World News
Latest world news and updates
Total: 501
China Makes Cross‑Provincial VAT Refunds Easier to Lure More International Visitors to the West
Chongqing has expanded a cross‑provincial “immediate” VAT refund scheme to Yunnan, Shaanxi and Gansu, following a 2025 agreement with Sichuan, allowing foreign visitors to claim tax rebates when departing from a different province than where they purchased goods. The move is designed to make multi‑stop itineraries across western China more convenient, boosting inbound consumption and aiding regional economic coordination amid broader visa‑free transit liberalisation.
Trump Demands 'Immediate' Talks to Buy Greenland at Davos, Deepening Rift with Europe
At Davos, President Trump demanded immediate talks to purchase Greenland, calling it a U.S. "core national security interest" while insisting he would not use force. His remarks, including a disputed claim that the U.S. once owned Greenland, heightened tensions with Denmark and Europe and raised fresh questions about NATO cohesion and Arctic geopolitics.
China’s New 054B Frigate Marks First Year of Operational Integration for a More Networked Navy
The PLA Navy’s first 054B frigate, Luohe (545), has completed its first year of service after commissioning in January 2025, conducting repeated live-fire drills and routine at-sea training. The class is intended to enhance early warning, information processing and integrated combat functions, making it a force-multiplier within fleet networks rather than a standalone game-changer.
US Army’s ‘Dark Eagle’ Hypersonic Fielding Delayed Again, Exposing Cost and Capability Risks
The US Army has again failed to meet its schedule for fielding the LRHW "Dark Eagle" hypersonic system, highlighting technical hurdles and cost pressures in a program that has already consumed over $12 billion across services. With the first battery’s deployment cost estimated at roughly $2.7 billion, the delay raises questions about deterrence timelines, congressional oversight, and potential shifts in Pentagon priorities.
Trump Renounces Force but Revives 'Buy Greenland' Gambit, Deepening Transatlantic Strain
At Davos President Trump said he would not use force to seize Greenland but pressed to negotiate a purchase and suspended planned tariffs on several European countries after talks about an Arctic framework. Denmark and the EU reacted with alarm: Copenhagen rejects the idea of transferring Greenland, Greenland issued civil‑defense guidance, and Brussels convened an emergency summit to consider a unified response.
Trump Says NATO Has Agreed Arctic Framework on Greenland, Pauses Feb. 1 Tariffs
President Trump said he and NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte agreed on a framework for Arctic cooperation focused on Greenland and has paused tariffs due February 1. NATO confirmed productive discussions on Arctic security, but concrete details and buy‑in from Denmark and Greenland remain unclear.
Songs, Snow and Sacrifice: How a Remote Spanggur Outpost Sustains China’s Frontier Presence
At a remote high‑altitude outpost by Spanggur Lake, China’s border troops sustain presence through ritual, mutual care and small infrastructural projects. A company anthem and the memorial to a fallen pack horse have become focal points for morale, civil‑military outreach and a broader narrative linking frontier sacrifice to national cohesion.
Turkish Probe Finds Libyan Military Jet Broke Up on High‑Speed Impact; Engines Were Running
A Turkish preliminary investigation into a December 23, 2025 crash of a Libyan Falcon 50 near Ankara found no mid‑air explosion and that the engines were running at impact; the aircraft disintegrated on high‑speed collision with a 1,252m mountain. Eight people, including Libya’s army chief of staff, died; black boxes sent to Britain are expected to provide the decisive data on why the jet, after reporting an electrical fault, struck terrain at speed.
From Revolutionary Roots to High‑Altitude Fighting: Inside the PLA’s ‘Red Ninth’ Push to Modernise on the Tibetan Plateau
A PLA company in Tibet known as the Red Ninth fused its 99‑year revolutionary heritage with modern high‑altitude combat training, testing new vehicles, drones and information systems while producing its own doctrine. The exercise underscores Beijing’s focus on integrating legacy political cohesion with technological modernisation in strategically sensitive terrain.
Poland Summons Belarus Diplomat After Nighttime Balloon Incursions Carrying Untaxed Cigarettes
Poland summoned the Belarusian chargé d’affaires after dozens of balloon-like objects crossed into Polish airspace on January 17 carrying untaxed cigarettes. Polish authorities seized multiple meteorological-style balloons and told Minsk such incursions were unacceptable. The event underscores ongoing security frictions on the Poland–Belarus border and raises concerns about smuggling tactics and state permissiveness.
From Red Roots to High-Altitude Strike Units: How a 99‑Year‑Old PLA Company is Rebranding Tradition for Modern War
A century‑old PLA company based in Tibet is pairing its revolutionary lineage with rapid operational modernisation, transforming symbolic rituals into practical high‑altitude combat readiness. By improvising manuals, integrating drones and networking new vehicles, the unit illustrates the PLA’s wider push to fuse tradition with informationised, system‑level capabilities.
Iran Warns Any Strike on Its Territory Would Turn All U.S. Bases into Legitimate Targets
On 22 January, a senior commander of Iran’s Hatam al‑Anbiya Central Command warned that any attack on Iranian territory would immediately make U.S. interests and bases legitimate targets, promising swift and destructive retaliation. The statement broadens Tehran’s claimed right to retaliate and raises the risk that a limited incident could escalate into a wider confrontation, complicating U.S. deterrence and regional security.