US District Court

The National Capital Planning Commission voted 8‑4 to approve the 76‑metre memorial arch, allowing construction to begin within a day. The structure will rise 250 feet, taller than the Arc de Triomphe, and sit adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery, overlooking the Lincoln Memorial. Virginia, the District of Columbia, Washington and Virginia attorneys‑general, and veterans have filed lawsuits, and a judge has temporarily blocked the project for two weeks. The Justice Department says excavation could start this week, with full construction lasting 33‑39 months, while the FAA finds no aviation safety risks.

U.S. District Judge Debra M. Brown has denied xAI's request to throw out the NAACP's lawsuit over alleged illegal gas turbines at its Memphis data center, confirming the plaintiffs have standing under the Clean Air Act. The case claims the company runs at least 35 combustion turbines without required pre‑construction or operating permits. The Justice Department also sought dismissal, arguing the turbines are vital to military operations, but the judge found the power plant is not a mobile source and therefore not exempt from permitting.

U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami threw out former President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch on 31 Oct 2026, dismissing it with prejudice. The case stemmed from a July 2025 WSJ story that described a 2003 birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein allegedly bearing Trump’s signature and a nude drawing. The judge said Trump failed to prove actual malice by the defendants. Trump’s team said they will appeal, while a News Corp spokesperson welcomed the ruling.