President Trump said he ordered precision missile strikes against the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad Friday night in a coordinated attack with U.K. and French allies.
Trump said the strikes were intended to deter the use of chemical weapons like the attack on civilians in the Syrian town of Douma last week, and that the U.S. was prepared to continue the attacks until the Syrian regime stops using chemical weapons.
Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the three targets were a scientific research center near Damascus, a chemical weapons storage facility west of Homs and a storage facility and command post near Homs.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia will call for an emergency meeting of the United Nations' Security Council following the coordinated missile strikes by the U.S., France and the U.K. against Syria.
Calling the airstrikes as “act of aggression," the Russian leader said Saturday that strikes had a “destructive influence on the entire system of international relations" and will exacerbate humanitarian catastrophe in Syria, the Associated Press reported. Putin also reaffirmed Russia’s view that a purported chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma that prompted the strike was a fake.
Syria's President Bashar Assad announced after a U.S. military strike that his country would respond, while Russia's ambassador to Washington warned of unspecified "consequences."
The threat for severe weather on Sunday is still coming together by late afternoon into the evening.
A strong spring system over the middle of the country will be heading our way by Sunday. Ahead of it Saturday, warm and even humid air is flooding into the region.
This is setting the stage for a collision with a strong cold front late Sunday afternoon and evening, that will bring damaging winds, lightning, heavy rain and even an isolated tornado can't be ruled out.
The Interior Department is increasing fees at the most popular national parks to $35 per vehicle, backing down from an earlier plan that would have forced visitors to pay $70 per vehicle to visit the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and other iconic parks.
A change announced Thursday will boost fees at 17 popular parks by $5, up from the current $30 but far below the figure Interior proposed last fall.
The plan by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke drew widespread opposition from lawmakers and governors of both parties, who said the higher fees could exclude many Americans from enjoying national parks. The agency received more than 109,000 comments on the plan, most of them opposed.
New data from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools showed the district is battling chronic absenteeism. That's where students miss an alarming number of days in the classroom.
Last year, nearly 20,000 students were absent for 90 percent of the school year, which could land parents in court.
In North Carolina, parents are responsible for making sure their children are attending school. If the student has too many unexcused absences, parents could face criminal truancy charges.
