Elon Musk plans to buy the Line Hotel in Washington, turning it into a private social club to stay close to the power center with the Trump family. As co-chief of the Department of Government Efficiency, he will have an office in the Eisenhower Executive Building across from the White House. It is not known whether Elon Musk plans to stay in Washington from now on.
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The United States announced that its government vessels will now transit the Panama Canal free of charge, saving millions of dollars annually. This comes after intense pressure from President Donald Trump and follows discussions with Panama, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted the unfairness of previous transit fees due to the US's role in defending the strategic waterway.
A pilot and two children survived for 12 hours on the wing of a partially submerged plane in an Alaskan lake. Rescued by the Alaska Army National Guard, they endured freezing temperatures until their discovery and reported the cause of the crash remains unknown.
Greenland's Tupilak Travel said that the US Consulate reached out to them to schedule a meet-and-greet with Usha. The store initially agreed as everyone is welcome to their souvenir store, as at that time it was being portrayed as a family holiday where Usha would be accompanied by one of her children. The company later said it revisited its decision and canceled her visit because of the 'underlying agenda' and informed the US Consulate about it.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces mounting pressure to resign amid dwindling support within the Liberal Party. Following Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland's resignation, numerous MPs, including Chandra Arya and Anthony Housefather, have publicly called for Trudeau's departure. With the NDP now willing to support efforts to topple the minority government, Trudeau's leadership is in serious jeopardy.
Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong set a new world record for the longest spacewalk, spending over nine hours outside the Tiangong space station. This surpassed the previous record held by US astronauts. The Shenzhou-19 crew, including Wang Haozhe, utilized robotic arms and ground control support.
A severe winter storm brought snow, ice, and strong winds to parts of the US, causing dangerous travel conditions and power outages. States such as Arkansas, Kansas, and Virginia declared emergencies. The National Weather Service warned of potentially record snowfall, with temperatures significantly below normal due to the polar vortex stretching south.
President Trump hinted that US support for Ukraine's war effort might be linked to securing access to Ukraine's rare earth materials. He voiced frustration over the aid imbalance between the US and Europe and highlighted the strategic importance of rare earth minerals. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy emphasized the need for Kyiv's involvement in any negotiations.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Luigi Mangione are detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on separate serious charges, with Combs held for sex trafficking and Mangione for murder. Combs’ trial is set for May 2025, while Mangione faces court in February. Both remain in holding cells, awaiting trial.
A ferry passenger was rescued after falling overboard near Tsawwassen terminal. The incident led to two canceled sailings. Emergency teams, including police and the Coast Guard, responded swiftly. The passenger's condition remains undisclosed. Services resumed at 12:45 pm, and affected passengers were rebooked. The event is classified as a mental health incident.
A senior British minister has refuted Elon Musk's accusations against Prime Minister Keir Starmer for purportedly failing to address child grooming gangs. Health Secretary Wes Streeting deemed Musk's criticism as misjudged and emphasized the government's commitment to combating child sexual exploitation, while expressing willingness to collaborate with Musk.