By André Pienaar, Co-founder of the Directorate of Special Operations (DSO) also known as the Scorpions, an elite law enforcement and counter terrorist unit established by President Mandela in partnership with the DEA and the FBI. On 20 January 2025, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 14157, “Designating Cartels and Other Organisations as Foreign Terrorist Organisations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists” (EO 14157). This unprecedented move targeted major Latin American drug cartels – including Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), MS-13, Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua, and others – by formally classifying them as Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTOs) and…

Members of the US Congress supporting the passing of the US–South African Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 (HR 2633) voiced their fears to National Security News about the subversion of press freedom in South Africa by the South African State Security Agency (SASSA). Congressional leaders from both the Republicans and Democrats expressed grave concern about several cases in which whistle-blowers are being targeted by SASSA, working hand in glove with journalists from News24, a digital media platform owned by Naspers and Prosus, listed in Amsterdam. The extent of this collusion was revealed in a landmark ruling this week when the South…

By Ben Farmer An ambitious offensive by Somali Islamists has taken a string of towns and swathes of territory, overturning years of gains by the country’s internationally backed security forces. The al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab group has won repeated victories over Somali forces since February, and in late July captured the strategic town of Maxaas after heavy fighting. An escalation in American air strikes has failed to stop the advance, and al-Qaeda is now urging its affiliate to “repeat in Somalia what the Taliban had achieved in Afghanistan,” according to a recent United Nations intelligence report. Ashley Jackson, of the Centre on…

By Sean Rayment Ukrainian spies claim to have stolen classified data on Russia’s newest nuclear missile submarine during a recent cyber operation. The secret Russian data allegedly includes details about the vessel’s vulnerabilities—likely to be highly valuable to Western navies. Cyber specialists working for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, the HUR (Main Directorate of Intelligence), reportedly breached the Russian Navy’s systems and obtained internal documents concerning the new Project 955A Borei-A-class submarine Knyaz Pozharsky, which entered service less than two weeks ago. The HUR specialists reportedly obtained a list of the submarine’s crew, including information on their positions, fitness levels, and combat…

By Isabella Egerton Dame Stella Rimington, the first woman to lead MI5 and a pioneer in modern British intelligence, has died at the age of 90. Her family confirmed she died peacefully on Sunday, “surrounded by her beloved family and dogs and determinedly held on to the life she loved until her last breath.” Dame Stella made history in 1992 when she became Director-General of MI5, the UK’s domestic security agency. She was the first woman to lead a British intelligence service and the first head of MI5 to be publicly named. Her appointment marked a turning point in the…

By Isabella Egerton The United States, the United Kingdom, France and 11 other allied nations have issued a joint statement condemning what they describe as a surge in Iranian intelligence operations targeting individuals in Europe and North America. Austria, Albania, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden joined the three Western powers in accusing Tehran of attempted assassinations, kidnappings and harassment campaigns. The statement warns that Iranian intelligence agencies are increasingly using international criminal networks to target journalists, dissidents, Jewish citizens, and current and former officials. “We are united in our opposition to the attempts of…

By Isabella Egerton Diplomatic teams from Thailand and Cambodia are hoping to build on peace talks which led to a ceasefire between the two countries following the worst period of cross-border fighting in years. Cambodia has asked Thailand to release 20 of its soldiers captured during the clashes; one reportedly died in custody. Thai officials say the men will be freed once investigations are complete. Both nations have agreed to continue talks, with defence attaché-level discussions scheduled for 04 August under ASEAN guidance, aimed at reinforcing trust and avoiding renewed fighting. Despite the truce, both countries continue to maintain troop deployments…

By André Pienaar As war-weary Sudan approaches its third year of brutal civil conflict, President Donald J. Trump has launched an ambitious new initiative to bring peace to a nation that the Biden administration largely ignored. In a critical region that spans the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, increasingly dominated by foreign mercenaries, Islamist militias, and Iranian drones, Trump’s peace plan offers not only a diplomatic lifeline — but a moral reset. Let’s be clear: Sudan’s war is not just a local tribal dispute. It is the latest frontline in a broader global struggle between forces of authoritarian…

By Staff Writer In a commanding debut before the defence community, Gen. Michael A. Guetlein laid out an ambitious vision for the United States’ Golden Dome missile defence initiative, describing a whole-of-nation effort aimed at redefining strategic deterrence in the 21st century. Speaking on 22 July at the Space Foundation’s Innovate Space Global Economic Summit, Guetlein detailed the programme’s trajectory, technological readiness and acquisition philosophy — offering the clearest public insight yet into the future of space-based missile defence. A 60-day sprint towards strategic architecture Just five days after Senate confirmation, Guetlein revealed that his first task is to deliver…

By Sean Rayment A leading French defence company is investigating a potential cyberattack after hackers claimed to have obtained sensitive data relating to the country’s nuclear submarines. Naval Group, the state-owned shipbuilder that traces its origins back almost 400 years to the reign of Louis XIII, said it had “immediately launched technical investigations” after cybercriminals threatened to publish files on the dark web. The company builds and maintains key vessels for the French Navy, including aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines. These include France’s Barracuda fleet of nuclear missile-armed submarines. In a post on a dark web forum, the hackers claimed…

By Sean Rayment President Donald Trump warned that he would order fresh attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities should Tehran attempt to restart the sites bombed by the United States last month. Trump issued the threat during talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort on the west coast of Scotland. Iran, which denies seeking to develop a nuclear weapon, has insisted it will not abandon domestic uranium enrichment despite the bombing of three nuclear sites. Trump told reporters that Iran had been sending out “nasty signals” and that any effort to restart its nuclear programme would…

By Staff Writer Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned the recent summit of “The Hague Group” convened in Bogotá, Colombia, as a politically motivated assembly orchestrated to advance an international campaign of delegitimisation against the Jewish state through lawfare and sanctions. At the centre of the controversy is South Africa’s President Ramaphosa, who played a leading role in convening and shaping the summit’s anti-Israel agenda. Described by the organisers as an “emergency conference,” the two-day meeting (15–16 July) brought together delegations from 32 countries, under the banner of opposing what the summit called Israel’s “impunity” in Gaza. The…