The FBI says it has thwarted a potential ISIS-inspired terror attack planned for New Year’s Eve in North Carolina, arresting an 18-year-old suspect before any harm could occur. Federal prosecutors allege the suspect, Christian Sturdivant of Mint Hill near Charlotte, attempted to provide material support to ISIS after making contact with individuals he believed were affiliated with the terror group. Authorities say those contacts were actually FBI undercover agents.

The United States has carried out a precision air strike against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria at the request of the Nigerian government. President Donald Trump said the operation followed intelligence showing ISIS fighters targeting Christian communities, escalating U.S. involvement in West Africa’s growing security crisis. While Washington says multiple ISIS militants were killed, Nigerian officials caution the conflict is complex, affecting both Muslim and Christian populations. This report breaks down what triggered the strike, the religious freedom debate, and what comes next for U.S.–Nigeria security cooperation.