Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

On 13 November 2014 UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) organized a roundtable on incorporating gender and youth approaches when implementing the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms (PoA) and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The roundtable, which took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, responded to requests by States in the region for UNLIREC support in their implementation of international conventional arms regulation and control and instruments. With financial support from Australia, the roundtable assembled 25 representatives from governments, international organizations and academia, bringing together expertise…

In the framework of the Strategic Program of Armored Forces, the Brazilian Army (EB) advances toward a new stage of modernization with the upcoming incorporation of its first batch of Reconnaissance Combat Vehicles (VCR) “Cascavel NG,” developed by the Brazilian company AKAER. During the first semester of 2026, the delivery of a pilot batch of seven modernized units will be carried out, marking a milestone in the renewal of the EB’s reconnaissance armored fleet. Two of these vehicles were already delivered and subjected to intense testing at the Army Evaluation Center (CAEx), in Guaratiba (Rio de Janeiro), during September 2024.…

A plan to fire live artillery shells over a major Southern California highway as part of a military showcase attended… A plan to fire live artillery shells over a major Southern California highway as part of a military showcase attended by Vice President JD Vance has drawn strong objections from Gov. Gavin Newsom, who said safety concerns forced him to close a 17-mile (27 kilometers) portion of the interstate. “The President is putting his ego over responsibility with this disregard for public safety,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “Firing live rounds over a busy highway isn’t just wrong…

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been heralded as procurement’s breakthrough technology for years. From automating spend categorization to predicting supplier risks, the promises are endless. Yet despite significant investment, many procurement AI projects stall or fail outright.  The problem is rarely the technology itself. Instead, it’s how organizations implement AI. Too often, procurement teams rush to adopt the latest tools without addressing the data and trust issues that make or break results. In the process, they generate flawed insights, slow adoption, and erode confidence among business leaders who need AI to work.  Data First, AI Second  The most common reason AI fails in procurement is also the…

Envoy Air, American Airlines’ largest regional carrier, suffered a hack in recent days as part of the wave of extortion attempts from hackers exploiting Oracle E-Business Suite applications, the company confirmed on Friday.

Unless shortfalls are rectified, Russia’s Mediterranean naval presence is unlikely to resurge anytime soon.

About a year into Russia’s war, a Ukrainian drone instructor pitched what sounded to troops like science fiction: flying quadcopters into Moscow’s scout drones midair.The soldiers thought it was impossible. It would be too difficult to maneuver a quadcopter, or small drone, into another fast-moving target, they said. They joked that he’d been watching too much “Star Wars,” recalled Yeti, the co-owner of Drone Fight Club, a privately run combat drone school in Kyiv.What once seemed laughable has since become a low-cost and critical pillar of Ukraine’s defense. While Russia hurls growing waves of explosive drones at its cities, Ukraine…

The original F-15 Eagle proved surprisingly adaptable when the Air Force sought to place it in other roles.

On September 25, the Washington Post reported that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has called an in-person meeting of up to 800 flag and general officers (FOs/GOs, or officers of one to four stars). This will take place “early next week” at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia. The Department of Defense has confirmed such a meeting.There is tremendous uncertainty about why this meeting was called. There are frequent meetings of general officers for specific purposes. For example, the 11 four-star combatant commanders come to Washington every year to meet with the secretary, the chairman, and the president. Each service…

  The Issue  One of the most significant—and most disturbing—aspects of the Mueller report is the confirmation that Russia attempted to influence the 2016 election, based on the Special Counsel’s exhaustive collection and review of intelligence. This campaign by a foreign adversary represents a serious threat to U.S. national security and is reminiscent of Moscow’s actions during the Cold War. As this CSIS Brief highlights, Moscow has long conducted an “active measures” campaign against the United States, including trying to manipulate U.S. domestic politics. U.S. policymakers now need a forceful response to Russia’s intelligence campaign. The Mueller report, officially titled…