Amsterdam just like they were deported by the police in Amsterdam in 1994.”

A third said: “Fighting on the ferry to Amsterdam?”

The Gallaghers have been promoting the band’s new Don’t Look Back In Anger documentary this week that documents last year’s comeback tour after the brothers ended their 16 year feud.

Today, directors Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern revealed on Radio X the lengths they went to to ensure they didn’t jeopardise the brothers’ fragile relationship.

Will said: “Day one of shooting was day one of their rehearsals which they hadn’t done before. No one had ever filmed; they hadn’t allowed cameras into rehearsals. The first day of filming was them getting in a room together.

Dylan continued: “Genuinely, other than the photograph to launch this whole tour, it was the first time they’d spent time together in 15 years, so we didn’t want to be the people to ruin this for everybody, so our whole approach was to be invisible.

“We rigged cameras in the room – 12-14 cameras and just left them to film and we had to hide in a portacabin for the whole summer which had no air conditioning during a heat wave.

“We were like CCTV security guards, but we had to be watching the preparation for the biggest rock and roll comeback ever.”

Colombian authorities blame ELN rebel group for attack that reportedly included drones dropping explosives on compound.

Colombian authorities have said that at least three soldiers have been killed and several more injured after an attack on a military compound by an armed group that included drones used to drop explosives.

The Colombian army said on Saturday that the attack had been carried out by the rebel National Liberation Army (ELN) the night before in the municipality of Ocana, which is in the area bordering Venezuela. Two soldiers were killed in the clashes, along with a third who died after receiving medical attention. Four were injured.

“To the ELN I say with absolute clarity: for every police officer or soldier you kill, I will bring down on you the full weight and legitimate force of the State,” President Abelardo de la Espriella said in a statement on social media condemning the attack.

Authorities said that drones dropped explosives onto the compound in the department of Norte de Santander before fighting took place within the facility. The news service AFP reported that at least 20 drones loaded with explosives were utilised in the attack, citing an unnamed security official.

De la Espriella won office pledging to return Colombia to militarised confrontation with armed groups and criminal organisations that have jostled for influence across the country, despite concerns that it could lead to surging violence and possible rights abuses.

Deadly attacks by armed groups have continued to rattle the country since his inauguration.

The attack on Friday took place in the northeastern Catatumbo region, where the ELN is based and where the government has carried out military raids against armed groups.

De la Espriella has also promised closer ties with the United States, which has sought to expand its military involvement in the region under the so-called “Shield of the Americas” initiative.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet with de la Espriella, a former lawyer who previously represented leaders of paramilitaries, in the Caribbean city of Barranquilla next week.

In a statement, the Army Cadet League of Canada, a civilian organisation that supports the programme, said it strongly condemns “any online harassment, or mockery of cadets’ achievements”.

“Directing derogatory commentary toward youth who are actively working to better themselves and serve their communities is unacceptable,” the organisation said.

Speaking to broadcaster CBC, Canada’s top military commander, General Jennie Carignan, said they are in contact with the cadets involved and any response they may have.

“We are consulting with them on how they want to go about doing this,” she said.

Other officials weighed in, including Scott Anderson, a Conservative member of parliament for the Canadian city of Vernon and a former military reservist, who in a post directed at Hegseth accused him not living up to the “responsibility and decorum” that comes with his title.

“You have chosen to set both aside and insult two female Canadian non-combatants, and to intentionally shame them before millions. You should be ashamed,” he said.

“Our economies, our continental defence and our cultures are irretrievably intertwined and yet we are two distinct nations. Canadians and Americans should have no problem with each other, but I have a problem with you,” Anderson added.

A number of pundits and some Canadians accused the defence secretary of “body-shaming” with his post.

Trade talks broke down between Canada and the US last month, with both sides accusing the other of last-minute demands that torpedoed a tentative agreement.

The US immediately imposed 50% tariffs on some $20bn (C$28bn) of Canadian imports, and Canada plans to bring in matching countermeasures next week.

Both sides have traded insults, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford calling Trump a “loser”, the US president seeking to change the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America, and transportation secretary Sean Duffy accusing Canada of being a country that “doesn’t have a military”.

Still, the two counties have long been defence partners and allies, including when Canada backed the US in the war in Afghanistan.

Canada has also significantly ramped up defence spending in recent months after years of lagging behind Nato targets.

Hegseth, a veteran, is himself under pressure at home following a string of recent high-profile military leaders leaving the Pentagon and questions about the US handling of the Iran war.

He has also long focused on the appearance and physical fitness of US troops and on what he calls the “warrior ethos”.

TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told the Trump administration Tuesday to “stop doing memes, stop throwing shade and stop trying to be tough,” as he pushed back against a fresh wave of attacks from Washington.

Carney said U.S.-Canada trade talks could resume if Washington became serious about negotiations, but he also accused the United States of pursuing terms that he said could leave Canadian industries “gradually wound down in Canada and wiped out.”

“When the Americans stop doing memes, stop throwing shade and stop trying to be tough, and start being serious about having those discussions, we can have those discussions,” Carney said. “It’s not constructive, but that’s their democracy.”

His comments came after a new barrage from Washington since trade talks collapsed Aug. 21, including Trump’s move to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” and social media posts taunting Canada. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said Canada could not go “tit for tat” with a U.S. economy 13 times larger, while U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth mocked female Canadian cadets online.

Hegseth on Monday posted an image from a cadet training center in British Columbia showing two young women in uniform, adding “this is real” alongside a Canadian flag. Carney called the post “beneath their office.”

The Pentagon stood by it Tuesday, with deputy press secretary Jacob Bliss saying, “The X post speaks for itself.”

Carney said the U.S. approach in the talks would have left Canadian industries effectively as subsidiaries of American companies or imposed terms under which they would be “gradually wound down in Canada and wiped out.”

“We’re not going to — of course, we’re not going to accept those terms,” Carney said.

Carney said Washington sought an “uncompetitive” deal for key industries, including autos, while pushing changes affecting French-language and cultural protections. He said any of those issues was enough to block an agreement.

Carney said Washington also sought limits on Canada’s future trade deals. “Canada is a sovereign state. We will strike free trade deals with the countries we wish to strike free trade deals,” he said.

Carney was also buoyed by Monday’s Liberal sweep of three special elections, including a decisive win in Chicoutimi-Le Fjord, Quebec, where the Conservatives fell to third place.

The victories brought the Liberals to 173 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons and reinforced Carney’s position as he confronts Trump over trade and Canadian sovereignty.

Nelson Wiseman, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Toronto, said Trump’s annexation threats carry particular weight in Quebec. “Quebecers have the most to lose in an apocalyptic scenario where the U.S. absorbs Canada, and the status of the French language disappears,” he said.

U.S.-Canada trade talks collapsed after the two sides failed to reach a deal, and Trump imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods. Canada responded with plans for tariffs on U.S. products.

Trump has repeatedly talked about making Canada the 51st state.

Gillies writes for the Associated Press.

Some, ahem, “congratulations” are in order for Post Malone and his sweetheart Christy Lee.

The “Sunflower” rapper-turned-country singer is engaged to stylist Lee more than a year after sparking a romance. Lee’s close friend Marina Hollyer announced the engagement news Wednesday on her Instagram stories, captioning a photo of the newly betrothed pair with the caption: “My best friend in the world just got engaged.” Hollyer also shared photos of the couple and friends posing in front of a flower arch and at dinner, seemingly moments after the proposal. Per Hollyer’s Instagram page, Posty popped the question in Utah, where he currently resides.

A representative for the Grammy-nominated “Circles” musician did not immediately respond Thursday to The Times’ request for more information.

Post Malone, 31, reportedly began dating Lee at the beginning of 2025 after calling off an engagement with his then-longtime girlfriend, with whom he shares a 4-year-old daughter. The exes settled their custody battle in November but details about their agreement were sealed, People reported at the time.

This year has been an exciting one for the singer. In April he headlined the final night of the Stagecoach festival in Indio, and this summer he headlined the FIFA World Cup 2026 closing ceremony in New Jersey, debuting new music and performing the fan favorite hit “Sunflower” with Swae Lee on the global stage.

While he is still yet to wed, Malone is already celebrating a milestone anniversary. His popular 2016 mixtape “August 26” is celebrating its 10th year and will finally be available to stream on — surprise — Aug. 26, he announced last week.