Lonnie G. Bunch III, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, is stepping down from his post at the end of the year.
"It is with very mixed emotions and heartfelt gratitude that I announce my retirement," Bunch wrote in a statement. "I leave with pride and sadness, gratitude and joy, and with enormous confidence in the people who will carry this remarkable institution forward."
The Smithsonian Institution — which includes dozens of museums, libraries, research centers, and the National Zoo — has been a frequent target of criticism by President Trump. In August 2025, Trump called for a "comprehensive internal review" of eight Smithsonian museums, and directed them to "celebrate American exceptionalism." In July 2026, the Trump administration issued a report accusing the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History of "extreme political activism."
Bunch defended the museum internally. "At the Smithsonian, our work is driven by scholarship, accuracy and an uncompromising commitment to tell the fullness of America's story," he wrote in an email to his staff in July, obtained by NPR.




South Africa has accused Israel of breaking legally binding orders issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) intended to protect Palestinians in Gaza, while calling on the international community "to take all necessary action to prevent and punish genocide".
An eight-year-old Palestinian girl, whose age was confirmed by al-Shifa hospital, was killed alongside her father in an Israeli strike on Gaza City on Sunday, hours after she attended the first day of the new school year.
As a new NFL season begins this Wednesday, the danger of America’s most-watched sport has never been more clear.
The Oscar-winning actor Susan Sarandon has said she is still losing work because of her outspoken support for Palestinians, despite what she described as a broader shift in public opinion against US support for Israel.
Iran said Sunday it struck an unmanned U.S. vessel trying to enter the Strait of Hormuz, a claim that the U.S. military dismissed as a “total lie.”





























