Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

Bottom lines up front After more than a month of war and amid an uneasy cease-fire, Iran announced Friday that it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz for ships traveling a pre-approved route, while President Donald Trump vowed to continue a US blockade on Iranian ships. Both sides are still negotiating a deal to bring the conflict to a close. Much of the discussion around the conflict has rightly focused on how it will reshape the Middle East, but there is another important dimension that should not be overlooked: how the war will impact US competition with China. To explore…

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine 16 April 2026 15:20 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is closely monitoring the situation related to the entry of the vessel “ABINSK” into the port of Haifa, the State of Israel, and its transportation of a cargo of wheat, which, according to available information, originates from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The Ukrainian side informed the Israeli partners in advance, in particular on March 23, about the vessel “ABINSK” and the possible origin of the cargo from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and also emphasized the inadmissibility of import operations…

It’s another big week for turn-based RPGs, with eye-catching new releases, compelling Early-Access titles, and neat demos showcasing what’s next. It is fortunate that our beloved genre has an excellent pulse because of the abundance of new releases daily. It’s very challenging to stay current with everything that will be released, but for this, you can count on your friendly neighborhood Italian (me). Whether you prefer your RPGs story-heavy or focused on rules and systems, you’re sure to find something new and exciting to try this week. Check out our picks below, and share any that I may have missed!…

UFC lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan has been called out for his close friendship with social media influencer Nina Drama. Tsarukyan is currently the No. 2-ranked contender in his division, behind interim champ Justin Gaethje, and undisputed champ Ilia Topuria. Unfortunately, a title shot has so far eluded him, but he’s keeping very busy while he waits for the opportunity. Over the last year, Tsarukyan has been traveling the globe almost constantly, participating in a long list of wrestling and grappling matches. His latest appearance is set for tonight, when he wrestles WEC and UFC legend Urijah Faber at RAF 8.…

Presidency of The Republic of Turkey 16.04.2026 Speaking at a dinner hosted in honor of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, President Erdoğan said: “The international system, established by the victors 80 years ago, faces a major legitimacy crisis today. The values, principles, rules and norms that constitute the foundations of the system are on the threshold of losing their credibility and meaning at a global scale.” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan delivered remarks at a dinner hosted in honor of the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union at Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul. “As people with a sound mind and…

United States Space Force Published April 16, 2026 Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AFNS) — Declaring “this is the moment when our nation’s Space Force comes of age,” Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said April 15 that talented, innovative personnel and acquisition transformation will fuel the service’s success and dominance. “I truly believe we have a once in a generation opportunity to make the necessary changes for the Department to maintain our advantage, and we will get this right,” Meink said in his keynote remarks to the Space Symposium. “To make this happen…

NASHVILLE—The Army’s next-generation spy plane will begin flight tests this summer, then be delivered to the first units later this year—two years after the Army awarded Sierra Nevada Corporation $1 billion to turn its Bombarder 6500 business jet into an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform that will replace the Army’s legacy turboprop fleet.The service wants to combine the inherent range of the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System—HADES for short—with launched effects, Andrew Evans, the director of strategy and transformation in the Army’s headquarters intelligence office, told reporters Friday at the Army Aviation Warfighting Summit. A year ago, he said he…

Gilbert Burns isn’t worried about riling up the local fans ahead of his main event matchup with Mike Malott.The welterweights headline UFC Winnipeg on Saturday, and after the final faceoff at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-ins, Burns had a message for his Canadian opponent and his supporters.“Thank you, Canada,” Burns said. “Winnipeg is very nice, I have a lot of fun, but guess what? I’m going to smash your boy tomorrow.”Burns words were immediately met with boos from the fans, who will firmly be in the corner of Malott—who hails from Ontario—on Saturday night.Malott is just the third Canadian to headline an…

Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Head of the Karachayevo-Circassian Republic Rashid Temrezov. April 16, 2026 13:40 The Kremlin, Moscow Rashid Temrezov briefed the President on the republic’s socioeconomic development, as well as the implementation of national projects and the President’s instructions on improving the quality of life in the republic. He said that the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, declared in 2026, is known in the republic as the Year of Cultural and Spiritual Heritage of the Karachayevo-Circassian People. Rashid Temrezov reported in detail on the support provided to participants in the special military operation…

A UFC Hall of Famer believes Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry will fall short of high expectations ahead of the fan-friendly clash. UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey will return to Mixed Martial Arts for the first time in nearly 10 years when she faces off with Gina Carano next month in a Most Valuable Promotions main event. This will mark Rousey’s first MMA fight since suffering back-to-back UFC losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes. The card also features former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou’s MMA comeback against Philipe Lins, and an intriguing matchup between former UFC superstar Nate…