48 h. ago Exiled crown prince’s plan for Iran is mostly aimed at Trump, researchers say

No pursuit of nuclear weapons. Confronting drug trafficking. An immediate recognition of the state of Israel. Exporting copious amounts of oil and gas. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi laid out his aspirations on Thursday for Iran if its theocracy is toppled – and experts say they sound exactly like what US President Donald Trump wants to hear. That plan is probably aimed at trying to secure support to lead Iran if the nationwide protests succeed in ousting the Islamic Republic. Activists...

Politics

48 h. ago Exiled crown prince’s plan for Iran seen as mostly aimed at Trump

No pursuit of nuclear weapons. Confronting drug trafficking. An immediate recognition of the state of Israel. Exporting copious amounts of oil and gas. Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi laid out his aspirations on Thursday for Iran if its theocracy is toppled – and experts say they sound exactly like what US President Donald Trump wants to hear. That plan is probably aimed at trying to secure support to lead Iran if the nationwide protests succeed in ousting the Islamic Republic. Activists...

Politics

8 d. ago China cites Biden’s message to Xi that Japan could build nuclear weapons ‘overnight’

China released an official report on Thursday stating that Japan “may already have produced weapons-grade plutonium in secret” and “has the technological and economic capabilities to achieve nuclear armament in a short period of time”. The report assessing Japan’s nuclear threat cited former US president Joe Biden’s direct message to Chinese President Xi Jinping that Japan had the capacity to have nuclear weapons “virtually overnight”. Biden first disclosed the information in an interview with...

Events

9 d. ago Maduro’s fate in Venezuela hardens North Korea’s nuclear resolve

The US removal of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro from power has reverberated far beyond Latin America. In Pyongyang, where regime survival is the paramount concern and every US action is scrutinised for hostile intent, the deposing of a sitting head of state sends an unmistakable message: dialogue with Washington is a dangerous gamble, and only nuclear weapons guarantee survival. The Venezuela operation may have killed the prospects for meaningful US-North Korea diplomacy in 2026 before they even...

Events

1 week ago Korean peninsula arms race is heating up. How will China react in 2026?

As the new year unfolds, China finds itself grappling with strategic pressures fuelled by two US treaty allies at its doorstep – Japan and South Korea. In the second of a two-part series, Seong Hyeon Choi looks at how competing pressures in the Korean peninsula may complicate China’s security calculus. Read the first part here. In 2025, there was a major shift in China’s security environment relating to the Korean peninsula, as the North grew more open in its push for nuclear weapons and the...

Politics

1 week ago North Korea fires missiles ahead of South Korea leader’s visit to China

North Korea fires missiles ahead of South Korea leader’s visit to China  The Hill

Events

1 week ago North Korea fires missiles towards sea as South Korean leader visits China

North Korea fires missiles towards sea as South Korean leader visits China  Al Jazeera

Events

1 week ago South Korea's Lee begins China state visit after North fires missiles

South Korea's Lee begins China state visit after North fires missiles  Reuters

Events

1 week ago North Korea fires ballistic missiles as South’s leader visits China

North Korea fires ballistic missiles as South’s leader visits China  Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Events

1 week ago North Korea fires ballistic missiles as rival South's leader visits China

North Korea fires ballistic missiles as rival South's leader visits China  Reuters

Events

1 week ago North Korean missile falls near Japan; Takaichi orders safety checks

North Korea fired a ballistic missile off its east coast on Sunday, South Korea’s military said. “The North has launched an unidentified ballistic missile towards the East Sea,” it said, referring to a body of water also known as the Sea of Japan. Japan’s defence ministry also said it detected a possible ballistic missile, which landed at 8.08am. The projectile is believed to have fallen outside Japan’s exclusive economic zone and no damage to ships or planes has been reported, according to a...

Events

1 week ago North Korean missiles fall near Japan; South Korea, Japan on alert

North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles off its east coast on Sunday, Seoul’s military said, its first launch of the year just hours before South Korea’s leader heads to China for a summit. Sunday’s launch follows a US military operation against Pyongyang’s socialist ally Venezuela that snatched President Nicolas Maduro out of his country – for decades a nightmare scenario for North Korea’s leadership, which has long accused Washington of seeking to remove it from power. Seoul’s defence...

Events

2 w. ago Why talk of a Japanese nuclear option is resurfacing – and why it alarms critics

An editorial in the Sankei Shimbun has reopened a long-taboo debate in Japan over whether the country should even discuss acquiring nuclear weapons, after off-the-record remarks by a senior security official arguing the country should have them sparked domestic and regional backlash. The conservative daily argued that growing threats from Japan’s neighbours mean no option for protecting the public should be beyond discussion, a stance that has drawn praise from some on the right and alarm from...

Events

2 w. ago The Pentagon's New China Report: 'Conventional' ICBMs, More Nuclear Weapons and New Aircraft Carriers on the Horizon

The Pentagon's New China Report: 'Conventional' ICBMs, More Nuclear Weapons and New Aircraft Carriers on the Horizon  19FortyFive

Events

3 w. ago Chinese nuclear experts believe Japan could build nuclear weapons in less than 3 years

One of Henry Kissinger’s final and most sobering predictions before his death was that Japan would eventually pursue nuclear weapons. In a 2023 interview with The Economist, Kissinger warned that Japan was “heading towards becoming a nuclear power in five years”. Chinese nuclear experts estimate that Japan has the political motivation but also the technical capacity to develop nuclear weapons in less than three years, echoing Kissinger’s warning that Japan harbours ambitions to revive its...

Events

3 w. ago China condemns Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi's nuclear weapons remark

China condemns Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi's nuclear weapons remark  news.cgtn.com

Politics

3 w. ago Beijing: Japanese official's nuclear weapons remarks 'not isolated'

Beijing: Japanese official's nuclear weapons remarks 'not isolated'  news.cgtn.com

Events

3 w. ago China's Foreign Ministry: Japanese official's nuclear weapons remarks 'not isolated'

China's Foreign Ministry: Japanese official's nuclear weapons remarks 'not isolated'  news.cgtn.com

Events

3 w. ago China: Japan official's remarks about possessing nuclear weapons not isolated incident

China: Japan official's remarks about possessing nuclear weapons not isolated incident  chinadailyasia.com

Events

3 w. ago China urges opposition to Japanese official's nuclear weapons remarks

China urges opposition to Japanese official's nuclear weapons remarks  news.cgtn.com

Events