Category: Defense

Taiwan has recently received 38 M1A2T Abrams tanks from the United States. This is the first time in 23 years that the US has sent tanks to Taiwan. Radio Free Asia reported that this delivery is just part of a larger order of 122 tanks that Taiwan is expecting over the next two years.

The M1A2T Abrams is known as one of the best main battle tanks in the world, but some experts are worried about how it will perform in Taiwan’s hilly and crowded areas. Still, these tanks are a big upgrade for Taiwan’s defense, especially with rising tensions with China.

The M1A2T has a powerful 120mm gun that can fire at armor as thick as 850mm and is fast and strong. Compared to Taiwan’s old tanks, the M60A3 and CM11, which are more than 30 years old, the M1A2T is a giant step forward in technology.

This tank also has a special feature called “hunter-killer,” which means it can track and shoot at multiple targets at once. Eric Gomez, an expert at the Cato Institute, pointed out that the main purpose of the M1A2T is to help protect important areas in case of a Chinese invasion. He mentioned that while China has light armored vehicles, they won’t be sending big tanks, making the M1A2T a crucial defense tool.

Even with worries about the tank’s ability in tough places, many experts believe that the M1A2T will help Taiwan handle the military pressure from China. This delivery of tanks comes at a time when tensions with China are growing. China has always opposed US support for Taiwan and claims Taiwan as part of its territory. In response to the tank deal, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Taiwan’s efforts to become independent with the help of other countries will fail, and China will strongly protect its sovereignty and security.

Police questioned four men outside Sanjay Raut’s house because they were seen acting suspiciously. The men, who worked for a telecom company called Insta ICT Solution, were checking the network in the area on Saturday.

Around 9:30 AM, two of the men rode a motorcycle and stopped outside Raut’s bungalow, called ‘Maitri.’ People waiting outside noticed them and quickly informed Raut’s younger brother, MLA Sunil Raut. After a short time, the men left, which made everyone even more suspicious.

The police from the Kanjurmarg station quickly arrived to investigate. They talked to the four men and found out that they were just doing their job. Once the police confirmed their roles and that they worked for the telecom company, they released them.

On Saturday, Israel’s military announced that it couldn’t stop a missile fired from Yemen that landed in Tel Aviv, injuring 16 people lightly. The Huthi rebels in Yemen, backed by Iran, have been launching missile attacks at Israel ever since the war in Gaza began over a year ago. Most of these missiles have been shot down. In response, Israel has attacked various sites in Yemen, including ports and power stations.

After warning sirens rang in central Israel, the military confirmed the missile launch from Yemen and said they tried to intercept it but were unsuccessful. Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel’s emergency medical service, reported that 16 people got hurt, mostly from glass shards from broken windows due to the impact. A medic, Yosef Kourdi, said he heard a loud explosion and saw serious damage to nearby buildings. Additionally, MDA treated another 14 people for minor injuries while trying to reach safety, and seven individuals were treated for anxiety.

The Huthi rebels claim they are supporting the Palestinians and said they will keep attacking until the violence in Gaza stops and the blockade is removed. Last week, a drone from the Huthis exploded on a residential building in Yavne, Israel, but no one was hurt. In July, an attack by the Huthis killed an Israeli, leading to retaliation strikes on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah. The rebels have also targeted shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, prompting counter-attacks from U.S. and British forces.

Following a missile fired by the Huthis that destroyed a school, Israel hit back with strikes in Yemen, including the first attack on Sanaa, the rebel-controlled capital. The Huthi leader, Abdul Malik al-Huthi, announced that Israeli airstrikes had killed nine civilians. The Israeli military claimed it intercepted the missile.

In Churachandpur district of Manipur, police arrested two people during a search operation and found a lot of weapons and ammunition. The arrested men are Jangneu Haokip (33) and Lililan Haokip (42), both from Lamzang village.

On Thursday, officials recovered a 9mm carbine machine gun, a pistol, 123 live bullets, a car, and two mobile phones. The police announced the arrests on their social media account.

In another search in Maukot village, they found even more weapons, including a .303 rifle and a homemade 9mm pistol. The police mentioned they are searching in places with high security risks in the area.

In yet another operation at Wakan Hill Range in Imphal East district, police found a single-barrel gun, a 9mm pistol, a .32 pistol, some 9mm bullets, four Pompi weapons, and a camouflage t-shirt.

This search is part of the police’s efforts to keep the peace in Manipur, a state that has seen violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 3 of last year. This violence started after a rally by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) against a court’s order to include the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes list. The situation has been serious, and the central government sent paramilitary forces to help control it.

A missile attack by Russia hit Kyiv early Friday morning, killing at least one person and injuring 12 others. Some embassies also got damaged, the Ukrainian authorities said. The attack happened around 7 am when Russia fired five missiles at the city. Thankfully, Ukrainian air defenses intercepted all five, but some debris still fell, causing damage in the city center.

Serhiy Popko, who leads the Kyiv City Military Administration, explained that falling debris hurt people and damaged buildings in many neighborhoods. In one area, an office building, a road, and a gas pipe were harmed, and five cars caught fire. Another building that was being built also caught fire from the debris.

Several embassies, including those of Albania, Argentina, and Portugal, were also affected. Windows and doors of these embassy buildings were broken. Portugal’s foreign ministry reported minor damage and called Russia’s charge d’affaires to express their anger.

Russia’s defense ministry said the attack was aimed at military sites in Ukraine. They claimed it was a response to a missile attack from Ukraine that hit a chemical plant in Russia earlier this week. They stated they successfully hit their targets in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged for more sanctions against Russia and thanked international friends for helping supply air defense systems.

Meanwhile, in Kherson, a southern city, Russian shelling caused the deaths of two people and injured ten others.

On Friday, the ruling party alliance in Bihar, known as NDA, put to rest rumors about Chief Minister Nitish Kumar not being their leader for the upcoming assembly elections next year. After a meeting aimed at improving teamwork, leaders from the NDA, including the BJP and Nitish Kumar’s party (JD(U)), dismissed doubts raised by a recent statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

State BJP President Dilip Jaiswal explained that Amit Shah was just emphasizing that big decisions are made by the party’s parliamentary board, not that they are changing leadership. Kumar has been a steady leader for many years, and there’s no plan to change that, Jaiswal assured everyone.

This clarification came after Amit Shah suggested in an interview that the NDA might decide differently about projecting a chief ministerial candidate for the 2025 polls, similar to what happened in Maharashtra. Shah responded to the question about whether they could go into the polls without announcing a candidate, saying they would discuss things together before making any announcements.

State leaders quickly jumped in to say that there would be no doubt: the NDA would contest the elections under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. Raju Tiwari, from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), shared this view, stating that BJP President Shah confirmed this leadership.

JD(U) leader Umesh Singh Kushwaha was thrilled with this support for Kumar, expressing optimism about their plans for 2025 and saying they are focused on improving teamwork across the state.

Recently, the Telangana High Court has given some good news to KTR (KT Rama Rao), a leader of the BRS party. The court has told the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) not to arrest him until December 30 in a case related to the Formula-E race in Hyderabad.

While listening to KTR’s request to drop the case against him, Judge Shravan Kumar Venkat of the High Court said KTR needs to help with the investigation. The case will be looked into again next week. The court also asked the government to respond to KTR’s claims.

The ACB filed a case against KTR after the governor allowed it, claiming he made some money transfers (some in foreign currency) without proper approval to host the Formula-E race while in office. KTR is named as the main person in this case, with two others, senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and retired bureaucrat BLN Reddy, also being accused.

KTR defended himself by saying, “We paid Rs 55 crore for this, and Formula-E accepted the payment. This is all clear and accounted for.” Earlier this year, the government wanted to know why Arvind Kumar signed a deal about the race without proper approval and how Rs 55 crore was paid.

Also, there was a problem when Formula-E announced that it was canceling the Hyderabad race, saying the new Telangana government broke the contract. This race was supposed to happen on February 10

In late 2012, when the Syrian government was weakening from rebel attacks, a surprising story emerged. It claimed that former President Bashar al-Assad made a secret deal with Israel to guarantee his safe escape from Syria. According to Turkish media, Assad shared important military secrets, including the locations of weapon storage sites and military bases, with Israel. This information helped Israel carry out airstrikes while Assad was fleeing to Russia.

A Turkish journalist named Abdulkadir Selvi wrote for Hurriyet, saying that Assad gave Israel a detailed list of where Syria kept its weapons and planes. This was supposed to make sure that Israeli fighter jets wouldn’t attack Assad’s escape plane. Selvi said his source was trustworthy, but it’s important to note that these claims haven’t been confirmed. Nonetheless, the timing of Israeli airstrikes right after Assad’s departure makes the allegations seem more believable. Israel aimed at military depots shortly after Assad left.

Israeli airstrikes began on December 8, 2012, focusing on key military targets to stop advanced weapons from falling into the hands of extremist groups. Reports from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) noted major destruction, including a blast at a weapons base in Tartus that was so big, it felt like a small earthquake. The Israeli Defense Forces claimed they were trying to prevent dangerous weapons from reaching extremists.

Assad managed to escape Syria on a helicopter to Russia, where he was given refuge by President Vladimir Putin. The operation was highly secretive, and Russian intelligence helped make it happen. Assad even changed his plane’s identification signal to avoid being seen. He reportedly did not inform most of his advisors about his escape plans, causing confusion among the leadership in Syria.

After Assad left, a new leader named Ahmed al-Sharaa took over in Syria. Unlike Assad, he did not want to create more tensions with Israel. He remarked that Israel had crossed a line, which could lead to more problems in the region. Al-Sharaa acknowledged that the long war in Syria made it tough for anyone to engage in new conflicts.

As rebel forces advanced toward Damascus, they took control of much of the capital, forcing Assad to leave. After he fled, Israel’s airstrikes on Syrian military sites led to questions about how accurate these operations were.

Despite the intriguing timing and details of this story, many are skeptical about the truth. Observers note that Russia, a strong supporter of Assad, played a crucial role in his survival and escape. It seems unlikely that Russia would have agreed to a deal with Israel that could harm its interests in Syria. Furthermore, without solid evidence, the claims remain uncertain, showing how complicated alliances and betrayals influenced the ongoing conflict.

A senior official from the White House has warned that Pakistan’s development of powerful missiles, especially long-range ones, could be a growing threat to the United States. Jon Finer, who advises on national security, spoke at an event and expressed worries about Pakistan’s missile technology, which could potentially reach targets far beyond South Asia, including the U.S.

Recently, the U.S. imposed sanctions on four Pakistani organizations. This includes the National Development Complex (NDC), a key player in Pakistan’s missile program, and three companies from Karachi. This is the first time a Pakistani state-owned entity has faced U.S. sanctions for missile development, highlighting serious concerns from the American government.

Finer pointed out that the advancements in Pakistan’s missile technology, such as long-range missiles, raise alarms about their intentions. He noted that only a few countries, like Russia and North Korea, currently have the capability to threaten the U.S. with missiles. This puts Pakistan’s actions under a spotlight.

Traditionally, Pakistan’s missile and nuclear programs were aimed at countering India, with which it has had multiple conflicts since 1947. However, Finer’s comments suggest that Pakistan might be shifting its focus toward confronting broader global threats.

In response to the U.S. sanctions, Pakistan claims that its missile and nuclear programs are necessary for its security, especially against India. Pakistan argues that its missile efforts are defensive, but U.S. officials remain skeptical. Finer shared that the U.S. has repeatedly raised concerns but has not received satisfactory explanations from Pakistan.

The relationship between the U.S. and Pakistan has been complex. They have worked together in fighting terrorism but have also had periods of tension, especially after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. This has made their relations even more complicated.

Finer’s remarks come at a time when the U.S. is worried about Pakistan’s increasing ties with China, which have been linked to the growth of Pakistan’s missile capabilities. Pakistan has developed around 170 nuclear warheads since its nuclear program began in the 1970s, and its advancements in long-range missiles are seen as a big step forward.

As these developments continue, there are growing concerns not just for the region but also for the global implications for U.S. security. The U.S. is seeking solutions to address these threats. Finer’s comments highlight the increasing scrutiny on Pakistan’s missile technology as it may pose a direct challenge to U.S. safety.

BELLIOS: Russian President Vladimir Putin said he’s open to talk about the ongoing war in Ukraine with U.S. President Donald Trump. Putin claimed he has no conditions for starting talks with Ukraine. Trump, who sees himself as a deal-maker, wants to end the conflict quickly but hasn’t shared any plans yet.

During a recent TV event, Putin expressed readiness to meet with Trump, mentioning he hasn’t spoken to him in years. He responded to claims about Russia being weak by saying that Russia has grown stronger since the invasion began in 2022.

Putin emphasized that he’s always ready for negotiations but thinks both sides need to be willing to compromise. He believes that soon, fewer Ukrainians will want to fight. Reports suggest that while Putin is open to discussing a ceasefire, he won’t make major territorial concessions and wants Ukraine to give up its NATO ambitions.

Putin also stated that he would talk to anyone, including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, but said that any agreement had to be made with the right Ukrainian leaders. He wants a lasting peace deal, not just a temporary pause in fighting. He recalled an earlier agreement made in Istanbul that never happened, which some in Ukraine view as a surrender.

The war has greatly affected both Ukraine and Russia, leading to many casualties and a huge crisis in their relationships with the West. Russia claims it is defending against NATO’s expansion and has taken control of about one-fifth of Ukraine, making advances in eastern regions.

Despite the challenges from the war and its impact on the economy, Putin believes that Russia is handling the situation better than other countries like Britain. He admitted he should have acted sooner in sending troops to Ukraine and acknowledged that Russia had to be better prepared for the war.

Putin said he has worked to keep Russia strong and independent. He shared that Russia is considering military bases in Syria and insists that Russian power in the Middle East is still significant. He also bragged about Russia’s powerful missile, suggesting he is ready to test it against Ukraine’s air defenses. Meanwhile, in Brussels, President Zelenskiy reacted to Putin’s missile claims, questioning Putin’s sanity.