In linking Iran to Russia, Healey could be laying ground for hard choices ahead
After a week or so of wearing media coverage about the deterioration of the Anglo-American relationship and the belated decision to deploy Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon to Cyprus, it was time to move the conversation on,On a visit to the UK’s permanent military headquarters in Northwood, north-west London, the defence secretary, John Healey, asked two senior British military officers if there was “any sign of a link between Russia and Iran” in the sprawling conflict that has suddenly engulfed the Middle East,It was obvious Healey knew what answer he was going to get,The night before, it emerged, an unspecified number of drones had struck a coalition base, used by British and other anti-Islamic State forces, in Erbil, northern Iraq,Though there are no reports of serious casualties, it was a relatively rare hit on a western target.
That the drones got through was, the minister was told, a reflection of a greater tactical sophistication – know-how passed from Russia to Iran and its proxies.Lt Gen Nick Perry, the chief of joint operations, acknowledged that the more effective tactics had “proven problematic” as the war entered a new phase.Iran has not collapsed quickly and instead is showing signs of wanting to endure and resist despite the intense bombardment from the US and Israel.However, launch rates of Iran’s feared ballistic missiles have dropped by more than 90% since the end of last month: six were fired at the UAE on Wednesday compared with 137 on the day the war began.As a result, Tehran and its regional allies are shifting towards Shahed 136 and other drones in their effort to inflict economic and military pain on the US and its allies.
Drone launch numbers are also down, but the 39 fired at the UAE on Wednesday – the heavily targeted Emirates publishes the clearest data – still represent a meaningful threat.The Shahed 136, with its distinctive delta wing and noisy engine, was designed by Iran at the beginning of the decade, and then sold to Russia, which needed a new weapon to terrorise Ukraine after its initial attempt at conquest failed.In 2025, Russia fired about 50,000 at its neighbour, endlessly refining how it could use them.There still are distinct limits to Russia’s willingness to help Iran, not least because Vladimir Putin wants Donald Trump’s help in forcing Ukraine to make peace on his terms.But it is hardly surprising that piloting tips appear to have been passed on.
There have been reports, from the US, that Russia is providing targeting information to Iran, though unsurprisingly Putin told Trump on Monday that was not true,By making an active connection between Iran and Russia, Healey links together the war in Ukraine with the war in the Middle East,Support for Ukraine, in its struggle for freedom against Moscow, remains relatively high in the UK – quite unlike the war against Iran, which is so unpopular that even Trump ally Nigel Farage decided to say this week he was against becoming involved,It also gives the defence secretary something else to discuss,Recriminations over the failure to deploy a Royal Navy warship to the eastern Mediterranean before the US and Israel attacked have reached the point where Sir Rich Knighton, the chief of defence staff, is being blamed: there may be a “a fatal collapse” of confidence in him at No 10, according to a report in this week’s Spectator.
In reality, the late dispatch of HMS Dragon is diplomatically embarrassing but not, at least so far, militarily significant,Nevertheless, Healey had to answer questions about whether he had confidence in the head of the armed forces, a man appointed by Keir Starmer only last June,“I have total confidence,” Healey said, the kind of statement that nobody wants to leave as the final headline,A challenge for Healey is that the UK may feel it has to become more militarily engaged in the future, perhaps to protect merchant shipping in the strait of Hormuz, perhaps in the event of an unexpected Iranian escalation,But in the current climate, arguing – as British politicians have done for decades – that greater action is necessary simply to help out the US, is hardly likely to be persuasive in itself.
The idea that there is a covert Russian-Iranian alignment is also one that the UK might like to reinforce in the minds of the White House, though making progress will be difficult.Anglo-American relations have degenerated to the point that Trump is happy to describe Starmer as “not Winston Churchill”, so British politicians may struggle to be listened to.In any event, after Putin had told Trump that Russia was not helping Iran, Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, said: “We can take them at their word.”
NHS and MoD will be urged to buy British tech to drive growth amid Iran crisis
The NHS and Ministry of Defence will be urged to buy British tech, as the government pins its hopes on the benefits of artificial intelligence to kickstart growth in the face of the Iran crisis, Treasury minister Spencer Livermore has said.The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, will restate her economic strategy in a high profile lecture on Tuesday, just as rocketing oil prices have raised fears of higher inflation and weaker growth.Livermore, who works closely with Reeves on policy, said the chancellor will highlight three strategic choices – to get closer to the EU, to strengthen regional policy in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor and by better connecting Northern cities; and to bet big on the benefits of AI.On AI, Livermore said Reeves is keen to “set out the optimistic case”, despite growing fears about the potential impact of the technology for jobs, particularly among young people.“There are massive opportunities here and I think that’s what we want to try to talk about,” he said
Judge blocks justice department from subpoenaing Fed chair Jerome Powell
A federal judge on Friday blocked the justice department from serving subpoenas to Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell in an inquiry purported to be about the management of the central bank’s renovation.Powell disclosed the surprise investigation on 11 January, and described the move as a threat to Fed independence and part of the Trump administration’s attempts to pressure the Fed to cut rates.The judge agreed, saying a “mountain of evidence” suggests the investigation was to pressure the Fed chair to lower rates or resign.“The government has produced essentially zero evidence to suspect Chair Powell of a crime; indeed, its justifications are so thin and unsubstantiated that the Court can only conclude that they are pretextual,” chief judge James Boasberg of the DC district court wrote on Friday.Tom Tillis, a Republican US senator, said on Friday an appeal by the Trump administration in a justice department case involving Powell “will only delay the confirmation of Kevin Warsh as the next Fed chair”
Fake rooms, props and a script to lure victims: inside an abandoned Cambodia scam centre
It is as if you have walked into a branch of one of Vietnam’s banks. A row of customer service desks, divided by plastic screens, with landline phones, promotional leaflets and staff business cards. A seated waiting area and a private meeting room. All of it features the OCB bank’s logo, or its trademark green colour.This is not a genuine bank branch, however
Apple cuts China App Store commission fees after government pressure
Apple announced late on Thursday it would lower the commission fees collected in its App Store in mainland China. The move follows pressure from regulators in the tech company’s second-largest market, as well as global scrutiny of its payment requirements.Fees for in-app purchases and paid transactions will be lowered to 25% from 30% starting on Sunday, Apple said in a statement on its blog for developers.“Apple is making changes to the App Store in China following discussions with the Chinese regulator,” the company’s announcement reads. “As of March 15, 2026, changes will be made to the commission rates that apply to the China mainland storefront of the App Store on iOS and iPadOS
Formula One: Chinese Grand Prix qualifying – live
Verstappen goes P7, pushing his teammate Hadjar down into P8.Here comes Antonelli, setting a 1:32.064! Norris comes through and can’t improve from P3. Now Leclerc… he goes second! Now Hamilton goes P2! It’s all happening, with all eyes now on Russell’s one and only flying lap.Norris has set a new fastest first sector as he looks to get his McLaren back onto the front row
George Russell wins first F1 sprint race of season at Chinese Grand Prix
George Russell won the opening sprint race of the new Formula One season at the Chinese Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver ultimately took a strong win from pole position but only after a fierce to and fro with Lewis Hamilton during the opening phase of the race.Charles Leclerc took second for Ferrari, with Hamilton in third, with the victory for Russell further cementing his position as favourite for the world championship and confirming that Mercedes will be remarkably hard to beat this season.Lando Norris was in fourth for McLaren and Kimi Antonelli in fifth for Mercedes.Max Verstappen, who has struggled with his car all weekend, dismissing it as undriveable at one point, had a poor, slow start and could manage only ninth for Red Bull with his teammate Isack Hadjar in 15th
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