Sep 11, 2026, 10:30 AM UTC

The US Supreme Court has ruled 5–4 to temporarily allow construction to continue on President Donald Trump's proposed $400 million ballroom at the White House. The conservative majority granted the administration's emergency request to pause a lower court injunction issued in a lawsuit brought by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

In a brief order, Chief Justice John Roberts clarified that the decision does not constitute a final judgment on the legality of the project, but rather provides time for the court to deliberate on the government's application. As a result, structural work on the site may proceed, potentially allowing the building's framework to be completed prior to the conclusion of legal proceedings.

Sources: Der Standard, Die Zeit, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau

United States President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have dismissed media claims that American military ammunition reserves reached critically low levels during recent operations against Iran.

Reports from several outlets, including CNN, indicated that missile shortages had constrained Washington's decisions regarding further military action. Responding on Truth Social, Trump asserted that the nation possesses "huge amounts of 'ammunition'" and emphasized that domestic manufacturing is accelerating. Hegseth also publicly refuted the assertions, maintaining that the military remains fully prepared.

Trump further threatened long prison terms for individuals responsible for unauthorized leaks of inventory data, amid reports that he questioned Hegseth concerning the information breaches.

Sources: Die Zeit, FAZ, ORF

German and Danish security authorities have intensified warnings regarding Russian hybrid warfare activities across northern Europe. Reports indicate the German government intends to formally attribute an August explosive drone incident targeting Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig Airport to Moscow. Additionally, domestic intelligence services in Germany suspect foreign state involvement in over 100 drone flights and infrastructure interference cases, alongside concerns that covert networks have stashed weapons across the country. Concurrently, Denmark’s PET intelligence agency publicly warned that Russian actors are actively planning sabotage operations locally and attempting to recruit local informants. Experts emphasize these coordinated efforts aim to destabilize Western European democratic institutions.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau

Czech authorities face pressure to overhaul child protection after social services registered over 10,000 abuse and neglect cases last year, resulting in 3,616 children being removed from families. Experts caution the statistics show only part of the problem, citing a lack of preventive services and administrative guidelines.

Meanwhile, structural education initiatives are advancing. A seven-billion-crown state project established over 300 preschool groups, though critics cite absent quality standards. Additionally, the Ministry of Education will limit primary school deferrals strictly to medical grounds next year. Ministry official Jan Černý stated that "half of them were unnecessary," aiming to reduce deferral rates that previously affected a quarter of pupils.

Sources: Český rozhlas Plus, Deník N, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Seznam Zprávy.

Ahead of upcoming state elections in eastern Germany, debates over regional identity, education, and cultural governance have intensified. Teachers in eastern states report rising far-right sentiment among students, including the display of banned symbols and songs. In response to gaps in historical awareness, federal commissioner Evelyn Zupke called for mandatory school visits to former East German dictatorship memorial sites.

Concurrently, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in Saxony-Anhalt proposed revoking state funding for cultural programs considered opposed to German identity, targeting Holocaust memorials, Bauhaus institutions, and local theaters. Meanwhile, political campaigns continue to leverage East German regional pride. Separately, Berlin’s school sector faces severe operational pressure as nearly 400 teachers remain on medical leave lasting over a year.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, DW, FAZ, Tagesschau