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Newsweek
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Photos Show US Ally Flexing Missile Power Amid China Threat
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Japan—a key United States ally in the Western Pacific—showcased its ship-sinking and air-defense capabilities during live-fire drills in Australia amid China's growing military threat. The live-fire events were part of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025—an ongoing multinational war game involving the U.S. and 18 other countries from the Indo-Pacific, North America, and Europe—designed to test and rehearse capabilities in support of regional stability. Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email. Why It Matters China has expanded its military presence—particularly its navy—across the Western Pacific in recent years, raising alarms among the U.S. and its regional allies. It has also built up a large missile arsenal capable of striking Japan, including U.S. military bases located there. Japan—a key element of the U.S. island chain strategy to contain China in the Western Pacific—has been bolstering its defenses against potential Chinese aggression by upgrading its ship-killing weapons and acquiring advanced warships capable of intercepting missiles. Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 has previously featured two live-fire events involving anti-ship missiles, including a strike on a maritime target by a U.S. land-based missile system. What To Know Photos released by the Australian military on Tuesday show that the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force conducted a "live-fire surface engagement" at the Beecroft Weapons Range in New South Wales, on the east coast of Australia, firing two Type 12 anti-ship missiles. A Type 12 anti-ship missile is launched by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force at Beecroft Weapons Range near Jervis Bay in Australia on July 22, 2025. A Type 12 anti-ship missile is launched by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force at Beecroft Weapons Range near Jervis Bay in Australia on July 22, 2025. PTE Alex Brown/Australian Department of Defense via AP The missiles were launched from a truck-mounted platform and flew toward a floating target located 18.6 miles offshore in Jervis Bay, following different trajectories. Exercise director, Australian Brigadier Damian Hill, said both missiles struck the target simultaneously. The Type 12 anti-ship missile is capable of hitting maritime targets approximately 124 miles away. An upgraded version—with a modified missile shape—extends the flight range to at least 559 miles, and eventually up to 745 miles, according to the specialist outlet Naval News. Prior to the anti-ship missile drill, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile system conducted firing at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland, northeastern Australia, on July 14, according to released footage and imagery. "Through anti-aircraft firing training targeting cruise missiles and other threats, we aim to enhance our firing capabilities while strengthening coordination with participating countries, including the United States and Australia," the Joint Staff of Japan's Defense Ministry said. The Type 03 surface-to-air missile is a land-based air defense system with a reported range of 31 miles, capable of engaging targets such as cruise missiles, fighter jets, and helicopters. What People Are Saying Lieutenant General Joel B. Vowell, deputy commanding general of the U.S. Army Pacific, said in a press release on July 13: "By rehearsing, by practicing together, by staying in tune with each other, we are providing that readiness to our armies, our navies, our air forces, our space forces, our cyber forces." Japan's defense white paper 2025 read: "China has been swiftly increasing its national defense expenditures, thereby extensively and rapidly enhancing its military capability in a qualitative and quantitative manner and intensifying its activities in the East China Sea, including around the Senkaku Islands, and the Pacific." The Senkaku Islands are an islet group in the East China Sea, ruled by Japan but claimed by both China and Taiwan as the Diaoyu Islands and the Diaoyutai Islands, respectively. A Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile is launched by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Australia on July 14, 2025. A Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile is launched by the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Australia on July 14, 2025. Australian Department of Defense What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether additional live-fire drills will be conducted during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, which began on July 13 and is scheduled to conclude on August 4.
The Irish Sun
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Huge Hollywood star opens new Texas-style BBQ joint – in the middle of a UK airfield
A FAMOUS movie director has opened a Texas barbeque joint... on a vintage airfield. Advertisement 4 A famous movie director has opened a Texas barbeque joint… in England Credit: Instagram 4 Guy Ritchie's Lore of the Sky restaurant has opened in Compton Abbas Airfield in Dorset Credit: Instagram Set at the airfield, with views across Shaftesbury, Lore of the Sky serves up typical Texas barbecue dishes that are smoked on-site. According to the restaurant's Instagram, the spot serves up "smoked flavour, countryside views, and aviation history in full flight". Having opened seven weeks ago, the menu boasts dishes crafted by Chef Alex Brown including oak-smoked pork belly and loaded nachos. And despite being a meat-loving Advertisement Read more on travel inspo The restaurant also serves breakfast options including a smokehouse breakfast for £9.95 or smokehouse pancakes for £7.50. As for the airfield itself, visitors can investigate The airfield also hosts a number of events throughout the year including 'Warbird Weekends' taking place from July 24-27 and July 31 to August 3. Over the weekends, visitors can see iconic aircraft including a Advertisement Most read in News Travel One visitor commented: "I would recommend this place to anyone." Yet reviews for the destination have been mixed. Pub With A 'Floating' Beer Garden By The Beach According to He added: "They call this dirty food. I'd say it was just filthy." Advertisement The entire airfield is owned by Guy Ritchie, who bought it back in 2023 and it has also been used for films including Lawrence: After Arabia. In an interview with future he hopes to have an experience at the site where visitors can walk through the hangars. 4 Set at the airfield, with views across Shaftesbury, Lore of the Sky serves up typical Texas barbecue dishes that are smoked onsite Credit: Instagram Advertisement Unlike Lore of the Sky, this spot in Fitzrovia is a traditional British pub that serves food and drink over three floors, including Sunday roasts. The film director also previously co-owned The Walmer Castle in Notting Hill with David Beckham. Then, close to Compton Abbas Airfield, is Gritchie Brewing Company – the film director's 'beer farm'. For £15 per person visitors can go on a tour of the brewery - which lasts between an hour and an hour-and-a-half. Advertisement A the Beckhams and Ed Sheeran. Plus, the 4 As for the airfield itself, visitors can investigate historic aircraft and even do a bit of plane spotting Credit: Instagram
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Yahoo
Washington county suing homeowners for $7M after allegedly felling 142 protected trees to score better views
What started as a routine wildlife check turned into a multimillion-dollar legal bombshell. A trail camera set up in Issaquah's Grand Ridge Park to catch glimpses of local wildlife like bobcats and jaguars ended up catching something entirely unexpected: a tree hurtling down a hillside. 'To see a tree just flying down the hill like a javelin was pretty alarming,' Alex Brown, the homeowner who installed the motion-triggered camera, told KING 5. 'Pretty much every day we see a bear coming by that camera, bobcats, cougars, the occasional mountain lions.' Instead, what pinged Brown's phone was a sliding tree and what he discovered when he hiked up to investigate would soon ignite a legal firestorm involving more than 140 felled trees. I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Brown said that he 'found that quite a few trees had been cut up there within the park boundary,' adding, 'A lot of them are still lying on that slope, which is alarming to those of us living down here.' Many of the scattered stumps and fallen branches were inside a protected area of Grand Ridge Park. King County has now filed a lawsuit seeking nearly $7 million in damages, accusing several homeowners of illegally cutting down 142 trees, many classified as 'significant,' allegedly for the purpose of scoring a better view of West Tiger Mountain. "This unlawful act caused serious and generational harm to a protected natural area," said King County Parks Director Warren Jimenez in a statement. He added that the cuts violated county codes, disrupted the wildlife habitat and damaged decades of public investment in conservation. Jimenez said the county is going after civil penalties, treble damages and the contractors involved in what they call an environmental breach of trust. Local resident Caitlin McNulty walks the trails daily with her young son Julian and said one of the falling trees landed just a few hundred feet from their home. 'It was just pretty scary because this is part of our regular little Julian loop that we come and walk most days,' McNulty said. She suspects those responsible assumed they could get away with it. 'I imagine they thought there was a really low probability of anyone finding out. It would have been really hard for someone to have known this happened and I think the only reason we did is we had that wildlife camera there,' she said. KING 5 spoke with one of the named homeowners in the lawsuit, who claimed the tree-cutting was done legally and for his family's safety. But county officials aren't convinced. Read more: You don't have to be a millionaire to gain access to . In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here's how You have freedoms as a homeowner in the U.S., but those freedoms stop when they infringe on public safety, environmental integrity, neighbor rights, or zoning laws. Make sure you do your homework before swinging that sledgehammer or aiming that chainsaw. What you can do While you'll want to research the specific laws pertaining to the project you want to carry out, these are general guidelines about what you're typically allowed to do. Home improvements: You can remodel, add rooms, or build a deck, but 'any project that goes beyond a simple repair or aesthetic upgrade' usually requires a permit from your local building department. If you skip this step, you can expect delays, fines, or even forced demolition. Rent your property: There's no federal law stopping you from turning your home into a cash-flow machine but be sure to check local bylaws based on where you live, because every city, county and zoning board writes its own rules, so check before you list that spare room on Airbnb, or other rental services. Landscape paradise: Want a backyard oasis? Go for it, but watch water‐use laws in drought zones and be careful not to disturb wildlife habitats (especially in conservation landscapes). Install solar and eco‑upgrades: 'Solar rights' laws in many states protect your right to go green. But you'll still need permits, interconnection inspections and sometimes an HOA notice. What you can't do Here are some things you shouldn't do if you don't want to get in trouble: Cut down trees without permission: Even if they are in your own yard, many cities and states require permits before removing trees. Fines and requirements often depend on tree size, species, or location. DIY without necessary permits: Building a fence, shed, or even a pool without pulling proper permits? Local authorities can issue a stop-work order, force you to tear it all down and slap you with a fine. It's not just a slap on the wrist; it could be demolition day. Be a noisy neighbor: Constant noise, bright lights, or strong odors from your property? You could end up paying $20,000 to $50,000 in damages under local nuisance laws. Breaking HOA rules: Break HOA rules, like say, paint your house neon green or build an unapproved deck and you could face monthly fines, legal fees, or even foreclosure proceedings. Always consult your municipality before changing property and check for permits for everything from remodeling to major landscaping. Check HOA rules, submit plans for approval and keep documented records and communications of every step along the way. Hire arborists before removing trees, especially large, habitat-important or protected species. Be a considerate neighbor by limiting noisy tools, bright lights and strong odors. While the case in King County is currently civil, the King County Prosecutor's Office says criminal charges are still on the table. As for Brown, he is still shocked by what he saw, 'The fact that so much damage was done and consequently their view was improved raises a lot of questions,' he said. This tiny hot Costco item has skyrocketed 74% in price in under 2 years — but now the retail giant is restricting purchases. Here's how to buy the coveted asset in bulk Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Gulf Today
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Today
Battles over public lands loom after sell-off proposal fails
Alex Brown, Tribune News Service Hunters, hikers and outdoors lovers of all stripes mounted a campaign in June against a Republican proposal to sell off millions of acres of federal public land. a. But even though the land sales proposal was defeated, experts say federal lands face a slew of other threats from President Donald Trump's administration. Agency leaders have proposed rolling back the 'Roadless Rule' that protects 58 million acres from logging and other uses. Trump's Justice Department has issued a legal opinion that the president is allowed to abolish national monuments. Regulators have moved to slash environmental rules to ramp up logging and oil and gas production. And Trump's cuts to the federal workforce have gutted the ranks of the agencies that manage federal lands. 'This is not over even if the sell-off proposal doesn't make it,' said John Leshy, who served as solicitor for the US Department of the Interior during the Clinton administration. 'The whole thing about leasing or selling timber or throwing them open to mining claims, that's a form of partial privatization. It's pretty much a giveaway.' Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has repeatedly described public lands as America's 'balance sheet.' He has argued that some lands could be used to provide housing, while calling for an expansion of mining and oil and gas drilling to increase their economic output. 'President Trump's energy dominance vision will end those wars abroad, will make life more affordable for every family in America by driving down inflation,' Burgum said before his confirmation hearing. Public lands advocates are bracing for ongoing battles for the rest of Trump's term in office. They expect Republicans to add last-minute public lands amendments to other bills moving through Congress, and for land management agencies to attempt to strip protections from other federal lands. Given the vocal backlash to the initial sell-off plan, advocates expect future attempts to be shaped behind closed doors and advanced with little time for opponents to mount a defense. Meanwhile, they expect states to play a key role in shaping those battles. In Western states, where most federally owned lands are located, many leaders from both parties view public lands as special places open to all Americans and critical for clean water, wildlife and tourism. But some conservatives resent the fact that large portions of their states are managed by officials in Washington, DC, limiting development and private enterprise. Officials in some states, including Idaho, Utah and Wyoming, have pushed lawsuits or resolutions seeking to force the feds to hand over huge amounts of land. Public land experts say the lawmakers behind those efforts will likely press harder now that Trump is in the White House. Such state-level takeover attempts could shape the proposals that emerge from Trump's allies in Washington. The firestorm over federal lands exploded when US Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, introduced legislation that would force the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to sell up to 3.3 million acres of land. The measure also would direct the agencies to make more than 250 million additional acres eligible for sale. 'We've never seen a threat on this magnitude ever,' said Devin O'Dea, Western policy and conservation manager with Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. 'There's been an overwhelming amount of opposition. We've seen record-breaking engagement on this issue.' Lee, a longtime federal lands opponent, claimed the lands were needed for housing and argued the government has been a poor manager of its land. 'Washington has proven time and again it can't manage this land,' Lee said in June when announcing the proposal. 'This bill puts it in better hands.' But a wide-ranging coalition of opponents argued that the proposal had no protections to ensure the lands would be used for affordable housing, and that many of the parcels eligible for sale had little housing potential. A furious social media campaign highlighted cherished hiking trails, fishing lakes and ski slopes that were in danger of being sold, urging people to call their lawmakers to oppose the measure. In recent days, Montana Republican US Sens. Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy, as well as Idaho Republican US Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, came out in opposition to the land sale proposal. That put into question whether Lee's legislation could earn even a simple majority. Then the Senate parliamentarian ruled the sell-off could not be included in the reconciliation bill without a 60-vote majority. That ruling came a day after Lee posted on social media that he would be making changes to the bill in response to concerns from Hunter Nation, a nonprofit whose board includes Donald Trump Jr. Lee released a scaled-back measure last week that would exempt national forest lands but would direct the Bureau of Land Management to sell up to 1.2 million acres. It would require land for sale to be within five miles of a population center and developed to provide housing. Public land advocates say Lee's changes did little to assuage their concerns. They argue that federal land sales or transfers should happen through the current, long-standing process, which requires local stakeholder input and directs the proceeds from land sales to be reinvested into conservation and public access on other parcels. 'It's the overwhelming belief of hunters and anglers that the budget reconciliation process is not the appropriate vehicle for public land sales,' said O'Dea, with the hunting and fishing group. On Saturday evening, Lee announced that he was withdrawing the proposal, saying that Senate rules did not allow him to include protections that land would not be sold to foreign interests. But he pledged to continue the battle over federal land ownership, working with Trump to 'put underutilised federal land to work for American families.' While the sell-off proposal aligned with some state officials' goal of taking over federal lands, some lands experts say private developers would have been the real winner. 'If the lands are transferred to the states without money, the states lose,' said Leshy, the former Interior Department official. 'It's a hit on their budget, which means they're gonna have to sell them off. If states got a significant amount of public lands, a lot of that would end up in private hands.' In Utah, where leaders have made the most aggressive push to take over federal lands, lawmakers argue that they could raise lease prices for oil and gas operations, bringing in enough revenue to cover the state's management costs. 'The policy of the state is to keep these lands open and available to the public,' Speaker Mike Schultz, a Republican, told Stateline. O'Dea pointed to an economic analysis of what it would cost Montana to take over federal lands. The report found it would cost the state $8 billion over 20 years to take on wildfire management, deferred maintenance and mine reclamation. He noted that many Western states have sold off a majority of the 'trust lands' they were granted at statehood, undermining claims that a state takeover would leave lands in the public domain. While Lee's land sales proposal has gotten the biggest headlines, public land advocates are fighting a multifront battle against the Trump administration's moves to roll back the protected status of certain lands, slash environmental rules, and expand logging, mining and drilling operations.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Homeowner sued by King County says tree cutting was about safety, not views
The Brief A viral video of a tree tumbling toward an Issaquah neighborhood led to a King County lawsuit against three homeowners for allegedly cutting over 140 trees for better views. One homeowner claims the tree-cutting was for safety, not views, and says King County gave verbal permission after a county-owned tree damaged his home. King County officials call it a severe timber trespass, with trees cut without permits, destabilizing the hillside, and filed a civil suit seeking damages. The homeowner cited damages to their home from a falling tree in the area in their decision to hire arborists. ISSAQUAH, Wash. - You've probably seen the viral video: a massive, missile-like tree barreling down a hillside toward an Issaquah neighborhood. That video is now at the center of a King County lawsuit accusing three homeowners of illegally cutting or damaging more than 140 trees — allegedly for a better view. Big picture view But one of the homeowners named in the lawsuit tells FOX 13 it was never about the view — it was about protecting his family and property. He says King County gave him permission for the work. Chain saws buzzing through the forest isn't unusual for Issaquah resident Alex Brown. "We're in a rural area. People cut firewood all the time," Brown said. But what his motion-triggered trail camera caught on March 22 stunned him. "It was flying," he said, describing a massive tree tumbling down a 500-foot slope toward his neighborhood. The tree's limbs were stripped bare, neighbors say they're lucky it wedged under another log. Officials confirmed that had it veered just slightly, it could've crashed into nearby homes — or even the interstate. Brown and his neighbors, Caitlyn and Fred McNulty, followed the destruction uphill. "Closer to the top of the hill, we found the site where many, many more trees had been cut and kind of left lying in that steep ravine," Brown said. He filed a complaint, King County officials now describe their find as one of the most egregious cases of timber trespass in memory. In early June, the county filed a civil suit against three homeowners, accusing them of cutting or damaging at least 142 trees in Grand Ridge Park — a 1,200-acre protected forest in an environmentally critical area. "We heard from a few officials that it was the worst damage they'd ever seen in decades of work with the county," Brown said. He says county officials called it a "massacre." Trees were cut, topped, and delimbed without permits — potentially destabilizing the hillside and harming the ecosystem. "We sit right below that landslide hazard area, so we're very concerned about that," Brown said. "Especially, you know, once we get back into the rainy season. There's a lot of trees missing that were helping stabilize that really steep slope." The damage is visible from I-90, where what was once thick forest now reveals a sweeping view — what the county refers to as a "substantially improved view" of West Tiger Mountain. "These trees belong to everyone," said Caitlyn McNulty, whose yard the tree landed in. "It's not something that people have the right to just take because it benefits them." King County's Department of Natural Resources tells FOX 13 the tree-cutting should never have happened. The land is protected — and only the county can authorize such work. The other side But one of the homeowners being sued says the situation is being misrepresented. He asked not to be named due to legal concerns but shared his story exclusively with FOX 13. "Everything that is existing that's problematic is not on our property. It's on King County's property," he said. He and his wife moved into their Issaquah home in September 2024 with two children and another on the way. Within months, he said, a tree owned by the county struck their home. "Our house was struck by a tree that was owned by King County, causing north of $100,000 worth of damage to our home three months after we moved into the house," he said. His daughter was asleep in the room that was hit. Water seeped through the ceiling during what was supposed to be their first Christmas in the new home. He says starting in January, he repeatedly reached out to King County — with no response — until March 2025. That's when he says he spoke with a county employee who gave him verbal permission to proceed with the work on public lands. He also heard a recording on the county line referencing tree-cutting code 16.82, which he interpreted as permission to proceed. He hired an arborist to assess and begin work on what he considered hazardous trees. "We were told that by cleaning these trees, they're less likely to fall," he said. "We're removing dead trees. We're ensuring that the trees are more aerodynamic, that the branches aren't falling off onto your house and things of that nature. So our intention was not to create a view. It was just to make sure that the trees that surround our home are healthy and less likely to fall." According to the homeowner, extreme windstorms made the situation worse. "We're talking about gusts of 70 to 80 miles an hour. It's alarming, and it's scary," he said. He pointed out dozens of leaning and fallen trees on the property — and claims around 100 more still need attention. "We didn't want to cut anything down — the trees that were cut down were clearly diseased, dead or problematic," he said. "We're still looking at hundreds of trees, and I wouldn't say that we have an improved view because of it. This has all been in an effort to protect our families and our home. In my opinion, they're healthy — healthier than what they were before, and our hope is that we can make the rest of them healthy too." He says when he learned about the tree that slid into the neighborhood, he shut everything down immediately. "We were very alarmed," he said. "In fact, the day that we heard of that news was when we completely stopped all the operations because we wanted to ensure that there was no potential threat or safety concern to any of the homes around us." The homeowner, a luxury real estate agent, was asked whether he should have known better. "I don't think that's a direct correlation, because I'm a home expert. I'm not a tree expert," he said. "Anytime I see a situation where my clients could face potential danger with trees, we guide them — we have arborists look at properties, he said. "As much as I'd like to think I know what I'm doing with trees, I don't. I'm a real estate professional. I specialize in buying and selling houses." The homeowner said he's open to apologizing to neighbors impacted by the work. "I would love to be able to have a conversation with him and apologize for what has happened," he said. "I recognize why that individual might think what we're doing was an effort to enhance views. Our only focus was to protect our family." The homeowner says he remains open to working with King County — but claims no one from the county has yet assessed the trees near his home. What's next The trial is scheduled for June 2026. The county is seeking treble damages and civil penalties. Criminal charges may also be considered. "We believe that we have permission to do this work," he said. "And we recognize that we were prioritizing our family's safety." The Source Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle interviews. Climate experts sound alarm on AI's hidden environmental costs $79M Seattle-area home is now most expensive listing in Pacific Northwest WA's first In-N-Out close to opening in Ridgefield Kent man charged with supplying chemicals in CA bombing dies in jail Suspect in deadly Edmonds ferry dock crash faces murder charges To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
