The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits slipped last week. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims fell by 5,000 to 238,000 from a 10-month high of 243,000 the week before. The four-week average of claims, which evens out weekly ups and downs, rose by 5,500 to 232,750, highest since September. Weekly unemployment claims — a proxy for layoffs — remain at low levels by historical standards, a sign that most Americans enjoy unusual job security.
President Vladimir Putin is in North Korea for a summit with its leader, Kim Jong Un, as the two nations deepen their cooperation. The visit comes amid growing concerns about an arrangement in which Pyongyang provides Moscow with badly needed munitions to fuel Russia’s war in Ukraine in exchange for economic assistance and technology to enhance the threat posed by Kim’s nuclear weapons and missile program. Despite their often aligning interests, relations between Russia and North Korea have experienced highs and lows.
Hungary has lifted its veto on Mark Rutte becoming the next head of NATO. The move came after the Dutch prime minister gave written guarantees that he would not force Hungary to take part NATO's new plans to provide support to Ukraine. Rutte’s assurances remove a major obstacle to him becoming the next NATO secretary-general. It could also allow NATO to put on a major show of unity and demonstrate solidarity with war-ravaged Ukraine next month. U.S. President Joe Biden and his counterparts are meeting in Washington on July 9-11 mark NATO’s 75th anniversary. Current Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg steps down in October. Rutte's last hurdle is a final candidate, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
Military Times interviewed more than a dozen military experts, including current and former U.S. military officials, about how a conflict might begin and how it could play out. This is what they said could happen:
Tech. Sgt. William F. Teaff was assigned to the 351st Bombardment Squadron, 100th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 8th Air Force, when his plane was shot down in March 1944.
In February, the head of the Air Force Expeditionary Center lost confidence in Col. Jason Terry's ability to lead the 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing.
“The prohibition of consideration of the members’ good military character or service record moves the ‘zero-tolerance’ culture forward, omitting opportunities for the ‘good dude’ defense,” said military personnel expert Kate Kuzminski.
