U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has decided not to go to South Korea anymore. This comes after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol made a big mistake trying to declare martial law this week. Two U.S. officials told Reuters about this change, saying that while plans for the visit were being made, it was decided that now was not a good time for the trip. They also mentioned that they spoke with South Korea about changing the plans.
Austin plans to leave his job by January 20, when President-elect Donald Trump takes over. President Yoon’s decision to enforce martial law earlier this week aimed to take more control, limit political activities, and control the media. This upset many people and raised worries among South Korea’s allies.
South Korea’s Defense Minister, Kim Yong-hyun, who suggested the martial law plan, has stepped down. To help his political career, Yoon accepted Kim’s resignation and has chosen Choi Byung-hyuk, the ambassador to Saudi Arabia, as the new defense minister.
The United States keeps 28,500 troops in South Korea, a leftover from the Korean War fought from 1950 to 1953. General Paul LaCamera, who leads U.S. Forces-Korea, advised American soldiers to stay alert, avoid protest areas, and inform their superiors about any travel plans in case something unexpected happens.
Category: USA
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U.S. Defense Secretary Cancels South Korea Visit Amid Political Turmoil
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Police Hunt for Shooter in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s Murder
New York police are using facial recognition and forensic evidence to find the person who shot Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Thompson, 50, was shot on Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
People are paying a lot of attention to this case because Thompson was a well-known figure and the crime seemed strange. Investigators are focusing on a picture from a nearby Starbucks, hoping it will help them identify the shooter.
What Happened?
The shooting happened around 6:45 a.m. when Thompson was walking to the Hilton hotel to speak at an investor conference. The attacker was waiting and, dressed in a light brown or cream jacket with a black mask, shot Thompson multiple times in the back and leg. Even when the gun jammed, the shooter fixed it quickly and kept firing before running away.
There were early reports that the shooter rode away on a Citi Bike, but the bike company, Lyft, confirmed that no bike was used.
Key Clues: Starbucks and Bullet Casings
The police are checking video from the Starbucks where the suspect was seen buying something just before the attack. Even though the person was wearing a mask, part of their nose and eyes showed, which may help police match the face using facial recognition technology.
At the crime scene, police found three bullet casings and three live bullets with words like “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” written on them. They believe these messages might be a clue about why the shooting happened. A phone was also found nearby and is being checked for evidence. Thompson’s hotel room is also being searched for more clues.
Possible Reasons Behind the Attack
It’s unclear why Thompson was attacked. The shooter didn’t take any of Thompson’s things, so robbery isn’t thought to be the reason. Thompson’s wife mentioned that he had received threats before, but she couldn’t give specific details about them. In 2018, there was a suspicious incident at his home in Maple Grove, Minnesota, but police found no crime had occurred.
Attention and Ongoing Investigation
The murder of Thompson has caused a lot of worry, and police are working hard to gather evidence. They are asking anyone who knows something to come forward.
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Macron Decides Next Steps After Barnier’s No-Confidence Vote
Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, is in a tough spot after the Prime Minister, Michel Barnier, lost a no-confidence vote. This has made the country feel uncertain and worried. Macron now has to pick a new Prime Minister who can get support from at least 288 deputies to lead France effectively and handle important national issues.
Many people are wondering if Barnier will be nominated again, but that seems unlikely since he just lost a vote. Instead, Macron might consider Sébastien Lecornu, the former defense minister, as he is a strong option.
There’s also a chance that someone from the left-leaning party, La France Insoumise, could be chosen. This party has made it clear they would not support any Prime Minister who isn’t from their group.
So, will Macron make a smart choice for the next Prime Minister? The nation is waiting to see what he will do next.
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Pete Hegseth’s Personal Scandals Raise Questions as Defense Secretary Nominee
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Pete Hegseth as his nominee for Defense Secretary, but Hegseth is facing serious questions about his personal life. He has openly admitted to having five affairs during his first marriage to Meredith Schwarz, which ended in divorce in 2008, largely due to his cheating.
During that divorce, he was dating Samantha Deering, who became his second wife. Unfortunately, that marriage also ended in 2017 because Hegseth had a child with Jennifer Rauchet, a producer at Fox News. They married in 2019 at a Trump golf course in New Jersey. This history of infidelity has raised doubts about Hegseth’s character and whether he is fit to manage a massive defense budget of $900 billion and lead 1.3 million active-duty military personnel.
Additionally, there were claims of inappropriate behavior at a Republican women’s conference in 2017. Although Hegseth says the issue was looked into and cleared, it still leaves many wondering about his integrity. He is known for his conservative views, supporting Christian missions in the military and being critical of feminism and LGBT+ rights.
Due to these controversies, some lawmakers and critics are unsure about his nomination. Trump’s team was reportedly surprised by these details, including Hegseth’s earlier admission of personal mistakes during a family call in 2008.
As this situation unfolds, it could significantly impact the final decision on Hegseth’s role as Defense Secretary.
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Elon Musk’s xAI: Rapid Rise to a $50 Billion AI Powerhouse
Elon Musk’s company xAI is making waves in the world of artificial intelligence (AI). It reached a huge value of $50 billion just a year and four months after it started in July 2023. This is much faster than other companies like Anthropic, which is worth $19 billion, and Perplexity, worth $2.8 billion.
Big Achievements in a Short Time
– Valuation Milestone: In only 16 months, xAI became worth $50 billion. In comparison, OpenAI took over nine years to reach the same level.
– Funding Success: xAI raised $5 billion in its most recent round of funding. Big investors included Valor Equity Partners, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, and the Qatar Investment Authority.
– Building Powerful Computers: xAI bought 100,000 Nvidia chips to make its supercomputer, called Memphis. This computer can help develop AI technology quickly and supports Tesla’s Full Self-Driving features.
Building a Supercomputer Faster Than Ever
xAI created the Memphis supercomputer in just 19 days on an old factory site. This is incredible because similar projects usually take much longer—around three years to plan and over a year to build. The Memphis facility can hold 100,000 Nvidia GPUs, making it the fastest supercomputer in a single group.
Innovations Making xAI Stand Out
– AI Chatbot Grok: xAI made Grok, an AI chatbot inspired by “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Grok competes with other popular chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
– Smart Language Model: Grok runs on xAI’s special Grok-2 language model, which understands natural language very well.
– Training with Real Data: The social media platform X, created by Elon Musk, helps train Grok. It uses real-time user interactions to improve how Grok responds.
xAI’s fast growth shows how smart its strategies are for getting money, building powerful technology, and creating cool products. The company aims to keep expanding its AI skills with more technology investments and improvements.
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Joe Biden Pardons Son Hunter: A Controversial Move Explained
On December 1, President Joe Biden decided to pardon his son, Hunter Biden, lifting tax and gun-related charges against him. This came even after Joe had previously promised not to get involved with the Justice Department’s work. The pardon was issued just weeks before Hunter was supposed to be sentenced for his legal troubles.
Hunter Biden, aged 54, had been under investigation since December 2020, mostly about his business dealings in China. Reports showed that he failed to pay around $1.4 million in taxes and was caught up in a gun-related case. In June 2024, a court found him guilty of lying when he bought a gun, claiming he wasn’t addicted to drugs, while there was cocaine in his gun pouch.
Hunter Biden’s pardon covers any offenses from January 1, 2014, to December 1, 2024. After the pardon, his legal team released a document saying these legal issues were politically motivated, meant to attack Joe Biden during his presidential campaign.
Joe Biden defending his decision, explaining that he believed Hunter was treated unfairly due to pressure from his political enemies. In his statement, he said, “These charges only came about because my political opponents wanted to hurt me.” -
Trump’s FBI Shake-Up: Who is Kash Patel?
Donald Trump wants to make big changes to the FBI by bringing in Kash Patel as its new leader. Many Republican senators support Trump’s decision, but they have different views on whether Patel is the right choice.
Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa, who will lead the Senate Judiciary Committee when Republicans take charge in January, said Patel needs to show Congress that he can help rebuild trust in the FBI. However, Patel doesn’t have the experience that past FBI directors had, like Robert Mueller or Christopher Wray, who is the current director.
Trump’s announcement means Wray may have to resign or be fired when Trump starts his new term on January 20, 2025. Senator Mike Rounds from South Dakota said every president wants loyal people but praised Wray as a good man, questioning why change is needed.
Some Republicans support Patel. Senator Bill Hagerty from Tennessee said Patel could help clean up the FBI, which he believes has serious issues. He thinks Patel has the experience to make the needed changes.
During Trump’s first term, Patel worked with important government committees, helping uncover claims about Russia interfering in the election. Trump said Patel stands for truth and accountability.
Patel wants to remove government workers who he feels are disloyal to Trump. He believes the Justice Department needs a major makeover, aiming to have allies in power who will support rather than criticize the president.
Grassley criticized Wray for not doing his job well and called for more transparency at the FBI. Senator Ted Cruz from Texas thinks Patel is a strong candidate who would bring real change.
On the other hand, Democrats are against Patel becoming FBI director. Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut says Patel’s only skill is agreeing with Trump to go after political opponents. -
US Universities Urge Early Return for Foreign Students Before Trump’s Inauguration
Many universities in the U.S. are telling foreign students, especially those from India, to come back from their winter holidays before January 20, when Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated as President. The schools worry there might be travel bans and stricter checks at airports once he takes office.
Even though Indian students with valid visas are generally safe, school officials want to play it safe. They are concerned because Trump mentioned during his campaign that he could carry out the biggest deportations of illegal immigrants in U.S. history.
This caution comes at a time when more Indian students are studying in the U.S. than Chinese students for the first time. From 2023 to 2024, there were 330,000 Indian students on U.S. campuses compared to 270,000 from China.
To help students, some schools have changed their schedules. For example, a data science student at Willamette University in Oregon said his classes usually start a week after New Year, but this year they begin on January 2. “Professors said it would be risky to return after the first weekend of January,” he shared, noting the stress.
Yale University even held a special meeting to ease students’ worries. One student there explained, “This was just to help avoid any problems at airports or with flight bookings.”
S Sarsan, an economics student at the University of Massachusetts, originally planned to return on January 10 but had to change his ticket. “Tickets right after the winter break are expensive. I had to pay nearly Rs. 35,000 more. Professors warned us that there could be big checks on security and our papers,” he said, emphasizing the importance of being back early to avoid issues.
The University of Massachusetts mentioned past travel bans during Trump’s first term in 2016 as a reason for this warning. They stated on their website, “We are being very careful.”
Students at other schools, like the University of Memphis and Wesleyan University, also received similar advice. A professor at Wesleyan who didn’t want to be named said, “Even if our students are legally in the U.S., we want to keep them safe and avoid any trouble.”
Balaji K, the provost at the University of Memphis, said they understand students are nervous about possible changes in immigration rules. “Students are overwhelmed by uncertainty. They’re worried about sudden policy changes that might affect their ability to work after graduating. We reassure them they have the right papers, and the university is here to help if any issues come up,” he added
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Kamala Harris Leads in 2028 Polling: What’s Next for Her Future?
A new survey from Emerson Polling in November shows that Kamala Harris, the U.S. Vice President, is the top choice for Democrats in the race for the 2028 Presidential election, with 37% support. California Governor Gavin Newsom is next with only 7%, while Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has about 4%.
For Republicans, Vice President-elect JD Vance is leading with 30%, followed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy, who each have more than 5%. The survey allowed people to write in their choices instead of using set options, which means names like Rep. Rashida Tlaib and former First Lady Michelle Obama were also mentioned.
Kamala Harris is thinking about her future and might consider running for governor in California or another Presidential bid. She has told her team that she plans to keep her options open and will decide on her next steps during the winter holidays. A former aide mentioned that Kamala Harris could use this time to travel and connect with supporters, while also strengthening her political ties.