U.S. officials pressed Israel and Lebanon for a security deal on Thursday as Washington tried to contain another volatile Middle East front involving Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group whose fight with Israel threatens to pull more American attention into the region. U.S. sources cited tensions rising inside the State Department about four hours after the start of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, according to MTV Lebanon, a Lebanese TV station, on Thursday. A U.S. State Department official later described the daylong talks as “productive and positive,” according to the Associated Press, and said the U.S. looked forward to continuing the discussions on Friday. The…
When you think about where to shop for survival supplies, the dollar store might not be the first place that comes to mind. But you’d be surprised at the treasure trove of useful items you can find there! From tools to help you in an emergency to everyday items that can be repurposed, the dollar store offers a ton of affordable options. In this post, we’ll explore 101 invaluable items you can pick up that could make a big difference in your survival strategy. These essentials aren’t only cost-effective but also incredibly versatile. Want to save this post for later?…
From gym laps to alpine objectives, the best climbing harnesses keep you secure. The best designs also keep you comfortable and organized without adding bulk or hindering movement. For this update, lead tester Miya Tsudome evaluated two new climbing harnesses over a three-month cycle from her home base in Bishop, California. She put them to the test while sport climbing in Owens River Gorge and during long trad days in Pine Creek Canyon. From hanging belays to racking cams and draws, she rigorously assessed fit, pressure points, gear loop accessibility, and all-day comfort The Black Diamond Solution remains our best overall pick for…
As my colleague Tom Knighton mentioned in a previous post, the New Hampshire Senate debated a campus carry bill today. HB 1793 was actually approved by the chamber, but not before it was amended and considerably weakened. In fact, as adopted the legislation won’t allow any student or visitor to carry on a higher ed campus, even after it takes effect. lnstead, the Senate voted to create a committee to “study the feasibility of allowing guns on campuses of public institutions of higher education,” while also adopting language that “notwithstanding any provision of law to…
Ruger is officially done calling Connecticut home. According to reporting from Hartford Business Journal, Sturm, Ruger & Co. quietly moved its corporate headquarters from Connecticut to Mayodan, North Carolina at the start of 2026, marking the end of an era for one of America’s most recognizable gunmakers. The move apparently flew under the radar for months. Ruger didn’t make a huge public announcement about it, but sharp-eyed industry watchers noticed recent company press releases started carrying a North Carolina dateline instead of Connecticut. That was the clue. A company spokesperson confirmed the relocation became official on Jan. 1. Ruger still…
HALIFAX, N.C. (AP) — With 165 grains of black powder in the barrel, a .75-caliber Brown Bess flintlock musket like the ones the redcoats carried in 1776 can hurl a lead ball at a velocity of around 1,000 feet (305 meters) per second. Imagine what that can do to a human body. Now, imagine that it’s almost completely exempt from gun regulations. How can that be? Well, under federal and most state laws, many antique or replica guns aren’t technically considered firearms. In most places, even convicted felons can own them. “I suspect the average judge would be surprised to…
Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More Ready to go lätt? That’s Swedish for light (or tasks requiring little effort). And if you’re looking ahead to longer, hotter days on the trail, any gear to lighten the load is welcome. That’s where Fjällräven’s latest hiking gear comes in. We recently outfitted in head-to-toe kits to see how the Swedish brand’s lightest, warm-weather trail gear performs in real-world conditions. Headlined by the 2.5-pound Kajka X-Lätt 45 trekking backpack, we also tested a full layering and trail system built for varied conditions and…
A suspected trespasser is dead after a confrontation with a homeowner in a northeast Houston subdivision. Investigators are now sorting through whether the shooting was lawful self-defense or something that could lead to charges. Houston Police Department says the incident unfolded inside a newer housing development near Tidwell Road and Robins Landing Way after residents reportedly dealt with weeks of ongoing trespassing problems in the neighborhood. According to reporting from KPRC 2 Houston, neighbors had repeatedly complained about a man allegedly wandering through backyards and entering vacant homes still under construction. Police say the man was “unhoused” and had become…
Xbox just rolled out a brand new Gamerscore feature that fans may be disappointed to find doesn’t include the one thing they have been asking for since 2008. Xbox’s new system may be a neat new way for fans to show off what their Gamerscore accumulation looks like, but it’s certainly no platinum trophy. Xbox achievements were introduced in 2005 with the Xbox 360, and with them came the Xbox Gamerscore system, which massively altered how fans interacted with games. The system proved so popular among Xbox owners that Valve, Sony, and even Apple eventually integrated achievements into their own…
With the onset of warm weather, bears are fully out of hibernation, and that’s already spelling trouble in one of America’s most iconic national parks. On May 4, two hikers sustained injuries from a bear in a popular area of Yellowstone National Park. What Happened According to a press release from the National Park Service (NPS), two hikers were on the Mystic Falls Trail, a well-known hike near Old Faithful. They had an altercation with one or multiple bears, and emergency services personnel responded. Park staff are actively investigating the incident. As a result, staff temporarily closed several areas of the…
The United Kingdom is often touted as having fewer so-called gun crimes than the United States, and that’s evidence we should do something similar. However, when you delve into the details, you see that crime continues not just unabated, but it has increased. The criminals often just used other weapons, which benefited them, but were terrible for self-defense purposes. The UK’s Reform Party, led by Nigel Farage, isn’t popular with the more leftist elements of British politics. That’s probably an endorsement, in my book, but while they’re pretty far-right by UK standards, they’re almost middle…
One of the last truly independent mainstream automakers is having a hard time in 2026. Through the first four months of the year, almost every single Mazda model is selling worse than it was in the same time period in 2025, something that could probably be attributed to the Trump administration’s aggressive tariff tactics. Only one Mazda is built in the United States, the CX-50, and that model (along with the suddenly popular Mazda3 hatchback) is seemingly immune to the company’s sales slump, with much-improved sales this year. Built In Alabama, Made For America Sales of the compact crossover rose…
The head of United States Central Command (CENTCOM), Admiral Brad Cooper, told journalists on Monday that the US military “eliminated” a small Iranian naval force in the region. Iranian military officials have already said that the US is lying about these claims. Cooper claimed that the US military sank at least six Iranian boats, boasting of “an enormous amount of capability and firepower concentrated in and around the strait, including AH-64 Apache and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters.” “The US claim regarding the sinking of a number of Iranian combat boats is a lie,” a senior Iranian military official told IRIB news agency, as…
Whether you’re out for a casual stroll or tackling 20-mile days, the best men’s hiking pants are your primary line of defense. These slacks combine rugged durability with dynamic stretch, managing your sweat on hot climbs while still fending off light rain and heavy brush. To hone the current rankings, lead testers Rob Simpson and Ryan Kempfer put nine men’s hiking pants through a 10-month testing cycle. From Baja desert trails to the rainy Alaskan coast, we logged 300 miles and 30,000 feet of vertical gain to find the best men’s hiking pants. We crowned the Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants…
Assistant Attorney General and head of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division Harmeet K. Dhillon told Denver officials that the city would face a federal lawsuit unless they ceased enforcing the city’s ban on so-called assault weapons, and she’s followed through with that threat in federal court. Promises made, promises kept. The DOJ just sued the City of Denver over their AR-15 ban. pic.twitter.com/4TrDTFVDG1— Hannah Hill (@hannahhill_sc) May 5, 2026The lawsuit not only claims that Denver’s gun ban violates the Second Amendment, but that the pattern and practices of the Denver Police Department in enforcing the…
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans have added $1 billion in White House security upgrades to legislation that would fund immigration enforcement agencies, a proposed boost for President Donald Trump’s ballroom project after a man was charged with trying to assassinate him at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner last week. The GOP bill released late Monday would designate the money for the U.S. Secret Service for “security adjustments and upgrades” related to the ballroom project, which Trump and Republicans have been pushing since Cole Tomas Allen allegedly stormed the April 25 media dinner at the Washington Hilton with guns and…
I was on the second day of my Canyonlands backpacking trip, and I didn’t have a small daypack. This forced me to use my massive 60L Mountain Hardwear Alakazam for just a few snacks and supplies for a day hike to Angel Arch — an absolute overkill for the trek. But when I closed the roll-top and cinched the brand’s patented GiddyUp Compression System, I was shocked. The ultralight pack “shrank” to a reasonable size for a short hike. Alakazam. It was like magic. Mountain Hardwear (MHW) released the Alakazam pack in spring 2026, and I tested an early prototype.…
If you’ve ever been to a geeky convention–something anime, sci-fi, videogame, or similar–then you’ve seen cosplayers. Some of these people actually make a living with their cosplays, and for understandable reasons. They’re absolutely amazing. Most cosplayers do it for the love of the game, sometimes literally. Recently, Toronto had an anime convention, or “con,” that brought out one particular cosplayer, who apparently terrified the cops there so much that they swarmed him and treated him like a terrorist.A cosplayer in Toronto was handcuffed and detained after walking through a park for a cosplay event with…
Here’s something we didn’t have on our predictions list for 2026. Ford truck sales are spinning into a big fat abyss, while the company’s last remaining car is climbing out of one. Such news does not bode well for a company that lives off truck sales, but that’s the reality facing Ford – and many automakers – at the moment. April sales figures are out, and to be fair, this isn’t something to be sounding alarms over just yet. We already knew the disruptions last year in the aluminum supply chain were hurting F-Series production. But Ford builds other trucks,…
The first tranche of the 34 proposed rules announced by the DOJ and ATF last week are now available for download at the Federal Register’s website, with the official publication and the start of the public comment period scheduled for Wednesday, May 6. The nearly two dozen proposals released today include the repeal of the Biden-era “engaged in the business” rule that treats almost every private seller of firearms as an “unlicensed dealer” who must conduct background checks on every sale, as well as repeal of Biden’s rule targeting pistol braces by defining most brace-equipped…
Magnolia Pictures and the USO are proud to partner in offering free nationwide screenings this week of Bob Odenkirk’s new action-thriller Normal to honor and thank service members, veterans and first responders. The screenings will take place May 5, 6 and 7 at participating theaters across the country. The offer is open to service members past and present, first responders, and one guest with no RSVP required, making it simple to participate and feel recognized. The screenings are scheduled for: May 5 at 12 p.m. May 6 at 5 p.m. May 7 at 2 p.m. Find your nearest participating theater…
