Counterterrorism

Lithuania becomes first nation to designate Russia as terrorist country

Lithuania’s Parliament unanimously voted to designate Russia as a terrorist state, becoming the first country in the world to make such a declaration since the Kremlin invaded Ukraine in February. Lithuanian lawmakers voted to declare Russia an agent of terrorism and its…

Former Guantánamo prisoner on trial in France for extremism

An Algerian preacher who spent eight years in the US-run Guantánamo Bay prison has gone on trial in France for allegedly encouraging several young men to join the Islamic State group. Saber Lahmar, a 52-year-old Algerian released by the US in 2008 and taken in afterwards by…

Military & Defense

Sri Lanka orders forces to shoot violent actors amid protests

Sri Lanka's defense ministry ordered security forces on Tuesday to shoot anyone who was causing injury to people or property. The order comes a day after violent clashes on the island left eight dead. The nation's prime minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned on Monday…

Taiwan Learning From Russia's Military Failures in Ukraine: U.S. Officials

Two senior U.S. intelligence officials on Tuesday told members of Congress they believe China is still planning an eventual takeover of Taiwan. But they added that they feel Taiwan might be learning lessons from Ukraine's conflict with Russia that could aid in its defense…

Cybersecurity

Russia seems to be co-ordinating cyber-attacks with its military campaign

In the initial weeks of the Russian invasion, American officials expected Russian cyber-attacks to wreak havoc on Ukraine’s electricity grid, banking system and the like. To their surprise, that did not happen. But a report released by Microsoft suggests that Russian military and…

NSA probing reach of software from Russia's Kaspersky in US systems

The National Security Agency is investigating the extent that software made by the Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky is embedded in U.S. businesses and organizations amid rising security concerns arising from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "I am still very worried…

Counterintelligence & Espionage

Spain dismisses spy chief in phone-hacking scandal

The first woman to head Spain's CNI intelligence agency, Paz Esteban, has lost her job in a deepening scandal over phone-hacking software found on the phones of top politicians. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, two other ministers and 18 Catalan separatists were all targeted by…

Putin sacked the FSB and put the secretive GRU spy agency in charge of Ukraine intelligence after a string of failures, top Russian journalists say

President Vladimir Putin fired Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) and put the military's Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) in charge of providing intelligence on the Ukraine invasion, according to two leading Russian journalists. The FSB is Russia's main intelligence…

Transnational Organized Crime

Paraguay anti-drug prosecutor killed in Colombia while honeymooning

Paraguayan anti-drug prosecutor Marcelo Pecci was shot dead execution-style Tuesday while honeymooning on a Colombian Caribbean island by men who fled by sea, police and his widow said. Paraguay's president denounced the crime as a "cowardly murder" and a fellow…

Young Thug and Gunna among 28 people indicted on gang-related charges in Atlanta

Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug has been named in a sweeping 56-count gang indictment, according to court documents obtained by CNN. Jeffery Lamar Williams, who performs as Young Thug, was arrested at his home in Atlanta on Monday, according to police…