↑ Defense and Military Forces Zero Hour for the Middle East - After more than a decade of wars, from Syria to Gaza, the Middle East is exhausted by conflict. Is it ready to find another way?Facts Clash With Trump Claim of Hitting ISIS and Shielding Nigerian Christians - President Trump said the targets of airstrikes in Nigeria were Islamic State terrorists responsible for killing Christians, but experts question his framing.Trump Announces Strike Against ISIS in Nigeria - The attack comes after President Trump ordered the Defense Department last month to prepare to intervene militarily in Nigeria to protect Christians from Islamic militants.‘Carol of the Bells’ Once Filled the Air Here. Now It’s Only Bombs. - Mykola Leontovych, the Ukrainian composer of the famed festive song, lived in the eastern city of Pokrovsk. Months of Russian assaults have erased most tributes to his life there.Why China, a One-Party State, Is Backing Elections in This Country - The vote in Myanmar, widely seen as a sham, is a bid for legitimacy by the military government. It is also a way for Beijing to exert its influence there.Why Russia Is Likely to Reject the New US-Ukrainian Peace Plan - The first draft essentially called for Ukraine’s surrender. The revised version includes the security guarantees Kyiv wants to prevent future Russian aggression.Zelensky Opens Way to Demilitarized Zone in Eastern Ukraine to Reach Peace - The offer was the closest Mr. Zelensky has come to addressing the thorny territorial disputes in Donetsk that have repeatedly derailed peace talks.After the Assad Regime’s Fall, His Enforcers Are Lying Low and Living Large - A Times investigation into the whereabouts of top Syrian officials who fled after the regime’s fall shows many remain free — shielded by wealth and accommodating host nations.Ukraine Claims First Strike by Underwater Drone on Russian Submarine - As it tries to demonstrate its continuing ability to fight, Ukraine said it had used drones to inflict serious damage on a Russian Kilo-class submarine at a Black Sea port.U.S. Military Plane and JetBlue Flight Nearly Collided Over Caribbean, Radio Traffic Shows - The Air Force refueling tanker was flying without its location transponder activated and could not be detected by air traffic control.