Topic: Guam

As Okinawa marks 40 years of postwar sovereignty, US bases still an irritant

Okinawa marked the 40th anniversary of its reversion to Japanese sovereignty from US postwar control Tuesday amid political deadlock over the relocation of a key US military base.

Dogwood diplomacy: US gift of trees to Japan is cherry on top of Okinawa deal (+video)

A century after Japan presented the US with a gift of 3,000 cherry trees, the US is reciprocating with 3,000 specially bred dogwoods. But the deal to nearly halve the number of Marines on Okinawa may be even sweeter.

"Fraud, waste, corruption:" Congress decries GSA culture

General Services Administration executives were in the hot seat for a second day of Congressional hearings as they faced scrutiny over misconduct.

What James Cameron saw 6.8 miles deep in Mariana Trench (+video)

James Cameron dive launches race to the bottom of the world (+video)

Before James Cameron made a solo dive to the Challenger Deep – the deepest point in the ocean – only one mission had been there before. Now, several groups are planning deep-sea dives, and engineering advances could shed new light on the region. 

Why James Cameron was forced to surface early

James Cameron described the Mariana Trench as "very lunar, a very desolate place, very isolated.” His six hour trip was cut in half by hydraulic problems.

'Titanic' director James Cameron dives to Earth's deepest spot

Cameron is using a submarine to descend nearly seven miles to the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific. The pressure below is the equivalent of three SUVs sitting on your toe.

James Cameron makes final preparations for historic deep-sea dive

Weather permitting Saturday, explorer and filmmaker James Cameron could take his Deepsea Challenger to the bottom of the world, a place of perpetual cold, darkness, and abiding mystery. 

Did Ron Paul get robbed of Virgin Island victory?

Ron Paul received the most votes in the US Virgin Islands caucuses over the weekend, but Mitt Romney got more pledged delegates.

Mitt Romney edges Obama in poll on eve of Alabama, Mississippi primaries

Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, and Newt Gingrich face a tight race in Alabama and Mississippi. But Mitt Romney beats Obama in a 2012 presidential race, says a new national poll.

Santorum takes Kansas in a rout, Romney strong in Wyoming

Rick Santorum's strong win in the Kansas caucuses Saturday will give him most of the delegates there. Now it's on to primary elections in Alabama and Mississippi next Tuesday.

Caucuses in Kansas, Wyoming next for GOP hopefuls

Mitt Romney aims to add to his substantial lead in the delegate count, but Rick Santorum is strong in Kansas. All the Republican presidential candidates are concentrating on Tuesday's primaries in Mississippi and Alabama.

Romney dons jeans, turns to evangelical south

Romney holds a comfortable lead over his rivals. But in the heart of the so-called Bible Belt, as a ring of conservative Southeastern states are known, Romney faces skeptics among some evangelical Christians in his bid to become the first Mormon president.

Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith

British academic Andrew Preston offers a crisply written account of the historic intersection of religion and US foreign policy.

Filmmaker James Cameron to plunge to deepest spot in ocean

James Cameron plans to visit the Challenger Deep, which at seven miles below the ocean's surface is the deepest place on Earth, aboard a state-of-the-art diving craft.

Drone pilots: Why war is also hard for remote soldiers

Drone pilots are far from the battlefield, but they show some of the same signs of stress as do soldiers fighting on the ground. Now a movement in the military is afoot to assist these techno-warriors.

From Our Files: Iwo Jima, Feb. 23, 1945

Iwo Jima, a tiny volcanic island in the Pacific between the Marianas Islands and mainland Japan was the site of one of the most historic battles of World War II in which the United States captured the island from Japan.Here is reporter John Beaufort's account, originally published in the Feb. 23, 1945 issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

How Japan, US may break 18-year deadlock over Okinawa base

Japan and the US agreed this week to relocate thousands of Marines from Okinawa. But the issue of what to do with Futenma airbase remains. 

Pearl Harbor Day 2011: three enduring mysteries

On Pearl Harbor Day, historians continue to debate the mysteries of Pearl Harbor. The Japanese attack created some of the great unanswered questions of military history. 

Green Bay Packers stock goes on sale, receives mixed feelings

Green Bay Packers stock went on sale today with the website slowing to a grind as the public logged on to buy shares, but not everyone was enthusiastic about the $250 stocks.

Obama in Australia: US reasserts Pacific role with eye on rising China

President Obama in Australia today pledged to boost the US military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. The significant strategic shift is popular with regional governments wary of China's rise.

Hawaii snakes: Smuggled reptiles threaten islands' fragile ecosystem

Hawaii snakes: State wildlife officials have captured two snakes this month on Oahu. Agriculture officials say the threat to Hawaii snakes would produce can't be overstated.

National Spelling Bee: 275 students vie (vye? vigh?) to make semifinals

The Scripps National Spelling Bee, shown Wednesday on ESPN-3, is under way, with 275 grade-schoolers battling it out in preliminary rounds. By Thursday, just 50 will be be left spelling.

Tsunami waves produce flooding surge in Hawaii and California boat damage

Tsunami warnings on the US west coast kept most people away from the water, but tsunami waves damaged boats in northern California and flooded parts of Hawaii. Some California surfers ignored a tsunami warning and tried to find bigger waves.

US Navy poised to help Japan earthquake relief effort

Japan earthquake relief efforts are underway, with one US Navy ship already loading humanitarian supplies. The Pentagon's first priority Friday, however, was to make sure all its personnel and equipment in Japan and the Pacific were safe.