Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

The joint Belgian-Dutch replacement Mine Countermeasures (rMCM) programme continues to make progress towards demonstrating its full stand-off mine warfare capability before the end of 2026, with recent ship and system deliveries paving the way for a critical phase of operational integration. Speaking at the recent Navy Leaders Combined Naval Event (CNE) 2026, Commander Pierre Van Engeland, Belgian Navy programme manager for rMCM, said the delivery of the first two MCM motherships and the first toolbox of uncrewed systems have established the foundation for the next phase of testing and familiarisation of the systems. However, significant work remains to integrate the…

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A Navy acquisition leader warned congressional members on Thursday that China is meeting the United States on nearly every maritime mark, raising the importance that shipbuilding continue on an upward trajectory. William F. Mahan, performing the duties of assistant secretary of the Navy (ASN) for research, development and acquisition, made the remarks Thursday to an audience of lawmakers and industry partners on Capitol Hill as part of the U.S. Navy League’s Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus breakfast. His main message was a simple one: modernization and restoration is integral to the U.S. maintaining its maritime industrial base. But that is just part…

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When indie-folk artist Noah Richardson isn’t writing songs or performing for growing crowds across the country, there’s a good chance you’ll find him in an unlikely place: Planet Fitness. It may not sound glamorous, but Richardson isn’t chasing flashy workouts. He’s chasing consistency. As his music career continues to gain momentum, the Philadelphia native has discovered that success on stage isn’t all that different from success in the gym. Both require patience, discipline, and a willingness to keep showing up long before the results arrive. That perspective comes honestly. Richardson grew up around bodybuilding culture thanks to his father and…

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Listen to the article 2 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. Dive Brief: The J.M. Smucker Co. expects mid-single-digit percentage deflation in the current fiscal year, largely driven by lower green coffee commodity costs, EVP and CFO Tucker Marshall said on a June 9 earnings call. As a result of the lower coffee costs, the Folgers java maker introduced temporary price reductions through promotions and discounts for retailers and shoppers, CEO Mark Smucker told investors. However, the company did not commit to more permanent price reductions. “Coffee is a pass-through category, right? So…

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KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine is developing a missile that launches from a balloon at the edge of the stratosphere, built to fly through Russian jamming — one of the newest weapons in Kyiv’s growing mid-range strike campaign to pressure the Kremlin into pulling back its forces and returning to the negotiating table.The balloon-born missile, DART, drops from a balloon at about 7 to 11 miles and runs on satellite guidance until it falls to about 4 miles, where its navigation cuts out and a solid-fuel engine carries it along a fixed course, according to its creators at the Ukrainian company…

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A dry winter, ravenous hunger and accessible trash have drawn bears to Fort Carson, Colorado, where officials have received 23 reported bear sightings just this year.The real number, they believe, is likely much higher. Capt. Robert Look Jr., chief of conservation law enforcement for Fort Carson, said low snowpack, a condition called seasonal hyperphagia — where an animal’s insatiable urge to eat overrides a natural fear of humans — and loose garbage have made conditions tempting for bears to head towards the Army post. “Recent mild winters and low snowpack have depleted natural food sources — berries, acorns and plants…

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The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is undergoing a modernization effort that its new director believes will strike the right balance between its – seemingly disparate — major mission areas. Robert Cekada, who has been at the helm of the ATF since April 30, said he wants to reduce burdensome regulations, particularly around legal access to firearms, while at the same time ensuring his agents are able to prevent violent crimes. The day before Cekada was officially sworn in, ATF released a list of 34 regulations intended to modernize how the agency works, reduce the regulatory and paperwork burden…

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Young people who have well-developed life skills—such as self-awareness, teamwork, perseverance, and responsible decisionmaking—tend to do better in school, have better health and relationships, and enjoy greater overall well-being than those who do not. There is an evidence base for how to help young people develop these skills, and out-of-school-time (OST) programs can play a key role. This guide (and its companion resource) aims to help OST intermediaries, the organizations that coordinate and support OST programs, build OST providers’ capacity to strengthen young people’s life skills development. It contains practical, ready-to-use strategies and resources to help broaden the impact of…

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25.06.2026 – The Finnish Border Guard has launched the development of counter-drone capabilities in cooperation with industry partners. The project aims to build a nationwide system that integrates fixed surveillance and effect capabilities with mobile countermeasure solutions. SISU GTP platform as part of the patrol vehicle solution With secured funding, the Finnish Border Guard will initiate the procurement of patrol vehicles and patrol boats equipped with counter-drone capabilities. The vehicle solution is based on a system supplied by Saab AB, built on the SISU GTP vehicle platform. The patrol vehicles and boats will be equipped with harmonized capabilities, systems, and…

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09:15 25.6.2026 Iran’s Foreign Ministry called the statements by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte saying the United States used some of the military alliance’s bases in Europe in the war with Iran “an admission” of its “complicity” in the conflict and demanded accountability. Rutte’s comments, which were in response to US President Donald Trump’s criticism of NATO’s lack of cooperation in Washington’s military campaign against Tehran, were “an admission of the organization’s active complicity in committing military aggression against an independent country” the ministry said. Rutte said that during the war, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28,…

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