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US military sends drones, alongside 200 troops, to Nigeria amid fears of renewed Boko Haram insurgency
The U.S. military has sent MQ-9 Reaper drones to Nigeria, a U.S. defense official reportedly told The Associated Press, as fears are growing of a renewed insurgency by the terrorist group Boko Haram.
The drones were deployed after 200 U.S. troops arrived in Nigeria last month to provide training and intelligence. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is battling a complex security crisis, especially in the north of the country.
A spokesperson for AFRICOM, the U.S. Africa Command, told the AP that U.S. troops “are working alongside their Nigerian counterparts to provide intelligence support, advisory assistance, and targeted training in support of the Nigerian Armed Forces.”
Among the most prominent Islamic militant groups active in Nigeria are Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, which is affiliated with the Islamic State and is known as Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP.
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There is also the ISIS-linked Lakurawa, as well as other “bandit” groups that specialize in kidnapping for ransom and illegal mining.
The U.S. troops and the MQ-9 drones are based at Bauchi Airfield, a newly built airport in the northeast of the country, the spokesperson said to the AP. The number of drones deployed remains unclear.
The deployment is part of a new security partnership agreed on after President Donald Trump sounded the alarm about Christians being slaughtered in Nigeria’s security crisis.
The U.S. launched strikes against IS forces on Dec. 26 — the day after Christmas.
Earlier this month, three suspected suicide bombings killed at least 23 people and wounded 108 others in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state in northeastern Nigeria. No group claimed responsibility, but suspicion quickly fell on Boko Haram, which in 2009 launched an insurgency in northeastern Nigeria to enforce Sharia law.
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MQ-9 drones cost around $30 million apiece and have separate models for land and sea. They can also be used to carry out airstrikes, but AFRICOM says they will only be used in Nigeria for intelligence-gathering and training.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence says Boko Haram aims to “overthrow the current Nigerian Government and replace it with a regime based on Islamic law.”
“The U.S. State Department designated Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organization in November 2013,” it added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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‘Reacher’ star Alan Ritchson drops cryptic ‘enemy’ quote after alleged front yard brawl with neighbor
“Reacher” star Alan Ritchson left fans divided after seemingly sharing a cryptic message in the wake of his front yard brawl.
Ritchson can allegedly be seen throwing punches at his Tennessee neighbor as his kids watch from the street in video obtained by TMZ.
The 43-year-old model-turned-actor took to social media Monday as conflicting accounts of what led to the physical altercation emerged.
“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake,” a quote shared by Ritchson on Instagram read.
Ritchson’s cryptic message didn’t sit right with some in his comments.
“Kind of like getting CAUGHT on camera being a bully,” one user wrote. “Man. Shame on you. True masculinity defends the weak and serves those around us. Not what you do. I stand against bullies. Come on over. You are welcome to try and bully me.”
“Bro beat a guy’s a– and aura farms afterward,” another added.
“Disgusting,” a user wrote. “Don’t talk about Church and Jesus ever again. You should be 100% canceled.”
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However, the “Titans” star also received support.
“@alanritchson I know you’re way too good of a dude to do that unprovoked,” a commenter wrote. “I’m with Alan all the way on this one.”
“Need more guys like you around brother,” another added.
“True fans love you @alanritchson i don’t for a second believe you would have acted that way without being provoked or assaulted first,” one said.
Brentwood, Tennessee police have closed the investigation, concluding that the star acted in self-defense, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
No charges will be pursued, per the outlet.
The actor also declined pressing charges against Taylor.
“After reviewing available evidence, including video footage and witness statements, authorities determined that no criminal charges will be pursued. Mr. Ritchson’s actions were found to be in self-defense,” Captain Steven Pepin of the Brentwood Police Department told THR.
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The actor’s neighbor and alleged victim, Ronnie Taylor, claimed the drama began Saturday, TMZ reported.
According to Taylor, Ritchson was seen riding his green Kawasaki bike through the neighborhood Saturday at an excessive rate of speed. The actor returned Sunday around noon, this time with his two kids in tow on their own motorbikes. Taylor confronted Ritchson, leading to a physical altercation.
Sources close to Ritchson told TMZ that the actor did not instigate the fight. While riding motorbikes around the neighborhood, Taylor allegedly ran into the street in a “really aggressive” manner to stop Ritchson.
The insiders claimed Taylor pushed Ritchson off the motorbike twice before the brawl ensued. According to the outlet’s sources, Taylor allegedly “initiated and instigated” the entire confrontation.
Taylor told the Daily Mail that he did not know who the neighbor was and only found out after the altercation. The actor declined to respond when asked if he started the alleged fight.
“I can’t answer questions about that right now, there’s an active investigation,” he told the outlet.
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Vince Vaughn calls out late-night shows all feeling ‘the same,’ becoming ‘agenda-based’ scolding
Actor Vince Vaughn said late-night talk shows have all become the “same” and are too “agenda-based” for people to watch.
“I think that the talk shows to a large part became really agenda-based,” Vaughn said Tuesday. “They were going to [evangelize] people to what they thought. You know what I mean? And so people just rejected it because it didn’t feel authentic. It felt like they had an agenda. It stopped being funny and it started feeling like I was f—— in a class I didn’t want to take. You know? I’m getting scolded.”
The “Wedding Crashers” actor made the remarks on Theo Von’s “This Past Weekend” podcast after Von noted how late-night shows have been struggling after only targeting “White redneck kind of people” in their comedy routines.
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Vaughn added that people have likely become more drawn to podcasts over late-night shows for authenticity and to “feel like people are having a real conversation.”
“If you look at what happened to the talk shows and why their ratings are low, it’s got only to do with the fact of what you just said, which is they all became the same show. And they all became so about their politics and who’s good and who’s bad. And it’s like, imagine sitting next to someone like that on a f—— plane,” Vaughn said.
Vaughn has been criticized in the past for images of himself interacting and acting cordial with President Donald Trump going back as far as 2020. Last year, he visited the White House and took a “Wedding Crashers” parody photo with the president.
Von asked whether he had ever felt ostracized by Hollywood because of his beliefs and actions.
“I got along with people for the most and always was, you know, always try to be honest about who I am. But yeah, there’s times you felt like it would have been easier. It’s almost like a career move. You know what I mean? But I was always the other way too. Like I’m not jumping on 100% this or this because I have opinions on both sides. There’s s— I don’t agree with at all and then there’s s— I don’t agree with at all,” Vaughn said.
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Vaughn has described himself as a libertarian and said that he ultimately believes in “allowing individuals to make choices.”
“I’d rather say let people make their choices, and they can make different choices and have the consequences of their choices,” he told The New York Times in 2024.
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Minnesota sues Trump admin to access evidence in federal shootings, including Alex Pretti, Renee Good cases
The state of Minnesota is suing the Trump administration for access to evidence related to a series of shootings involving federal agents that sparked condemnation from Democrats during a federal crackdown on illegal immigration.
The lawsuit, filed in Washington D.C., by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office (HCAO), the state, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, names the Justice Department, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, as well as the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem as defendants.
The suit seeks evidence related to the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and non-fatal shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis, an illegal immigrant, saying federal authorities are intentionally withholding the materials.
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Federal and local authorities have sparred over information about the shootings, which occurred during the administration’s massive crackdown.
“It is extraordinary that we need to file this lawsuit at all,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said. “Cooperation between federal and state law enforcement in Minnesota is entirely routine: local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies on the ground in Minnesota have decades of relationships with each other and share a desire to solve crime and keep people safe.”
“It should go without saying that we share jurisdiction with the federal government in this case: these incidents happened in Minnesota and fall under state law, regardless of the fact that federal agents are involved,” he added.
Minnesota officials have blamed federal agents for the shootings, despite immigration authorities facing opposition from anti-ICE agitators while trying to arrest criminal illegal immigrants.
“These shootings are just three examples of the violent actions committed by federal agents in Minnesota during the Surge,” the complaint said. “Federal agents also carried out illegal stops, sweeps, arrests, and dangerous raids in sensitive public spaces. The Surge created widespread fear among Minnesota residents, both citizens and noncitizens.”
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Good was shot and killed on Jan. 7 when she attempted to ram her vehicle into a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, DHS said.
Pretti was fatally shot on Jan. 24 while confronting agents, which sparked outrage among critics of the surge. Sosa-Celis was shot on Jan. 14 after authorities said he attacked them with a shovel.
However, charges against the Venezuelan national were dismissed after video evidence suggested the officers involved may have made “untruthful statements,” ICE Director Todd Lyons said at the time.
Operation Metro Surge ended soon after the Pretti shooting and federal agents were pulled out of Minnesota in February.
The lawsuit alleges that the federal government’s policy of withholding evidence is unlawful and prevents local authorities from fulfilling a core duty to the people of Minnesota.
“That responsibility rests primarily with Minnesota’s law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities — in this case, Plaintiffs — who must gather the evidence, evaluate the facts, and decide whether Minnesota criminal law was violated,” it states.
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