Tensions are mounting on the Korean Peninsula as South Korea and the United States prepare for key annual joint military drills amid increasing nuclear threats from North Korea. The exercises, scheduled for Aug. 19-29, are designed to improve defenses against missile strikes, GPS jamming and cyber threats. North Korea often perceives these drills as preparations…

A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck off of the southern coast of Japan on Thursday, Aug. 8, prompting tsunami worries and concerns a larger quake could happen in the future. Scientists disclosed that after this most recent earthquake, there is a 70%-80% chance of a magnitude 8 or 9 earthquake striking the region within the…

The U.S. Marine Corps just took delivery of its newest amphibian vessel: the ACV-30. The eight-wheeled combat fighting vehicle is a key part of the Marine Corps’ plan for combat in the Pacific, if the need arises. Built by BAE systems and Iveco, the ACV-30 can launch from the open sea, sail up to 12…

Japan is reportedly facing an unusual problem: too many tourists. Foreigners are flocking to the country in record numbers in the first half of 2024, with 17.78-million foreigners visiting the country. The added tourism brought around $11.4 billion to Japan’s economy in the first quarter of 2024. The record-number of visitors is largely attributed to…

United States Forces Japan is getting a glow up, and Japan couldn’t be happier about it. After a meeting between the U.S. secretaries of State and Defense and their Japanese counterparts, the four leaders announced a plan to upgrade the headquarters of U.S. military personnel in Japan to a joint force headquarters. “This will be…

Investors slammed the sell button the morning of Monday, Aug. 5, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average sliding more than 1,000 points before the opening bell. The tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 6% while the S&P 500 was down more than 4% before the stock market opened. The global sell-off started overseas in Japan with the Nikkei…

The new acting director of the Secret Service is set to answer questions from lawmakers about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. And McDonald’s reports its first sales decline in more than three years. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, July 30, 2024. Secret Service acting director to testify on Trump…

It’s no secret the United States spends extraordinary sums on the military. Congress approved an $824 billion budget for the Pentagon for 2024. However, not all that money goes to good use.  “How much do you think the Air Force pays for this bag of bushings?” Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., asked Air Force Secretary Frank…

This year’s Rim of the Pacific exercises — more commonly known as RIMPAC — saw several notable accomplishments. RIMPAC is the world’s largest maritime warfare exercise, designed to prepare the U.S. and its allies for war in one of the most massive places on the planet: the Pacific Ocean. RIMPAC 2024 saw 25,000 warfighters from…

Danish police arrested anti-whaling activist Paul Watson, who starred in the Animal Planet series “Whale Wars,” in Greenland. Watson could face extradition to Japan to face charges for something that happened a decade ago. Danish police detained the activist in Nuuk, Greenland, on a Japanese international warrant on Sunday, July 21. The arrest happened immediately…