US military strikes alleged 'drug vessel' from Venezuela in Caribbean Sea, 11 killed

US military strikes alleged 'drug vessel' from Venezuela in Caribbean Sea, 11 killed

The U.S. military killed 11 alleged Tren da Aragua members aboard a suspected drug boat originating from Venezuela in the southern Caribbean on Sept. 2. The move, announced by President Donald Trump during a press conference, marks a milestone in increasingly militarized U.S. counterdrug efforts in the region. Trumpsecretly authorized military force against drug cartelsin early August. More:Trump eyes military action against drug cartels, US officials say Trump described the strike in a post on Truth Social. "Earlier this morning, on my Orders, U.S. Military Forces conducted a kinetic strike against positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists in the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility," Trump said. "The strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal narcotics, heading to the United States. The strike resulted in 11 terrorists killed in action." Later in the day, the White House posted a grainy black and white "unclassified" video that purportedly shows the open boat on the high seas as it's being taken out in a military strike and then engulfed in flames. "ON VIDEO: U.S. Military Forces conducted a strike against Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists,"the post on X said. A sizeable U.S. armada currently sits afloat in the waters where the strike occurred. Four destroyers carrying Tomahawk cruise missiles and more than 4,500 Marines and sailors are deployed in the area. Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro, alleged to reporters Sept. 1 that the naval buildup indicates that Trump is "seeking regime change through military threat." He claimed his country's military is "super prepared" to face off with American troops if necessary. Trump singled out Maduro in his Truth post, claiming that Tren de Aragua is "operating under the control of Nicolas Maduro." U.S. authorities are offering a$50 million rewardfor his arrest. U.S. law enforcement and Coast Guard members have previously haddeadly encounters at seawith drug smugglers in the Caribbean. Trump's former Acting DEA AdministratorDerek Maltzpraised Trump for his administration's launching of the military strike and told USA TODAY that a lethal U.S. attack on a cartel boat laden with drugs is rare if not unprecedented – and long overdue. "I don't know off the top of my head of any military strikes on boats that are loaded with drugs; I don't remember that in my time in the DEA," said Maltz, who spent nearly 30 years at the DEA in leadership roles. "I'm not saying it didn't happen in terms of using DOD assets for something like this. We've worked very cooperatively with Colombia for years on training and military operations and different basically sensitive operations." "From my standpoint, it's a very significant event, but it's also very consistent with what President Trump has been wanting," Maltz told USA TODAY. "I've been saying for many years that a law enforcement solution is not good enough to address these global terrorists operating in the Western Hemisphere. And this is no different than if it was Al Qaeda, ISIS or Hezbollah moving a boatload of chemical weapons." A White House official said they could not comment on what kind of intelligence or evidence was used to determine that those killed in the military strike were Tren de Aragua members. "These individuals were TdA narcoterrorists," the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment by name. "We do not comment on matters of intelligence to the media." Kenneth Roth, a Princeton School of Public and International Affairs professor and former Human Rights Watch executive director, criticized the strike. "Drug trafficking is a crime, not an act of war,"Roth said on X. "Traffickers must be arrested, not summarily executed, which U.S. forces just illegally did." The Trump administration designated Mexico'sSinaloa Carteland other drug gangs as well as Venezuelan criminal group Tren de Aragua as global terrorist organizations in February, as Trump stepped up immigration enforcement against alleged gang members. Secretary of StateMarco Rubioand other administration officials said that meant the administration could now use the military to go after cartels, including with lethal force. Contributing: Reuters; Joseph Garrison, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:US military hits alleged 'drug vessel' from Venezuela in Caribbean

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

US military strikes alleged 'drug vessel' from Venezuela in Caribbean Sea, 11 killed

US military strikes alleged 'drug vessel' from Venezuela in Caribbean Sea, 11 killed The U.S. military killed 11 alleged Tren da Ara...

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L.A. County fire officials back training for residents to defend their own homes

L.A. County fire officials back training for residents to defend their own homes

Los Angeles—Whenwildfiresthreaten neighborhoods, the official directive is always the same: evacuate immediately. But now, fire officials in Los Angeles County are starting to break from that long-standing message, saying some residents may be able to stay back and fight to protect their homes amid agrowing threat. "We've always told people that when the evacuation order comes, you must leave," L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told CBS News. "We've departed from that narrative. With the proper training, with the proper equipment, and with the proper home hardening and defensible space, you can stay behind and prevent your house from burning down." Marrone's stance may signal a shift in how officials talk about wildfire response. After the flamesripped through the Pacific Palisades, clusters of homes still stood because residents stayed behind to save them. Some had professional equipment, while others used buckets. Cort Wagner evacuated his family and grabbed a garden hose. "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would say I couldn't have saved anything. But the truth is, you can save stuff. I mean, I saved multiple homes with garden hoses," Wagner said. CBS News' Los Angeles-based correspondent Carter Evanswas covering the Palisades Fireon Jan. 7, when it became clear that his family's own home was under threat and firefighters were overwhelmed. Evans and his wife, Lauren, also a reporter, defended their home, drawing on decades of experience covering wildfires. The couple chased every ember with garden hoses for 14 hours and helped put out spot fires at nearby homes. For Marrone, these stories point to a hard reality: "There are not enough firefighters or fire engines to adequately defend every structure." "And there will never be," he added. Staying behind isn't for everyone — especially those with health problems or if there's no escape route. To do it safely, L.A. County Fire created a community brigade. Firefighters trained residents like Keegan Gibbs, who lost his home in a wildfire. "That was the motivation that kept driving me to going, 'How do we solve this at the community level, instead of looking to other people to try to solve it for us?'" Gibbs said. As Marrone explained, "We're losing in the thousands of structures in these impossible firefights, in situations that we've never experienced before. Something's changing and we need to change with it." Historian Miles Yu on Chinese military parade: "Trolling is a very good word" Judge lets Google keep Chrome, but says it must share search data with rivals A look back at the first "CBS Evening News" broadcast on its 62nd anniversary

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

L.A. County fire officials back training for residents to defend their own homes

L.A. County fire officials back training for residents to defend their own homes Los Angeles—Whenwildfiresthreaten neighborhoods, the offici...

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New secondary barriers give added layer of security for airline cockpits

New secondary barriers give added layer of security for airline cockpits

It's been nearly 25 years since 9/11, when terrorists hijacked commercial jetliners and turned them into weapons of mass destruction. Now, after years of delays, new secondary barriers protecting airline cockpits are beginning to take flight. Inside a Southwest Airlines hangar at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, CBS News was given an early look at the airline's brand-new Boeing 737 MAX with the secondary barrier. It's essentially a retractable folding door that blocks off the front galley and flight deck. It aims to be a more secure option than flight attendants blocking the area with a beverage cart. "This is kind of the latest edition to provide an additional layer of protection anytime our pilots need to come out of the flight deck," Southwest Executive Vice President of Operations Justin Jones told CBS News. After 9/11, cockpit doors were fortified, and in 2018, Congress mandated that all new airliners have secondary barriers. After years of delays, that regulation is set to go into effect next year. Captain Dennis Tajer, the spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, which is American Airlines' pilot union, said the barriers need to be on every airliner. "It's good to see, but it's been decades since 9/11, and I was out there flying during 9/11, and I saw all that happened," he told CBS News. "That is my yesterday. We cannot have my yesterday become everyone else's tomorrow." Both United and American Airlines have confirmed delivery of at least one aircraft with a secondary barrier. Alaska Airlines said it was expecting its first delivery of planes with a secondary barrier in November. Delta declined to comment on whether it had any planes with secondary barriers, but said in a statement to CBS News that "Delta continually employs seen and unseen security measures to safeguard our global operation, customers and people." The Air Line Pilots Association says there have been at least 52 hijacking attempts worldwide since 2001, underscoring the need for additional protection. Boeing and Airbus have both started delivering jets with these barriers, they said. Last year, Congress called for adding barriers to existing planes, as well, but so far, the Federal Aviation Administration has yet to certify any retrofit options. Southwest told CBS News it will evaluate adding the secondary barriers to existing planes when they're certified. Historian Miles Yu on Chinese military parade: "Trolling is a very good word" Judge lets Google keep Chrome, but says it must share search data with rivals A look back at the first "CBS Evening News" broadcast on its 62nd anniversary

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

New secondary barriers give added layer of security for airline cockpits

New secondary barriers give added layer of security for airline cockpits It's been nearly 25 years since 9/11, when terrorists hijacked ...

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Wrestler Jeff Jarrett Reveals Taylor Swift Put on a 3-Hour Private Concert for His Wife Before She Died of Cancer

Wrestler Jeff Jarrett Reveals Taylor Swift Put on a 3-Hour Private Concert for His Wife Before She Died of Cancer

Mediapunch/Shutterstock; Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Pro wrestler Jeff Jarrett shares a sweet story about how a pre-fame Taylor Swift was there for his family during a difficult time The 58-year-old athlete met the pop star and her family when they moved to his Tennessee hometown, and his girls immediately took to the budding star According to him, Swift gave an impromptu Christmas concert in his home after his wife was diagnosed with cancer Taylor Swiftis due for some good "karma," according to professional wrestler Jeff Jarrett. In a new interview withTMZ Sports, the WWE Hall of Famer, 58, said he's known the pop star, 35, since she "was a little girl." Swift not only babysat his daughters, but also performed at an impromptu and intimate concert at his home after his wife was diagnosed with cancer, he said. The "Shake It Off" singer was very young when she and her family moved to Jarrett's hometown of Hendersonville, Tenn., Jarrett told TMZ. He grew accustomed to seeing the then-rising star who has "the legendary story" of "knocking on labels' doors," which made her stand out in their "small community." Kevin Winter/TAS24/Getty "It was Christmas of 2006. My first wife [Jill Gregory] was really ill with breast cancer. She passed away about five months after this, so she was really ill," Jarrett explained. According to Jarrett, a friend of Swift's suggested she stop by his family's home, which was music to his daughters' ears. By then, Swift had already scored her first hit with "Tim McGraw" and her self-titled debut album. "Obviously, like every little girl in America, my daughters were big Taylor fans, and her songs had just kind of broke, but she was a hometown girl," he continued, noting that she was a big deal in Tennessee before the rest of the world caught on. Jarrett remembered their holiday get-together as "an amazing experience." Swift originally arrived without her guitar, but "actually ran back home" to get it after realizing what a difference it would make, "'cause the girls wanted her to sing and play." There were only about seven people at the Jarrett home at the start of the day, but "one thing let to another," and the gathering quickly grew to about 45 people after Swift got her guitar, Jarrett recalled. "By the end of the afternoon, Taylor played about three hours," Jarrett said. Jarrett knew Swift and her family beforehand from seeing them around town. "She kind of bonded with the family, specifically with the girls," Jarrett emotionally told TMZ Sports, which published photos of Swift with Jarrett's family. Larry Marano/Shutterstock In one photo, Swift sat on a log for a daytime outing at the beach with him, his late wife, four kids and another teen. Another photo showed the Grammy winner inside a home, standing with Jarrett and two little girls who played on a keyboard. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. When asked how his daughters feel now to have seen her go from their babysitter to a global superstar, Jarrett laughed. While she was loved by his kids and hung out with them, she wasn't necessarily on his "payroll," he joked. "But what a very cool relationship that developed," Jarrett said. "When my wife passed away, Taylor would come around, and was really good with the girls." Read the original article onPeople

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

Wrestler Jeff Jarrett Reveals Taylor Swift Put on a 3-Hour Private Concert for His Wife Before She Died of Cancer

Wrestler Jeff Jarrett Reveals Taylor Swift Put on a 3-Hour Private Concert for His Wife Before She Died of Cancer Mediapunch/Shutterstock; J...

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Darth Vader's lightsaber to be auctioned off. How to place a bid.

Darth Vader's lightsaber to be auctioned off. How to place a bid.

In a galaxy not so far away,Star Warsfans may be digging through pocket change this week in hopes of cashing in on some iconic props from the original trilogy. Propstore Auction debuts itsEntertainment Memorabilia Live Auctionon Thursday, Sept. 4, and one of the coveted items isDarth Vader's on-screen lightsaberfrom "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" and "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi." The prop was used "extensively" by the lateDavid Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the original trilogy, and features authentic signs of wear, the Propstore website states. "Far from diminishing its value, these marks serve as compelling evidence of the lightsaber's direct involvement in the action – testament to its film-used authenticity," thelightsaber's descriptionon the Propstore website reads. While Propstore knows the lightsaber was used in "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi," it could have made some other appearances, too. "It's also possible that the piece or some elements of it were used in the very first Star Wars film, though we cannot be certain," Propstore Chief Operating Officer Brandon Alinger told USA TODAY. "While they had a few lightsaber props, what makes this one special is that it was used for the action sequences – the duels are some of the most memorable scenes in both of those films." Bidding for the lightsaber begins at $500,000, and Propstore estimates the final bid to be$1-3 million. As of Tuesday, Sept. 2, six absentee bids (bids placed ahead of the auction) had been placed, amounting to $1.2 million. 'Star Wars: Starfighter':First look reveals star-studded cast of Ryan Gosling film The lot containing Darth Vader's Screen-Matched Hero Dueling Lightsaber opens on Thursday, Sept. 4, with bidding starting at 10 a.m. PT. The first day of the Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California, will be in-person only bidding. During the following two days of the auction, attendees can bid online via phone call or as an absentee (bid ahead of time online). For more information about the bidding process, visit the Propstore website atpropstoreauction.com/auctions/info/id/456. When it comes to sourcing props for its Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction, Alinger told USA TODAY that items may come from production companies, film studios or individuals associated with productions. "The consignor who owns this piece has had it for many years and decided the time was right to sell," Alinger said of the lightsaber. Alinger said Propstore was confident the lightsaber was legitimate, but to ensure its authenticity, an "extensive research" was conducted, even going so far as to "take X-ray images to examine the internal structure." Darth Vader's lightsaber is one of more than 1,000 props that make up Propstore's Entertainment Memorabilia Live Auction. Here's a look at some other key items: With great power comes an even greater costume. The full-body costume from "Spider-Man"is believed to have been heavily worn by Tobey Maguire while he was on set, according to thePopstore website. Displayed on a custom-made mannequin, the costume's bidding starts at $50,000 and is expected to sell for $100,000 to $200,000. The bid for theiconic circular glassesworn byDaniel Radcliffein "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is starting at $15,000. The glasses are expected to sell for $30,000 to $60,000. The bid for thebullwhip, belt and whip holsterworn byHarrison Fordin the 1989 "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" is starting at $125,000. The final bid is estimated to be between $250,000 and $500,000. Thesignature alien-tech toolused by Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) and Agent J (Will Smith) in the 1997 cult classic "Men in Black" is up for auction. Bidding starts at $37,500, and the final bid is estimated to land between $75,000 and $150,000. The bid for theoriginal shark tooth clapperboardand two on-set Polaroid photographs from the 1975 film "Jaws" is starting at $20,000. The final bid is estimated to be between $40,000 and $80,000 for the50th anniversaryprop. Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her atgcross@usatoday.com. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Darth Vader's lightsaber to be auctioned off, bids start at $500K

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

Darth Vader's lightsaber to be auctioned off. How to place a bid.

Darth Vader's lightsaber to be auctioned off. How to place a bid. In a galaxy not so far away,Star Warsfans may be digging through pocke...

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