
U.S. Strikes Set Back Iran Nuclear Program by a Few Months, Initial Report Says
The ongoing Israel-Iran conflict has reignited interest in the stalled Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which aims to transport Russian natural gas to China. Concerns over Middle Eastern oil supply reliability may prompt China to reconsider its energy partnership with Russia, despite previous disagreements on pricing and ownership. Construction could take at least five years if an agreement is reached.

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Business Standard
7 minutes ago
- Business Standard
China Shanghai Composite index surge 1.04%
Asian stocks ended on a cautious note Wednesday after rising sharply in the previous session on Israel-Iran ceasefire relief. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran appeared to be holding but elsewhere, Israel's army said seven of its soldiers were killed in combat in Gaza, where the war with Palestinian militant group Hamas continued. The U.S. dollar struggled to regain lost ground in Asian trade after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell gave balanced comments on prospects for rate cuts. Gold edged up slightly after sharp losses in the prior session. Oil prices jumped nearly 2 percent but held near multi-week lows on the prospect that crude oil flows would not be disrupted. China's Shanghai Composite surged 1.04 percent to 3,455.97 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index jumped 1.23 percent to 24,474.67 amid bets that Fed rate cuts amid a slump in oil prices will weaken the U.S. dollar and spur inflows to Asian markets.


Time of India
13 minutes ago
- Time of India
As Iran Israel ceasefire holds, Tehran-backed hackers begin operations - target US banks, and defense sites
Iran-backed hackers have started targeting U.S. banks, oil companies, and defense firms after American strikes on Iran. U.S. authorities have warned critical infrastructure operators to stay alert for possible cyber threats. Experts say cyberattacks can spread fear and confusion, even without causing major damage. Officials are closely watching for more attacks. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Hacker groups and their actions Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Iran's cyber style Cuts in U.S. cybersecurity FAQs Even though Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire, hackers who support Iran have started attacking U.S. websites. They've gone after big targets like banks, defense companies, and oil industries. Experts are worried things might get worse if the ceasefire breaks or if more hackers join U.S. military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Iranian-backed hackers began targeting American companies. The hackers are mainly attacking U.S. banks, defense contractors, and oil companies. So far, the attacks haven't caused any major damage to important U.S. systems or the economy, according to the report by AP warn things could get worse if the Iran-Israel ceasefire breaks, or if independent hacker groups join in. Arnie Bellini, a tech investor, said Iran, Russia, China, and North Korea may invest more in cyberwarfare now, since hacking is cheaper than using weapons. Bellini also said America is strong in regular warfare but very weak when it comes to digital attacks, "like Swiss cheese."Two pro-Palestinian hacker groups claimed they hit over a dozen U.S. aviation firms, banks, and oil companies. These were denial-of-service attacks, which try to shut down websites or systems by overloading them. One of the groups, Mysterious Team, posted online that they are increasing attacks, as stated in the report by AP Department of Homeland Security issued a warning about increased Iranian cyber threats. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency asked organizations like water plants, pipelines, and power grids to be extra is not as advanced in hacking as China or Russia, but it's known as a 'chaos agent', it uses cyberattacks to steal info, scare enemies, and make political noise. If the ceasefire continues, Iran's official hackers may stop. But independent hacker groups that support Iran could still attack. Some of these hacker groups are linked to Iran's military or intelligence. Others work alone. Over 60 such groups have been tracked, as per the report by AP hacker groups want to create fear, confusion, and economic problems. After the Hamas attack on Israel in Oct 2023, some hackers broke into an Israeli emergency alert app and sent fake nuclear missile may try more spying rather than destruction, like watching what Trump or U.S. leaders do next. Last year, three Iranian hackers were charged for trying to hack Trump's 2020 campaign. Jake Williams said Iran is still likely using its hacking tools to gather intelligence, not just attack, as sated by AP News Trump administration has reduced funding and staff for cybersecurity programs. CISA cut staff who worked on election security and reduced funding for local/state cybersecurity. Gen. Timothy Haugh, head of NSA and Cyber Command, was suddenly fired by strike on Iran's nuclear scientists showed how powerful cyber-espionage can be. Arnie Bellini donated $40 million to help build a new cybersecurity center at the University of South Florida. Bellini said the cyberwar is like a never-ending cartoon chase, 'Wile E. Coyote vs. Road Runner', and the U.S. can't afford to lose, according to the AP News that support Iran, including pro-Palestinian hackers.U.S. banks, defense companies, oil firms, and aviation.


The Hindu
17 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Zelenskyy will sign off on special tribunal to prosecute Russian leaders over Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to formally approve plans on Wednesday (June 25, 2025) to set up a new international court to prosecute senior Russian officials for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The special tribunal will be created through an agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe, the continent's top human rights body. Mr. Zelenskyy is visiting the Strasbourg-based organisation for the first time as part of the announcement. The special tribunal aims to target senior Russian leaders for the 'crime of aggression', which underpins the countless war crimes Ukraine accuses Russian forces of committing since the start of the war in 2022. Existing international courts, including the International Criminal Court in The Hague, lack jurisdiction to prosecute Russian nationals for that specific offense. Since early in the conflict, Kyiv has been pushing for the creation of a special tribunal that goes beyond prosecuting war crimes that Ukraine alleged Russian forces committed — including bombing civilian infrastructure, killing civilians, rape, taking hostages and torture. Russia denies those claims. There are logistical details still to be resolved, including where the court will be based. The Hague has been suggested due to its existing legal infrastructure, but no final decision has been made. Russia does not extradite its own citizens, and whether or not Russian President Vladimir Putin will ever end up in the dock remains to be seen. Under international law, sitting heads of state and certain other top officials — often referred to as the 'troika', including a country's head of state, head of government, and foreign minister — enjoy immunity from prosecution. That means any potential indictment of Mr. Putin could only move forward if he leaves office. There is no statute of limitation on the crime of aggression. The institution will be funded by supporting countries known as the Core Group, including the Netherlands, Japan and Canada. The United States backed the project under former President Joe Biden, but President Donald Trump's administration did not support the initiative.