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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…

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday signed a directive allowing service members to request permission to carry privately owned firearms on military installations while off duty, the Pentagon said in a statement.“The War Department’s uniformed service members are trained at the highest and unwavering standards. These warfighters — entrusted with the safety of our nation — are no less entitled to exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms than any other American,” Hegseth announced in a video posted to social media. The memorandum instructed installation commanders to consider requests with a “presumption of approval,” reversing what Hegseth described…

Welcome back to Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point. This series features specially selected cadet hosts who are given an incredible professional development opportunity—to sit down with senior military officers and ask carefully crafted questions about everything from leadership to their unique experiences while serving, to their expectations about the future of war. In this episode, Cadet Zach Olson speaks with US Lieutenant General Curtis Buzzard and Ukrainian Major General Volodymyr Horbatiuk about how the ongoing conflict in Ukraine illustrates a reshaping of modern warfare. The war is heavily characterized by rapid innovation, the…

While much ink has been spilled over how 3D printing has enabled intense drone-on-drone warfare in Ukraine, the U.S. defense and intelligence communities have overlooked a stealthier development: Additive manufacturing is revolutionizing how guns are produced, fielded, and sustained in armed conflicts, especially by non-state actors. What once required a web of smuggling networks, foreign sponsors, and captured stockpiles can now be made with digital files and off-the-shelf parts. Even ammunition production, once considered an insurmountable barrier, is increasingly possible. This revolution in how arms and ammunition are manufactured has yielded resilient and decentralized supply chains that can endure both…

The Social Security Administration’s rollout of new systems for scheduling appointments and managing its caseload nationwide is on hold for now. For months, SSA has been planning to launch two major systems, the National Appointment Scheduling Calendar (NASC) and the National Workload Management (NWLM) system, to distribute appointment scheduling and claims processing across its workforce nationwide. But in a March 31 email obtained by Federal News Network, SSA told employees that the April 13 rollout of these systems “has been paused until further notice.” This is at least the second time these systems have been postponed. SSA previously told employees…

Building a strong back is one of the most valuable things you can do for your health, posture, and athletic performance. A well developed back supports your spine, improves movement efficiency, reduces injury risk, and enhances total body strength. Many people assume that you need barbells, dumbbells, and gym machines to develop a powerful back. That is not true. Scientific research shows that bodyweight training and resistance using bands or household tools can stimulate muscle growth and strength effectively when exercises are performed with proper intensity and progression. Muscle hypertrophy is primarily driven by mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and muscle…

A bipartisan group of senators on Thursday reaffirmed America’s commitment to NATO, just a day after President Donald Trump threatened to abandon the transatlantic alliance amid a standoff over the Strait of Hormuz.Trump said he viewed U.S. membership in the defense pact as not merely up for debate but “beyond reconsideration.” However, he cannot withdraw unilaterally; doing so would require a two-thirds Senate majority or an act of Congress. Neither option, senators say, is likely to materialize. “Any President that contemplates attempting to withdraw from NATO is not only fulfilling Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping’s greatest dreams but would be…

The New York Times The Cheongung-II, an air defense system made in South Korea, had never been tested in combat until Iran launched waves of ballistic missiles at the United Arab Emirates last month. It reportedly shot down 29 out of 30 missiles and drones it targeted, according to South Korean news media and a government official. Although it was only a small fraction of the missiles and drones intercepted during the first month of the war, the success drew praise from politicians and military analysts from Dubai to Seoul. The strong debut of the Cheongung-II — which translates roughly to “Heaven’s…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ODNI News Release No. 05-26 April 1, 2026 WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) today released the Annual Statistical Transparency Report (ASTR) Regarding the Intelligence Community’s (IC) Use of National Security Surveillance Authorities for Calendar Year 2025. The ASTR combines statistics with contextual information to share with the American people on the IC’s use of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) authorities, National Security Letters, and other national security authorities. The report also provides insights into how these authorities are overseen to ensure privacy and protect the civil liberties of persons whose…

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 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 to the Army. He was commissioned as an infantry officer…