'I understood the reason,' Trump says of show of force by Russia, China, North Korea

'I understood the reason,' Trump says of show of force by Russia, China, North Korea

President Donald Trumpsaid he was "watching" the event staged by China on the 80th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II and "understood the reason" itbrought togetherthe leaders of China, Russia and North Korea publicly for the first time. "I thought it was very, very impressive," Trump said Sept. 3 during an event at the White House. "But I understood the reason they were doing it. And they were hoping I was watching, and I was watching. My relationship with all of them is very good. We're going to find out how good it is over the next week or two." The massive show of force showcased China's advancing military might in front of 50,000 guests and spectators. China staged a large and highly choreographed military parade in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, unveiling a new long-range hypersonic missile, underwater drones and even robotic wolves. China's Xi Jinping used a crowd-pleasing speech to highlight how the country's growing military and diplomatic clout represents an alternative to a US-led world under Trump's White House that hasstrained relations with allies and rivals alike. Trump complained the United States was left out of the speech. "President Xi is a friend of mine, but I thought that the United States should have been mentioned last night during that speech, because we helped China," Trump said Sept. 3. More:Russia suggests Trump was being 'ironic' with Putin, Xi, Kim 'conspiring' claim Trump addressed Xi, Russia'sVladimir Putinand North Korea's Kim Jong Un in anearlier social media postthat accused them of working to "conspire against The United States of America." He also said inthe postthat the United States should be acknowledged for "the massive amount of support and 'blood' that The United States of America gave to China in order to help it to secure its FREEDOM." More:Russian, Chinese, North Korean leaders meet to 'conspire' against US, Trump says Japan invaded China in a conflict that ended after Japan was defeated − in large part by the United States − in World War II. Trump had earlier told reporters he did not see the parade as a challenge to the United States. Asked Sept. 3 if he was upset that he wasn't invited to the parade in Beijing, Trump said, "It wouldn't have been my place to be there." Contributing: Joey Garrison, Francesca Chambers This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump says he watched event with leaders of North Korea, Russia, China

byAlpha World

in

September 03, 2025

'I understood the reason,' Trump says of show of force by Russia, China, North Korea

'I understood the reason,' Trump says of show of force by Russia, China, North Korea President Donald Trumpsaid he was "watchin...

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Florida plans to become first state to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates

Florida plans to become first state to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida plans to become the first state to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates, a move that critics called "reckless and dangerous." State Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo cast current requirements in schools and elsewhere as an "immoral" intrusion on people's rights that hampers parents' ability to make health decisions for their children. "People have a right to make their own decisions, informed decisions," said Ladapo, who has frequentlyclashed with the medical establishment, at a news conference in Valrico. "They don't have the right to tell you what to put in your body. Take it away from them." Physician groups and other health organizations have long considered vaccines to be safe and the most effective way to stop the spread of communicable diseases, especially among schoolchildren. Dr. Rana Alissa, chair of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said removing vaccines puts students and school staff at greater risk. "When everyone in a school is vaccinated, it is harder for diseases to spread and easier for everyone to continue learning and having fun," Alissa said in an email. "When children are sick and miss school caregivers also miss work, which not only impacts those families but also the local economy." Democratic state Rep. Anna Eskamani, who is running for Orlando mayor, said in a social media post that scrapping vaccines "is reckless and dangerous" and could cause outbreaks of preventable disease. "This is a public health disaster in the making for the Sunshine State," she said on the social platform X. Meanwhile, the Democratic governors of Washington, Oregon and California announced Wednesday thatthey created an allianceto safeguard health policies, contending that the administration ofPresident Donald Trumpis politicizing public health decisions. The partnership plans to coordinate health guidelines by aligning immunization plans based on recommendations from respected national medical organizations, according to a joint statement from Gov. Bob Ferguson of Washington, Gov. Tina Kotek of Oregon and Gov. Gavin Newsom of California. In Florida, vaccine mandates for child day care facilities and public schools include shots for measles, chickenpox, hepatitis B, Diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis, polio and other diseases, according to the stateHealth Department's website. The state Health Department, Ladapo said, can scrap its own rules for some vaccine mandates, but others would require action by the Florida Legislature. He did not specify any particular vaccines but repeated several times the effort would end "all of them. Every last one of them." Under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida resisted imposing COVID vaccines on schoolchildren during the pandemic, requiring "passports" for places that draw crowds, school closures and mandates that workers get the shots to keep their jobs. "I don't think there's another state that's done as much as Florida. We want to stay ahead of the curve," the governor said. DeSantis also announced the creation of a state-level "Make America Healthy Again" commission Wednesday modeled aftersimilar initiativespushed at the federal level by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The commission would look into such things as allowing informed consent in medical matters, promoting safe and nutritious food, boosting parental rights regarding medical decisions about their children, and eliminating "medical orthodoxy that is not supported by the data," DeSantis said. The commission will be chaired by Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and Florida first lady Casey DeSantis. "We're getting government out of the way, getting government out of your lives," Collins said. The commission's work will help inform a large "medical freedom package" to be introduced in the Legislature next session, which would address the vaccine mandates required by state law and make permanent the recent state COVID decisions relaxing restrictions, DeSantis said.

byAlpha World

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September 03, 2025

Florida plans to become first state to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates

Florida plans to become first state to eliminate all childhood vaccine mandates ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida plans to become the firs...

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Dan Hurley thought about resigning from UConn after stress of trying to win third-straight championship

Dan Hurley thought about resigning from UConn after stress of trying to win third-straight championship

When UConn's men's basketball team takes the court for the 2025-26 season, Dan Hurley will once again lead the team from the sideline. While that seems obvious based on Hurley's accomplishments, it actually wasn't a guarantee. Following the team's loss to Florida in the second round of the NCAA tournament,Hurley considered resigningfrom UConn due to the stress of trying to win a third straight national championship, according to The Athletic. Hurley revealed that nugget in a book he co-authored with The Athletic's Ian O'Connor. Hurley admitted he thought about leaving the team and taking a gap year to recover physically and mentally, per The Athletic. "I knew my mind, and I knew my body, and I could feel that I was completely cooked," Hurley writes. "Just burnt. I didn't even know how I was standing. I stared at the office walls, muttering, conducting a brutal review of our season. I didn't build a strong enough roster. I wasn't a good leader. I let everyone down in Maui. I lost control, emotionally, at various points. I came in here some days sad and defeated, when I needed to be positive and inspiring. Then I went through the self-lacerating what-ifs: What if we'd played a little bit better in Maui? What if we hadn't blown that game against Seton Hall? What if we'd been a better seed than an eight seed and hadn't needed to face a number one in the second round? Who knows?" While that didn't happen, Hurley did have some preliminary talks with Fox Sports about taking on a television role. He ultimately decided to return to UConn for another season. There are plenty of reasons why Hurley would make that decision. UConn is once again expected to be one of the best teams in college basketball, and should contend for a national championship. Hurley has already built an impressive resume with the program, but another championship wouldn't hurt. It also helps that Hurley signed asix-year, $50 million extensionwith the team in 2024. That likely played a role in his decision, even if Hurley could make more money if he jumped to the NBA. After winning two straight national championships at UConn, Hurley reportedlyturned down a $70 million offerto coach the Los Angeles Lakers. Had Hurley stepped away, it wouldn't have been the first time a successful college coach inexplicably left his team. Urban Meyer resigned from his head coaching position at Florida during a hyper-successful run with the team due to health reasons. He returned a year later and led the team to a 7-5 record before resigning again. Meyer spent a year as a television analyst at ESPN before getting back into coaching and joining Ohio State. The same path likely exists for Hurley if he wants to take it in future seasons. For now, he'll focus on leading UConn to yet another title.

byAlpha World

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September 03, 2025

Dan Hurley thought about resigning from UConn after stress of trying to win third-straight championship

Dan Hurley thought about resigning from UConn after stress of trying to win third-straight championship When UConn's men's basketbal...

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Jacksonville Jaguars reveal Travis Hunter's depth chart position

Jacksonville Jaguars reveal Travis Hunter's depth chart position

Two-way rookieTravis Huntermay indeedplay both wide receiver and cornerbackin the NFL as a rookie this year. TheJacksonville Jaguarsreleased their first unofficial depth chart of the regular season on Tuesday, five days before their season-opener against theCarolina Panthers. Hunter is listed at both of his positions on the list, but he's only a starter at one of them. According to the unofficial depth chart, Hunter will start at wide receiver oppositeBrian Thomas Jr., last year's big rookie breakout for Jacksonville, andDyami Brown. On defense, Hunter is listed as a backup cornerback behind startersTyson CampbellandJourdan Lewis. During his lone preseason appearance against thePittsburgh Steelers, Hunter split his reps at wide receiver and cornerback, almost exactly. He played one series with theJaguars' starters at the beginning of the game, sat out from the first Steelers possession while the starting defenders played, then played two series with the second-string defense. In the end, Hunter played 10 snaps on offense and eight snaps on defense. He missed the Jaguars' next two games while nursing an upper-body injury. On Sunday afternoon, Hunter will make his long-awaited regular-season debut with Jacksonville's first-team offense. Jaguars fans will have to wait and see how and when their team decides to deploy Hunter on defense as well. TRAVIS HUNTER:Trevor Lawrence isn't worried about chemistry with rookie dynamo Brian Thomas Jr. Travis Hunter Dyami Brown Tim Patrick Parker Washington Hunter projects to be the Jaguars' No. 2 receiving target next to Thomas, the second-year receiver who led all rookie receivers with 1,282 yards last year. Brown is a newcomer free agent, Patrick joined the team about one week ago via trade, and Washington is back for his third year after Jacksonville selected him in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Tyson Campbell Jourdan Lewis Jarrian Jones Travis Hunter Montaric Brown Christian Braswell Hunter is listed behind Lewis on the Jaguars' most recent unofficial depth chart. Both Campbell and Lewis graded out decently in pass coverage, per Pro Football Focus, with Lewis especially excelling in 2024. But both players are much weaker in run coverage situations. Could Hunter carve himself out a bigger role on defense if he proves to be a stout defender in all situations? It's possible, though the Jaguars are letting him begin the year as a backup cornerback as he starts on offense. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jaguars depth chart lists Travis Hunter at two positions

byAlpha World

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September 03, 2025

Jacksonville Jaguars reveal Travis Hunter's depth chart position

Jacksonville Jaguars reveal Travis Hunter's depth chart position Two-way rookieTravis Huntermay indeedplay both wide receiver and corner...

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US Secretary Rubio visits Mexico amid crackdown on cartels

US Secretary Rubio visits Mexico amid crackdown on cartels

By Daphne Psaledakis MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Mexican leaders on Wednesday during his first trip to the country since taking office, as the Trump administration pursues a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration and drug cartels and seeks to counter China's influence in Latin America. Washington's top diplomat will visit Mexico City and Ecuador in his latest trip to the region, where he will meet with counterparts and the presidents of the two countries. Rubio, the first Latino U.S. secretary of state, traveled to countries in Central America and the Caribbean during his first overseas trip after taking office as the administration sought to shift back focus to Latin America. The trip to Mexico and Ecuador comes after the U.S. military attacked a vessel from Venezuela in the Caribbean on Tuesday that U.S. officials said was carrying illegal drugs. It was the first known operation since the Trump administration's recent surge of warships to the region that has raised tensions between Washington and Caracas. The visit comes as Trump has also intensified his campaign to deport migrants in the U.S. illegally, sending federal agents into major U.S. cities and pushing for high daily arrest quotas. The crackdown on illegal immigration has drawn criticism from some Latin American countries, including Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has condemned recent immigration raids in the United States. While Sheinbaum has maintained good ties with Trump, the administration's trade policies and efforts to combat drug cartels have disrupted the relationship between the two neighbors. "The relationship is not in its best situation right now," said Martha Barcena Coqui, who served as Mexico's ambassador to the United States and is now an expert with Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. Rubio and Mexican officials would likely have "very candid" talks on combating cartels, she added. 'CHARGED ISSUE' Earlier this year, Washington designated some Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations. Sheinbaum has said the U.S. and Mexico are nearing a security agreement to expand cooperation in fighting them, but she has flatly rejected suggestions by the Trump administration that it could carry out unilateral military operations in Mexico. The U.S. military has ramped up airborne surveillance of Mexican drug cartels and Trump has authorized the Pentagon to begin using military force against the groups. The recent surge of warships in the southern Caribbean is also part of the aim of following through on Trump's pledge to crack down on cartels. "That's probably the most sort of charged issue," Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin America studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said. A senior State Department official said Washington hoped to be able to announce concrete measures on security, illegal immigration and countering China during Rubio's visits to Mexico and Ecuador. Washington has also been working with Mexico to ensure China does not use it as a backdoor to the United States, either to evade U.S. tariffs on China or for fentanyl, the official said. TARIFF OFFENSIVE Trump's trade war, and the tariffs he has imposed on Mexico, are also likely to feature prominently, though the tariffs are not Rubio's portfolio. Mexico in July was able to avoid 30% tariffs on its shipments to the U.S., securing a 90-day pause to work on a trade deal with the Trump administration. But it is still subject to the previously imposed 25% fentanyl tariffs, though goods sent under the USMCA trade agreement - which are most of them - are exempt. Barcena and Freeman both said they expected the review and renegotiation of the USMCA to also be a priority during Rubio's visit. "If they can get through those issues without butting heads publicly, I think it will be a way for them to just show that they actually consider each other relatively cooperative partners," Freeman said. (Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis; Editing by Don Durfee and Alistair Bell)

byAlpha World

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September 03, 2025

US Secretary Rubio visits Mexico amid crackdown on cartels

US Secretary Rubio visits Mexico amid crackdown on cartels By Daphne Psaledakis MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio ...

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