U.S. pledges $571.3M defense aid to Taiwan, approves $265M military sale amid rising tensions with China.
The United States is bound by law to provide Chinese-claimed Taiwan with the means to defend itself despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties between Washington and Taipei, to the constant anger of Beijing.
Democratically governed Taiwan rejects China's claims of sovereignty.
China has stepped up military pressure against Taiwan, including daily military activities near the island and two rounds of war games this year.
Taiwan went on alert last week in response to what it said was China's largest massing of naval forces in three decades around Taiwan and in the East and South China Seas.
Biden had delegated to the secretary of state the authority "to direct the drawdown of up to $571.3 million in defense articles and services of the Department of Defense, and military education and training, to provide assistance to Taiwan," the White House said in a statement without providing details.
Taiwan's defense ministry thanked the United States for its "firm security guarantee", saying in a statement the two sides would continue to work closely on security issues to ensure peace in the Taiwan Strait.
The Pentagon said the State Department had approved the potential sale to Taiwan of about $265 million worth of command, control, communications, and computer modernization equipment.
Taiwan's defense ministry said the equipment sale would help upgrade its command-and-control systems.
Taiwan's defense ministry also said on Saturday that the U.S. government had approved $30 million of parts for 76 mm autocannon, which it said would boost the island's capacity to counter China's "grey-zone" warfare.
Senior officials from the United States and Georgia met in Tbilisi to review bilateral relations and regional security amid ongoing diplomatic discussions.
Iran has condemned the U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations as “meaningless” after Israel’s largest strike on Iranian targets, accusing Washington of backing the attack. The planned sixth round of talks faces uncertainty amid escalating tensions.
The Trump administration has deployed U.S. Marines to Los Angeles in response to growing protests over intensified immigration raids, sparking legal challenges and political divisions.
Los Angeles is experiencing widespread protests, a National Guard deployment, and increased public concern following recent immigration enforcement actions and confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement.
Southern California Edison’s upgraded wildfire models misjudged the Eaton Canyon fire’s scale by tenfold, raising concerns over its disaster preparedness as the blaze became one of the most destructive in U.S. history.
President Donald Trump announced that US forces struck three Iranian nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, marking direct American involvement in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday held a series of high-level meetings in Istanbul with senior officials from the UN, Qatar, Pakistan, and Iran, amid growing regional tension following Israel's attacks on Iran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched another wave of drone attacks on Israel overnight, in what it calls the 19th round of strikes targeting strategic sites across the country.
A hot air balloon carrying 21 people caught fire and crashed Saturday in southern Brazil, killing eight and injuring at least 13 others, local authorities said.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that nations' rights under international law “cannot be taken away through war and threats,” during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
The USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East amid tensions between Israel and Iran. The U.S. aircraft carrier has a decades-long history in the region, from the 1979 hostage crisis to modern deployments, often serving as a key asset during periods of rising friction with Iran.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for June 17th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Eight men were arrested Friday morning following a violent clash near the Iranian embassy in London, police confirmed.
The Netherlands has officially returned 119 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, more than a century after they were looted during Britain’s 1897 invasion of the former Kingdom of Benin, now in southern Nigeria.
President Donald Trump announced that US forces struck three Iranian nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, marking direct American involvement in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday held a series of high-level meetings in Istanbul with senior officials from the UN, Qatar, Pakistan, and Iran, amid growing regional tension following Israel's attacks on Iran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched another wave of drone attacks on Israel overnight, in what it calls the 19th round of strikes targeting strategic sites across the country.
President Donald Trump announced that US forces struck three Iranian nuclear facilities, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan, marking direct American involvement in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday held a series of high-level meetings in Istanbul with senior officials from the UN, Qatar, Pakistan, and Iran, amid growing regional tension following Israel's attacks on Iran.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched another wave of drone attacks on Israel overnight, in what it calls the 19th round of strikes targeting strategic sites across the country.
A hot air balloon carrying 21 people caught fire and crashed Saturday in southern Brazil, killing eight and injuring at least 13 others, local authorities said.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Saturday that nations' rights under international law “cannot be taken away through war and threats,” during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron.
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