Why 2 Chinese aircraft carriers are operating in the Pacific together for the first time
TOKYO (AP) — Japan this week confirmed that two Chinese aircraft carriers have operated together for the first time in the Pacific, fueling Tokyo's concern about Beijing's rapidly expanding military activity far beyond its borders.
Aircraft carriers are critical to projecting power at a distance. China routinely sends coast guard vessels, warships and warplanes to areas around the disputed East China Sea islands, but now it is going as far as what's called the second-island chain that includes Guam — a U.S. territory. A single Chinese carrier has ventured into the Pacific in the past, but never east of that chain until now.
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Toronto Star
39 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Israel attacks Iran's capital with explosions booming across Tehran
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel attacked Iran's capital early Friday in strikes that targeted the country's nuclear program and raised the potential for an all-out war between the two bitter Middle East adversaries. It appeared to be the most significant attack Iran has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq. Multiple sites around the country were hit, and black smoke was seen rising from the nation's main nuclear enrichment facility. The leader of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was confirmed dead, Iranian state television reported, a development that would be a body blow to Tehran's governing theocracy and an immediate escalation of the nations' long-simmering conflict. The report offered few details about what happened to Gen. Hossein Salami but said that another top Guard official, as well as two nuclear scientists, were also feared dead. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The strikes, which came amid simmering tensions over Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program, appeared certain to lead to a reprisal that Israel warned could target its own civilian population. In Washington, the Trump administration, which had cautioned Israel against an attack during continued negotiations over Iran's nuclear enrichment program, said that it had not been involved and warned against any retaliation targeting U.S. interests or personnel. Israeli leaders cast the preemptive assault as a fight for the nation's survival and necessary to head off what they described as an imminent threat that Iran would build nuclear bombs, though it remains unclear how close the country is to achieving that or whether it had actually had been planning a strike. 'It could be a year. It could be within a few months,' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said as he vowed to pursue the attack for as long as necessary to 'remove this threat.' 'This is a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival,' he said. For Netanyahu, the operation distracts attention from Israel's ongoing and increasingly unpopular war in Gaza, which is now over 20 months old. There is a broad consensus in the Israeli public that Iran is a major threat, and Israel's opposition leader, Yair Lapid, a staunch critic of Netanyahu, offered his 'full support' for the mission against Iran. But if Iranian reprisals cause heavy Israeli casualties or major disruptions to daily life, Netanyahu could see public opinion quickly shift. Multiple sites in the Iranian capital were hit in the attack, which Netanyahu said targeted both nuclear and military sites. Also targeted were officials leading Iran's nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal. It wasn't clear how bad the damage was at Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz. The strike on Iran pushed the Israeli military to its limits, requiring the use of aging air-to-air refuelers to get its fighter jets close enough to attack. It wasn't immediately clear if Israeli jets entered Iranian airspace or just fired so-called 'standoff missiles' over another country. People in Iraq heard fighter jets overhead at the time of the attack. Israel previously attacked Iran from over the border in Iraq. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The potential for an attack had been apparent for weeks. President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he did not believe an attack was imminent but also acknowledged that it 'could very well happen.' As tensions rose, the U.S. pulled some diplomats from Iraq's capital and offered voluntary evacuations for the families of U.S. troops in the wider Middle East. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Israel took 'unilateral action against Iran' and that Israel advised the U.S. that it believed the strikes were necessary for its self-defense. 'We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region,' Rubio said in a statement released by the White House. Trump is scheduled to attend a meeting of his National Security Council on Friday in the White House Situation Room, were he is expected to discuss the conflict with top advisers. It is not clear if he plans to make a public remarks on the strikes in Iran. Israel has long been determined to thwart Iran's nuclear potential. Meanwhile, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency for the first time in 20 years on Thursday censured Iran over its refusal to work with its inspectors. Iran immediately announced it would establish a third enrichment site in the country and swap out some centrifuges for more-advanced ones. Even so, there are multiple assessments on how many nuclear weapons it could conceivably build, should it choose to do so. Iran would need months to assemble, test and field any weapon, which it so far has said it has no desire to do. U.S. intelligence agencies also assess Iran does not have a weapons program at this time. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW In a sign of the far-reaching implications of the emerging conflict, Israel's main airport was closed and benchmark Brent crude spiked on news of the attack, rising nearly 8%. Both Iran and Israel closed their airspace. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that in the aftermath of the strikes, 'missile and drone attacks against Israel and its civilian population are expected immediately.' 'It is essential to listen to instructions from the home front command and authorities to stay in protected areas,' he said in a statement. As the explosions in Tehran started, Trump was on the lawn of the White House mingling with members of Congress. It was unclear if he had been informed, but the president continued shaking hands and posing for pictures for several minutes. Trump earlier said he urged Netanyahu to hold off on any action while the administration negotiated with Iran. 'As long as I think there is a (chance for an) agreement, I don't want them going in because I think it would blow it,' Trump told reporters.
Cision Canada
an hour ago
- Cision Canada
CGTN: China-U.S. trade talks in London receive positive market reception Français
With the first meeting of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism set to continue in London on Tuesday, CGTN publishes an article discussing the significance of the highly anticipated talks and the global expectations surrounding them. The article also highlights China's attitude and stance on the trade talks, stressing the importance of China-U.S. cooperation in achieving mutually beneficial outcomes. BEIJING, June 10, 2025 /CNW/ -- The first meeting of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation mechanism is set to continue on Tuesday in London with a second day of talks. The gathering of key officials from the world's two largest economies is widely seen as a crucial step in easing tensions between the two countries, sending a positive signal to the global economy. The highly anticipated trade talks come just days after a phone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump. They are aimed at implementing the consensus reached by both leaders and continuing to foster dialogue and cooperation in economic and trade fields. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng is leading the Chinese delegation in London, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are heading the U.S. team. Severe economic repercussions The London talks are a direct outcome of the Geneva discussions in May, when both sides agreed to pause the escalating tariffs and establish a consultation mechanism to continue negotiations. The Geneva meeting featured the first face-to-face talks between senior officials from both nations since the U.S. imposed hefty tariffs on China in April, and China retaliated with robust countermeasures. The tariff hikes have not only hurt the global supply chain, but also harmed the U.S. economy, driving up costs, reducing consumption and increasing the risk of economic recession. A Harris Poll conducted for Bloomberg News in late May revealed that many Americans are tightening their belts, a recent survey by Bank of America showed that allocations to U.S. assets are at their lowest levels in nearly two decades, and multiple sources, including U.S. Bank, JP Morgan and the International Monetary Fund, have suggested a 40 percent chance of a U.S. recession. Cooperation is the only way out Given these concerning economic repercussions, Xi has stressed that dialogue and cooperation are the only correct choice for the two countries. He hailed the Geneva talks as an important step forward in resolving disputes and urged the two sides to make good use of the economic and trade consultation mechanism and seek win-win results in the spirit of equality and respect for each other's concerns. The Chinese side is sincere about this, and at the same time has its principles, Xi said. The positive market reactions mirrored Xi's remarks and reflected growing optimism about the easing of China-U.S. trade frictions. Following the leaders' phone talks, shipping demand surged, leading to a spike in freight rates, and U.S. stock indices saw substantial gains, with the S&P 500, Nasdaq and Dow Jones all experiencing significant increases. Wu Zewei, a special researcher at Sushang Bank, said the London talks are expected to boost the prospects for bilateral cooperation. He stated that though the negotiations in London will not be easy and require in-depth discussions, the Geneva talks have laid a strong foundation for cooperation and the recent phone call between the two heads of state has provided direction for future negotiations. "The cooperation between China and the U.S. has significant potential. In the future, both countries can still achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, fostering shared prosperity and creating a better life for their peoples," said Wu.
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Judge says Trump illegally deployed National Guard to help with LA protests, must return control
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order Thursday directing President Donald Trump to return control of the National Guard to California. The order, which takes effect at noon Friday, said the deployment of the Guard was illegal and both violated the Tenth Amendment and exceeded Trump's statutory authority. The White House had no immediate comment on the ruling, but the federal government immediately filed an appeal with the Ninth Circuit court. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said Trump overstepped his bounds in ordering the deployment of roughly 4,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles after protests erupted over the immigration crackdown. It was not immediately clear how that would change the situation on the ground. California Gov. Gavin Newsom sued to block the Guard's deployment against his wishes. California later filed an emergency motion asking the judge to block the Guard from assisting with immigration raids. He argued that the troops were originally deployed to protect federal buildings and wanted the court to block the troops from helping protect immigration agents during the raids, saying that involving the Guard would only escalate tensions and promote civil unrest. The Trump administration called the lawsuit a 'crass political stunt endangering American lives' in its official response Wednesday. In a broad ruling, the judge determined Trump had not properly called the Guard up in the first place. Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, speaking in an interview with The Associated Press and one other media outlet, said that as of Wednesday about 500 of the Guard troops have been trained to accompany agents on immigration operations. Photos of Guard soldiers providing security for the agents have already been circulated by immigration officials. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Sherman is commander of Task Force 51, which is overseeing the Guard troops and Marines sent to Los Angeles. Typically the authority to call up the National Guard lies with governors, but there are limited circumstances under which the president can deploy those troops. Trump federalized members of the California National Guard under an authority known as Title 10. The lawsuit argued that Title 10 requires, among other things, that the president go through governors when issuing orders to the National Guard. Brett Shumate, an attorney for the federal government, said Trump complied with the statute by informing the general in charge of the troops of his decision and would have the authority to call in the Guard even if he had not. In a brief filed ahead of the Thursday hearing, the Justice Department said Trump's orders were not subject to judicial review. 'Courts did not interfere when President Eisenhower deployed the military to protect school desegregation. Courts did not interfere when President Nixon deployed the military to deliver the mail in the midst of a postal strike. And courts should not interfere here either,' the department said. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'Our position is this is not subject to judicial review,' Shumate told the judge. Breyer, who at one point waved a copy of the constitution, said he disagreed. 'We're talking about the president exercising his authority, and the president is of course limited in that authority. That's the difference between a constitutional government and King George,' he said. The protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles intensified after Trump called up the Guard and have since spread to other cities, including Boston, Chicago and Seattle. Federal immigration agents have been arresting people at Home Depot parking lots and other businesses, sparking fear in immigrant communities, after the Trump administration said it wanted to dramatically increase arrests under its immigration crackdown. Trump has described Los Angeles in dire terms that Bass and Newsom say are nowhere close to the truth. The Marines have not yet been spotted in Los Angeles, and Guard troops have had limited engagement with protesters. Dozens of mayors from across the Los Angeles region banded together Wednesday to demand the raids stop and the troops leave.
