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An anti-US mural in Tehran, Iran. Photo: EPA-EFE
Donald Trump

Iran rejects direct negotiations with US as Trump threatens ‘bombing’

US president threatens Iran with bombs and tariffs if it does not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear programme.

India

AIKEYME in action: India counters China with African naval outreach

The Philippines

Can Manila become Beijing’s ‘plus one’ amid South China Sea tensions?

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Donald Trump

Finland’s president boosts ties with Trump with round of golf in Florida

The meeting comes a day after Trump’s VP J.D. Vance accused Denmark – Finland’s close ally – of doing a poor job keeping Greenland safe.

US President Donald Trump waves to supporters as he leaves his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
Taiwan

Taiwan unveils home-built unmanned attack boat inspired by Ukraine drone warfare

Shipbuilder CSBC Corp reveals first indigenous USV but analysts remain concerned about cost and effectiveness against mainland’s PLA.

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United States

Opinion | Trump’s Maga ambition may be more audacious than we think

Outrageous? Yes. But a United States of all Americas and including Greenland would be the first truly planetary North-South superpower.

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Ukraine war

Losing grip on Kursk, Ukraine troops make new incursion into Russia’s Belgorod

Russian war bloggers say there have been heavy clashes with Kyiv’s forces in the region, and each side is hitting the other with drones.

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The destroyed Sudzha gas metering station in Kurskis seen following what Russian military officials called a Ukrainian missile strike in footage released on Friday. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry via Reuters
United States

Vance slams Denmark for not keeping Greenland safe from China and Russia

As his vice-president visited a base in the territory, Trump told reporters the US needed Greenland to ensure ‘peace of the entire world’.

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Donald Trump

Greenland forms new government hours before US VP Vance’s visit

The new majority government will be headed by pro-business Democrats leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

The Philippines

US bolsters Philippines defence with ‘game-changer’ missiles to deter China threat

During a visit to the Philippines, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth stressed alliance, deterring Beijing’s ‘aggression’ in the South China Sea.

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Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr (left) with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth in Manila on Friday. Photo: AFP
North Korea

Is North Korea’s nuclear submarine a game changer or ‘vanity project’?

North Korea’s first SSBN is likely to lag far behind its US and South Korean submarine rivals, analysts say.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspects a shipbuilding project at a shipyard at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Photo: AFP
US-China relations

Opinion | US treatment of Indo-Pacific allies could de-escalate ties with China

Donald Trump is likely to keep projecting power in Asia but his focus on other priorities will reshape regional dynamics.

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Vladimir Putin

Trump’s plan to take over Greenland is ‘serious’, Putin says

The Russian leader is concerned that Nato countries could use the Arctic as a springboard for future conflicts.

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Ukraine war

Not all European allies agree on troops for Ukraine: Macron

France and Britain, which are driving the initiative, would forge ahead with a ‘reassurance force’ with several countries.

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Ukrainian rescuers work at the site of drone strikes on a residential area in Kharkiv on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE
China’s military drills

Beijing confirms what Taiwan already knew: PLA did drill near island last week

Days after island leader called mainland a ‘foreign hostile force’, Taiwan reported 59 PLA aircraft and 9 naval vessels nearby.

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A spokesman for the PLA’s Eastern Theatre Command said of recent drills: “This is a powerful punishment for ‘Taiwan independence’ forces and a serious warning to external interference forces. It is completely legitimate and necessary”. Photo: Eastern Theatre Command
Indonesia

Indonesia military law protests signal fears of democratic erosion under Prabowo

The amended bill brought back bad memories of Suharto-era militarism, when lines between civilian and military spheres were blurred, critics said.

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United States

Trump’s top diplomat says adding journalist to war chat was ‘big mistake’

Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk has offered his tech experts to help investigate the incident, the White House says.

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Donald Trump

Vance’s Greenland trip puts spotlight on US space base at the top of the world

The remote Arctic facility protects the US against threats from Russia – the shortest route for Moscow’s missiles is via the North Pole.

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Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Base, with the domes of the Thule Tracking Station, is pictured in northern Greenland in October 2023. Photo: AFP
Donald Trump

Trump insists US must have Greenland, as Vance trip stokes anger

Plans for the US vice-president’s visit have already been scaled down amid backlash from local and Danish authorities.

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Britain

UK halves 2025 growth forecast, confirms defence spending boost

The British economy will only grow by 1 per cent this year, half the rate previously anticipated, Treasury chief Rachel Reeves said.

United States

Atlantic releases entire Signal chat showing US attack plans against Houthis

Text chain reveals details of US operation including start time of planned killing of Yemeni militant.

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Democrat congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi points to text messages by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during an annual worldwide threats assessment hearing in Washington. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Philippines set to host second Typhon unit, signalling Trump’s defence pledge

The second Typhon unit will allow more Philippine troops to train with the system and enhance the country’s sovereignty, analysts say.

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US and Philippine troops prepare the Typhon missile system for a drill in Northern Luzon last year. Photo: 1st Multi-Domain Task Force
The Philippines

Philippines’ nuclear advocacy faces reality check after statement recall

As Manila’s attempt to act as a middleman in nuclear disarmament falters, analysts question its ability to influence smaller nations.

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United States

Denmark welcomes US change of plans for J.D. Vance’s Greenland visit

Washington will limit a US delegation’s visit to Greenland to a US military base after Vice-President J.D. Vance’s plans sparked criticism.

United States

‘Scary, reckless’: US allies alarmed by leaked group chat about war plans

The incident is seen as a major security breach that casts doubt on intelligence-sharing and the security of joint operations with the US.

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Demonstrator Gary Rush holds a placard depicting US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth as US intelligence chiefs appeared before a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in Washington on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters
Ukraine war

Opinion | China has good reason to keep its peacekeepers out of Ukraine

Beijing’s strategic instinct is against military involvement even as its peacekeeping is bound to the UN framework and thus subject to Russia’s veto.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
United States

‘Don’t panic!’ Mystery sky spiral caused by SpaceX rocket fuel, experts say

The Falcon 9 rocket was carrying classified cargo on a mission for the US agency that manages the country’s military’s spy satellites.

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South China Sea

US military seen as stretched but South China Sea activity rose: paper

SCSPI think tank says US may adopt primary approach of drones or autonomous weapons to address ‘quantity anxiety’ in the contested waters.

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