World News
Latest world news and updates
Total: 818
US Navy’s Newest Ford‑Class Carrier Completes First Sea Trials — Delivery Looms Amid Technical and Political Crosswinds
The Ford‑class carrier John F. Kennedy completed its first week‑long sea trial and is due for delivery early next year. The class offers substantial capability improvements — notably EMALS and greater electrical power — even as technical problems and political calls to revert to older steam systems complicate the programme and its strategic implications.
NATO’s 'Arctic Sentinel' Risks Becoming Political Rebranding Rather Than New Strategy
NATO launched the “Arctic Sentinel” operation on 11 February to unify allied activities in the Arctic and the High North after tensions sparked by U.S. President Trump’s remarks about Greenland. Critics argue the move is largely political symbolism intended to placate Washington and repackages existing efforts rather than creating new military capability.
China’s 052D Destroyer
The Type 052D destroyer Taiyuan intercepted and drove off a foreign warship after a high-speed approach during a distant-seas training mission, Chinese state media reported. The incident highlights the PLAN's growing reach and the use of modern surface combatants for deterrence and signalling in contested maritime spaces.
Trump Sets One‑Month Deadline for Iran Deal as Tehran Says No U.S. Message Was Sent
President Trump has set a roughly one‑month timeline for a U.S. deal with Iran, warning of severe consequences if talks fail. Iran says it received no direct U.S. message — only Omani notes — and both sides say they want to continue indirect negotiations while conducting internal consultations. The mix of public ultimatums, Israeli red lines and a stepped‑up U.S. military presence raises the risk that diplomatic pressure could harden stances or lead to escalation.
Red Flags and Spring Couplets at Sea: How China Marked Lunar New Year on Disputed Islands
State media showed Chinese coast guard vessels and island garrisons celebrating Lunar New Year with red flags, couplets and greetings on disputed features across the East and South China Seas. The displays combine domestic morale-boosting with a quiet assertion of continuous administrative and law-enforcement control over contested maritime areas.
US Military Allegedly Used Anthropic’s Claude in Venezuela Operation, Raising Questions About AI’s Role in War
U.S. media report that Anthropic’s AI model Claude was used in the January 3 U.S. operation in Venezuela, routed via a partnership with Palantir. Anthropic has not confirmed the claim and stresses its policy forbidding uses that facilitate violence, but the allegation raises legal, ethical and strategic questions about private AI models in military operations.
At Munich Security Conference, Merz Urges Europe to Build ‘Strategic Autonomy’ Amid Great‑Power Strains
At the Munich Security Conference, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Europe to accelerate the development of strategic autonomy in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, U.S.–China rivalry, and fragile transatlantic guarantees. The call signals a shift toward concrete investment in defence, supply‑chain resilience and industrial cooperation, while highlighting the challenge of balancing autonomy with transatlantic partnership.
China’s “Sea‑Air Eagles” Put a Spotlight on Readiness Along the Southeastern Flank
An official profile of a PLA Air Force brigade dubbed the “Sea‑Air Eagle Regiment” highlights sustained, realistic training and a permanent deployment on China’s southeastern flank. The piece signals both a doctrinal move toward persistent high‑tempo readiness in a strategically sensitive region and an internal messaging effort to reinforce political loyalty and morale.
Second U.S. Carrier Headed to the Gulf as Geneva Talks with Iran Bring Coercion and Diplomacy into Sharp Relief
The U.S. is sending the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the Middle East while U.S. envoys prepare indirect talks with Iran in Geneva on February 17. Washington seeks far‑reaching curbs on Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, while Tehran insists on its right to defensive capabilities, leaving a narrow path for agreement amid heightened military posturing.
Carrier Strikes and Street Art: How Washington and Tehran Are Betting on Brinkmanship
A U.S. carrier strike group’s deployment to the Arabian Sea and high‑profile aerial operations have coincided with a breakdown in U.S.–Iran talks, prompting Tehran to answer with dramatic public propaganda and heightened military readiness. Both capitals face a strategic bind: Washington can project overwhelming conventional power but lacks a clear, achievable objective that won’t trigger wider conflict; Tehran cannot match U.S. forces but can raise costs through asymmetric means, particularly by threatening the Strait of Hormuz.
From G‑20 Ouster Threats to a J‑20 Model: Washington’s Financial Ultimatum and Beijing’s Iran Signal
A near‑unanimous US House vote threatened to remove China from six international bodies if it attacked Taiwan, a move that signals bipartisan hardening in Washington and shifts the contest into the realm of financial governance. Beijing answered with a political gesture toward Iran and vows to deepen ties in 2026, underscoring how both powers are using institutional leverage and symbolic diplomacy to prepare for prolonged strategic competition.
AI at the Point of a Gun: Reports Say US Used Anthropic’s Claude in Venezuela Raid, Raising Ethical and Political Alarms
U.S. outlets reported that the Pentagon used Anthropic’s Claude model in a January operation in Venezuela that seized President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Anthropic says uses must follow its safety policy but declines to confirm specifics, and the episode spotlights the tensions between commercial AI policies, military use, and enforcement.