US APPEALS COURT HALTS TRUMP WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM

A US federal appeals court has ordered the Trump administration to halt construction of a $400m ballroom at the White House. The court of appeals for the District of Columbia circuit upheld a preliminary injunction in a divided 2-1 ruling on Friday. The injunction was won by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which sued after the Trump administration demolished the historic East Wing of the White House and began constructing a 90,000 sq ft ballroom without seeking authorisation from Congress.

Donald Trump has characterised the ballroom project as "a gift" to the US people. The National Trust for Historic Preservation challenged the project's legality following the demolition of the East Wing. The appeals court ruling represents a significant setback for the administration in a case that tests the extent of presidential authority over White House infrastructure and historic preservation.

The court has placed its ruling on hold for two weeks, providing the Trump administration with time to file an appeal to the US Supreme Court. The case will now proceed to the nation's highest court, where the administration can seek to overturn the appeals court decision. The Supreme Court's decision will determine whether the ballroom construction can resume or whether the preliminary injunction will remain in place.