Free Republic

J-35 Fighter Screenshot. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot. Key Points and Summary – Carefully managed reveals from China strongly suggest its carrier-capable J-35 stealth fighter has entered low-rate initial production and may already be in service with the PLAN. -The “accidental” appearance of multiple J-35s in a state-run CCTV broadcast, followed by official-looking photos of jets with production-style tail numbers and naval aviator markings, points to a deliberate messaging campaign. -While the possibility of a sophisticated disinformation effort cannot be entirely dismissed, the growing body of evidence, including a massive new production facility, indicates that China’s F-35 competitor is on a...

A major funding battle has erupted between the U.S. Navy and the White House over the future of naval aviation. The Trump administration has officially prioritized the Air Force’s F-47 sixth-generation fighter, arguing the U.S. industrial base cannot support the simultaneous development of the Navy’s F/A-XX program.

MASERU, Lesotho —Crowds of women, bundled up in wooly hats and mittens against the sharp winter chill, wait every morning at the gates of a garment factory in Lesotho's capital, hoping that a few among them will be called in to work a shift. But no-one comes out and the factory gates – which bear the name of the Taiwanese company that runs it in red Chinese lettering – remain firmly shut. It's one of the few factories in what used to be called "the Denim Capital of Africa" that's still operating after U.S. President Donald Trump announced in April...

Bangladesh F7 jet crash LIVE: At least 19 people, including the pilot, have died and dozens others are injured after a Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft, a Chinese-made F7 BJI jet, crashed into a school and college campus on Monday. Bangladesh's fire service and security personnel conduct a search and rescue operation after an Air Force training jet crashed into a school in Dhaka on July 21 Bangladesh's fire service and security personnel conduct a search and rescue operation after an Air Force training jet crashed into a school in Dhaka on July 21 Bangladesh Air Force F7 jet crash...

At least 19 people have died and 164 were injured after a Bangladeshi air force training jet crashed into a school campus in the capital, Dhaka. Footage from Milestone School and College in the northern suburb of Uttara shows a huge fire and thick smoke, after the aircraft slammed into a two-storey building. The armed forces said in a statement on Facebook that the F-7 jet experienced a mechanical fault after taking off for a training exercise just after 13:00 local time (07:06 GMT). The pilot was among those killed, the air force added. More than 50 people, including children...

The Musée Guimet, a Paris museum known for its rich collection of Asian art, is facing a lawsuit from several groups who accused the institution of trying to “erase the existence of Tibet.” According to the Agence France-Presse, which first reported news of the complaint last week, the suit centers around a gallery devoted to art from Nepal and Tibet. The museum now notes that the gallery focuses on the “Himalayan world,” not Nepal and Tibet specifically, according to the AFP. Doing so, the groups said, could create “confusion about Tibet’s cultural distinctiveness with the political aim of erasing Tibet’s...

Can China’s New Strategic Bomber Reach Hawaii? The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) took delivery of 15 of China’s new Xian H-6K strategic bombers, Jane’s Defence Weekly reported back in June. This report has now seemingly been confirmed by Chinese state-run media outlets, which noted that “Jane’s Defence was the first media outlet to confirm that the H-6K had formally entered active service.” The H-6K nuclear-capable bomber is an upgraded version of the H-6 bomber, which is a locally built version of the Russian Tupolev Tu-16 Badger that Moscow first deployed during the 1950s. The PLAAF first received a...

TAIPEI--Aggressive military action by China's air force in the East China Sea triggered alarm in Japan that resulted in emergency scrambling by Self-Defense Forces fighter jets on two days in September. Chinese bombers made more than 40 sorties in airspace around the disputed Chunxiao gas field, known as Shirakaba in Japanese. SDF jets were scrambled 12 times, according to Taiwanese military sources. Japanese government sources later confirmed the account. China's action initially was seen as provocative. However, Japanese experts say the exercise could have been part of the Chinese military's readiness in the East China Sea in the event of...

This development could have important effects on China’s next-generation military aviation programs. Chinese researchers are working on a new superalloy cooling technique that could significantly improve the performance and lifespan of high-temperature turbine engine parts. This development could have important effects on China’s next-generation military aviation programs. According to China’s state-run Science and Technology Daily, the innovation may be a critical step toward enabling advanced jet engines, including those designed for sixth-generation fighters and future hypersonic platforms. New superalloy cooling engines Dalian University of Technology in northeast China is researching how superalloy turbine discs are made, according to a report...

The most recent protests, from Friday, were led by Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA). Beyond the pickets, the group, along with a lawyer, have referred Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck, minister for space and for defence Judith Collins and others to the office of the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. Why? Because PSNA believes that Rocket Lab activities may have intentionally contributed to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by Israel.In a statement provided to The Spinoff, a Rocket Lab spokesperson said the company “strongly refutes PSNA’s false and irresponsible claims” and that it is considering its...

Several parents sued Character.ai last year, alleging its chatbots abused their children. One Florida mother wants to hold the company liable for her 14-year-old son’s suicide. Megan Garcia argued in October 2024 court filings that the company wrongly marketed the app as safe for children—while harboring characters that led her son into hypersexualized role-play, encouraged him to spend all his time chatting with them, and talked with him about suicide. A Character.ai bot asked the teen to “come home” to her seconds before his death.STRANGE HUMAN-LIKE RELATIONSHIPS are just one of many ethical concerns posed by generative AI. The technology...

US-based COMSPOC and Swiss firm s2a systems tracked close proximity maneuvers between Shijian-21 and Shijian-25 from June to early July. ============================================================= China has reportedly performed a historic refueling mission in Earth’s orbit. During the mission, two Chinese satellites appear to have docked in geostationary orbit, a report from the South China Morning Post reveals. One then refueled the other, marking an impressive milestone that no other nation has achieved. While China’s space administration has not officially confirmed the operation was a success, a US space observation company observed the two satellites coming together. Refueling technologies are a key evolution for...

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday downplayed US President Donald Trump's threat to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Russia and its trading partners, asserting that Moscow is well equipped to withstand additional sanctions. -snip- "We would like to understand what is behind this statement after about 50 days. Earlier, there were also deadlines of 24 hours and 100 days; we’ve seen it all and really would like to understand the motivation of the US president," he said. Lavrov also said the SCO countries have reiterated their commitment to Iran’s legitimate right to peaceful uses of nuclear energy. "We...

The world needs now “to prepare for the regime [in China] to lash out without warning,” according to China expert Gordon Chang in a report at the Gatestone Institute, where he is distinguished senior fellow and a member of the organization’s advisory board. He cited “rumors” that Xi Jinping is losing control and will lose both his Communist Party and Chinese government posts in the next few months – as well as those who say “little or nothing is out of place and Xi is fine.” “Whatever the truth,” he said, now is the time when Xi may “have reason...

Australia will refuse any US request to join a “hypothetical” conflict with China over Taiwan and won’t make any advance commitment, the defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, has said, amid reports Washington is seeking such promises in discussions over the Aukus submarines. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, also pushed back on such a request, alluding to America’s own position of so-called “strategic ambiguity” on whether the US would militarily respond in a conflict over Taiwan. He said Australia wanted to see “peace and security” in the region. Following multiple reports this week that the Pentagon was seeking guarantees from Australia...

Chinese President Xi Jinping says relations with Australia have “turned around” as the two countries stress dialogue and seek to stabilise trade in the face of global tensions. Xi made the remarks as he hosted Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday. The six-day visit by Albanese – his second as prime minister – aims to boost economic cooperation with Beijing, Australia’s top trading partner. “No matter how the international landscape may evolve, we should uphold this overall direction unswervingly,” Xi said, acknowledging that China-Australia ties had “risen from the setbacks”....

[Catholic Caucus] Communist China intensifies persecution against Underground Catholics in key dioceseUnderground Catholics in the Diocese of Wenzhou have once again faced renewed persecution from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in recent weeks.As Chinese authorities continue to persecute Underground Catholics, the regime has now turned against a priest in the state-sponsored church who has reportedly failed in his required loyalty.Underground Catholics in the Diocese of Wenzhou have once again faced renewed persecution from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in recent weeks, as the regime has continued its push to enact control over the Church in the region.For the CCP it...

US President Donald Trump’s fresh tariff threat for Russia’s allies has not gone down well with China, with the latter hitting out at America’s ‘coercion’ tactics. China has expressed strong disapproval on Tuesday regarding the United States' pressure tactics, following President Donald Trump's warning of "very severe" tariffs against Russia's remaining trade partners if the Ukraine conflict remains unresolved within 50 days. "China firmly opposes all illegal unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction. There are no winners in a tariff war, and coercion and pressure will not solve problems," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian has said according to an AFP...

(Reuters) -The Pentagon is urging Japan and Australia to clarify what role they would play if the U.S. and China went to war over Taiwan, the Financial Times reported on Saturday.Elbridge Colby, the U.S. under-secretary of defense for policy, has been pushing the matter during recent talks with defense officials of both countries, the report said, citing people familiar with the discussions.According to the newspaper, the reported request caught both Tokyo and Canberra off guard, as the U.S. itself does not offer a blank cheque guarantee to defend Taiwan. Colby said in an X post that the Department of Defense...

WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that eight Chinese nationals who obtained student visas to attend college in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Those indicated include: Yankun Jiang, 24, of State College, PA, Hanlin Yang, 24, of State College; Chenhao Chen, 25, of California; Xiaoqing Tu, 24, of California; Dongjie Lu, 35, of California; Lei Bao, 22, of New York; Kuo Zhang, 31, of New Jersey; and Jiacheng Zhang, 25, of Florida.According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, the indictment...