Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

This article provides a primer on illegal drug markets, with a focus on the structure and nature of these markets and the enterprises involved. The markets for illegal drugs are large, with annual retail expenditures likely exceeding $100 billion in the United States alone. Many drugs are easy to produce, and their high value-to-weight ratios make them attractive to smugglers. Some features of illegal drug markets have been quite stable, such as the small size of retail purchases, in part because most sales are to people who use frequently and typically do not buy in bulk. Between production and consumption,…

Palantir has secured another lucrative commitment from the Defense Department: a pledge to pay the company up to $243.9 million to use its software through March 31, 2027.In a memo viewed by Washington Technology, Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg has directed DOD departments to identify options for more spending on Palantir products from April 1, 2027, and Dec. 28, 2028.In the memo, Feinberg says Palantir’s software is “providing valuable support to improve efficiencies with the defense industrial base”—for example, by flagging delays in munitions and delivery-vehicle production and maintenance.Feinberg made no mention of specific contracts or vehicles.The action follows a July award of a 10-year, $10 billion…

Bottom lines up front WASHINGTON—Since February, the Iran war has reportedly depleted up to three-fifths of US Patriot interceptor stocks and as much as half of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) antiballistic missile stocks. Experts estimate that fully replenishing these stocks could take years.  The shrinking supply of air-defense missiles has reportedly become a factor in White House discussions about how quickly, and on what terms, the Trump administration should strike a deal with Tehran. At the same time, US officials have framed reports of depleted munitions from the Iran War as “misinformed.”  The US munitions situation affects far…

Arman Tsarukyan knows that nothing in the fight game is guaranteed.19 months ago, Tsarukyan was set to challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311; however, during fight week, Tsarukyan suffered an injury that forced him out of the bout. Tsarukyan’s last-minute withdrawal and subsequent outside-the-cage issues led the UFC to pass him over for a title shot on several occasions, even after he weighed in as a backup fighter for the vacant title fight at UFC 317 and then finished Dana Hooker at UFC Qatar in November.Now, Tsarukyan is set to face Mauricio Ruffy in the co-main…

Rheinmetall is preparing for the next generation of warfare, while delivering world-class technology. To expedite the delivery and meet the demand for autonomous systems, Rheinmetall has opened a new Advanced Land Autonomy Centre of Excellence (ALACOE) in the United Kingdom, enhancing operational effectiveness across the region. The initiative is part of a wider network of centres localizing autonomy across Europe, USA, and Australia. Rheinmetall PATH At the heart of this effort lies the Rheinmetall PATH technology, Rheinmetall Canada’s AI enabled autonomy kit developed in Canada, which provides perception, navigation, and decision making across complex, GPS degraded, and contested environments. PATH…

Conor McGregor has a message for his fellow Irishman Ian Machado Garry, who will challenge welterweight champion Islam Makhachev this weekend in the main event of UFC 330.So far, “The Future” has not received much appreciation and love from fans and the MMA community. Even during the UFC 330 post-fight presser, Garry was heavily booed. While the 28-year-old was praising Makhachev, the latter asked him to shut up. Ian Garry gets booed at the UFC 330 press conference 😬”Every single one of you is gonna change, it’s gonna be ‘Let’s Go Garry’ chants.” pic.twitter.com/t4bBJu8cmj— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) August 13, 2026…

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – AUGUST 14: (L-R) Opponents Islam Makhachev of Russia and Ian Machado Garry of Ireland face off during the UFC 330 ceremonial weigh-in at Xfinity Mobile Arena on August 14, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC)

Here are 12 Interesting Facts about Karate: 1. Karate is a Martial Art the originates from the Japanese island of Okinawa. it also had roots going back to China. 2. Karate means ‘Empty Hand’ but originally it meant ‘China Hand’. The Kanji used to write it was changed to keep the same pronunciation while changing its meaning. 3. Though the name ’empty hand’ makes karate literally the art of self-defense without weapons, many karate practitioners also train in the use of traditional Japanese weapons. 4. Karate focuses on strikes and kicks but also contains other techniques including joint locks and…

Flick Shot Rogues lets you flick your hero across the battlefield and line up satisfying shots to defeat enemies.Build powerful combos, unlock new characters, items, skills, talents, and curses.Try the beginning for free, then unlock the full game with a one-time purchase, all without ads. Noodlecake has announced the upcoming launch of its roguelike dungeon crawler, Flick Shot Rogues, on both Android and iOS, with pre-registration now open. Developed by Butter By The Fish, the award-winning indie title is expected to release on September 16, 2026, according to the App Store listing. Get ready to flick your way through dangerous…

Perhaps the most debated, not to mention maligned, topic in the fitness world is how much protein we need. And if you’ve done any investigating at all into the topic, you will no doubt have bumped into this calculation: 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. (If you’re a bodybuilder, that means at least two.) Like so much of bodybuilding folklore, the recommendation has been repeated so many times that it’s become accepted as fact. The problem is, nobody ever asks, “How do we know?” Specifically, no one knows. Is the ‘1 Gram of Protein Per Pound’…