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Beijing’s Show of Force: China Launches Major Drills Around Taiwan

  A ship fires a weapon during drills east of Taiwan in this screenshot from a video released by the Eastern Theater Command of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Dec. 29, 2025. China has initiated large‑scale military exercises around Taiwan, framing the operation as a direct warning to what it calls separatist forces and foreign supporters. The drills, conducted by the Eastern Theatre Command, involve naval vessels, fighter jets, and missile units operating across multiple zones encircling the island. According to Chinese military statements, the exercises are designed to test joint combat readiness and simulate scenarios such as blockades and precision strikes. The move follows heightened tensions over international engagement with Taiwan, including recent arms sales and diplomatic exchanges that Beijing views as challenges to its sovereignty claims. Taiwan’s defense ministry denounced the drills as coercive and destabilizing, placing its military on alert and trac...

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Global Outage Sends Markets Tumbling: S&P/TSX and U.S. Indices Drop


The S&P/TSX composite index closed lower on Friday, reflecting a broader downturn in global markets. The index fell by 36.37 points to settle at 22,690.39. This decline was part of a larger trend, as U.S. markets also experienced significant losses.

The downturn was largely attributed to a global outage caused by a faulty software update from CrowdStrike, which affected numerous companies and organizations worldwide. In the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 377.49 points to 40,287.53, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite indices fell by 39.59 points and 144.28 points, respectively.

The Canadian dollar also saw a slight decrease, trading at 72.85 cents U.S., down from 73.01 cents U.S. on Thursday. Commodity markets were not spared, with crude oil prices dropping by $2.66 to $78.64 per barrel, and gold prices falling by $57.30 to $2,399.10 an ounce.

This market reaction underscores the interconnected nature of global financial systems and the widespread impact that technological disruptions can have on economic stability.


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