Trump administration plans to begin work on massive arch in two weeks

Key Points:

• Special envoy Steve Witkoff faced bipartisan backlash for calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “humanitarian” after Russia released U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard, drawing criticism amid ongoing Russian attacks on Ukraine.
• Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom was denied entry to a WNBA Finals game in Atlanta after refusing to watch from a private suite arranged for his safety due to his outspoken opposition to transgender athletes in women’s sports.
• A multistate salmonella outbreak linked to raw oysters harvested by the Little Wicomico Oyster Company in Virginia has sickened 27 people, prompting a recall and temporary closure of the harvest area by health officials.
• Rev. Edward Nalwamba, a 79-year-old pastor who suffered health decline during 13 months of immigration detention, was released after a federal judge ruled his detention exceeded reasonable limits and criticized the lack of a concrete plan for his deportation.
• The Trump administration announced that construction on President Trump’s planned 250-foot triumphal arch could begin as early as November 5, 2026, pending approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, despite lawsuits and opposition from veterans and preservationists.