security & defense
South Korea to Point Giant Christmas Tree at North Korea's General Direction
The 30-foot-tall steel tower is designed to look like a tree and will get lit up for two weeks over the holidays just two miles from the border.
China Has Unveiled a New Laser System to Shoot Down Drones
Scientists at the China Academy of Engineering Physics announced they had perfected a laser gun that shot down drones flying 112 miles per hour at altitudes of 1,600 feet.
US Air Force Asked Why It Scrapped $390 Million Worth of Transport Planes in Afghanistan
The Pentagon bought the aircraft to train Afghan air force pilots, barely used them, failed to secure spare parts to keep them flying, and then decided to chop them up.
NATO's Summit Has to Figure Out Exactly What NATO Is Good For
NATO has a number of headaches, above all, the hungry Russian bear to its east. At its summit, starting today, it's high time to start working these out.
Japan Is Readying Stealth Technology for Future Aircraft
Japanese engineers and designers are developing a prototype stealth aircraft to test technologies for potential use in its next-generation fighter jets.
The Vigilantes Fighting Mexico’s Drug Cartels Are Now Actual Cops
Federal police are turning autodefensas in Michoacán from small-town militiamen into a crack anti-cartel fighting unit: the Fuerza Rural.
Australia Will Buy Any Fighter Jets the US Tells It To
The timing on Australia’s record-breaking $12 billion purchase of 58 stealth fighter jets is a little poor.
Vladimir Putin Breaks His Silence on Ukraine Standoff
Russia's president said his troops are in Crimea to protect Ukrainians from themselves, but has no plans to go to war.
Codepink Co-Founder Detained, Beaten, and Deported From Egypt
Medea Benjamin, of Codepink, was trying to get to Gaza through Egypt when she was held overnight and had her arm broken at Cairo airport.