The Latest: Mike Waltz faces questions over Signal chat at Senate hearing for new UN job
The hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will provide lawmakers an opportunity to grill Waltz over revelations in March that he added The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg to a private text chain on an unclassified messaging app that was used to discuss planning for strikes on Houthi militants in Yemen.
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CBC
13 minutes ago
- CBC
Hegseth recalls half of National Guard troops deployed to L.A.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the removal of half of the 4,000 National Guard troops who had been sent to Los Angeles to protect federal property and personnel during a spate of protests last month, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the decision was due to the success of the mission. "Thanks to our troops who stepped up to answer the call, the lawlessness in Los Angeles is subsiding," Parnell said in a statement. U.S. President Donald Trump deployed the troops to Los Angeles in June, against the wishes of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, to quell protests triggered by immigration raids on workplaces by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. He also sent about 700 marines. Despite legal challenges, a U.S. appeals court let Trump retain control of California's National Guard. Controversial deployment But his decision to send troops into Los Angeles prompted a national debate about the use of the military on U.S. soil and inflamed political tension in the country's second most-populous city. The Pentagon has defended the deployment, saying safeguarding ICE agents ensures they can do their jobs. Even after the withdrawal of those military personnel from Los Angeles, 2,000 National Guard troops will remain in the city along with the roughly 700 marines. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who has complained that military force was unnecessary and damaging to the local economy, said popular opposition contributed to the withdrawal. Protesters regularly appear at immigration raids in the Los Angeles area, demonstrating their opposition to the government's display of force. "This happened because the people of Los Angeles stood united and stood strong. We organized peaceful protests, we came together at rallies, we took the Trump administration to court — all of this led to today's retreat," Bass said. She referred to a lawsuit the city joined that led to an order from a federal judge barring immigration officers from detaining people based solely on their race or for speaking Spanish. The troops in Los Angeles are authorized to detain people who pose a threat to federal personnel or property, but only until police can arrest them. Military officials are not allowed to carry out arrests themselves. Trump has vowed to deport millions of people in the country illegally and has executed raids at work sites including farms that were largely exempted from enforcement during his first term. The administration has faced dozens of lawsuits across the country challenging its tactics.
CBC
30 minutes ago
- CBC
Why the U.S. is rearming Ukraine
President Donald Trump is pushing a new two-part plan to end Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine: threatening a 100% tariff on Russia's key trading partners if a deal isn't reached in 50 days, and supplying Ukraine with Patriot missiles. Andrew Chang explains why Ukraine so desperately needs these air defence capabilities and what's behind Trump's change of course. Images provided by Getty Images, The Canadian Press and Reuters.
Japan Forward
39 minutes ago
- Japan Forward
Abductions Issue is Missing in Upper House Election Pledges
このページを 日本語 で読む The Upper House election on July 20 is shaping up to be a referendum to decide the makeup of the next government, and the issue of abductions of Japanese citizens by North Korea is a bellwether. As things now stand, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito are in the minority in the House of Representatives. If they lose their majority in the Upper House, there is a possibility of significant change. Through a change of government composition or multiparty framework, many parties could become part of the ruling coalition. That is all the more reason why all of Japan's political parties have the responsibility to clearly spell out their positions on the major issues of the day. But have they done so? Looking at the election pledges made by the eight major parties for the Upper House election, only the LDP, the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), the Nippon Ishin no Kai, and the Sanseito have explicitly mentioned the North Korean abductions. There is not a word about the issue in the campaign pledges made by Komeito or the Democratic Party for the People. This may make Pyongyang conclude that enthusiasm regarding the abductions issue within Japan has dissipated. Moreover, just including a pledge in a party's platform is not enough. The LDP's campaign pledge states: "The abduction issue is a time-sensitive humanitarian issue and an infringement of national sovereignty. We will use all means to make every effort to realize the immediate return of all abduction victims." The CDP, Japan Restoration Party and Sanseito pledges only touch briefly on the issue. US President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meet with family members of Japanese abducted by North Korea. May 27, 2019. (©REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst) So, up to now, has the LDP actually done everything in its power to resolve the issue? For example, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is also LDP president, skipped the NATO summit in June, despite an invitation. He thereby missed an opportunity to meet with US President Donald Trump. During his first term, Trump met face-to-face with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and urged progress on resolving the abductions issue. When asked why he had done so at a press conference shortly after the meeting with Kim, Trump replied, "It's because that's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's top priority." Trump's personal involvement was the result of persistent persuasion on the part of former Prime Minister Abe. That is the kind of behavior worthy of being termed "doing everything in every way possible." After all, words are meaningless unless translated into action. Sakie Yokota during an interview with The Sankei Shimbun in Kawasaki City (©Shunsuke Sakamaki) Then there was the debate among the eight leaders of ruling and opposition parties hosted by the Japan National Press Club on July 2. Even there, no heated discussion on the abductions issue was to be heard. On the same day, a group of former classmates of the abductee Megumi Yokota delivered lectures in Niigata City. They are all involved in the efforts to bring Megumi home from North Korea. Megumi's mother, Sakie, also participated by phone. She implored, "We haven't heard at all from the government, and we're living with a sense of emptiness." Every political party, every politician, every candidate should listen to and also take to heart this cry of despair from this grieving mother. Resolution of the abductions issue must be a top priority for the entire nation. Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
