Why Finland and Sweden Are Training Their Air Forces in Australia

 

 Why Finland and Sweden Are Training Their Air Forces in Australia

 
NATO members showing up in Australia's skies is no accident of scheduling. Finland and Sweden joining Exercise Pitch Black alongside India, Japan, South Korea, and most of ASEAN reveals how thoroughly European and Indo-Pacific security concerns have merged. 

 

A single drill now spans nearly every major non-China power across two theaters. This reflects a strategic logic forming gradually since Russia's war in Ukraine and China's assertiveness in the South China Sea began to look like two fronts of the same contest over the rules-based order. 

For Australia, hosting this scale of multinational airpower cements its role as a Pacific training hub, reinforcing the same strategic geography drawing U.S. stockpiles and submarine rotations there. 

For the Nordic states, joining is a signal that European security and Indo-Pacific stability are no longer separate conversations. Interoperability built here outlasts any single exercise.

Drone Boats and HIMARS: How the U.S. Army Is Quietly Fortifying the Philippines

 

 Drone Boats and HIMARS: How the U.S. Army Is Quietly Fortifying the Philippines

The U.S. Army's drone-boat escorts in Casiguran are not a tactical footnote; they signal a structural shift in how Washington plans to sustain a fight inside the first island chain. Logistics, not firepower, has always been the weak link in any Indo-Pacific contingency. 

China's anti-access strategy is built precisely to interdict resupply lines before American forces can mass combat power. By layering autonomous surface vessels around logistics craft, the Army is testing a model where cheap, expendable systems absorb risk so manned ships and ports do not have to. 

This matters for deterrence. A sustainable logistics screen makes prolonged operations near contested waters plausible, raising the cost of any Chinese attempt at a quick, decisive strike. 

Pairing this with HIMARS deployments on Palawan shows a layered concept: sensors, shooters, and supply lines distributed across the archipelago. The trajectory is clear. Washington is institutionalizing distributed, autonomous-enabled logistics as the backbone of first island chain deterrence, not a temporary experiment.

  

New systems that can attack targets more than 300 miles away have been tested at a range in the Hebrides

Britain tests long-range missiles to help Ukraine bomb Moscow

Experimental systems, each carrying a 250kg warhead, could potentially reach Russian capital from Kyiv

Britain has tested new long-range weapons that could soon be delivered to Ukraine to allow Kyiv to strike Moscow.

New systems that can attack targets more than 300 miles away have been tested at a range in the Hebrides, with further trials taking place in the UK over the coming months.

The experimental platforms, each carrying a 250kg warhead, could potentially reach Moscow, which came under intense Ukrainian drone bombardment earlier this week.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) challenged firms to build long-range strike weapons that can fly at more than 370mph, cost about £400,000 each and can be built at a pace of 20 a month.

Some 27 bids from industry were made with Dragon’s Den-style pitches held last February, before six UK companies were awarded contracts worth around £5m each to design prototypes for testing in just seven months.

By last December, only three suppliers remained: MBDA UK, which makes the Storm Shadow stealth missile, MGI Engineering, a UK small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) with a background in Formula 1 technology, and Rotron Aerospace, another UK SME with a history of working with the MoD.

The new long-range weapons would ‘complement’ others, such as the Storm Shadow missile (pictured) Credit: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg

It is understood that the Hebrides launches saw all systems fire despite some minor technical hiccups, which were to be expected as part of the “fail fast” approach to the project, and which firms will now work to iron out before further trials.

The second phase of so-called Project Brakestop is now under way, with companies awarded follow-on contracts worth around £15m for further development. British officials hope to deliver the first of the new systems to Kyiv within a year.

Louise Sandher-Jones, the new Armed Forces minister, said the weapons would “complement” others, such as Storm Shadow missiles, which allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russia but carry a higher cost.

“The UK stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine, and we will continue to provide the support it needs to defend itself against Russian aggression,” she added.

“Project Brakestop shows what happens when we combine that commitment with the talent and ingenuity of British industry. In less than a year, UK companies have taken an ambitious concept from the drawing board to flight testing, delivering a new generation of capability at remarkable speed.”

Western officials say Kyiv’s battlefield performance has improved significantly in recent months, with Ukrainian drones pinning down Russian troops on the front line.

Smoke billows behind an Orthodox church following a Ukrainian drone attack in Moscow on Thursday Credit: EPA/Shutterstock

Ukrainian forces launched nearly 200 drones at Moscow on Thursday, about 310 miles from the Ukraine-Russia border. It was the third consecutive day of attacks, which saw more than 1,000 drones fired at Russia in total.

Russia pledged to retaliate, with Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister, warning Kyiv that “massive group strikes” would now be carried out “on a regular basis” against Ukraine.

Between late Thursday and early Friday, the Kremlin launched 90 drones at Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian air force, reportedly killing three people, including an eight-year-old girl.

A separate Russian attack on Ukraine’s southern Odesa region killed one person, while strikes on the eastern city of Kramatorsk killed one other, according to authorities.

G7 leaders promised Ukraine more air defence capabilities earlier this week, without specifying what type of weapons. Britain pledged to deliver 150,000 drones this year.

 

US edges out China in Kenya with preliminary deal to control $62.4 billion untapped rare earth deposits

The United States has secured a preliminary agreement with Kenya to access one of Africa’s largest untapped rare earth and niobium deposits, valued at about $62.4 billion (Sh9.7 trillion), marking a strategic win for Washington in its intensifying competition with China over critical minerals.

US edges out China in Kenya with preliminary deal to control $62.4 billion untapped rare earth deposits

• The US has secured a preliminary deal with Kenya for access to the Mrima Hill rare earth and niobium deposit, valued at $62.4 billion.
• The agreement requires that all strategic minerals be processed domestically in Kenya, shifting away from traditional export of raw materials.
• This move comes amid global competition with China and Russia over Africa’s critical minerals crucial for clean energy and advanced technology.
• China remains the main processor and supplier of minerals from Africa, but the US is forging bilateral deals to ensure supply security and local value addition.

Kenya's President William Ruto announced the deal on the sidelines of the G7 summit in France, highlighting Kenya’s push to reshape how it monetises its natural resources.

The agreement centres on the Mrima Hill deposit in Kwale County and requires that all strategic minerals be processed domestically, a major shift from the traditional export of raw materials.

William Ruto told Reuters that the agreement covering rare earths and other strategic minerals was already in advanced discussions and could be concluded soon, as Kenya moves closer to securing a landmark minerals partnership with the United States.

“We have agreed that the minerals will be processed in Kenya,” he said, following talks with G7 leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that the arrangement reflects a shared push for local value addition rather than raw exports.

Intensifying global scramble for Africa’s critical minerals

This move comes amid global competition with China and Russia over Africa’s critical minerals crucial for clean energy and advanced technology.

The Kenya deal highlights the deepening rivalry between the United States, China and Russia over Africa’s mineral wealth, as global powers race to secure inputs vital for clean energy systems, advanced manufacturing and defence technologies.

China remains the dominant player in mineral processing and supply chain control across Africa, giving Beijing long-standing leverage in global markets.

The United States, however, is increasingly pursuing bilateral agreements that prioritise supply security and domestic value addition within partner countries.

Russia has also expanded its presence through security-linked mining arrangements in countries such as Mali and the Central African Republic, where access to resource-rich concessions has become part of its broader geopolitical strategy.

Beyond Kenya, Washington has pursued similar critical minerals partnerships in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where cobalt and copper are central to global battery production.

These arrangements reflect a broader shift by African governments demanding local processing and greater value retention.

For the United States, securing rare earths is essential to reducing reliance on China’s dominance in refining. China seeks to maintain that dominance, while Russia continues to position itself as an alternative partner across Africa’s resource corridor.

Kenya’s agreement reflects a wider realignment in how African mineral wealth is negotiated in an increasingly competitive global order.

 

美軍否認伊朗再次關閉荷姆茲 ：已55船、1700多萬桶石油通過

美國中央司令部PO出F-35匿蹤戰機在中東地區空中加油的畫面，強調美軍依然例行巡邏空域，海峽通行一切正常。（圖擷自中央司令部臉書）

伊朗伊斯蘭革命衛隊（IRGC）在20日以以色列對黎巴嫩南部發動攻擊為由，宣布再次關閉荷姆茲海峽，不過美國中央司令部立刻發布聲明否認，稱當天已有55艘商船、超過1700萬桶石油通過海峽。

綜合外媒報導，美國中央司令部發布聲明指出，荷姆茲海峽20日通行狀況依然維持正常，共有55艘商船通過，向全球市場運送大量貨物以及超過1700萬桶石油，重申美軍持續在海峽周邊執行任務，確保航行自由；隨後還PO出1架F-35匿蹤戰機在中東地區空中加油的畫面，強調美軍依然例行巡邏空域。

伊朗伊斯蘭革命衛隊宣布，由於以色列持續襲擊黎巴嫩南部，違反美伊達成的協議，將再度封閉荷姆茲海峽。伊朗最高領袖顧問穆赫貝爾（Mohammad Mokhber）指責，美國未能履行與伊朗達成的14點臨時協議的第一條條款，包括黎巴嫩在內的「所有戰線」停火。他說：「只要協議還停留在紙面上，中東的能源供應將繼續中斷。」

中國官媒踢爆多款嬰兒紙尿褲含有毒物質 廠商急忙澄清仍引質疑

 

 

 

中國官媒踢爆多款嬰兒紙尿褲含有毒物質 廠商急忙澄清仍引質疑

 

中國官媒踢爆「Babycare」、「好奇」、「碧芭寶貝」等多個品牌的嬰幼兒紙尿褲存在有毒物質甲醯胺。圖為Babycare紙尿褲產品。（圖擷自京東網站）

中國官媒《新華社》主辦的《經濟參考報》，18日踢爆中國「Babycare」、「好奇」、「碧芭寶貝」等多個品牌的嬰幼兒紙尿褲存在有毒物質甲醯胺，廠商見狀連忙送交第三方機構檢驗，並於今天（21日）紛紛澄清沒有驗出甲醯胺，但民眾仍然相當質疑。

據《經濟參考報》報導，除了這些廠商的紙尿褲含有甲醯胺之外，部分嬰幼兒血液、尿液也驗到該物質，記者親自穿戴紙尿褲過夜後，血液中甲醯胺濃度竟飆高將近1倍。

相關人士指出，甲醯胺為具有生殖毒性的有機溶劑，被中國列入《化妝品禁用原料目錄》，禁止添加在相關產品裡，其於人體長期累積後恐會影響生殖系統，並造成慢性肝、腎損傷．若嬰兒貼身接觸這類紙尿褲可能會過皮膚吸收進入血液。

在被官媒點名後，「Babycare」、「好奇」、「碧芭寶貝」急忙將自家產品委託給第三方權威機構檢驗，今宣布都沒有驗出甲醯胺。不過，對於廠商自驗的結果許多民眾都抱持懷疑態度，希望官方機構能夠出手徹查此事。

 

Why Haven't US Had A Debt Crisis... Yet?

 

 Why Haven't US Had A Debt Crisis... Yet? 

https://youtu.be/mlc1_IYWMzk?si=TCjC4I7PabK8wtV0

 

 For as long as most of you have been alive, we have been told that federal debt is a major crisis just waiting to happen. 

For more than a quarter of a century at this point we have become very well acquainted with images of this debt clock, and the increasingly regular government shutdowns where they play hot potato with this ballooning hand grenade. 

 If all of that wasn’t annoying enough there is almost the uniform flip flop between politicians taking turns to be very concerned about “fiscal responsibility” depending on if they are in or out of power at that time. It’s a powerful message… but they do seem to forget about it pretty quickly once they are in office and fixing it would require actual sacrifice, and if we are being honest with ourselves, it’s almost easy to see where this indifference is coming from. 

We were told we were at an inflection point when we crossed 10 trillion dollars in debt, and then 20 trillion, and now we are approaching 40 trillion dollars in total debt or 130% of our GDP… 

The rate in which we are taking on new debt is also accelerating, almost half of all of our outstanding borrowing has been done in just the last 6 years… and yet… on the surface, you would be forgiven for thinking… not much has changed… 

And I don’t just mean that in the sense of “why haven’t we turned into Greece yet?” because this also raises a more important question… the government has spent 15 trillion dollars more than it has brought in through taxes in just the last half decade alone… so why don’t we “feel” 15 trillion dollars richer? When will this debt, actually become a problem?