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VIENTIANE, Laos — Women and racial diversity are vital to the strength of U.S. armed forces, outgoing Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in an exclusive interview with NBC News as he prepares to shortly exit the top military post after four years. “I would tell you that, you know, our women are the finest troops in the world. Our military is going to remain a diverse military," Austin said. Austin did not weigh in on what he thinks about Trump's choice of Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense. Austin, a four-star general who was previously commander of U.S. Central Command, was appointed as Secretary of Defense by President Joe Biden and was sworn in on Jan. 22, 2021.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, “, ” Austin, Donald Trump’s, Pete Hegseth, Hegseth, ”, Austin, Trump, Biden, Vladimir Putin, —, we've, Joe Biden, Lester Holt Organizations: NBC News, Defense, Army National Guard, Pentagon, Senate, Republicans, Department of Defense, ., Korean, U.S . Central Command, NBC Locations: VIENTIANE, Laos, Iraq, Afghanistan, United States, Ukraine, Russia, U.S, Russia's Kursk, Jan

The administration and other Western governments are scrambling to keep up with the mounting danger ISIS-K poses. Before this year, U.S. and other Western officials believed ISIS-K had the intent but not the ability to orchestrate attacks abroad. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in Europe since 2004. ISIS-K also launched a major attack in Iran this year that killed dozens, and other plots were disrupted in Europe. The Taliban sees ISIS-K as a threat to its rule and has launched a series of attacks on the group.

Organizations: Biden, U.S ., Moscow's, Moscow's Crocus City Hall, ISIS, Embassy, Taliban, White House National Security Council Locations: Kabul, Afghanistan, U.S, Moscow's Crocus, Europe, Iran, Africa, Khorasan, Washington, United States, Doha

NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — Niger's junta said Saturday the U.S. military presence in the country is no longer justified, making the announcement on state television after holding high-level talks with U.S. diplomatic and military officials this week. He said Niger was suspending military cooperation with Washington and added that U.S. flights over the country’s territory in recent weeks were illegal. The U.S. has also invested years and hundreds of millions of dollars in training Niger's military. Photos You Should See View All 60 ImagesThe Niger junta spokesman said the U.S. tone was condescending and threatened Niger's sovereignty. The U.S. military had some 650 personnel working in Niger in December, according to a White House report to Congress.

Persons: — Niger's, Maj, Amadou Abdramane, Niger's, Mohammed Bazoum, Molly Phee, Michael Langley, Phee, Jessica Donati Organizations: U.S, Washington, European Union, military's, Command, Niger, Associated Press Locations: NIAMEY, Niger, U.S, Africa's Sahel, Agadez, Niamey, Washington, Africa, France, Dakar, Senegal

The Houthi attack involved bomb-carrying drones and one anti-ship ballistic missile, the U.S. military's Central Command said. The U.S. later launched an airstrike destroying three anti-ship missiles and three bomb-carrying drone boats, Central Command said. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, acknowledged the attack, but claimed its forces targeted two American warships, without elaborating. Despite more than a month and a half of U.S.-led airstrikes, Houthi rebels have remained capable of launching significant attacks. Smoke poured out of one container aboard the vessel, which also showed scorch marks from the impact from a Houthi missile.

Persons: Yemen's, Carney, Arleigh Burke, Yahya Saree, ” Saree, Smoke Organizations: United Arab Emirates, —, Hamas, U.S . military's, Command, U.S, Central Command, MSC Sky, Mediterranean Shipping Co Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, U.S, Red, Gaza, Brig, Israel, Iran, Kolkata, Gulf, Aden, Switzerland, Singapore, Djibouti

☆ Yemen's Houthis Vow Response After US, British Strikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

The group's military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the U.S. strikes "will not pass without a response and consequences." HOUTHIS SAY WON'T BE DETERREDThe Houthis, who control swathes of Yemen, say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza. The strategy blends limited military strikes and sanctions, and appears aimed at punishing the Houthis while attempting to limit the risk of a broad Middle East conflict. "We have already successfully targeted launchers and storage sites involved in Houthi attacks, and I am confident that our latest strikes have further degraded the Houthis’ capabilities." The United States said Sunday's strikes had support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

Persons: Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Mohammed Ghobari WASHINGTON, Yahya Sarea, Mahjoob Zweiri, Joe Biden, Sarea, Grant Shapps, Sunday's, Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud, Busaidi, Andrew Mills, Tom Perry, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Reuters, Britain, Pentagon, Hamas, Residents, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Gulf Studies, Qatar University, U.S, Republicans, Democrat, U.S . military's Central Command, British Defence, U.S . Central Command, Oman Foreign, Tala Locations: ADEN, United States, Yemen, Iran, Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, Tehran, Houthi, U.S, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Britain, Africa, Egypt, Suez, Red, States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand, Sanaa Governorate, Taiz Governorate, Hodeidah Governorate, Oman, Doha, Dubai

☆ Hamas Unlikely to Reject Ceasefire but Will Demand Israeli Withdrawal -Source
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to pull troops out until "total victory", which he defines as eradicating Hamas. Hamas says it will not sign up to any temporary truce unless Israel commits to a withdrawal and permanent end to the war. "They haven’t entered deep into Al-Mawasi where we live but everyday they get closer," he told Reuters by phone, referring to the western district of Khan Younis along the Mediterranean Coast. Israel, which claims Hamas is using hospitals as command centres, has denied prior Red Crescent claims that it stormed the hospital. Palestinian health officials said medical teams had recovered 14 bodies of Palestinians who were killed near the centre of Khan Younis after some tanks retreated from there.

Persons: Nidal, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ismail Haniyeh, Khan Younis, Osama Ahmed, Amal, Israel's, Nidal al, Ari Rabinovitch, Sharon Singleton, Peter Graff Organizations: Hamas, Palestinian, Health, Reuters, Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Al, Crescent, U.S . Navy, U.S . military's, Command Locations: Gaza, Israel, United States, Paris, Cairo, Khan, Rafah, Gaza City, Al, Iran, Yemen, Red, Britain, Washington, U.S, Gulf, Aden, Mughrabi, Doha, Tala, Dubai, Jerusalem

JERUSALEM (AP) — A U.S. Navy destroyer in the Red Sea shot down an anti-ship cruise missile launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels, the latest attack targeting American forces patrolling the key maritime route, officials said Wednesday. The attack late Tuesday night targeted the USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, the U.S. military's Central Command said in a statement. Political Cartoons View All 253 ImagesThe Houthis claimed without evidence on Monday to have targeted the USS Lewis B. Puller, a floating landing base used by the Navy SEALs and others. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea over Israel’s offensive against Hamas in Gaza. The Houthis hit a commercial vessel with a missile on Friday, sparking a fire that burned for hours.

Persons: Yemen's Houthi, Arleigh Burke, Yahya Saree, ” Saree, Houthi, Lewis B, Puller Organizations: JERUSALEM, —, U.S . Navy, U.S . military's, Command, Navy, Hamas Locations: U.S, British, Red, Gaza, Israel, Asia, Europe

☆ U.S. military strikes two Houthi anti-ship missiles in Yemen
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

U.S. Central Command forces alongside UK Armed Forces, and with the support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, conducts strikes on 8 Houthi targets in Iranian-backed Houthi areas of Yemen, on January 23, 2024. The U.S. military carried out more strikes in Yemen early on Wednesday, destroying two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed at the Red Sea and were preparing to launch, the U.S. military said in a statement. The U.S. strikes, which took place at roughly 2:30 a.m. (23:30 GMT), are the latest against the Iran-backed group over its targeting of Red Sea shipping, and followed a larger round of strikes a day earlier. The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have said their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza. "U.S. forces subsequently struck and destroyed the missiles in self-defense."

Organizations: Central Command, UK Armed Forces, U.S, Red, U.S . Navy, . military's, Command Locations: Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Netherlands, Yemen, U.S, Iran, Israel, Gaza

☆ US Military Strikes Two Houthi Anti-Ship Missiles in Yemen
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Phil StewartWASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. military carried out more strikes in Yemen early on Wednesday, destroying two Houthi anti-ship missiles that were aimed at the Red Sea and were preparing to launch, the U.S. military said in a statement. The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have said their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza. Since the United States started striking Houthi military sites in Yemen on Jan. 11, the Pentagon says it has destroyed or degraded over 25 missile launch and deployment facilities and more than 20 missiles. Ryder noted that the last Houthi attack was Jan. 18, suggesting the strikes were having an impact. The strategy - a blend of limited military strikes and sanctions - appears aimed at punishing the Houthis while attempting to limit the danger of a wider Middle East conflict.

Persons: Phil Stewart WASHINGTON, Patrick Ryder, Ryder, Phil Stewart, Jacqueline Wong, Michael Perry Organizations: U.S, Red, U.S . Navy, . military's, Command, Pentagon Locations: Yemen, U.S, Iran, Israel, Gaza, United States

JERUSALEM (AP) — Iran is “very directly involved” in ship attacks that Yemen's Houthi rebels have carried out during Israel's war against Hamas, the U.S. Navy's top Mideast commander told The Associated Press on Monday. The tempo of Houthi attacks on shipping appears to have slowed for the time being as the U.S. and its allies have increased their naval patrols in the region. A series of attacks blamed on Iran and ship seizures by Tehran followed the collapse of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers. However, Cooper maintained Iran had been directly fueling the Houthi attacks on shipping. There’s no secret there.”Cooper described the ship attacks striking the Mideast as the worst since the so-called Tanker War of the 1980s.

Persons: Yemen's, Adm, Brad Cooper, Cooper, ”, Houthi, that's, Israel —, they’re resourcing, ” Cooper, George Wikoff Organizations: JERUSALEM, Hamas, Associated Press, AP, United Nations, U.S ., Fleet, United, United Arab Emirates, 5th Fleet, Navy, military's, Command Locations: Iran, U.S, Tehran, Aden, Persian, Hormuz, Yemen's, Sanaa, Iranian, Suez, Asia, Europe, Saudi, Israel, Africa's, Egypt, Gulf, Gaza, Washington, America, American, Yemen, Abu Dhabi, United Arab, Bahrain

The SEALs found cruise and ballistic missile components, including propulsion and guidance devices, as well as warheads, Central Command said. Iran has an anti-ship missile called the Ghadir. The U.S. Navy ultimately sank the ship carrying the weapons after deeming it unsafe, Central Command said. However, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the Houthis' attacks. Since November, the Houthis have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas.

Persons: Houthis, Jake Sullivan, Yahya Saree, Zografia, Yemen’s, USS Lewis B, Puller, Fabian Hinz, Hinz, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Elena Becatoros, Tara Copp, Aamer, Baldor Organizations: JERUSALEM, U.S, Greek Shipping, Ministry, U.S . Central Command, U.S . Navy, House, SEAL, USS, U.S . military's, Command, Central Command, International Institute for Strategic Studies, United Nations, Iran's, United, Associated Press Locations: U.S, Yemen, Malta, Red, Suez, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Iranian, Gulf of Aden, Gaza, United Nations, Tehran, Gibraltar, Gulf, Aden, Athens, Greece, Washington

There was one answer, he said, that would always be acceptable in his class filled with second-year students at the U.S. Military Academy. President Joe Biden, in his first campaign address of the year, warned about Trump's rhetoric on the military and its leadership. With cadets and midshipmen drawn from across the United States, students at West Point and other service academies are aware of the national mood and the potential for political divisions to seep into the military. At West Point, the Constitution and the oaths are not only embedded throughout the curriculum, they also permeate the campus. Avoiding it would not be an option, said Reeves, whose family ties to West Point date to the 19th century.

Persons: Joe Amoroso quizzed, ”, ” Amoroso, It’s, Trump, Mark Milley, Joe Biden, Milley, Marybeth Ulrich, Darrell Miller, Democrat Biden, Miller, “, Bryan Agustin, Ulysses S, Grant, Dwight D, Eisenhower, Shane Reeves, Jan, Reeves, Biden, – Organizations: U.S . Military Academy, Hesitantly, Joint Chiefs of Staff, West, Trump, Air Force Academy, U.S . Capitol, Civil, Military Relations, Space Force, Buckley Space Force Base, Democrat, Republican Trump, Defense, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Union Army, 101st Airborne, Central High School, GOP, Associated Press, AP Locations: United States, Denver, Texas, West, Little Rock , Arkansas, Brig

JERUSALEM (AP) — Houthi rebels fired a missile, striking a U.S.-owned ship Monday just off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden, less than a day after they launched an anti-ship cruise missile toward an American destroyer in the Red Sea. The attack on the Gibraltar Eagle, later claimed by the Houthis, further escalates tensions gripping the Red Sea after American-led strikes on the rebels. Since November, the rebels have repeatedly targeted ships in the Red Sea, saying they were avenging Israel’s offensive in Gaza against Hamas. “The most dangerous thing is what the Americans did in the Red Sea, (it) will harm the security of all maritime navigation,” Nasrallah said. However, U.S. sailors have received combat ribbons for their actions in the Red Sea — something handed out only to those who face active hostilities with an enemy force.

Persons: — Houthi, Yahya Saree, “, ”, Aden “, Arleigh Burke, Joe Biden, Hassan Nasrallah, ” Nasrallah, Biden, It's, Samy Magdy, Lolita C, Bassem, Danica Kirka Organizations: JERUSALEM, Eagle, Hamas, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, Dryad Global, Associated Press, military's Central Command, Command, Eagle Bulk Shipping, New York Stock Exchange, AP, Eagle Bulk, Central Command, U.S . Maritime Administration, Transportation Department Locations: U.S, Yemen, Gulf, Aden, American, Red, Gaza, Suez, Europe, Eagle Gibraltar, Marshall, Stamford , Connecticut, “, America, Sea, Hodeida, Iranian, Israel, East, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Saudi, Cairo, Washington, Bassem Mroue, Beirut, London

☆ US charges ex-ambassador with spying for Cuba over decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rocha, 73, was arrested and is expected to appear before a federal judge in Miami on Monday. Bolivian President Hugo Banzer shakes hands with Victor Manuel Rocha, the then U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia, during a ceremony in the Goverment Palace in La Paz, August 3, 2000. File photo DM/JP/HB Acquire Licensing RightsRocha worked for the State Department from 1981 to 2002, the Justice Department said. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters he was unable to provide details on an ongoing law enforcement matter.

Persons: Victor Manuel Rocha, Merrick Garland, Rocha, Hugo Banzer, Matthew Miller, Miller, Andrew Goudsward, Katharine Jackson, Ismail Shakil, Simon Lewis, Rami Ayyub, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Justice, Justice Department, Cuban, United, Bolivian, HB, State Department, White, National Security Council, . military's Southern Command, Washington, Directorate of Intelligence, Thomson Locations: United States, Bolivia, Cuba, Miami, Goverment, La Paz, Florida, U.S

☆ North Korea notifies Japan of satellite launch plan between Nov 22 and Dec 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Chang-Ran Kim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

TOKYO, Nov 21 (Reuters) - North Korea has notified Japan it plans to launch a rocket carrying a space satellite between Nov. 22 and Dec. 1 in the direction of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, Japan's Coast Guard said on Tuesday. If carried out, it would likely mark a third attempt by the nuclear-armed state this year to put a spy satellite into orbit. Japan will work with the United States, South Korea and others to "strongly urge" North Korea not to go ahead with the launch, Kishida said. North Korea has not made a formal announcement of the plan on official media. The 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: Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, military's Vandenberg, Chang, Ran Kim, Jack Kim, Christina Fincher, David Gregorio, Sandra Maler Organizations: Japan's Coast Guard, Aegis, United Nations, South, Japan, International Maritime Organization, North, U.S, SpaceX, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, North Korea, Japan, East China, United States, South Korea, Pyongyang, Korea, Tokyo, Seoul

TOKYO, Nov 10 (Reuters) - The U.S. military's top general expressed optimism on Friday for a potential improvement in military-to-military ties with China and sent an introductory letter to his Chinese counterpart saying he was open to meeting. Air Force General Charles Q. But China's General Liu Zhenli is the Chief of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the military body responsible for China's combat operations and planning. Brown said he sent a standard introductory letter that explained, "I'm in the position and willing to open a line of communication." "I also believe that taking Taiwan by force and doing a major amphibious operation is not an easy feat."

Persons: Charles Q, Brown, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Xi, Liu Zhenli, William Burns, People's, Liu, General Li Shangfu, Li, Nancy Pelosi, Phil Stewart, Gerry Doyle, Jon Boyle Organizations: Air Force, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Pentagon, Joint Staff Department of, Central Military Commission, Beijing, U.S, CIA, U.S . Air Force, People's Liberation Army, PLA, People's Liberation Army Air, Reuters, Russia, ., CMC, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, China, Taiwan, Japan, U.S, Beijing, Tokyo, TAIWAN Washington, South China, Asia, Pacific, Seoul, Taipei

Brown, Jr. attends the Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of General Milley and an Armed Forces Hail in honor of General Brown, at Summerall Field at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Arlington, Virginia, U.S., September 29, 2023. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday the number of civilians killed in Gaza showed there was something "clearly wrong" with Israel's military operations. He also said there was room for Israel's military to improve in its public explanations about its conduct, and that he had raised this with his Israeli counterpart. ISRAEL BRACES FOR LONG, TOUGH WARIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Israelis the country is in a "tough war" that will also be long. Brown stopped short of advocating for a short campaign or offering his view of how long Israel's Gaza operation should last.

Persons: Charles Q, Brown, Jr, General Milley, General Brown, Evelyn Hockstein, General Charles Q, Tokyo Brown, Joe Biden's, Israel's, Israel, Antonio Guterres, Benjamin Netanyahu, I've, we've, Timothy Organizations: Joint Chiefs, Armed Forces, Joint Base Myer, Henderson, REUTERS, Palestinian, U.S, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hamas, United Nations, Islamic, Timothy Heritage, Thomson Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, Gaza, TOKYO, Japan, Israel, ISRAEL, Iraq

☆ Blinken to visit South Korea as North Korea, Russia deepen ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Seoul visit comes as the United States and South Korea, along with Japan, have condemned what they say is the supply of arms and military equipment by North Korea to Russia. North Korea is preparing to launch a spy satellite after having failed twice this year to put one in orbit. South Korea's spy agency said last week North Korea was in the final stages of preparations for the launch after apparently receiving technical assistance from Russia. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is also due to visit South Korea this week on a trip that will include Indonesia and India. In Washington, U.S. and South Korean officials held talks on North Korea's illicit cyber activities that they say fund its unlawful weapons programs, South Korea's foreign ministry said.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Yoko Kamikawa, Toshifumi, military's Vandenberg, Defense Lloyd Austin, Austin, Soo, Choi, Ed Davies, Michael Perry Organizations: Japanese, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, South Korean, SpaceX, U.S, Defense, Blinken, United, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Rights SEOUL, Seoul, Russia, Blinken's, Asia, India, Israel, United States, South Korea, North Korea, Washington, North, Ukraine, Pyongyang, Korea, Moscow, Russia's, South, Indonesia, North Korean, Pacific, Washington , U.S, United Nations

☆ U.S. Air Force blows up Minuteman III in test flight after post-launch anomaly
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

An unarmed U.S. Air Force Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test May 3, 2017, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The U.S. Air Force said on Wednesday it had blown up a Minuteman III missile over the Pacific Ocean after an anomaly was detected following its launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The Air Force did not elaborate but said it was forming a launch analysis group to investigate. The nuclear-capable Minuteman III, made by Boeing , is key to the U.S. military's strategic arsenal. About 400 of the missiles are located at Air Force bases in Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota.

Persons: Lauren Linscott Organizations: U.S . Air Force Minuteman III, Vandenberg Air Force Base, The U.S . Air Force, III, Vandenberg Space Force, The Air Force, Air Force Global, Command, Boeing, Air Force Locations: U.S, Calif, The, California, Wyoming , Montana, North Dakota

WASHINGTON, Oct 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. military is "surging" fresh supplies of air defenses, munitions and other security assistance to Israel to help it respond to an unprecedented weekend attack by Hamas, a senior U.S. defense official said on Monday. "We are surging support to Israel... We remain in constant ongoing contact with our counterparts in Israel to determine and then support their most urgent requirements." The United States has not yet detailed the extent of Israel's requests for security assistance. But the U.S. defense official said Washington was contacting the defense industry to expedite pending Israeli orders, and looking at the U.S. military's own stockpiles to help fill Israeli gaps. The official also appeared to dismiss concerns that the United States might struggle to supply Israel at the same time that it funnels weaponry to Ukraine.

Persons: Washington, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Biden, Kanishka Singh, Phil Stewart, Leslie Adler, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: U.S, Hamas, Islamic, Islamic State . U.S, White, Wall Street, Wall Locations: Israel, U.S, United States, Ukraine, Palestinian, Islamic State ., Iran, Washington

☆ North Korea slams US for labelling it as 'persistent threat'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Hyunsu Yim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People attend a mass rally denouncing the U.S. in Pyongyang, North Korea, June 25, 2023 in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). SOUTH... Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreSEOUL, Oct 4 (Reuters) - North Korea criticised a new U.S. strategy on countering weapons of mass destruction for describing the reclusive state as among those it considers a "persistent threat," KCNA media reported on Wednesday. North Korea last week adopted a constitutional amendment to enshrine its policy on nuclear force, as leader Kim Jong Un pledged to accelerate production of nuclear weapons to deter what he called U.S. provocations, according to state media. Any use of nuclear weapons by Pyongyang will bring the regime to an end, the ministry added, echoing President Yoon Suk Yeol's remark last month. The U.S. Department of Defense's unclassified version of its "2023 Strategy for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction" said "North Korea, Iran and violent extremist organizations remain persistent threats as they continue to further pursue and develop WMD capabilities".

Persons: KCNA, Kim Jong Un, Yoon Suk, Kim Yung, Hyunsu Yim, Grant McCool, Gerry Doyle Organizations: North, Korean Central News Agency, REUTERS, South, North Korean, U.S . Department, Thomson Locations: Pyongyang, North Korea, SEOUL, U.S, United States, South Korea, North Koreans, Korea, Iran, China, Russia, Germany

☆ Capsule with NASA's first asteroid sample heads for Utah touchdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The robotic spacecraft OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to release the gumdrop-shaped capsule, transporting about a cup of gravelly asteroid material, at 6:42 a.m. EDT (1042 GMT) for a final descent to Earth, climaxing a seven-year voyage. The spacecraft departed Bennu in May 2021 for a 1.2-billion-mile (1.9-billion-km) cruise back to Earth, including two orbits around the sun. The Bennu sample is estimated at 250 grams (8.8 ounces), far surpassing the 5 grams of material carried back from Ryugu in 2020 or the tiny specimen delivered from asteroid Itokawa in 2010. Scientists hope the integrity of the capsule and inner cannister bearing the asteroid material will be maintained through re-entry and landing, keeping the sample pristine and free of any terrestrial contamination. The main portion of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, meanwhile, is expected to sail on to explore yet another near-Earth asteroid, named Apophis.

Persons: Joel Kowsky, REx, climaxing, NASA's, Steve Gorman, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: United Launch Alliance, V, Cape Canaveral Air Force, NASA, Handout, Reuters, University of Arizona, Empire, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Thomson Locations: Florida, U.S, Utah, Salt Lake City, military's, Ryugu, Houston, Los Angeles

☆ NASA's first asteroid sample parachutes into Utah desert
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Sept 24 (Reuters) - A NASA space capsule carrying the largest soil sample ever scooped up from the surface of an asteroid streaked through Earth's atmosphere on Sunday and parachuted into the Utah desert, delivering the celestial specimen to scientists. It marked only the third asteroid sample, and by far the biggest, ever returned to Earth for analysis, following two similar missions by Japan's space agency ending in 2010 and 2020. OSIRIS-REx collected its specimen three years ago from Bennu, a small, carbon-rich asteroid discovered in 1999. Parachutes deployed near the very end of the descent, slowing the capsule to about 11 mph before it fell gently onto the desert floor of northwestern Utah. The Bennu sample has been estimated at 250 grams (8.8 ounces), far surpassing the 5 grams carried back from Ryugu in 2020 or the tiny specimen delivered from asteroid Itokawa in 2010.

Persons: REx, NASA's, Steve Gorman, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: NASA, University of Arizona, Empire, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Thomson Locations: Utah, Salt Lake City, military's, Bennu, Ryugu, Houston, Los Angeles

☆ NASA's first asteroid sample on track for Sunday parachute landing in Utah
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreLOS ANGELES, Sept 23 (Reuters) - A NASA space capsule carrying a sample of rocky material plucked from the surface of an asteroid three years ago hurtled toward Earth this weekend headed for a fiery plunge through the atmosphere and a parachute landing in the Utah desert on Sunday. OSIRIS-REx collected its specimen from Bennu, a carbon-rich asteroid discovered in 1999 and classified as a "near-Earth object" because it passes relatively close to our planet every six years. The Bennu sample is estimated at 250 grams (8.8 ounces), far surpassing the amount of material carried back from asteroid Ryugu in 2020 and asteroid Itokawa in 2010. The main portion of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, meanwhile, is expected to sail on to explore yet another near-Earth asteroid. Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles, Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: REx, Sandra Freund, Lockheed Martin, Dante Lauretta, NASA's, Steve Gorman, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: United Launch Alliance, V, Cape Canaveral Air Force, NASA, Lockheed, University of Arizona, Empire, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Thomson Locations: Florida, U.S, ANGELES, Utah, military's, Salt Lake City, Tucson, Houston, Los Angeles

☆ US marks Sept. 11 attacks with Pentagon, World Trade Center site events
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] A person holds a flag, on the day of the 22nd anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, in New York City, U.S., September 11, 2023. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 11 (Reuters) - Americans paused on Monday to remember the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, 22 years after Islamist hijackers seized control of jetliners and crashed them into the twin towers of New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Biden's decision to hold the event in Alaska, instead of Washington or New York, was a departure from what has been presidential custom. Across the Potomac River from Washington, Pentagon officials held the traditional event at the U.S. military's headquarters. The 9/11 attacks were the worst assault on U.S. soil since the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where 2,400 people were killed.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Douglas Emhoff, George W, Bush, al, Osama bin Laden, Bin, Barack Obama, Steve Holland, Heather Timmons, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: World Trade Center, & Museum, REUTERS, Rights, Trade Center, Pentagon, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Alaska, India, Vietnam, Anchorage, Washington, New York, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

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