The Taiwanese Defense Ministry said that eight Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) warplanes came close to Taiwan's contiguous zone, which extends 24 nautical miles off the island's coast. Since then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) visited Taiwan in August, PLA...
Pentagon Says Cluster Bombs Would Be ‘Useful’ for Ukraine
A Pentagon official has told Congress that controversial cluster munitions Ukraine has been seeking from the US would be "useful" to Ukrainian forces on the battlefield. Cluster bombs scatter small submunitions over large areas, making them especially hazardous to...
Rep. Gaetz Wants to Give Biden Military Authorization to Take Out ‘Chinese Assets’ in Cuba
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on Thursday told the House Armed Services Committee that he wants to give President Biden the authority to intervene militarily in Cuba to "take out" Chinese assets that are allegedly on the island. "I support an Authorization for Use of...
China Lodges Formal Complaint Over Biden Calling Xi a Dictator
The Chinese government summoned the US ambassador in Beijing to lodge a formal complaint over President Biden calling Chinese President Xi Jinping a "dictator," The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. US officials said that a diplomatic note, known as a démarche,...
Republican Bill Would Reaffirm That NATO’s Article 5 Doesn’t Override Congressional War Powers
On Thursday, a group of Republicans introduced a bill in the House and Senate that would reaffirm NATO's Article 5 does not override congressional war powers. The effort was led by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Warren Davidson (R-OH). "I...
US Aircraft Carrier Commander Reports ‘Very Professional’ Interactions With China
The commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz said Chinese vessels and planes that he encountered during a seven-month deployment in the western Pacific were "very polite and very professional." Capt. Craig Sicola told reporters that he expected...
Sullivan, Nuland to Attend Ukraine-Organized Meeting in Denmark
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan will travel to Denmark this weekend for a meeting organized by Ukraine that is expected to be attended by officials from several countries that have remained neutral on the war, including India, China, South Africa, and Brazil....
Ukraine Strike Damages Bridge Connecting Crimea to Kherson
Russian officials said Thursday that a bridge in northern Crimea that connects to Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine's Kherson Oblast was damaged by a Ukrainian missile strike. No casualties were reported in the strike, and Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed...
Western Officials Say Ukrainian Counteroffensive ‘Not Meeting Expectations’
Western officials told CNN that Ukraine's bloody counteroffensive is "not meeting expectations on any front" as Ukrainian forces are struggling to break through Russia's defenses. The report said that according to Western assessments, Russia's lines of defense have...
US Coast Guard Cutter Makes Rare Taiwan Strait Transit
A US Coast Guard cutter made a rare solo transit through the Taiwan Strait on June 20, which came a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken concluded his two-day visit to Beijing. The US frequently sends ships through the Taiwan Strait, but US Navy warships...