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NASA and SpaceX launched a four-member crew to the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday for the latest research expedition to the orbiting laboratory.American astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov lifted off at 11:43 am aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule mounted on a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.The capsule, named Endeavour, has previously flown four NASA missions as well as a private mission.The Crew-11 mission marks the 11th crew rotation mission to the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which was created to succeed the Space Shuttle era by partnering with private industry.As part of their six-month stay, the Crew-11 astronauts will simulate Moon landing scenarios that could be encountered near the lunar South Pole under the United States-led Artemis program.Using handheld controllers and multiple display screens, they will test how shifts in gravity affect astronauts’ ability to pilot spacecraft, including future lunar landers.Continuously inhabited since 2000, the ISS functions as a vital testbed for research that supports deeper space exploration — including eventual missions to Mars.Among Crew-11’s more colorful cargo items are Armenian pomegranate seeds, which will be compared to a control batch kept on Earth to study how microgravity influences crop growth.The ISS is set to be de-commissioned after 2030, with its orbit gradually lowered until it breaks up in the atmosphere over a remote part of the Pacific Ocean called Point Nemo, a spacecraft graveyard.Dmitry Bakanov, the head of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos has been holding talks with NASA’s acting administrator Sean Duffy this week about the station’s future.When US-Russia relations nosedived at the start of the Ukraine war, Russia threatened to pull out of ISS cooperation early. But on Thursday, Bakanov confirmed Russia remained committed to de-orbiting in 2030. 

Russia fired a record number of drones at Ukraine in July, an AFP analysis showed Friday, intensifying its deadly bombardment of the country despite US pressure to stop the war.Russian attacks have killed hundreds of Ukrainian civilians since June.A combined missile and drone attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early Thursday killed 31 people, including five children, said rescuers.Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has consistently rejected calls for a ceasefire, said Friday that he wanted peace but that his demands for ending the nearly three-and-a-half year invasion were “unchanged”.Those demands include that Ukraine withdraw from territory it already controls and drop its NATO ambitions forever.”The main thing is to eradicate the causes that gave rise to this crisis,” Putin told reporters alongside Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.”We need a lasting and stable peace on solid foundations that would satisfy both Russia and Ukraine, and would ensure the security of both countries,” Putin said.- Flowers for the children -In Kyiv, residents held a day of mourning for the 31 killed on Thursday, most of whom were in a nine-storey apartment block torn open by a missile.AFP journalists at the scene on Friday saw rescue workers pulling bodies from the debris.Iryna Drozd, a 28-year-old mother-of-three, was laying flowers at the site to commemorate the five children killed.The youngest, whose lifeless body was found early Friday, was two years old.”These are flowers because children died. We brought flowers because we have children. Our children live across the street from here,” she told AFP.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who announced rescue operations had ended on Friday, said later that only Putin could end the war and renewed his call for a meeting between the two leaders.”The United States has proposed this. Ukraine has supported it. What is needed is Russia’s readiness,” he wrote on X.- ‘We can wait’ -Putin made no mention of a possible meeting with Zelensky in his comments to reporters Friday, and suggested Kyiv was not ready for further negotiations.”We can wait if the Ukrainian leadership believes that now is not the time,” he said.He said Russian troops were advancing “along the entire front line”, and that Moscow had started mass producing “Oreshnik” — a nuclear-capable, hypersonic missile that Moscow first fired on Ukraine last year.The Kremlin has consistently rejected a ceasefire in Ukraine, saying in July it saw no immediate diplomatic way out of its nearly three-and-a-half year invasion.US President Donald Trump on Thursday condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine, suggesting that new sanctions against Moscow were coming.”Russia — I think it’s disgusting what they’re doing. I think it’s disgusting,” Trump told journalists.Trump also said he would send his special envoy Steve Witkoff, currently in Israel, to visit Russia next.On Tuesday, the US leader issued a 10-day ultimatum for Moscow to halt its invasion, now in its fourth year, or face sanctions.- ‘Depraved’ -EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas described Thursday’s attacks as “depraved” on Friday and posted a picture of the bloc’s flag at half mast.”More weapons for Ukraine and tougher sanctions on Russia are the fastest way to end the war. Getting more air defenses to Ukraine fast is our priority,” she added in a post.Zelensky has been appealing to allies for more air defence systems and on Friday, Germany said it would soon start delivering two more US-made Patriot launchers to Ukraine.Germany has already delivered three Patriot systems to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The US employment market is showing weakness as companies grappled with President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs, government data showed Friday, while two central bank officials warned on labor risks in the world’s biggest economy.US job growth missed expectations in July, the data showed, and revisions to hiring figures in recent months brought them to the weakest levels since the Covid-19 pandemic.The employment data points to cracks in the key jobs market as companies took a cautious approach in hiring and investment and puts pressure on the central bank as it mulls the best time to cut interest rates.The world’s biggest economy added 73,000 jobs last month, while hiring numbers were revised significantly lower for May and June, the Labor Department said.The jobless rate nudged up from 4.1 percent to 4.2 percent.Experts have warned that private sector firms appear to be in a wait-and-see mode due to heightened uncertainty over Trump’s rapidly changing trade policy.With tariff levels climbing since the start of the year, both on imports from various countries and on sector-specific products such as steel, aluminum and autos, many firms have faced higher business costs.Some are now passing them along partially to consumers.On Friday, the Department of Labor said hiring numbers for May were revised down from 144,000 to 19,000. The figure for June was shifted from 147,000 to 14,000.This was notably lower than job creation levels in recent years. During the pandemic, the economy lost jobs.Average hourly learnings rose by 0.3 percent to $36.44 in July, the Labor Department said.It added that employment continued rising in health care and in social assistance, while the federal government continued shedding jobs.- ‘Gamechanger’ -“This is a gamechanger jobs report. The labor market is deteriorating quickly,” said Heather Long, chief economist at the Navy Federal Credit Union.She added in a note that of the growth in July, “75 percent of those jobs were in one sector: healthcare.”The US economy has added an average of just 35,000 jobs per month since May, data showed.”The economy needs certainty soon on tariffs,” Long said. “The longer this tariff whiplash lasts, the more likely this weak hiring environment turns into layoffs.”But it remains unclear when the dust will settle, with Trump ordering the reimposition of steeper tariffs on scores of economies late Thursday that are set to take effect in a week.Trump also raised tariffs on Canadian imports, while maintaining existing exemptions.Joel Kan, chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association, said that for now, “goods-producing industries saw contraction for the third straight month.””Service industries involved in trade also saw declines in job growth, potentially a result of the uncertain tariff environment, as businesses either put their activity on pause or pulled back altogether,” Kan added in a note.- ‘Overly cautious’ -A sharp weakening in the labor market could push the Federal Reserve toward slashing interest rates sooner to shore up the economy.On Friday, the two Fed officials who voted this week against the central bank’s decision to keep rates unchanged warned that standing pat risks further damaging the economy.Both Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman and Governor Christopher Waller argued that the inflationary effects of tariffs were temporary.They added in separate statements that the bank should focus on fortifying the economy to avert further weakening in the labor market.Putting off an interest rate cut “could result in a deterioration in the labor market and a further slowing in economic growth,” Bowman added.Waller said: “I believe that the wait and see approach is overly cautious.”

Palantir, the powerful data and AI company with deep ties to US national security bodies, has won a multi-billion-dollar contract to run US Army software and data.The agreement, announced Thursday, consolidates multiple contracts into a single enterprise deal that allows the military to buy Palantir’s products over the next decade to a value of up to $10 billion.”By streamlining our procurement processes and leveraging enterprise-level discounts, we are not only enhancing our operational effectiveness but also maximizing our buying power,” said Army chief information officer Leo Garciga.Palantir, an American data analysis and artificial intelligence company, has a reach that spans the global economy, with banks, hospitals, the US government, and the Israeli military among its ever-expanding client roster.”We want and need this country to be the strongest, most important country in the world,” Alex Karp, Palantir’s CEO, recently declared at a client conference in Palo Alto, California.Palantir was founded in 2003 by Peter Thiel — Silicon Valley’s preeminent conservative with long-standing ties to the Trump administration — Karp, and others with CIA backing. In the first quarter, the company received $373 million from the US government, a 45 percent jump from the previous year.This spring, federal immigration authorities (ICE) awarded the company a $30 million contract to develop a new platform for tracking deportations and visa overstays.

President Donald Trump unveiled new tariffs Thursday on nearly 70 countries — including a blistering 35 percent on neighbor Canada — as he seeks to reshape global trade to benefit the US economy.However, in a minor reprieve that opens the door to further negotiations, the White House said the measures will take effect in a week for most countries, not Friday as previously expected.The tariffs are a demonstration of raw economic power that Trump sees putting US exporters in a stronger position while encouraging domestic manufacturing by keeping out foreign imports.But the muscular approach has raised fears of inflation and other economic fallout in the world’s biggest economy.Trump raised duties on nearly 70 economies, from a current 10 percent level imposed in April when he unleashed “reciprocal” tariffs citing unfair trade practices.The new, steeper levels listed in an executive order vary by trading partner and go as high as 41 percent.Any goods “transshipped” through other jurisdictions to avoid US duties would be hit with an additional 40-percent tariff, the order said.The American leader separately hiked tariffs on Canadian goods from 25 percent to 35 percent — starting Friday.He had warned of trade consequences for Canada after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.Trump’s order cited Canada’s failure to “cooperate in curbing the ongoing flood of fentanyl and other illicit drugs” as well as its “retaliation” against his measures.Carney said his government was “disappointed” with the hike, citing its efforts to crack down on fentanyl and increase border security.- ‘Tears up’ rule book -Trump gave more time to neighbor and major trading partner Mexico, delaying for 90 days a threat to increase tariffs from 25 percent to 30 percent, after holding talks with President Claudia Sheinbaum.Exemptions remain, however, for a wide range of Canadian and Mexican goods entering the United States under a North American trade pact.With questions hanging over the effectiveness of bilateral trade deals already struck — including with the European Union and Japan — the outcome of Trump’s overall plan remained uncertain.”No doubt about it — the executive order and related agreements concluded over the past few months tears up the trade rule book that has governed international trade since World War II,” said Wendy Cutler, senior vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute.”Whether our partners can preserve it without the United States is an open question,” she added.Beijing warned that US protectionism “harms the interests of all parties”.”The Chinese side’s opposition to tariffs has been consistent and clear,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said, adding: “There is no winner in a tariff war or trade war.”The elevated duties come after Washington twice postponed their implementation amid a frantic series of negotiations, alongside announcements of new duties and deals with partners.The 79-year-old Republican has made tariffs core to his protectionist brand of hard-right politics. On Thursday, he claimed the US economy had “no chance of survival or success” without levies.- Frantic negotiations -But the latest salvo came amid legal challenges against Trump’s use of emergency economic powers. After a lower court said the president exceeded his authority, the US Court of Appeals heard arguments Thursday in cases against the blanket tariffs targeting different countries.While the president has touted a surge in customs revenues this year, economists warn the duties could fuel inflation.Proponents of his policy argue their impact will be one-off, but analysts are awaiting further data to gauge for more persistent effects.Those who managed to strike deals with Washington to avert steeper threatened levies included Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea and the European Union.Among other tariff levels adjusted in Trump’s latest order, Switzerland now faces a higher 39 percent duty.The tariff on Taiwanese products was revised down to 20 percent from 32 percent, but its President Lai Ching-te vowed to seek an even lower level.In Southeast Asia, Phnom Penh and Bangkok welcomed news that they each face a 19-percent tariff — down from initial threatened levels of 49 percent on Cambodia and 36 percent on Thailand.Britain also reached a pact with the United States, although it was not originally targeted by higher “reciprocal” tariffs.Notably excluded from the drama was China, which faces an August 12 deadline instead, when duties could bounce back to higher levels.Washington and Beijing at one point brought tit-for-tat tariffs to triple-digit levels, but both countries have agreed to temporarily lower these duties and are working to extend their truce.

President Donald Trump ordered the reimposition of tariffs on dozens of trading partners Thursday — his cornerstone strategy for reshaping global trade to benefit the US economy.However, in a minor reprieve that opens the door to further negotiations, the White House said these measures will take effect in a week, not Friday as previously expected.The tariffs are a demonstration of raw economic power that Trump sees putting US exporters in a stronger position while encouraging domestic manufacturing by keeping out foreign imports.But the muscular approach has raised fears of inflation and other economic fallout in the world’s biggest economy.And with questions hanging over the effectiveness of bilateral trade deals already struck — including with the European Union and Japan — the outcome of Trump’s plan remained uncertain.Trump’s new measures in an executive order raises duties on nearly 70 economies, from a current 10 percent level imposed in April when he unleashed “reciprocal” tariffs citing unfair trade practices.The steeper levels, varying by trading partner, go as high as 41 percent.Trump also adjusted some tariff levels threatened in April, with Switzerland now facing a higher 39 percent duty and Thailand a lower 19 percent rate.The tariff on Taiwanese products was revised down to 20 percent, but its President Lai Ching-te vowed to seek an even lower level.Trump separately hiked tariffs on Canadian goods to 35 percent, though indicating in an NBC interview he was open to further talks. Canada and Mexico face a separate tariff regime. But exemptions remain for imports entering the United States under a North American trade pact.”No doubt about it — the executive order and related agreements concluded over the past few months tears up the trade rule book that has governed international trade since World War II,” said Wendy Cutler, senior vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute.”Whether our partners can preserve it without the United states is an open question,” she added.- Frantic negotiations -The elevated duties come after Washington twice postponed their implementation amid a frantic series of negotiations, alongside announcements of new duties and deals with partners.Just Thursday, Trump announced he was delaying a tariff hike on Mexican products, keeping levels at 25 percent with existing exemptions. The 90-day postponement followed talks with his counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum.The 79-year-old Republican has made tariffs core to his protectionist brand of hard-right politics. On Thursday, he claimed that the US economy had “no chance of survival or success” without tariffs.But the latest salvo came amid legal challenges against Trump’s use of emergency economic powers. After a lower court said the president exceeded his authority, the US Court of Appeals heard arguments Thursday in cases against Trump’s blanket tariffs targeting different countries.While Trump has touted a surge in customs revenues this year, economists warn the duties could fuel inflation.Proponents of his policy argue their impact will be one-off, but analysts are awaiting further data to gauge for more persistent effects.- China question mark -Those who managed to strike deals with Washington to avert steeper threatened levies were Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea and the EU.Britain also reached a pact with the United States, although it was not originally targeted by higher “reciprocal” tariffs.For Canada, transshipped goods to evade its 35 percent duty would face even higher levels, said a White House fact sheet. Its trade ties with Washington faced renewed threat after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced plans to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September.Trump’s latest order however appeared to raise tariffs on several countries not initially targeted in April — to 15 percent — including Ecuador, Ghana and Iceland.Notably excluded from the drama was China, which faces an August 12 deadline instead, when duties could bounce back to higher levels.Washington and Beijing at one point brought tit-for-tat tariffs to triple-digit levels, but both countries have agreed to temporarily lower these duties and are working to extend their truce.

Nvidia chips do not contain “backdoors” allowing remote access, the US tech giant has said, after Beijing summoned company representatives to discuss “serious security issues”.The California-based company is a world-leading producer of AI semiconductors, and this month became the first company to hit $4 trillion in market value.But it has become entangled in trade tensions between China and the United States, and Washington effectively restricts which chips Nvidia can export to China on national security grounds.”Cybersecurity is critically important to us. Nvidia does not have ‘backdoors’ in our chips that would give anyone a remote way to access or control them,” Nvidia said in a statement Thursday.A key issue has been Chinese access to the “H20” — a less powerful version of Nvidia’s AI processing units that the company developed specifically for export to China.Nvidia said this month it would resume H20 sales to China after Washington pledged to remove licensing curbs that had halted exports.But the tech giant still faces obstacles — US lawmakers have proposed plans to require Nvidia and other manufacturers of advanced AI chips to include built-in location tracking capabilities.Beijing’s top internet regulator said Thursday it had summoned Nvidia representatives to discuss recently discovered “serious security issues” involving the H20.The Cyberspace Administration of China said it had asked Nvidia to “explain the security risks of vulnerabilities and backdoors in its H20 chips sold to China and submit relevant supporting materials”.China is aiming to reduce reliance on foreign tech by promoting Huawei’s domestically developed 910C chip as an alternative to the H20, said Jost Wubbeke of the Sinolytics consultancy.”From that perspective, the US decision to allow renewed exports of the H20 to China could be seen as counterproductive, as it might tempt Chinese hyperscalers to revert to the H20, potentially undermining momentum behind the 910C and other domestic alternatives,” he said.Other hurdles to Nvidia’s operations in China are the sputtering economy, beset by a years-long property sector crisis, and heightened trade headwinds under US President Donald Trump.CEO Jensen Huang said during a visit to Beijing this month that the company remained committed to serving local customers, adding that he had been assured during talks with top Chinese officials that the country was “open and stable”.

Tech giants Amazon, Apple, Meta and Microsoft this week eclipsed earnings expectations, cashing in on artificial intelligence (AI) while navigating economic waters roiled by US tariffs.”Massive results seen by Microsoft and Meta further validate the use cases and unprecedented spending trajectory for the AI Revolution on both the enterprise and consumer fronts,” Wedbush tech analyst Dan Ives said in a note to investors.”We have barely scratched the surface of this 4th Industrial Revolution now playing out around the world led by the Big Tech stalwarts such as Nvidia, Microsoft, Palantir, Meta, Alphabet, and Amazon,” Ives added.Amazon reported a 35 percent jump in quarterly profits as the e-commerce giant said major investments in AI technology are paying off.”Our conviction that AI will change every customer experience is starting to play out,” said Chief Executive Andy Jassy, pointing to the company’s expanded Alexa+ service and new AI shopping agents.But the Seattle-based company’s profit outlook for the current quarter came in lower than hoped for, with investors worried that the cost of AI was weighing on the bottom line.This was despite a stellar second quarter that exceeded analyst expectations, much like it did for its AI-focused rivals Google, Microsoft and Meta, which posted bumper results for the period.Amazon’s net sales climbed 13 percent, signaling that the company was so far surviving impacts of the high-tariff trade policy under US President Donald Trump.Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company’s world-leading cloud computing division, led the charge with sales jumping 17.5 percent to $30.9 billion. Its strong performance reflects surging demand for cloud infrastructure to power AI applications, a trend that has benefited major cloud providers as companies race to adopt generative AI technologies.- $4 trillion club -Shares of Microsoft spiked Thursday following blowout quarterly results, lifting the tech giant into the previously unprecedented $4 trillion club along with Nvidia, another AI standout.The landmark valuation is the latest sign of growing bullishness about an AI investment boom that market watchers believe is still in the early stages — even as companies like Microsoft plan $100 billion or more in annual capital spending to add new capacity.”Cloud and AI is the driving force of business transformation across every industry and sector,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. At the heart of the results was a stunning surge in Azure, the company’s cloud computing platform, which is getting “supercharged” with AI, said Angelo Zino, technology analyst at CFRA Research.Zino attributed “just about all of” Microsoft’s recent climb in valuation to AI.- Superintelligence? -Meta reported robust second-quarter financial results Wednesday, with revenue jumping 22 percent year-over-year as the social media giant continues investing heavily in artificial intelligence.”We’ve had a strong quarter both in terms of our business and community,” said CEO Mark Zuckerberg. “I’m excited to build personal superintelligence for everyone in the world.”Zuckerberg has embarked on a major AI spending spree, poaching top researchers with expensive pay packages from rivals like OpenAI and Apple as he builds a team to pursue what he calls AI superintelligence.Hours before the earnings report, Zuckerberg insisted that the attainment of superintelligence — technology that would theoretically be more powerful than the human brain — is now “in sight.”Meanwhile Apple, which is seen as lagging in the AI race, beat expectations with earnings driven by strong iPhone sales despite US tariffs costing the company $800 million in the recently-ended quarter.Apple expects Trump’s tariffs to cost the iPhone maker $1.1 billion in the current quarter.”The results show that Apple’s iPhone strategy is working to offset the impact of looming challenges with AI development timelines, tariff pressures, and Google’s antitrust issues,” said Emarketer tech analyst Jacob Bourne.Apple chief executive Tim Cook said on an earnings call that taking the most advanced technologies and making them easy to use is “at the heart of our AI strategy.”Cook said Apple has been rolling out Apple Intelligence AI features and is “making good progress on a more personalized Siri.”

One of the best-known leaders in the decades-long struggle for US farm laborer rights, Dolores Huerta may be 95 years old but she is busier than ever.With the administration of US President Donald Trump ramping up immigration raids targeting farmworkers, the veteran activist — who co-founded the country’s largest agricultural union more than 60 years ago — is a galvanizing figure for those seeking to fight back.”People are reaching out because they want to do something,” she told AFP during an interview at the headquarters of her Dolores Huerta Foundation in Bakersfield, an agricultural nexus in California’s Central Valley.Born in New Mexico and raised in California, Huerta took the reins of the US farmworker movement in the 1960s along with the late activist Cesar Chavez.They created what is now United Farm Workers, launching an unprecedented fight for the rights of marginalized laborers who toil in the fields that feed America every day.At the time, Huerta was raising seven children — she later had four more — while going through a divorce.Finding the time to organize and mobilize workers remains as crucial as ever today, she said.”We’ve got to be a lot more active, because what’s happening right now is so huge. I liken it to what was happening in Germany before Hitler took power,” Huerta said. She argues that it is essential to prepare the electorate to vote in the 2026 midterms, which could reshape the US Congress. Both its chambers currently have Republican majorities.”This is the only way that this can be solved,” she said.- ‘Si se puede’ slogan -Much has changed since her time as a young union leader, but one thing that has never gone away is racism, Huerta said.”I believe that that illness of racism is what has really contaminated our political system,” said Huerta.”Trump is actually playing out that racism when he is again putting immigrants, and mostly people of color, into the detention centers” with “inhumane conditions,” she said.Many have been sent to countries with which they have no connection, Huerta noted, such as the 252 Venezuelans who were sent to a notorious El Salvador prison, before eventually being repatriated to their homeland as part of a political deal.For Huerta, the Republican-led crackdown is “absolutely atrocious… our people have been caught off guard.”Huerta believes that the swell of Latino support for Trump that aided his victory in November was driven by religious interests.Church leaders and lobbyists who are influential with Hispanic communities used issues like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights to “intimidate” Hispanic communities, who traditionally favor Democrats, into voting Republican, she said.But Huerta — whose famous “Si se puede” slogan was mirrored by Barack Obama’s “Yes, we can” rallying cry in 2008 — believes Trump’s promise to carry out the largest deportation operation in US history could yet backfire.In various sectors ranging from agriculture to hospitality and services, employers are realizing how much they need hard-working immigrants, she said.- ‘Fear’ -The risks have sharply risen for many in her community since Trump came to power, but for Huerta personally, activism has long had perilous consequences.When she was 58, Huerta was arrested and brutally beaten by police at a San Francisco protest.Her commitment to the union movement also meant she was an absent mother — and even today, she spends more time on her work than with her many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.Huerta has often been the only woman in male-dominated spaces, and is renowned by many for her ability to face down corporate power.In February, her foundation helped drive an ongoing boycott against the retail giant Target over its decision to end pro-diversity programs following Trump’s election.”Trump instilled fear in all these corporations,” she said.Using tactics like boycotts to influence billionaire business owners who can “pull Trump’s strings,” she said, “we finally are able to move them in the right direction.””They need to start speaking up and stop these dangerous policies of Trump.”

President Donald Trump, who is remodeling the White House to his tastes, will build a massive ballroom for hosting official receptions, one of the largest projects at the US executive mansion in over a century.Trump himself and unspecified donors will foot the bill for the $200 million project, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told a press briefing on Thursday.”For 150 years, presidents, administrations and White House staff have longed for a large event space on the White House complex,” the spokeswoman said.”There’s never been a president that was good at ballrooms,” the 79-year-old president and former real estate developer told reporters of the latest bid to leave his mark on the White House.”I’m good at building things, and we’ll get it built quickly and on time. It’ll be beautiful,” said Trump, assuring that the character of the original building would be preserved.The new structure will span over 8,000 square meters (90,000 square feet) and have space to seat 650 people, according to Leavitt.Work on the ballroom — one of Trump’s long-time ambitions — will begin in September and is expected to be completed “well before” the end of his second term in January 2029, Leavitt said.The hope is it will host grand state dinners, given in honor of foreign heads of state visiting Washington. Until now, these were generally done by erecting a huge tent on the White House grounds.- Facade -A model of the ballroom presented by the government shows it will be a white building with tall windows. Its columns and front look reminiscent of the main White House building, a facade is known worldwide.The ballroom building will replace the East Wing, which usually houses the offices of the US first lady.Trump, who does not shy away from the gaudy, has also redone the Oval Office to splash the room in gold — from the stars surrounding the presidential seal on the ceiling, to the gold statues on the fireplace, to the mantel itself. The project is shaping up to be one of the most significant to break ground at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue since renovation and expansion works undertaken by President Theodore Roosevelt at the start of the 20th century.President Harry Truman also oversaw notable construction work between 1948 and 1952, but did so without changing the external structure.Trump has said for some time that he wants to build a White House ballroom inspired by his own properties.On Thursday, he praised the newly built, lavish ballroom — named after himself — at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, one of dozens of properties owned by the Trump family.It will also be inspired by the ballroom of the Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida, which has served as the model for Trump’s remodeling of the White House to suit himself.The Republican billionaire, inspired by the patios of Mar-a-Lago, recently ripped up the lawn at the White House’s historic Rose Garden and is paving that area, where official events are often held.He is flying two huge American flags outside the White House, which has been the residence and workplace of American presidents since 1800.