Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

In 2023, I was in conversations with an intermediary to scheduling an interview with John Eley, one of the longest American students of Koichi Tohei and active member within the Ki Society. Unfortunately, the interview never materialized, however I was offered a previous interview Eley did in 2008. The quality is not the greatest, however, such aikido history must be retained for future generations. As an ongoing project, I have transcribed the first interview and edited Eley’s responses into one continuous narrative. Any mistakes are my own. Read the first part here. Isao Takahashi stayed with us through spring, summer,…

Thousands of U.S. troops are currently deployed to U.S. Central Command, spread across numerous installations and dozens of ships throughout the region. Amid ongoing actions against Iran, the stories of service members bravely carrying out orders around the clock have largely gone untold. Whether you’re maintaining vehicles or launching and recovering aircraft, we would be glad to hear and share those stories, celebrations, concerns — any and all of it. Email us at tips@militarytimes.com or miltimes@proton.me to share your take on things.Anonymity can be granted upon request if we use any of your insights in our future reports.Thank you for…

An artist’s impression of an Iranian-made Shahed loitering munition over a rural landscape. Credit: Shutterstock/Anelo. While Iran’s ballistic missile strikes decline, its one-way attack drones are filling the void For defenders, the main challenge of a drone barrage is the saturation; a few units are slipping through the coverage of excquisite US, Israeli and Arab air defences Tehran’s strategy offers little beyond its increasing drone tactics, which make the IRGC’s success dependent on sustaining Shahed production A cornered Iranian regime can do little else but respond in kind to overwhelming US and Israeli strikes with its own salvos against targets…

In late 2017, while traveling to Moscow on official duty, I experienced a sudden, debilitating health incident. After a long and arduous battle with the CIA to obtain treatment, military doctors at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington ultimately diagnosed and treated me for a line-of-duty traumatic brain injury. I was never the same after the incident and years of painful recovery continue to this day.I served for 26 years in the U.S. intelligence community, rising to the Senior Intelligence Service’s top ranks and receiving the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal upon retirement. Yet my departure from government…

March 08, 2026 US President Donald Trump declined to comment on the election of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran’s new supreme leader after previously saying the 56-year-old ayatollah was a “lightweight” and an “unacceptable” choice. When asked in an interview with the Times of Israel conducted shortly after Iran announced Khamenei’s appointment, Trump said only, “We’ll see what happens.” Khamenei succeeded his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the first day of joint US and Israeli air strikes on Iran on February 28. Before Mojtaba Khamenei’s appointment, Trump suggested the United States would demand a role in naming the new…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has said that today will be “the most intense day of strikes,” as the U.S. and Israeli militaries increase their attacks on Iran. Meanwhile, Hegseth said that, in the last 24 hours, Iran has launched its lowest number of weapons since the conflict began, suggesting that these strikes are starting to more significantly erode Tehran’s ability to hit back at Israel, U.S. interests in the Middle East, and the wider region. Hegseth said that the…

Gustavo Trujillo has notched yet another opening-round knockout, and the BKB heavyweight titleholder has maintained his spotless record across multiple combat sports. ‘Havoc at the Hilton 3’ saw Gustavo ‘The Cuban Assassin’ Trujillo improve his gloved boxing record to 10-0 with 9 KOs after the bare knuckle behemoth toppled Phillip Penson in the first stanza of their contest in Altamonte Springs, Florida. Heavy pressure from the jump had Penson failing to establish his real estate in the ring, and a torrent of body shots spelled defeat for him early on. The Cuban combatant continues to show why he is one…

Mission first. Gear second to none. Direct Action introduces the Core Assaulter Setup – a reference configuration designed for frontline operators without a dedicated specialist role, operating in full kit under changing operational tempo. This setup is not a universal solution or the only correct configuration. It’s a reference built to demonstrate system logic, capability, and versatility: load carriage, access, control, and speed. The setup can be stripped down for low-profile operations, expanded for longer missions, or adapted to unit SOPs and team standards. One principle remains constant: the gear works for the operator, not the other way around. Built…

The Top 7 Must-Buy Games During Steam Tower Defense Fest 2026 The Steam Tower Defense Fest 2026 is officially here, running from March 9 to March 16, and it is arguably the best year for the genre yet. It looks like we can’t go a week without Steam throwing a new Steam Fest our way. After the first major Steam Next Fest – an event that had over 3000 games on display- the PVP Fest, and a Steam Board Game Fest, now it’s time for the Steam Tower Defense Fest to take over our computers! In this guide, I’ve narrowed…

On February 17, 2026, it was announced that Ronda Rousey would make her return to MMA against Gina Carano on May 16, 2026, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.On Tuesday, Most Valuable Promotions and Netflix held the Rousey vs. Carano Kickoff Press Conference at the Intuit Dome. Following the question and answer session, the ladies faced off. Rousey vs Carano Press Conference Face-Offs