Le Journal

In year one of his second presidency, Donald Trump wielded a wrecking ball — literal and metaphorical — to the ways of Washington and the traditional role of the U.S. in the world. Associated Press photographers documented it all. Trump moved his inauguration indoors and gave the titans of the tech world prime seats in the Capitol Rotunda, which had been ransacked by his supporters only four years earlier. The Republican president empowered Elon Musk to fire thousands of federal employees — until the two titanic personalities had a falling-out. An immigration crackdown began with border control and mushroomed into violence in U.S. cities where federal officers were dispatched. Trump told mourners at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service that he hates his opponents. The White House dubbed Trump “the president of peace,” and soccer governing body FIFA followed suit. Yet Trump was unable to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to end his invasion of Ukraine, and Trump upbraided Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office. Trump gilded the West Wing and demolished the East Wing. He fought U.S. media in front of cameras and in court. He repeatedly bent Congress to his will and resisted the full release of the Jeffrey Epstein case files. As the first year drew to a close, Trump threatened to deploy U.S. military might in Minneapolis at the same time he pressed the case for a U.S. takeover of Greenland. This is a photo gallery curated by Associated Press photo editors. ___ Barrow reported from Atlanta. Source

Israel will help Greece develop technology to counter swarms of military drones as the two countries deepen defense cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean, the Greek defense minister said Tuesday. The pledge followed talks in Athens between Defense Minister Nikos Dendias and his counterpart Israel Katz, building on a December defense pact between Greece, Israel and Cyprus. Israel is already assisting Greece in building an air defense shield as part of the expanding cooperation. “We agreed to exchange views and expertise so that we can counter unmanned platforms — specifically swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles and groups of unmanned underwater vehicles,” Dendias said, appearing alongside Katz. Katz called the partnership “an anchor of stability in the Mediterranean.” Drone swarms — typically using small, low-cost craft that operate in coordination — reflect a broader shift in modern warfare, used for reconnaissance, defense and attempts to overwhelm opposing systems. Greece, a high military spender relative to the size of its economy, remains locked in a long-running dispute with fellow NATO member Turkey over maritime boundaries and offshore resources. The December agreement outlined a joint plan for combined exercises, special operations training and regular strategic consultations. It followed talks between the leaders of the three countries aimed at advancing maritime security and energy initiatives. Source