List of All Articles with Tag 'st'

Chinese homeowners are losing conviction in their decades-long belief that property is a reliable store of wealth, undermining

The Carolina Panthers traded up for the first overall pick this year and selected quarterback Bryce Young. The early reviews have been positive.The franchise first took the field in 1995 and has had its good and bad times. In 28 NFL seasons, the Carolina Panthers have won six division titles and...

A group of hackers working against the Iranian government have struck again, this time with a second trove of documents obtained from the highest levels of the authoritarian regime. Credit for the attack was claimed by the group calling itself “Ghiam ta Sarnegoun”, or “Rise to Overthrow”. The attack follows a similar episode in early May, when the group defaced the website of Iran’s foreign ministry with messages in support of Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran — a politician-in-exile with backing from many in the west, including in Washington. Among the documents posted in the second attack, which were posted online on 29 May, were directives from the office of Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi. In one, addressed to a top security chief by Mr Raisi’s chief of staff, the president raises clear concerns about ongoing protests in the country that began last year in response to the killing of a young woman in police custody over her supposedly improper headcovering. “In these incidents, in addition to the initial intelligence surprise of the September 1st, in particular the events of October 26, as well as the strikes and riots on November 15, 16 and 17 no prediction and prevention [options] were [presented], and the analysis were based only on general and imprecise estimates and calls in the social media,” reads one letter in part. “To correct this process and prevent repetition of these surprises in the future what has been done? As the failure and end point of the enemy's project were not included on 7 and 8 of December reports of analyzes and predictions,” that letter continues, adding later: “Unfortunately, in recent months, the reports have mostly [been] describing the events of the streets and waiting to discover the surprising devices of the enemies.” Other documents were equally unflattering. A second letter to an intelligence minister again signed by Mr Raisi’s chief of staff laid out known issues with Iran’s intelligence community including “incompetent and dependent managers”, “infiltration”, as well as “marginalisation and demoralisation of revolutionary forces”. The Independent has not verified the documents in-house, although experts with the Computer Emergency Response Team in Farsi (CERTFA) have called the documents posted on 29 May from the latest hack legitimate. Altogether, the document presents a revealing look at a beleaguered government that found itself largely unable to effectively stamp out demonstrations that swept across the nation in response to a major societal episode — in this case, the killing of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, by so-called “morality police” in the country. The assessment could bode poorly for the Raisi government should similar protests emerge in the near future. The NCRI agreed in a statement to The Independent, arguing that the documents showed “the fragile state” of Iran’s security apparatus and “the fear and vulnerability of the regime”. At the same time, other passages betray the Iranian regime’s continued confidence in its ability to evade or otherwise bear the cost of US sanctions, which were snapped back into place under the Trump administration and remain under the presidency of Joe Biden. If more than bluster, it’s a spark of good news for Iran’s government given the State Department and White House’s lack of success in reaching an agreement to reignite the 2015 nuclear agreement and the resulting low chance of those sanctions being dropped. Mr Biden was heard telling a voter on a ropeline late last year that his administration views the accord signed under the presidency of Barack Obama (and his own vice presidency) to be dead. “It is dead, but we are not gonna announce it,” he said at the time, quipping: “Long story.” Read More Voters think Trump is a criminal, Biden is too old and DeSantis is a fascist, new poll finds Leaving Afghan heroes out in the cold is beyond callous – it shames us all Nikki Haley's husband begins Africa deployment as she campaigns for 2024 GOP nomination Blinken seeks to warm up frosty US-China relations in high-stakes Beijing trip Attorney General Garland keeps poker face as firestorm erupts after Trump charges US, China remain at odds on numerous issues as Blinken finishes first day of meetings in Beijing

After appointees of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took over Walt Disney World’s governing district earlier this year, its firefighters were among the few employees who publicly welcomed them with open arms

To understand the challenges China faces in trying to encourage the uptake of electric cars in its vast

Kuwait formed its fifth government in less than a year, naming new oil and defense ministers, as the

Over a dozen women are suing Texas after being denied abortions they say were medically necessary.

Rookie outfielder Jordan Walker made Father's Day (and MLB) history in the St. Louis Cardinals' game against the New York Mets.The St. Louis Cardinals have been nothing but disappointing all season, but there have been faint glimmers of hope hidden beneath the thick smog of despair. On...

One of the team’s best defensive players could be in line for a big payday. Packers pass rusher Rashan Gary has other things on his mind.In his second year as the team’s general manager, Brian Gutekunst made quite a splash during the offseason. That was something many who were famili...

Drugmaker AstraZeneca is drafting a plan to spin off its China business, and listing a separate unit in

Linda Hamilton is heading to Hawkins, Indiana, where she'll join the cast of "Stranger Things" for the popular Netflix series' fifth and final season, according to Tudum.

Three men face federal charges for allegedly vandalizing homes associated with two New Hampshire journalists, authorities said, in suspected acts of retaliation for a published article.