US, South Korea to Hold Annual Military Exercise in August

South Korea and the U.S. Combined Forces Command said Monday a major annual military exercise will begin on August 16.
The 10-day drill, called Ulchi Freedom Guardian, is a computer-assisted simulation exercise designed to improve the ability to defend South Korea. The focus will be on training service members while exercising senior leaders' decision-making capabilities.
The CFC says North Korea has been informed about the exercise and has been assured that the drills are defense-oriented only.
North Korea routinely slams military drills in the South as practice for an invasion. Washington and Seoul have repeatedly refuted the claims.

U.S. Repatriates Some 120 Migrants to Cuba, Haiti

The U.S. Coast Guard has repatriated more than 120 Cuban and Haitian migrants picked up at sea.
The Coast Guard says it intercepted 82 Haitians aboard a sailing vessel northwest of Great Inagua, Bahamas, on Friday and returned them on Monday to Cap-Haitien, Haiti.
It says it also returned 15 Cubans to Bahia de Cabanas, Cuba, on Monday, after they were picked up in three separate incidents last week. That followed the return of 25 Cuban migrants on Sunday after a Coast Guard helicopter spotted their boat south of Key West.
The United States follows a so-called “wet foot/dry foot” policy with Cuban migrants. Those intercepted at sea are typically repatriated, while those reaching U.S. soil are usually allowed to remain and eventually apply for U.S. residency.
The policy is for Cuban migrants only. Some human rights advocates argue that the U.S. should afford Haitian migrants the same privilege.