U.S. Navy counter-mine ships that replaced minesweepers last year in Bahrain have yet to demonstrate their reliability and effectiveness in the face of potential naval mine warfare, according to the Defense Department’s testing office and military experts.The Pentagon was unable to determine the operational effectiveness or suitability of Independence-class littoral combat ships equipped with the mine countermeasures mission package due to insufficient data on its mine-hunting and mine-destroying technology, according to the Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation’s fiscal 2025 annual report.Several retired U.S. Navy captains who deployed on minesweepers and defense analysts also told Military Times that…

This article was originally published by Tyler Durden at ZeroHedge under the title: Oil Plunges, Stocks Spike As Trump “Postpones” Military Strikes On Iran After “Productive” Talks; But Move Reverses After Tehran Denies Contact Summary Trump announces “productive” talks with Iran, “postpones” military strikes for 5 days IRGC-linked media deny contact Trad Govt-linked media yet to issue comment Market response: oil down, yields down, stocks up (but all off their kneejerk extremes) *  *  * Denials Begin It did not take long for the denials to emerge. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency (which is the propaganda arm of the IRGC, so take it…

These under-$25 Amazon finds are thoughtful, practical picks you’ll wish you bought sooner. From a portable tire inflator to a mini fan and bug traps, they tackle everyday annoyances with ease. Even better, some are already discounted ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, running March 25 through 31.READ MORE: Amazon’s Big Spring Sale hasn’t started yet — but these early deals are live right nowTechThese clever finds solve everyday problems like lost keys, limited outlets and dirty earbuds.Original price: $12.96 Upgrade any outlet with this wall charger, featuring five outlets and four USB ports. Keep your devices powered without the cord clutter — and…

The world’s largest aircraft carrier arrived in Greece for maintenance after surviving an onboard fire nearly two weeks earlier, according to a Navy release.The USS Gerald R. Ford arrived at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay on Monday after operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury.“The port call allows for the ship to undergo efficient assessment, repairs, and resupply,” the release said. “Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group continues its overseas deployment.”The aircraft carrier remains fully mission capable, the release said.A non-combat fire broke out in the main laundry room of the carrier on March 12, injuring…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! A cemetery in the San Francisco Bay Area has removed a banner draped across a 9/11 memorial that advertised a new Islamic section after backlash from the community. NBC Bay Area reported that the owner of Memorial Gardens Cemetery said that he recently sold part of the property to a Muslim family, and that “he gave them permission to put up signage but did not authorize them to drape it over the 9/11 installation.” The owner reportedly had the signage removed, but community residents said that the sign should not have been erected to…

Gasoline prices are quickly approaching the “politically sensitive” $4 per gallon mark. Analysts claim that at this price, consumers make the conscious decision to drive less. This month’s surge in retail fuel prices (gasoline and diesel) marks the largest increase on record, with gasoline only 4 cents below the precarious $4 line. Iranian Official Warns of $200 Oil Prices Amid Escalating Strait of Hormuz Tensions Prices of fuel are delivering a nasty shock to the pocketbooks of cash-strapped consumers, who are already being pummeled by ridiculous housing costs and inflation of grocery prices. Affordability Crisis Worsens As 2026 Approaches Bonnie…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! What began as a grim discovery inside a Southern California apartment has exploded into a coast-to-coast case — one Murrieta police say is “unusual” for their community, with investigators alleging a murder-for-hire plot tied to a victim’s ex-girlfriend and three other suspects.Officers with the Murrieta Police Department were called to The Arbors at California Oaks apartments just after 9 a.m. on Jan. 13, 2026. Inside one of the units, they found a man dead. From the start, investigators treated the case as a homicide.The victim was later identified by family as 30-year-old…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Jet fuel prices in the U.S. have more than doubled in a matter of weeks as Middle East tensions squeeze supply, fueling concerns airlines could run short of fuel.Prices jumped from about $2.17 to $4.56 per gallon by March 20, according to the Argus U.S. Jet Fuel Index. Airlines warn inventories could run dry within weeks, raising the risk of higher airfares and flight cancellations.Airlines are already adjusting. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said the carrier will cut about 5% of planned flights in the near term as fuel costs surge, warning…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The United States stood alone at the United Nations in early March after a European-led procedural move blocked a vote on defining gender in biological terms at one of the world’s leading forums on women’s rights.At the conclusion of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women, the U.S. was the only country to oppose the body’s annual “Agreed Conclusions,” citing concerns that the language departs from biological definitions of women and girls. No other member state voted with the United States.At the center of the dispute is how the United Nations…

Pelican is the go-to choice for hardshell cases that need to survive in conditions that would destroy anything else. To celebrate America’s 250th birthday this year, Pelican has launched a new set of limited edition colors in its Elite Cooler and Vault Series lines!  Built to the same standards and testing as all the Pelican offerings, the new America 250 collection features limited edition colors to make these a little extra special. Pelican’s coolers are fantastic for keeping meat or brews cold, while the Vault Series makes some of the best gun cases that money can buy.  The coolers come…

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared on Laser Wars, a newsletter about military laser weapons and other futuristic defense technology. Subscribe here.The U.S. Army hasn’t even officially taken delivery of its most powerful high-energy laser weapon yet, but the service is already walking away from it in pursuit of a newer model.In a new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report published on March 9, Army officials revealed that the service no longer plans on transitioning its 300 kilowatt Indirect Fire Protection Capability-High Energy Laser system, or IFPC-HEL, dubbed “Valkyrie,” to a program of record after years in development. This move effectively…

United States ruler Donald Trump claims that since democrats are “blocking funding” for the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) personnel, he can have ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents fill in instead. He said he will make this happen if democrats refuse to unblock funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which governs both ICE and the TSA. The partial shutdown that began in February has left thousands of TSA employees without pay, resulting in lengthy security lines at airports across the country. Both TSA and ICE are parts of DHS; however, the latter agency received $75 billion from Trump’s “big, beautiful…