Global Disruptions and Rising Tensionsactive

Fluoride is becoming harder to source as the war in Iran places more strain on global supply chains, leading some local governments to reduce their own use of the widely used cavity-fighting agent.  Two major water supply systems in Maryland, which serve the Baltimore and suburban D. C. areas, announced this month they would be temporarily…

Activists organised a protest in solidarity with Palestine on Saturday in Stockholm, Sweden.

President Trump on Saturday renewed his call to “terminate” the filibuster to ensure the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act passes through the Senate as it remains in limbo in the upper chamber. Not passing the Republican-led bill would lead to “the worst results for a political party in the HISTORY of the United…

Klaudia Zakrzewska, 32, was hit at about 4.30am six days ago in Soho in incident that left 58-year-man with life-changing injuries A social media influencer has died six days after a car hit her and other pedestrians outside a nightclub in London, police said. Klaudia Zakrzewska, 32, was injured in Argyll Street, Soho, at about 4.30am on 19 April and was pronounced dead on Saturday. Continue reading...

Claim of nefarious plot draws attention of lawmakers and president – but are disappearances and deaths really linked? Are the disappearances or deaths of at least 11 US scientists, each allegedly connected in some way to space, defense and nuclear research, really linked in a nefarious plot: one that involves the Chinese or other state enemies, or possibly links back to UFOs? A conspiracy theory positing exactly that has roared through sections of the US population in recent weeks, spreading rapidly from the internet into rightwing media and hence into the mainstream press and prompting an inquiry from Congress and questions from Donald Trump. Continue reading...

Hong Kong police have arrested two men in connection with a series of thefts targeting homeless people in Yau Tsim Mong district that involved about HK$142,000 (US$18,100) worth of stolen property. Inspector Frankie Chiu of the district said on Saturday that police had begun to notice a rise in such thefts from early April and had launched an investigation. “Through in-depth investigation, intelligence analysis and extensive review of CCTV, including cameras under the ‘SmartView’ scheme, we...

Hong Kong’s new ban on possessing e-cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, and related products in public places will take effect on April 30. Residents and visitors caught violating the rule could face a fine of up to HK$50,000 (US$6,380) and a maximum of six months in jail. The South China Morning Post looks into the details of the ban, its penalties and what both residents and visitors who use the products should keep in mind to avoid trouble. 1. What is the new ban? From April 30, an...

Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned amid allegations of an affair and directing grants to politically connected individuals. The Secretary of the Department of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, resigned this week following several controversies during her short time leading the agency. However, labor officials say that even though her troubled tenure is over, the US labor authority remains in a state of "constant turbulence." Chavez-DeRemer was under investigation for claims that she had an affair with a subordinate and allegedly misused travel funds, and that her aides allegedly directed grants to politically connected individuals. Her husband was banned from the agency's headquarters due to allegations of sexual assault by at least two staffers.

The South China Morning Post has won 74 awards at the 47th Best of News Design Creative Competition, including three silver and 11 bronze medals. An infographic on Hong Kong’s fencing boom was a stand-out winner in results announced by the Society for News Design (SND) on Friday, earning three silver and one bronze medal. “It’s a great honour to receive these awards that are often called the Oscars of visual journalism. This global recognition reflects the hard work and innovation happening in...

According to a survey conducted by Izi, the majority of Italians are opposed to the idea of the national team replacing Iran. Within the minority who hope for this to happen, a significant proportion are young people.

Relatives of London pupils and German villagers mark anniversary of ‘English misfortune’ that Nazis turned into propaganda coup On 17 April 1936, the bells of St Laurentius church in the Black Forest rang out to guide to safety a group of London schoolboys trapped in deep snow on a mountain hike gone very wrong. Ninety years on to the day, as the bells sounded again, there was hardly a dry eye in the congregation of British relatives and German villagers remembering the night that had brought together their parents and grandparents. The people of Hofsgrund risked their lives heading out with sledges and lanterns in the deadly weather to rescue the party of 27 and their teacher after two boys, fumbling though fog and frozen to the bone, had reached a farmhouse and told its startled inhabitants there were many more of them strewn over the Schauinsland mountain. The Daily Sketch from 20 and 29 April 1936 Continue reading...

SEOUL, April 25 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Saturday criticized Japanese Prime Mi...

Al Hadath reported that the format of the consultations is yet to be determined

Attack in the village of Banjska led to a clash with police that left one police officer and three of the gunmen dead.

The 25-year-old Italian former footballer, Gabriele Vaccaro, died this Friday at the San Matteo Hospital in the city of Pavia, after being attacked with a screwdriver the previous weekend. According to investigations into the case, the young man was reportedly involved in an argument on Sunday outside a nightclub, which led to a street fight that ultimately resulted in his death. Vaccaro, who worked as an employee at a postal sorting center, was attacked in the neck with a blunt object described as a "screwdriver or a punch," according to the newspaper La Repubblica. This is a developing story.

The yuan edged down by 9 kopecks to 10.98 rubles

Kosovo's court sentences two men to life imprisonment and another to a 30-year term for the 2023 attack.

Three Serbs were found guilty of terrorism and involvement in a violent attempt to seize northern parts of Kosovo in September 2023, as part of an armed group that was backed by Serbia.

Protesters gathered in Tokyo on Friday to rally against Japan’s decision to ease decades-old arms export curbs, which critics argue erode the country’s post-war pacifist tradition. The new rules permitting the sale of lethal weapons overseas signal a major shift, as Japan ramps up its defence ambitions and seeks to enter the global arms market in part to boost economic growth. The move, announced this week on Tuesday by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government, has been met with some criticism...

A suspected Chinese underwater drone hauled out of Indonesian waters this month has sharpened global focus on a security race that analysts say has been years in the making across South and Southeast Asia: undersea surveillance. The torpedo-shaped device was found near the Lombok Strait, one of the few deepwater channels through which submarines can transit submerged between the Pacific and Indian oceans and a passage closely watched by the United States and Australia. Beijing said it did not...

According to Andrey Kartapolov, these attempts are "pathetic"

The 38 days of conflict, until a temporary truce was reached, left the US military facing a munitions crisis that experts warn could take years to resolve

The world's largest auto show has opened in Beijing, China, starting on the 24th. Amid concerns about rising gasoline prices due to the situation in Iran, there is a growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs), and various companies are showcasing their latest EV models and highlighting their performance.

The head of Hong Kong’s City University, Professor Freddy Boey Yin Chiang, has resigned with immediate effect for personal reasons, leaving his post two years earlier than expected. The university expressed its gratitude to Boey, a Singaporean, for his contributions to CityU during his three years as president. “The executive committee of the [university’s] council has appointed provost and deputy president Professor Lee Chun-sing as acting president with immediate effect to ensure continued...

Senator Steve Daines will lead a bipartisan US Congressional delegation to China next week, just ahead of a visit by President Donald Trump. The five-member group will arrive on May 1 and visit Beijing and Shanghai, the South China Morning Post reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. The delegation will include first-time visitors to China, the report said, without elaboration. Daines, a Trump ally, said last month that he planned to take a group to China to explore the...

The Central Bank also sold yuan on the domestic market in the amount of 4.6 bln rubles with settlements on April 22

Just weeks before US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Beijing next month, China is sending two giant pandas to Atlanta in what observers describe as a “goodwill gesture” amid persistent tensions that range from trade to broader security issues. In a press release on Friday, the China Wildlife Conservation Association said male panda Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang would travel to the US under a 10-year conservation agreement signed with Zoo Atlanta last year. China’s state media,...

In the global race to decarbonize, Indonesia sits at a crossroads. It is one of the world’s largest coal producers and consumers, and its economic geography tells a stark story: entire provinces — from West Java’s industrial corridors to East Kalimantan’s mining heartlands—are deeply tied to coal. Any serious attempt to phase out fossil fuels […] The post Why Japan should help pay for Indonesia’s coal exit appeared first on Asia Times.

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol on Friday urged South...

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- Nearly 6 out of 10 South Koreans support President L...

Burger King in Japan is tempting franchisees of rival fast-food brands like McDonald’s and Mos Burger by offering them 40 million yen (US$250,000) cashback to jump ship. The offer, under its franchise switching plan, is on the table until 3pm on September 30, according to a statement by the chain issued on Wednesday. Applicants must have been in business for at least three years, submit financial statements for the past three financial years and identify a general manager for the converted...

The Trump administration announced criminal charges, sanctions and multimillion-dollar rewards aimed at combating the scams.

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is on trial, facing charges that include ordering the military to send drones to North Korea in order to create a pretext for declaring a state of emergency. On June 24th, the special prosecution team argued that this constituted an "anti-state crime aimed at creating a state of war on the Korean Peninsula," and requested a sentence of 30 years in prison.

According to Andrey Kartapolov, such plans mean that Russia's relations with France and Poland are going to be even more unfriendly

DeepSeek, the startup behind a low-cost chatbot that sent shockwaves through the AI community last year, has released its highly anticipated V4 model.

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- A special counsel team on Friday demanded a 30-year ...

A US-sanctioned supertanker laden with Iranian oil appeared to be attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, with traffic through the waterway otherwise at a virtual standstill.

Adamant about retaining its runaway lead in supplying smart driving systems in China, Huawei Technologies plans to invest as much as 80 billion yuan (US$11.7 billion) over the next five years to boost computing power essential for training and testing semi-autonomous cars. The massive capital expenditure would enhance the reliability of cars fitted with the Huawei Qiankun ADS autopilot system, as the Shenzhen-based tech giant looked to expand its customer base, said Jin Yuzhi, CEO of Huawei’s...

SEOUL, April 24 (Yonhap) -- A special counsel team on Friday demanded a 30-year ...

Japan’s decision to supply advanced frigates to Australia marks a major step in defense cooperation between the two countries as questions over US commitment in the Pacific coincide with China’s expanding naval reach. Multiple media outlets reported that Australia and Japan signed contracts in Melbourne to launch an A$10 billion (US$6.5–US$7 billion) warship program to […] The post China’s rising threat looms over Japan-Australia frigate deal appeared first on Asia Times.

According to the TV channel, potential US targets could include the Islamic republic’s mine-laying vessels and fast attack craft

An overhaul of listing and trading rules has driven a 16-year-old board for start-ups on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange to an all-time high, and traders believe the listed companies’ above-average earnings growth and exposure to renewable energy will extend the record-setting run. The ChiNext 50 Index of the board’s 50 biggest stocks and the ChiNext Composite Index both broke highs set in 2015 this week, outpacing other equity gauges of yuan-denominated stocks, which have yet to fully recoup their...

General Motors' decision to delay its next-generation full-size electric truck and record over US$7 billion in EV impairments signals a global industry pivot: the company is reallocating resources toward higher-margin internal combustion engine and hybrid vehicles, a move with implications for supply chains, jobs, investor returns, and emissions strategies worldwide.

A 51-year-old man who fainted on a Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong from the UK was pronounced dead on Friday morning. Flight CX216 took off from Manchester and landed at Hong Kong International Airport at 6.35am on Friday. Police said they received a report about the man’s collapse at 6.16am, adding that the deceased had a history of illness. The South China Morning Post has reached out to the carrier for comment.

A Shanghai grandmother has been nicknamed the "telephone booth princess" for her 33 years of service as a public phone booth manager. Shen Yuxiu, in her 80s, manages the city's last staffed phone booth. She maintains two very old landline phones. She arrives at 9 am every day and stays until 8 pm. Despite the booth's location on Fuzhou Road, which connects Shanghai's two most popular tourist destinations, The Bund and People's Square, Shen said that she only earns two yuan (3 US...

At its previous meeting in March, the Bank of Russia cut the key rate for the second time in a row since the beginning of the year by 0.5 percentage points to 15% per annum

Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security   The Big Story  US military intercepts another Iranian ship The U. S. military said on Thursday that its forces seized an Iranian oil tanker in the Indian Ocean overnight as part of the naval blockade approved by President Trump.  © AFP The U. S.…

US President Donald Trump’s close ally, Senator Steve Daines, will lead a bipartisan delegation to China next week, according to sources, even as Washington steps up pressure on Beijing over trade, technological competition, and its ties to Iran, ahead of a closely watched leaders’ summit on May 14-15. According to people familiar who requested anonymity, the five-member delegation led by Daines, a Republican from Montana, will begin its visit on May 1, with stops in Shanghai and Beijing. The...

A coalition of intelligence agencies from eleven countries—including the five nations of the Five Eyes agreement and partners from Europe and Asia—has issued a joint alert describing a significant shift in Chinese cyber espionage tactics. According to the alert, Beijing is infecting common household devices, such as routers and smart cameras, on a large scale to launch attacks against critical infrastructure and Western political institutions. The average citizen is not the target; their devices are being used as a disguise. By operating through thousands of anonymous devices scattered around the world, Chinese hackers are concealing their tracks and making it difficult for their true victims to identify the source of the intrusions. This change in method is significant. For years, Western analysts have ranked China behind Russia in the hierarchy of advanced cyber threats. That landscape is rapidly changing. According to a European intelligence official who spoke to the Financial Times, what is now being observed is a sophisticated use of these devices to mask high-level intrusions, which is qualitatively different from the denial-of-service attacks—massive system blockages—for which these networks were historically used. The mechanism is technically elegant in its perversity. China has compromised tens of thousands of everyday devices around the world by exploiting the fact that individuals and companies…

President Donald Trump says the US is in total control of the Strait of Hormuz during a health-care affordability event at the White House. (Source: Bloomberg)

A Palantir post referencing CEO Alex Karp's book advocated for mandatory military service and stronger relationships between Silicon Valley and the Pentagon, while criticizing "hollow pluralism" and warning of a new AI arms race. However, Palantir is only one of the tech companies blurring the lines between Silicon Valley and Washington, and growing too large and too quickly for traditional oversight.

As part of World Book Day, President José Antonio Kast inaugurated the renovation of the Balmaceda Literary Café on Thursday. The building, located in Providencia, was vandalized during the social unrest of 2019. During the event, the President delivered a speech in which he emphasized the fight against violence and praised the work of the current mayor, Jaime Bellolio, and his predecessor, Evelyn Matthei, for the reconstruction of the building. "Inside this place, we will see images of how a building was attacked, how something that served everyone was destroyed, and it is extraordinary that the former mayor decided to rebuild it, to recover it. That is why we should applaud Evelyn Matthei for having the courage to say, 'Violence will prevail.' Let's give another round of applause to Mayor Bellolio because both of them took a risk," Kast said. "And the question one asks is, why would someone want to destroy a place like this? What is the meaning of that irrational violence? That hatred, which was reflected in a wall, in a window, to the point of burning the books," the President continued. "This is irrational violence; it makes no sense, but for some, it does make sense... it is what we unfortunately see today in some educational institutions. Why do they want to destroy an educational institution? What is the purpose? To prevent young people from being educated, from acquiring all the knowledge they need..."

The decision, driven by President Donald Trump, marks a shift in the country's drug policy.

On April 23rd, U.S. President Trump posted on social media: "I have instructed the U.S. Navy to shoot down and destroy any vessel, even small boats, found to be laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz. There must be absolutely no hesitation."

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Wednesday criticized the Trump administration's potential bailout of Spirit Airlines. "This is an absolutely TERRIBLE idea," Cruz wrote on the social platform X regarding the deal. Bloomberg reported that under the deal, the administration could own as much as 90 percent of the airline, which has filed for bankruptcy twice.

A court in Kosovo will issue its verdict on Friday in the trial of three Serb men accused of involvement in a deadly attack on police in 2023. According to the indictment, Serbia is also in the dock.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has been penalized US$166 million by Hong Kong regulators over its audit of China Evergrande Group.

Climate experts and advocates warn House and Senate bills will protect polluters at the cost of the climate Republican lawmakers are attempting to shield big oil from having to pay for its contributions to the climate crisis, alarming environmental advocates. New House and Senate bills, led by Harriet Hageman, a Wyoming representative, and Ted Cruz, a Texas senator, respectively, would give oil and gas companies broad legal immunity from policies and lawsuits aimed at holding the industry accountable for damages caused by its emissions. Continue reading...

A data breach at Yau Yat Chuen Garden City Club has compromised the personal information of more than 9,000 people, Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog has found, urging organisations to review security measures and update software to close loopholes. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data on Thursday also released a guide for parents and teachers to safeguard children’s online privacy amid increasing risks facing youngsters online. Revealing the data breach, Privacy Commissioner for...

The inside story on the Asia tech trends that matter, from Nikkei Asia and the Financial Times

US Central Command also said that American forces have instructed 31 vessels to turn around or return to port as part of the blockade against Iran.

Soft power is notoriously difficult to quantify, but it's hard to deny that global soft power has been steadily shifting toward East Asia in recent decades. A few years ago, I wrote a post about how South Korea became a cultural superpower intentionally, while Japan became one by accident. The big question then was: […] The post Is China’s soft power rising, or is America’s just crumbling? appeared first on Asia Times.

Government advisors are calling for a review of rules that result in a loss of household income when a child participates in job training. Young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are missing out on valuable job training opportunities due to a little-known welfare "apprenticeship penalty" that can cost their families up to £340 per week. The problem stems from benefit rules that classify a 16-year-old apprentice as an "independent worker" who no longer requires parental support. Consequently, the parents' child benefit and the child and disability elements of universal credit are withdrawn.

Senate Republicans on Wednesday defeated an amendment sponsored by Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N. M.) to create a reserve fund to lower grocery costs and reverse an estimated $187 billion in cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program enacted by last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Two vulnerable Republican senators — Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine)…

New York City Council member Chi Ossé (D) was arrested on Wednesday during a protest to stop a city resident from being evicted from her home. Ossé was later released, telling reporters outside the New York City Police Department’s 79th Precinct that three men “manhandled” him, The Gothamist reported. “It takes a lot to lift…

It has been revealed that American Airlines Group, a major U.S. airline, and Alaska Airlines Group are considering strategic partnerships. In light of the current situation in Iran, which is causing a surge in the price of aviation fuel, there is a possibility that industry restructuring efforts will become more active in the future.

The Central Command of the US Armed Forces denied that several commercial ships had evaded the blockade

Navy Secretary John Phelan is stepping down from the job “effective immediately,” Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell said in a post that gave no reason for the decision.

The Trump administration is considering a rescue deal for Spirit Airlines, a company that filed for bankruptcy twice within the past two years, The Wall Street Journal reported.  On Tuesday, President Trump, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick met to devise a plan to bring back Spirit Airlines from the brink of…

The United States has halted dollar shipments to Iraq’s cash-based economy in an effort to force the Baghdad government to distance itself from Iran. The money comes from Iraq’s oil revenues.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy addressed concerns that the department's modernization efforts might replace human air traffic controllers with artificial intelligence tools. In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Duffy stated that he sees potential for AI to improve the safety of the nation's airspace, while emphasizing that human controllers will continue to have the final say in critical decisions.

Following a mandate from the Ministry of Finance, led by Jorge Quiroz, requiring each government agency to reduce its budget by 3%, these organizations have accelerated their search for ways to avoid spending. This includes the Presidency of the Republic, where savings are planned in areas such as personnel costs, current transfers, and consumable services, among others. This information is revealed in a response to a request made under the Transparency Law by La Tercera, which details where the $706.531.000 (approximately $1.8 million USD) corresponding to the 3% reduction of the initial budget of $23.551.017.000 (approximately $61.5 million USD) for 2026 will be cut. For example, there will be a reduction of $238.305.000 (approximately $625,000 USD) in personnel costs. This reduction represents 2.2% of the total allocated for personnel expenses, which amounts to $11.343.556.000 (approximately $29.6 million USD) for the entire year. In the Presidency, some employees have already been let go. This includes payments to permanent staff, contractors, and honorariums. Various public entities, not just the Presidency, are considering potential layoffs as a way to reach the 3% reduction target. Salary reductions are also being considered, although further details are not provided in this particular case. The largest reduction will come from current transfers, with an adjustment of $300 million (approximately $785,000 USD), which, according to the details provided, corresponds to payments for "support for presidential events." According to the 2026 Budget Law, $3.960.617.000 (approximately $10.3 million USD) is allocated for this purpose…

The European Commission’s flash consumer-confidence indicator for the eurozone was minus 20.6 in April, its lowest level since December 2022, down from minus 16.4 in March.

From the National Congress, the leader of the People's Party (PDG) parliamentary group, Juan Marcelo Valenzuela, announced that they will support the general framework of the National Reconstruction bill, following a meeting with the Minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, José García Ruminot. In detail, Valenzuela explained that the executive branch had received requests from the party to include the reimbursement of VAT on medications and a reduction in VAT on diapers. "The goal is for the middle class to be the central focus of this reform. The government has agreed to include the VAT reimbursement for medications and diapers, and also to maintain the 12.5% tax rate for our hardworking small and medium-sized enterprises, which represent the middle class very well," the parliamentarian detailed. The deputy also stated that this meeting would be "the first step of many to help alleviate the financial burden on all Chileans." For his part, García Ruminot thanked the People's Party for considering the measures proposed in the National Reconstruction bill. "We deeply appreciate the People's Party, not only for their willingness to support the legislative initiative, but also for their genuine and profound concern for social issues. We have also heard the People's Party, along with many other political forces, regarding the tax rate for small and medium-sized enterprises. These businesses have been advocating for a reduction in the current 12.5% tax rate...

Day of action to support workers set for 1 May – who is organizing May Day Strong, and how can people join? Anyone who attended one of the 3,000 No Kings protests in March might have learned of the latest effort to protest against Trump administration policies: May Day Strong. The single-day protest on 1 May is taking its cue from the massive day of action that shut down Minneapolis in January by asking Americans not to shop, work or go to school. Rallies, marches and teach-ins will also take place across the country. Continue reading...

PLA warships transited sensitive international waterways off southwestern Japan twice this week, a rare move seen as a clear warning to Tokyo over its recent actions relating to Taiwan. The transits marked the start and end of exercises in the western Pacific, outbound through the Yokoate Channel on Sunday and back via the Yonaguni-Iriomote Waterway on Wednesday. In a statement on Wednesday, the Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army said: “[We] have organised the 133rd Fleet to...

The United Nations voiced alarm on Wednesday at the number of people being executed in Singapore for drug-related offences, saying it was incompatible with human dignity. UN rights chief Volker Turk said there had been a general shift away from the use of capital punishment in Asia, and Singapore was one of only a few countries imposing the death penalty for drug-related crimes not involving intentional killing. The death penalty is mandatory in Singapore for drug trafficking above certain...

It has been revealed that the Hong Kong government has filed a request with the court to seize assets worth over 2.5 billion yen (approximately $17 million USD) belonging to Jimmy Lai, the founder of the Hong Kong newspaper "Apple Daily," who was sentenced to prison for violating the Hong Kong National Security Law and other charges.

The volume of foreign currency sales on the domestic market with settlements dated April 20 also amounted to $61.05 mln

A US appeals court ruled on Tuesday that Texas can require the Bible’s Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools, a win for Christian conservatives who want their faith in classrooms. The 120-page decision by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals came in response to the legal battle that sprang up after a Texas law, Senate Bill 10 (SB10), required the scripture be posted in every classroom – which met legal challenges from families of diverse faiths with children in public schools. The...

A combination of deep reserves, aggressive energy conservation efforts and savvy diplomatic efforts have allowed countries such as China, Japan and South Korea to weather the energy shock so far.

South Korea's Gangwon Province is accelerating the development of a semiconductor cluster centered on Wonju, Chuncheon, and Gangneung, aiming to build a full ecosystem. Global supply chains could gain a new hub built on strengths in smart medical semiconductors, geographic proximity to major fabs, and growing Taiwan partnerships that may diversify sourcing and innovation.

A year ago, after more than a decade in the United Kingdom and several years in the United States – including time working for the United Nations in New York City – I returned to Asia and arrived in Hong Kong expecting it to also be a leading hub for international relations. Hong Kong is often described as a “superconnector” between China and the world. Yet in one crucial domain – the study and practice of international relations – the city remains a paradox: globally connected, intellectually...

Andrew Hugg, a US nuclear scientist was allegedly escorted out of the Pentagon after a video showed him allegedly sharing sensitive information with a stranger.

Washington is demanding that the Baghdad government dismantle Iran-backed Iraqi militias that have been attacking Americans and U. S. sites there recently.

The Pentagon on Tuesday denied a report by shipping journal Lloyd’s List of 26 Iranian ships bypassing the U. S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz to export Iranian cargo to countries across the globe. The London-based firm, which offers intelligence services to shipping companies, released a report on Monday saying the 26 ships, including…

President Trump’s $1.5 trillion defense budget request includes a new “presidential priorities” category, earmarking $750 billion for the likes of the Golden Dome missile defense system, drones, artificial intelligence and building up the defense industrial base, Pentagon officials said Tuesday. With a 42 percent increase in the Defense Department’s funding from last year, the requested…

Justice department’s focus seems to be on SPLC’s prior use of paid informants to monitor hate groups, group’s CEO says The Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a prominent civil rights organization, the group’s CEO said on Tuesday. Bryan Fair, the CEO of the SPLC, said the details of the investigation were not entirely clear, though “the focus appears to be on the SPLC’s prior use of paid confidential informants to gather credible intelligence on extremely violent groups”. Continue reading...

The South Korean military has revealed that North Korea is constructing military roads north of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), intended for use in emergency situations. South Korean media reports suggest that the purpose of this construction is to once again demonstrate North Korea's hostile stance towards the South.

Buyers of illicit fuel in Hong Kong could face a maximum penalty of HK$1 million (US$127,687) and one year in prison under proposed legal amendments aimed at curbing illegal refuelling amid surging global oil prices, the South China Morning Post has learned. According to a government source, the Security Bureau has also proposed tougher penalties for sellers, increasing the maximum fine for a first conviction from HK$100,000 to HK$3 million and raising the maximum jail term from six months to...

This article was first published by ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. March unfolded like a stress test for US counterterrorism authorities. The month opened with a gunman in an Iranian-flag shirt killing three people at a bar in Texas. Then, an attack with homemade explosives outside the mayor’s mansion in New […] The post The US counterterrorism czar without a counterterrorism plan appeared first on Asia Times.

According to INDOPACOM, the US military will "pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit networks and interdict sanctioned vessels providing material support to Iran"