World News
Latest world news and updates
Total: 818
At Davos, China Pitches Stability: Calls for Open Trade, Rules-Based Multilateralism and Deeper Cooperation
At Davos, Vice Premier He Lifeng delivered a comprehensive defence of open trade, multilateralism and China’s role as a stabiliser in a fracturing global economy. He promised expanded imports, deeper market access, cooperation on technology and green transition, while pressing for WTO-centred reforms and equal treatment in international rules. The speech is a clear diplomatic push to reassure global business and shape the narrative on globalization amid trade tensions and geopolitical rivalry.
Withdrawing but Not Paying: How U.S. Arrears Are Reshaping Global Institutions
The United States is simultaneously withdrawing from some UN agencies and refusing to pay billions in assessed and voluntary contributions, creating cash shortfalls and prompting institutional adjustments across the UN system. Officials say arrears must be settled before formal exits take effect, while agencies relocate staff and curtail services in response to tighter finances.
Paramilitary Sharpening Its Edge: Guangxi Unit Runs Rigorous Coach Training to Boost Combat Instruction
A Guangxi unit of the People’s Armed Police ran a 2026 coach-training course to produce standardized, proficient combat instructors. The programme focused on close-combat skills and lesson-plan standardisation, part of a broader PAP effort to professionalise training and boost grassroots readiness.
Germany’s Armed Forces Reach 12-Year High as Recruitment Surges
Germany’s Bundeswehr has grown to 184,200 active-duty personnel, the highest in 12 years, marking the largest intake since the suspension of conscription. The increase reflects post‑2022 defence policy shifts but leaves open questions about training, equipment and long-term sustainability.
A Transatlantic Test: Greenland, Tariffs and the Strain on NATO’s Foundations
A US threat linking tariffs and territorial demands over Greenland has ignited a transatlantic dispute that tests NATO’s foundational premise: that allies do not coerce one another with force. European states have protested, sent symbolic military contingents to Greenland and accelerated talks about strategic autonomy, raising the prospect that NATO’s character could shift from mutual defence to a more transactional arrangement.
Under the Wings: How China's Ground Technicians Keep Army Helicopters Ready for War
A feature from the PLA’s Army Aviation Academy highlights the often-overlooked role of aviation repair crews in keeping Chinese army helicopters mission-capable. Through a mix of meticulous routine, multi-disciplinary training and local innovation, these ground technicians reduce downtime and increase operational resilience, underscoring that maintenance and human capital are central to China’s military effectiveness.
Edited Photo by Trump Spurs Venezuelan Push to Counter 'Map' Misinformation
President Trump posted a doctored photo showing US flags over several countries, including Venezuela, prompting Caracas to urge citizens to share the official national map to combat perceived disinformation. The episode highlights how edited imagery can be used as geopolitical signalling and underscores risks from rapid spread of unverified claims.
China’s Hospital Ship Makes First-Ever Call to Uruguay, Signalling Deeper Naval Outreach in Latin America
China’s hospital ship Silk Road Ark arrived in Montevideo on January 20 for a four-day technical stop, the first-ever visit by a Chinese naval vessel to Uruguay. The port call combines logistical needs with public-diplomacy aims and underscores Beijing’s wider effort to normalize PLA Navy operations in distant regions while managing regional sensitivities.
Soldier-Scholar Sharps the PLA’s Legal Edge: Inside a Professor’s Drive to Turn Law into a Military Tool
Fu Dalin, a military-law professor at China’s National Defense University, has driven a shift in the PLA to make legal expertise operationally relevant, building courses, labs and field partnerships that integrate law into wartime planning. His work reflects a broader Chinese emphasis on using law as an instrument of statecraft and military competition.
Blast at Kabul Chinese Restaurant Kills One, Prompts Beijing to Demand Action and Urge Evacuations
An explosion outside a Chinese restaurant in Kabul on 19 January killed one Chinese citizen and wounded five, prompting Beijing to demand urgent action from Afghan authorities. China condemned the attack, urged citizens to avoid travel to Afghanistan, and pressed for protection of its nationals and projects amid persistent ISIS‑K threats.
China's Southern Air Brigade Steps Up Day‑and‑Night Flight Drills as Training Tempo Intensifies
A Southern Theater Command air brigade staged multi‑batch, full‑element day‑and‑night flight drills to sharpen all‑weather combat capabilities, state media reported. The exercises underscore the PLA’s emphasis on sustained, integrated training and signal increased operational readiness in a strategically sensitive region.
US Navy Says New 'Trump‑Class' Warship Is Nothing Like Old Battleships — and That Matters
A senior U.S. Navy official says talk of a ‘‘Trump‑class’’ battleship should not be read as a return to World War II‑style gun platforms, but as a push for a new kind of large surface combatant built around modern strike, sensors and survivability. The comments highlight strategic, industrial and political debates about the future shape of American naval power in the Indo‑Pacific.