World News
Latest world news and updates
Total: 818
Teeth on the Map: IRGC Naval Drills in the Strait of Hormuz Raise Stakes for Global Shipping
Iran’s IRGC conducted the main phase of naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on 17 February 2026, with commanders asserting the ability to close the waterway quickly if required. The move underscores a persistent vulnerability for global energy shipments and raises the prospect of heightened naval deployments, insurance costs, and diplomatic friction.
On Lunar New Year’s Eve, Chinese military rest home turns companionship into living history
Staff at a military-run rest home in Lanzhou spent Lunar New Year’s Eve providing companionship and listening to the stories of elderly veterans, including a 99-year-old Korean War veteran and a 102-year-old resident. The occasion combined social care with informal ‘‘red education,’’ demonstrating how China preserves revolutionary memory as its veteran generation ages.
China Accelerates Build of ‘004’ Nuclear Carrier, Pressing a Strategic Window in the Western Pacific
Chinese media and imagery indicate accelerated construction of a large fourth carrier, 004, at Dalian with a reported waterline wider than the US Ford class and likely nuclear propulsion. Fitted with four EMALS and expected to enter service in the late 2020s, the ship is portrayed domestically as a capability to extend China’s reach beyond the first island chain and contest US maritime dominance in the Western Pacific.
US Warplanes Mass Near Iran as Diplomatic Talks Stall — A Wider China–Russia Test Looms
US deployments of A-10s, F-15Es and supporting assets to the Middle East have intensified after stalled Oman talks with Iran, signalling a retained option for military action. Tehran's consultations with China and Russia, combined with Israeli pressure and US economic tightening, raise the risk of broader regional and geopolitical escalation rather than a contained strike.
Singing to Fight: How the PLA Uses Heroic Memory to Cement a ‘Win-Ready’ Army
China’s military media released footage of troops singing a patriotic song tied to Korean War hero Qiu Shaoyun, blending historical martyrdom with contemporary calls to “fight and win.” The portrayal is a deliberate mix of morale-building and political signalling as the PLA modernises and faces more frequent regional tensions. The episode highlights how Beijing fuses cultural programming with force development to shape troop identity and communicate resolve to domestic and international audiences.
After LDP Landslide, Singapore Issues Stark Warning on a Resurgent Japanese Militarism
Singapore has publicly criticized what it sees as the risk of a resurgent Japanese militarism after a commanding LDP election win, invoking wartime memories of the 1942 occupation. The response blends historical grievance with contemporary defence preparedness and sends a wider diplomatic signal about regional stability and the preservation of the postwar order.
US Masses Forces Near Iran as Geneva Talks Begin, Mixing Diplomacy with Coercion
The United States has redeployed aircraft and defensive systems closer to Iran and extended troop rotations as indirect nuclear talks with Tehran begin in Geneva. The concurrent build-up and diplomacy constitute a coercive strategy that raises the risk of miscalculation and could escalate regional instability if negotiations fail.
Tearjerker on the Plateau: How China’s High‑Altitude Women Soldiers Became a New‑Year PR Campaign
A Feb. 17 video from China Military Video Network profiles women soldiers serving at high altitude, using emotional storytelling to humanize the PLA. The piece serves domestic legitimacy, gender messaging and strategic signalling by showcasing resilience and readiness in geopolitically sensitive plateau regions.
Guterres Condemns Israel’s Move to Restart West Bank Land Registration, Warns It Threatens Two-State Future
UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned Israel’s cabinet approval to restart systematic land registration in parts of the West Bank, saying it risks dispossessing Palestinians and undermines the two-state solution. The move, the first large-scale registration since 1967, could convert wide areas to state land and deepen international concern about de facto annexation.
On Lunar New Year's Eve, Care and Memory Warm Gansu's Veteran Rest Home
Staff at a retired cadres rest home in Lanzhou spent Lunar New Year's Eve providing companionship, dumplings and a space for veterans to recount wartime memories, turning the holiday into both a moment of personal care and an instance of state-backed "red education." The episode highlights how local veteran welfare initiatives intersect with broader political efforts to preserve revolutionary memory and shore up social cohesion amid demographic change.
UN Chief Warns Israel’s New West Bank Land Registry Risks Dispossession and Erodes Two‑State Prospect
UN Secretary‑General António Guterres condemned Israel’s decision to resume systematic land registration in Israeli‑controlled parts of the West Bank, calling it illegal and warning it threatens Palestinian property rights and the two‑state solution. The Israeli cabinet approved the first such registry initiative since 1967, provoking Palestinian rejection and raising the risk that administrative steps could entrench territorial control.
Frontline Gala: How a Xinjiang Border Company Marries Pageantry with Patrols to Boost Morale
A Xinjiang border company staged a Spring Festival‑style gala that blended family performances, music from a joint military band, and celebration of recent training successes. The event served to bolster morale, underscore multi‑ethnic cohesion and link an isolated outpost symbolically to the national centre while reaffirming the company’s operational readiness on a strategically sensitive frontier.