U.S

WASHINGTON — Ireland’s foreign minister defended the European Union’s Digital Services Act during a visit to the U.S. capital, arguing the online safety law protects consumers and children without undermining free speech, even as a House Judiciary Committee hearing questioned whether the framework infringes on Americans’ First Amendment rights. Helen McEntee, Ireland’s minister for foreign affairs, trade and defense, met U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington as part of advance preparations for Ireland…

U.S. Diplomat Visits Mali to Revitalize Bilateral Ties Amid Regional Security Concerns The newly appointed head of the U.S. State Department's Bureau of African Affairs, Nick Checker, has embarked on a pivotal visit to Mali aimed at revitalizing bilateral cooperation between the United States and the West African nation. This visit is underscored by a commitment to establish "new foundations, mutual respect, and the absence of any form of interference," signaling a shift in diplomatic priorities. Accompanying Checker's…

US defends increased Somalia airstrikes as ‘critical support’ backing ISIS pressure in Puntland State Thursday, February 5, 2026 The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has defended a rise in airstrikes in Somalia, calling them “critical support” that has helped Somali partner forces weaken ISIS-linked militants and hold strategic ground in the country’s northeast. In a digital press briefing, AFRICOM Commander General Dagvin Anderson said the operations are coordinated with Somali forces and designed to deliver…

US airstrikes in Somalia shrink ISIS territory, push leaders underground, AFRICOM says WASHINGTON — U.S. Africa Command says its stepped-up airstrikes in Somalia have tightened the noose on Islamic State-linked militants, shrinking their operating space and forcing leaders into hiding as Somali forces press ground operations in the country’s volatile northeast. In a digital press briefing, AFRICOM leaders described the strikes as “critical support” coordinated closely with Somali partner forces and designed to provide…

A stunning Democratic win in a Texas state Senate race that former President Donald Trump carried by 17 points in 2024 has jolted Republicans and sharpened questions about their midterm prospects. The upset, following a string of Democratic gains in recent months, suggests shifting political currents in even reliably red terrain as November approaches. Trump had urged supporters in Texas on Truth Social to “GET OUT AND VOTE” for the “phenomenal” Republican candidate, declaring, “Today is the day!” Twenty-four hours later,…

U.S. Deploys Troops to Nigeria for Counter-Terrorism Efforts The U.S. Command Africa (AFRICOM) commander, General Dagvin Anderson, has announced the deployment of a small team of U.S. soldiers to Nigeria. This move comes as part of a mutual agreement between the U.S. and Nigeria aimed at strengthening counter-terrorism efforts in the region. This development signifies the first official acknowledgment of U.S. troops on the ground in Nigeria since U.S. airstrikes last December. The decision follows President Donald Trump's…

U.S. F-35C downs Iranian drone near carrier as tanker confrontation tests path to nuclear talks A U.S. fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that approached the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East today, the Pentagon said, in a flare-up at sea that coincided with a separate attempt by Iranian forces to detain a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Fox News that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is still expected “to have conversations with the Iranians late this week,” despite…

Ukraine, Russia open Abu Dhabi talks as strikes batter energy grid ABU DHABI — Negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States were set to gather in the Emirati capital on Tuesday, seeking to advance talks on how to end the four-year war as a wave of Russian missile and drone attacks pounded Ukraine’s energy grid in subfreezing temperatures. The meeting, scheduled to run through Wednesday after a postponement last weekend over what the Kremlin called scheduling issues, comes amid grim omens for diplomacy. Europe’s…

President Donald Trump signed a short-term spending bill to end a four-day partial government shutdown, hours after the Republican-controlled House approved the measure 217-214 amid a bruising fight over funding for the Department of Homeland Security and the administration’s immigration crackdown. The closure, which began Saturday, halted or disrupted nonessential federal services until Congress sent the measure to the White House on Wednesday. Twenty-one Democrats joined Republicans to push the bill through, while an equal…

The United States has sharply escalated airstrikes and partner operations in Somalia, pushing the fight against the Islamic State group and al-Shabab deeper into militant strongholds to blunt plots aimed at the U.S. and Europe, according to Lt. Gen. John Brennan, deputy commander of U.S. Africa Command. Brennan, a former Special Forces leader who served in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, said the tempo is designed to deny militants time, space and capability to plan attacks. “There’s ISIS-inspired threats. They plot against the…