Strait of Hormuz Status in Flux
Hundreds of ships and thousands of seafarers remain stranded in the Persian Gulf, waiting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, but receiving conflicting reports on the status of the key waterway.
Pentagon Unveils $961.6B Defense Budget
The Defense Department released its fiscal 2026 budget, making official a $961.6 billion request. The breakdown among the services: $197.4B for the Army, $292.2B for the Navy, $301.1B for the Air Force and Space Force, and $170.9B for defense-wide activities.
Bill Aims to Avert Government Shutdown
House Democrats introduced legislation Monday that would keep the government running through December 11. Senate Republicans have said they will oppose the spending bill.
Report: Where Federal Defense Dollars Are Spent
A Pew Charitable Trusts report on where federal defense dollars are spent shows Pentagon contract spending puts Connecticut at No. 1 by one measure: defense contracts as a percentage of spending. Maryland was 21st on the list. In FY2018, the federal government spent a total of $579 billion on defense in the states and DC, or $1,772 per capita. In Maryland, the per capita spending was $2,955.
US Conducts Operations in South China Sea for 2nd Time in 2 Weeks
The US Navy again has two carrier strike groups — USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan — conducting operations in the South China Sea. Rhetoric is heating up in the region, where Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam are challenging China’s claim to about 90% of the sea. The Navy notes that the carrier operations are unrelated to current events.
With Peace Deal, Troops Could Be Out of Afghanistan in 14 Months
The US and the Taliban have signed a peace agreement aimed at ending the 18-year war in Afghanistan. If the Taliban meet their commitments, US troops would leave in 14 months.
Troops More Vulnerable to Data Breach Fallout?
Active-duty service members are among the 143 million Americans affected by the Equifax data breach and might be more vulnerable to its potential fallout.
