PLA Navy in 2025: More warships, farther than ever before • 1,350+ Chinese vessels near Taiwan (+26%) • Liaoning’s longest deployment ever, deep into WESTPAC • First circumnavigation of Australia • 20+ joint combat readiness patrols These deployments demonstrate Beijing's blue water ambitions and the capability to project power outside the first and second island chains, sending a clear message to not only the U.S. and Taiwan but also Australia, Japan, and the Philippines.

June -5/6, 2025 - President Trump Statements "I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi, of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal. The call lasted approximately one and a half hours, and resulted in a very positive conclusion for both Countries. There should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products. Our respective teams will be meeting shortly at a location to be determined. We will be represented by Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer. During the conversation, President Xi graciously invited the First Lady and me to visit China, and I reciprocated. As Presidents of two Great Nations, this is something that we both look forward to doing. The conversation was focused almost entirely on TRADE. Nothing was discussed concerning Russia/Ukraine, or Iran. We will inform the Media as to scheduling and location of the soon to be meeting. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" "I am pleased to announce that Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer, will be meeting in London on Monday, June 9, 2025, with Representatives of China, with reference to the Trade Deal. The meeting should go very well. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

BLUEPRINT FOR WAR? NATO drills expose how allies would fight Russia NATO is gearing up to seize Russian airfields if a conflict breaks out, Business Insider reported. 💬 “The ability to grab an airstrip and hold it — or wrest it back from the enemy — is absolutely critical,” noted a journalist observing the alliance’s military drills in Finland. Such airborne operations would be game-changers in the early stages of a war, especially when enemy air defenses aren’t fully up and running, the report adds. During the exercises, Finnish and Polish troops simulated a high-stakes air assault: one team stormed a strategic airfield, while the other scrambled to mount a counterattack and reclaim it. ➡️The Lively Sabre 25 drills are part of NATO's larger Swift Response 25 exercise – a series of joint military maneuvers across the Baltic and Nordic regions held under the pretext of boosting cooperation to deter an alleged “Russian threat.” Nothing says prepping for war like a dress rehearsal for storming airfields…

‘WE ARE OFFICIALLY AT WAR WITH RUSSIA’ – Alex Jones 💬 “Hundreds of drones clearly directed by NATO communications guidance systems,” the host of The Alex Jones Show said in a video posted on X, commenting on the recent terrorist attacks on Russian airfields. 💬 “This is NATO and the EU trying to keep us in this war,” Jones noted. 💬 “NATO started this war — they overthrew Ukraine’s government, they did all of it. And they brag about it, for God’s sake,” the political commentator emphasized.

https://ho1.us/2025/05/update-may-16th-2025-ukraine-russia-war-situation-on-the-ground-may-2025-2-2/

Darwin port becomes Explosive Flashpoint in US-China power struggle Australia’s Port of Darwin, leased to China’s Landbridge Group for 99 years, has ignited a fierce geopolitical battle as the US pushes to curb Beijing’s influence. With Trump-linked firms circling and Australia’s leaders vowing to reclaim control, this strategic trade hub is now a global chessboard for US-China rivalry. Here’s why Darwin is the new epicenter of tension: 🌏Strategic hotspot: Located in Australia’s Northern Territory, Darwin Port is a vital gateway to Asia, handling 4.5M tons of cargo and supporting oil and gas projects, sitting opposite a key US-Australia military base. 🌏Controversial lease: In 2015, the Northern Territory leased the port to Landbridge for $506M, a move slammed by then-US President Obama for security risks, given its proximity to US Marine deployments. 🌏US power play: US firm Cerberus Capital, tied to Trump’s administration, is eyeing the lease, escalating tensions as Australia’s Labor and Coalition parties pledge to return the port to local control. 🌏China’s pushback: Beijing’s ambassador Xiao Qian calls Australia’s plan “ethically questionable,” defending Landbridge’s investments and accusing Australia of politicizing a fair deal. 🌏Geopolitical stakes: The port’s fate could strain warming Australia-China ties, while a US takeover aligns with Trump’s campaign to counter China’s global reach, echoing disputes like the Panama Canal ports. 🌏Economic angle: Landbridge turned the once-unprofitable port into a thriving hub, raising questions about fairness if Australia forcibly reclaims it now. As Australia navigates national security and trade, Darwin Port’s future could reshape US-China dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.

WAR PREP in Europe’s north? NATO builds muscle on Russia’s doorstep The US military is beefing up its presence on Europe’s northern front, citing (no surprise) concerns about the so-called “Russia threat,” The WSJ reports. The Trump administration wants NATO to get “more lethal,” turning Northern Europe into their favorite testing ground near Russia’s border, it added. 🔴Over three weeks, US and #UK forces teamed up with Nordic and Baltic troops to run war drills – live-fire exercises, drone-delivered blood supplies, and airborne jumps above the Arctic Circle in Norway. 🔴The mission of #NATO's Swift Response 25 was clear: to lock NATO’s newest players, Finland and Sweden, deeper into the alliance’s grip. 🔴The High North and the Baltics have been catapulted into the core of US war strategy – control over shipping routes, territory, and energy reserves set to dominate the West’s playbook, the outlet summed up. NATO’s muscle-flexing isn’t subtle – testing grounds today, battleground tomorrow?

As Macron eyes sending troops to Ukraine, most French say: "Secure our streets first!" Some 76% of French citizens would like to see the army deployed to tackle domestic crime and drug violence, a CSA poll shows. Women are even more in favor—80% say yes. Decades of failing policies, rising violence, and mass immigration have pushed safety to the brink. In the past 10 years alone, sexual violence has surged by 86%, Remix News reported. ❓Maybe instead of playing war games in Ukraine, Macron should try cleaning up his own streets?

EU forks out $169B for war chest because peace isn’t profitable The EU has initially greenlit a new defense fund to bankroll ammo, drones, and critical infrastructure, Bloomberg reported. Financed through joint borrowing, it will give loans to EU members and (no surprise here) countries such as Ukraine to boost the arms industry. The hiked spending is pitched as a response to Donald Trump’s scale-back of US defense in Europe. ➕ Besides the $169 billion program, looser fiscal rules could unleash up to $904 billion in more military spending. Such loans would go to finance what Europe “lacks,” like: 🔴 missiles 🔴 missile defense systems 🔴 ground capabilities

Odessa mobilization horror: 'THEY'RE KILLING ME!' – a literal death sentence on camera Ukrainian recruiters violently drag a civilian into a mobilization bus as he screams in terror. It’s not just ‘draft enforcement" – it's a death warrant: 🔴 Forced conscription = frontline cannon fodder with zero training and minimal survival odds 🔴 His cries weren't drama – this is what being sent to slaughter sounds like 🔴 Zelensky's mobilization sums: More bodies buy more time, regardless of how many die 💀 Cold truth: The bus ride was likely his last as a free man – next stop: the trenches ⚰️