World News
Latest world news and updates
Total: 489
Delayed Dive: Taiwan’s Indigenous Submarine Finally Submerges, But Major Tests and Integration Problems Remain
Taiwan’s first indigenous submarine, the Haikun, completed its first submerged trial on 26 January 2026 after extensive delays caused mainly by integration problems between its platform management system and onboard sensors and weapons. Remaining snorkel, shallow and deep-depth trials mean full delivery is unlikely before mid-2026, prolonging pressures on Taiwan’s defence modernisation and deterrence posture.
China Leads 161st Multinational Mekong Patrol as Regional Security Drive for 2026 Begins
China and its Laos, Myanmar and Thailand partners launched the 161st joint Mekong patrol on January 26, initiating the 2026 campaign with coordinated departures from Yunnan and partner ports. The operation, preceded by a commanders' meeting in Jinghong, aims to suppress transboundary crime and sustain stability in critical river stretches.
India’s Republic Day Parade Debuts an ‘Animal Contingent’, Spotlighting Low‑Tech Mobility
India’s 2026 Republic Day parade featured, for the first time, a formal animal contingent including camels, Zanskar ponies, birds of prey and military dogs. The move highlights the Indian armed forces’ continued reliance on animals for operations in difficult terrain and serves as both a ceremonial gesture and a strategic signal about adaptive mobility.
Israel Says Last Remains of Gaza Captives Returned, Raising Stakes Over Rafah and Ceasefire Implementation
Israel announced that the final body of an Israeli captive held in Gaza, identified as La'an Gvili, has been recovered and returned, completing the returns of persons and remains from Gaza. Hamas acknowledged efforts to locate the body while demanding full implementation of the ceasefire, including opening the Rafah crossing and Israeli withdrawal, complicating the humanitarian and political calculus.
Germany Eyes a ‘Military Starlink’: Rheinmetall and OHB Move to Capture €35bn Defence‑Space Jackpot
Rheinmetall and OHB are negotiating to bid for a German military LEO satellite communications programme that could tap into roughly €35 billion of planned defence‑space spending. The project aims to create a domestically built, Starlink‑style network to improve resilience and reduce reliance on foreign commercial providers, but it faces strong competition and significant technical and industrial challenges.
High-Speed Rail Links Yan'an and Zunyi, Cutting Travel Time and Boosting Red Tourism
China inaugurated a direct high-speed rail service between Yan'an and Zunyi, cutting travel time between the two revolutionary sites from over 16 hours to just over eight. The route connects major inland hubs and is intended to spur red tourism, regional economic integration and rural revitalisation in former revolutionary base areas.
France Rushes to Field Armed Surface Drones as Procurement Model Shifts from Specs to Trials
France is fast-tracking armed surface unmanned vessels through competition-style trials and shifting procurement toward rapid, trial-driven experimentation. The DGA and navy expect to field one or two armed boat designs by 2027 while also expanding shipborne drones, long-range loitering munitions and targeting pods to respond to new littoral threats.
Steel Eyes, Shepherd’s Heart: An Inner Mongolia PAP Officer Blends Special‑Forces Innovation with Grassroots Outreach
Buhetumuer, a deputy staff officer in an Inner Mongolia People’s Armed Police detachment, exemplifies a model Beijing promotes: a hard‑trained special‑operations leader who also runs social assistance programs in pastoral communities. He has developed new tactical methods including drone‑assisted assault techniques while sponsoring education and village development, earning national recognition for fostering ethnic unity.
China to Host Uruguay’s President Orsi in First State Visit, Pushing Strategic Partnership and Belt and Road Ties
China has invited Uruguay’s President Orsi for a state visit during which Xi Jinping will discuss strengthening a comprehensive strategic partnership and advancing Belt and Road cooperation. The trip is a diplomatic milestone that could yield trade and infrastructure deals, while also reflecting Beijing’s broader push to deepen ties in Latin America amid great‑power competition.
Passenger Vessel Capsizes off Davao: 15 Dead, Dozens Missing as China’s Embassy Seeks Information
A passenger boat capsized off Davao in the Philippines on January 26, killing 15 and leaving 43 missing while more than 300 people were rescued. China’s embassy is coordinating with its Davao consulate but has not confirmed the nationalities of those involved as Philippine authorities continue search-and-rescue operations.
Taiwan’s Indigenous Submarine Finally Dives After Prolonged Delays, Tests to Continue into Mid‑2026
Taiwan’s first domestically built submarine, Haikun, completed its initial submerged test on 26 January 2026 after a series of delays tied to systems-integration problems. The programme missed its original November 2025 delivery date and now faces additional staged trials with a new handover target around June 2026, leaving questions about the timeline for boosting Taiwan’s undersea deterrent.
Last Men Standing on 101 Heights: How a Small Unit’s Sacrifice Turned the Tide at Heishan
In October 1948 the Northeast Field Army halted and reversed a major Nationalist thrust at Heishan by combining concentrated artillery fires, rapid reserve counterattacks and tenacious small-unit defence on the 101 Heights. The victory played a critical role in the Liaoshen campaign, accelerating the collapse of the Nationalist Ninth Corps and the liberation of Northeast China. The fight at 101 Heights remains a celebrated example in PLA historiography of how tactical resilience and combined-arms action can overcome superior numbers.