AFP USA

Israel carried out strikes against Iran on Friday, targeting its nuclear and military sites, and killing the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and top nuclear scientists.Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel it faced a “bitter and painful” fate over the attack, which also killed a senior Guards commander according to Iranian media.The United States underlined that it was not involved in the Israeli action, and warned Tehran not to attack its personnel or interests.Israel’s operation struck at the “heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme”, taking aim at the atomic facility in Natanz and nuclear scientists, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.The operation against Iran will “continue as many days as it takes,” Netanyahu said.Iran’s Revolutionary Guards leader Hossein Salami was killed in the strikes, said Iranian media Tasnim.Iran’s Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri was also “likely eliminated”, said an Israeli security official.Iranian state media said residential buildings in Tehran were hit as well, killing a number of civilians including women and children.Air traffic was halted at Tehran’s main international airport Imam Khomeini, while neighbouring Iraq has also closed its airspace and suspended all flights at all airports, state media reported.Israel declared a state of emergency, likewise closing its airspace, with Defence Minister Israel Katz anticipating retaliatory action from Tehran.”Following the State of Israel’s preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future,” Katz said.An Israeli military official added that the Israeli army believed that Iran had the ability to strike Israel “any minute”.- ‘Might blow’ deal -Oil prices surged 12 percent while stocks sank on the Israeli strikes, which came after US President Donald Trump’s warning of a “massive conflict” in the region. Trump had also said the United States was drawing down staff in the Middle East, after Iran threatened to target US military bases in the region if conflict breaks out.”I don’t want to say imminent, but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen,” Trump told reporters at the White House Thursday when asked if an Israeli attack loomed. Trump said he believed a “pretty good” deal on Iran’s nuclear programme was “fairly close”, but said that an Israeli attack on its arch foe could wreck the chances of an agreement.The US leader did not disclose the details of a conversation on Monday with Netanyahu, but said: “I don’t want them going in, because I think it would blow it.”Trump quickly added: “Might help it actually, but it also could blow it.”Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Iran not respond to Israeli strikes by hitting US bases, saying Washington was not involved.”Let me be clear: Iran should not target US interests or personnel,” Rubio said in a statement.Prior to Friday’s attack, Iran had threatened to hit US bases in the Middle East if conflict were to erupt.”All its bases are within our reach, we have access to them, and without hesitation we will target all of them in the host countries,” Iran’s Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said this week.Following Israel’s strikes, the UN’s nuclear watchdog said it was “closely monitoring” the situation.”The agency is in contact with Iranian authorities regarding radiation levels. We are also in contact with our inspectors in the country,” International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Grossi said.- ‘Extremist’ -Israel, which counts on US military and diplomatic support, sees Iran as an existential threat and hit its air defences last year.Netanyahu has vowed less restraint since the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Tehran-backed Hamas, which triggered the massive Israeli offensive in Gaza.Since the Hamas attack, Iran and Israel have traded direct attacks for the first time.The United States and other Western countries, along with Israel, have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it has repeatedly denied.Israel again called for global action after the IAEA accused Iran on Wednesday of non-compliance with its obligations. The agency’s resolution could lay the groundwork for European countries to invoke a “snapback” mechanism, which expires in October, that would reinstate UN sanctions eased under a 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by then US president Barack Obama.Trump pulled out of the deal in his first term and slapped Iran with sweeping sanctions.Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, slammed the resolution as “extremist” and blamed Israeli influence.In response to the resolution, Iran said it would launch a new enrichment centre in a secure location.Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close, though still short, of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead.

Scale AI announced a “significant” new investment by Meta late Thursday that values the startup at more than $29 billion and puts its founder to work for the tech titan.Scale AI founder and chief executive Alexandr Wang will join Meta to work on the tech giant’s own artificial intelligence efforts as part of the deal, according to the startup.Meta was reportedly pouring more than $10 billion into San Francisco-based Scale AI, and acquires its 28-year-old CEO amid fierce competition in the AI race with rivals such as OpenAI, Google and Microsoft.Scale AI works with business, governments and labs to exploit the benefits of artificial intelligence, according to the startup.”Meta’s investment recognizes Scale’s accomplishments to date and reaffirms that our path forward — like that of AI — is limitless,” Wang said in a release.”Scale bridges the gap between human values and technology to help our customers realize AI’s full potential.”Scale AI will use the infusion of capital to accelerate innovation and strengthen partnerships, along with distributing proceeds to equity holders, according to the startup.Meta will hold a minority stake in Scale AI after the investment deal closes.Tech industry veteran and investor Jason Droege, a co-founder of Uber Eats food delivery platform, will take over as chief of Scale AI, according to the company.”Scale has led the charge in accelerating AI development,” Droege said in a release.”We have built the strongest foundation to tackle AI’s data challenges and push the boundaries of what’s possible.”Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg recently touted the tech firm’s generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) assistant, telling shareholders it is used by a billion people each month across its platforms.

Scott Konopasek, a decorated US veteran, has gone from defending his country to protesting the government, angered by deep budget cuts hurting former members of the military.Wearing a US Army cap, the former intelligence officer voiced frustration and outrage at the impact of the Donald Trump administration’s dramatic overhaul of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).”I’m just very disappointed in my country,” he told AFP at a recent demonstration in Washington for veterans’ rights.Having served in the US Army for 15 years, including being decorated for his service during the Gulf War, Konopasek is entitled to free health care through the VA.That has long been a coveted perk in a country where private insurance can be extremely expensive.But Konopasek said he cannot “get appointments anymore for my medical treatment.””The system has been broken,” he said, his voice cracking and tears welling in his eyes.The VA — the second largest US government agency after the Defense Department — not only ensures that veterans can access health care, but also free university education and pensions.In May, department head Douglas Collins announced a drastic restructuring of the institution, which employs some 500,000 people — 90 percent of them in the health sector.A leaked internal memo indicated 15 percent of VA staff would be let go, sparking outrage among former military members.- Privatization of care -Making matters worse, veterans were simultaneously being hit with cuts demanded by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), until recently run by Elon Musk.While they represent 6.1 percent of the US population, veterans constitute a quarter of federal employees, according to Jamie Rowen, a professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.Joe Plenzler, who served as a US Marine for two decades, insisted the veterans dismissed by DOGE were “patriotic Americans.””Many of them… are serving their country for a second time,” he said.”For them to be fired and then maligned on the way out the door… is an insult.”Another cause for concern, Rowen said, is that “Project 2025” — a blueprint for reshaping the government published by a conservative think tank two years ago in anticipation of a Trump win — called to “privatize healthcare at the VA.”But, “the quality of care by those private providers is not as good as the VA,” the professor stressed.This would be “bad for veterans. It’s more expensive, the wait times are longer and the quality of care is lower.”Ydelka Schrock, a 47-year-old veteran from Maryland who served until 2001, also criticized the shift.”I don’t think what they’re doing to the VA and to the veterans who have fought for our country is right,” she told AFP at the protest.”My husband is also a veteran, and he’s disabled” due to his service as a parachuter, she said, insisting his medical benefits “shouldn’t go away.”Schrock also fears that staff shortages could “make it harder for other veterans” to access the benefits they need.- ‘Losers and suckers’ -Trump’s repeated derogatory remarks about veterans also riled up some of the protesters.He at times clashed with military brass during his 2017-2021 first term, and in 2020 The Atlantic magazine reported he had referred to fallen troops as “losers” and “suckers” — something he denied.”These men and women serve honorably, and now they’re being abandoned… thrown under the bus,” said John Tyler, a 76-year-old veteran who served during the Vietnam war.The betrayal was particularly egregious coming from “a man who didn’t serve (in the military)… a coward,” he told AFP at the Washington protest.Tyler, an African American, and Schrock, who is Hispanic, both slammed the Trump administration’s treatment of minorities in the military and its general attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.”Less people are going to want to serve a government that is not standing for the people to begin with,” Schrock said.She said she would be protesting again Saturday, when Trump hosts a military parade in Washington to celebrate the US Army’s 250th anniversary, and his own 79th birthday.Schrock refused to lose hope. “We’re a rebellious country, a rebellious people,” she said with a smile.

A judge has ordered Donald Trump to return control of the California National Guard to the state, saying the president’s decision to deploy them to protest-hit Los Angeles over Governor Gavin Newsom’s objections was “illegal.””His actions were illegal … He must therefore return control of the California National Guard to the Governor of the State of California forthwith,” US District Judge Charles Breyer wrote of the president in the ruling, seen by AFP.However, he paused the order until 12 pm local time (1900 GMT) Friday — and the White House almost immediately launched an appeal that could make it all the way to the Supreme Court.”Donald Trump will be relieved of his command at noon tomorrow,” Newsom said in televised comments after the ruling was issued.”He is not a monarch, he is not a king, and he should stop acting like one,” the 57-year-old Democrat said.Trump’s decision to federalize the National Guard — a reserve force — and deploy them in California over the objection of the state governor was one not taken by a US president since 1965.The Republican has argued he did so because protests in Los Angeles against immigration raids ordered by his administration had gotten out of control, and the city was “burning.”But Newsom and local law enforcement have stated repeatedly that there was no need for the deployment, and the protests have been mostly peaceful and contained to a few city blocks — albeit tarnished by some spectacular violence, including the torching of several cars.Critics have accused Trump — who also deployed 700 active Marines to the sprawling city — of exaggerating the crisis and exceeding his authority to conduct a power grab. Breyer’s 36-page opinion said the violence fell “far short” of the “rebellion” Trump described to justify calling in the guardsmen. There was “no evidence of organized, as apart from sporadic or impromptu, violence” during the protests, which first broke out in Los Angeles on Friday, he said.”Nor is there evidence that any of the violent protesters were attempting to overthrow the government as a whole; the evidence is overwhelming that protesters gathered to protest a single issue — the immigration raids.”Breyer also wrote that he was “troubled” by the implication that “protest against the federal government, a core civil liberty protected by the First Amendment, can justify a finding of rebellion.”There was no immediate reaction from the White House to the ruling.

Israel carried out “preemptive” strikes against Iran on Friday, targeting its nuclear plant and military sites, after US President Donald Trump warned of a possible “massive conflict” in the region. Explosions were heard Friday morning in the Iranian capital, state TV reported, adding that Iran’s air defence were at “100 percent operational capacity”.Israel declared a state of emergency, with Defence Minister Israel Katz saying that retaliatory action from Tehran was possible following the operation.”Following the State of Israel’s preemptive strike against Iran, a missile and drone attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate future,” Katz said.Oil prices surged as much as 6 percent on the strikes, which came after Trump warned of a possible Iranian attack and said the US was drawing down staff in the region.”I don’t want to say imminent, but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen,” Trump told reporters at the White House Thursday when asked if an Israeli attack loomed. Trump said he believed a “pretty good” deal on Iran’s nuclear programme was “fairly close”, but said that an Israeli attack on its arch foe could wreck the chances of an agreement.The US leader did not disclose the details of a conversation on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but said: “I don’t want them going in, because I think it would blow it.”Trump quickly added: “Might help it actually, but it also could blow it.”A US official said there had been no US involvement in the Israeli strikes on Iran.– ‘Extremist’ –The United States on Wednesday said it was reducing embassy staff in Iraq — long a zone of proxy conflict with Iran.Israel, which counts on US military and diplomatic support, sees the cleric-run state in Tehran as an existential threat and hit Iranian air defences last year.Netanyahu has vowed less restraint since the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Tehran-backed Hamas, which triggered the massive Israeli offensive in Gaza.The United States and other Western countries, along with Israel, have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it has repeatedly denied.Israel again called for global action after the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) accused Iran on Wednesday of non-compliance with its obligations. The resolution could lay the groundwork for European countries to invoke a “snapback” mechanism, which expires in October, that would reinstate UN sanctions eased under a 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by then US president Barack Obama.Trump pulled out of the deal in his first term and slapped Iran with sweeping sanctions.Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, slammed the resolution as “extremist” and blamed Israeli influence.In response to the resolution, Iran said it would launch a new enrichment centre in a secure location.Iran would also replace “all of these first-generation machines with sixth-generation advanced machines” at the Fordo uranium enrichment plant, said Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close, though still short, of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead.

California’s stand-off with President Donald Trump’s administration ratcheted up Thursday, after a sitting US senator was handcuffed and forcibly removed from a press conference on immigration raids that have spurred days of protests.The shocking incident, which came after the Republican president sent troops into Los Angeles over the objections of local and state officials, was swiftly slammed by furious Democrats who said it “reeks of totalitarianism.”Video footage shows Senator Alex Padilla, a Democrat, being pushed from the room at a federal building in Los Angeles as he tried to ask Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about the raids.”I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,” he said as two men grappled with him in front of journalists, including from AFP.Footage filmed by Padilla’s staff outside the room shows the senator being pushed to the ground and handcuffed.Democratic-led California is currently embroiled in battles with the White House on several fronts, with Governor Gavin Newsom branding Trump “dictatorial” as his lawyers prepared to face off with the administration over the deployment of 4,700 troops to the city.”If this is how this administration responds to a senator with a question… you can only imagine what they’re doing to farm workers, to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community,” Padilla told reporters later at a press conference.The incident “reeks of totalitarianism,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said, calling for an investigation.”Trump and his shock troops are out of control,” Newsom posted on social media, while Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the incident “abhorrent.”The White House hit back, claiming it was a “theater-kid stunt” and claiming without evidence that Padilla “lunged toward Secretary Noem.”Noem slammed Padilla’s interruption as “inappropriate.” A Homeland Security spokesman said she later met with the senator for 15 minutes.Noem was addressing reporters after almost a week of protests in Los Angeles ignited by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.The mostly-peaceful demonstrations have been marred by some eye-catching violence, with cars torched and rocks thrown at police officers.Trump, who has repeatedly exaggerated the scale of the unrest, deployed 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 US Marines.Critics have accused him of a power grab and a judge was set to review the deployments’ legality. Trump took credit Thursday for making Los Angeles “safe and sound.”Anger at Trump’s crackdown and the use of masked, armed immigration agents, backed by uniformed soldiers, is spreading to other cities. Nationwide protests were planned for Saturday.- ‘Fear and terror’ -A federal judge in San Francisco was set to hear arguments on whether use of the troops is constitutional, with Newsom alleging the president “is creating fear and terror.”Trump on Thursday said Newsom — seen as a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 — had “totally lost control of the situation” and should thank him for “saving his ass.”California also sued Trump’s administration Thursday over his move to scrap the state’s tailpipe emission rules and its drive to phase out gas-powered cars.Trump was elected last year after campaigning on a promise to launch historic mass deportations.But with his mounting crackdown rippling through industries heavily reliant on immigrant labor — such as farming, construction and hospitality — Trump said he had heard employers’ complaints and hinted at a forthcoming policy shift.”We’re going to have an order on that pretty soon, I think. We can’t do that to our farmers — and leisure too, hotels,” he said.Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke up Thursday, saying she had told a visiting US official that “we didn’t agree with the use of raids to detain people working honestly in the United States.”Protests also took place in Spokane, Seattle, Tucson, Las Vegas, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Milwaukee, Chicago, Atlanta, and Boston, according to US media.A nationwide “No Kings” movement was expected on Saturday, the same day Trump attends a highly unusual military parade in the US capital.The parade, featuring warplanes and tanks, has been organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the US Army but also happens to be on the day of Trump’s 79th birthday.

President Donald Trump warned Thursday that Israel may soon strike Iran’s nuclear sites, but urged the key US ally to hold off as he stressed his commitment to a diplomatic solution.Tensions have soared in the region in the last two days with Trump warning of a “massive conflict” and drawing down US staff. Tehran meanwhile defiantly vowed to increase its output of enriched uranium — a key sticking point in talks with Washington — after being censured by the UN’s atomic watchdog.”I don’t want to say imminent, but it looks like it’s something that could very well happen,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if an Israeli attack loomed.Trump said he believed a “pretty good” deal on Iran’s nuclear program was “fairly close,” but said that an Israeli attack on its arch-foe could wreck the chances of an agreement.The US leader did not disclose the details of a conversation on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but said: “I don’t want them going in, because I think it would blow it.”Trump quickly added: “Might help it actually, but it also could blow it.”News outlet Axios reported that Trump had said the United States would not participate in any strikes.- US troops in crosshairs -Trump later appeared to want tensions dialed down in a post on social media, while insisting that Iran must “give up hopes” of developing a nuclear weapon.”We remain committed to a Diplomatic Resolution to the Iran Nuclear Issue! My entire Administration has been directed to negotiate with Iran,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.Tensions have rapidly escalated in the past few days amid growing speculation that Israel could push ahead with air strikes on Iran.Trump’s Middle East pointman Steve Witkoff is set to hold a sixth round of talks with Iran on Sunday in Oman, which has mediated efforts towards a nuclear deal so far.But Iran has also ramped up rhetorical pressure before the talks, including with a threat to strike American bases in the region if the negotiations break down and conflict erupts.”If the talks fail, the risk of military escalation becomes much more immediate,” said Hamidreza Azizi, a visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.The United States on Wednesday said it was reducing embassy staff in Iraq — long a zone of proxy conflict with Iran.Israel, which counts on US military and diplomatic support, sees the cleric-run state in Tehran as an existential threat and hit Iranian air defenses last year.Netanyahu has vowed less restraint since the unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Tehran-backed Hamas, which triggered the massive Israeli offensive in Gaza.- ‘Non-compliance’ -The United States and other Western countries, along with Israel, have repeatedly accused Iran of seeking a nuclear weapon, which it has repeatedly denied.Israel again called for global action after the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) accused Iran on Wednesday of non-compliance with its obligations. The resolution could lay the groundwork for European countries to invoke a “snapback” mechanism, which expires in October, that would reinstate UN sanctions eased under a 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by then US president Barack Obama.Trump pulled out of the deal in his first term and slapped Iran with sweeping sanctions.Iran’s nuclear chief, Mohammad Eslami, slammed the resolution as “extremist” and blamed Israeli influence.In response to the resolution, Iran said it would launch a new enrichment center in a secure location.Iran would also replace “all of these first-generation machines with sixth-generation advanced machines” at the Fordo uranium enrichment plant, said Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran.Iran currently enriches uranium to 60 percent, far above the 3.67-percent limit set in the 2015 deal and close, though still short, of the 90 percent needed for a nuclear warhead.

The devastating Air India crash seems certain to embroil Boeing in further rounds of negative headlines at a time when it has shown progress under new leadership.Shares of the American plane manufacturer finished down nearly five percent Thursday as the pope, King Charles and the president of India expressed sorrow over the Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 242 people.”Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad,” said Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, adding in a statement that he told Air India’s chairman Boeing would support the probe.The calamity, the first deadly crash of a 787, comes just before Ortberg and other aerospace leaders converge at Le Bourget Airport for next week’s Paris Air Show.Prior to Thursday, industry insiders expected the focus at Le Bourget to include the aviation sector’s adaptation to trade tensions, the latest state-of-the-art flying technologies and the outlook for any improvement in the supply chain that has slowed deliveries from Boeing and rival Airbus.But the crash is also certain to be a major topic of conversation, as well as a source of speculation and sobriety.”A week from now there probably will be one or two operating hypothesis of what happened that people at the show and the public will be talking about,” said Morningstar analyst Nicolas Owens. Only time will tell what the accident means for Boeing, but Owens still expects the company to rack up additional 787 orders next week in Paris.”It’s highly improbable that people conclude that it’s a systemic problem with the engine or the plane,” he said.- MAX crashes different -Air India’s flight 171 issued a mayday call and crashed “immediately after takeoff,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation said.British and US investigators were en route to western India for an investigation expected to involve reviews of flight data, maintenance records and the background of the crew. “When an international incident occurs, that government leads the investigation,” said the US Federal Aviation Administration.The ill-fated plane was delivered to Air India in 2014 and had more than 41,000 hours of flying time, according to consultancy Cirium.That makes Thursday’s tragedy different from the two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that involved planes Boeing had only recently delivered to airlines.A central factor in both MAX crashes was the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), a flight handling system that badly malfunctioned, pointing to design flaws.The MAX crashes plunged Boeing into a years-long slump extended by fresh safety problems early in 2024. Boeing has reported annual losses the last six years.Since introducing the Dreamliner into service in 2011, Boeing has had to do some reworks, mainly due to assembly faults and manufacturing quality issues.The plane was also scrutinized in an April 2024 US Senate hearing that aired criticism from a whistleblower who testified that he was blackballed after reporting serious manufacturing defects on the 787 and the 777.Attorneys representing the whistleblower, Sam Salehpour, called on the FAA to release its findings about the allegations.”The FAA must assure the public that the Boeing 787 is safe,” said attorney Lisa Banks.”While it may take months or years to determine the cause of today’s tragic Air India crash, we know that there is an important report sitting on a desk at the FAA about the 787 that needs to become public.”On May 29, Ortberg told a financial conference that the recent approval by US aviation authorities to allow increased 787 output was “an important milestone” in the company’s comeback.Ortberg, who relocated to Seattle to be closer to key manufacturing operations, has generally won plaudits from aviation watchers since joining in August 2024, navigating Boeing through a labor strike and joining President Donald Trump’s Middle East delegation.Richard Aboulafia, managing director at consultancy AeroDynamic Advisory, said there is no indication of a 787 design flaw. “There’s inevitably fear,” Aboulafia said of Thursday’s stock market reaction.”It’s a tragedy but it’s unlikely to affect perceptions of the 787 because there’s nothing known at this point and it’s got a very good record,” he said.But Briefing.com called the crash “another significant blow to Boeing’s reputation as it competes fiercely with Airbus, which has outsold Boeing in aircraft orders for the past five years and could further erode investor and customer trust in the company’s ability to deliver safe, reliable aircraft.”

After protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles, President Donald Trump took the contentious step of mobilizing thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of US Marines in response.While the use of the National Guard against the California governor’s wishes is significant, in general these military personnel are trained for rapid response to emergencies within the United States.- Military reserve force -The National Guard is a military reserve force within the United States Armed Forces, meaning that most of its members serve part-time while holding civilian jobs or conducting other activities.As a response force, the National Guard can be mobilized rapidly to address emergency situations on US soil, typically natural disasters. When needed, National Guard units can also be activated for deployments into combat zones, especially if the United States is at war.Unlike branches of the US military, the National Guard performs both state- and federal-level functions, and is organized into groupings based in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the US territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands.As a state-based force, generally it is the governor of a state or territory who activates and commands the National Guard when needed.However, in some situations the National Guard can be “federalized” by the president, bringing it under the president’s control until the specific federal mission has ended — as is the case in Los Angeles currently.The latest budget from the Department of Defense authorizes 433,000 National Guard personnel in total, split across the Air National Guard and Army National Guard.This means that compared to other components of the US military, the National Guard is second only to the US Army in terms of size.- Emergency response -National Guard members are typically deployed during emergencies such as natural disasters at the request of governors and based on specific provisions in each state’s laws.In the aftermath of events like hurricanes, wildfires, and floods, state National Guards are often called on to help evacuate dangerous areas, deliver supplies to places that would otherwise be cut off, or provide specialist equipment needed to clear hazardous debris.The largest National Guard deployment in recent years was during the COVID-19 pandemic, where troops helped construct and staff emergency care facilities, transport health supplies around the country, and coordinate other logistics.Outside of a natural disaster, deployment of the guard can be ordered in emergencies created by the breakdown of public order — the provision that Trump controversially invoked when sending troops to California.- History with protest -The use of the National Guard to manage public unrest is not unique to Trump, even if the current deployment is unusual.During the widespread Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, more than half of US states activated National Guard troops to maintain order and help enforce curfews.Before that, they were also deployed to LA in 1992 to respond to riots that occurred after police officers who had beaten motorist Rodney King were acquitted at trial.At that time, riots, looting and arson attacks had spread across the city, with dozens of people killed and thousands injured.The National Guard was deployed during the 1950s and 60s Civil Rights era to help enforce school desegregation, following the Supreme Court’s landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling.In one of the force’s darkest moments, in May 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard clashed with anti-war protesters at Kent State University. As unrest swelled, the troops opened fire, killing four unarmed students.The shootings sparked outrage, but also led to reform of the guard’s use-of-force guidelines.

US President Donald Trump’s dream of hosting a grand military parade in Washington on his 79th birthday on Saturday could be clouded by thunderstorms.Forecasters say there is a threat of lightning at the same time as nearly 6,000 troops, 50 helicopters and 150 armored vehicles are meant to roll through the capital, watched by thousands of spectators.The Republican has been unlucky with the weather before, as freezing conditions meant that his inauguration for a second term in January had to be held indoors and a parade was canceled.The White House vowed that a “historic celebration” of the US army’s 250th birthday would go on even if there were “changes” due to the weather.”Any changes to the Army Birthday Parade will be announced by the Department of Defense or America 250 Commission,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement to AFP.”No matter what, a historic celebration of our military servicemembers will take place!”The army and the America 250 Commission, which is responsible for arranging the parade, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.Hundreds of anti-Trump “No Kings” rallies are planned on Saturday in cities across the United States — although not in Washington — in protest against what critics call the president’s growing authoritarianism.- ‘Very big force’ -The rare military parade, the largest since the end of the Gulf War in 1991, comes after Trump sent National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles following protests.Trump said on a visit to an army base on Tuesday that “we want to show off a little bit” with the parade, and vowed “very big force” if protesters try to disrupt it.The army says the event could cost up to $45 million.Nearly 7,000 soldiers will take part, wearing a variety of uniforms including some that date back through all of America’s major wars since the Revolutionary War against Britain.Roaring overhead will be more than 50 helicopters including Apache gunships, giant twin-rotor Chinook transport choppers and sleek Black Hawks.Around 150 military vehicles — including 28 M1A1 Abrams battle tanks, 28 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and 28 Stryker eight-wheel vehicles — will rumble past too.The route will take them past historic landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, ending up near the White House.The parade is meant to end with a parachute display as the army’s Golden Knights team jump in and present Trump with a US flag.- ‘Believe in democracy’ -The event is being held on Flag Day, which celebrates the Stars and Stripes — but it also coincides with Trump’s own birthday.Long fascinated with military pomp, Trump has openly envied the military spectacles seen in cities from Paris to Moscow and Pyongyang ever since his first term as president.Trump has been particularly obsessed with having a parade since his first term as president when he attended France’s annual Bastille Day parade in Paris at the invitation of president Emmanuel Macron in 2017.”One of the greatest parades I have ever seen,” Trump said shortly afterwards. “Because of what I witnessed, we may do something like that.” Back then he was put off by the huge cost — an estimated $92 million — and warnings that heavy tanks could damage Washington’s streets. But after his return to the White House in January, Trump would not be dissuaded again. This time, the army says metal plates will protect the roads from damageSuch displays of military might remain rare in the United States.”We were founded by a group of merchants and farmers who were tired of a standing army invading their streets in the name of keeping them safe,” Peter Loge, director of George Washington University’s School of Media, told AFP.”We’ve always looked down on grand military parades in Russia across Red Square or in North Korea, because we’re not like that. We’re Americans, and we believe in democracy, not in military shows of force.”