World News
Latest world news and updates
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Canada Joins EU’s Big Defence Finance Plan, Becoming First Non‑European Partner — and Opening Its Arms Industry to Europe
Canada has become the first non‑European participant in the EU’s large defence financing instrument, gaining access for its defence industry to European procurement supported by up to €150 billion in loans. The move deepens transatlantic industrial ties, signals a pragmatic streak in EU strategic autonomy, and raises questions about procurement, export controls and future partner participation.
Crew of Carrier Fujian Lines Up to Send New‑Year Message — A Showcase of China’s Naval Confidence
The PLAN’s carrier Fujian released a New‑Year photograph of its full crew delivering a holiday greeting that doubles as a slogan of leadership. The image underscores both the symbolic role the ship plays in China’s naval modernization and the gap that remains between symbolic displays and sustained operational capability.
Trump Told Netanyahu He’d Back Israeli Strikes on Iran’s Missile Sites If Talks Fail — U.S. Weighs How to Help
U.S. reports say President Trump told Netanyahu he would back Israeli airstrikes on Iranian missile sites if talks with Tehran fail, prompting U.S. military planners to discuss how to assist. The disclosures sharpen the diplomatic and operational dilemmas facing Washington, Israel and regional states whose airspace would be needed for long-range strikes.
U.S. Military and Intelligence Weigh How to Back an Israeli Strike on Iran
Chinese media reported that senior U.S. military and intelligence officials are discussing ways to support a possible Israeli airstrike on Iran’s ballistic missile facilities after President Trump reportedly promised backing to Prime Minister Netanyahu. Practical obstacles — notably Gulf states’ refusals to allow use of their airspace — and the risk of Iranian retaliation make any escalation fraught with regional and global consequences.
Iran Says It Has a Deal Plan but Doubts U.S. Intentions Ahead of Geneva Talks
Iran says it has a negotiation plan ready for Geneva talks with the United States but expresses skepticism about U.S. commitment, noting Washington has accepted that Iran will not be required to halt enrichment or export nuclear material. Tehran also seeks to exclude missile and broader regional issues, particularly concerns about Israel, from the nuclear agenda.
Why Iran Has Few Friends: The Three Contradictions That Keep It Isolated
Iran’s limited friendship network stems from three intertwined contradictions: its revolutionary export and proxy strategy, the trade-off between security confrontation and economic dependence, and transactional ties with major powers rather than deep alliances. Domestic factionalism and fragile regional detente make lasting normalization unlikely, with consequences for regional stability and global policy choices.
Founder of APA Hotels Who Published Nanjing Massacre Denial Dies, Leaving a Controversial Legacy
Toshio Motoya, founder of APA Hotels and a prominent funder of Japan's right wing, has died aged 82. He was best known internationally for placing books in hotel rooms that denied the Nanjing Massacre and contested other wartime histories, a stance that sparked regional outrage and lasting reputational damage for his company.
Three US Service Members in Japan Arrested in Theft Cases, Raising Local Tensions Over Base Conduct
Three US service members stationed in Japan have been arrested on suspicion of theft, including two Marines from Iwakuni suspected of a series of thefts possibly exceeding ¥10 million and a Marine in Okinawa accused of taking a patron's bag worth about ¥780,000. The incidents revive local tensions over US bases, spotlight questions of troop discipline, jurisdiction, and local accountability under the Status of Forces framework.
Israeli Airstrike in Lebanon’s Bekaa Kills at Least Four, Raising Fears of Wider Escalation
An Israeli airstrike on 15 February struck a vehicle in Majdal Anjar, in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, killing at least four people. Israel said it targeted members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad; the attack underscores the risk that localized strikes will escalate tensions along Lebanon’s border with Israel and Syria.
Munich Aftermath: Transatlantic Alliance Intact but the Old Order Is Dead
At the Munich Security Conference, warm rhetoric from the U.S. masked deep policy disagreements that have hollowed out the post‑Cold War transatlantic order. European leaders, while publicly affirming ties with Washington, are openly exploring greater strategic autonomy — including talks about a shared or independent nuclear deterrent — in response to perceived U.S. unpredictability.
IAEA Chief Holds Technical Talks with Iran Ahead of Renewed Geneva Nuclear Talks
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said he held technical discussions with Iran's foreign minister Araghchi to prepare for a second round of indirect U.S.–Iran nuclear talks in Geneva on February 17. The IAEA's engagement aims to settle verification details ahead of political negotiations that remain divided over sanctions relief and sequencing.
Trump Suspends China Tech Bans to Rescue April Visit — But Taiwan Arms Sales Could Still Derail Talks
President Trump has paused several US sanctions and restrictions on Chinese tech and transport firms in a bid to salvage a planned April visit to Beijing. Beijing has signalled that only a credible US shift on Taiwan — including freezing large arms sales and stronger public commitments to the one-China framework — would secure high-level engagement.