South Korea, US and Japan hold aerial drill in demonstration of strength against North Korea

South Korea, US and Japan hold aerial drill in demonstration of strength against North Korea

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Top South Korean, U.S. and Japanese military officers urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities that threaten regional security, as the three nations flew advanced warplanes fora joint exercisein a show of force against the North. The development came Friday asRussian Foreign MinisterSergei Lavrov was to travel to North Korea amid booming military and other cooperation between the two countries that have raised concerns among their neighbors. During their regular meeting in Seoul on Friday, the chairmen of the joint chiefs of staff from South Korea, the U.S. and Japan discussed North Korea'sdeployment of troopsto Russia to support its war against Ukraine and Russia's potential transfer of military technology to North Korea in return. "They urged the DPRK to immediately cease all unlawful activities to destabilize the Korean Peninsula, the Indo-Pacific, and beyond, and pledged to continue working together to respond to the DPRK's threats," the three top military officers said in a joint statement. DPRK stands for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, North Korea's formal name. North Korea and Russia have grown sharply closer in recent years, with North Korea supplying thousands of troops andammunitions to Russiain return for economic and military assistance. Seoul, Washington and their partners worry Russia might provide North Korea with sensitive technologies that can enhance its nuclear and missile programs as well. The three joint chiefs of staff — South Korea's Kim Myung-soo, the United States' Dan Caine and Japan's Yoshida Yoshihide — discussed various ways to deepen their cooperation in order to ensure peace and stability in the region, according to the joint statement. Also Friday, the three countries staged a trilateral aerial drill in international waters off South Korea's southern Jeju island. The training, which involves America's nuclear-capable B-52H bomber, is meant to improve the deterrence and response capabilities against North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile programs, according to South Korea's Defense Ministry. In recent years, South Korea, the U.S. and Japan have been expanding or restarting their regularmilitary training exercisesto cope with North Korea's enlarging nuclear arsenal. North Korea views such U.S.-led drills as invasion rehearsals and often responds with missile tests. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, was to begin a three-day trip to North Korea on Friday, according to North Korean and Russian state media reports earlier this week. Russia's Tass news agency, citing Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, reported Wednesday that Lavrov's North Korea trip was part of the second round of "strategic dialogue" with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui. Lavrov and Choe's earlier meeting took place in November in Moscow. Some South Korean analysts said Lavrov may discuss arranging a visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to Russia.

byMario Satorik

in

July 10, 2025

South Korea, US and Japan hold aerial drill in demonstration of strength against North Korea

South Korea, US and Japan hold aerial drill in demonstration of strength against North Korea SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Top South Korean, U.S...

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Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley says he's running for reelection

Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley says he's running for reelection

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon said Thursday that he will run for reelection next year to seek a fourth term in Congress. In a statement, the 68-year-old denounced theTrump administrationand described efforts to stand against growing threats to democracy as "the fight of our lives, and I'm not backing down." "This is a dark and dangerous time for our democracy, and the only way through it is together," he said. Merkley is the top Democrat on the powerful Senate Budget Committee. His most recent reelection to the Senate wasin 2020,with nearly 57% of the vote. Merkley has served in Congress since 2009. Before that, he served roughly a decade in the Oregon House of Representatives. Oregon's other Democratic senator, Ron Wyden, isn't up for reelection until 2028.

byMario Satorik

in

July 10, 2025

Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley says he's running for reelection

Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley says he's running for reelection PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon s...

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Katerina Siniakova and Sem Verbeek win Wimbledon mixed-doubles title

Katerina Siniakova and Sem Verbeek win Wimbledon mixed-doubles title

LONDON (AP) — Katerina Siniakova added to her collection of major titles by winning the mixed doubles atWimbledonwith Sem Verbeek in a 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3) victory over Luisa Stefani and Joe Salisbury on Thursday. Siniakova, a 10-time Grand Slam women's doubles champion from the Czech Republic, hit a smash on the first match point at a half-full but lively Centre Court. It's a first major title for Verbeek, and the Dutchman celebrated by having the crowd join him in singing "Happy Birthday To You" to his father. Siniakova is also a two-time Olympic champion. She wongold in mixed doubleswith Tomas Machac at the Paris Games last year. She teamed with Barbora Krejcikova to win the women's doubles gold at the Tokyo Games in 2021. Of Siniakova's 10 major women's doubles titles, seven were with Krejcikova,two with Taylor Townsend, and one with Coco Gauff at last year's French Open. ___ AP tennis:https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

byMario Satorik

in

July 10, 2025

Katerina Siniakova and Sem Verbeek win Wimbledon mixed-doubles title

Katerina Siniakova and Sem Verbeek win Wimbledon mixed-doubles title LONDON (AP) — Katerina Siniakova added to her collection of major title...

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Chargers RB Najee Harris sustains eye injury during Fourth of July fireworks 'mishap'

Chargers RB Najee Harris sustains eye injury during Fourth of July fireworks 'mishap'

Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harrisis expected to be ready for the NFL season after sustaining a "superficial" eye injury during a Fourth of July fireworks mishap, his agent said in a statementvia ESPN's Adam Schefter: "Najee Harris was present at a 4th of July event where a fireworks mishap resulted in injuries to several attendees. Najee sustained a superficial eye injury during the incident, but is fully expected to be ready for the upcoming NFL season." PerThe Mercury News, the incident occurred at 12:20 a.m. on July 5 in Harris' hometown of Antioch, California, with a firework explosion injuring multiple people. Harris was reportedly hospitalized going first to John Muir Hospital in Concord then to Stanford Hospital for treatment. [Get more Chargers news: Bolts team feed] The mishap will undoubtedly draw comparisons to the incident that cost star pass-rusher Jason Pierre-Paul parts of multiple fingers on the Fourth of July in 2015, but this one fortunately appears to be less serious. Antioch police told The Mercury News on Thursday they were still investigating the incident and had no other comment. Rumors of a serious eye injury had been previously circulating online, with the statement from Harris' agent apparently aiming to tamp down concern. While Harris will reportedly be ready for the season, it's unclear if the injury will affect his preparation for the season. Chargers training camp starts July 17. Harrissigned a one-year, $9.5 million deal with the Chargers this spring, ending a four-season tenure with thePittsburgh Steelers. He projects to be the new lead back in a run-heavy Chargers offense with first-round rookieOmarion Hampton, selected 22nd overall, right behind him. Harris was an iron man for the Steelers, playing 17 games and posting at least 1,000 rushing yards in all four seasons with them. The former first-round pick made a Pro Bowl in his rookie season, though questions about his efficiency prevented him from breaking through as a true star in Pittsburgh.

byMario Satorik

in

July 10, 2025

Chargers RB Najee Harris sustains eye injury during Fourth of July fireworks 'mishap'

Chargers RB Najee Harris sustains eye injury during Fourth of July fireworks 'mishap' Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris...

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Missouri governor repeals paid sick leave law approved last year by voters

Missouri governor repeals paid sick leave law approved last year by voters

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eight months after voters approved it, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the repeal of a law Thursday that had guaranteedpaid sick leaveto workers and inflationary adjustments to the minimum wage. The move marked a major victory for the state's largest business group and a frustrating defeat for workers' rights advocates, who had spent years — and millions of dollars — building support for the successful ballot measure. The repeal will take effect Aug. 28. Kehoe, who also signed a package oftax breaksThursday, described the paid sick leave law as an onerous mandate that imposed burdensome record-keeping. "Today, we are protecting the people who make Missouri work — families, job creators, and small business owners — by cutting taxes, rolling back overreach, and eliminating costly mandates," Kehoe, a Republican, said in a statement released after a private bill-signing ceremony. The new tax law excludes capital gains from individual state income taxes, expands tax breaks for seniors and disabled residents and exempts diapers and feminine hygiene products from sales taxes. Richard von Glahn, who sponsored the worker benefit ballot initiative, said many parents felt forced to go to work, instead of staying home to care for a sick child, in order to pay for their rent or utilities. "The governor signing this bill is an absolute betrayal to those families, and it hurts my heart," said von Glahn, policy director for Missouri Jobs With Justice. About one-third of states mandate paid sick leave, but many businesses voluntarily provide it. Nationwide, 79% of private-sector employees received paid sick leave last year, though part-time workers were significantly less likely to receive the benefit than full-time employees, according to Department of Labor data. Voters in Alaska, Missouri and Nebraska allapproved paid sick leave measureslast November. Only Alaska's, which kicked in on July 1, has remained unchanged by state lawmakers. BeforeNebraska's measurecould take effect Oct. 1, Republican Gov. Jim Pillen signed a measure last month exempting businesses with 10 or fewer employees from the paid sick leave requirements. The revision also lets businesses withhold paid sick leave from seasonal agricultural workers and 14- and 15-year-olds. Missouri's law allowed employees to earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, starting May 1. By the time it's repealed, 17 weeks will have elapsed. That means someone working 40 hours a week could have earned 22 hours of paid sick leave. If workers don't use their paid sick leave before Aug. 28, there's no legal guarantee they can do so afterward. The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry had made repealing the law its top legislative priority. The "paid leave and minimum wage policies were a job killer," chamber President and CEO Kara Corches said. But Missouri voters could get a second chance at mandating paid sick leave. Von Glahn has submitted a proposed ballot initiative to the secretary of state that would reinstate the repealed provisions. Because the new measure is a constitutional amendment, the Legislature would be unable to revise or repeal it without another vote of the people. Supporters haven't decided whether to launch a petition drive to try to qualify the measure for the 2026 ballot.

byMario Satorik

in

July 10, 2025

Missouri governor repeals paid sick leave law approved last year by voters

Missouri governor repeals paid sick leave law approved last year by voters JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eight months after voters approved it,...

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Fight over new FBI headquarters site stalls government funding bill

Fight over new FBI headquarters site stalls government funding bill

WASHINGTON — A fight over where to relocate the FBI's headquarters ground the Senate appropriations process to a halt on Thursday — a setback for lawmakers working to avert a government shutdown by the Sept. 30 deadline. The Senate Appropriations Committee had been scheduled to pass one of its 12 appropriations bills and send it to the full Senate. But Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, was forced to recess the committee meeting after a Democratic amendment to block the Trump administration frommoving the FBI headquartersto the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington surprisingly passed. The amendment, offered by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., would bar the administration from using federal dollars to move the FBI's headquarters in downtown Washington to a site other than in Greenbelt, Maryland, in the suburbs just outside Washington. The Appropriations Committee passed the amendment during a markup of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriation bill in a 15-14 vote, with just one Republican — Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — crossing the aisle and joining all Democrats in voting yes. "This is good news for the men and women in the FBI because the Greenbelt site was selected after years of competition to pick the site that best met the security and mission requirements of the FBI," Van Hollen told NBC News after the amendment vote. Passage of the amendment is "an important step" and a "very important signal," he said. But Republicans on the panel, worried about the FBI provision and how President Donald Trump might respond, began announcing they were switching their votes on the full bill from yes to no. Instead of letting the bill fail in committee, Collins recessed the meeting to give senators time to figure out a path. Senators went home for the week Thursday and said they'd revisit the issue when they return next week. After recessing the meeting, Collins argued that her committee is making progress on appropriations bills on a bipartisan basis. One to fund the Agriculture Department passed 27-0, while another to fund the legislative branch passed 26-1. "We got two of our bills approved today, one unanimously and one with only one dissenting vote. Had the issue of the FBI building not come up, we would have had a third bill with strong bipartisan support," Collins told reporters. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., an appropriator, explained why he is opposed to the bill with the FBI provision. "The Democrats, with one Republican vote, were able to add an amendment that basically turns upside down the president's decision about where to put the FBI building," Kennedy said. "Now, I know that sounds like inside baseball, but it really is a big deal," he continued. "It's a lot of taxpayer money, and I think that just blew up the process. I think the president is going to be furious." In November 2023, during the Biden administration, the General Services Administration — an agency that manages federal property and buildings — announced Greenbelt as thelocation of the new FBI headquarters. The decision capped ayearslong selection processin which both Virginia and Maryland vied to house the new campus. But this month, the Trump administration reversed that decision and said the new headquarters would instead land at the Ronald Reagan complex in downtown Washington, which FBI Director Kash Patel and other officials described as a cost-effective location that can meet the needs of the agency's workforce. The FBI's current headquarters in the J. Edgar Hoover Building has deteriorated since it opened in the 1970s, requiring either extensive renovations or a whole new campus to be constructed. Murkowski told reporters after the committee meeting that she supports pausing consideration of the bill so she can hear from the FBI why they want to stay in Washington. "We had an opportunity to take a pause, get a little more information about what it is that the administration is seeking to do with the Ronald Reagan Building, because it seems to me that's kind of the blank spot right now," Murkowski told reporters, "So, I think we're going to have that chance." It's not clear when the Appropriations Committee will meet again to restart considering the bill. The Senate panel's markup of the bill is just the first step in a long process to fund federal agencies before money for the government runs out at the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.

byMario Satorik

in

July 10, 2025

Fight over new FBI headquarters site stalls government funding bill

Fight over new FBI headquarters site stalls government funding bill WASHINGTON — A fight over where to relocate the FBI's headquarters g...

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March Madness expansion to 72 or 76 teams floated; change could come as soon as next season

March Madness expansion to 72 or 76 teams floated; change could come as soon as next season

The committees for men's and women's Division I basketball met this week to discuss possible expansion of the March Madness tournaments, but made no immediate decisions or recommendations. "The still viable outcomes include the tournaments remaining at 68 teams or expanding the fields to either 72 or 76 teams in advance of the 2026 or 2027 championships," Dan Gavitt, the NCAA senior vice president of basketball, said in a statement Thursday. The idea of expanding the tournament picked up steam in the spring when NCAAPresident Charlie Baker said it could add valueand that he'd like to see the issue resolved in the next few months. He said the NCAA has had "good conversations" with TV partners CBS and Warner Bros., whose deal runs through 2032 at the cost of around $1.1 billion a year. Baker also mentioned increasingly difficult logistics involved with adding teams to what is now known as the "First Four" — a series of four games played on Tuesday and Wednesday of the first week to place four teams into the 64-team bracket. Though there has been no concrete plan for how expansion would work, speculation has centered on bringing more at-large teams, likely from major conferences, into the 64-team bracket. Such a move that would come at the expense of champions of lower-level conferences. Currently, two of the First Four games involve 16 seeds — teams that automatically qualify by winning lower-ranked conferences — while two more involve at-large teams often seeded 11 or 12. For instance, in 2021, UCLA made the Final Four as an 11 seed that also played in the First Four. "I don't accept that that model just continues in the future," Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey said at league meetings in May. He used the example of North Carolina State advancing to the Final Four as an 11 seed in 2023 as how bubble teams from big conferences can make long runs in the tournament. "You could go ask my colleagues in the (automatic qualifier) conferences what should happen, and I'm certain they want that split to continue for life," Sankey said. "But you've got some really, really good teams ... that I think should be moved into the tournament." Any recommendation for expansion would have to be approved by the NCAA's Division I board, which next meets in August. ___ AP college basketball:https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-pollandhttps://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

byMario Satorik

in

July 10, 2025

March Madness expansion to 72 or 76 teams floated; change could come as soon as next season

March Madness expansion to 72 or 76 teams floated; change could come as soon as next season The committees for men's and women's Div...

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