Cuba: Negotiations With the US at a Standstill

US Special Ops Fields Caliber-Swapping MK24 Rifle For 7.62 Combat And 6.5 Range Authored by Aamir Khollam via Interesting Engineering, A new rifle heading to U.S. special operations forces can switch between 7.62mm NATO and 6.5mm Creedmoor ammunition in roughly a minute, giving operators a way to adapt to changing mission requirements without carrying separate weapon systems. MK24 modular rifle (LMT Defense on Facebook) The weapon, known as the MK24 Medium Range Gas Gun Assault (MRGG-A), will begin reaching units before the end of the fiscal year. U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) selected...

ICE Awards $16.7 Million No-Bid Contract For 6,000 Pairs Of Electric Shock Gloves Authored by Kimberly Hayek via The Epoch Times, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has awarded a $16.7 million contract to purchase 6,000 pairs of gloves that can deliver electric shocks. Officers would use them to control resisting detainees and protesters, according to a federal notice published Thursday. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security in Washington on Feb. 17, 2026. (Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times) The no-bid deal went to Compliant Technologies LLC, a Kentucky firm...

Inside Iran's Internet Access Black Market Amid 3-Week Wartime Blackout Via Middle East Eye Since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran, Iranian authorities have sharply restricted access to the internet. According to NetBlocks, a group that monitors internet access worldwide, Iran has experienced a near-total blackout for 20 consecutive days. Connectivity has dropped to less than one percent. For those trying to access the internet, options are limited. Some rely on Starlink, which is not widely used. The equipment is expensive and difficult to import. Iranians also believe is easier for the authorities to detect. Others...