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Listen to the article 3 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. Dive Brief: Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern submitted an amended merger application as the railroads seek approval from the Surface Transportation Board, according to a Thursday press release. The latest application includes traffic data from six North American Class I railroads to support the claim that the merger will drive growth, enable cost savings for shippers and strengthen supply chains, per the release. While the proposed merger is still subject to STB approval, the two railroads expect the transaction to be completed…

Abstract China’s military modernization has expanded the technical capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and improved the professional development of its noncommissioned officers (NCOs). However, these advances have not fully transformed the centralized leadership culture that governs decision-making. Drawing on PLA personnel studies and lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine, this article argues that China’s modernization may still encounter operational friction in future conflicts, particularly in environments where degraded communications and battlefield uncertainty require greater subordinate initiative than the current system supports. Introduction Discussions of military modernization often emphasize visible indicators of power, including advanced weapons systems, cyber capabilities,…

People’s Daily Online (Xinhua) 14:08, April 30, 2026 WASHINGTON, April 29 (Xinhua) — The U.S. military announced on Wednesday that its forces have intercepted 42 vessels as part of its blockade to prevent maritime commerce from entering or exiting Iranian ports. “Today, U.S. forces achieved a significant milestone after successfully redirecting the 42nd commercial vessel attempting to violate the blockade,” U.S. Central Commander Brad Cooper said in a statement posted on social media X. He highlighted that the 41 tankers currently stranded as a result of the blockade hold an estimated 69 million barrels of oil, which is over 6…

Update: This story is being updated with live results as they occur. Evo Japan is back in 2026 with a massive bang and as usual, it will be taking place in Tokyo, Japan. There are far too many names to list as far as notable attendees go, and the safest assumption is that any name you’d recognize for each of the games present will be there to battle it out in order to claim that Evo Japan…

The first Australian-made GMLRS missiles are test fired at the Woomera Test Range in South Australia. Credit: Andrew Green. The Australian Government is investing an initial amount of A$126.9m ($90.7m) to strengthen domestic production of solid rocket motors, which offers propulsion for guided weapons. This initiative will boost Australia’s sovereign defence industrial base, resilience, and self-reliance, the Department of Defence said in a statement on 30 April 2026. Discover B2B Marketing That Performs Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms. Find out more Northrop Grumman Australia has been appointed as the preferred…

An Australian HIMARS fires a PrSM during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025. More PrSM-armed HIMARS are being purchased for the maritime strike role. (ADF)The decision has been made: Australia has selected the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) and associated M142 HIMARS launcher to serve as the army’s solution for land-based maritime strike.Canberra announced the decision on 28 April, stating that the combo is a “proven, highly mobile and lethal strike system aligned with Australia’s strategic and operational requirements”.It added that the procurement “will significantly enhance the Australian Defence Force’s ability to engage targets at ranges of up to 500km, transforming to more…

Bottom lines up front WASHINGTON—On Monday, the Coordination Framework, a loose coalition of mainly Shia-dominated parties, nominated businessman Ali al-Zaidi to become Iraq’s next prime minister, ending a lengthy negotiation process that included a dramatic intervention by US President Donald Trump in late January opposing Nouri al-Maliki’s bid for a third term. As Al-Zaidi takes office in the coming weeks, he will face a daunting set of challenges: Iran-backed militias that operate beyond the reach of the state, a fragile economy dependent on oil, a bloated state payroll, deteriorating regional and international relations, and a fragmented and corrupt political system…

Adlington, United Kingdom: As the UK Government looks to secure a resilient domestic supply chain, Pincroft Dyeing & Printing and Toray Textiles Europe Ltd have responded to the need for printed woven technical textiles for the UK defence sector. Both companies are established suppliers to NATO military programmes and are now well positioned to support UK defence requirements. Strategically located in the Northwest of England, Pincroftoperates one of Europe’s largest fully integrated textile processing, printing and finishing facilities. Exporting to more than 80 countries and with an annual production capacity exceeding 50 million metres, the company has built a strong…

Editor’s note: This article is the eighth in an 11-part series examining how the United States should organize, lead, and integrate economic statecraft into strategy, defense practice, and the broader national security ecosystem. This special series is brought to you by the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and War on the Rocks. Prior installments can be found at the War by Other Ledgers page.In Sept. 2010, following a collision between a Chinese trawler and Japanese coast guard vessels near the Senkaku Islands, Chinese authorities halted shipments of rare earth minerals to Japan. The move disrupted supply chains for everything from consumer electronics to advanced…

The Hon Pat Conroy MP Minister for Defence Industry Minister for Pacific Island Affairs 30 April 2026 The Albanese Government is strengthening the nation’s sovereign defence industrial base, resilience and self-reliance by investing an initial $126.9 million to establish solid rocket motor production in Australia. Solid rocket motors provide the propulsion required for most guided weapons, and are in high demand worldwide. Northrop Grumman Australia has been selected as the preferred industry partner to help establish domestic solid rocket motor manufacturing. This decision will leverage recently completed upgrades to facilities at the Government-owned Mulwala munitions factory in New South Wales…