World News
Latest world news and updates
Total: 818
Seoul Calls Civilian Drone Flights into North ‘Extremely Dangerous’ as Tensions Rise
South Korea says three civilians launched drones into North Korean airspace on four occasions between September 2025 and January 2026, prompting investigations into the operators, a drone manufacturer and intelligence personnel. Seoul plans to tighten laws, strengthen local security networks, and explore restoring the 9·19 military agreement to reduce the risk of escalation.
Iran Says It Will Return to Geneva Talks Within Two Weeks With ‘Detailed Proposal’ — A Tentative Step Toward Breaking the Stalemate
U.S. officials say Iran will return to indirect talks in Geneva within two weeks with a detailed written proposal aimed at closing outstanding gaps. Participants described the latest round as progressive but incomplete; the next submission could determine whether incremental diplomacy can yield a verifiable, phased agreement or merely postpone future confrontation.
China Films Philippine Vessel Dumping ‘Unknown Object’ Near Spratly Islands, Raising Tensions in the South China Sea
Chinese authorities released footage showing a Philippine Coast Guard vessel discarding an unidentified object near the Spratly Islands on Feb. 16, a small incident that nevertheless amplifies tensions in the contested South China Sea. The episode highlights how filmed encounters and the deployment of equipment at sea serve as instruments of strategic signaling between Manila and Beijing.
Khamenei Rejects U.S. Limits on Iran’s Missiles and Warns Aircraft Carriers Are Vulnerable
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected U.S. objections to Iran’s missile programme and warned that American aircraft carriers can be made vulnerable by weapons Tehran possesses or is developing. His remarks reflect Tehran’s emphasis on asymmetric deterrence and raise the political and operational stakes for U.S. naval presence in the Gulf.
A Thousand Cold Kilometres for a New Year Reunion: Duty, Family and the Quiet Rituals of China’s Border Guards
A northern border garrison in China became the site of a 40-hour family reunion when a soldier who has served 19 years welcomed his wife and children for the Lunar New Year. The story symbolises the personal costs of long deployments, the logistical demands of frontier posts, and the way state media uses such vignettes to frame the PLA as both dutiful and domestically rooted.
New Year Tensions: Philippines’ Spratly Provocation Tests China as Washington and Tokyo Hold Back
Over Lunar New Year’s Eve the Philippines staged a high-profile maritime exercise near the Spratly Islands that China treated as a provocation, prompting a measured but forceful Chinese deployment and documentation of the incident. Washington and Tokyo remained conspicuously restrained, reflecting a cautious approach to balancing alliance reassurance with the risks of direct confrontation with Beijing.
NATO Rehears Rapid Reinforcement with Large Amphibious Exercise on Germany’s Baltic Coast
NATO held its largest exercise of 2026—Steadfast Dart‑2026—on Germany’s Baltic coast, staging amphibious landings with about 10,000 troops from 13 countries to practise rapid reinforcement of the alliance’s eastern flank. The drill emphasised mobility and joint logistics, and marked a prominent European‑led on‑site role while the U.S. did not directly participate.
Island Sentinels: Life, Logistics and Loyalty on China’s Yellow Sea Outposts
China’s small Yellow Sea islands are kept under continuous human watch by militia and other personnel who endure difficult living conditions and logistical strains. The experience of Jiang Quan—extended rotations, a prolonged power outage, and family sacrifices—illustrates both the symbolic and practical dimensions of Beijing’s coastal presence.
Steadfast on the Plateau: A PLA Cavalry Company’s Lunar New Year Watch in Yushu
A human-interest state-media report on a PLA cavalry company stationed in Yushu, Qinghai, described soldiers tending horses and appearing on the national Spring Festival Gala during the Lunar New Year. Beyond its pastoral tone, the piece serves as strategic messaging about China’s high-altitude readiness, ethnic integration in border regions, and the PLA’s continued reliance on niche capabilities.
When a Cold War Test Drowned a Crew: The Thresher Disaster and the Limits of Submarine Safety
The sinking of the U.S. submarine Thresher on 10 April 1963 killed 129 sailors during deep‑dive trials and exposed fatal vulnerabilities in submarine design and emergency systems. The disaster prompted the SUBSAFE safety overhaul and remains a cautionary precedent for modern navies operating nuclear‑powered vessels in deep and poorly charted waters.
Trump’s Air‑Force‑One Comment Jolts Taipei — US Signals a Recalibration of Taiwan Arms Policy
President Trump’s on‑the‑record remark that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan “need to be discussed” with Beijing has unsettled Taipei and cast doubt over a potential $20 billion‑plus package. The comment reflects U.S. domestic and economic constraints that are reshaping how Washington balances deterrence and diplomacy in the China‑Taiwan‑U.S. triangle.
China Signals Military Resolve in South China Sea as Manila Pauses U.S.-Backed Patrol Push
China staged sea-and-air patrols after a Philippines naval exercise and an attempted U.S.-backed joint patrol, signalling a willingness to defend maritime claims while using targeted diplomatic measures against local Philippine officials. The episode illustrates the limits of U.S. reassurance, the risks of great-power friction in the South China Sea, and Manila’s constrained choices between alliance signalling and geographic realities.