Day: June 14, 2024

House passes $895 billion defense policy bill with 19.5% pay raise for junior troops

8:44 pm June 14, 2024

Congress’ annual defense policy bill passed the House on Friday after a week of voting on more than 300 amendments, during which conservatives scored several victories on diversity, critical race theory and gender surgeries. The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizes funding for military priorities across the Department of Defense and Department of Energy, with […]

Japan stands firm on Osprey flights despite US restrictions, defense chief says

8:33 pm June 14, 2024

Japan’s defense chief said Friday that Japanese and American V-22 Ospreys are being safely operated in his country, and that he has no plans to request a flight suspension despite restrictions in the U.S. where ongoing safety and performance assessments will continue until next year. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara said that Japanese and U.S. military […]

Supreme Court strikes down federal ban on bump stocks

8:23 pm June 14, 2024

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that a bump stock does not transform a firearm into an automatic weapon, striking down a federal rule that banned bump stocks. In a 6-3 decision, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote, “Congress has long restricted access to “‘machinegun[s],’” a category of firearms defined by the ability to “shoot, automatically more […]

Animal caretakers in Thailand ‘shocked’ after surprise birth of rare twin elephants

8:10 pm June 14, 2024

Buddhist monks in Thailand on Friday blessed twin baby elephants, one male and the other female, a week after their rare birth came close to being a tragedy. Their mother, Chamchuri, gave birth to the pair on the night of June 7 at a camp in Thailand’s ancient capital Ayutthaya, a popular tourist destination 50 […]

New Hampshire urges Lake Winnipesaukee visitors to avoid water due to ‘potentially dangerous’ algae blooms

7:41 pm June 14, 2024

New Hampshire officials issued two warnings of potentially dangerous algae blooms along parts of Lake Winnipesaukee, the state’s largest lake. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services said on Thursday it detected high concentrations of cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, at Carry and Brewster beaches in Wolfeboro and at 19-Mile Bay and Tuftonboro Neck […]