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☆ Factbox-Travis King: What Happened to Other US Soldiers Who Defected to North Korea?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

(Reuters) - Private Travis King, the U.S. soldier who ran into North Korea in July, is in U.S. custody after North Korea expelled him into China, U.S. officials said on Wednesday, following rare diplomatic cooperation between the U.S., North Korea and China. A U.S. military spokesman later said an investigation indicated that White crossed into North Korea of his own free will. In a video released by the North, White denounced the United States and praised North Korea and its then leader Kim Il-Sung. - Charles Robert Jenkins walked into North Korea when on patrol on the DMZ in 1965. - James Joseph Dresnok was a 21-year old U.S. army private stationed in South Korea in 1962 when he fled to the North.

Persons: Travis King, Joseph T, White, Kim Il, Charles Robert Jenkins, Jenkins, Hitomi Soga, Soga, James Joseph Dresnok, Dresnok, Jerry Wayne Parrish, Larry Allen Abshier, Kim Jong, Dresnok's, Josh Smith, David Brunnstrom, Phil Stewart, Chizu Nomiyama Organizations: Reuters, U.S, North, Korea Times, United Nations Command, Washington Post Locations: U.S, North Korea, China, China . U.S, South Korea, Pyongyang, United States, Vietnam, Japan, Korean

☆ Travis King: What happened to other US soldiers who defected to North Korea?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Sarah Leslie/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 27 (Reuters) - Private Travis King, the U.S. soldier who ran into North Korea in July, is in U.S. custody after North Korea expelled him into China, U.S. officials said on Wednesday, following rare diplomatic cooperation between the U.S., North Korea and China. A U.S. military spokesman later said an investigation indicated that White crossed into North Korea of his own free will. In a video released by the North, White denounced the United States and praised North Korea and its then leader Kim Il-Sung. - Charles Robert Jenkins walked into North Korea when on patrol on the DMZ in 1965. - James Joseph Dresnok was a 21-year old U.S. army private stationed in South Korea in 1962 when he fled to the North.

Persons: Travis T, Sarah Leslie, Handout, Travis King, Joseph T, White, Kim Il, Charles Robert Jenkins, Jenkins, Hitomi Soga, Soga, James Joseph Dresnok, Dresnok, Jerry Wayne Parrish, Larry Allen Abshier, Kim Jong, Dresnok's, Josh Smith, David Brunnstrom, Phil Stewart, Chizu Organizations: Security Area, REUTERS, U.S, North, Korea Times, United Nations Command, Washington Post, Thomson Locations: Panmunjom, South Korea, U.S, North Korea, China, China . U.S, Pyongyang, United States, Vietnam, Japan, Korean

☆ US Will Send Ukraine ATACMS Long-Range Missiles, Biden Tells Zelenskiy -NBC
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden has informed Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Washington will provide Kyiv with ATACMS long-range missiles, NBC News reported on Friday, citing three U.S. officials and a congressional official. Kyiv has repeatedly asked the Biden administration for Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to help attack and disrupt supply lines, air bases and rail networks in Russian occupied territory. But the White House did not disclose any decision on ATACMS when Zelenskiy visited Washington on Thursday for talks with Biden, even as it announced a new $325 million military aid package for Kyiv. Reuters had previously reported the Biden administration was considering shipping ATACMS to Ukraine that can fly up to 190 miles (306 km). Zelenskiy thanked Biden on Thursday for the latest package of weaponry, including air defenses, saying "it has exactly what our soldiers need now."

Persons: Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Biden, Zelenskiy, Rami Ayyub, Phil Stewart, Timothy Gardner Organizations: WASHINGTON, NBC, Kyiv, Army Tactical Missile Systems, Pentagon, Reuters, U.S . Army Locations: Washington, Ukraine

☆ US will send Ukraine ATACMS long-range missiles, Biden tells Zelenskiy -NBC
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is embraced by U.S. President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, September 21, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden has informed Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that Washington will provide Kyiv with ATACMS long-range missiles, NBC News reported on Friday, citing three U.S. officials and a congressional official. Kyiv has repeatedly asked the Biden administration for Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to help attack and disrupt supply lines, air bases and rail networks in Russian occupied territory. Reuters had previously reported the Biden administration was considering shipping ATACMS to Ukraine that can fly up to 190 miles (306 km). Zelenskiy thanked Biden on Thursday for the latest package of weaponry, including air defenses, saying "it has exactly what our soldiers need now."

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Biden, Zelenskiy, Rami Ayyub, Phil Stewart, Timothy Gardner Organizations: U.S, White, REUTERS, Rights, NBC, Kyiv, Army Tactical Missile Systems, Pentagon, Reuters, U.S . Army, Thomson Locations: Washington, Ukraine

☆ US Army, Marine Corps leaders confirmed; other military promotions still in limbo
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Senate backed George to be the Army chief by a vote of 96 to 1 and Smith 96 to 0 to be the commandant of the Marine Corps. Schumer's action does not address hundreds of other military promotions still being delayed by Tuberville's blockade. Military officials have said the blockade of hundreds of military promotions could have a far-reaching impact across the armed forces, affecting troops and their families and harming national security. The Senate's approval of military promotions is usually smooth. Tuberville's hold cannot prevent the Democratic-majority Senate from voting on any promotion, but it can drastically slow the process.

Persons: Evelyn Hockstein, Randy George, Eric Smith, Charles Q, Brown, George, Smith, Chuck Schumer, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, we've, Pat Ryder, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Leslie Adler, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Capitol, U.S, REUTERS, Rights, Senate, Army, Marine Corps, Republican, Pentagon, Defense Department, Tuberville's, Military, of Defense, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S

While Biden and most congressional leaders still support aid to Ukraine, and Biden's Democrats control the Senate, Zelenskiy faces a tougher crowd than when he visited Washington nine months ago. Zelenskiy told Senators that military aid was crucial to Ukraine's war effort, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in the Senate chamber after the briefing, which took place behind closed doors. "If we don't get the aid, we will lose the war," Schumer quoted Zelenskiy as saying. Biden will announce a new $325 million military aid package for Ukraine, which is expected to include the second tranche of cluster munitions fired by a 155 millimeter Howitzer cannon. About a third of the House Republican caucus voted in July for a failed proposal to cut funding for Ukraine.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Hakeem Jeffries, Kevin McCarthy, Zelenskiy, Joe Biden, Biden, Chris Murphy, Chuck Schumer, Schumer, Lloyd Austin, we're, Vladimir Putin, J.D, Vance, McConnell, Makini Brice, Phil Stewart, Patricia Zengerle, Andrea Shalal, Simon Lewis, Don Durfee, Heather Timmons, Alistair Bell Organizations: U.S . House, U.S, Capitol, United Nations, Pentagon, National Archives, Senate, Chamber, U.S . Defense, Washington, Biden, Republican, Management, Republicans, Democrats, Reuters, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Washington, WASHINGTON, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Ukrainian, NATO, Kyiv

The Senate backed President Joe Biden's nomination of Brown to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by 83 to 11. He will be only the second Black officer to chair the Joint Chiefs after Colin Powell two decades ago. Brown and other military officials had said Tuberville's blockade of hundreds of military promotions could have a far-reaching impact across the armed forces, affecting troops and their families and harming national security. Schumer's procedural motion did not address hundreds of other military promotions still being delayed by Tuberville's action. The Senate's approval of military promotions is usually smooth.

Persons: Joe Biden, Charles Brown Jr, Brown, Evelyn Hockstein, Charles Q, Joe Biden's, Colin Powell, Chuck Schumer, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, Lloyd Austin, Schumer, Austin, Randy George, Eric Smith, Patricia Zengerle, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Chris Reese, Christopher Cushing Organizations: U.S, Air Force, U.S . Joint Chiefs of Staff, White, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Senate, U.S . Air Force, Republican, Senate, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Chiefs, Pentagon, Defense Department, Defense, Black U.S, Army, Marine Corps, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Pacific, China

☆ Chinese blockade of Taiwan would likely fail, Pentagon official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - A Chinese blockade of Taiwan would likely fail and a direct military invasion of the self-ruled island would be extremely difficult for Beijing to carry out successfully, senior Pentagon officials told Congress on Tuesday. China's military in recent years has stepped up activity around Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory. However, whether Xi would order taking Taiwan by force, either through military options like a blockade or an invasion is unclear. "I think it is an option but probably not a highly likely option, when you start looking at the military options - much easier to talk about a blockade than actually do a blockade," McGee told lawmakers. He added flatly: "There is absolutely nothing easy about a PLA invasion of Taiwan."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, William Burns, Xi Jinping, Xi, Ely Ratner, Ratner, General Joseph McGee, McGee, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Michael Martina, Patricia Zengerle, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Pentagon, CIA, Affairs, House Armed Services, People's Republic of China . Army, Pentagon's Joint Staff, People's Liberation Army, PLA, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, U.S, People's Republic of China, China

☆ Anyone seen my F-35? US searches for fighter jet after mishap
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A F-35B Lightning II aircraft from the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 launches from the deck aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex as part of the F-35B's first combat strike, against a Taliban target in Afghanistan, September 27, 2018. Navy/Handout via REUTERS/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Monday it was still searching for an F-35 fighter jet after a mishap on Sunday near an air base in South Carolina and has asked for the public's help locating it. The pilot of the F-35B Lightning II jet ejected safely from the aircraft, according to a statement from Joint Base Charleston. The fighter jet's main advantages, according to its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), are that it is nearly impossible to track with radar and is packed with advanced sensors and other gear. Based on the jet's last known position, the base said search efforts were focused north of the base around Lake Moultrie and Lake Marion.

Persons: Matthew Freeman, Lockheed Martin, Phil Stewart, David Shepardson, Leslie Adler Organizations: Marine Fighter Attack Squadron, U.S . Navy, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Joint Base, Base Defense Operations Center, Twitter, Lockheed, ., Thomson Locations: Essex, Afghanistan, South Carolina, Lake Moultrie, Lake Marion

☆ Russia ramps up artillery production but still falling short, Western official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, estimated Russia fired between 10 million and 11 million rounds last year in Ukraine. "If you expended 10 million rounds last year and you're in the middle of a fight and you can only produce 1 to 2 million rounds a year, I don't think that's a very strong position." Other Russia investments in its defense sector may also allow Moscow to produce close to 200 tanks a year, double some previous Western estimates, the official said. The Western official said those negotiations were likely aimed at securing artillery and demonstrated Moscow's desperation in Ukraine. The U.S. government has provided more than $43 billion in weaponry and other military aid to Ukraine since the Russian invasion began last year.

Persons: Gleb Garanich, they've, you've, Sergei Shoigu, Shoigu, Phil Stewart, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Russian, Republican, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kyiv, Russia, Moscow, Washington, North Korea, Pyongyang, Russian, U.S

☆ Musk says he refused Kyiv request for use of Starlink in attack on Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk gets in a Tesla car as he leaves a hotel in Beijing, China May 31, 2023. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Elon Musk said he refused a Ukrainian request to activate his Starlink satellite network in Crimea's port city of Sevastopol last year to aid an attack on Russia's fleet there, saying he feared complicity in a "major" act of war. "The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor," Musk wrote. The Russian fleet fires cruise missiles at Ukrainian civilian targets, and Kyiv has launched attacks on Russian ships using maritime drones. The Pentagon said in June that SpaceX's Starlink had a Department of Defense contract to buy satellite services for Ukraine.

Persons: Elon Musk, Tingshu Wang, Musk, Walter Isaacson's, Simon & Schuster, SpaceX's Starlink, David Brunnstrom, Jonathan Landay, Phil Stewart, Don Durfee, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, CNN, Twitter, Russian, SpaceX, Ukrainian, Pentagon, Department of Defense, Department, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Sevastopol, Crimean, Ukraine, Russia, Crimea, Russian, Kyiv, Ukrainian, Novorossiysk

After the coup, the United States paused certain foreign assistance programs for Niger and military training has been on hold. "The leaders of this attempted coup are putting Niger's security at risk, creating a potential vacuum that terrorist groups or other malign groups may exploit," the official said. The United States has been pressing for a diplomatic resolution of the crisis that erupted on July 26 when Niger military officers seized power, deposed President Mohamed Bazoum and placed him under house arrest. Military juntas have come to power through coups in Mali and Burkina Faso - both neighbors of Niger - in recent years. But so far, Paris has rejected calls by the coup leaders to withdraw their 1,500 troops.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mohamed Bazoum, Kathleen FitzGibbon, Nusrat al, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Jonathan Oatis, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Pentagon, Reuters, American, Air Base, Islamic State, Troops, United, Niger, Thomson Locations: Niger, U.S, Niamey, Agadez, West, al Qaeda, United, Washington, United States, State, Mali, Burkina Faso, France, Paris

Last month, Biden asked Congress to approve $40 billion in additional spending, including $24 billion for Ukraine and other international needs and $16 billion in disaster relief, testing the country's willingness to keep supporting Ukraine during its counteroffensive against Russian invaders. The Republican-majority House is divided, with many Republicans backing the aid but some of the party's farthest-right members calling for an end to the Ukraine assistance. Citing Republican sources, CNN and other news outlets reported that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is considering legislation including the disaster aid but leaving out the Ukraine funding. The White House issued a statement urging McCarthy to back the supplemental spending request and contrasting him with Senate Republicans. "Like Senate Republicans, Speaker McCarthy should keep his word about government funding," White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement.

Persons: Julia Nikhinson, Joe Biden's, Biden, Kevin McCarthy, Putin, Chuck Schumer, Vladimir, Mitch McConnell, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, McCarthy, Andrew Bates, Patricia Zengerle, Jeff Mason, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Don Durfee, David Gregorio Our Organizations: U.S . Capitol Police, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Congress, Ukraine, Republican, Republicans, CNN, Democratic, ., National, White, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Ukraine, U.S, Kyiv

☆ Pentagon expects to release its annual China report in mid-October
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The Pentagon building is seen in Arlington, Virginia, U.S. October 8, 2020. REUTERS/Erin Scott/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - The Pentagon expects to release its closely-watched annual report on China's military modernization and defense strategy in mid-October, although the timing could shift, a senior U.S. defense official said on Wednesday. The annual report offers a snapshot of everything from China's nuclear forces to its pressure on Taiwan, a self-ruled island that Beijing sees as its own, and which receives sharp criticism from Beijing. Last year, the Pentagon report predicted China would likely have a stockpile of 1,500 nuclear warheads by 2035 if it continues with the current pace of its nuclear buildup. China's defence ministry responded by saying the U.S. was "gesticulating and absurdly guessing about the modernisation of China's nuclear forces."

Persons: Erin Scott, Ely Ratner, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Pentagon, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, Taiwan, Beijing, China

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo attends a press conference at the Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services near the Shanghai Pudong International Airport, in Shanghai, China August 30, 2023. "China is making it more difficult," Raimondo told CBS's Face the Nation. "I was very clear with China that we need to - patience is wearing thin among American business. "They suggested that they didn't know about it and they suggested that it wasn't intentional," she told CNN. And certainly they're having real, real significant challenges in the real estate sector," she told Face the Nation.

Persons: Gina Raimondo, Aly, China, Raimondo, CBS's, " Raimondo, Diane Bartz, Phil Stewart, Mary Milliken, Deepa Babington Organizations: Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, REUTERS, Garden Holdings, WASHINGTON, . Commerce, CNN, HK, Thomson Locations: Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai, China, Washington, Canada, Mexico, Beijing, Southeast Asia, U.S

☆ Exclusive: US believes missile inside Russia likely shot down Prigozhin's presumed plane, US officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A satellite image shows the area where the private jet linked to Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin crashed near Kuzhenkino, in the Tver region, Russia, August 24, 2023, in this handout picture. PLANET LABS PBC/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 24 (Reuters) - The United States believes a surface-to-air missile originating from inside Russia likely shot down the plane presumed to be carrying mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin on Wednesday, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, stressed that the information was still preliminary and under review. Russian air authorities have said Prigozhin, his right-hand man Dmitry Utkin and eight other people were on the private plane that crashed with no survivors north of Moscow on Wednesday. Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees AliOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Dmitry Utkin, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali Organizations: PBC, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Kuzhenkino, Tver, Russia, United States, Moscow

☆ Ukrainian pilots to receive F-16 training in US
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 24 (Reuters) - The United States will begin flight training for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighter jets in October, the Pentagon announced on Thursday. The training will begin after the pilots receive English language training next month, Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Pat Ryder said. Several pilots and dozens of aircraft maintenance crew will take the training, Ryder added. Denmark has begun training eight Ukrainian pilots in flying F-16s. U.S. President Joe Biden endorsed training programs for Ukrainian pilots on F-16s in May.

Persons: Paulo Whitaker, Pat Ryder, Ryder, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Joe Biden, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Chris Reese, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: U.S . Air Force, Brazilian Air Force, REUTERS, Rights, Pentagon, U.S, Ukrainian, NATO, Thomson Locations: CRUZEX, Natal, Brazil, United States, Arizona, Denmark, Netherlands, Ukraine, Skrydstrup, Russia, Moscow

☆ North Korea launches space rocket months after failed satellite attempt
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A smartphone screen shows J-Alert warning messages regarding North Korea appearing to have fired a missile and that residents of Okinawa prefecture should take cover indoors, in Chatan, Okinawa prefecture, Japan August 24, 2023. Two days ago North Korea said it would launch a satellite between Aug. 24-31. But the North's May 31 bid to launch a "Chollima-1" satellite rocket went wrong, with the booster and payload plunging into the sea. It was not immediately clear if North Korea had used the Chollima-1 again, or a new system. The secretive North considers its space and military rocket programmes a sovereign right, and analysts say spy satellites are crucial to improving the effectiveness of its weapons.

Persons: Issei Kato, Hirokazu Matsuno, We've, Elaine Lies, Chang, Ran Kim, Josh Smith, Joyce Lee, Hyunsu Yim, Phil Stewart, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Thomson Locations: Korea, Okinawa, Chatan, Okinawa prefecture, Japan, Rights SEOUL, TOKYO, North Korea, Tokyo, Pyongyang, U.S, Seoul, Washington

☆ Pope Francis discusses Ukraine war and peace with US military chief
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Pope Francis meets with U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark A. Milley at the Vatican, August 21, 2023. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsAug 21 (Reuters) - Pope Francis and General Mark Milley, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed the war in Ukraine and hopes for peace there during a private audience at the Vatican on Monday. The general, who is visiting several European countries, said the pope was deeply concerned about the loss of life in Ukraine, particularly of civilians, since Russia invaded in February 2022. Milley has sharply criticized Moscow as mounting "a campaign of terror" against civilians in Ukraine, including by targeting civilian infrastructure as part of its war strategy. A strong advocate for Ukraine's defence against Russian forces, Milley, 65, has championed sending billions of dollars in arms to Kyiv.

Persons: Pope Francis, Mark A, Mark Milley, Milley, Dave Butler, Francis, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Phil Stewart, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: U.S, Joint Chiefs, Vatican, Handout, REUTERS Acquire, U.S . Joint Chiefs of Staff, Catholic, Russian, Army, cautioning, Ukrainian, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Moscow, Kyiv, Washington, Crimea, Beijing

☆ US Army no longer has Senate-confirmed leader, joining Marines
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

U.S. Army Chief of Staff General James McConville testifies before the House Armed Services Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. June 29, 2021. Retiring Chief of Staff of the Army General James McConville relinquished command on Friday. It will be the first time in history the U.S. military will have two branches, the Army and the Marine Corps, without a confirmed leader, the Pentagon said. "In our dangerous world of security, the United States demands orderly and prompt transitions of our confirmed military leaders," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said during the ceremony on Friday. Several states have limited abortion access since Roe v. Wade was overturned, and the military argues that women service members cannot choose where they are stationed.

Persons: James McConville, Jonathan Ernst, Tommy Tuberville, Lloyd Austin, Randy George, Roe, Wade, Christine Wormuth, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Mark Porter, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Army, Armed, Committee, Capitol, REUTERS, U.S . Army, U.S, Republican, Staff, Marine Corps, Pentagon, . Defense, Supreme, Democratic, Navy, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Alabama, United States

As an active-duty soldier he might appear to qualify as a POW, given that the United States and North Korea technically remain at war. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on King's POW status, but said the defense department's priority was to bring him home and it was working to achieve that through all available channels. Washington has conveyed that message in private communications to Pyongyang, the U.S. officials said, adding that those communications have not invoked POW status. PROTECTIONS FOR CAPTIVESPrisoners of war are protected by the Third Geneva Convention, to which North Korea and the U.S. are signatories. After serving time in detention in South Korea, King had been due to face military disciplinary action on his return to Fort Bliss, Texas.

Persons: Travis T, Sarah Leslie, Handout, Travis King, King, Rachel VanLandingham, Geoffrey Corn, we'd, Corn, Fort, Christopher Stone, Andrew Ramirez, Steven Gonzales, Robert Goodman, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Josh Smith, Simon Lewis, Don Durfee, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Security Area, REUTERS, United, Reuters, Geneva Convention, U.S, Pentagon, POW, Department, Third Geneva Convention, North, Southwestern Law School, Texas Tech University School of Law, U.S . Army, Cavalry, Korean, Force, NATO, Thomson Locations: Panmunjom, South Korea, REUTERS WASHINGTON, United States, Geneva, North, North Korea, Washington, Pyongyang, U.S, Fort Bliss , Texas, Yugoslavia, Lebanon, Syria

However, Pentagon spokesperson Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said that North Korea only acknowledged the U.N. Command's request for information about U.S. Army Private Travis King and stopped short of offering detailed information about him. When pressed, Ryder said that North Korea's message back to the U.N. Command was just "an acknowledgement" of the U.N. Command's inquiry. King sprinted into North Korea on July 18 while on a tour of the Demilitarized Zone on the border, landing the United States in a new diplomatic quandary with nuclear-armed North Korea. After his release from the prison, which is designated for U.S. military members and other foreigners, King stayed at a U.S. base in South Korea for a week, Yonhap said. U.S. officials have expressed deep concern over King's fate in North Korea.

Persons: Travis T, Sarah Leslie, Handout, Patrick Ryder, Travis King, Ryder, King, Yonhap, Otto Warmbier, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Grant McCool Organizations: Security Area, REUTERS, United Nations Command, Pentagon, U.S, Army, DPRK, Democratic People's, Command, U.S . Army, Cavalry, Korean, Force, Fort Bliss , Texas ., Thomson Locations: Panmunjom, South Korea, REUTERS WASHINGTON, North Korea, Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, United States, Cheonan, U.S, Fort Bliss , Texas, Fort Bliss , Texas . U.S

July 28 (Reuters) - The United States and its partners are communicating with military leaders in Niger, a State Department spokesperson said on Friday, as Washington warned a military takeover could end U.S. cooperation with the nation. Coup leaders in Niger on Friday declared General Abdourahamane Tiani as the new head of state following the seventh military takeover in West and Central Africa in less than three years. Military leaders from ECOWAS nations and international partners including the United States are in communication with a broad array of military leaders in Niger," the State Department spokesperson said. So far in fiscal year 2023, the U.S. has provided nearly $138 million in humanitarian assistance for vulnerable populations in Niger, the State Department spokesperson said. The State Department spokesperson said there was no announcement about when she would travel to Niger.

Persons: Abdourahamane Tiani, John Kirby, Washington, Washington's, Biden, Kirby, Lloyd Austin, Kathleen FitzGibbon, Steve Holland, Daphne Psaledakis, Phil Stewart, Patricia Zengerle, David Ljunggren, Jonathan Oatis, Sandra Maler, Don Durfee, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: State Department, Friday, Military, White House, U.S . Agency for International Development, ., Pentagon, DoD, Department of Defense, The State Department, Thomson Locations: United States, Niger, Washington, West, Central Africa, U.S, Africa's, Niger . U.S

Here are answers to questions about U.S.-Niger ties:WHY IS NIGER IMPORTANT TO THE UNITED STATES? The country, located in the semi-arid Sahel region, plays an outsized role in the United States' Africa strategy. The State Department in March said Niger had "taken important steps to consolidate and strengthen its democracy." The State Department in March said the United States had plans to provide $101 million in bilateral assistance to Niger in fiscal year 2022, including assistance for food security, democracy and governance, and security. It is unclear how much the United States has given in security assistance specifically.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, Washington's, Biden, Bazoum's, Vedant Patel, Niger, Bazoum, Wagner, Patel, Antony Blinken, Chris Coons, Mario Diaz, Balart, Daphne Psaledakis, Simon Lewis, Patricia Zengerle, Moira Warburton, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Don Durfee, Daniel Wallis Organizations: UNITED STATES, Islamic, State Department, ., West, The State Department, U.S, State, Embassy, Pentagon, AID, Republican, Thomson Locations: Niger, U.S, Washington, NIGER, United States, Africa, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Chad, al Qaeda, Russia, Niamey

REUTERS/Jonathan Drake/File PhotoWASHINGTON, July 25 (Reuters) - A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday voided a 2017 court-martial conviction against Bowe Bergdahl, an Army sergeant who walked off his post in 2009 only to be captured by the Taliban and spend five years as their prisoner. Reggie Walton, a U.S. district judge, said the military judge who presided over Bergdahl's court martial proceedings failed to disclose his application at the time to become a federal immigration judge. That could create the appearance of potential bias, given then-President Donald Trump's denunciations of Bergdahl, Walton ruled. "This case presents a unique situation where the military judge might be inclined to appeal to the president's expressed interest in the plaintiff's conviction and punishment when applying for the immigration judge position," Walton wrote. The military judge who handed down Bergdahl's conviction, Jeffrey Nance, could not be reached for comment.

Persons: U.S . Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, Jonathan Drake, Bowe Bergdahl, vacates, Reggie Walton, Donald Trump's, Walton, Jeffrey Nance, Geoffrey Corn, Corn, Bergdahl, Nance, Trump, Phil Stewart, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S . Army, REUTERS, WASHINGTON, U.S, Army, Texas Tech University School of Law, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Fort Bragg , North Carolina, U.S, United States

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