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Trump's Triumphal Arch Gets Official Name

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shows off an artist's rendering of President Donald Trump's planned Triumphal Arch. Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shows off an artist's rendering of President Donald Trump's planned Triumphal Arch. Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP
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Trump's Triumphal Arch Gets Official Name

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shows off an artist's rendering of President Donald Trump's planned Triumphal Arch. Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shows off an artist's rendering of President Donald Trump's planned Triumphal Arch. Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP

It's been dubbed the "Arc de Trump." But now President Donald Trump's latest building project has an official name -- the "United States Triumphal Arch."

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed the formal title on Wednesday, saying the giant structure was being built to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence, AFP reported.

"In honor of this historic occasion, President Trump and the Department of Interior will submit plans for the United States Triumphal Arch," Leavitt told reporters.

Showing off a picture that she initially held upside down, Leavitt said the "monumental" arch would stand 250 feet (76.2 meters) tall "in honor of 250 years."

Its colossal height, including a huge golden Lady Liberty statue on top, means it will dwarf perhaps its most famous predecessor, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, which stands at 164 feet.

In fact it is set to be the largest structure of its kind in the world, pipping Mexico City's Monument to the Revolution and knocking Pyongyang's Arch of Triumph to third place.

Plans for the arch were first revealed in October when AFP journalists spotted a model on Trump's desk in the Oval Office, after which it was quickly dubbed the "Arc de Trump" by US media.

Trump revealed the first full renderings for the structure last Friday.

The arch is one of several architectural projects -- including the construction of a gigantic White House ballroom and renovations to the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts -- that Trump has undertaken to leave a mark on Washington in his second term.

Critics say the gold-accented arch, which will tower over the 99-foot-tall Lincoln Memorial, is a monument to the 79-year-old Trump's vanity.

The arch will partly be funded by US taxpayers, getting $2 million in special funds from the US National Endowment for the Humanities, with up to $13 million in funds to match any donations, ABC News reported.

But Leavitt said it was aimed at celebrating US national pride.

"Long after everyone in this room is gone, our children and grandchildren will remain inspired by this national monument," she told reporters.

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Varieties

Guinness Crowns Canberra Town Crier as the World's Loudest Person at 122.4 Decibels

In this image taken from video, Joseph McGrail-Bateup demonstrates his loud voice in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, after he was been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's loudest person. (Australian Broadcasting Corp. via AP)
In this image taken from video, Joseph McGrail-Bateup demonstrates his loud voice in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, after he was been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's loudest person. (Australian Broadcasting Corp. via AP)
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Guinness Crowns Canberra Town Crier as the World's Loudest Person at 122.4 Decibels

In this image taken from video, Joseph McGrail-Bateup demonstrates his loud voice in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, after he was been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's loudest person. (Australian Broadcasting Corp. via AP)
In this image taken from video, Joseph McGrail-Bateup demonstrates his loud voice in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday, June 23, 2026, after he was been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's loudest person. (Australian Broadcasting Corp. via AP)

Joseph McGrail-Bateup, an Australian professional air conditioner cleaner and honorary town crier, has been recognized as the world’s loudest person.

Guinness World Records last week acknowledged the 58-year-old Canberra resident recorded the loudest ever shout by an individual. He yelled “now” at 122.4 decibels.

That broke the previous record of 121.7 dB set by Northern Ireland schoolteacher Annalisa Flanagan in 1994. She had yelled an ear-piercing “quiet”, The Associated Press said.

That is in the noise range of a chain saw, a jet aircraft taking off and an ambulance siren at close range.

The record attempt was not something McGrail-Bateup could train for, he said Tuesday.

“There’s no way that you can actually practice for it. You have to just keep it for the day, especially with the world record attempt,” McGrail-Bateup said.

“It took me seven attempts just for one word, which was the word ‘now,’ and my voice was shot for the next couple of days as well. It was husky. It was terrible. So no, you can’t really practice for it. But it’s a lot of fun when you’re doing it,” he added.

McGrail-Bateup considered himself the world’s loudest man rather than the loudest person, he said. There was no previous record for the loudest man.

“I’m pleased that she (Flanagan) gets to keep her record. So she’s still the loudest woman in the world and I’m the loudest male in the world,” McGrail-Bateup said.

McGrail-Bateup said he stumbled upon Flanagan's record when searching Guinness World Records unsuccessfully for feats in the realm of town crying.

He became competitively loud when he was appointed the official town crier of the national capital Canberra in 2017. It’s an honorary and part-time role established by the local government which he considers “a bit of fun.” His town crier name is Lord Joseph.

He makes announcements at community events, school fetes and car shows.

With the job came membership of the Ancient and Honorable Guild of Australian Town Criers, a competitive professional organization dedicated to preserving members’ historic and ceremonial roles.

He won a 2024 guild competition with the loudest “Oyez, Oyez, Oyez,” at 98 dB. That was a command for silence and attention before an Australian town crier makes a proclamation.

He experimented with several words for his world record attempt before settling on “now.”

His shout was recorded May 2 in a Canberra radio studio by a professional acoustic engineer and with witnesses present. The files were sent to Guinness World Records, which announced the record Friday.

It’s the second time McGrail-Bateup has broken a world record. In 2019, he broke a speed record for an archer shooting 10 arrows. His time of 60.03 seconds shaved a fraction of a second off a record that had stood since 2015.

Nine months later, a 7-year-old boy shattered McGrail-Bateup's record by 11.4 seconds.

McGrail-Bateup wasn’t interested in attempting to regain the archery record or in keeping his shouting record.

“If someone beats me, that’s fantastic,” he said. “Records are meant to be broken.”

Varieties

Sri Lanka Troops to Battle Deadly Dengue Mosquitoes as Cases Rise

A worker from the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) department fumigates a residential area during a mosquito control program in Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 19, 2026. (Reuters)
A worker from the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) department fumigates a residential area during a mosquito control program in Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 19, 2026. (Reuters)
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Sri Lanka Troops to Battle Deadly Dengue Mosquitoes as Cases Rise

A worker from the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) department fumigates a residential area during a mosquito control program in Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 19, 2026. (Reuters)
A worker from the Medical Officer of Health (MOH) department fumigates a residential area during a mosquito control program in Colombo, Sri Lanka, June 19, 2026. (Reuters)

Sri Lanka is deploying the military to contain the spread of mosquito-borne dengue fever, as health authorities warned on Tuesday that hospitals are being overwhelmed with more than 1,000 admissions daily.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's office said army, navy and air force officers would join a special unit to identify and destroy mosquito breeding sites.

Dengue causes high fevers, headaches, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain and, in the most serious cases, bleeding that can lead to death.

Nearly 50,000 cases have been reported this year, with 29 deaths, although that is still far below the 2017 peak, when 186,000 patients and 440 deaths were reported.

The Aedes mosquito that spreads dengue -- identifiable by its black and white striped legs -- breeds in stagnant pools.

"Laws will also be strictly enforced against those allowing mosquito breeding on their premises, in addition to setting up the special military unit," the statement said.

A nationwide campaign to clean up breeding sites will be launched on Wednesday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that dengue and other mosquito-borne viruses are spreading faster and further due to climate change.

Sri Lanka has seen a surge in dengue cases since the start of June, with more than 1,000 reported in a single day this week, according to official data.

The government's dengue unit said it feared state and private hospitals may not be able to handle a further increase.

"Hospitals are already under pressure," the head of the unit, Kapila Kannangara, told reporters in Colombo. "We don't want to have a situation like the one we faced in 2017."

Monsoon rains, stagnant water from recent flooding, and haphazardly dumped waste have created ideal conditions for the rapid spread of mosquitoes.

Varieties

Scorching Heat Shuts Paris Landmarks Early as France Swelters

A woman shields herself from the sun with a fan in Rennes, western France, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP)
A woman shields herself from the sun with a fan in Rennes, western France, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP)
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Scorching Heat Shuts Paris Landmarks Early as France Swelters

A woman shields herself from the sun with a fan in Rennes, western France, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP)
A woman shields herself from the sun with a fan in Rennes, western France, Monday, June 22, 2026. (AP)

The severe heatwave sweeping France has forced the early closures of top Paris tourist hotspots the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum, their respective managers said Tuesday. 

A deadly heatwave has battered France since last week, disrupting daily life as well as forcing school closures and train cancellations, with some of the most visited tourist sites in the world the latest to take precautionary measures. 

The operator of the Eiffel Tower, a monument made of latticed steel girders, said the site would "exceptionally close" early on Tuesday at 4 pm (1400 GMT). 

During the high season, starting in mid-June, the tower is open from 9 am to 12:45 am. 

"Due to the high temperatures forecast, the Eiffel Tower will be adjusting its operations," said the operator. 

It is "very likely" that the monument will close again early on Wednesday, the operator said, adding that visitors would be refunded for their tickets. 

Seven million tourists pay to visit the 324-meter (1,063-foot) tower each year. 

Unveiled in 1889 for the World Fair in Paris by engineer Gustave Eiffel, the "Iron Lady" has since become the French capital's symbol. 

Shortly after the Eiffel Tower announcement, the Louvre management said the world's most visited museum would from Wednesday to Saturday close two hours early at 4 pm due to the heatwave. 

Soaring temperatures in Paris have made "visiting and working conditions difficult during the hottest hours of the day", the management said, noting that "it is at the end of the day that heat builds up most, exacerbated by high visitor numbers". 

Home to iconic pieces of art including Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa", the Louvre receives around nine million visitors a year. 

It is housed in a vast palace in central Paris on the banks of the Seine River, built over centuries by various French monarchs and presidents. 

The management said on Tuesday the historic building is "vulnerable and is not sufficiently adapted to climate change". 

Its director Christophe Leribault warned last week the museum was "running out of steam" as it struggles to find funding to upgrade its ageing facilities. 

The museum has faced a litany of problems that recently included a brazen $100-million jewellery heist, a water leak and other maintenance issues. 

Other tourist sites have also announced early closures or warnings as more than half of mainland France remains under the weather services' highest alert level. 

The most visited tourist attraction outside of the capital region, Mont Saint Michel island in Normandy, on Tuesday warned visitors to "put off your visit during the red alert".