- At a Glance
- China’s “Justice Mission-2025” Encirclement Drills Trigger Global Rebuke and Taiwan’s 5-Year Defence Surge
- Saudi Airstrike Forces UAE Troop Exit, Splitting the Yemen Coalition
- Fourth Day of Nationwide Iranian Protests as Rial Crashes and Central Bank Chief Fired
- India Passes Japan to Claim 4th-Largest Economy at $4.18 Trillion
- Bulgaria Drops the Lev, Joins Eurozone as 21st Member
- China Enacts Three-Year 55 % Safeguard Tariff on Over-Quota Beef Imports
China’s “Justice Mission-2025” Encirclement Drills Trigger Global Rebuke and Taiwan’s 5-Year Defence Surge
Between 29–31 Dec 2025 the PLA staged its widest live-fire drills to date around Taiwan, pushing rockets inside the 24-nm zone and spurring President Lai’s 1 Jan 2026 vow for a US$40 billion defence build-up as Lithuania, Australia, New Zealand and others lodged formal protests.
Perspectives
Taiwanese media and pro-Taiwan outlets: Present the PLA drills as an alarming escalation that threatens regional security and proves Taiwan must boost its defences because sovereignty is non-negotiable. Being government-adjacent or sympathetic, they foreground international support and big defence budgets while skating over how Taipei’s own moves or U.S. arms sales might also heighten tensions. ( Focus Taiwan (CNA English News) , CNA )
Chinese state-owned media: Depict the exercises as a legitimate, necessary step to safeguard national sovereignty against separatists and meddling foreigners, branding outside criticism as hypocritical. As state propaganda organs, they aim to justify Beijing’s coercive power, erase Taiwan’s separate identity and deflect blame, ignoring how the drills intimidate civilians or risk miscalculation. ( China.org.cn , MoneyControl )
International wire-service reporting in Western outlets: Describe China’s war games as the latest in a series of provocative shows of force, juxtaposing them with Taiwan’s vows to defend itself and sizeable U.S. arms deals. Reliant on official statements and conflict-centred news values, they may sensationalise the showdown and echo Washington/Taipei talking points, giving less space to de-escalatory or Chinese civilian perspectives. ( Beaumont Enterprise , BusinessWorld )
Global & US Headlines
- China’s “Justice Mission-2025” Encirclement Drills Trigger Global Rebuke and Taiwan’s 5-Year Defence Surge
Between 29–31 Dec 2025 the PLA staged its widest live-fire drills to date around Taiwan, pushing rockets inside the 24-nm zone and spurring President Lai’s 1 Jan 2026 vow for a US$40 billion defence build-up as Lithuania, Australia, New Zealand and others lodged formal protests.
- Saudi Airstrike Forces UAE Troop Exit, Splitting the Yemen Coalition
A Saudi coalition strike on Emirati-supplied weapons in Mukalla on 31 Dec 2025 prompted Yemen’s government to order—and Abu Dhabi to begin—a full UAE military withdrawal within 24 hours, fracturing the once-united anti-Houthi alliance.
- Fourth Day of Nationwide Iranian Protests as Rial Crashes and Central Bank Chief Fired
After the rial slid past 1.4 million per U.S. dollar this week, bazaar strikes snowballed into four straight days of anti-regime protests across at least eight provinces, leading Tehran to sack its central-bank governor and leaving the first confirmed security-force fatality.
Business & Economics
- India Passes Japan to Claim 4th-Largest Economy at $4.18 Trillion
New Year’s-Eve government data (31 Dec 2025) put India’s nominal GDP at $4.18 trillion, nudging it above Japan and re-ordering the global GDP table for the first time since 2010.
- Bulgaria Drops the Lev, Joins Eurozone as 21st Member
At midnight on 1 January 2026, Bulgaria will scrap the lev and begin using the euro after clearing EU convergence tests, despite public opinion split almost 50-50.
- China Enacts Three-Year 55 % Safeguard Tariff on Over-Quota Beef Imports
Starting 1 Jan 2026, Beijing will levy an extra 55 % duty on any beef shipments that exceed newly assigned country quotas, overriding parts of existing FTAs and lasting until 31 Dec 2028.
Technology & Science
- Paris Unveils 2026 Under-15 Social-Media Blackout Bill
France circulated a two-article draft law that would bar platforms from serving users under 15 and extend school phone bans, slated to take effect 1 September 2026.
- Ocean Infinity Relaunches MH370 Deep-Sea Search with Upgraded AUV Fleet
On 31 Dec 2025, the vessel Armada 86 05 reached a newly defined zone in the southern Indian Ocean and began a fresh seabed scan for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, marking the first government-sanctioned search since 2018.
- Apple Begins 2026 with a Sweeping iPhone Reset
On 1 Jan 2026 Apple simultaneously pulled the iPhone 14/14 Plus from sale, classified the 2019 iPhone 11 Pro as “vintage,” and briefed partners on a foldable iPhone and iPhone 18 launch for September, signalling a USB-C-only, AI-ready lineup.