Day: December 13, 2025

How Did the C.I.A. Lose a Nuclear Device in the Himalayas?

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The mission demanded the utmost secrecy. A team of American climbers, handpicked by the C.I.A. for their mountaineering skills — and their willingness to keep their mouths shut — were fighting their way up one of the highest mountains in the Himalayas. Step by step, they trudged up the razor-toothed ridge, the wind slamming their faces, their crampons clinging precariously to the ice. One misplaced foot, one careless slip, and it was a 2,000-foot drop, straight down. Just below the peak, the Americans and their Indian comrades got everything ready:…

China-Africa partnership leaps into the future as Beijing expands market access: envoy

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The Chinese ambassador to Rwanda said on Friday that China-Africa cooperation had expanded into forward-looking sectors such as artificial intelligence, the digital economy, green energy, fintech and sustainable development. While attending the Seventh Africa’s Business Heroes Summit held in Kigali, Rwanda, Gao Wenqi thanked entrepreneurs from China and African nations for expanding cooperation into sectors that “reflect the future trends of the global economy”. “China will continue to broaden market access to Africa,” the envoy said in a speech at the summit on Friday, according to state news agency Xinhua.…

China-built headquarters for 15-member economic bloc strengthens ties with West Africa

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China is cementing its image as a lasting partner across Africa by gifting high-profile infrastructure, such as presidential palaces and parliament buildings. A key example is the new US$32 million Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) headquarters in Abuja. Funded by China and set for handover by the end of January, this centralised complex for the 15-member bloc aims to boost staff productivity and cut operational costs. On December 4, Chinese ambassador to Nigeria Yu Dunhai visited the site to review progress and met Ecowas Commission President Dr Omar…

Beijing protests following reports of Taiwanese official’s secret Israel trip

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Beijing’s embassy in Israel has protested following reports of a secret trip by Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister to the Middle Eastern country. Citing several anonymous sources, Reuters reported on Thursday that Francois Wu Chih-chung had travelled to Israel in recent weeks, though it was not disclosed who he met there. Taipei has not officially confirmed that the visit took place. On Saturday, the Chinese embassy in Israel commented on the visit, stating that Beijing firmly opposed official exchanges between any country it has diplomatic relations with and Taiwan. Advertisement “The…

‘A shift no country can ignore’: where global emissions stand, 10 years after the Paris climate agreement

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Ten years on from the historic Paris climate summit, which ended with the world’s first and only global agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions, it is easy to dwell on its failures. But the successes go less remarked. Renewable energy smashed records last year, growing by 15% and accounting for more than 90% of all new power generation capacity. Investment in clean energy topped $2tn, outstripping that into fossil fuels by two to one. Electric vehicles now account for about a fifth of new cars sold around the world. Low-carbon…

Ishkar, a London hub for Afghan crafts

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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. Columbia Road in east London is home to many emporia. But in Ishkar the wares have a richer backstory than most. The delicate gold necklaces, heavy cotton shirts and hand-knotted rugs are arranged with panels revealing their origins in Afghanistan or Pakistan. “Our goal is simply to place the artisans we work with on the same pedestal as artist-makers in the UK,” says Edmund Le Brun, who founded the business with his…

HTSI editor’s letter: how to give it this holiday season

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Unlock the Editor’s Digest for free Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter. HTSI editor Jo Ellison © Marili Andre There are more than 600,000 objects at the V&A East Storehouse, a vast hangar in Stratford, London, that opened earlier this year. A cornucopia of random items, from John Galliano corsets to grandfather clocks and a fitted kitchen, it holds a vast array of things not currently on display at the various V&A museums.  What is perhaps less known among its patrons (you, the public) is…