World - Daily Politics

China has confirmed that UK citizens will be able to enter the country visa-free for short-term stays, a move widely seen as a significant shift in China–UK travel policy and a broader signal of improving diplomatic relations. The decision represents one of the most notable changes to travel rules for British nationals in recent years.

Under the updated China visa policy, UK passport holders will be permitted short-term visa-free entry for purposes including business travel and tourism, subject to standard entry requirements such as passport validity and length-of-stay limits. While full operational details — including the exact duration of permitted stays ...

Tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran have sharply escalated, with new reports of direct military coordination and stark public warnings. A secret message from the United States to Israel reportedly outlines that preparations for a potential attack on Iran could be completed within weeks and that a suitable opportunity may arise in the coming months. This development coincides with a continued and significant US military build-up in the Middle East, described as one of the largest concentrations of force near Iran in decades.

On the diplomatic front, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly reiterated a stern warning to ...

President Donald Trump has sharply escalated rhetoric toward Iran, delivering a stark public ultimatum that it must agree to a nuclear deal or face a severe U.S. military attack. In a series of statements, the President warned that "time is running out" for diplomacy and that Iran could soon face a "far worse" military confrontation than it had previously experienced. This warning was accompanied by references to a significant U.S. naval force, described as a "massive armada," reportedly moving toward the region as a show of force.

The threats center on longstanding U.S. concerns over Iran's nuclear development activities, which Western ...

A South Korean court has sentenced former first lady Kim Keon-hee to 20 months in prison after finding her guilty of accepting bribes in the form of luxury handbags and other items. The ruling marks a significant development in a high-profile corruption case that has gripped the nation.

Prosecutors argued that between 2021 and 2023, Kim received the gifts in exchange for using her influence as the wife of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol to benefit the donors. The court found her guilty of violating the anti-graft law and abusing the power and status of a public official's spouse.

Kim has consistently denied ...

In an interview with IranTalks (@Irantalks.podcast), analyst Carl Zha outlined three core reasons China opposes U.S.-led regime change efforts in Iran. The discussion frames Iran as a "linchpin" for Chinese strategic interests. First, China prioritises regional stability and opposes the "Balkanization" of sovereign states, viewing internal strife as a threat to its own domestic and international security principles.

Second, China's substantial economic interests are at stake. China purchases approximately 90% of Iran's oil exports, making energy security a direct concern. A fragmented or destabilised Iran would jeopardise this crucial supply and threaten the viability of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), ...

A maritime accident off the coast of Oman has resulted in the deaths of three tourists after a sightseeing boat capsized. The vessel, carrying 25 people, overturned in the Omani coastal waters of the Arabian Sea. Emergency services, including the Omani coast guard, immediately launched a search and rescue operation, pulling survivors from the water and providing medical treatment.

The three fatalities have been confirmed as French nationals. Authorities are now investigating the cause of the capsize, with initial reports suggesting rough sea conditions and significant swells may have been a factor. The incident has prompted a review of maritime safety ...

In an interview on RT, former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl analysed the structural vulnerabilities in Europe's energy security following its strategic shift away from Russian gas. She argues that replacing reliable pipeline supplies with volatile LNG imports has made the continent's energy security more precarious. European gas markets are now subject to the unpredictability of shipping, weather, and spot market pricing, a stark contrast to the certainty provided by long-term contracts.

Kneissl notes a fourfold increase in US LNG exports to Europe since 2021, creating a new geopolitical dependence. This reliance grants Washington significant energy leverage over Brussels, a power ...

China has announced a corruption investigation into Zhang Youxia, one of the country’s most senior military figures, marking an unusually high-level move within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Zhang, a vice-chair of the Central Military Commission, has long been regarded as a key pillar of the Chinese military leadership. The decision to place him under investigation signals that President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign has reached the very top of the armed forces, an area traditionally shielded from public scrutiny.

Since coming to power, Xi has pursued a sweeping anti-graft drive across the party, state, and military, arguing that corruption threatens the Communist ...

A political and legal crisis is unfolding in South Korea following a landmark court ruling that has sent shockwaves through the nation's leadership. Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for his key role in former President Yoon Suk Yeol's imposition of martial law in late 2024. In a televised verdict, the Seoul Central District Court defined the short-lived declaration as an act of "rebellion" and a "self-coup," stating it could have returned South Korea "to a dark past" of dictatorship. The court found Han, who was serving as acting president after Yoon's impeachment, ...

Fresh UK–US diplomatic tension has emerged after Donald Trump criticised the UK’s agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, calling the deal strategically damaging and poorly judged.

The Chagos Islands arrangement is closely linked to the future of Diego Garcia, one of the most important overseas military facilities used by the United States and its allies. The UK government maintains that the agreement secures long-term access to the base while resolving a long-running sovereignty dispute that has drawn criticism under international law.

Trump’s intervention has been accompanied by renewed comments about acquiring Greenland, which he has again highlighted for ...