Counterterrorism
Now in its third year, the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the world population with 350 million confirmed cases, more than 5.6 million deaths (as of February 9, 2022), and widespread geopolitical and socioeconomic disruptions. Government leaders have prioritized…
A spokesperson for Fraknfut's Higher Regional Court on Monday said that a German military officer who made headlines in 2017 was back into police custody. Franco A. has been on trial since May last year over preparing a "serious act of violent subversion." He allegedly plotted…
The decision by President Joe Biden's administration to seize around $3.5 billion of frozen Afghan funds and distribute them to legal proceedings pursued by relatives of those who perished in the 9/11 attacks has been met with backlash across different sectors of Afghan…
Military & Defense
The federal government will send Ukraine $7.8 million worth of lethal military equipment to bolster its defences ahead of a possible Russia invasion. "In light of the seriousness of the situation, and following conversations with our Ukrainian partners, I've approved the…
Sudanese security forces have killed a protester in the capital, Khartoum, an independent group of medics has said, as thousands of people take to the streets to reject military rule and demand the release of prisoners. Sudanese security forces fired tear gas at protestors…
Russia has moved some long-range artillery and rocket launchers into firing position, threatening Ukraine, according to a U.S. official. Some Russian units have left their assembly areas — the bumper-to-bumper formations seen in satellite photos — and are beginning to…
Cybersecurity
New analysis suggests that 74% of all money made through ransomware attacks in 2021 went to Russia-linked hackers. Researchers say more than $400 million worth of crypto-currency payments went to groups "highly likely to be affiliated with Russia"…
The fundraiser page of the Canadian Trucker protesters or "Freedom Convoy," which has been protesting over COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other pandemic restrictions, has been frozen and appears to have been hacked. Protesters had raised more than $8 million of…
President Joe Biden couldn’t have been more blunt about the risks of cyberattacks spinning out of control. “If we end up in a war, a real shooting war with a major power, it’s going to be as a consequence of a cyber breach of great consequence,” he told his intelligence brain trust in…
Counterintelligence & Espionage
As Russia continues its military build-up on Ukraine's border, it's also attempting to control the media narrative - but which parts are misleading? We've looked at some examples of the methods used by pro-Kremlin outlets. Russian media have a history of promoting emotive…
Russian mercenaries with ties to Moscow's spies have increased their presence in Ukraine in recent weeks, stoking fears among some NATO members that Russia could try to engineer a pretext for an invasion, three senior Western security sources said. They said their concerns…
A former Navy nuclear engineer from Annapolis admitted in a West Virginia federal court Monday that he conspired to sell classified military information about nuclear submarines to a foreign government. Jonathan Toebbe, 43, entered the guilty plea in the W. Craig…
Transnational Organized Crime
A highly decorated police officer in Nigeria has been arrested following accusations he belongs to an international drugs cartel, police say. Abba Kyari, already suspended for allegedly helping self-avowed fraudster Hushpuppi to launder his money in the US…
As few as three major criminal groups are responsible for smuggling the vast majority of elephant ivory tusks out of Africa, according to a new study. Researchers used analysis of DNA from seized elephant tusks and evidence such as phone records, license plates…
The victim of a deadly car bombing in the southern city of Ashkelon on Sunday night was identified the following morning as Avi Bitton, a senior figure in a local crime family. Bitton 42, was a senior member of the Shalom Domrani crime family. A resident of Ashkelon…