Trump Seeks $230 Million from DOJ, LAX Terminal Overhaul, Matcha Shortage, Meta AI Layoffs, White House Ballroom Expansion, California Fire Fees, Wilmington Refinery Redevelopment

Headlines From The Times

L.A. Times Studios

News, Daily News, Society & Culture, The Times, California

4.1 • 544 Ratings

🗓️ 23 October 2025

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

President Trump demands $230 million from the Justice Department, claiming political investigations caused him financial harm. LAX begins a $30 billion renovation of Terminal 5 ahead of the 2028 Olympics, promising smoother travel and reduced congestion. Matcha lovers face soaring prices as Japan’s supply struggles with climate change, aging farmers, and new import tariffs. Meta lays off 600 AI employees in a restructuring move. Construction begins on a $250 million White House ballroom ordered by President Trump. In business, California insurers plan to charge homeowners new fire-related fees, and the Phillips 66 refinery site in Wilmington is set for redevelopment into a mixed-use space.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an LA Times Studios podcast.
0:10.0	Hi, I'm Faith Piddo, and you're listening to headlines from LA Times Studios.
0:14.0	Here are some of today's top stories from the Los Angeles Times.
0:19.0	Meta is cutting nearly 600 artificial intelligence jobs.
0:23.6	A major shakeup as the company tries to keep up with AI competitors.
0:28.6	According to Queenie Wong, Meta confirmed the layoffs Wednesday.
0:32.6	After a leaked memo from the chief AI officer told employees that a smaller team would be quicker
0:39.2	and give workers more impact. The cuts hit staff in the company's super intelligence lab,
0:45.6	a group focused on developing accessible technology that could one day surpass human intelligence.
0:52.5	CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been pouring billions into AI,
0:56.0	even as the company continues to build new data centers and hardware.
1:01.0	Those who lost jobs can reapply elsewhere at META.
1:05.0	And still, despite the cuts, the company is still growing,
1:08.0	employing more than 75,000 people and up 7% from last year.
1:13.6	And construction is officially underway on a massive new addition to the White House,
1:20.6	a $250 million ballroom ordered by President Trump.
1:25.6	According to reporters, crews began tearing down part of the East Wing Tuesday,
1:30.3	despite earlier promises from the president and his staff that nothing would be demolished.
1:36.3	The new ballroom will span 90,000 square feet, nearly twice the size of the main White House,
1:42.3	and hold up to almost 1,000 guests.
1:46.1	Trump says the project won't cost taxpayers a dime.
1:50.1	Instead, he claims it's being funded through private donations from corporations and himself,
	...

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