Britain will introduce new laws to allow the security services to proscribe state-based groups such as Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Home Secretary has said. Following the arrests of eight Iranians allegedly involved in plotting terrorist attacks in London, Yvette Cooper said that Britain would “not tolerate growing state-backed threats on UK soil”. The Home Secretary also revealed that MI5 state threat investigations – where countries hostile to the UK might be planning a proxy attack – have increased by 50 per cent in the last year. In what marks a significant diplomatic low between the two countries,…

China has unveiled the world’s first aerial aircraft carrier capable of deploying hundreds of automated drones instantly. The high-altitude mothership, Jiu Tian SS-UAV – an aerial aircraft carrier – is scheduled for its inaugural test flight in June 2025, according to Chinese state media reports. First showcased at the 15th Zhuhai Airshow, Chinese state outlets describe the Jiu Tian as a significant leap in unmanned aerial technology. Developed by AVIC in partnership with Shaanxi Unmanned Equipment Technology and Haige Communications, the high-altitude UAV is designed as a force multiplier for China’s drone warfare capabilities. However, questions remain about its ability to…

The Royal Navy will launch a fleet of ‘drone’ submarines to protect vital undersea cables from attacks by Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’. A prototype of the unmanned 19-tonne vessel, named Excalibur, was launched at Devonport naval base last week and will pave the way for the production of an entire squadron. The vessels are designed to safeguard critical subsea infrastructure, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and will be central to the Government’s new defence plans. Underwater fibre-optic cables, which lie on the ocean floor, enable global communication and internet connectivity between continents, while other cables are responsible for carrying electricity.…

Russian President Vladimir Putin has refused to attend peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, prompting criticism from Kyiv in response to Moscow’s decision to send a “sham delegation” and casting doubt over the first direct negotiations between the two countries since 2022. Ukrainian sources now say Moscow demanded that the United States not be present at the talks, which they claim is a sign that Russia is not serious about peace. A Ukrainian official close to the negotiations told the BBC that Kyiv arrived “with a clear mandate” while Russia was using the meeting to “stall for time and put…

Security agencies in the UK and allied countries have warned members of the Uyghur, Tibetan and Taiwanese communities that they may be targeted by newly discovered variants of spyware. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has joined its counterparts in the US, Australia, Canada, Germany and New Zealand in raising the alarm over the Trojanised malware, which it says is hidden in legitimate-looking mobile apps such as TibetOne. The two variants, dubbed Moonshine and BadBazaar, are designed to covertly access device microphones, cameras, messages, photos and real-time location data, according to the NCSC. The agency warned that potential targets include individuals connected to:…

The former head of MI6 has warned MPs that China could “immobilise London” by switching off Britain’s traffic lights, due to Chinese companies controlling so much critical technology in the UK. Sir Richard Dearlove, the former chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, claimed that Chinese-made microchips embedded in UK infrastructure could be exploited to cause blackouts and bring the capital to a standstill. Dearlove and Charles Parton, a veteran diplomat, said Chinese companies dominate the microchip industry for devices embedded in technology known as the “internet of things” (IoT). These chips — known as Chinese-made cellular IoT modules (CIMs) —…

Marks & Spencer has today confirmed that personal customer data was stolen in the catastrophic cyber-attack that has paralysed the high street stalwart for more than two weeks and wiped over £1 billion off its market value. The retailer admitted that some shoppers’ contact details, dates of birth and order histories were accessed by cyber criminals in what is now understood to be a large-scale ransomware attack carried out by the DragonForce hacking cartel. Although M&S insists that no payment details, passwords or account credentials were compromised, the admission marks a major escalation in what is fast becoming one of…

A radar-jamming drone that will fly ahead of crewed fighters on missions to disable enemy air defences has been launched by Britain’s Royal Air Force. Drawing on lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, StormShroud has been introduced to the front lines at “an unprecedented pace” to meet the growing threat from Russia, the UK Ministry of Defence said. The weapon is based on the Tekever AR3 and AR5 drones, which have already seen combat in Ukraine, and has been fitted with a BriteStorm signal jammer that scrambles enemy radar at long ranges. In what the RAF described as “revolutionary new tactics”,…

The Israeli embassy in London was the target of an alleged Iranian terrorist attack, intelligence sources have revealed. Five men, including four Iranian nationals, were arrested at locations across England on Saturday in what the Home Secretary described as one of the biggest counter-terror operations in recent years. It is understood that the Israeli embassy in Kensington, west London, was the target of a planned attack. British Government sources say the suspected terror cell was hours from unleashing the attack when the men were arrested. The Israeli embassy in London declined to comment when approached, and the Metropolitan Police have…

A new book has revealed the untold story of an agent who spent years close to senior Nazis, providing key intelligence that helped Britain rearm and prepare for war against Germany. Author Tim Willasey-Wilsey’s book, The Spy and the Devil, charts the life of Bill de Ropp, who managed to infiltrate Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s inner circle and obtained vital military secrets. De Ropp’s success helped transform MI6 from an often-overlooked arm of Whitehall into a vital part of the UK’s national security policy-making. As the author explains in the book, de Ropp was an unlikely spy. Born in modern-day Lithuania…

Britain and India have struck a landmark free trade deal that will slash tariffs with the world’s fifth-largest economy and ultimately boost growth by up to £5 billion a year — the equivalent of a 0.1 per cent rise in GDP. The agreement will also see Indian tariffs cut on cosmetics and medical devices and is expected to deliver a £4.8 billion boost to the UK economy, according to the government. In the long term, it is projected to increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion, UK GDP by £4.8 billion, and wages by £2.2 billion annually. The agreement — the biggest…

Originally published by The Jerusalem Post Insights from the Israel-Africa Relations Institute show how strategic partnerships—not aid dependency—can unlock Africa’s vast potential. Africa stands at a pivotal juncture in its development journey. As the world’s second-largest continent, spanning more than 30 million square kilometers and home to nearly 1.4 billion people, Africa’s population is expected to double by 2050, presenting both extraordinary potential and formidable challenges. According to the African Development Bank, the continent’s economy is forecast to grow by 3.8 per cent in 2024 and 4.2 per cent in 2025, outpacing the global average. However, opportunity does not come…

Britain has sanctioned a Swedish gangster accused of working for Iran to carry out attacks on Jewish and Israeli targets in Europe. Rawa Majid, 39, known as the “Kurdish Fox”, has been linked to an attack on the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, in January 2024. The attack was allegedly carried out on behalf of Iran using his “Foxtrot Network” of criminals. The sanctions were imposed just days before British police and members of the special forces arrested seven Iranian nationals allegedly involved in a suspected terrorist plot. The UK’s Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, said the sanctions imposed on Majid…

South Africa’s highest appeal court has ruled that a Turkish telecoms group claiming MTN bribed Iranian officials for a lucrative mobile phone licence may proceed its $4.2 billion damages claim.

Observers have expressed concern that a focus on strategic minerals could attract additional stakeholders and complicate negotiations.

The ANC has lost its exclusive control over public finances and will now have to collaborate with opposition parties in the GNU on policy decisions, including foreign affairs.

MTN’s partners, including the reputable firms Deloitte and Accenture, may face legal scrutiny if the telecoms company’s involvement in operations in Iran is deemed substantial.

At least 20 former members of the SAS who shot dead armed IRA gunmen more than 30 years ago are facing murder charges, National Security News can reveal. Details of the potential prosecutions have been disclosed in a letter sent to every British Army regiment by the SAS Association. The letter also accuses successive British governments of “shamefully” failing to properly support veterans of the Northern Ireland conflict, known as the Troubles. The letter states: “There can be scarcely any part of the veteran community that isn’t touched to some extent by this issue. We have recently seen around twenty former special…

In terms of the diplomacy and the nuance around discussions on Ukraine and the peace process, South Africa has been elevated to quite an important position.”

Axiom Space has appointed a former Google Cloud executive as its new Chief Executive Officer. Tejpaul Bhatia takes the helm after serving as the space firm’s Chief Revenue Officer since 2021, replacing co-founder Dr Kam Ghaffarian, who will remain as Executive Chairman. The leadership change comes as the company, which is based in Houston, United States, prepares for its fourth human spaceflight mission to the International Space Station (ISS) and ramps up development of a next-generation orbital platform intended to replace the ISS by the end of the decade. As Chief Revenue Officer, Bhatia secured more than £1 billion in…

Business leaders have launched a new task force aimed at unlocking the potential of the UK’s defence sector to drive long-term national growth, innovation, and economic resilience. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) launched a new Defence & Economic Growth Taskforce last week. Backed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Defence Secretary John Healey, the task force brings together senior figures from across the defence, financial, and investment sectors. It will work at pace to deliver actionable recommendations to the government within 12 weeks, setting out how the UK’s planned increase in defence spending—rising to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027—can be…

Protecting the supply of critical minerals vital to the renewables market is an emerging threat to energy security, the head of the International Energy Agency has warned. Dr Fatih Birol told a high-level conference on global energy security that while the threat to fossil fuel supplies—whether through wars, environmental disasters or sabotage—remained a major risk to global trade, there were also growing concerns over the concentration of critical minerals in just a few countries. Hosted by the British government and the International Energy Agency, the two-day summit brought together government ministers from 60 countries, senior European Union officials, energy sector…

Scientists will be sending a batch of microscopic organisms into space in the hope that studies will help prepare astronauts for future interstellar travel. The animals, called tardigrades, will accompany astronauts on the next Axiom Space multinational mission to the International Space Station and take part in what are known as the Voyager Experiments. Scientists are hoping that studying tardigrades in space’s hostile environment will help unlock the mystery of how humans can survive and remain healthy on long-range missions to Mars and beyond. The animals are also known as water bears or moss piglets because of the way they…

As South Africa encounters a significant setback in its genocide case against Israel, the Brenthurst Foundation, a prominent South African think tank, has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government to reset its relations with Israel. The Israeli government has successfully secured a six-month postponement in proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), extending the timeline to 12 January 2026. This extension follows Israeli objections that South Africa attempted to present evidence without granting Israel access to it. The case against Israel is viewed as a key factor in the Trump administration’s increasingly hostile actions towards South Africa, with lawmakers considering…