US budget fight could create opening for China in the Pacific, analysts say

Analysts and former officials say the 45-day stopgap makes the U.S. allies economically vulnerable — and possibly more receptive to Chinese approaches. Tap for the full brief.

US-led forces reportedly down drone in Syria as Turkey strikes area

U.S.-led forces were reported to have shot down a drone over northern Syria on Thursday — as U.S.-allied Syrian Kurdish forces said Turkish attacks had killed eight people, in an escalation prompte...

France to begin withdrawing troops from Niger this week

France will begin withdrawing its troops from coup-hit Niger this week after President Emmanuel Macron said last month he refused to be "held hostage" by the putchists and was ending military coope...

Moldova moves to bar members of banned pro-Russia party from elections

Moldova's parliament began moves Wednesday to prevent members of the banned pro-Russian Shor party running in local elections, for other parties or as independent candidates. Tap for the full brief.

Forest combat kills dozens of Somali troops, Islamist militants

At least 30 pro-government fighters and dozens of al-Shabab militants were killed in Somalia in some of the bloodiest fighting of a year-long offensive against the al Qaeda-linked group, an army of...

Syrian special forces conduct airborne training with Russian aircraft

Syrian special forces troops performed more than 1,500 parachute jumps over the Mediterranean Sea and the Aleppo and Latakia provinces — as part of training drills conducted using Russian military ...

Ukraine says it is making new gains in south, repulsed Russian counterattacks in east

One of Ukraine's top generals said Tuesday that his forces were advancing in the south, one of two theaters of their counteroffensive to evict occupying Russian forces. Tap for the full brief.

US House adrift as GOP fights over next leader

The U.S. House of Representatives was leaderless Wednesday, after hardline Republicans narrowly won a vote to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy — a historic move that triggered a battle to find a replace...

Hunter Biden pleads not guilty to gun charges in Delaware court

President Joe Biden's son Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that he lied about his drug use while buying a handgun, in the first-ever criminal prosecution of a sitting U.S. preside...

Trump hit with gag order after lashing out at court clerk in NY fraud case

The judge overseeing Donald Trump's civil fraud trial Tuesday imposed a gag order — promising sanctions for any violations — on the former U.S. president and others in the case after Trump lashed o...

US says it captured Islamic State group facilitator in Syria helicopter raid

U.S. Central Command forces conducted a helicopter raid in northern Syria on Sept. 28 capturing Mamduh Ibrahim al-Haji Shaykh, an Islamic State facilitator, Central Command said Saturday. Tap for t...

Serbia conditionally releases Kosovo Serb politician detained over Kosovo firefight

The Serbian High Court on Wednesday released from detention Milan Radoicic, a Kosovo Serb politician accused of illegal manufacturing and trafficking of firearms to Kosovo after he admitted involve...

Iranian girl critical in hospital after alleged encounter over hijab law, activists say

An Iranian teenaged girl is in critical condition in hospital, two rights activists told Reuters on Wednesday — after falling into a coma following what they said was a confrontation with agents in...

Islamist militants advance in Mali, besiege Timbuktu as UN withdraws

Islamist militants in Mali began a blockade of Timbuktu by cutting off road, river and air routes in an offensive that has put the city once again on the frontline of a jihadi insurgency. Tap for t...

Turkey conducts new air strikes in northern Iraq

Turkish air forces conducted fresh air strikes in northern Iraq on Tuesday — and destroyed 16 targets of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), Turkey's defense ministry said. Tap for the full...