THE world is experiencing its most volatile and dangerous moment in history amid growing fears of major escalations of regional wars.
With Russia planning to attack Europe and the Israel-Hamas war turning into an all-out Middle East crisis, fears of World War 3 have ramped up across the globe.
Which countries could be involved in WW3?
It is feared that Putin's invasion of Ukraine could see Russian troops going beyond Ukrainian borders to launch attacks on Europe, forcing NATO to join the war.
Chief of NATO's military committee Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer has called on the West to "prepare for an era of war", adding that NATO "needs a warfighting transformation".
Britain has said it will send some 20,000 troops to one of NATO’s largest military exercises since the Cold War.
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Focusing on Eastern Europe, the military drill will prepare for potential aggression from Russia.
Just days ago, Bild sourced a bombshell dossier from the German Ministry of Defence that showed a road map of exactly how the Kremlin top might be preparing for a hybrid attack on NATO as early as next winter and a full-blown war next summer.
Moscow could be planning to launch a spring offensive against Ukraine to secure a victory in June, which would then be followed up with hybrid attacks on the West.
Putin may start building up troops across NATO's eastern flanks, trying to destabilise the region and antagonise the West.
And with reports of Putin’s health deteriorating, there are fears that he could turn to nuclear weapons out of desperation.
In either case, any ground offence against NATO would see the West respond, which could be extremely dangerous.
Meanwhile, Putin and North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-un's bond has strengthened over time.
The two have previously vowed to fight a "sacred" battle against the West.
And experts believe the pair could leverage the ongoing conflicts around the world trying to set a new world order.
Kim has also threatened to launch a war against South Korea, which it has labelled as its "top enemy."
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His sister and prominent ally - Kim Yo-Jong - vowed to unleash an "immediate military strike" on the neighbouring country over the "slightest provocation".
And the nuclear arsenal at Kim's disposal is not to be ignored.
Amid rising fears of a third world war come increasing concerns of China launching a full-blown invasion to absorb Taiwan in the Chinese mainland.
Beijing has already threatened to spark "uncontrolled escalation" and all-out warfare over one "misunderstanding", as President Xi Jinping looks to stamp his authority.
Just days ago, Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party swept to victory in their elections - meaning there will now be at least four more years of limited to zero dialogue with Beijing.
The result has sparked concerns that there might be conflict with China if the DPP refuses to resume tense peace talks.
Chinese officials described the 2024 election as a choice "between war and peace" in a chilling warning shot to Taiwanese voters.
The nation is feared to be a major flashpoint between the US and Beijing - with a potential invasion forcing the US to abandon the island or face a full-scale war with China, which could have devastating consequences.
Amid the backdrop of China's imperialistic behaviour in the South China Sea, Xi may also leverage India's territorial disputes with Pakistan to strong-arm New Delhi.
And China may use the opportunity to try and capture Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin - a region that the communist regime wrongly claims to be its own - from India.
In the Middle East, what started as an Israeli retaliation against evil Hamas has now spilled to become a major regional conflict.
Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Lebanon have all been dragged into the conflict as have the UK and US.
Notorious Iran has been ramping up its terror funding to proxies like the Houthis and Hezbollah to create havoc in the region.
And now it has directly stepped its foot in as it blitzed an Israeli spy headquarters in Iraq and attacked targets inside Pakistan with bomb-carrying drones and rockets.
Chances of the Middle East crisis developing into a full-scale war are at an all-time high - and it could see the US and the UK dragged in, resulting in devasting results in the region.
Which country is most likely to survive WW3?
According to experts, New Zealand and Australia are two of the safest countries to survive a devastating World War 3 that would involve nuclear weapons.
Both New Zealand and Australia and surrounded by water on all sides - and have no deep ports to facilitate enemy attacks.
Geopolitically, countries like Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, southern Brazil and Uruguay could be safe havens, since they are far off from the epicentres of wars.
What would happen if World War 3 started?
With the advancement of technology and modern weaponry, World War 3 could be the deadliest of all wars ever fought in the history of mankind.
We could see unparalleled levels of suffering, the displacement of millions, severe food insecurity, and disruption to essential services.
It is predicted that in the event of a nuclear war between the US and Russia, an estimated 99 per cent of the population in the belligerent countries, as well as Europe and China, would die.
Other attacks across the globe could result in catastrophic events - upending the structure of society completely.