IRBIL, Iraq — One of Iraq’s most powerful Iran-backed armed groups said Tuesday it would begin putting its weapons under government control, a major step in the new government’s effort to bring militias that have long operated on their own under state command. Asaib Ahl al-Haq said it had formed a committee to oversee the … Read more
KYIV, Ukraine — Russia attacked Ukraine with a barrage of missiles and drones overnight, killing at least 11 people, injuring dozens and trapping others, authorities said on Tuesday. Russia unleashed 73 missiles and 656 drones across Ukraine, according to the country’s air force, with the main targets including Kyiv, the central city of Dnipro, and … Read more
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — Polls opened Monday in Ethiopia in an election that is widely expected to be won by the ruling party. A heavy military presence was observed in the capital, Addis Ababa, as observers called for a peaceful election in the country that is Africa’s second-most populous and hosts the headquarters of the … Read more
TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli forces are making their deepest incursion inside Lebanon since they withdrew from the country over a quarter-century ago, despite a nominal U.S.-brokered ceasefire and the first direct talks between the countries in decades. The Israeli advance also presents a challenge in the emerging deal to extend the Iran war ceasefire … Read more
CARACAS — CARACAS (AP) — Venezuela ‘s former opposition candidate Edmundo González called on Saturday for presidential elections as the five-month mark of interim President Delcy Rodríguez’s administration approaches in the wake of the U.S. military intervention that ousted Nicolás Maduro in early January. The 76-year-old former diplomat was recognized by several countries as the … Read more
WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has stopped another merchant vessel trying to break through the American blockade of Iranian ports, a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Saturday. The Gambia-flagged bulk carrier Lian Star ignored multiple warnings from U.S. forces overnight as it tried to enter an Iranian port, … Read more
SINGAPORE — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth assured Pacific allies on Saturday that Washington remained committed to the region, but toned down previous comments calling China a threat. Speaking to a group of world leaders, diplomats and top security officials at the Shangri-La defense conference in Singapore, Hegseth said that the region “has profound implications … Read more
CAIRO — A humanitarian organization on Friday accused forces affiliated with a Sudanese paramilitary group of targeting civilians in an area of Sudan free of any military presence during a major Muslim holiday, killing 27 people, among them elderly people. Sudan Doctors Network, a group that tracks violence across the country, blamed forces affiliated with … Read more
SINGAPORE — China’s rapid military modernization and assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific and growing concerns over American priorities are top issues on the table at Asia’s premier defense summit drawing leaders, top diplomats and security officials from around the world. The Shangri-La Dialogue, hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, also comes as the Middle … Read more
BUCHAREST, Romania — A Russian drone that was part of an overnight attack on Ukraine crashed into an apartment building in eastern Romania, injuring two people, Romanian authorities said Friday. In response to the crash, NATO member Romania asked the alliance for a faster transfer of anti-drone capabilities, the Foreign Ministry said, calling the drone’s … Read more