The USS Minnesota, a Virginia class attack submarine, is conducting training off Western Australia ahead of a significant U.S. naval expansion under the AUKUS pact. From 2027, four Virginia class submarines will be based at HMAS Stirling as part of the deal to transfer nuclear submarine capabilities
The U.S. submarine rotation will begin with 50-80 navy personnel arriving at HMAS Stirling this year, increasing to hundreds within two years. The base is undergoing an A$8 billion ($5 billion) upgrade to accommodate the Submarine Rotational Force West.
The strategic location of Western Australia, closer to Asia and the Indian Ocean than the U.S. Pacific Fleet headquarters in Hawaii, enhances the Indo-Pacific defence posture, experts say. Peter Dean, director of Foreign Policy and Defence at the University of Sydney, noted the deployment is key to countering China’s naval presence in the region.
The Virginia class submarine program has been exempted from U.S. budget cuts, with the Trump administration prioritising Indo-Pacific defence. Former Pentagon official Elbridge Colby recently told the U.S. Senate that attack submarines are "absolutely essential" for Taiwan’s defence, stressing the need to ramp up production.
The USS Minnesota moved its home port from Hawaii to Guam in November, reinforcing the U.S. forward-deployed presence. The shift follows increased Chinese naval activity, including a Chinese task force circumnavigating Australia in February and March while holding live-fire drills.
Under AUKUS, Australia will purchase two used Virginia class submarines next decade and co-develop a new nuclear-powered submarine with Britain, replacing its ageing diesel fleet. Currently, 115 Australian personnel are training on U.S. submarines, with 130 more in nuclear maintenance training in Hawaii.
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Uzbekistan has increased up electricity exports to Tajikistan as part of wider regional efforts to stabilise energy supplies during periods of seasonal shortage and reduced water availability.
Iran has summoned the ambassador of Republic of Cyprus Petros Nacouzis over remarks made by his country regarding Iran’s territorial integrity.
More than 17 million people in Afghanistan are facing acute food insecurity this winter, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
The latest clashes between Thailand and Cambodia mark a dangerous escalation in one of Southeast Asia’s oldest and most sensitive disputes.
At least 37 people have been killed in flash floods triggered by torrential rain in Morocco's Atlantic coastal province of Safi, Moroccan authorities said on Monday (15 December).
Cambodia must be the first to declare a ceasefire in the ongoing border conflict, Thailand said on Tuesday (16 December), as fighting continued despite earlier claims that hostilities would stop and at least 52 people have been killed on both sides.
Schools across Cambodia and Thailand were forced to close on Monday (15 December) as border clashes between the two countries escalated, with the death toll reaching at least 40 and hundreds of thousands of people displaced, according to officials and local media.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that his administration is examining whether Israel violated the Gaza ceasefire agreement by conducting an airstrike on Saturday (13 December) that killed Hamas leader Raad Saad.
Ukraine’s domestic security service, the SBU, says it struck a Russian Kilo‑class submarine in the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, causing critical damage.
The European Union faces a critical decision on how to finance Ukraine’s war effort, divided over whether to use frozen Russian assets or jointly borrow funds through 2027.
More than 17 million people in Afghanistan are facing acute food insecurity this winter, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
In the complex world of international diplomacy, the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan have raised significant questions about the role of third-party mediation.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 17th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Plans for a $500 million Trump Tower in Belgrade have been cancelled after protests and a legal investigation. The project, backed by Jared Kushner, former White House adviser, was halted after Serbian prosecutors indicted officials over removing the site's cultural heritage status.
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