Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

Iran did not start its war with the United States and Israel. But more than a month in, the Islamic Republic is clearly winning it. American and Israeli forces have spent weeks incessantly bombing Iranian territory, killing thousands of people and damaging hundreds of buildings, all in hopes of toppling the country’s government. Yet Iran has held the line and successfully defended its interests. It has maintained continuity of leadership even as its top officials have been assassinated, and it has repeatedly hit back at its aggressors even as they strike at its military, civilian, and industrial facilities. The Americans…

Clash Royale confirms the CHAOS mode will be removed temporarily from rotation.A refreshed version is planned to return in July 2026 with a few additions and updates. Clash Royale struck gold with the addition of CHAOS Mode into the game, and you can see so many players coming back and enjoying the fun that this mode brought, with crazy decks and combinations. While we log in to the game without this mode or its ladder for the next season, we do have some good news. The makers have confirmed that “C.H.A.O.S” Mode will soon be taken out of rotation, with a…

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced a plan Wednesday to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, moving past a split between the two Republican leaders that resulted in Congress leaving Washington last week without a fix to a record-setting partial government shutdown. They said in a joint statement that “in the coming days” Republicans in Congress will pursue a two-track approach. The first track returns to the Senate plan to fund most of the department, with the exception of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol. On the second…

The Indonesian Air Force is buying twelve PC-24 twin-jet aircraft for transport pilot training, light air transport and liaison roles. (Pilatus)The Indonesian Air Force, or TNI-AU, is acquiring a dozen Pilatus PC-24 twin-jet aircraft for roles such as transport pilot training, light air transport and liaison. Announced by Pilatus on 30 March, the contract was signed with PT E-System Solutions Indonesia, a defence contractor representing Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence.The agreement, of indeterminate dollar value, includes ground support equipment, tools, spare parts, training and technical support from Pilatus, as well as an option for additional aircraft.Markus Bucher, CEO of Pilatus, commented:…

U.S. defense stocks have declined even as the Iran war drags on, indicating that the typical “buy-on-conflict” trade had largely peaked in the weeks before in anticipation of tougher action by President Donald Trump.The NYSE Arca Defense index, which includes 34 small and large-cap U.S. companies, fell nearly 8% in March, compared with the broader S&P 500’s 5% drop. In contrast, it had gained about 12% in February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine.The sluggish performance, strategists said, signaled investors were unwinding positions after a strong run this year and does not reflect fading demand or doubts about longer-term defense spending.“A…

President Donald Trump is set to unveil a $1.5 trillion defense budget request for the next fiscal year on Friday, by far the largest year-over-year increase in defense spending in the post-World War Two era.Funding for Trump’s marquee but controversial $185 billion “Golden Dome” missile defense shield is expected to be included in the budget request as well as Lockheed Martin F-35 jets and warships. Procurement of Virginia-class submarines made by General Dynamics, and Huntington Ingalls Industries as well as other top shipbuilding priorities is expected. Last year, Trump asked Congress for a national defense budget of $892.6 billion then…

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday asked U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down and retire effective immediately, a Pentagon official told Military Times.The abrupt move, one of three significant changes made by Hegseth the same day, cuts short George’s tenure, which began in September 2023, well before the end of the typical four-year term. The Pentagon intends to replace him with a leader aligned with Hegseth and President Donald Trump’s vision for the Army, the official added. They did not specify what this vision entails. George has more than four decades of military service, according…

Australia’s research relationship with China presents a dilemma that resists easy resolution. Security imperatives demand scrutiny of research collaboration with Chinese institutions, yet that scrutiny generates observable costs to Australia’s capacity to engage with one of the world’s leading research powers. This article examines that dilemma through two lenses: the experiences and concerns documented in In Limbo: Perspectives on Australia-China Research Mobility, a qualitative report published in early 2026 by the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS: ACRI); and the security concerns that animate current Australian visa and governance settings. It finds that the costs of…

Veteran Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Lando Vannata returns to action this weekend (Sat., April 4, 2026) against winless Darrius Flowers at UFC Vegas 115 inside the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.And it’s been a long time coming.Vannata hasn’t competed since UFC Kansas City in 2023, where he lost a unanimous decision to Mexican prospect Daniel Zellhuber.And then, poof! “Groovy” vanished. So, what happened?Vannata was booked a couple of times in late 2023 and again in 2024, but both fights fell through. After that, he went quiet — leaving fans wondering what exactly happened.Now, we finally have an answer.“Life,”…

Jiri Prochazka wants another crack at Alex Pereira. Prochazka is 0-2 against Pereira in his UFC career, losing both by knockout. Yet, Prochazka has been adamant that he wants another crack, but with Pereira vacating his belt to move up to heavyweight, a third crack seems unlikely. However, Jiri Prochazka said he’s keeping the door open for him moving up to heavyweight to face Alex Pereira for a third time. “When I fought in Rizin in Japan, I fought with the heavyweight guys many times,” Prochazka said to MMAJunkie. “I can push my body to show much more strength and…