WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is set to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge as part of a plea deal with the Justice Department. And a historic space mission by China brings back samples from the far side of the moon. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, June 25, 2024. Julian Assange…

If current conflicts serve as any indication, the open seas will likely play a large role in the next American military conflict. Key battles involving Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, Ukraine, Russia and China all demonstrate that the U.S. is falling behind when it comes to maritime warfare. Current constraints on American shipbuilding are hindering military efforts…

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. military launched a secret campaign to counter what it perceived as China’s growing influence in the Philippines, a nation hit especially hard by the deadly virus. The U.S. military participated in secret propaganda against China’s vaccine, as acknowledged by a senior Department of Defense official, who…

In May, the U.S. Supreme Court revived a National Rifle Association’s lawsuit that accused a New York state official of violating its First Amendment rights. The decision reinstated a lawsuit the NRA filed in 2018 alleging that the head of the New York State Department of Financial Services pressured banks and insurance companies not to do business…

A bipartisan push in Congress that aims to provide junior enlisted troops with a 19.5% pay raise is facing a significant obstacle: the White House. The proposal, which supplements the 4.5% raise requested by President Joe Biden in his budget, would grant junior enlisted troops an additional 15% pay increase. The estimated cost of this…

The head of the Department of Justice, Attorney General Merrick Garland, held in contempt of Congress. And “life-threatening” flooding in south Florida as more torrential rain is expected Thursday. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, June 13, 2024. Attorney General Merrick Garland held in contempt of Congress In an effort led…

A jury convicted five Minnesotans of stealing more than $40 million in COVID-19 pandemic funds under the guise that they were feeding kids in need. Seven defendants stood trial. However, two were acquitted on Friday, June 7. “The defendants took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud the state of Minnesota and to steal tens…

Three Russian warships and a nuclear-powered submarine performed drills in the Atlantic Ocean en route to Cuba on Tuesday, June 11. The drills are part of what is believed to be a Moscow military flex amid Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Russian Defense Ministry said that the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and Kazan nuclear-powered submarine simulated…

This week Weapons and Warfare is all about drones. Host Ryan Robertson talks with some former Air Force leaders and defense and security experts on what U.S. national defense is doing right, and where it needs to improve when it comes to drones in the hands of today’s operators. Also featured in this episode: You…

Ukraine may be seizing the momentum on the battlefield, or at least making sure Russia loses it. Before the arrival of more Western weapons to Ukraine, Russia spent the last few months making small but extremely costly gains, stretching Ukrainian forces almost to the brink. Now, Ukrainian forces stabilized the northern frontlines. Russia is trying…