DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Russian military trainers arrived this week in Niger to reinforce the country’s air defenses as the west African nation pulls away from close cooperation with the U.S. in counterterrorism efforts, turning instead to Russia for help as it fights Islamic insurgents. State television in Niger on Thursday broadcast footage of Russian military trainers arriving in the …
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EXCLUSIVE: Amid a congressional stalemate, the U.S. intelligence community is straining to spotlight the critical nature of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act without providing so much public detail that its targets adapt — while also fighting widespread misunderstandings about the law within Congress. “In trying to describe the value, you also provide to your adversary, whoever they …
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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday said there was no evidence that Israeli forces were committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip. Austin was asked about Israel’s military operations in Gaza by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., during a hearing on the Pentagon’s 2025 budget request. “Is Israel committing genocide in Gaza?” Cotton asked, referring to protesters’ claims that Israel is indiscriminately …
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The Pentagon reported last month that the Biden administration’s push to cover travel expenses for service members seeking an abortion was utilized only 12 times in six months, which one expert said is a sign of the military rejecting the policy. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced in Oct. 2022, the Pentagon would …
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Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper on Friday said Iran is likely to retaliate against Israel for a recent missile strike that hit Tehran’s consulate in Damascus, Syria. Israel has not claimed responsibility for the strike, which killed senior Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi. Reuters cited a Lebanese security source as the first to identify Israel as the …
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A series of scandals has blighted Denmark’s Armed Forces at a time when the Scandinavian country and member of the NATO alliance is building up its defenses, chiefly as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The events have so far led to the dismissal this week of Denmark’s top military chief, Gen. Flemming Lentfer, who failed to inform the …
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The Norwegian center-left government said Friday it plans “a historic increase” in defense spending of $56 billion over the next 12 years. “We need a defense that is fit for purpose in the emerging security environment,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said. “As our security environment is deteriorating, we need to spend more on and pay more attention to defense …
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Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday he wants to strengthen military and weapons development cooperation with the United States as well as with other countries such as the Philippines, as he prepares for a visit to the U.S. next week to meet with President Joe Biden. “Defense industry cooperation between Japan and the United States, as well as with …
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German software developer Andres Freund was running some detailed performance tests last month when he noticed odd behavior in a little known program. What he found when he investigated has sent shudders across the software world and drawn attention from tech executives and government officials. Freund, who works for Microsoft out of San Francisco, discovered that the latest version of …
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A staunch friend of Taiwan’s will this summer take over as the top U.S. diplomat in Taipei, three sources briefed on the matter said, roughly coinciding with the island’s new president taking office at a time of rising tensions with China. Like most nations, the United States has no formal diplomatic ties with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, but is its most important …
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