A weekly deep dive into the latest spy stories and intelligence updates from across the globe. We spotlight the hidden dynamics driving security crises, geopolitical maneuvering, and covert operations—all with a sharp, unvarnished perspective. From cyber threats to clandestine influence campaigns, this episode pulls together the week’s most critical developments, cutting through the noise and spin. Join us as we uncover the storylines shaping tomorrow’s conflicts, power plays, and intelligence battles.

Strap in—today’s episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast takes you straight into the heart of Beijing’s latest power plays, military theatrics, and regional chess moves. The pace isn’t slowing down; it’s accelerating. We’re talking aircraft carriers, nuclear posturing, tech espionage, and a deadly Hong Kong fire that’s testing Beijing’s grip just as much as its image.

We kick off with China’s latest warning shot—literally and figuratively—toward Japan. The People’s Liberation Army wrapped up five days of intense naval and air drills in the Bohai Strait and Yellow Sea, featuring the brand-new Fujian aircraft carrier in its first at-sea training. The symbolism? Crystal clear. The Fujian is Beijing’s statement piece: “We’re here, we’re modern, and we’re ready.” Add in the Sichuan, a next-generation amphibious assault ship built for far-sea operations, and you’ve got a Navy that’s no longer playing defense. Japan’s missile deployments near Taiwan have officially entered the crosshairs, and China’s rhetoric is getting sharper by the hour.

Then it’s nukes. Beijing’s new white paper lays bare an ambitious modernization of its nuclear forces—launch-on-warning systems, hardened silos, and mobile launchers designed for survivability. It’s the “no-first-use” policy with a side of plausible deniability. And while Beijing denounces Washington’s “Golden Dome” missile defense plans as destabilizing, it’s building its own counter-systems at warp speed. The world’s watching, and the arms race is looking more digital, orbital, and immediate than ever.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te isn’t blinking. He’s appointed U.S.-educated strategist Dr. Hsu Szu-chien as vice defense minister to push through a $40 billion defense reform. Think AI-driven command grids, drone fleets, and domestic missile production. Add President Trump’s deliberate silence after his latest call with Xi, and you’ve got a game of poker where no one’s folding—just raising.

We also take you through Southeast Asia, where Thailand and Vietnam are sliding closer to Beijing’s orbit. From Huawei and ZTE’s 5G wins in Hanoi to China’s growing investment in Thai infrastructure, the region’s tilt is unmistakable. But there’s resistance brewing, too—Bangkok’s new tariffs on Chinese imports are a quiet act of rebellion against economic domination.

Finally, a deadly blaze in Hong Kong exposes cracks in China’s “stability-first” model, while a drone strike on the Tajik-Afghan border kills three Chinese nationals, reminding everyone that Beijing’s global reach comes with real-world risks.

From carriers to cyber, nukes to neighbors—this episode’s packed. Listen in for sharp analysis, fast context, and the kind of insider energy only Restricted Handling delivers.

Welcome back to The Restricted Handling Podcast — your unfiltered, high-energy, intelligence-style breakdown of global power plays, backroom deals, and battlefield shocks. In today’s episode, we dive into the chaos surrounding Donald Trump’s controversial 28-point peace plan for Ukraine — a deal that blindsided Europe, thrilled Moscow, and left Kyiv caught between a rock, a hard place, and a drone strike.

This one’s packed with the kind of intrigue you can’t make up: Trump’s envoy and real estate pal Steve Witkoff — yes, that Witkoff — is back in Moscow, shaking hands with Vladimir Putin after being caught on a leaked call coaching the Kremlin on how to flatter the former president. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio is playing cleanup in Geneva, trying to convince furious European leaders that they still matter. Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Britain’s Keir Starmer, and France’s Emmanuel Macron are scrambling to rewrite the rules before the U.S. and Russia finalize a plan that could reshape Europe’s borders — again.

On the ground, Ukraine’s military is still fighting tooth and nail. Putin claims Russian troops now control 70% of Pokrovsk, while Ukrainian drone units are turning the skies over Samara into fireworks, striking deep inside Russian territory and hitting a major Rosneft refinery for the third time in two months. Kyiv’s also dealing with domestic drama as anti-corruption agents raid the home of Zelenskyy’s right-hand man, Andriy Yermak, right in the middle of negotiations.

Europe isn’t just battling diplomatic whiplash — it’s battling itself. Belgium’s warning that using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine could torpedo peace efforts, while Hungary’s Viktor Orbán is cozying up to Putin under the guise of “energy talks.” Add in collapsing Russian industry, spy arrests in France and Poland, and AI-fueled Kremlin disinformation in Latin America, and you’ve got the makings of a geopolitical circus that feels more Bond villain than diplomacy.

We’re talking lasers in Greenland, drones over Donbas, and a Europe that’s finally realizing this isn’t a Cold War reboot — it’s a live stream.

If you want a fast, sharp, and slightly irreverent take on what’s really happening behind the headlines — from Trump’s peace gamble to Putin’s propaganda — this episode is your classified briefing with a caffeine hit.