Taiwan: China’s large-scale military exercises
China has launched large-scale joint military exercises around Taiwan, involving its navy, air force, army, and rocket force, in what it described as a ‘stern warning’, just days after defence secretary Pete Hegseth,…
Russia / North Korea: mutual defence agreement against ‘aggression’
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un have signed a mutual defence agreement pledging support in case of ‘aggression’ against either country. The announcement followed Putin's visit to Pyongyang, his first since 2000, which…
China / Taiwan: military drills and threats
China sees the self-ruled island of Taiwan as a part of its territory and insists it be unified with them, by force if necessary. Taiwan has its own constitution, democratically elected leaders, and…
North Korea fires missiles just after Biden leaves area
On 25 May North Korea test-fired at least two ballistic missiles, just a day after Joe Biden left the region. One flew about 300 km, the other 750 km: they were the latest…
Russia: aggression
Russian aggression has taken on many different forms. The most glaring example remains the undeclared and ongoing war in eastern Ukraine, which has cost over 14,000 lives and displaced millions. President Putin has…
Iraq: Iran / US hostility
Many believe the US killing of Qasem Soleimani (plus four senior commanders and an Iraqi militia leader) risks causing Iraq instability. The USA believed the men were organising radical tactics against it, describing…
Syria threatens retaliatory strike on Israel
At the UN Security Council’s Middle East monthly meeting, the Syrian ambassador threatened an airstrike on Israel’s international airport near Tel Aviv, in retaliation for Israeli air force attacks on military targets at…
