Last Updated Jun 28, 2018 5:42 AM EDT A team of U.S. military personnel and British divers joined rescue efforts at a flooded cave in northern Thailand where 12 children and their soccer coach have been trapped for five days as heavy overnight rains hampered the search.Flood waters seeped into a second chamber of the Tham Luang cave and forced some of the rescue divers to turn back, according to officials. The children, aged between 11 and 16, went into the cave Saturday and were trapped when heavy rains clogged the main entrance.Around 1,000 Navy SEAL divers, police, soldiers, border guards and officials have been mobilised for the around-the-clock rescue in a remote and mountainous part of Chiang Rai province near the Laos and Myanmar borders.A team of American military personnel from the U.S. Pacific Command, including pararescue and survival specialists, arrived at the site overnight to help rescue operations, according to embassy spokeswoman Jillian Bonnardeaux."Operators are … [Read more...] about U.S. military joins search for Thailand soccer team missing in cave
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Assessing chances of U.S. military operation in Syria
There is no high probability of a U.S. military operation against Syria in the next week. However, the forecast may be changed in line with the dynamics of developments in the region. U.S. President's statement on Twitter on an upcoming missile strike emerged just ahead of his consultations with the Defense Secretary and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Thus, Donald Trump's message came against the lack of a specific action plan, calculations and risk assessment of the military campaign. The departure of the U.S. aircraft carrier group headed by USS Harry Truman from the Norfolk base in Virginia on April 11 gives grounds to count on its arrival in the Mediterranean in no earlier than six days. Accordingly, the start of the group's deployment in the area of operation may begin on April 17. The calculation indicates an inadequate assessment of its pace by first deputy chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the Armed Forces General Staff of the Russian Federation, who … [Read more...] about Assessing chances of U.S. military operation in Syria
Defense Minister understands U.S. military action in Syria
Minister Ank Bijleveld of Defense understands why the United States is threatening military action in Syria following what is believed to be a poison gas attack in Douma. "If diplomatic, economical and political measures are insufficient, the Netherlands understands a proportional military action in Syria", she said to Nieuwsuur. The United States and several other countries are convinced that the Syrian army used a chemical weapon in Douma on Saturday to try to drive out rebels, according to NOS. Russia is an ally of Syrian president Assad. Russia used its veto power in the UN Security Council to block an investigation into the use of chemical weapons in Douma. The U.S. and its allies were diametrically opposed to Russia. This conflict resulted in American president Donald Trump tweeting: "Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart'!" Bijleveld spoke to her American colleague James Mattis … [Read more...] about Defense Minister understands U.S. military action in Syria
U.S. Threatens Military Action Against Syria; Russia Warns Of ‘Grave’ Consequences
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to take military action against Syria over a suspected chemical weapons attack on Damascus civilians over the weekend, while Russia warned any such action would have "grave repercussions." Speaking at a meeting with U.S. military advisers late on April 9, Trump said "we're making a decision as to what we do with respect to the horrible attack that was made near Damascus...and it will be met forcefully." “We can’t let atrocities like we all witnessed...we can’t let that happen in our world...especially when we’re able to because of the power of the United States...we’re able to stop it.” "We have a lot of options militarily, and we'll be letting you know pretty soon. Probably after the fact," Trump said. Trump later conferred with French President Emmanuel Macron, and they agreed on the need for a "firm response" to the attack, Macron's office said. Trump had earlier said that Syrian allies Russia and Iran may … [Read more...] about U.S. Threatens Military Action Against Syria; Russia Warns Of ‘Grave’ Consequences
North Korea tells U.S. it is prepared to discuss denuclearization
North Korea has told the United States for the first time that it is prepared to discuss the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un meets President Donald Trump, a U.S. official said on Sunday. U.S. and North Korean officials have held secret contacts recently in which Pyongyang directly confirmed its willingness to hold the unprecedented summit, the official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. The communications, still at a preliminary stage, have involved State Department officials talking to North Korea apparently through its United Nations mission, and intelligence officers from both sides using a separate backchannel, the official said. Until now, the United States had relied mostly on ally South Korea’s assurance of Kim’s intentions. South Korean envoys visited Washington last month to convey Kim’s invitation to meet. Trump, who has exchanged bellicose threats with Kim in the past year, surprised the world by … [Read more...] about North Korea tells U.S. it is prepared to discuss denuclearization