US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is expected to announce that it will send $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. The large package...

Colombia's ELN rebels announce Christmas truce

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AP) — Colombia’s largest remaining rebel group announced a unilateral truce on Sunday, to last until Jan. 3, the first since the previous ceasefire broke down in August. In a statement posted on X, the National Liberation Army said that it will halt attacks on...

China says US is 'playing with fire' after latest military aid for Taiwan

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese government protested Sunday the latest American announcements of military sales and assistance to Taiwan, warning the United States that it is “playing with fire.” U.S. President Joe Biden authorized Saturday the provision of up to $571 million in...

Pentagon warns that a government shutdown will cost troops their pay over the holidays

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans’ decision to abandon a congressional spending plan will cost about 2.1 million troops their paychecks over the holidays unless some agreement is reached before Friday's deadline to prevent a government shutdown, the Pentagon warned. Even if they...

Pentagon says it doubled the number of US troops in Syria before Assad's fall

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States has more than doubled the number of its forces in Syria to fight the Islamic State group — a dramatic increase that the Pentagon revealed Thursday, acknowledging that the added troops have been there for months or even more than a year. The...

Pentagon says it more than doubled the number of US troops in Syria to counter the Islamic State group before Assad fell

Senate passes defense bill that will raise troop pay and aims to counter China's power

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a defense bill Wednesday that authorizes significant pay raises for junior enlisted service members, aims to counter China's growing power and boosts overall military spending to $895 billion while also stripping coverage of transgender medical treatments for...

US repatriates 3 Guantanamo Bay detainees, including one held 17 years without charge

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has transferred two Malaysian detainees at the Guantanamo Bay U.S. military prison to their home country, after they pleaded guilty to charges related to deadly 2002 bombings in Bali and agreed to testify against the alleged ringleader of that and other attacks, the...

China has expanded its nuclear force and strengthened ties to Russia, the Pentagon says

WASHINGTON (AP) — China is expanding its nuclear force, has increased military pressure against Taiwan and has strengthened its ties with Russia over the past year, according to a Pentagon report Wednesday that details actions accelerating key areas of conflict with the United States. ...

Ukraine and US say some North Korean troops have been killed fighting alongside Russian forces

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s military intelligence agency and the Pentagon said Monday that some North Korean troops have been killed during combat against Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Kursk border region. These are the first reported casualties since the U.S. and Ukraine...