Hegseth summons

top commanders

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has summoned hundreds of generals and admirals to a base in northern Virginia for a sudden meeting next week.

The directive doesn’t offer a reason for the gathering Tuesday of senior commanders of the one-star rank or higher and their top advisers. Confirmation comes from three people familiar with the matter who weren’t authorized to publicly discuss the sensitive plans and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The Pentagon’s top spokesman confirms that Hegseth “will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week.”

Former officials

back Lisa Cook

WASHINGTON (AP) — Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke, Janet Yellen and other former top economic officials appointed by presidents of both parties are urging the Supreme Court to preserve the Federal Reserve’s political independence and allow Lisa Cook to remain as a central bank governor for now.

The filing Thursday comes as the justices are weighing an emergency appeal from the administration to remove Cook while her lawsuit challenging her firing by President Donald Trump proceeds through the courts.

The Fed board was designed to be largely independent from day-to-day politics. No president has fired a sitting Fed governor in the agency’s 112-year history.

Fire report cites

LA weaknesses

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A lack of resources and an outdated emergency alert process led to delays in warning residents about the need to evacuate as flames began consuming neighborhoods during the deadly Los Angeles wildfires in January.

That’s according to an outside report commissioned by Los Angeles County supervisors after the Eaton and Palisades fires killed more than 30 people and destroyed thousands of homes. The report released Thursday says a series of weaknesses, including “outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities,” hampered the effectiveness of the county’s response.

The county says it’s not intended to investigate or assess blame.

Trump rejects

Israel’s plan

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump says he won’t allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank.

He made clear on Thursday that he’d oppose a move that Arab leaders have also rejected. Trump said he discussed the issue with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and emphasized that annexation must stop.

Despite his close relationship with Netanyahu, Trump faces pressure from Arab leaders concerned about the annexation. The United Arab Emirates has called it a “red line.”

Netanyahu’s government, the most nationalist in Israel’s history, has been pushing to expand control over the territory, hoping for Trump’s support.