23 h. ago China’s unmanned Moyujian strike helicopter is ready for plateau combat tests

China’s unmanned reconnaissance and strike helicopter tailored for deployment in plateau areas is ready for critical combat testing. The new multipurpose medium-sized helicopter was displayed on November 27 at an air show in Zhuhai, in southern China, where the next stage of testing was announced by its developer. The Moyujian was exhibited at the second Asia General Aviation Exhibition (Aero Asia), held from November 27 to 30. Aero Asia, jointly organised by the German General Aviation...

Events

27 h. ago Admiral denies ‘kill them all’ order in boat attack but video alarms lawmakers

A Navy admiral commanding the US military strikes on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean told lawmakers on Thursday that there was no “kill them all” order from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth but a stark video of the attack left grave questions as Congress scrutinises the campaign that killed two people. Admiral Frank Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door classified briefings at the Capitol as lawmakers conduct an investigation after a report that he ordered the follow-on attack that...

Events

27 h. ago US admiral denies ‘kill them all’ order in Caribbean boat strike

A US Navy admiral commanding the US military strikes on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean told lawmakers Thursday that there was no “kill them all” order from Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, but a stark video of the attack left grave questions as Congress scrutinises the campaign that killed two survivors. Admiral Frank “Mitch” Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door classified briefings at the Capitol as lawmakers conduct an investigation after a report that he ordered the follow-on...

Events

29 h. ago China says it is working ‘with all parties’ to prevent escalation in Venezuela

China said on Wednesday that it is working “with all parties” to prevent a military escalation in the Caribbean as the United States intensifies operations near Venezuela, the latest sign of Beijing’s growing diplomatic and symbolic support for President Nicolas Maduro. Asked to comment on the Venezuelan crisis, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told reporters that Beijing “opposes any action that violates the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter or undermines the...

Politics

29 h. ago Fiona Hill on what Trump’s Caribbean boat strikes signal to Russia and China : Here & Now Anytime

Fiona Hill on what Trump’s Caribbean boat strikes signal to Russia and China : Here & Now Anytime  NPR

Politics

41 h. ago India and Japan show impact of Trump’s tariffs extend beyond trade

For a sign of the degree to which US President Donald Trump’s decision in August to double tariffs on most Indian goods to a staggering 50 per cent – the highest rate across Asia – is weighing on investor sentiment, look no further than the rupee. Having plumbed a series of record lows in recent months, India’s currency has been the worst performer in Asia this year and has breached the psychologically important level of 90 per US dollar. One of the last major economies yet to strike a trade...

Politics

54 h. ago Hegseth’s use of Signal posed risk to US personnel, Pentagon watchdog finds

The Pentagon’s watchdog found that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth put American personnel and their mission at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen, two people familiar with the findings said on Wednesday. Hegseth, however, has the ability to declassify material and the report did not find he did so improperly, according to one of the people familiar with the report’s findings who spoke on condition...

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54 h. ago Hegseth’s use of Signal posed risk to US troops, Pentagon watchdog finds

The Pentagon’s watchdog found that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth put American personnel and their mission at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen, two people familiar with the findings said on Wednesday. Hegseth, however, has the ability to declassify material and the report did not find he did so improperly, according to one of the people familiar with the report’s findings who spoke on condition...

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54 h. ago Hegseth’s Signal use posed risk to US forces, Pentagon review finds

The Pentagon’s watchdog found that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth put US personnel and their mission at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Yemen’s Houthi militants, two people familiar with the findings said on Wednesday. Hegseth, however, has the ability to declassify material and the report did not find he did so improperly, according to one of the people familiar with the findings who spoke on condition of anonymity to...

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55 h. ago Photos of Epstein’s notorious private island released by US Democrats

Democrats in the US Congress released photos and videos on Wednesday showing the luxury island home where convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein allegedly forced underage girls into sex with powerful men. The images of Epstein’s former Caribbean hideaway shed little new light on the complex scandal. However, they could add pressure on the Trump administration to comply with a requirement to release all the investigative files compiled during years of probes into Epstein’s activities – with...

Politics

64 h. ago Asia’s floods kill over 1,000, lay bare human cost of climate inaction

More than 1,400 people have been killed across South and Southeast Asia in a week of catastrophic floods, exposing how rising global temperatures are amplifying extreme weather, even as international negotiations to phase out fossil fuels stall. Successive storms, cyclones and relentless rains have triggered catastrophic flash floods and landslides in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia, overwhelming local authorities already operating at the limits of their capacity. While...

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65 h. ago Taiwan military denies alleged meetings with Dutch intelligence made public by China

Taiwan military denies alleged meetings with Dutch intelligence made public by China  Focus Taiwan

Events

2 d. ago Iron Ore Shakeup Begins as Simandou’s First Boat Heads for China

Iron Ore Shakeup Begins as Simandou’s First Boat Heads for China  Bloomberg.com

Politics

3 d. ago Trump defence chief says he didn’t see survivors or watch second boat strike

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday he had watched the first US strike in September on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in real time but did not see survivors in the water or the second lethal strike that he described as being carried out in the “fog of war”. Hegseth, speaking at a cabinet meeting alongside US President Donald Trump, defended the follow-up strike that has drawn bipartisan scrutiny from Congress and concerns about the legality of the administration’s moves. The...

Events

3 d. ago Trump’s defence chief says he didn’t see survivors or watch second boat strike

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday he had watched the first US strike in September on an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in real time but did not see survivors in the water or the second lethal strike that he described as being carried out in the “fog of war”. Hegseth, speaking at a cabinet meeting alongside US President Donald Trump, defended the follow-up strike that has drawn bipartisan scrutiny from Congress and concerns about the legality of the administration’s moves. The...

Events

3 d. ago Pope Leo urges Trump not to attempt military ousting of Venezuela’s Maduro

Pope Leo urged US President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday not to try to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro using military force. Leo, the first US pope, said it would be better to attempt dialogue or impose economic pressure on Venezuela if Washington wants to pursue change there. The Trump administration has been weighing options to combat what it has portrayed as Maduro’s role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans. The socialist Venezuelan president has denied...

Events

3 d. ago Chinese and Japanese coastguard ships confront each other near disputed islands

Chinese and Japanese coastguard vessels have been involved in a stand-off near the disputed Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea. The two sides gave conflicting accounts of Tuesday’s incident, with the Chinese coastguards saying they had driven a Japanese fishing boat away from the islands, which are known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan. Liu Dejun, a spokesman for the coastguard, said the Chinese vessels took “necessary control measures” and issued warnings to the boat. “The Diaoyu Islands and...

Politics

4 d. ago Will the St Vincent election cost Taiwan another Caribbean ally?

Taiwan has played down concerns that St Vincent and the Grenadines might switch diplomatic recognition to Beijing, insisting ties with its Caribbean ally remain stable despite a change of government in Kingstown. The reassurance follows last week’s victory by the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP), with its leader Godwin Friday succeeding long-time Taipei supporter Ralph Gonsalves as prime minister. Friday did not publicly commit during the campaign to changing recognition from Taipei to...

Politics

4 d. ago Did Philippine VP Sara Duterte’s jailbreak ‘joke’ keep her dad in ICC detention?

The International Criminal Court’s ruling that Rodrigo Duterte is too politically connected to be trusted on interim release – citing his entrenched networks and even a “joke” from his daughter about breaking him out – has entwined the former president’s legal predicament with the political dynamics shaping the 2028 race. Analysts told This Week in Asia that the decision has narrowed the 80-year-old’s room for political manoeuvre while potentially strengthening, under some circumstances, the...

Events

4 d. ago Unification Church leader denies knowing about gifts for Kim Keon

The leader of one of South Korea’s largest cultlike churches stood trial on Monday accused of bribing the country’s former first lady with gifts including a designer handbag and a diamond necklace. The arrest of leader Han Hak-ja in September rocked the Unification Church, which claims to have 10 million followers worldwide and controls a sprawling business empire. The 82-year-old defendant, known to her followers as “holy mother”, also faces corruption charges over cash payments to a lawmaker...

Politics