By Sean Rayment Staff in Europe and North America have been told: “Stop reporting on Iran or you and your immediate relatives will die.” The campaign of systematic intimidation began shortly after Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear bases, with the Tehran authorities accusing journalists of being spies for Israel and providing information to its intelligence services. The TV news channel, whose headquarters are in London, has now filed an urgent appeal with UN experts asking for action against Iran. Iran International, which broadcasts in Farsi, said the situation had “deteriorated rapidly and there is now a real risk to the lives” of…

By Staff Writer The announcement that South Africa’s MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecoms operator, is under criminal investigation by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) grand jury should reverberate far beyond Johannesburg. It is more than another potential case of corporate misconduct. It is a test of whether multinationals that allegedly profited in conflict zones or colluded with terrorists for profit—while Americans and Israelis paid with their lives—can finally be held to account under US law. Grand jury scrutiny Grand jury investigations are not routine regulatory inquiries or civil litigation. They are among the most powerful tools of the American justice…

By Sean Rayment Rolls-Royce’s plan to power artificial intelligence (AI) with its nuclear reactors could make the corporation the UK’s most valuable company. The engineering firm has signed deals to provide small modular reactors (SMRs) to the UK and Czech governments. AI has boomed in popularity since 2022, but the technology consumes vast amounts of energy, raising both practical and environmental concerns. Rolls-Royce chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic has said the company has the “potential” to become the UK’s highest-valued business by overtaking the largest firms on the London Stock Exchange, thanks to its SMR agreements. “There is no private company…

The Reactor Pilot Program had been announced by the US DOE in June 2025. By Abhishek Bhardwaj The United States has picked 11 advanced reactor projects to begin President Trump’s Nuclear Reactor Pilot Program. The US Department of Energy (DOE) announced on Tuesday that it will work, alongside the industry, with these 11 projects to construct, operate, and achieve criticality of at least three test reactors using the DOE authorisation process by July 4, 2026. The selection is a major step towards streamlining nuclear reactor testing and opening a new pathway toward fast-tracking commercial licensing activities. “President Trump’s Reactor Pilot Program…

By Sean Rayment The US’s newly unveiled $175 billion Golden Dome missile defence programme is reshaping Pentagon spending priorities and expanding the role of the Space Force, according to a new report by the Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy. The missile system is set to become a centerpiece of US defence spending and strategy. Golden Dome will be a multi-layer satellite defence system designed to protect the United States from a range of foreign threats, including ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles. The system will rely on a global network of military satellites capable of identifying and neutralising…

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…