https://www.scmp.com/rss/522312/feed The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is a U.S. federal government civilian foreign intelligence service, headquartered in Langley, Virginia. Its primary mission involves collecting and analysing global intelligence, conducting covert operations, and providing objective analysis to U.S. policymakers to advance national security. A key member of the U.S. Intelligence Community, the CIA focuses on areas such as counterterrorism and non-proliferation. It is also recognised for developing... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Iran’s government has been degraded since the war began on February 28, but it ⁠appears to be intact and Tehran and its proxies remain capable of attacking US and allies’ interests in the Middle East, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on Wednesday. “The regime in Iran appears to be intact but largely degraded by Operation Epic Fury,” Gabbard said, referring to the US-Israel military campaign against Iran, in her opening statement to the Senate Intelligence Committee’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347085/iran-can-still-attack-us-interests-government-appears-intact-spy-chief-gabbard-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347085/iran-can-still-attack-us-interests-government-appears-intact-spy-chief-gabbard-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:34:49 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse With further negotiations pencilled in with the US and perhaps assuming that any assassination attempt would take place at night, Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei was at his complex in Tehran last Saturday morning. It would be his last. An air strike obliterated the compound in Tehran where a gathering of key decision-makers was taking place, killing Khamenei, his wife and other top officials. As the US and Israel have pounded Iran with thousands of attacks over the last week, some details... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345838/iran-war-what-we-know-about-ali-khameneis-killing-one-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345838/iran-war-what-we-know-about-ali-khameneis-killing-one-week?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:48:02 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Xinmei Shen Lucy Quaggin,Xinmei Shen The CIA released a provocative recruitment video on Thursday targeting Chinese military officers, a move that exposes the underlying tensions threatening a fragile calm in US-China relations ahead of April’s highly anticipated meeting between the two countries’ leaders. The release of the recruitment video comes on the same day US President Donald Trump boasted about his “very good relationship” with China. It is likely to draw the ire of Beijing in the lead-up to the key diplomatic meeting with... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343381/cia-post-new-video-recruit-chinese-military-officers-informants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343381/cia-post-new-video-recruit-chinese-military-officers-informants?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 19:39:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump confirmed on Wednesday that he had authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela and said he was weighing carrying out land operations on the country. The acknowledgement of covert action in Venezuela by the US spy agency comes after the US military in recent weeks has carried out a series of deadly strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. US forces have destroyed at least five boats since early September, killing 27 people, and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3329172/trump-says-hes-authorised-cia-operate-venezuela?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3329172/trump-says-hes-authorised-cia-operate-venezuela?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 21:46:51 +0000 Walter Woon Walter Woon This August marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Asia. Contrary to the narrative often presented by Western commentators, the conflict did not begin in 1941, but in 1937, when Japan invaded China. Unfortunately, this has been forgotten. In a breathtaking display of historical ignorance, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly declared during his first visit to Japan: “We share a warrior ethos that defines our forces. Japan is our indispensable partner in deterring... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3320491/how-historical-amnesia-fuels-us-china-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3320491/how-historical-amnesia-fuels-us-china-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 06:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Justice Department has fired Maurene Comey, the eldest daughter of former FBI director James Comey and the federal prosecutor in the cases involving Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell and music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, two sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. James Comey was fired by US President Donald Trump during his first term in the White House, and he is currently under investigation along with former CIA director John Brennan. Trump has previously attacked... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3318517/trumps-justice-department-fires-ex-fbi-chief-comeys-daughter-federal-prosecutor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3318517/trumps-justice-department-fires-ex-fbi-chief-comeys-daughter-federal-prosecutor?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 03:12:36 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russia launched its biggest aerial attack against Ukraine, a Ukrainian official said on Sunday, part of an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the three-year-old war. Russia fired a total of 537 aerial weapons at Ukraine overnight into Sunday, including 477 drones and decoys and 60 missiles, Ukraine’s air force said. Of these, 249 were shot down and 226 were lost, probably having been electronically jammed. The onslaught was “the most... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3316298/russia-launches-biggest-aerial-attack-start-war-ukraine-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3316298/russia-launches-biggest-aerial-attack-start-war-ukraine-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jun 2025 17:21:02 +0000