Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

Alan Greenspan, who died on June 22, 2026, at the age of 100, is best remembered for his 18 years at the helm of the Federal Reserve. What many people don’t know is that an earlier and more obscure stint during the administration of President Gerald Ford shaped him as a public servant.As professors of economics, we haven’t just covered Greenspan’s legacy for our students. We also knew him personally, in different capacities: one of us interviewed him in 2016 for a book on public service, and the other was present as a young professor when Greenspan defended his dissertation…

Iran War Topic Week By Admiral Massimo Vianello (Ret.) and Master Chief Petty Officer Giovanni Giorguli (Ret.) The conflict between Iran and the Israel-United States alliance confirms that conventional armed forces must currently confront asymmetric threats that subvert the logic of traditional power projection. In the maritime domain, naval mines, sabotage, and unmanned systems (UAVs, USVs, and UUVs) offer a highly favorable cost-benefit ratio for the weaker actor: low-cost attritable swarms can saturate adversary defenses, effectively neutralizing the overall technological gap. These threats, once categorized as one-off tactics employed in isolation, are now weighted by indigenous industrial capacities and employed…

On April 9, 1914, amid the chaos of Mexico’s revolutionary conflicts, nine U.S. Navy seamen had been detained by the dictatorship of Gen. Victoriano Huerta. Although they were released on April 21, the United States learned that the steamship Ypiranga had entered the port of Veracruz with a cargo of German weaponry. In response, the U.S. Navy confiscated Ypiranga and landed an occupation force in Vera Cruz. Although the Americans hoped to avoid bloodshed, the city’s commander, Gen. Gustavo Maass had orders to resist foreign occupation. Consequently, the parties that came ashore on April 21 found themselves in an escalating…

Credit: USAF/Airman 1st Class Emma AndersonDefense Feeds, Washington – The B-1B Lancer combat readiness effort remains a critical priority for the U.S. Air Force as it works to maintain strategic bomber capacity before the next-generation B-21 Raider enters operational service.Despite decades of service, the B-1B continues to play a key role in America’s long-range strike architecture, prompting ongoing investments aimed at preserving its effectiveness during a period of major force modernization.The decision reflects the Air Force’s need to balance future procurement programs with current operational requirements. While the B-21 is expected to become the backbone of the future bomber fleet,…

It’s been over five years since Guilty Gear Strive was released on June 11, 2021. Thanks to DLC, the roster has been expanded to 33 slots thus far. Jam Kuradoberi was the first character to join Season 5 of Guilty Gear Strive. We’re expecting Robo-Ky and two other unnamed fighters to join later down the road. We’ve previously heard that Guilty Gear Strive had surpassed 3 million players back in…

This upgraded Kfir is one of five Israeli-built fighters being modernised for the SLAF by IAI. (SLAF)Sri Lanka’s first upgraded Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Kfir jet fighter completed its maiden flight on 11 June from Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Base Katunayake. This achievement signalled the reactivation of a fleet that has been grounded for several years.The upgraded aircraft, bearing the tail number ‘SFM1018’, took to the skies in a ceremony attended by Secretary of Defence Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha. Another aircraft, a twin-seater, was on static display at the event.The initial test flight marked the start of…

RAND researchers assessed the quality and patient safety review processes for care delivered in military treatment facilities (MTFs) and via operational clinical services (OCSs). MTFs are fixed or permanent medical facilities. OCSs are often provided in austere or operational environments that can be temporary, mobile, or permanent. OCS settings vary widely in their infrastructure and capabilities depending on the operational needs, resources, and location. The authors conducted an assessment of seven quality and patient safety review processes: credentialing and privileging; quality assurance (QA), standard of care (SOC), and incident review; health care provider accountability; clinical quality metrics transparency; eliminating variation…

Ukrainian company Global Mark presented the Sea Trident ST-1000 extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle (XLUUV) on the static display at Eurosatory 2026. Ukrainian uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUVs), much less XLUUVs, have never been showcased at international exhibitions As a company representative explained to EDR On-Line, the Sea Trident is an autonomous XLUUV designed for long-range missions in maritime environments, capable of delivering payloads to strategic targets. This underwater platform is tailored for modern asymmetric maritime operations. The vehicle is currently in the final stage of testing. According to information presented at the show, the XLUUV has a mass of 10,000 kg,…

Safran Electronics & Defense presents eTAD, its latest-generation thermal vision device, designed to clip onto a night vision goggle (NVG). Developed to strengthen the operational capabilities of European armed forces, eTAD expands Safran Electronics & Defense’s soldier vision range beyond the already existing TAD, creating a new European standard for thermal clip-on equipments. Drawing upon the Safran Electronics & Defense’s recognized expertise in the field of defense optronics, eTAD was designed by incorporating feedback from international armed forces. Over 25,000 Safran Electronics & Defense thermal clip-on devices are already deployed worldwide by numerous allied forces. TAD is now a standard…

Iran’s threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — in response to the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran that began on Feb. 28 — effectively closed the strait, sending economic shockwaves around the world. As part of negotiations between Tehran and Washington, Iran has eased restrictions, and shipping traffic has picked up in recent days — albeit well below pre-war levels.Whatever the outcome of negotiations, Iran has clearly demonstrated its ability to shut down the strait. It could happen again. That reality significantly increases incentives for many countries to reduce their reliance on the strait. We asked five…