2 months ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon on Sunday to scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea after the Republican president said it declined to help denuclearize Iran.
Trump said in a social media post that the exercises slated to begin this week are costly and "send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile" to North Korea, which he said "has been unthreatening and respectful" while Trump has been in the White House.
"Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!" Trump wrote. Trump added that he recently asked South Korea's president to join the U.S. in its efforts to denuclearize Iran, "and they said, 'No thanks!'"
The 11 days of exercises involving 18,000 South Korean soldiers were designed to beef up readiness against North Korean threats.
North Korea on Friday threatened unspecified stern steps against the U.S. and South Korea, describing their military drills as a "a rehearsal for an aggressive war" that are triggering greater instability in the region.
#Trump #north #president #Iran
Trump said in a social media post that the exercises slated to begin this week are costly and "send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile" to North Korea, which he said "has been unthreatening and respectful" while Trump has been in the White House.
"Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!" Trump wrote. Trump added that he recently asked South Korea's president to join the U.S. in its efforts to denuclearize Iran, "and they said, 'No thanks!'"
The 11 days of exercises involving 18,000 South Korean soldiers were designed to beef up readiness against North Korean threats.
North Korea on Friday threatened unspecified stern steps against the U.S. and South Korea, describing their military drills as a "a rehearsal for an aggressive war" that are triggering greater instability in the region.
#Trump #north #president #Iran
2 months ago
A California man accused of stealing jewelry was back behind bars less than 24 hours after walking out of jail, allegedly pulling off the exact same type of crime while already on pretrial probation, authorities said.
Andre Wiley, 19, was arrested last week after Sacramento County Sheriff's Office detectives said he teamed up with two other men in an alleged jewelry store theft just hours after being released from the Placer County Jail on his own recognizance for burglary, conspiracy and grand theft charges.
Investigators said Wiley and 18-year-olds Andrew Ivy and Kameryus Mayhand entered a local jewelry store together.
Authorities allege Ivy and Mayhand distracted employees by browsing merchandise while Wiley sat at a consultation desk and stole two pieces of jewelry before the trio fled.
Homeowners In Leafy Enclaves Hit By Burglars Zeroing In On High-end Homes For Smash-and-grab Scores
Andre Wiley, 19, was arrested last week after Sacramento County Sheriff's Office detectives said he teamed up with two other men in an alleged jewelry store theft just hours after being released from the Placer County Jail on his own recognizance for burglary, conspiracy and grand theft charges.
Investigators said Wiley and 18-year-olds Andrew Ivy and Kameryus Mayhand entered a local jewelry store together.
Authorities allege Ivy and Mayhand distracted employees by browsing merchandise while Wiley sat at a consultation desk and stole two pieces of jewelry before the trio fled.
Homeowners In Leafy Enclaves Hit By Burglars Zeroing In On High-end Homes For Smash-and-grab Scores
3 months ago
A 65-year-old man has been hospitalized after being thrown several feet into the air by a charging bison at Yellowstone National Park. NBC News' Camila Bernal reports.
3 months ago
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Hundreds of firefighters battled wildfires in Portugal, Greece and Spain on Sunday, with Spain and Italy sending reinforcements to Portugal to help with a massive blaze burning for more than three days.
Authorities urged residents in parts of Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city, to remain indoors and shut their windows and doors due to toxic smoke from a burning recycling plant that was engulfed by a wildfire.
Another major wildfire broke out Sunday afternoon west of the Greek capital, Athens. The fire department said 210 firefighters, backed up by volunteers, specialized teams and 29 aircraft, including water-dropping planes and helicopters, were deployed to battle the blaze burning through pine forest in the Mandra area. Authorities were racing to contain the blaze before nightfall, when aircraft can no longer perform firefighting operations.
In central Portugal's Vouzela area, more than 1,200 firefighters backed up by nearly 400 vehicles and 15 aircraft tried to put out a blaze that broke out Thursday, according to the Civil Protection authority. The wildfire had burned across an area of 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) by Sunday, information from the European Union's Copernicus satellite mapping agency showed.
The EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid said that Spain sent 120 firefighters and 45 vehicles as reinforcements to Portugal on Friday, while three firefighting aircraft from Italy and Spain were also dispatched to help.
Authorities urged residents in parts of Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city, to remain indoors and shut their windows and doors due to toxic smoke from a burning recycling plant that was engulfed by a wildfire.
Another major wildfire broke out Sunday afternoon west of the Greek capital, Athens. The fire department said 210 firefighters, backed up by volunteers, specialized teams and 29 aircraft, including water-dropping planes and helicopters, were deployed to battle the blaze burning through pine forest in the Mandra area. Authorities were racing to contain the blaze before nightfall, when aircraft can no longer perform firefighting operations.
In central Portugal's Vouzela area, more than 1,200 firefighters backed up by nearly 400 vehicles and 15 aircraft tried to put out a blaze that broke out Thursday, according to the Civil Protection authority. The wildfire had burned across an area of 12,000 hectares (30,000 acres) by Sunday, information from the European Union's Copernicus satellite mapping agency showed.
The EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid said that Spain sent 120 firefighters and 45 vehicles as reinforcements to Portugal on Friday, while three firefighting aircraft from Italy and Spain were also dispatched to help.
3 months ago
ROME (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump's attacks on Italy's premier have had an unintended consequence.
After Trump questioned Italy's reliability as a wartime ally and claimed Giorgia Meloni had groveled for his attention, European leaders rallied to Meloni's side, thawing what had been a frosty relationship over her hard-right political roots.
It is the latest example of how the often divisive American president is helping to draw Europe closer together.
European leaders are finding more reasons to coordinate on defense, tariffs and foreign policy as they confront wars in Ukraine and Iran, a ballooning trade deficit with China, and threats from Russia. That leaves Trump, who has often preferred to negotiate with European countries individually, with less ability to do so, ****** ysts say.
"Most of the mainstream leaders realize that Europe is getting squeezed between China and America, and so, if not now, then when?" said Sudha David-Wilp, vice president at the German Marshall Fund. "They need to act as a bloc in order to maintain Europe's place in the world."
After Trump questioned Italy's reliability as a wartime ally and claimed Giorgia Meloni had groveled for his attention, European leaders rallied to Meloni's side, thawing what had been a frosty relationship over her hard-right political roots.
It is the latest example of how the often divisive American president is helping to draw Europe closer together.
European leaders are finding more reasons to coordinate on defense, tariffs and foreign policy as they confront wars in Ukraine and Iran, a ballooning trade deficit with China, and threats from Russia. That leaves Trump, who has often preferred to negotiate with European countries individually, with less ability to do so, ****** ysts say.
"Most of the mainstream leaders realize that Europe is getting squeezed between China and America, and so, if not now, then when?" said Sudha David-Wilp, vice president at the German Marshall Fund. "They need to act as a bloc in order to maintain Europe's place in the world."
3 months ago
As the justices of the Supreme Court prepared to meet behind closed doors on February 27, they had before them an explosive case involving President Donald Trump, who is seeking to overturn a federal jury's finding that he ***** ually abused and defamed magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll.
But a day before the justices held that private meeting, the Trump case was yanked without explanation.
Since then, the politically sensitive appeal, which Trump initially filed in November, has been set on the court's agenda and rescheduled 15 times. Only one other has been rescheduled as often in the current term, according to a CNN ***** ysis.
Since Trump filed his appeal seven months ago, the president lost a separate $83 million case involving Carroll, and the Justice Department launched a criminal investigation into the magazine columnist.
The nation's highest court almost never explains its handling of pending appeals and has not done so in the Carroll case. The delay could be because one or more justices is writing an opinion about the case. Or the court could be waiting for other appeals involving the Trump and Carroll dispute that are expected soon.
But a day before the justices held that private meeting, the Trump case was yanked without explanation.
Since then, the politically sensitive appeal, which Trump initially filed in November, has been set on the court's agenda and rescheduled 15 times. Only one other has been rescheduled as often in the current term, according to a CNN ***** ysis.
Since Trump filed his appeal seven months ago, the president lost a separate $83 million case involving Carroll, and the Justice Department launched a criminal investigation into the magazine columnist.
The nation's highest court almost never explains its handling of pending appeals and has not done so in the Carroll case. The delay could be because one or more justices is writing an opinion about the case. Or the court could be waiting for other appeals involving the Trump and Carroll dispute that are expected soon.
