World

“The Iran–North alliance represents a four-decade-long partnership driven by shared hostility toward the United States, economic needs, and strategic isolation,” Danny Citrinowicz, a nonresident fellow with the Atlantic Council’s Middle East Programs and former head of the Iran Branch in the Research and Analysis Division (RAD) in Israeli defense intelligence, tells The Cipher Brief. “The Iranians need to rearm and …

Russia is suspected of helping Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, according to a new bombshell investigation. Moscow and Tehran have traditionally enjoyed close relations, that have been reinforced by Russia‘s war in Ukraine. Iran has provided Putin’s army with Shahed drones and given Moscow licence to produce their own versions. Tehran has also given political cover to the Kremlin on …

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Beijing warns Tokyo of ‘further action’ if Takaichi doesn’t budge on Taiwan stand China will take “further measures” against Japan unless its prime minister retracts her controversial comments on Taiwan, the foreign ministry said …

Lawmakers have approved the dismissal of German Galushchenko, who is implicated in a major graft scandal Ukrainian lawmakers have voted to dismiss Justice Minister German Galushchenko, who was implicated in a high-profile corruption scandal last week. Galushchenko, the former energy minister, was accused of lobbying the interests of Timur Mindich, a long-time associate of Vladimir Zelensky, who was charged with …

The phone rang just before midnight. It was early February in 2001 in Mumbai, and Yusuf Hamied, a seasoned chemist at the Indian multinational pharma company Cipla, was at a dinner party. He picked up the phone anyway. A New York Times reporter was on the line, calling to check a rumor: Was Hamied really offering HIV meds for $1 …

Mount Semeru’s eruption in Indonesia has triggered major flight warnings, with ash from the volcano rising to as high as 54,000ft. Dramatic images show plumes of of thick grey ash billowing high into the sky. The Australia Volcanic Ash Advisory has issued a red aviation warning with the public prohibited from engaging in activities within 500 meters of the riverbank …

Eleven survivors of a deadly boat capsize two weeks ago appeared in a Malaysian court on Wednesday, charged with illegally being in the Southeast Asian country, officials said. The accused – nine Myanmar nationals and two Bangladeshi citizens – were among 14 people rescued after the November 6 shipwreck off a Thai island near the Malaysian maritime border. They are …

The US is secretly working on a new proposal to end the Ukraine conflict, Axios reported on Tuesday. The draft was reportedly prepared in close consultation with Moscow and has already been floated to Kiev and its European backers. According to the outlet, the 28-point document draws on principles discussed by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin …

Poland has scrambled fighter jets just hours after a top general warned Russia is preparing for war against NATO. The Eastern European country’s Armed Forces posted on social media details of “preventative” actions taken overnight to secure airspace in parts of Poland close to regions in Ukraine under attack from Russia. It said “necessary” forces and resources were activated, including …

As governments worldwide debate the merits and dangers of digital currencies, India appears poised to launch its own state-backed stablecoin that uses government debt as collateral. Proponents argue that the Asset Reserve Certificate (ARC) could hasten the global drive towards de-dollarisation, lower India’s borrowing costs and create a “virtuous cycle” for public funding by diversifying the country’s investor base. By …