Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

In January, after weeks of threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Canada as the “51st state,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stood in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, radiating cordiality toward the leaders of a country he had called Canada’s greatest geopolitical threat less than a year earlier. In a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, he said that “the progress that we have made in the partnership sets us up well for the new world order.” It was not a great moment for the United States. Yet that scene—a leader anxious about Washington, rushing to Beijing…

Inside Lebanon, the conditions for the next extremist uprising are quietly taking root.In the summer of 2007, the Lebanese Armed Forces fought Fatah al-Islam for three months inside Nahr al-Bared, a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon. Fatah al-Islam was a Salafi-jihadist group that exploited the camp’s power vacuum to establish a strong recruitment base, drawing recruits from Palestinian, Syrian, and broader Arab networks. Once the dust settled, more than 400 people were dead, and the 30,000 residents of Nahr-Bared were displaced for a second time. The very same conditions that led to the Nahr al-Bared clash are reassembling now,…

Worapon Lukjaoporongtom headlines a nine-bout card at ONE Friday Fights 153, streaming live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on Friday, May 8. Worapon, who stopped Soe Lin Oo and Arthur Brossier in consecutive first-round finishes, takes on French newcomer Tom “No Time” Casse in a bantamweight Muay Thai main event. Casse is an aggressive boxer making his promotional debut. He brings polished hand skills into what should be a contrasting styles matchup. The co-main event adds another compelling layer. Former Rajadamnern Stadium Fighter of the Year Cyber Sor Tienpo, also a former World Champion, makes his ONE debut against…

The U.S. on Tuesday approved a potential $373.6 million long-range precision bomb package for Ukraine, offering the East European nation more leeway to potentially strike Russian targets from farther away. The package includes Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range, or JDAM-ER, kits and related equipment, according to the State Department. Boeing is listed as the primary contractor for the proposed sale. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, prompting strong U.S. support. But that support, in terms of both weapons and financial aid, has dramatically decreased over the past 1 1/2 years. Last week, the second U.S. ambassador to Ukraine announced her…

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jet with open cockpit canopy. Credit: VanderWolf Images/Shutterstock.com. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics has received a $18.6m modification to an existing contract to supply additional special tooling and test equipment for F-35 canopy production, according to the US Department of War (DoW). This change increases the maximum value of the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract and supports production requirements for the US Marine Corps, US Navy, US Air Force, as well as participants outside the DoW. Discover B2B Marketing That Performs Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms. Find out more…

As maritime operations shift toward distributed, network-centric and increasingly asymmetric engagements, unmanned systems are emerging as a defining element of naval power. From littoral zones to critical infrastructure protection, navies are seeking scalable, cost-effective capabilities that can extend reach, reduce risk to personnel and operate effectively in contested environments. Sponsored content At SAHA 2026 in Istanbul, ASELSAN is set to introduce a new generation of unmanned naval solutions that reflect this transformation. With this step, ASELSAN is extending its established ambition in maritime capabilities into the domain of autonomous and unmanned systems. Building on its established expertise in integrated naval…

On April 29, 2026, the Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium in Tokyo hosted the KWU SENSHI JAPAN 1st International Tournament, the first international KWU SENSHI event held in Japan. According to the tournament information site, the event was designed as a major international competition, with participation projected at around 400 athletes and World Cup qualification opportunities attached to the Champion Class divisions. The competition carried special importance because the winners of the Champion Class categories for athletes aged 14 to 21 earned berths for the KWU SENSHI World Cup, scheduled for July in Bulgaria. The event therefore served not only…

At the Istanbul exhibition MKE has shown for the first time two hard-kill effectors, a laser and a missile systems, and a sensor, in the form of an acoustic system, which are now being proposed in conjunction with existing systems forming the Tolga short-range air defence system click on image to enlarge Starting from the sensor, the acoustic systems is capable to detect an aerial vehicle at 100-1,500 metres, depending on dimensions and acoustic signature, and classify it. A built-in GPS allows to know the exact position of the sensor, which is transmitted via radiofrequency to the command post, together…

The colorful roguelite deckbuilder from Serial Project and Kakehashi Games lets players try its first dungeon during Steam Deckbuilders Fest 2026. Serial Project and Kakehashi Games have launched the very first public demo for Serial World, a roguelite deck builder being developed by a two-person Japanese development company formed by Takashi Maeda (a developer formerly working at Level-5) and Sho Kawasaki (also a former developer at Level-5). The demo is currently available to download for free via Steam as part of the 2026 Steam Deckbuilders Fest. The demo will be playable through May 11 while the full version of Serial…

CARLISLE, Pa. — U.S. Army Gen. Xavier T. Brunson, commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command and U.S. Forces Korea, delivered the keynote address at the U.S. Army War College’s 2026 Strategic Landpower Symposium here May 5, challenging the next generation of strategic leaders to question familiar assumptions and embrace what he called “I-Cubed” leadership. Speaking to War College students, faculty, and senior military and civilian leaders gathered under this year’s theme, “Peace Through Strength,” Brunson framed the U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance as a permanent, land-based projection platform anchoring American power in the Indo-Pacific. “Tactical excellence is a prerequisite.…