Israel and Hamas appear to be nearing a ceasefire deal, according to optimistic statements from officials representing them as well as the United States and Qatar, where talks are being held.

The ceasefire announced between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday gave hope to families of hostages and war-weary Palestinians in the Gaza Strip — but their nightmare is far from over.

The United Nations human rights chief on Wednesday called for the lifting of Western sanctions imposed on Syria over its yearslong civil war, now that former leader Bashar Assad has been ousted and sent into exile.

The prospective next Pentagon chief says he will prioritize a military buildup in the Pacific in connection with a global force review that will reassess how many troops are needed in other parts of the world.

American service members can once again display the U.S. flag horizontally at sporting events and other official ceremonies, the Pentagon said.

Germany’s economy shrank for the second straight year in 2024 as worried consumers held back on spending and Chinese competition ate into the country’s traditional exports of cars and industrial machinery.

The situation in the Indian Ocean region is challenging with the Chinese navy, India’s main rival, growing exponentially, said Rahul Bedi, a defense analyst.

U.S. Army aviators and Japanese troops are rehearsing their disaster response techniques, a year after they flew real-world missions for victims of a deadly earthquake on Japan’s western coast.

Japanese authorities are warning residents to remain alert for strong tremors in the coming days after a magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck southern Japan this week.

Air Force emergency responders turned out Wednesday morning for an aerial refueler that diverted to Yokota Air Base.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday will question President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the CIA on his vision for America’s premier spy agency.

A Marine Corps Osprey made a precautionary landing at a commercial airport in southern Japan on Tuesday after a warning light activated.

National Guard troops on full-time active duty are now eligible to enroll in a tax-advantaged, health care flexible spending account, according to a spokesman for the Department of Defense.

Seventeen service members and veterans testified Friday, Saturday, and Monday in an Army doctor’s court-martial for sexually abusing 41 patients at the Lewis-McChord hospital.

In separate notices sent to lawmakers on Tuesday, President Joe Biden asked for their approval of a civil nuclear cooperation deal with Thailand and the ratification of free association agreements with the Pacific island nations of Palau and the Marshall Islands.

Coast Guard members opened fire off the coast of San Diego to disable a vessel smuggling people into the U.S. after two Mexican men on the boat attempted to evade a service patrol by ramming into them.

Three-time Olympic athlete Anita Alvarez graduated Air Force Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in Texas on Jan. 9 and will be joining the Air Force World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) to continue her training as an artistic swimmer.

South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained in a massive law enforcement operation at the presidential compound Wednesday, defiantly insisting the anti-corruption agency didn’t have the authority to investigate his actions but saying he complied to prevent violence.

Sailors and Marines who participated in Operation Unified Takedown from Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept. 30, 2024, seized more than 70 tons of explosive propellants, 1,400 weapons, 226,000 rounds of ammunition and 43,000 kilograms of narcotics.