World

IWD: Biden Gives Two Women Generals Military Commands to Lead

Published

5 years ago

March 9, 2021

Eric

President Joe Biden on Monday announced the nomination of two women to lead US military commands, who will be only the second and third women to hold such senior military positions in the United States.

US Air Force General Jacqueline Van Ovost, the only woman to have reached the rank of four-star general, the military’s highest, was nominated to head Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM).

Three-star army general Laura Richardson was nominated to lead Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which covers Central and Latin America. She will also receive her fourth star.

If the Senate confirms their nominations, then Van Ovost and Richardson will follow Lori Robinson, who was the first woman to helm a military command. She led Northern Command (NORTHCOM) before retiring in 2018.

“Each of these women have led careers demonstrating incomparable skill, integrity and duty to country,” Biden said while presenting the two generals during a short speech at the White House.

“Today is International Women’s Day, and we all need to see and to recognize the barrier-breaking accomplishments of these women,” he added.

The US military has 11 commands, all led by four-star generals.

Last month, The New York Times reported that the Pentagon had decided on Van Ovost and Richardson’s nominations as early as last year.

But, according to the Times, the announcement was delayed until after the November presidential election because former defense secretary Mark Esper feared then-president Donald Trump would not approve the generals’ nomination due to their gender.

World

Trump Announces 5-Day Ceasefire on Strikes Against Iran, Opts for Talks

Published

1 week ago

March 23, 2026

Eric

President Trump said he suspended his plan to strike Iran’s power plants, citing what he called progress in negotiations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s Saturday ultimatum to launch attacks if Iran doesn’t open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours — and the Iranian threats to retaliate against electricity infrastructure in Israel and Gulf countries —raised the potential for a dramatic escalation.

The Hormuz crisis has become a key issue preventing Trump from ending the war. The exchange of threats exacerbated the crisis even more, rattling the global energy markets.

U.S. stock futures, which had been falling earlier in the morning, suddenly surged on Trump’s post, and oil prices fell.

In an all caps post on Truth Social on Monday morning Trump wrote that the U.S. and Iran have had “very good and productive conversation” over the last two days that focused on ending hostilities in the region.

“BASED ON THE TENOR AND TONE OF THESE IN DEPTH, DETAILED, AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS, WITCH WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS,” Trump wrote.

Iran’s foreign ministry said there had been no talks between Iran and the U.S., though some countries in the region were attempting to reduce tensions.

Source: axios.com

USA

Operation Epic Fury: I’m No Longer Interested in Nobel Peace Prize, Says Trump

Published

3 weeks ago

March 13, 2026

Eric

Trump, on Friday said that he is no longer “interested” in winning the Nobel Peace Prize, claiming he had “no idea” whether Operation Epic Fury would “get him over the finish line” with committee members in Oslo, Norway.

“I’m not interested in it,” Trump said in a phone call with the Washington Examiner, a conservative news publication.

Asked whether the subject had been broached in his recent conversations with foreign leaders, Trump said: “No, I don’t talk about the Nobel Prize.”

Trump frequently opined on his desire for the prize in the past. The winner of the 2025 prize, Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado, handed her prize to Trump in January in a meeting at the White House, a move the Nobel committee criticized.

Trump was clamoring for the Nobel as recently as January. In a social media post, he took credit for “single-handedly” ending eight wars — and yet “Norway, a NATO Member, foolishly chose not to give me the Noble Peace Prize.”

“But that doesn’t matter! What does matter is that I saved Millions of Lives,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

Source: nbcnews.com

World

World Cup 2026: Iran Tackles Trump, Says No One Can Exclude Us

Published

3 weeks ago

March 13, 2026

Eric

Iran says no one can exclude it from the World Cup later this year, in response to President Donald Trump’s warning that their “life and safety” would be at risk in the US.

The Iranian team also said in the social media post on Thursday that the United States should not be allowed to co-host the tournament if it could not guarantee the safety of the teams taking part.

Trump’s comments came just two days after he told FIFA chief Gianni Infantino the Iranian players would be welcome despite the Middle East war.

“The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup, but I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety,” Trump said on his Truth Social platform on Thursday.

Iran’s team responded: “The World Cup is a historic and international event and its governing body is FIFA — not any individual, country.

“Iran’s national team, with strength and a series of decisive victories achieved by the brave sons of Iran, was among the first teams to qualify for this major tournament.

“Certainly no one can exclude Iran’s national team from the World Cup; the only country that can be excluded is one that merely carries the title of ‘host’ yet lacks the ability to provide security for the teams participating in this global event.”

The war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on February 28, has thrown into doubt Iran’s participation at this summer’s tournament, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Trump later posted another message on his social media platform to emphasise that the event would be safe for players and spectators from around the world.

“The United States of America looks very much forward to hosting the FIFA World Cup,” Trump wrote. “Ticket sales are ‘through the roof!’”

AFP