El Salvador's strongman president, Nayib Bukele, is sending thousands of troops to Haiti to boost the island's push to wipe out its gang problem — and find four of his military personnel who were captured in a recent ambush.
Bukele called President Trump on Tuesday to make sure he had no problem with this major military escalation, to which Haiti's government has agreed.
"Do what you have to do," Trump told him, according to sources briefed on the call.
Why it matters: If it works, Bukele's troop surge could stabilize Haiti, a country 700 miles from Florida that has been devastated by deadlygang violence and has lacked a president since the last one, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated five years ago.
Binance halted trading Thursday after hackers allegedly linked to North Korea stole more than $6 billion, the largest crypto hack in history.
Why it matters: The attack comes after a wave of high-profile cyber intrusions and data breaches during "Black October," when a series of security incidents and AI-discovered bugs triggered fears of a global crisis.
Because we weren't going to change who we were once we had kids, my travel-loving husband and I insisted on bringing our toddler on a very adult trip to Portugal and Italy this summer.
Think: museum visits, Airbnbs, history tours and restaurant reservations.
Why it matters: Of course, traveling with a toddler changed the pace of the trip.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's reelection carries consequences far beyond Brazil's borders.
Why it matters: Lula faces challenges including strained relations with the U.S. over trade and the Bolsonaro family as he pursues an ambitious climate agenda that includes a commitment to ending Amazon deforestation.
U.S. Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of forces in the Middle East, briefed President Trump Thursday on the state of the Iran war, with a focus on the ongoing naval blockade, according to two U.S. officials.
Why it matters: As he did before Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025 and Operation Epic Fury in February, Trump is pursuing dual tracks — trying to reach a deal to restart peace talks while also preparing for a possible resumption of major combat operations after the midterms.
The Pentagon's top military planner admitted to leaking classified information about Ukraine and Iran to two reporters from separate outlets over a one-year period, according to an internal report of the investigation shared with Axios.
Why it matters: Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia was fired this week by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the alleged misconduct, which the career soldier acknowledged on video after he failed four polygraph tests, a U.S. official said.
After his far-right coalition lost 11 seats in the election, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to discredit the results by claiming there was mass voting fraud in Arab communities.
Why it matters: Netanyahu appears to be trying to spook the opposition bloc out of cooperating with Arab parties to form a new government.
European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde will step down in February, nine months before her term expires, Lagarde said Thursday.
Why it matters: Lagarde's sooner-than-expected departure sets off a high-stakes leadership contest at Europe's most powerful central bank, as the region grapples with renewed inflation pressures and economic uncertainty.
The clearest image to date of China's highly secretive spaceplane was circulated this week in a new Pentagon report identifying space threats.
Why it matters: The photo is further evidence of China's space advancements, and the findings from the Defense Intelligence Agency shine a light on Beijing's orbital arms buildup.
