
On This Day, June 18: Saudi prince executed for assassination of King Faisal
On this date in history:
In 1812, the United States declared war on Britain, beginning the War of 1812.
In 1815, England's Duke of Wellington and Prussian Field Marshal Gebhard von Blucher defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in Belgium.
File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI
In 1975, Saudi Arabian Prince Museid was publicly beheaded in Riyadh for the assassination of his uncle, King Faisal.
In 1979, U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev signed a strategic arms control treaty (SALT II) in Vienna.
In 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space after the shuttle Challenger was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla.
In 1990, gunman James Edward Pough, 42, whose car had been repossessed, killed nine people and wounded four before killing himself at a General Motors Acceptance Corp. loan office in Jacksonville, Fla. Investigators said he had killed two people and injured two others a day earlier.
In 1997, Turkish Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan resigned under pressure after his governing coalition lost its majority in Parliament.
File Photo by Tarik Tinazay/EPA
In 2004, U.S. hostage Paul Johnson Jr., 49, was killed by his Saudi captors despite pleas from senior Muslim clerics.
In 2014, Spanish King Juan Carlos abdicated the throne amid scandal, massive unemployment and regional separatism. His son was crowned King Felipe VI one day later.
In 2018, President Donald Trump directed the Department of Defense to create a sixth branch of the military -- a Space Force.
In 2023, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that the Titan, a small submersible with five people on board, went missing off the coast of Newfoundland during an expedition to visit the site of the sunken Titanic. After days of searching, it was determined the submersible imploded, killing pilot and OceanGate founder Stockton Rush, crew member Paul-Henri Nargeolet, and tourists Hamish Harding, Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood.
In 2024, AI-related earnings enabled chipmaker Nvidia to surpass Microsoft as the world's most valuable publicly traded company.
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
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UPI
17 minutes ago
- UPI
Vance, Hegseth, Miller laud Guard troops, denounce capital protesters
A Humvee is parked in front of Union Station in Washington as members of the National Guard patrol on Monday after President Donald Trump last week deployed the National Guard to assist in crime prevention. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo Aug. 20 (UPI) -- As protesters chanted nearby, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller visited National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday amid what the Trump administration says is a crime crackdown. The three Trump administration officials greeted National Guard troops at the capital's Union Station while positioned near a table containing hamburgers for the troops, PBS News reported. "In just the past nine days, we've seen a 35% reduction in violent crime," Vance told those in attendance. "We've seen over a 50% reduction in robberies," he added. "We're seeing really substantial effects because these guys are busting their a*****." Vance said he wanted to thank the National Guard troops in person and hand out some hamburgers to show his appreciation for their efforts. Hegseth said the National Guard deployments in Washington are needed to ensure residents, visitors and those who work in the capital are safe. "The American people, the residents of D.C., deserve a safe and beautiful city," Hegseth said. "That's our mission." He called the National Guard troops "patriots who serve the country" and want to make Washington a "beautiful, safe capital." The National Guard troops are "proud of this mission" and making sure "law and order is established here in the capital," Hegseth added. He said the Defense Department is providing the resources that the troops need and working with law enforcement partners to ensure safety in Washington. Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered and chanted near Union Station, which drew a rebuke from Vance. He said the protesters "hate the idea that Americans can enjoy their communities," according to PBS News. Vance said he went to Union Station with Hegseth and Miller because criminal activity was very high there, which local officials deny. Miller added to Vance's criticism of the protesters by calling them "stupid white hippies" and said they do not represent Washington, D.C.'s residents, The Hill reported. "We are not going to let the communists destroy a great American city, let alone the nation's capital," Miller said. "All these demonstrators you've seen out here in recent days, all these elderly white hippies, they're not part of the city and never have been," Miller said. "We're going to ignore these stupid white hippies that all need to go home and take a nap because they're all over 90 years old," he added. Trump last week put the federal government in control of Washington's Metropolitan Police Department, which has been accused of falsifying crime data. Though Trump administration officials have characterized crime in the city as out of control, in actuality, crime in the district has fallen in recent years or remained flat. An agreement on Friday put the police department under local control, but Trump sought and received National Guard deployments from West Virginia, South Carolina, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and Louisiana. About 1,200 National Guard troops are slated for deployment in the capital, in addition to 800 Washington National Guard troops who already are there, according to The Washington Post.


UPI
2 hours ago
- UPI
More than half of U.S. thinks racism is widespread, according to Gallup
A protestor stands in the street in front of Akron City Justice Center in Akron, Ohio, in July 2022 after Akron police fatally shot Jayland Walker, 25, after a short chase amid public unrest with law enforcement. Washington-based Gallup polling results suggest 64% of Americans believe racism is widespread in the United States. File Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo Aug. 20 (UPI) -- New data released Wednesday by Gallup suggests more than half the country believes that racism against Black people is not only alive and well but widespread in the United States. Gallup's newly-released results of 64% nearly tied with its last reading in its 2021 periodic measurements as its highest recorded by the Washington-based firm since 2008, the year Barack Obama was elected to the White House as the nation's first Black president. It's suggesting that 83% of Black adults and 61% of White adults say that racism is widespread. The question was first posed by Gallup experts in 2008, in which results said at the time that only 56% of U.S. adults thought racism was a widespread issues. It saw a reported dip to 51% by the following year. By 2015, its 60% reading came at a time of several high-profile killings of Black civilians at the hands of law enforcement officers and has since remained in that range. According to Gallup, police interactions stood out as the "top" area of unfair treatment toward Black people, with a perceptions of bias in healthcare, shopping, restaurants and workplaces at or near record high returns. Gallup said that non-Hispanic Black adults continue to be "most likely" to say such racism is prevalent in the country, with 83% expressing that view. Results found that smaller majorities of Hispanic respondents at 64% and 61% of non-Hispanic White adults agreed. The findings come from Gallup's survey from June 2-26 and included an oversample to allow for better estimates. "Conversely, Americans' (29%) belief that racism against White people is widespread is the lowest of five readings since 2008," according to Gallup. It added that 68% in its poll say U.S. adults think civil rights "have improved" in their lifetime. "The overall sample was weighted so all racial/ethnic groups are represented in their proper proportions of the U.S. population," according to Gallup officials. But the survey noted how in six of its interactions that dealing with police was seen largely as racially "inequitable." Gallup's results suggests a trend of at least 57% of Americans who believe Black people are treated less fairly than White people in various situations, particularly during traffic incidents that in recent years have been known to turn deadly in multiple states.


New York Post
3 hours ago
- New York Post
Trump's White House merch room thrust into spotlight after Zelensky pictured with ‘4 more years' hat
WASHINGTON — President Trump's photographed offer of a '4 More Years' hat to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Monday cast a global focus onto one of his lesser-known White House remodels: turning a room off the Oval Office into a free-of-charge gift shop. The merch room was previously a private study — which also saw action as President Bill Clinton's love den with intern Monica Lewinsky. A treasure trove now awaits the president's biggest supporters and visiting heads of state. 'Some people leave with bags of stuff,' a source told The Post. 4 A behind-the-scenes photo of Trump showing Presidents Zelensky and Macron his merch room this week. Margo Martin/X Coveted souvenirs include Trump's golden 'Never Surrender' high-top sneakers, which launched last year for $399, and custom-made ties by Stefano Ricci, whose standard offerings retail starting at $330 at Neiman Marcus, sources said. Trump 'loves being generous' with visitors, said one person who has been to the room. 'Fellas, come on, grab what you want. It's OK,' Trump told aides to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev following a peace deal signing with Armenia on Aug. 8. The room serves multiple functions, including playing to Trump's strengths as a host and fulfilling the branding and hospitality executive's desire for a lasting positive impression. It also serves as a polite way to end Oval Office encounters, turning potentially curt send-offs into a memorable moment. 4 President Trump shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to his White House merch room Monday. Daniel Torok/White House/UPI/Shutterstock Although a prior iteration existed during Trump's first presidency, this second-term upgrade features a broad inventory. A recent visitor recalled neat shelves of photobooks, candles, golf balls and tees, travel mugs, cufflinks, enameled boxes, small dishes and hand towels. Another source spotted Bibles autographed by the president. The West Wing room, reputedly used by former President Joe Biden to rest, also has special boxes of M&Ms that the candy maker Mars produces with the signatures of chief executives from both parties. Visitors generally receive a paper bag adorned with the presidential seal to stuff with keepsakes. 4 Trump presented Zelensky and other European leaders with symbolic keys to the White House, shown in wooden boxes on the Resolute Desk, ahead of the gift-room visit. Daniel Torok/White House/UPI/Shutterstock Trump has made substantial changes to the White House grounds since reclaiming power in January, adding dramatic golden refreshes for the Oval Office and Cabinet Room, enormous flagpoles to the lawns, a paved patio for the Rose Garden and fresh marble for the Palm Room linking the West Wing to the main White House. He plans to turn the East Wing into a ballroom. The relatively small gift room's diplomatic utility was on display this month when Aliyev visited — as Trump asserted US leadership in a conflict between two nations historically in Russia's sphere of influence. Trump picked out a scarf for Aliyev's wife, handing it to the strongman, and instructed aides to make sure that a symbolic 'Key to the White House' that he personally designed was put into Aliyev's swag bag, as the guest thanked him for the gifts. Trump showed Aliyev, who does not have free elections, a 'Trump 2028' hat, telling this counterpart, 'You know, you're not allowed to run [for a third term]. I'm 28 points higher than anybody. Everyone wants me to run.' 'Including us!' added Aliyev, who inherited his position from his father. 'This drives them crazy,' Trump said, turning slightly to point out the same hat he showed Zelensky. 'Look, '4 More Years.' They go, '4 More Years!' So it's sorta cool.' 4 Trump previously took Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the room and picked out a scarf for his wife. Getty Images Stacks of red 'Make America Great Again' hats are also available, as are newer versions that say 'Gulf of America' and 'Trump Was Right About Everything.' French President Emmanuel Macron, who joined Zelensky in the room, clutched his recently received 'Key to the White House,' contained in a wooden display box that had moments earlier been on the Oval Office's Resolute Desk. What, if anything, Zelensky chose to take was unclear to The Post's sources, but he also left the White House with a revived relationship with Trump and pledges for US and European backing for 'security guarantees' against further Russian invasions if peace is achieved.