Trump plans to close Kennedy Center for two years for reconstruction work

By Daniel Trotta and Greg Bensinger

Feb 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he planned to close the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts for two years for reconstruction starting in ​July.

The national arts and entertainment center in Washington has been marked by turmoil in recent months following Trump's ‌appointment of himself as chairman, his push to change the organization's focus, plans for reconstruction, and the board's addition of his name to the institution.

Under Trump's ‌plan, the center would close on July 4, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

"I have determined that the fastest way to bring The Trump Kennedy Center to the highest level of Success, Beauty, and Grandeur, is to cease Entertainment Operations for an approximately two year period of time, with a scheduled Grand Reopening that will rival and surpass anything that has taken ⁠place with respect to such a Facility ‌before," Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social.

The center did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Trump wrote the closure is subject to approval by the board. He added, ‍without citing details, that financing for the building project is complete.

The Kennedy Center rebuilding plans follow a series of measures by Trump to reshape U.S. historical and cultural institutions, and another construction project on the president's initiative: the bulldozing of the East Wing of the White House in ​order to build a large ballroom.

He has said private fundraising will pay for the $300 million East Wing ballroom, with many ‌of the donations coming from wealthy individuals and large companies.

The Washington Post reported on Saturday he wants to build a 250-foot (76-meter) tall monument called the Independence Arch.

Trump named himself chairman of the Kennedy Center and filled its board with his allies last year. The board in December voted to rename the institution as the Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, or Trump Kennedy Center.

Many groups and artists subsequently withdrew from scheduled performances, citing ⁠the Republican leader's takeover.

American composer ⁠Philip Glass pulled the world premiere of his symphony "Lincoln," and the Washington ​National Opera said earlier this month it planned to leave its home of ​50 years. Producers of the hugely popular musical "Hamilton" canceled a planned 2026 engagement, and the Martha Graham Dance Company has canceled its next scheduled appearance at the Kennedy Center.

Democrats, noting the ​center's name was established ‍by Congress, have ​said Trump's rebranding has ⁠no force of law. John F. Kennedy's family denounced the renaming move as undermining the slain president's ‍legacy.

The Kennedy Center historically has hosted over 2,000 events per year, including the Kennedy Center Honors, usually held every December.

The center's schedule ⁠currently lists some shows for July, August and September, including performances of the musicals "Moulin Rouge," "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "The Outsiders."

Representatives of those shows did not immediately respond to ‌requests for comment.

(Reporting by Greg Bensinger in San Francisco and Arriana McLymore in New York; Writing by ‌Daniel Trotta; Editing by Sergio Non, Diane Craft and Chris Reese)

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February 01, 2026

Trump plans to close Kennedy Center for two years for reconstruction work

By Daniel Trotta and Greg Bensinger Feb 1 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he planned to...

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5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and father return to Minnesota from ICE facility in Texas

Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE facility in Texas, have been released followinga judge's order.They have returned to Minnesota, according to Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro.

The boy and his dad, Adrian Conejo Arias, who is originally from Ecuador, were detained in a Minneapolis suburb on Jan. 20. They were taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas.

Katherine Schneider, a spokesperson for the Democratic congressman, confirmed the two had arrived home. She said Castro picked them up from Dilley on Saturday night and escorted them home on Sunday to Minnesota.

In a statement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not target or arrest Liam Conejo Ramos, and that his mother refused to take him after his father's apprehension. His father told officers he wanted Liam to be with him, she said.

"The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system, and will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of aliens who have no right to be in this country," McLaughlin said.

The government said the boy's father entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024. The family's lawyer said he has an asylum claim pending that allows him to stay in the U.S.

The Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review's online court docket shows no future hearings for Liam's father.

The vast majority of asylum-seekers are released in the United States, with adults having eligibility for work permits, while their cases wind through a backlogged court system. Ecuadorians, who left in droves in recent years as their country spiraled into violence, have fared poorly in immigration court, with judges granting asylum in 12.5% of decisions in the 12-month period through September, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.

Images of the young boy wearing a blue bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack and surrounded by immigration officers drew outrage about the Trump administration's crackdown in Minneapolis.

In his order granting the release, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery blasted the administration, writing, "The case has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children."

Neighbors and school officials say that federal immigration officersused the preschooler as "bait"by telling him to knock on the door to his house so that his mother would answer. The Department of Homeland Security has called that description of events an "abject lie." It said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway.

Residents celebrate release

On Sunday afternoon, residents of Columbia Heights, Minnesota, gathered outside the house where Liam was detained to celebrate his release and call attention to others from the community who remained in ICE detention.

"We cried so much when we heard that he was coming back," said Lourdes Sanchez, the owner of a cleaning business. "My son is also named Liam, and he is five years old, so it felt personal for us."

Nearby, Luis Zuna held up photographs of his 10-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, who he said had been detained, along with her mother, Rosa, while driving to school on Jan. 6. He said they both remained in custody at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in San Antonio – the same facility where Liam and his father were held.

"It's the same situation as Liam, but there were no pictures," said Carolina Gutierrez, who works as a secretary at the school that Elizabeth attended. "Seeing Liam released, it gives us faith."

Inquiries to the Department of Homeland Security about that case were not immediately returned.

Brenda Marquez, another nearby resident, said she had driven with her husband and two young children to the house immediately upon hearing news of Liam's release, stopping on the way to pick up Spiderman balloons. "We wanted something that would bring a little happiness," she said. "Being away from my son and not knowing what's going on with him, I just can't imagine it."

Congressman writes letter to Liam

Castro wrote a letter to Liam while they were on the plane to Minnesota, in which he told the young boy he has "moved the world."

"Your family, school and many strangers said prayers for you and offered whatever they could do to see you back home," Castro wrote. A photo of the letter was posted on social media. "Don't let anyone tell you this isn't your home. America became the most powerful, prosperous nation on earth because of immigrants not in spite of them."

Photos on Castro's social media showed Liam wearing his blue bunny hat and with a Pikachu backpack.

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar,a Democrat from Minnesota, welcomed the boy back to Minnesota, saying in a social media post that he "should be in school and with family — not in detention." The senator added: "Now ICE needs to leave."

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar,also a Democrat from Minnesota, posted a photo to social media of her with Liam, his father and Castro in which she is holding Liam's Spider-Man backpack. "Welcome home Liam," she posted with two hearts.

In a statement, Columbia Heights Public Schools called Liam's release "an important development," one that school officials hope will have positive developments for four other Columbia Heights students held at the same facility in Texas.

Dura reported from Bismarck, North Dakota. Associated Press writers Jake Offenhartz contributed from Columbia Heights, Minnesota, and Elliot Spagat from San Diego.

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February 01, 2026

5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and father return to Minnesota from ICE facility in Texas

Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an IC...

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Swiss Alpine bar fire claims 41st victim, an 18-year-old Swiss national

ZURICH (AP) — An 18-year-old Swiss national has died in a Zurich hospital from injuries sustained in a Swiss Alpine bar fire, bringing the death toll to 41 a month after the tragedy.

The victim died on Saturday, according to the Swiss public prosecutor. The prosecutor said in a statement Sunday it would provide no further information on the status of the investigation.

Investigators have said they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottlesignited the firewhen they came too close to the ceiling at the packedLe Constellation barin the ski resort of Crans-Montana, less than two hours after midnight on Jan. 1. Authorities are looking into whether soundproofing material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar. Fire safety inspectionshadn't been carried out since 2019.

Swiss prosecutors have opened acriminal investigationinto the owners — French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti — on suspicion of negligent homicide, negligent bodily harm and causing a fire by negligence. The court of compulsory measures in the southwestern Valais region on Jan. 12 ordered three months of pretrial detention for Jacques Moretti, but on Jan. 23 ordered his release on bail.

With high-altitude ski runs rising around 3,000 meters (nearly 9,850 feet) in the heart of the Valais region, Crans-Montana is a major destination for international alpine skiing competitions.

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February 01, 2026

Swiss Alpine bar fire claims 41st victim, an 18-year-old Swiss national

ZURICH (AP) — An 18-year-old Swiss national has died in a Zurich hospital from injuries sustained in a Swiss Alpine bar ...

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Rookie Will Riley scores season-high 18 as Wizards hand Kings their 9th straight loss, 116-112

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rookie Will Riley scored a season-high 18 points, includinga go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:07 left, and the Washington Wizards beat the Sacramento Kings 116-112 on Sunday night in a matchup of last-place teams.

Kings Wizards Basketball

AJ Johnson added 17 points and Bilal Coulibaly and Marvin Bagley III each scored 15 for the Wizards, who relied heavily on their reserves as they handed the Kings their ninth straight loss.

Washington has won three of four since a nine-game skid of its own. The Wizards began the night last in the Eastern Conference but moved one-half game ahead of Indiana.

Zach LaVine scored 35 points and DeMar DeRozan had 32 for the Kings, who are last in the West and concluded their season-long East Coast trip at 0-6.

Maxime Raynaud added 14 points for Sacramento, but no other Kings player had more than six. Washington led 61-20 in bench points, and the Wizards' reserves also outscored their starters.

Wizards coach Brian Keefe had four players who've spent time in the G League this season on the floor in the closing minutes. Riley and Johnson were joined by Skal Labissiere and Sharife Cooper, whose tip-in gave Washington a 115-110 lead with 37.2 seconds left.

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Labissiere had 13 points. Little-used veteran Anthony Gill played a season-high 27 minutes for Washington and was scoreless on 0-for-3 shooting.

DeRozan scored eight points during a 12-3 fourth-quarter run that gave the Kings a 101-98 lead with 5:20 left. The 19-year-old Riley responded with eight points in the next 3:13 to put the Wizards back on top.

Kings: Host Memphis on Wednesday night.

Wizards: Host New York on Tuesday night.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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February 01, 2026

Rookie Will Riley scores season-high 18 as Wizards hand Kings their 9th straight loss, 116-112

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rookie Will Riley scored a season-high 18 points, includinga go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:07 left, and th...

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NASCAR's Clash postponed to Wednesday due to historic snowfall in North Carolina

WINSTON, SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Abomb cycloneover North Carolina forced NASCAR to push its preseason exhibition to Wednesday night because the snow-covered roads are too dangerous for teams and fans to get to historic Bowman-Gray Stadium.

The Clash had been scheduled to run Sunday night and has now been postponed twice, with a schedule adjustment, because of the intense snowfall that blanketed the area. NASCAR first condensed the race into a one-day, Sunday-only show, then pushed the race to Monday.

NASCAR said Sunday it was moving it to Wednesday evening "due to the impacts ofhistoric winter weatheracross the North Carolina region."

The race is now scheduled to run one week before qualifying for the Daytona 500, at Daytona International Speedway, where The Clash was held from 1979 through 2022.

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The Clash went to a temporary track inside the Los Angeles Memorial Stadium for three seasons, then moved to its grassroots anchor at Bowman Gray last year.

Its first year was a success but the second running has been interrupted by the bomb cyclone, known to meteorologists as an intense, rapidly strengthening weather system. It contributed to nearly a foot (30 centimeters) ofsnow in and around Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city and home base for the majority of the NASCAR teams.

The snowfall represented a top-five snow event all time in Charlotte, said Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with weather prediction center in College Park, Maryland.

AP auto racing:https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

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February 01, 2026

NASCAR's Clash postponed to Wednesday due to historic snowfall in North Carolina

WINSTON, SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Abomb cycloneover North Carolina forced NASCAR to push its preseason exhibition to Wednesday...

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IOC president Kirsty Coventry says ICE and Epstein files are 'sad' distractions from Winter Olympics

MILAN (AP) — Two years before the Los Angeles Olympics, the United States is already dominating the narrative in the run-up to the opening ceremony of theMilan Cortina Winter Games.

International Olympic Committee officials, including PresidentKirsty Coventry, couldn't avoid questions relatingto ICEand theJeffrey Epstein filesat a news conference in Milan on Sunday.

Coventry tried to fend them off by saying it was not the IOC's place to comment on the issues but when pressed admitted it was "sad" that such stories were deflecting attention away from the upcoming Olympics.

"I think anything that is distracting from these Games is sad, right? But we've learned over the many years … there's always been something that has taken the lead, leading up to the Games," Coventry said. "Whether it has been Zika, COVID, there has always been something.

"But what is keeping my faith alive is that when that opening ceremony happens and those athletes start competing, suddenly the world remembers the magic and the spirit that the games have and they get to suddenly remember what's actually important and they get to be inspired and so we're really looking forward to that."

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered Saturdayin Milan to protest the deployment of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during the upcoming Winter Olympics, unbothered by the fact that agents would be stationed in a control room and not operating on the streets.

Meanwhile, the latest collection of government files released on Epstein include emails from 2003between Casey Wasserman, the head of the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, and Epstein's one-time girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

"From all the information that we have and I believe that the US authorities, as the other authorities, have made all the clarifications needed, so from our side that's not for us to further comment on that part of the security. But we're really looking forward to the games," Coventry said when asked about the presence of ICE agents in Milan.

She was even less responsive when asked about Wasserman.

"We didn't discuss it yesterday and I believe Mr. Wasserman has put out his statement and we now have nothing further to add," Coventry said.

Two IOC members were mentioned in the documents, although there is no suggestion they did anything wrong.

They are: Richard Carrion, a Puerto Rican banker who finished runner-up to former IOC president Thomas Bach in the 2013 election; and Johan Eliasch, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation president who was one of Coventry's opponents last March.

"I've not been in contact with Casey, the focus has fully been on Milano Cortina, there's been a number of things that we've been focusing on here," said Coventry, who was elected just over 10 months ago and is the first female IOC president.

"In terms of IOC members, we're obviously watching and monitoring the media and we're aware of a few things that have been reported just today and we need some time to look into that and to be given intel."

The upcoming Olympics run from Feb. 6-22.U.S. Vice President JD Vancewill lead an American delegation to the Milan Cortina Games and attend Friday'sopening ceremony.

AP Winter Olympics athttps://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

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February 01, 2026

IOC president Kirsty Coventry says ICE and Epstein files are 'sad' distractions from Winter Olympics

MILAN (AP) — Two years before the Los Angeles Olympics, the United States is already dominating the narrative in the run...

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NASA astronaut Suni Williams retires months after return from troubled mission to orbit

Longtime NASA astronaut Suni Williams announced her retirement Tuesday — officially making the unexpectedly long Boeing Starliner test flight her final foray to orbit as a member of the astronaut corps.

Williams, who has set multiple spaceflight records since joining the agency in 1998, did not give insight into the timing of her retirement in a statement issued by the space agency on Tuesday.

"Anyone who knows me knows that space is my absolute favorite place to be," Williams said. "It's been an incredible honor to have served in the Astronaut Office and have had the opportunity to fly in space three times."

Williams first traveled to the International Space Station in 2006 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery and returned to orbit in a Russian Soyuz capsule in 2012.

But her latest mission, in which she and fellow NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore set out to test fly Boeing's new Starliner capsule on its first crewed mission, was perhaps her most well-known.

Wilmore and Williams had expected to spend about a week on the space station during the test flight. But the duo ultimately stayed more than nine months because of technical issues that cropped up en route with the Starliner vehicle — which NASA opted to fly home empty due to safety concerns.

Williams and Wilmore garnered international attention for their experience, though both astronauts reiterated frequently that they enjoyed their time in orbit and were well-prepared for their unexpectedly long stay.

"I had an amazing 27-year career at NASA, and that is mainly because of all the wonderful love and support I've received from my colleagues," Williams said in a statement. "The International Space Station, the people, the engineering, and the science are truly awe-inspiring and have made the next steps of exploration to the Moon and Mars possible. I hope the foundation we set has made these bold steps a little easier."

Record-setting astronaut

Williams has logged 608 days in space, the second-most cumulative amount of time by a NASA astronaut behindPeggy Whitson.

She has also accrued 62 hours free-floating in space across nine different spacewalks, making her the highest-ranking woman in that category and fourth in the world.

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Williams also claimed several notable firsts during her time in orbit: In 2012, for example, she became the first person to finish a triathlon in space. Williams used a stationary bike, simulated swimming with a weight-lifting machine and ran on a treadmill while strapped in by a harness so she wouldn't float away. (Earlier, in 2007, Williams had also become the first person to run a marathon in space.)

"Over the course of Suni's impressive career trajectory, she has been a pioneering leader," Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, said in a statement. "From her indelible contributions and achievements to the space station, to her groundbreaking test flight role during the Boeing Starliner mission, her exceptional dedication to the mission will inspire the future generations of explorers."

Joining Wilmore in retirement

Williams' exit from the astronaut corps comes months after she and Wilmore returned from the space station, concluding their test flight mission.

Wilmore's and Williams' departures from NASA follow the example set by Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, the two astronauts who piloted the first crewed test flight of SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule in 2020. That mission, which did not involve any major technical hangups or issues, marked the last for both Behnken and Hurley, who have each since retired.

It's common for astronauts who have been with the agency for many years to announce their retirement upon return from a major milestone, such as test piloting a new spacecraft.

It's not clear when the Starliner capsule will fly again. NASA revealed that it plans to fly the spacecraft's next mission without crew members, opting to treat the mission as another uncrewed test flight.

The Starliner spacecraft experienced thruster outages and gas leaks during Williams and Wilmore's flight, but both astronauts said they would fly on Starliner again, given the opportunity.

"The spacecraft is really capable," Williams said in a post-flight news conference last year. "There's a couple things that need to be fixed. Folks are actively working on that. But it is a great spacecraft, and it has a lot of capability that other spacecraft don't have, and to be a part of that program is an honor."

NASA's Artemis program is sending humans into deep space for the first time in five decades. Sign up forCountdown newsletterand get updates from CNN Science on out-of-this-world expeditions as they unfold.

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February 01, 2026

NASA astronaut Suni Williams retires months after return from troubled mission to orbit

Longtime NASA astronaut Suni Williams announced her retirement Tuesday — officially making the unexpectedly long Boeing ...

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