World

What could happen if the US strikes Iran? Here are seven scenarios

What could happen if the US strikes Iran? Here are seven scenarios48 minutes agoShareSaveFrank GardnerSecurity correspondentShareSaveEPAUS President Donald Trump and Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali KhameneiThe US appears poised to strike Iran within days.
While the potential targets are largely predictable, the outcome is not.
So, if no last-minute deal can be reached with Tehran and President Donald Trump decides to order US forces to attack, then what are the possible outcomes?
Let's look at both ends of the spectrum here: from the best, or rather the “least bad”, to the worst.
1. Targeted, surgical strikes, minimal civilian casualties, a transition to democracyUS air and naval forces conduct limited, precision strikes targeting military bases of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Basij unit – a paramilitary force under the control of the IRGC – ballistic missile launch and storage sites as well as Iran's nuclear programme.
An already..

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Largest Dinosaur Footprint Discovery: Researchers find 1.7m print in Australia

Australia uncovers the world’s largest dinosaur footprints from 130 million years ago (Image source: National Geographic) Researchers have found some of the biggest dinosaur footprints ever. They are so huge that an adult could curl up inside one without a problem. It’s wild to imagine, honestly. This kind of find really turns our old ideas about prehistoric life on its head. This ancient print was uncovered along the Dampier Peninsula in Western Australia and is given the title of “Largest dinosaur footprint” by Guinness World Records. They are embedded in fossil-rich sandstone that dates to the Early Cretaceous, which was roughly 130 million years ago. The site stands out because the prints aren’t just massive; they’re deep and come in all kinds of shapes, showing off the variety of dinosaurs that wandered through this part of northwest Australia. It’s more than just proof of some truly gigantic creatures. These tracks give us a real peek into the world of Gondwana, the ancient south..

World

‘Don’t take us to a hospital’: Iran protesters treated in secret to avoid arrest

'Don't take us to a hospital': Iran protesters treated in secret to avoid arrest14 hours agoShareSaveSoroush PakzadBBC PersianShareSaveBBCX-rays showed birdshot embedded in the legs of a wounded protester”People helped us and we got into a car… I said, 'Don't take us to a hospital.'”
Tara and her friend were attending a protest in the central Iranian city of Isfahan when security forces arrived on motorcycles and began shouting at the crowd.
“My friend told an armed member of the security forces, 'Just don't shoot us,' and he immediately fired several shots at us. We fell to the ground. All our clothes were covered in blood,” she said.
They were bundled into a stranger's car, but Tara said they were too frightened to be taken to the hospital because of the risk of being arrested. “All the alleyways were full of security forces, so I asked a couple standing at their front door to let us in.”
They stayed at the couple's home until ..

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Dubai gold breaks the records: Prices shatter Dh630 ceiling in historic monthly surge

Dubai gold prices have officially broken all records, surging past Dh630 per gram / AI Image The “City of Gold” has officially entered uncharted territory. On Wednesday, January 28, 2026, Dubai gold prices shattered all previous records, with 24-karat gold soaring to a staggering Dh632 per gram. This historic peak follows a relentless rally that has seen the precious metal gain more than Dh111 per gram since the beginning of the month.To put this explosive growth into perspective, gold was trading at just Dh520 on New Year's Day; in less than 30 days, the market has witnessed a near 20% increase, marking one of the steepest and fastest price climbs in the history of the UAE retail market.Gold prices in DubaiThe surge isn't just limited to gold. The entire precious metals sector in Dubai is seeing significant movement as investors look for alternatives to traditional stocks and currencies. Below are the retail rates for today:Metal Type / PurityPrice per Gram (AED)Monthly Tren..

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Villages buried, dozens trapped: 34 killed in Indonesia landslides; deforestation blamed

Photo released by Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) rescuers search for victims in Pasir Langu village after a landslide, in West Bandung district of West Java province, Indonesia, Monday (Credit: AP)

A devastating landslide in Indonesia's Pasirlangu village has claimed 34 lives, with 32 people still missing. The disaster, triggered by heavy rainfall last week, destroyed dozens of homes and forced over 650 residents to evacuate. Rescue teams are carefully searching the unstable area in West Bandung, Java island, amid fears of further landslides.”The identified bodies will be handed over to the victims' families for burial,” said national disaster mitigation agency spokesman Abdul Muhari on Tuesday evening. Local officials worry the number of missing people could be much higher than reported.The landslide has severely damaged more than 50 houses in the mountain village. Rescue workers are using both manual methods and heavy machinery to search for s..

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Russia accused of ‘terrorism’ as five killed in attack on Ukraine train

A Russian drone strike has killed five people aboard a passenger train in northeastern Ukraine, prosecutors confirmed on Tuesday, an attack President Volodymyr Zelenskiy condemned as an act of terrorism.
The assault, which set the train on fire, occurred just hours after a separate barrage of Russian drones targeted the southern city of Odesa overnight, killing three and injuring 25. These incidents underscore Moscow's escalating campaign of strikes, seemingly aimed at compelling Kyiv to cease hostilities.
Meanwhile, the capital Kyiv continues to grapple with the aftermath of last week's attacks, with Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal reporting that 710,000 residents remain without power. This ongoing targeting of energy infrastructure forms part of Russia's winter offensive, even as Ukraine faces international pressure to agree to a US-backed peace deal to end the nearly four-year conflict.
In northeastern Kharkiv Region, prosecutors said fragments of five bodies had been ..

World

Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquid during town hall

Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar attacked with unknown liquid during town hall16 minutes agoShareSaveHelen SullivanandAna Faguy,MinneapolisShareSaveWatch: Moment Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar is attacked at town hallMinnesota Representative Ilhan Omar was attacked with an unknown substance at a town hall she was hosting on Tuesday, when an audience member used a syringe to spray liquid at her, Minneapolis police said.
Omar was uninjured and continued to speak. “I'm ok. I'm a survivor so this small agitator isn't going to intimidate me from doing my work. I don't let bullies win,” she later wrote on X.
The liquid sprayed on Omar had a sour smell that was similar to a chemical product, according to a BBC journalist in the room.
Anthony James Kazmierczak, 55, has been charged with third degree assault and is being held in custody, according to the local sheriff's office.
AFP via Getty ImagesDemocratic Rep Ilhan Omar represents the fifth Congressional Distr..

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Nipah cases in India raise regional anxiety but experts say wider spread unlikely

AdvertisementIndiaThis Week in AsiaHealth & EnvironmentNipah cases in India raise regional anxiety but experts say wider spread unlikelyThe virus’s high fatality rate has prompted precautionary measures across Asia, even as analysts say the outbreak remains limited
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPBiman MukherjiPublished: 3:14pm, 28 Jan 2026A small cluster of Nipah virus infections reported in eastern India has sparked regional anxiety because of the disease’s high fatality rate, prompting countries across Asia to tighten health screening ahead of the Lunar New Year travel rush, even as experts say the outbreak is likely to remain contained.That assessment follows confirmation by Indian authorities of two Nipah cases in West Bengal, but analysts have said the limited numbers, combined with the time that has passed since the infections were detected, point to a contained outbreak rather than an escalating public health threat.
The cases have nevertheless prompted precautionar..

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Nipah virus alarms China, semiconductor fibre breakthrough: 7 science highlights

AdvertisementSCMP HighlightsChinaScienceNipah virus alarms China, semiconductor fibre breakthrough: 7 science highlightsFrom PLA developing quantum weapons to China’s dark matter breakthrough, here are some highlights from SCMP’s recent science reporting
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPSCMPPublished: 3:00pm, 28 Jan 2026We have put together stories from our coverage on science from the past two weeks to help you stay informed. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing.1. China’s Shenzhou-20 spacecraft returns to Earth broken and unbrokenChina’s Shenzhou-20 spacecraft returned to Earth with no astronauts inside – just metal, heat and a cracked window – touching down at the Dongfeng landing site in Inner Mongolia on Monday.
2. Nipah virus outbreak in India sparks worry in China before Lunar New YearHealthcare workers in the southern Indian state of Kerala wear protective gear as they attend to a man with symptoms of the Nipah virus in Septembe..

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Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin accused of ‘act of terrorism’ after five killed in passenger train attack

CloseNATO warns Ukraine faces 'harshest winter' as Russia targets energy gridVolodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian president Vladimir Putin of an “act of terrorism” after an attack on a Ukrainian passenger train killed at least five people.
“In any country, a drone strike on a civilian train would be regarded in the same way – purely as an act of terrorism,” Zelensky said.
The war-time president said there was no “military justification” in Russia’s targeting civilians. He added that there were 18 people in the carriage that was hit and over 200 on the train in total.
The attack was in contrast to US president Donald Trump’s remarks just a few hours earlier when he said “very good things” were happening in efforts to bring peace to Ukraine, as US-brokered peace talks are set to continue this Sunday.
His comments follow trilateral discussions in Abu Dhabi over the weekend, which Zelensky said were “constructive”.
A source familiar with internal discussions told Reuters on Tue..