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In the news today: From Minneapolis to Venezuela, Trump's risks as he faces midterm elections; the plane used in a boat strike off Venezuela was painted to look like a civilian aircraft; and how climate change is shrinking the options for the Winter Olympics. Also, what happens when a heavy metal-loving prime minister sits down at a drum set at a summit. |
President Donald Trump speaks with reporters Tuesday at Joint Base Andrews, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) |
Trump's latest moves could create new risks for GOP in midterm elections |
It's only two weeks into the new year, and President Donald Trump has already claimed control of Venezuela, escalated threats to seize Greenland and flooded American streets with masked immigration agents. And that's not even counting an unprecedented criminal investigation at the Federal Reserve. Read more. |
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- Voters across the nation will have their next chance to weigh in on Trump's leadership at the ballot box this November, when Republicans hope to retain control of Congress for the last two years of his presidency.
Recent Trump decisions carry tremendous risks, from the possibility of an overseas quagmire to undermining the country's financial system, but Trump seems undeterred by the potential blowback. "Right now I'm feeling pretty good," Trump said Tuesday in Detroit.
- Republican leaders have overwhelmingly rallied behind Trump throughout his turbulent second term. But new cracks began to appear this week. Going after Fed Chair Jerome Powell appeared to be a step too far for some conservatives.
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Plane used in boat strike off Venezuela was painted to look like a civilian aircraft, AP sources say |
The plane used by the U.S. military to strike a boat accused of smuggling drugs off the coast of Venezuela last fall was painted to look like a civilian aircraft, a move that appears to be at odds with the Pentagon's manual on the laws of war. Read more. |
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U.S. military guidelines on the laws of war prohibit troops from pretending to be civilians while engaging in combat. The practice is legally known as "perfidy." The Defense Department manual specifically notes that "feigning civilian status and then attacking" is an example of the practice.
Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said in a statement that "the U.S. military utilizes a wide array of standard and nonstandard aircraft depending on mission requirements." Wilson said each aircraft goes through a "rigorous procurement process to ensure compliance with domestic law, department policies and regulations, and applicable international standards, including the law of armed conflict."
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The list of possible Winter Olympics host sites is shrinking because of climate change |
With the Earth warming at a record rate, the list of locales that could reliably host a Winter Games will shrink substantially in the coming years, according to researchers. The situation is serious enough that the International Olympic Committee is considering rotating the games among a permanent pool of suitable locations and holding them earlier in the season. Read more. |
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Out of 93 mountain locations that currently have the winter sports infrastructure to host elite competition, only 52 should have the snow depth and sufficiently cold temperatures to be able to host a Winter Olympics in the 2050s, according to research conducted by University of Waterloo professor Daniel Scott and University of Innsbruck associate professor Robert Steiger that the IOC is using.
The situation is bleaker for the Paralympic Winter Games, which are typically held at the same venues two weeks after the Winter Olympics conclude.
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In this photo released on the official website of the Prime Minister's Office of Japan, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, right, and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung play drums together after their talks in Nara, western Japan, Tuesday. (Prime Minister's Office of Japan via AP) |
Japanese and South Korean leaders jam to K-pop hits at summit
The Japanese and South Korean leaders let loose with an unexpected cultural exchange in a jam session drumming to K-pop hits. The musical performance between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung followed a summit meeting in Japan Tuesday. Wearing personalized athletic jackets, they sat side by side and drummed to hits such as BTS' "Dynamite" and Kpop Demon Hunters' "Golden." The jam session was a surprise by Takaichi, a heavy metal fan and an avid drummer in her college days. |
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