Taiwan Plans Up to NT$500 Billion for US Military Purchases and Defense Modernization

Dave Chamberlain Taiwan is considering a significant military investment, with a proposed budget of up to NT$500 billion (approximately US$16.5 billion) dedicated to acquiring advanced defense equipment from the United States. This potential allocation underscores Taiwan’s strategic effort to bolster its defense capabilities amid increasing regional tensions. A high-ranking government official, speaking anonymously, revealed that…

Read More

NATO general fired over rape gaffe – Spiegel

Richard Sanders NATO’s deputy commander for Ukraine support has been dismissed over a rape-related remark he made during a high-level meeting, Der Spiegel reported on Tuesday. Major General Hartmut Renk told a gathering in February “If rape is inevitable, relax and enjoy.” Following a formal complaint from a female British officer, Renk admitted to making the…

Read More

Tsai Ing-wen to Visit Lithuania and Attend Democracy Summit in Copenhagen

Richard Sanders Former President Tsai Ing-wen is scheduled to leave for Lithuania on Friday, where she plans to meet with former Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė and engage in discussions aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations. Following her visit to Lithuania, Tsai will travel to Copenhagen to participate in the Democracy Summit organized by the Alliance of…

Read More

China calls out CIA ‘provocation’

Richard Sanders Beijing has accused the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of committing a “political provocation” by releasing recruitment videos in Chinese targeting officials in the country. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that the US “has long been using all kinds of despicable methods to steal other countries’ secrets, interfere…

Read More

Taiwan Condemns Somalia Over Travel Ban Targeting Taiwanese Passports

Nils Brander Taiwan has strongly condemned Somalia’s decision to ban travelers with Taiwanese passports from entering or transiting through the East African nation. The restriction, which took effect on Wednesday, follows an order issued last week by Somali aviation authorities, according to Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry. The Somali authorities have yet to comment publicly on the…

Read More

UN expert wants EU leaders prosecuted over Israel’s Gaza war

Francis Tuschek The EU leadership should be held accountable for supporting Israel’s “war crimes” in Gaza, UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese has said. In an interview with The Intercept published on Saturday, Albanese singled out European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas. “The fact that the…

Read More

Musk accuses media of ‘character assassination’

Francis Tuschek US government efficiency chief and tech billionaire Elon Musk has accused the American “legacy media” of waging a concentrated “character assassination” effort against him, claiming they would have “immediately” killed him “in reality” if offered such an opportunity. The Space X and Tesla CEO made the remarks on Saturday in an interview with Lara Trump, a Fox host and the US…

Read More

EU will never recognize Crimea as Russian – top diplomat

Dave Sullivan The EU has reaffirmed its refusal to recognize Russia’s sovereignty over Crimea, the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has stated. Officials in Brussels are reportedly concerned that a possible peace deal negotiated by Washington and Moscow to end the Ukraine conflict would entail the US recognizing Crimea as part of Russia. The…

Read More