What to know about ‘No Kings' protests against Trump's policies on Saturday
Opponents of President Donald Trump's administration are set to rally in hundreds of cities on Saturday during the military parade in Washington for the Army's 250th anniversary — which coincides with Trump's birthday.
The 'No Kings' protests are set to take place to counter what organizers say are Trump's plans to feed his ego on what is also his 79th birthday and Flag Day.
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Winnipeg Free Press
30 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
What to know about Israel's major attack on Iran
Israel launched a major attack on Iran, drawing their long-running shadow war into the open conflict in a way that could spiral into a wider, more dangerous regional war. The strikes early Friday set off explosions in the capital of Tehran as Israel said it was targeting Iranian nuclear and military facilities. Iranian state media reported that the leader of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and two top nuclear scientists had been killed. Israel's attack comes as tensions have escalated over Iran's rapidly advancing nuclear program, which Israel sees as a threat to its existence. The Trump administration revived efforts to negotiate limits on Iran's uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. But the indirect talks between American and Iranian diplomats have hit a stalemate. The attack pushed the region into a new and uncertain phase. Here's what to know about the strikes: Israel hit nuclear sites, killed Revolutionary Guard chief Israeli leaders said the attack was aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear bomb as the country enriches uranium a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels. Iran long has said its program is peaceful and U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed Iran was not actively building a weapon. In a video announcing the military operation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strikes hit Iran's main enrichment site, the Natanz atomic facility, and targeted Iran's leading nuclear scientists. He said that Israel had also targeted Iran's ballistic missile arsenal. Iranian state TV reported that the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and one of Iran's most important commanders, Gen. Hossein Salami, had been killed. Residents of Tehran reported hearing huge explosions. Iranian state TV broadcast footage of blown-out walls, burning roofs and shattered windows in residential buildings across the capital. It reported that blasts had set the Revolutionary Guard's headquarters ablaze. Bracing for retaliation, Israel closed its airspace and said it was calling up tens of thousands of soldiers to protect the country's borders. Unclear how close Iran is to building a bomb Netanyahu claimed Friday that if Iran wasn't stopped, 'it could produce a nuclear weapon within a very short time.' But it likely would take Iran months to build a weapon, should it choose to do so. It also hasn't proved its ability to miniaturize a bomb to be placed atop missiles. Iranian officials have openly threatened to pursue the bomb. Tensions over Iran's rapid nuclear advances and growing reserves of highly enriched uranium are surging seven years after President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the U.S. from Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. For the first time in two decades, the atomic watchdog agency on Thursday censured Iran for failing to comply with nuclear nonproliferation obligations meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon. In response, Iran said that it would open a previously undisclosed enrichment site and accelerate production of 60% highly enriched uranium, which could be easily processed to the 90% level used in nuclear weapons. Iran's nuclear sites have long been a flash point Iran has two main enrichment sites, Natanz, in central Isfahan province, and Fordo, near the Shiite holy city of Qom, some 90 kilometers (55 miles) southwest of Tehran. Both are designed to protect from potential airstrikes. Natanz is built underground on Iran's Central Plateau, and has been targeted several times in suspected Israeli sabotage attacks, as well as by the Stuxnet virus, believed to be an Israeli and American creation, which destroyed Iranian centrifuges. Fordo is buried deep inside mountain and protected by anti-aircraft batteries. It also hosts centrifuge cascades, but isn't as big a facility as Natanz. Both sites have been the focus of the Trump administration's recent push to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Tehran. Trump said that he warned Netanyahu against launching an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities while diplomatic efforts were underway. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff was expected to meet his Iranian counterparts in Oman for a sixth round of negotiations to start Sunday. It wasn't clear if those talks were still on. Iran threatens retaliation Hours after the strikes, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened Israel would face 'severe punishment.' 'The powerful hand of the armed forces of the Islamic republic will not let (the attacks) go unpunished,' the leader added in a statement posted online. Other Iranian officials echoed his warning, pledging vengeance. State TV aired footage of Iranians chanting 'Death to Israel!' and 'Death to America!' From Washington, Trump said that the U.S. had not been involved in the attack and warned Iran against retaliations against American interests in the region.
Toronto Star
37 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Trump is finally getting his chance to try to top France with a grand military parade in DC
WASHINGTON (AP) — Eight years after President Donald Trump was dazzled by a grand military parade down the Champs-Élysées in Paris, he is finally getting a chance to try to top the spectacle. His long-delayed dream is expected to be realized Saturday with an extravaganza of American military might featuring tanks and other armored vehicles rolling through the nation's capital, thousands of soldiers marching the streets and military aircraft flying overhead. In a final flourish, an elite parachute team is to jump from above the White House, land near Trump and hand him an American flag.
Toronto Star
37 minutes ago
- Toronto Star
Appeals court temporarily blocks judge's ruling to return control of National Guard to California
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday temporarily blocked a federal judge's order that directed President Donald Trump to return control of National Guard troops to California after he deployed them there following protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids. The court said it would hold a hearing on the matter on Tuesday. The ruling came only hours after a federal judge's order was to take effect at noon Friday. Earlier Thursday, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer ruled the Guard deployment was illegal and both violated the Tenth Amendment and exceeded Trump's statutory authority. The order applied only to the National Guard troops and not Marines who were also deployed to the LA protests. The judge said he would not rule on the Marines because they were not out on the streets yet. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who had asked the judge for an emergency stop to troops helping carry out immigration raids, had praised the earlier ruling. 'Today was really about a test of democracy, and today we passed the test,' Newsom said in a news conference before the appeals court decision. The White House had called Breyer's order 'unprecedented' and said it 'puts our brave federal officials in danger.' 'The district court has no authority to usurp the President's authority as Commander in Chief,' White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a statement. 'The President exercised his lawful authority to mobilize the National Guard to protect federal buildings and personnel in Gavin Newsom's lawless Los Angeles. The Trump Administration will immediately appeal this abuse of power and looks forward to ultimate victory on the issue.' Marines in civil disturbance training at nearby base About 700 Marines have been undergoing civil disturbance training at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach in Orange County, California. Nicholas Green, an attorney for the state, told the court: 'I have been told by the office of the governor that within the next 24 hours, 140 Marines will replace and relieve National Guard members in 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. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Title 10 allows the president to call the National Guard into federal service under certain limited circumstances, such as when the country 'is invaded,' when 'there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the Government,' or when the president is unable 'to execute the laws of the United States.' Breyer said in his ruling that what is happening in Los Angeles does not meet the definition of a rebellion. 'The protests in Los Angeles fall far short of 'rebellion,'' he wrote. California sued the federal government 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. The governor 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. Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, commander of Task Force 51, which is overseeing the Guard troops and Marines sent to Los Angeles, said that as of Wednesday about 500 of the Guard troops had been trained to accompany agents on immigration operations. Photos of Guard soldiers providing security for the agents have already been circulated by immigration officials. None of the Marines have been trained to go on immigration raids, and it is not yet clear if they eventually will, Sherman said. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Trump improperly called up the Guard, judge says In his broad ruling, the judge determined Trump had not properly called the Guard up in the first place. The lawsuit argued that Title 10 also requires 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. 'Our position is this is not subject to judicial review,' Shumate told the judge. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 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. Protests intensified 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. Trump has described Los Angeles in dire terms that Mayor Karen Bass and Newsom say are nowhere close to the truth.
