Yemen is back from the brink, but frenemies Saudi Arabia and UAE have much to negotiate

ANALYSIS

The UAE this week announced a withdrawal of its troops from southern Yemen, marking a de-escalation in year-end tensions with its ally Saudi Arabia. But 2026 offers little hope for a strategic patch-up between the two Gulf powerhouses. That could mean more trouble for Yemen, the region, and the international community in the world’s chokehold zone.


Issued on: 02/01/2026

FRANCE24
By: Leela JACINTO

Southern Transitional Council (STC) soldiers under a South Yemen flag man a check point, in Aden, Yemen, December 31, 2025. 

The New Year kicked off with Yemen, an unstable country straddling a strategic maritime corridor between the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, seemingly back from the brink.

After an explosive, public blowout in the last weeks of 2025 that saw Saudi Arabia bomb an alleged arms shipment from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to its proxies in Yemen, tensions have cooled. Abu Dhabi denied the arms shipment accusations, but nonetheless complied with a 24-hour deadline to withdraw its forces in southern Yemen.

READ MOREWhat we know about the Saudi-led air strikes in Yemen

Saudi Arabia and the UAE came together in a military coalition in 2015 to prevent a takeover of Yemen by Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels. But a decade later, the two Gulf powerhouses, who officially refer to each other as “brotherly” countries, have turned into frenemies. Ambition has driven a wedge between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and a once-close relationship between the two royals has been ripped by a divergence of strategic vision.

The Houthis have not been vanquished, but the coalition against them is hanging by a thread. Riyadh backs the internationally recognised Yemeni government under the Presidential Leadership Council (PLC), an unwieldy umbrella body that includes the Islah party, which the UAE accuses of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and the party denies. Abu Dhabi supports the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which is also within the PLC, but has secessionist aspirations that are at odds with its coalition partners.

The year may have begun with the UAE pulling its “counterterrorism teams” from southern Yemen, but few expect Abu Dhabi to stop wielding its influence and economic heft in a geostrategic coastal zone.

On the regional front, Emirati interests in the Red Sea area are increasing exponentially. Its co-signatory to the Abraham Accords, Israel, ended 2025 with the surprise recognition of the breakaway region of Somaliland, just across the Gulf of Aden from Yemen. Meanwhile the Houthis continue to target Red Sea shipping lanes and Israeli cities under Iran’s “axis of resistance” banner.

Finally, the latest Saudi-UAE spat in Yemen unfolded in the volatile southern region that has long been an al Qaeda stronghold and offers ideal terrain for jihadist groups.

It may not be a very happy new year for Yemenis who have borne the brunt of a devastating conflict, nor for the international community scrambling to cope with the fast-moving pieces on the Middle East chessboard. By the end of the week, Saudi air strikes had already slammed southern separatist camps, causing deaths and injuries, according to a senior STC official.

‘Mixed messaging’

In southern Yemen, this week's de-escalation came just as swiftly as the dramatic escalation. On Thursday, the UAE-backed STC said Saudi-aligned government forces would enter territories it had seized in recent weeks.

In its statement, the STC said it would continue to operate in the regions but had agreed to the deployment of the Riyadh-backed National Shield government force. “Today, we launched an operation to integrate the southern National Shield forces so that they can assume the responsibilities and missions that fall to our armed forces,” they announced.

But in Yemen, the devil lies in the official statement details. “We are seeing mixed messaging,” said Mohammed Al-Basha, founder of the Basha Report, a US-based risk advisory, in a post on X, noting that while Saudi-aligned figures claimed National Shield forces “will take over security” in Hadramawt, “STC influencers say an agreement was reached to share security responsibilities, tasks, and even garrisons and bases”.

The current crisis was sparked by the STC’s lightening sweep in early December from its heartlands around the southwestern port city of Aden towards the east, seizing parts of the resource-rich Hadramawt and Al Mahra provinces.

Yemen’s history has been marked by a north-south divide, with its southern coastal regions – centred around the ancient strategic port of Aden – culturally distinct from the northern area which includes the capital Sanaa. The STC is the latest iteration of longstanding southern secessionist movements fed by grievances against the north.

Over the past few years, “the STC ran most of the south”, said Basha. “Any diplomat, envoy, journalist going to the south did not see any symbols of the Republic of Yemen, it existed only on paper.”

STC supporters hold a poster of UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan at a rally in Aden, Yemen, January 1, 2026. © Fawaz Salman, Reuters

Defining ‘the south’

The “southern question”, as it’s known in Yemen policy circles, is a legitimate issue, analysts concede. But in its current form, there are two “major points of contention”, according to Elisabeth Kendall, president of Girton College at the University of Cambridge and a seasoned Yemen expert.

“One is, does the southern cause mean a separate southern region, or does it mean a separate southern state that's independent and sovereign? And two, how big is that southern region or state? Is it just the southern heartlands, the four governorates that are in and around Aden? Or does it include the two vast eastern governorates of Hadramawt and Al Mahra? The Saudis would argue that it does not include Hadramawt and Al Mahra because they border Saudi Arabia,” she added.

The easternmost Al Mahra governorate also borders Oman, a neutral Gulf country that has strained to contain a spillover of the Yemeni conflict into its own Dhofar region that has seen rebellions in the past. “Neither Saudi Arabia nor Oman want a UAE-influenced state on their borders,” Kendall said.

Within Yemen, there are divides between the southwestern and eastern states, notes Basha. “There's no cohesiveness, even though the STC is the largest political bloc. In theory they could run the south, but they don't have the support of the east,” he noted.

While the eruption of the “southern question” exposed the faultlines with the east, it did little to address Yemen’s core security issues. “Two groups are benefiting from everything that's happening right now in the east and the south. It's the Houthis and AQAP,” noted Basha, referring to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. “The Houthis are sitting back, watching the anti-Houthi coalition fight each other, watching the two regional backers have a very public divorce,” he explained. “And al Qaeda loves to flourish wherever there's a vacuum.”

File photo taken October 20, 2020, of the picturesque Haid al-Jazil village perched on a rock in Dawan directorate in the Hadramawt governorate. © AFP file photo

One of the key reasons for the STC’s lightening sweep to the east in December was the fear that the Saudis could reach a peace deal with the Houthis, leaving the Shiite rebels in a commanding position in the north while sidelining southern powerbrokers.

A prisoner swap between the Houthis and the Yemeni government last year sparked some hopes for a peace deal. But given the complexities of the conflict, expectations are low.

“In 2026, will we see a peace deal between the Saudis and the Houthis? Absolutely, yes. Is it going to be implementable on the ground? I am not sure,” said Basha. “The real problems in Yemen will appear after a peace agreement is signed,” he added, predicting that the country’s myriad armed groups are likely to “just either fight each other for territory and resources, or collapse, or join AQAP, or form other militant groups”.
Realpolitik sidelines nation-building

While the UAE agreed to troop withdrawal from southern Yemen to avert a military confrontation with Saudi Arabia, analysts question whether it will mark an end to Abu Dhabi’s funding and support for its proxies in the region.

The 2025 crisis in Yemen has put a spotlight on the UAE’s increasingly assertive foreign policy and extension of its sphere of influence in Middle East, Africa and the seas in between.

“These maritime locations are supremely important geopolitically. The area that the UAE seeks to extend its influence in, via the STC, is right on that very important corner of the Arabian Peninsula, where the Gulf of Aden meets the Red Sea,” explained Kendall.

Yemeni territory includes the island of Perim, located in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which is a gateway for oil tankers heading to Europe via the Suez Canal. Further east lies Socotra, an archipelago and UNESCO World Heritage Site that is also a part of Yemen.

Sand dunes plunge into the sea on the Yemeni island of Socotra on September 21, 2024. © AP file photo


Satellite imagery reveals an expanded network of airstrips, military and intelligence bases built by the UAE, according to investigative reports. They extend from Socotra in the Indian Ocean to Yemen’s Arabian Peninsula coast to the Horn of Africa.

The UAE’s strategic partnership with Israel, strengthened by the Abrahams Accord, has also come under the spotlight during the recent tensions in Yemen.

Israeli media last month speculated about the resulting benefits of an independent southern Yemen under Abu Dhabi’s patronage. Arab outlets noted The National’s interview with Aidarous Al Zubaidi, head of the UAE-backed STC and also vice president of the Saudi-backed PLC, wherein he said he believed “we will be part of the [Abraham] accords”.

While this may be music to the Trump administration’s ears, it adds credence among local populations to the Houthis' self-declared role as defenders of the Palestinian cause.

Last month, when Israel suddenly recognised Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland, it raised eyebrows in Middle Eastern capitals and policy circles – and protests in Mogadishu.

Israel's recognition of Somaliland drives divides

It also drew attention to the UAE’s goals in the region. Noting Abu Dhabi’s strategic sweep from Perim island in the west to Socotra in the east, Kendall remarked that the UAE “has a stranglehold on the Gulf of Aden. Add to that, the fact that it was silent when its ally in the Abraham Accords, Israel, expressed its solidarity with the breakaway ‘nation of Somaliland’ on the other side of the Gulf of Aden, and it looks like that whole area is encircled by the UAE.”

Meanwhile across the Red Sea in Sudan, UN sanctions monitors have described what they deemed credible allegations that the UAE provided military support to Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the civil war against the Sudanese army. Abu Dhabi denies the allegations.

The problem, many analysts say, is not Abu Dhabi’s goal of increasing strategic influence, but its effects on weak states. The UAE bases its foreign policy on “realpolitik and doesn't mind working with secessionist movements or with minorities”, said Basha. “You see that with the Rapid Support Forces. You're seeing that with the southerners in the STC. The Saudis are completely against that.”

This year, until and unless the two Gulf brotherly nations-turned-frenemies manage to sort out their differences, Yemen – and the wider Middle East – is unlikely to enjoy a lasting peace.

Gulf countries edgy after very rare and very public spat between Saudi Arabia and UAE

2 January 2026

COMMONSPACE.EU



The very public, and very rare, spat between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which saw Saudi planes bombarding cargo in Mukalla in Southern Yemen, which had just been unloaded from two ships that arrived from the UAE port of Fujairah, has caused concern among the four other GCC countries, and other neighbours in the region.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi visited Riyadh on Wednesday for talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan on the developments in Yemen, which have raised concern across the region.

Oman's Foreign Ministry said the meeting between the ministers “addressed efforts to contain the escalation of violence and ways to support the political process aimed at addressing the root causes of the crisis”.

Tension has risen in recent weeks after the military takeover of Mahra and Hadhramaut, which share a 700km border with Saudi Arabia, by the Southern Transitional Council. The STC is the largest faction within the forces of the ruling Presidential Leadership Council, led by Rashad al-Alimi.

In Riyadh, Mr Al Busaidi and Prince Faisal discussed “achieving a comprehensive and sustainable settlement that preserves the sovereignty of the Republic of Yemen over its security and stability, while also taking into account the aspirations of its people and the higher national security interests of neighbouring countries and the rest of the region”, Oman's Foreign Ministry said.

Oman has played a vital mediation role in Yemen since Houthi rebels seized the capital, Sanaa, in 2014, forcing the government to flee south. A Saudi-led coalition, including the UAE, intervened at the request of the government to counter the Houthis, who control most of the north.

On Monday ( 28 December) the UAE announced that it was heeding calls by Mr Alimi, backed by Saudi statements, which called for the withdrawal of UAE forces from Yemen. This in turn raised concerns about internationally backed efforts to counter terror groups there.

Gulf countries have called for calm and restraint following the recent escalation. GCC members, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait, said they were monitoring the situation closely, highlighting the important role played in the past by Saudi Arabia and the UAE in supporting “stability and security” in Yemen.

Bahrain expressed its “confidence in the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and their ability to contain any differences in viewpoints within the framework of a unified Gulf

Qatar and Kuwait commended statements issued by the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which reflected “a commitment to prioritising the interests of the region, strengthening the principles of good neighbourliness and adhering to the foundations and principles upon which the GCC Charter is based”, Qatar's Foreign Ministry said.

Beyond the Gulf, Egypt said it was confident that the UAE and Saudi Arabia would approach the recent developments “wisely”, adding that it will continue to work with all sides towards de-escalation.

Jordan's Foreign Ministry said it held in high regard the “wisdom of the leaderships of the sisterly kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in addressing the situation in Yemen”, which reflects their keenness to preserve Yemen's security and interests.

The STC, which is seeking to re-establish a separate state in southern Yemen, said on Wednesday that “the south does not harbour any hostility towards any country in the region or its Arab surroundings, especially the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with which the south has deep and long-standing historical ties”.

Source: commonspace.eu, with the National (Abu Dhabi), Al Jazeera (Doha) and agencies.

Picture: Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Riyadh on Wednesday, 31 December. (Photo courtesy of the Foreign Ministry of Oman).

FOR PROFIT HEALTHCARE

US health insurance costs to rise by 114% for millions as subsidies expire

More than 20 million people in the United States will face sharply higher health insurance costs as of January 1 after enhanced tax credits that helped enrollees in the Affordable Care Act afford coverage expired overnight. The expiration of the subsidies will mostly affect families, small business owners and self-employed workers.


Issued on: 01/01/2026
By: FRACE 24

US Capitol is seen shortly after sunrise, December 16, 2025, in Washington. © Julia Demaree Nikhinson, AP

Enhanced tax credits that have helped reduce the cost of health insurance for the vast majority of Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as "Obamacare") enrollees expired overnight, cementing higher health costs for millions of people in the United States at the start of the new year.

The change affects a diverse cross-section of the population who don’t get their health insurance from an employer and don’t qualify for Medicaid or Medicare – a group that includes many self-employed workers, small business owners, farmers and ranchers.

On average, the more than 20 million subsidised enrollees in the Affordable Care Act programme are seeing their premium costs rise by 114 percent in 2026, according to an analysis by the healthcare research nonprofit KFF.

The subsidies were first given to Affordable Care Act enrollees in 2021 as a temporary measure to help US residents get through the Covid-19 pandemic. Democrats in power at the time then extended them, pushing the expiration date to the start of 2026. Some lower-income enrollees received health care with no premiums, and high earners paid no more than 8.5 percent of their income. Eligibility for middle-class earners was also expanded.

Democrats forced a 43-day government shutdown over the issue, demanding the health subsidies be extended before they agreed to a new Republican budget. Some Republicans also called for a bipartisan solution to save their 2026 political aspirations, given the ACA's popularity – two-thirds of Americans favour the system, according to KFF.

But while congressional Republicans acknowledged the issue needed to be addressed, they refused to put it to a vote until late in the year. A House vote expected in January could offer another chance, but success is far from guaranteed.

Health analysts have predicted the expiration of the subsidies will drive many of the 24 million total Affordable Care Act enrollees – especially younger and healthier Americans – to forgo health insurance coverage altogether.

Over time, that could make the programme more expensive for the older, sicker population that remains.

Rising costs across the board

The surging healthcare prices come alongside an overall increase in health costs in the US, which are further driving up out-of-pocket costs in many plans.

It also comes at the start of a high-stakes midterm election year, with affordability – including the cost of health care – topping the list of voters’ concerns.

“It really bothers me that the middle class has moved from a squeeze to a full suffocation, and they continue to just pile on and leave it up to us,” said 37-year-old single mom Katelin Provost, whose healthcare costs are set to jump. “I’m incredibly disappointed that there hasn’t been more action.”

Some enrollees, like Salt Lake City freelance filmmaker and adjunct professor Stan Clawson, have absorbed the extra expense. Clawson said he was paying just under $350 a month for his premiums last year, a number that will jump to nearly $500 a month this year. It’s a strain for the 49-year-old, but one he’s willing to take on because he needs health insurance as someone who lives with paralysis from a spinal cord injury.

Others, like Provost, are dealing with steeper hikes. The social worker’s monthly premium payment is increasing from $85 a month to nearly $750.

An analysis conducted last September by the Urban Institute and Commonwealth Fund projected the higher premiums from expiring subsidies would prompt some 4.8 million Americans to drop coverage in 2026.

But with the window to select and change plans still ongoing until January 15 in most states, the final effect on enrollment is yet to be determined.

Provost said she is holding out hope that Congress finds a way to revive the subsidies early in the year – but if not, she’ll drop herself off the insurance and keep it only for her 4-year-old daughter.

She can’t afford to pay for coverage for both of them without the subsidies.

After Republicans cut more than $1 trillion in federal healthcare and food assistance by passing Trump’s big tax and spending cuts bill, Democrats repeatedly called for the ACA subsidies to be extended.

In December, the GOP-controlled Senate rejected two partisan healthcare bills – a Democratic pitch to extend the subsidies for three more years and a Republican alternative that would instead provide Americans with health "savings accounts".

In the House, four Republicans broke with GOP leadership and joined forces with Democrats to force a vote that could come as soon as January on a three-year extension of the tax credits. But with the Senate already having rejected such a plan, it’s unclear whether it could get enough momentum to pass.

Meanwhile, Americans whose premiums are skyrocketing say lawmakers don’t understand what it’s really like to struggle to get by as health costs ratchet up with no relief.

Many say they want the subsidies restored alongside broader reforms to make health care more affordable for all Americans.

“Both Republicans and Democrats have been saying for years, oh, we need to fix it. Then do it,” said Chad Bruns, a 58-year-old Affordable Care Act enrollee in Wisconsin. “They need to get to the root cause, and no political party ever does that.”

(FRANCE 24 with AP)

Americans brace to start New Year without healthcare

1 day ago

BBC
Ana Faguy

Adrienne Martin

Adrienne Martin faced a difficult choice after her monthly healthcare premium increased dramatically

Adrienne Martin and her family are starting the New Year off without healthcare.

The 47-year-old Texas mother had to make a difficult choice when she found out her monthly healthcare premium was increasing in 2026 from what she described as a manageable $630 (£467) to an unaffordable $2,400 (£1,781).

Her husband depends on an IV medication to treat a blood-clotting disease that costs $70,000 a month without insurance. Knowing their benefits would expire, the family stockpiled the drug to survive the first few months of the year.

"It would be like paying two mortgage payments," she said of the new monthly price for healthcare. "We can't pay $30,000 for insurance a year."

Ms Martin and her family are not the only ones facing this conundrum. Millions of Americans will see their healthcare bills skyrocket when these subsidies, which were provided through the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, expire.

Some members of Congress on both sides of the aisle attempted to extend these subsidies into 2026, but Washington was gridlocked. A vote in the new year could offer hope, but until then, many like Ms Martin will have to live without insurance or see their bills steeply increase.

About 24 million Americans buy health insurance through the ACA marketplace, and the majority were used to receiving tax credits to lower the monthly price.

Those tax credits, also referred to as subsidies, were first introduced through former President Barack Obama's ACA in 2014. They were then expanded during Covid.

The fight to extend the subsidies became the centre of the longest government shutdown in US history, which went on for more than 40 days earlier this year.

Democrats wanted to force Republicans to extend the subsidies for an additional three years, which would cost $35bn per year. Republicans did not want the government to foot the bill for another three years of subsidies without spending cuts.

The weeks-long shutdown - which left millions without essential government services - ended when a group of Democratic senators agreed to reopen the government, if Republicans in the Senate agreed to vote on extending the subsidies.

But that vote still hasn't happened yet, despite efforts from Democrats and four Republicans to put the issue to Congress before the subsidies expired.

"I am pissed for the American people," New York Congressman Mike Lawler, a Republican who pushed to save the subsidies, said. "Everybody has a responsibility to serve their district, to their constituents. You know what is funny? Three-quarters of people on Obamacare are in states Donald Trump won."

Without the subsidies, the monthly cost of healthcare could rise by 114% on average, according to health research non-profit KFF.

Adrienne Martin and Stephanie Petersen

Maddie Bannister is among the Americans bracing for that.

The California mother, who just had her second child, was paying $124 a month for her family of three in 2025. Now, with a new baby and no ACA subsidies, she is preparing to pay $908 a month.

"So many people are going to choose to be uninsured because it's cheaper to pay a penalty for being uninsured than it is to have healthcare," she said.

For Ms Bannister's family, the increased cost of healthcare means putting off other spending: "We were saving for a home, and saving money for that is going to take way longer if we have to spend $11,000 a year on healthcare that we barely use."

While Ms Bannister is stomaching her new bill, and Ms Martin is going without healthcare, others are resorting to different government programmes to get their coverage.

For years, Stephanie Petersen used Medicaid - a healthcare program for lower-income Americans - to get healthcare coverage. Just recently, she was able to switch and get her coverage through the ACA - a welcome change for the 38-year-old.

Because her health care is skyrocketing from $75 to $580 a month, she is returning to Medicaid coverage in the New Year.

"I'm trying to stay optimistic but the way things have been going, I'm not hopeful," the Illinois resident said. "Everyone should have affordable, good healthcare, and not have to jump through all these hoops."

A vote on the three-year extension of the ACA subsidies is now expected the week of 5 January when Congress returns to Washington.

Until then, Ms Martin will be one of the more than 27 million Americans without health insurance in 2026.

A number that is likely to grow, experts warn, as healthcare costs increase.

"We're not low-income people, we make decent money, but we can't afford $30,000 a year for insurance, that's crazy," she said.

"We've done everything we're supposed to do, we've worked our whole lives, we work hard, and we just get screwed. The whole system is a nightmare."

New weapons to Taiwan: 'Overdue correction' or poorly timed move?

There is a right way and a dumb way to show US support for the island. China's moves since the announcement indicates which is which.

Jennifer Kavanagh
Jan 02, 2026

RESPONSIBLE STATECRAFT

On December 17, while much of the nation was watching President Donald Trump’s primetime “year-in-review” address to the nation, the State Department made a big reveal of its own: the approval of an $11 billion arms package for Taiwan.

According to the announcement, the sale will facilitate “[Taipei's] continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability.”

The news was widely praised in Washington, by China hawks and supporters of the defense industry alike, for sending a strong deterrent signal to Beijing and a valuable message of U.S. commitment to Taiwan. The Washington Post editorial board, for example, called the sale “a welcome change to Trump’s Taiwan policy” and “an overdue correction after months of policy changes that favored Beijing over Taipei.”

Celebrations are premature, however. As Chinese warships encircled the island this week as part of “Justice Mission 2025,” it seems that Taiwan’s position is more vulnerable than ever after the U.S. arms sale announcement, and Washington is partly to blame.

The problem is not that the Trump administration has continued to sell weapons to Taiwan — it is required to do so under the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act.

The problem is how the Trump administration, and those before it, has chosen to sell weapons to Taiwan — loudly, brashly, and publicly. As the United States looks to shift the burden of the island’s defense to Taiwan itself, it needs a different approach to supporting Taipei, one that is more subtle, emphasizes Taiwan’s indigenous production, and attends assiduously to context.

There are three problems with the December 17 sale, and they all have to do with timing.

For starters, although the U.S. State Department has approved the $11B weapons package, Taiwan’s legislature has blocked the special budget required to pay for it five times. Until Taiwan finds the money, the sale cannot be completed, and production of the promised weapons cannot begin.

As a result of this political fiasco, Taiwan now appears weak, indecisive, and unprepared to support its own defense. That Taiwan’s failure to approve the special budget drags on after the United States greenlit the weapons sale has made an already embarrassing situation worse by calling attention to Taiwan’s domestic divisions and lack of resolve.

Though Taipei bears much of the responsibility, poor U.S. planning is also at fault. The State Department could have averted much of the fallout by holding off on its sale announcement until Taiwanese funding was secured.

But considerations of Taiwan’s domestic politics are not the only reason the timing of the U.S. announcement was puzzling and counterproductive. Coming soon after Trump’s positive meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Busan and during a trade war truce between the two countries, the size and scope of the U.S. arms sale (for example, it included rocket artillery and long-range ATACMS missiles) took Chinese officials by surprise.

In Beijing, the Trump administration’s move was seen as a provocative reversal and even a betrayal of the U.S. president’s previous stance. Lingering regional tensions caused by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s confrontational statements on Taiwan in November only exacerbated Beijing’s sensitivity.

In this context, China’s extensive military drills around Taiwan this week were to be expected, even still largely unjustified.

Beyond the just-completed military exercises, there could still be further repercussions on the way for Washington, including economic retaliation or roadblocks to Trump’s planned April visit to Beijing. Progress made in stabilizing the U.S.-China relationship over recent months has almost certainly been dealt a setback.

Regardless of possible future ramifications, Taiwan’s immediate security picture has darkened, as it endured several days of intense military pressure, simulated blockade, and live fire drills just off its coast. In theory, the new weapons promised by the United States should offset any increased military coercion from China. Once again, however, there is a problem of timing.

While U.S. weapons may be sold in principle to Taiwan today (or, in the coming months if they find the financing and after U.S. Congressional approval), they won’t arrive for years, possibly well into the 2030s.

Take for example, the 82 HIMARS included in the most recent sale. Though the United States can produce about 100 HIMARS a year, this total must meet global demand, including rising purchases from Europe and the needs of the U.S. military.

In 2021, Taiwan purchased 11 HIMARS from the United States. They arrived in 2024. In 2023, Taiwan purchased 18 more HIMARS. They have not been delivered but some may be completed in 2026. At this rate, completely filling an order of 82 additional HIMARS will take at least until the end of the decade — a long time to wait for an island under threat today.

The extensive lag time between the sale announcement and weapons arrival creates another problem for Taiwan: a window of vulnerability in which Beijing can exploit Taiwan’s weaknesses and prepare its own countermeasures. Ultimately, China’s near-term actions may negate any defensive value that comes from additional U.S. arms sales to Taiwan over the longer term.

Neither challenges of timing nor Beijing’s probable retribution are reasons to stop selling arms to Taiwan entirely. But they are cause to rethink how Washington plans and executes these arms sales so that they can provide the most support to U.S. interests with the fewest costs to cross-strait stability.

First, U.S. officials should reconsider how much information about arms sales to Taiwan they make public. Members of Congress should still review and approve sales, but the timing and content of public announcements might be altered to exclude information on quantities, total value, or types of weapons.

This would not be without precedent, as the United States has previously kept classified some information on arms sales to clients like Israel and Ukraine even as they have met requirements for transparency and accountability.

More discretion would have several benefits. China’s vast intelligence network would likely learn the details of a given sale before they are made public, but without a high-profile announcement, Beijing might feel less pressure to retaliate against Taiwan or the United States directly. And to the extent information on new arms packages remains private, it would buy Taipei and Washington time.

Second, U.S. policymakers should link U.S. arms sales to Taiwan directly to Taiwan’s approved defense budget, not its planned or promised one. In practice, this would mean that Washington would not approve weapons packages for Taiwan unless necessary funding is already appropriated. This might require the use of smaller and less frequent arms packages, but it would avoid embarrassing liabilities like that at present, where sales are approved before funding exists.

At the same time, the United States future military assistance to Taiwan conditional on Taipei hitting a pre-agreed threshold of defense spending, say 5 percent of GDP.

Another option would be to prioritize efforts to aid Taiwan’s indigenous defense production, rather than selling American weapons. This might be accomplished by incentivizing private investment in Taiwanese companies, facilitating technology sharing, or supporting co-production and joint ventures with U.S. firms. This would have the added benefit of supporting Taiwan’s self-sufficiency and resilience.

Beijing might not welcome these moves, but they should be less antagonistic than direct sales of advanced American military hardware.

Finally, Washington should consider timing more carefully when planning its military assistance to Taiwan. U.S. officials should avoid announcing new initiatives at delicate periods, when tensions are aroused or regional disagreements unresolved. They should also prioritize the health of the U.S.-China relationship above all else, safeguarding mutual understandings over regional security issues generally and Taiwan specifically.

After all, if Washington and Beijing are at odds (or worse at war), no amount of military aid in the world can protect Taiwan from the repercussions.

Jennifer Kavanagh
Dr. Jennifer Kavanagh is a senior fellow and director of military analysis at Defense Priorities. Previously, Dr. Kavanagh was a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation. She is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.

China imposes 13% VAT on condoms, contraceptive pills as birth rates continue to fall

China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024 and experts have cautioned the downturn will continue

Reuters Published 02.01.26, 

FILE PHOTO: Adult holding a baby walks at a store selling baby products in Shanghai.Reuters

China removed a three-decade-old tax exemption on contraceptive drugs and devices from January 1 in new steps to spur a flagging birth rate.

Condoms and contraceptive pills now incur value-added tax of 13%, the standard rate for most consumer goods.

The move comes as Beijing struggles to boost birth rates in the world's second-largest economy. China's population fell for a third consecutive year in 2024 and experts have cautioned the downturn will continue.

China exempted childcare subsidies from personal income tax and rolled out an annual childcare subsidy last year, following a series of "fertility-friendly" measures in 2024, such as urging colleges and universities to provide "love education" to portray marriage, love, fertility and family in a positive light.

Top leaders again pledged last month at the annual Central Economic Work Conference to promote "positive marriage and childbearing attitudes" to stabilise birth rates.

China's birth rates have been falling for decades as a result of the one-child policy China implemented from 1980 to 2015, and rapid urbanisation.

The high cost of childcare and education as well as job uncertainty and a slowing economy have also discouraged many young Chinese from getting married and starting a family.

Opinion


Zoos used to be entertainment venues, but now they're central to heritage and conservation

Nouf Al Naqbi
Nouf Al Naqbi is a senior officer for heritage programmes at Al Ain Zoo

January 02, 2026

The holiday season between Eid Al Etihad and the New Year is always a good time to honour our rich history and culture, and also an opportunity to reflect on the many facets of our heritage. While heritage is often viewed through the lens of cultural traditions, historical landmarks and ancestral wisdom, it goes beyond this. It is woven into the natural world around us, into our landscapes, native species and ecosystems. From the vast deserts that inspired resilience to the Arabian oryx and falcons that have become symbols of survival and grace, these elements are features of our environment, but they are also integral to our shared identity, deeply rooted in the history and traditions of our nation.

Considered through the lens of heritage, the mission of modern zoos becomes profoundly meaningful. Historically, zoos were seen as entertainment venues, places where animals could be observed for leisure. But today this couldn’t be further from the truth, as the role of zoos has evolved dramatically, transitioning into institutions with a deep focus on education, conservation and connecting people to the natural world. Today’s zoos serve as living classrooms where visitors can engage with wildlife, gain a deeper understanding of biodiversity, and develop an emotional connection to the environment.

The importance of this role cannot be overstated. Conservation discussions often centre on complex topics, such as the impact of climate change on ecosystems or the urgent need to combat species extinction. These discussions, though critical, can feel distant or overwhelming to many. Zoos help bridge that gap, translating these pressing issues into tangible, accessible narratives that resonate with people of all ages. For example, observing an endangered species up close or learning about its habitat loss can turn abstract concerns about biodiversity into a personal and emotional connection, inspiring individuals to take action.

Zoos also play a pivotal role in nurturing a conservation mindset, especially among the younger generation. In the UAE, where urban environments dominate much of the landscape, zoos provide a crucial link between city dwellers and the natural world. They offer a space for discovery, where children and adults alike can gain firsthand exposure to the beauty and diversity of wildlife. Initiatives such as Al Ain Zoo’s series of camps combine learning and adventure, exposing children to nature and sparking curiosity about sustainability and environmental stewardship, while educational venues like the Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Centre provide programmes for schools and families, helping people to understand that the future of our planet depends on the choices we make today.

In the UAE, zoos provide a crucial link between city dwellers and the natural world

Beyond education and mindset, modern zoos are at the forefront of conservation efforts, working to protect species that are part of our global natural heritage. Many zoos, including those here in the UAE, are involved in global repopulation programs that ensure the survival of endangered species. These programs help us preserve individual animals, but also ensure the continuity of entire ecosystems, which rely on the delicate interplay of species to remain stable and healthy.

For instance, the Arabian oryx stands as a powerful symbol of what conservation can achieve. Once on the brink of extinction, the species has been brought back from the edge through years of collaborative research and reintroduction programs. This remarkable success story represents a significant win for biodiversity and stands as testament to both the resilience of our natural heritage and to the power of human commitment to protecting it.

Similarly, conservation efforts to protect species like the endangered sand gazelle or the migratory houbara bustard are invaluable, not just for the creatures themselves but for the ecosystems they inhabit. Each of these species plays a role in maintaining the delicate balance of nature, and their survival is a reflection of the health of the environment as a whole.

The landscapes and wildlife that surround us are as much a part of our legacy as the traditions and values we pass down through generations. Preserving this natural heritage is an environmental obligation and a societal one, tied to our history, identity and future aspirations. The UAE – a nation that celebrates both its rich traditions and its forward-thinking vision – is uniquely positioned to lead in these efforts. By continuing to support education, conservation, and environmental sustainability, we can ensure that our cultural and natural heritage remains a source of pride and inspiration for generations to come.

As custodians of this legacy, let us reflect on the lessons of our ancestors, who understood the importance of living in harmony with nature. Let us also look to the future, where our efforts to protect wildlife and the environment will contribute to a world where humanity and nature can thrive together. This month serves as the perfect time to renew our commitment to safeguarding the natural treasures that bind us to our past and illuminate the path forward. After all, when we protect our environment and wildlife, we are not just conserving species or ecosystems; we are preserving a piece of ourselves, our country, our story and our shared heritage.

Updated: January 02, 2026, 12:04 AM

Russia Fell Further and Further Behind China for Second Place in Space Race in 2025

SPACE JUNK

China warns Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites pose ‘safety and security’ risk


Chinese diplomat calls for countries to better enforce regulations on their commercial space activities

Vishwam Sankaran

Friday 02 January 2026

Beijing has warned the United Nations that the rapid expansion of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite constellations in low-Earth orbit pose “pronounced safety and security” concerns globally.

“With the rapid expansion of commercial space activities, the unchecked proliferation of commercial satellite constellations by a certain country, in the absence of effective regulation, has given rise to pronounced safety and security challenges,” a Chinese representative said at an informal UN Security Council event.

The Beijing representative cited several incidents, including near collisions between Starlink satellites and the Chinese space station in 2021.

Referring to SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, the representative said that “such constellations crowd frequency-orbit resources [data shared by all satellites in orbit for communication] and significantly increase the risk of collisions”, SCMP first reported.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket rises after launching from Vandenberg Space Force Base carrying 28 Starlink internet satellites (Getty Images)

Several recent studies have warned that as the number of satellites in orbit increase rapidly in the era of mega-constellations like SpaceX Starlink probes, there is rapidly increasing chances of satellite collisions.

Currently, as many as 8,500 of the 12,955 active satellites in low-Earth orbit, with just over 66 per cent part of these probes part of SpaceX’s Starlink constellation.

SpaceX chief Elon Musk has said the Starlink constellation could eventually have over 42,000 satellites, with the company currently having permission to launch 12,000.

Each of these satellites is designed for a five-year lifespan before it is deliberately burned up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Meanwhile, Chinese projects, including the Quianfan broadband network, plans to launch their own internet satellite megaconstellations rivalling SpaceX.

The Shanghai state-backed project aims to mass produce and launch over 15,000 satellites by 2030 to provide global broadband coverage.


With the low-Earth orbit increasingly getting crowded since 2018, the Chinese representative called for countries to better enforce regulations on their commercial space activities.

The diplomat said a Starlink satellite in 2021 “conducted dangerous close approaches to China’s space station ... posing grave threats to the safety of Chinese astronauts”.

“For spacecraft operated by developing countries that lack orbit-control capability, space situational awareness, or sufficient reaction time, this undoubtedly constitutes a major risk,” the unnamed representative said in a statement.

SpaceX has not immediately responded to The Independent’s request for comment.

Beijing also warned that commercial satellites are increasingly being used for reconnaissance and battlefield communications, which “aggravated the risk of an arms race in outer space”.

The diplomat called on the US in a veiled reference to “strengthen regulation and oversight of its commercial space activities, and respond to the concerns of the international community”.

Friday, January 2, 2026

Russia Fell Further and Further Behind China for Second Place in Space Race in 2025

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Jan. 1 – In Soviet times, Moscow’s space program competed with that of the United States; but now, it is falling behind China, which is launching more satellites into orbit, has more facilities to launch them, and has developed public-private cooperation to the point that it can respond to challenges far more quickly and efficiently, Mariya Sokolova says.

            The Novyye Izvestiya observer points out that the Chinese successfully launched 86 rockets in 2025, 30 percent more than it had a year earlier, while Russia remained far behind with the same number this past year as in 2024 – 17 (newizv.ru/news/2025-12-30/kitay-nam-drug-no-kosmos-dorozhe-est-li-shans-u-rossii-ne-sdat-kosmos-kitaytsam-438498).

            Moreover, Sokolova notes, China now has four working cosmodromes, while Russia has only three – and one of those has suffered sufficient damages to delay takeoffs for the time being. But what is most striking is China’s use of private companies to power the expansion of its space program, something Russia has not done.

            These companies have allowed China to innovate far more rapidly than Russia can, given that Moscow as far as space is concerned largely rests on its laurels from the Soviet past, and to put vehicles into service far more rapidly to rescue its astronauts when problems have arisen in space station components.

            And the observer concludes that it is “unfortunately” true that “the Russian Federation lives in the past while the Chinese Peoples Republic lives in the future,” a pattern that if it continues for much longer will further marginalize Russia and give China the chance to challenge the US for leadership in space much as Moscow did decades ago.

Bulgaria Joins EU’s Secure Satellite Network to Monitor Space Debris

 January 2, 2026, Friday 



Bulgaria has officially joined the European Union’s secure satellite system, gaining access to a coordinated mechanism for managing radio frequencies and orbital resources, as well as the capacity to use secure satellite communications at a continental level.

“This concerns telecommunications satellites that track objects in space and alert countries that may be affected. Essentially, it is connected to the issue of space debris, which fills near-Earth orbit and can threaten the security of satellite infrastructure. Monitoring their positions and trajectories is therefore essential,” explained Assoc. Prof. Elisaveta Peneva, a meteorologist and remote Earth observation specialist, on NOVA News.

Until now, Bulgaria had not been part of this system. With approval from the Ministry of Innovation and Growth, the country will now utilize its ground infrastructure to monitor these objects and provide warnings to relevant users.

Among the services offered by the system is the ability to track satellites when they are decommissioned or re-enter the atmosphere to burn up, marking the end of their operational life. Assoc. Prof. Peneva emphasized that such processes must be carefully monitored along their entire path. Satellites or debris could pass over Bulgarian territory without being tracked if the country were not part of the system, making participation a significant security advantage.

Turkmenistan legalises crypto mining and exchanges in shift for economy

Legislation signed by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov establishes a licensing scheme overseen by country’s central bank.

Since succeeding his father as president in 2022, Serdar Berdymukhamedov has signalled some opening in the country, but social media remains highly regulated by the government [File: Adem Altan/AFP]

By News Agencies
Published On 2 Jan 2026

Turkmenistan, one of the world’s most isolated nations, has officially legalised mining and exchanging cryptocurrency in a major shift for the country’s tightly controlled, gas-dependent economy.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov signed the legislation on Thursday, regulating virtual assets under civil law and establishing a licensing scheme for cryptocurrency exchanges overseen by the country’s central bank.

However, digital currencies will still not be recognised as a means of payment, currency or security.

Turkmenistan, a former Soviet country in Central Asia, relies heavily on the export of its vast natural gas reserves to support its economy.

China is the country’s main importer of gas, and Turkmenistan is currently working on a pipeline to supply gas to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Turkmenistan has been taking steps to digitalise government functions as well as its economy.

In April, it adopted a law introducing electronic visas aimed at simplifying entry for foreigners.

After gaining independence in 1991, the tightly governed nation typically placed strict entry requirements on would-be visitors, with many visa applications turned down for unclear reasons.

A mostly desert country of seven million people with the world’s fourth-largest natural gas reserves, Turkmenistan declared itself officially neutral in 1995 under its first president, Saparmurat Niyazov, who spurned both Western and Russian influence.

Until his death in 2006, Niyazov maintained tight control over politics, a policy of isolationism from the outside world, and an economy heavily based on natural gas exports.


Since succeeding his father as president in 2022, Berdymukhamedov has signalled some opening.

In December, he hinted at possible political reforms ahead of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian.

“We are carrying out extensive work aimed at transforming our neutral country into a powerful, democratic, and rule-of-law state where citizens live happy lives,” Berdymukhamedov said in the article, without giving further details.

While Turkmenistan’s internet remains tightly regulated and controlled by the government, curbs on social media have been eased, and the government has pledged to open new air transport links and liberalise its visa system.

Still, the country is ranked by the Committee to Protect Journalists as one of the worst in the world for independent media.

Kyrgyzstan, another former Soviet Central Asian republic, has also positioned itself as a regional leader in the sector, launching a national stablecoin in partnership with cryptocurrency exchange Binance.

GameChangers 2025: Cryptocurrency Is Now in the Criminal Mainstream

by Christopher Newton, Juliana Manjarrés, Alicia Florez and Marina Cavalari

2 Jan 2026

https://insightcrime.org/

A decade ago, Latin America’s criminal groups were starting to experiment with cryptocurrency, but in 2025, they went all in. From an unprecedented bank heist to nearly untraceable money laundering techniques, virtual currencies went mainstream. And as the amount of cocaine trafficked around the globe exploded, rigid criminal organizations have been replaced by loose, modular networks that invest in innovation and technology. In this new criminal underworld, the use of cryptocurrency is only going to keep growing.

The very nature of cryptocurrency makes it appealing for major criminal transactions, where cash has traditionally been the preferred method due to its anonymity. Cryptocurrencies weigh nothing and take up no physical space, solving two major problems with bulk cash transfers. Payments can be made without having to be physically present — a big advantage in criminal industries like the cocaine trade, in which billions are made shipping Andean cocaine to all corners of the globe.

And while mainstream coins, such as bitcoin, record every transaction on a public ledger called the blockchain, who is behind those transactions is anonymous. Some countries, like Brazil and Chile, have tried to crack down by bringing cryptocurrencies into their banking systems and instituting “know-your-customer” (KYC) laws, which require institutions to verify who is behind an account before someone can start trading cryptocurrency. But many countries in the region are behind on this, and even existing regulations can often be skirted by creative criminals.
Bank Heists From Your Bedroom

The largest known robbery of a Brazilian financial institution took place in July 2025 after cyberattackers stole $150 million without having to step foot in a bank. Exploiting a flaw in Pix, Brazil’s electronic payment system, the group drained the funds and then converted the money to cryptocurrency to try to hide the trail. The robbers worked internationally, with suspects arrested in Argentina, Portugal, and Spain, in addition to 11 states in Brazil. Those at the head of the group, however, are still at large.

The Brazil-based cybercrime network Grandoreiro, which first appeared around 2016, sent malicious extensions to the victims that later allowed them to steal credentials and log into their bank accounts. When several arrests were made in Argentina in 2025, authorities were able to piece together the modus operandi. The group used local accounts to do normal bank transfers before buying and selling cryptocurrency to break up the trail. The bulk of the cryptocurrency was eventually transferred to a server in Brazil.


SEE ALSO: Borders Are No Barrier to Booming Cyber Crime, and Authorities Must Adapt

Cases like these show how Brazil’s digital criminal economy saw an unprecedented expansion in 2025, with the emergence of specialized cyber gangs using malware to invade and steal bank accounts or converting funds into cryptocurrencies to disguise the money trails of massive digital heists.

Taking advantage of the anonymity provided by the blockchain and the ease of digital transactions, wiring funds through various accounts has become a rising criminal method.
The Old Meets the New

Not to be outdone by new cyber players, Latin America’s trafficking groups embraced cryptocurrency to launder drug money across their networks. While hiding profits from drugs and arms trafficking through the old-school method of using shell companies, they increased the obscurity of that process by using techniques such as cryptocurrency blenders.

Brazil’s main criminal groups, as well as specialized cybergangs such as Grandoreiro, have also embraced cryptocurrency. The First Capital Command (Primeiro Comando da Capital – PCC) and the Red Command (Comando Vermelho) began as prison gangs and bank robbers. But over the past decade, they moved into cocaine trafficking, which caused their profits and power to surge.

While maintaining their traditional activities, both gangs constantly search for new ways to expand their criminal portfolio. And even though they are rivals, the groups allegedly cooperated last year to launder around $1.1 billion using the PCC’s digital banking system.

The trend of old-school crime groups embracing new laundering techniques goes beyond Brazil. In Mexico, cryptocurrencies are now the preferred payment method in the precursor chemical supply chain, especially for fentanyl pre-precursor transactions. Authorities seized $5.5 million from a network related to Mexican networks that used cryptocurrency to pay Chinese suppliers in May 2025.
Other Criminal Markets

Several events in 2025 suggest the use of cryptocurrency has expanded beyond drug trafficking.

In Chile, authorities dismantled a network linked to Tren de Aragua that helped launder more than $13 million via cryptocurrency. The organization used a sophisticated system that converted illicit funds to digital assets and transferred them internationally through cryptocurrency brokers to conceal their origins. Criminals were able to hide profits from what police and prosecutors termed “criminal taxes,” derived from extortion, drug trafficking, sexual exploitation, migrant smuggling, and kidnappings.


SEE ALSO: Kidnapping Data for Ransom Is a Booming Business in Brazil

In Brazil, the country’s Federal Police dismantled a network that used shell companies and front partners to import electronics without paying taxes and then sold them via a major e-commerce platform. The proceeds were then laundered through cryptocurrency assets. The September 2025 operation found that one of the operators laundered over $190 million in just over a year through cryptocurrency exchanges.

Besides that, a $10 million seizure of cryptocurrency assets made by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in July 2025 and linked to the Sinaloa Cartel showed that traditional Mexican criminal organizations are also taking advantage of digital assets to operate.
Organized Crime Is Winning the Cryptocurrency Arms Race

Some countries in the region implemented new measures to tackle cybercrime. But law enforcement is struggling to keep pace with criminal organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Governments have scrambled to regulate the new digital Wild West of online payments via increased traceability and know-your-customer laws, which are designed to protect financial institutions from money laundering, corruption, and fraud.

In 2025, Brazil improved its regulations around the traceability of funds handled by financial technology companies. New procedures required digital banks to follow the same process as traditional banks and report suspicious transactions to the country’s financial institutions.


SEE ALSO: Cryptocurrency Money Laundering Is on the Rise in Brazil

Chile has also invested in its anti-money laundering fight. From July 2025, bitcoin transactions over $1,000 were not permitted to be done anonymously as authorities started demanding cryptocurrency platforms identify the transmitters and receivers of these operations. A new structure was set to enforce the rule using recording, alert, and verification systems to control the movement of funds. The initiative reduced the anonymity of digital transactions, increasing their traceability and facilitating the identification of suspicious trades.

Despite relevant advances, the common scourge of corruption and a dearth of specialized investigative capacity and resources for enforcement have made clamping down on illegal cryptocurrency elusive for many governments. Cryptocurrencies are often traded across borders and in seconds. And the use of tumblers, which are services that mix cryptocurrency while it goes from the buyer to the receiver, increases the difficulty of identifying the trail and makes it even harder to follow the origin of funds.

Many governments already struggle to detect traditional money laundering, and even with specialized training to tackle cybercrime, cryptocurrencies are constantly evolving, meaning that combatting methods soon become obsolete.

Organized crime is winning the cryptocurrency arms race, and 2026 will likely see this continue—unless law enforcement can find a way to catch up to the ever mutating digital criminal landscape.

A look at some of the worst fires in bars, nightclubs and music venues world wide




By — Associated Press

Jan 1, 2026 

A fire at a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana in the early hours of New Year's Day has left dozens of people presumed dead and around 100 injured, according to authorities.

READ MORE: Fire at Swiss Alpine resort bar during New Year's celebration kills at least 40, 115 injured

Here is a look at some other nightclub, bar and music venue fires that have led to significant death tolls.

December 2025: A fire ripped through a popular nightclub in Arpora village, in India's Goa state, killing 25 people, including kitchen workers and tourists.

March 2025: A fire and ensuing stampede at the crowded Pulse club in Kocani, North Macedonia, killed 63 people, most of them young revelers, and injured more than 200. It was set off by a pyrotechnic flame that engulfed the roof of the club.


Dragi Stojanov reacts while holding a photo of his late son Tomche, 21, who was killed in a fire at the Pulse nightclub that resulted in dozens of deaths, during a March 17, 2025, protest in the town of Kocani, North Macedonia. Photo by Alexandros Avramidis/Reuters.

April 2024: A blaze at the Masquerade nightclub in Istanbul, Turkey, trapped workers and employees while the venue was closed for renovations, leaving 29 people dead. It was located on the ground and basement floors of a 16-story residential building.

October 2023: A fire that started at a nightclub in the southeastern Spanish city of Murcia and spread to two other clubs left 13 people dead.

A firefighter walks out of a nightclub that caught fire October 2023 in Murcia, Spain. Photo by Eva Manez/Reuters

January 2022: A nightclub in Sorong, in Indonesia's West Papua province, burned after two groups attacked each other inside the building. Nineteen people were killed.

January 2022: A blaze at Liv's Nightclub Yaouba in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, set off explosions that killed 17 people. The government suggested that fireworks set the roof alight and the fire then spread to areas where cooking gas was stored.

December 2016: Thirty-six people died in a fire at a warehouse in Oakland, California, that had been converted into a residence and event space for artists dubbed the "Ghost Ship." The blaze, which broke out during an electronic music and dance party, moved so quickly that victims were trapped on the illegally constructed second floor.


File Photo: Two children place flowers Dec. 6, 2016, at a makeshift memorial near the scene of the fatal warehouse fire in Oakland, California. Photo by Stephen Lam/Reuters.

October 2015: A blaze that broke out during a rock band's pyrotechnics display at the Colectiv nightclub in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, killed 64 people and left some 190 injured.

January 2013: A fire killed more than 200 people at the Kiss nightclub in the city of Santa Maria in southern Brazil. Investigators said soundproofing foam on the ceiling caught fire and released poisonous gases that quickly killed those attending a university party.

December 2009: Some 152 people died when a blaze broke out at the Lame Horse nightclub in Perm, Russia. It started when an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches.


A rescue worker walks past the wreckage of Santika Club in Bangkok on Jan. 1, 2009. A blaze at a top Bangkok nightclub killed 59 people including a Singaporean celebrating the New Year and injured more than 100 others, police said on Thursday. Photo by Kerek Wongsa/Reuters.

January 2009: An indoor fireworks display after a New Year's countdown ignited a blaze in the Santika club in Bangkok, Thailand, killing 67 people and injuring many more. Victims died from burns, smoke inhalation, and from being crushed.

September 2008: A fire killed 44 people at the jammed King of Dancers nightclub in Shenzhen, China, when a stampede broke out after a fireworks show ignited the ceiling.

December 2004: In Buenos Aires, Argentina, a fire killed 194 people at the crowded Cromagnon Republic club after a flare ignited ceiling foam. Club owner Omar Chaban was sentenced to 20 years in prison for causing the deadly fire and for bribery. Others received lighter sentences.


Firefighters carry the remains of a victim through the burnt wreckage of "The Station" nightclub February 21, 2003 in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Authorities at the scene confirmed that the fire had killed at least 65 people and injured at least 170 after being started by an onstage pyrotechnics display during a concert by the band "Great White." Photo by Reuters.

February 2003: A fire at the Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, in the United States, killed 100 people and injured more than 200 others. Fireworks being used by the band set fire to flammable foam inside the club.


A police man looks away from a broken window of the burned out disco "Het Hemeltje" ( Little Heaven ) after a fire ripped through, killing 14 in the early morning of January 1, 2001, in the town of Volendam. Photo by Reuters.

January 2001: A fire at a cafe in the Dutch town of Volendam where people were celebrating the New Year killed 14 people and injured more than 200.

December 2000: A fire that was blamed on a welding accident killed 309 people at a disco in the central Chinese city of Luoyang.

October 1998: An arson attack against an overcrowded youth disco in the Swedish city of Goteborg killed 63 people and left around 200 injured. Four people were later convicted for starting the fire.

March 1996: A fire at the Ozone Disco Pub in Quezon City, Philippines, killed 162 people. A large proportion of the victims were students partying to mark the end of the academic year.


Firemen bring out a body from Happy Land Nightclub in the Bronx after a deadly fire on March 25, 1990. File photo by Mark Cardwell/Reuters

March 1990: An arson attack at the Happy Land nightclub in the Bronx borough of New York City killed 87 people. It started when a man angry with his girlfriend threw gasoline on the club's only exit and set it on fire, then jammed down the metal front gate so people were trapped.

December 1983: A fire at the Alcala dance hall in Madrid, Spain, left 78 people dead and more than 20 injured.

May 1977: A fire at the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate, Kentucky, killed 165 people and injured more than 200.

November 1942: The deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history killed 492 people at Boston's Cocoanut Grove club. The fire at what had been one of Boston's foremost nightspots led to new requirements for sprinkler systems and accessible exits.

April 1940: A fire ignited the decorative Spanish moss draping the ceiling of the Rhythm Night Club in Natchez, Mississippi, killing 209 people. The windows had been boarded up to prevent people from sneaking in.

Hong Kong arrests 21 for corruption in building renovation crackdown

A flock of egrets fly next to burned buildings of the Wang Fuk Court housing complex after the deadly fire, in Tai Po, Hong Kong, China, Nov 30, 2025.
PHOTO: Reuters file

REUTERS
January 02, 2026 

HONG KONG — Hong Kong's anti-graft agency arrested 21 people on suspicion of corruption in relation to renovation work at two residential estates, it said on Friday (Jan 2).

Hong Kong has stepped up a crackdown on corruption linked to building renovation following a fire in late November that ripped through seven high-rise towers and killed more than 160 people.

John Lee, the city's leader, last month set up an independent committee to investigate the fire and the construction industry, and determine whether there was any bid-rigging in the award of contracts.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said in a statement it conducted enforcement operations last week against a triad-linked corruption syndicate associated with building renovation.

The 21 arrested included middlemen, project consultants, project contractors and members of the owners' corporation of the two housing estates, the agency added.

In one of the estates, the contractor involved was suspected of bribing the project consultant and some members of the owners' corporation to obtain a project contract worth HK$33 million (S$5.44 million).

In the other estate, the middlemen allegedly collected instruments of proxy, or authorisation tickets from homeowners "by corrupt means" in an attempt to manipulate votes and win future renovation contracts. It did not elaborate.

"Building maintenance is closely related to the public and involves multiple stakeholders. The ICAC has always attached great importance to corruption in building maintenance," the statement said.


The two estates targeted in last week's operation were in the Kwun Tong district in eastern Kowloon and not related to Wang Fuk Court, the site of the fire that broke out on Nov 26.

The ICAC has arrested at least 11 people in a corruption probe into renovation work at Wang Fuk Court.

Residents reacted with anger to the inferno, which took nearly two days to extinguish. Authorities have said substandard building materials used in renovating the high-rise blocks fuelled the fire.