World News
Latest world news and updates
Total: 507
PLA Brigade Trials '1+N' Training Model to Link Drills to Mission Needs
A Central Theater Command brigade has introduced a "1＋N" training model that links a primary exercise to multiple associated subjects in continuous sequences, boosting realism and measured performance. The approach emphasizes mission-aligned drills, faster skill integration, and new standards for multi-level assessment.
Japan Signals Landing Plan on Diaoyu/Senkaku; China Answers with Armed Coast‑Guard Patrols
Local Japanese calls for a landing “environmental survey” on the disputed Diaoyu/Senkaku islands have coincided with intensified China Coast Guard patrols, raising the risk of miscalculation in the East China Sea. Domestic politics in Tokyo and Beijing are hardening positions, while the United States’ security role and regional responses will shape whether tension spirals or is contained.
Don’t Dismiss China’s Missile Silo Build‑Up — There’s More to Them Than Meets the Eye
Public criticism of China’s missile silos often confuses visibility with vulnerability. In reality, hardened silos provide a cost‑effective way to increase survivable second‑strike capacity, complicate adversary targeting, and shape strategic stability — with important implications for arms control and regional security.
Denmark’s F-35s Train Over Greenland as NATO Sharpens Arctic Readiness
Denmark flew two F-35 fighters with a French tanker over southeast Greenland on 16 January as part of a planned training mission that included aerial refuelling and long‑range Arctic operations. The exercise, and more like it planned for the year, reflects NATO’s renewed focus on Arctic readiness amid strategic competition and changing ice conditions.
Trump Says He ‘Convinced Himself’ to Pause Strikes on Iran, Citing Own Judgment Over Outside Persuasion
President Trump said he had convinced himself to postpone military action against Iran, denying that Gulf leaders persuaded him. Advisers warned that a major strike was unlikely to change Iran’s regime and risked wider conflict, while Israel sought a delay to prepare for possible retaliation.
Venezuelan Military Says U.S. Strike Killed Dozens as Caracas Demands Return of Maduro
Venezuelan officials say a U.S. attack on January 3 killed dozens of Venezuelan soldiers and that U.S. forces captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Caracas has established a committee for victims’ families, announced a national memorial and demanded the immediate release of Maduro, while casualty figures and claims remain unverified.
From Knife Wounds to Military Merits: The Xu Family’s Two-Generation Tale of Heroism in China’s Armed Forces
Xu Honggang, hailed as a civic hero after a violent 1993 encounter, has seen his legacy carried on by his son, Xu Zelin, who joined the National University of Defense Technology and the PLA and was recently awarded a third-class meritorious service citation. The family’s story is being used to highlight intergenerational duty and to support China’s broader push to professionalize and politically consolidate its armed forces.
Canada Drops 100% EV Tariff on China, Replaces It with Quotas in Bid to Reset Trade and Attract Investment
Canada has rescinded a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and replaced it with a quota allowing 49,000 EVs at a 6.1% tariff, rising to 70,000 over five years, part of a broader thaw in Ottawa‑Beijing ties. The shift aims to lower consumer prices, attract Chinese investment in batteries and grid storage, and restore agricultural exports, but key details and formal Chinese confirmation remain outstanding.
Starlink’s Rise: How Musk’s Satellite Network Became a Geopolitical Weapon — and a Cash Cow
Starlink has moved from commercial broadband provider to an instrument of geopolitical influence, supported by billions in U.S. government contracts and explosive subscriber growth that helped lift SpaceX’s valuation to roughly $800bn by end‑2025. Its dual civilian‑military business model, technical dominance and growing role in conflict zones pose fresh political and regulatory dilemmas for states and markets.
How SpaceX’s Starlink Became a Geopolitical Lever — and What It Means for Markets and Alliances
Starlink has evolved from a consumer satellite broadband service into a strategic instrument backed by substantial U.S. government contracts and allied support, contributing to SpaceX’s dramatic valuation rise. Its use in conflict zones alongside recent U.S. political moves and market responses underscores how private platforms, state security needs and capital markets are now mutually reinforcing.
Germany Buys MQ‑9B Maritime Drones to Harden Baltic and North Atlantic Anti‑Submarine Watch
Germany has contracted to buy eight MQ‑9B maritime drones from General Atomics for about €1.52 billion, to strengthen surveillance and anti‑submarine patrols in the Baltic and North Atlantic. The drones, complementing Germany’s P‑8A Poseidons, offer long endurance and advanced avionics but will require significant integration, basing and political choices before they deliver full operational effect.
South Korea Clears Development Tests of KF-21 Fighter, Mass Production Set to Begin This Year
South Korea's KF-21 fighter has completed its development flight tests and is slated for production deliveries in the second half of the year, DAPA announced. The milestone strengthens Seoul's aerospace industry and defense capabilities but still leaves practical challenges—certification, sustainment and integration—to be resolved before the jet significantly alters regional force balances.