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Listen to the article 4 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. The U.S. and Iran reached an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but ocean supply chain networks are not expected to recover until mid-September 2026, according to a June 19 Xeneta report.  Beyond its regionalized impact, the Iran war’s broader effect on the ocean shipping market has led to oil volatility and upward pressure on fuel prices and ocean spot rates. In turn, the rising cost of fuel has prompted some ocean carriers to implement surcharges.  While full details and the…

People’s Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:26, June 24, 2026 BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) — The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities are troublemakers undermining regional peace and stability by stubbornly clinging to the separatist stance of “Taiwan independence,” a Chinese mainland spokesperson said Wednesday. Zhang Han, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said seeking secession by relying on external forces and building up military forces is the root cause of tensions and turbulence across the Taiwan Strait. Only when the DPP authorities recognize the 1992 Consensus, which embodies the one-China principle, and cease all “Taiwan independence” separatist acts, can…

The order had already come down. The assault on a fortified Mahdi Army position in the Iraqi city of Karbala was off. It was August 2004. Army Col. Peter Mansoor and his brigade had spent days preparing to clear the enemy stronghold, located across from one of Shia Islam’s holiest sites. Then coalition officials canceled the operation, deciding the political risks were too high. The enemy remained in place. Mansoor still had an AC-130 gunship circling overhead. There was no instruction manual for what happened next. Leveraging years of experience at the National Training Center with the 11th Armored Cavalry…

The Postal Service has pushed back an immediate cash crisis by delaying payments to employee retirement plans, but Postmaster General David Steiner warned lawmakers that USPS’ long-term financial problems are far from solved. USPS’s latest projections show it’s no longer on track to run out of money in early 2027. That’s largely because earlier this year, the mail agency suspended payments to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) to conserve money. USPS’ projections, included in congressional testimony Wednesday, show the agency will now face a cash crisis some time between fiscal 2031 and 2035. But Steiner warned the agency is…

Abstract: The Russo-Ukrainian war betrays an approach that overinvests in things rather than people. U.S. reliance on defense contracting solutions can be compared to the concept of deus ex machina. The preferable alternative is to invest in winning teams that put humans at the center of modernization, particularly in the field of AI adoption. The author defines this concept as the “homo post machina,” or “human behind the machine.” As the Army prepares for the coming era of sustained great-power competition, the defense industry is already churning out countless solutions to solve supposed problems. However, the U.S. military often treats…

The Necromancer’s Tale is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2. Developed by Psychic Software and published on consoles by Silver Lining Interactive, the gothic RPG first launched on PC in July 2025. Set in an alternative version of 1733, the story follows a minor noble living in a kingdom near Venice and the Adriatic Sea. Their search for knowledge, power, and revenge gradually pulls them toward necromancy, forbidden rituals, and a growing connection with the realm of the dead. Becoming a powerful necromancer takes time, however. Players must decipher ancient spellbooks, perform dark rites,…

Communications technology leader for mission‑critical environments INVISIO is announcing a new capability in its INVISIO T30 headset that enhances the ability for users on the ground to identify drones earlier, without requiring any extra equipment. It allows personnel to keep their hands and eyes free to take counter measures, potentially saving lives and reducing injuries. INVISIO Drone Aware™ provides an additional mode to the INVISIO T30 headset that enhances the user’s ability to hear the acoustic sound emitted by multi-rotor drones. This allows earlier awareness compared to listening with the ‘naked ear’. INVISIO Drone Aware™ is expected to be released…

The technology group Rheinmetall has achieved another significant success in the field of ground-based air defence (GbAD) systems. The Romanian government has awarded the company a contract to supply Skyranger 35 air defence systems. This contract is part of a historic major order worth €5.7 billion covering combat vehicles, vessels and air defence systems, and includes not only 24 Skyranger 35 systems, but also seven Skynex systems and two Millennium Guns for maritime air defence solutions. Rheinmetall published a press release on this matter on 2 June 2026. The Skyranger system will be integrated onto the proven Lynx KF41 tracked…

Iran Press TV Wednesday, 24 June 2026 6:08 AM A senior Hamas official has praised Iran’s steadfast support for the Palestinian cause and its unwavering backing of the Palestinian people against the Israeli regime. A member of the political bureau of Hamas Basem Naim, in a telephone conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Tuesday evening, praised the Islamic Republic’s consistent and firm positions regarding the Palestinian cause and its uninterrupted support for the Palestinian people. During the call, the two sides discussed and exchanged views on the latest developments and progress in the Iran-US negotiations, as well as…

Paddy Pimblett thinks Ilia Topuria’s career was completely derailed by Justin Gaethje.At UFC White House, Gaethje battered Topuria to claim the lightweight title after Topuria’s corner threw in the towel before the fifth round. It’s the first loss of Topuria’s career, and given that much of Topuria’s career has been defined by his brash confidence, fans have already begun to wonder how a loss like this might affect him.Badly, Pimblett believes.“Ilia’s never had to come back from adversity,” Pimblett told Demetrious Johnson on their YouTube channels. “Ilia’s only ever been the hammer. He’s never been the nail. After that fight…