China Launches New War Games Around Taiwan

Dec 30, 2025 -- Today’s top stories: China Launches New War Games Around Taiwan, Russia Signals Peace Talks With Ukraine Are Near—but Gaps Remain, and Trump DOJ Probes Google, Verizon Over DEI Policies.

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By CommonWealth Magazine
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2025-12-30

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China begins war games around Taiwan after US arms deal

China has launched new military drills using the Army, Air Force, and Navy around Taiwan.

The “Justice Mission 2025” drills would place five zones around Taiwan under sea and airspace restrictions for 10 hours from 8:00 a.m. local time, the Chinese military’s Eastern Theatre Command announced.

Taipei accused China of “military intimidation” after Beijing said the exercises were a “stern warning” against separatist and “external interference” forces.

The war games follow a rise in Chinese rhetoric over Beijing’s territorial claims.

The People’s Republic of China has claimed Taiwan through its “one China” policy since the Chinese Civil War forced the defeated Republic of China government to flee to the island in 1949, and has vowed to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s rule, by force if necessary.

The government in Taiwan strongly rejects the Chinese sovereignty claims, saying it is already an independent country called the Republic of China, and that only its people can decide their future.

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Russia says it agrees with Trump that Ukraine peace talks are in 'final stage'

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky celebrated the success of their highly anticipated peace talks on Sunday, revealing they are "very close" to striking an agreement on all but "one or two thorny issues." The President had earlier welcomed the Ukrainian leader to his Mar-A-Lago estate with open arms when he arrived in Florida to discuss a 20-point plan aimed at ending the almost four years of war with Russia.

However, the duo admitted afterwards that they couldn't find a middle ground on some of the most difficult issues, including future ownership of the Donbas region, Ukrainian territory, which it has been fighting to protect throughout the war.

Ukrainian President Zelensky addressed questions about a potential meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and the prospects for negotiations to end the war.

According to the President, current statements from the Kremlin appear contradictory. On one hand, Putin publicly speaks about a supposed willingness for peace, but on the other, Russia continues missile strikes on Ukraine and shows intentions to continue the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's foreign policy advisor, Yuri Ushakov, threw cold water on the current state of negotiations shortly after Trump spoke with Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky.

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Trump's Justice Department probes Google, Verizon over DEI policies, citing fraud law: report | New York Post

The Trump administration is reportedly launching investigations into the use of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in hiring and promotion at companies, including Google and Verizon.

The investigations come under the aegis of the False Claims Act, a statute traditionally used to recover money from companies that overbill the government or inflate the cost of services rendered.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche outlined the initiative in a May memo that directed DOJ officials “to investigate and, as appropriate, pursue claims against any recipient of Federal funds” that based its hiring policies on DEI.

The effort is part of a broader DOJ push to use the False Claims Act as a civil rights enforcement tool, a significant expansion of a law historically aimed at rooting out financial fraud in areas such as defense contracting and Healthcare billing.

Under the Trump administration’s legal theory, companies that certify compliance with Federal anti-discrimination laws while maintaining DEI programs deemed discriminatory could be accused of submitting “false claims” for government payment.

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