World News
Latest world news and updates
Total: 818
Pentagon Readies Second Carrier for Middle East as Tensions Persist
The U.S. Department of Defense has ordered a second carrier strike group—the USS George H.W. Bush—to prepare for deployment to the Middle East, accelerating training off Virginia to meet a departure roughly two weeks away. The move aims to bolster deterrence and reassure regional partners but raises questions about strain on U.S. naval resources and implications for the Indo-Pacific balance with China.
A Model Gesture, A Real Signal: China’s Gifted J-20 Replica to Iran and What It Means
China’s presentation of a J-20 scale model to Iran’s air force commander is a symbolic signal of closer military-diplomatic ties rather than a precursor to sales of the stealth fighter. Analysts say Iran’s deeper problem is systemic: without airborne early warning, secure communications, sensors and integrated command systems, new fighters or long-range SAMs would have limited effect; more useful transfers would be point-defence, electronic-warfare equipment and civilian resilience gear.
Paris Proposes 30% China Tariff — Beijing Threatens Targeted Retaliation
A French body has proposed that the EU impose an about 30% tariff specifically on Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to outline at least three retaliatory options including anti-dumping probes into EU (notably French) wine, anti-discrimination investigations, and reciprocal tariffs. The proposal is likely illegal under WTO rules and risks targeted Chinese countermeasures that would hit French exporters and strain EU unity on China policy.
‘I Watch This Peace for My Brothers’: A Shangganling Veteran’s Story of Sacrifice and Memory
Deng Zhangde, a decorated veteran of the 1952 Shangganling (Triangle Hill) battle in the Korean War, recounts survival, comradeship and survivor's guilt. Now elderly, he tours schools and military units to pass on the visceral realities of combat and to symbolically guard the peaceful era his fallen comrades never lived to see.
Lunar New Year Boom at China–Vietnam Borders Revives Cross‑Border Tourism and Local Economies
Cross‑border tourism between China and Vietnam has surged ahead of the Lunar New Year, with Guangxi ports reporting double‑digit growth in passenger flows. Policy easing, improved customs coordination and targeted local festivals are driving short‑haul trips that boost border city economies and expand people‑to‑people ties.
Through Fog and Rain: Eastern Theater Air Force Sharpens All‑Weather Combat Readiness
An Eastern Theater Air Force brigade conducted all‑weather training in fog and drizzle to sharpen pilots' emergency handling and air combat skills. The exercise underscored the PLA's emphasis on realistic, high‑tempo readiness and has implications for deterrence and operational resilience in the Taiwan‑adjacent theater.
Chinese Navy Unit Upgrades Family Housing Ahead of Lunar New Year to Boost Morale
A navy brigade in China’s Eastern Theater Command has refurbished temporary family housing and outdoor play areas ahead of the Lunar New Year, easing earlier shortages that forced families to stagger visits. The upgrades—featured in a SoMi report—aim to boost morale, retention and the everyday well‑being of servicemen posted away from home.
Iran’s Larijani Says US Is ‘Turning to Reason’ as Tehran Warns Israel Against Sabotage of Talks
Ali Larijani, Iran’s chief security adviser, said indirect talks with the United States continue and signalled that American engagement indicates a move toward pragmatism, while warning that Israel is trying to undermine the negotiations. Meeting Qatar’s leaders, Larijani said Iran has not received concrete US proposals and reiterated that an attack on Iran would bring retaliatory strikes on US bases in the region.
South Korea Bets on Drone Carriers to Extend Naval Reach — 42,000‑ton Concept Joins 15,000 and 32,000 Designs
South Korea showcased concepts for large unmanned aircraft carriers — notably a 42,000‑tonne design — and plans to retrofit its Dokdo and Marado amphibious ships for UAV operations. The move signals a strategic shift toward unmanned naval aviation that could expand Seoul’s expeditionary reach and create new industrial opportunities, even as technical, budgetary and geopolitical challenges persist.
U.S. to Hand Two Major NATO Commands to Europe as Washington Recasts Its Role
NATO will reassign two major regional command posts—Naples to Italy and Norfolk to the United Kingdom—as part of a planned redistribution of senior officer duties within the alliance. The changes reflect U.S. efforts to rebalance responsibilities as Washington pivots priorities globally while keeping top operational commands and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe under U.S. control.
Beijing Says New Canada Partnership 'Not Targeting Any Third Party' After Trump's Hockey Quip
China’s foreign ministry responded to a remark by Donald Trump by stressing that its new strategic partnership with Canada is not aimed at any third party and is intended to benefit both peoples and global stability. The exchange highlights the diplomatic tightrope Canada faces between economic ties with China and security ties with the United States, while illustrating how high-profile rhetoric can shape international perceptions.
Israel Announces First New Maneuver Division in Decades as It Prepares for High‑Intensity War
The Israel Defense Forces announced the creation of a new 38th maneuver division — the first new deep‑penetration division since the 1970s — drawn from training units and slated to reach combat capability by 2027. The move signals a long‑term shift toward preparing for large‑scale, high‑intensity warfare and has implications for regional deterrence, logistics demands, and international support.