Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

On Jan. 5, 2025, my volunteer platoon attached to the 23rd Special Purpose Battalion of the Presidential Brigade entered a 1-kilometer-long tree line called CHAI, on the outskirts of Kotlyne, a few kilometers west of Pokrovsk, Ukraine. Our task was to occupy a position whose status on DeepState, an open-source map tracking military operations in the Russo-Ukrainian war, had been shifting out of gray for five days. On DeepState’s map, different colors illustrate the fighting situation: the red area is held by the aggressor, while green or blue areas show territory successfully defended or recaptured by the Ukrainian army. The…

Welcome to Midnight Mania!Let’s start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026.Though I cannot embed the post itself (see here), Donald Trump did indeed post a six-minute highlight montage of unranked UFC Light Heavyweight Ion Cutelaba without any sort of caption or explanation. I have no idea why … Maybe he’s just a big “Hulk” fan? Ongoing negotiations with Moldova? Fulfill some unlikely PolyMarket bet?Depending on how one interprets a middle finger emoji, Daniel Rodriguez may or may not be interested in fighting Daniil Donchenko.All the skits in the…

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday it had captured a U.S. uncrewed submarine at the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, offering a rare glimpse into how underwater drones are being used in military operations.Iranian state media said the vessel was a Dive-LD, a large autonomous underwater vehicle built by California defense firm Anduril. The 19-foot (5.8-metre) submersible can carry out missions including mine countermeasures, seabed mapping, intelligence gathering and the inspection of underwater infrastructure such as cables and pipelines, the company has said.“We trapped one of the most modern, intelligent and unmanned submarines of the terrorist American army at…

Al-Qaeda has ended. The organization that Osama bin Laden founded and led, that attacked the United States 25 years ago and killed 2,977 innocent Americans in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and rural Pennsylvania, no longer survives—and U.S. officials should say so, instead of burnishing the group’s legacy by acting and speaking as if it still exists. Terrorism has not ceased, jihadism has not gone away, and the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran may ignite more anti-American sentiment and violence. But the group that attacked the United States on 9/11 is finished.In the years following that assault, thousands of Americans…

If you’re confused about how to grow website traffic now that AI is reshaping search, welcome to the club.With search fragmented and audiences spread across multiple platforms, it’s less straightforward than it used to be — especially for new websites. But that doesn’t mean organic traffic is dead. It simply means it comes from multiple smaller streams rather than a single large source. If you’re a small business owner, freelancer, or creator trying to grow your site, this guide covers practical ways to attract visitors through search, AI visibility, newsletters, partnerships, and personal branding. Step 1: Create content to answer…

The National Security Agency is leaning into artificial intelligence tools to process the mass volumes of data it collects, allowing analysts to sort through tasks and find anomalies faster, a top official said Tuesday.“I think right now we’re looking at how to use an AI where we could triage so much more,” David Imbordino, the head of the agency’s cybersecurity directorate, said on a panel with officials from the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance at the Billington Cybersecurity Summit in Washington, D.C.The agency ingests vast amounts of data every day, including intercepted foreign communications and electronic signals from radar and weapons…

A new elementary school near Luke Air Force Base will strengthen the connection between the installation and its surrounding community whilecreating another source of support for Airmen and their families.Troy Gilbert Elementary School is named in honor of U.S. Air Force Maj. Troy L. Gilbert, a former F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot previously assigned to Luke AFB’s 309th Fighter Squadron. The school will serve kindergarten through eighth grade andprovide educational opportunities for familiesliving near the installation.Gilbert was killed during combat operations in Iraq in 2006. In 2016, his remains were recovered and returned to the United States. His legacyremainsconnected to Luke…

The TWZ Newsletter Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy. The U.S. Navy has lost an advanced uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV), and it is now in Iranian hands. Here’s what we know about the Dive-LD drone and its apparent seizure, and its implications. Authorities in Iran said earlier today that they had retrieved a U.S. Dive-LD uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) largely intact near the Strait of Hormuz. The regime in Tehran subsequently released pictures and video clips of the UUV being lifted out of the water, seen at various points below. This…

Four fighters will join the ranks of the UFC after the latest episode of Contender Series.On Tuesday night, Week 5 of Season 10 of Contender Series took place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas,featuring three stoppages over five fights and one fighter who Dana White compared to Jon Jones. At the end of the night, White handed out four UFC contracts.Quentin Pasley def. Arlind BerishaIn the main event of the evening, Quentin Pasley moved to 4-0 in his MMA career with a demolition of Arlind Berisha.Just 24 years old, what Pasley lacks in experience, he makes up for in…

Umar Nurmagomedov has returned to training after his brutal knockout loss to Song Yadong. The 30-year-old Russian, who took on Yadong a couple of weeks ago in the main event of UFC Shanghai, was knocked out cold in the second round. It was the first time he had been finished in his 22-fight MMA career, also ruining his chances of getting another shot at the UFC Bantamweight title. SHANGHAI, CHINA – AUGUST 29: (L-R) Song Yadong of China punches Umar Nurmagomedov of Russia in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center on…