A major investigation was underway last night to try and establish the motive behind the attempted assassination of the controversial Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. The gunman has been named as Juraj Cintula, a 71-year-old poet, author and vocal critic of Fico’s government with possible links to a pro-Russian militarised group. Cintula, a resident of Levice, identifies himself as a writer and is a founding member of the Dúha Literary Club. Cintula’s background also includes past employment as security guard, with reports suggesting he himself was the target of an attack in a shopping centre. While details about his personal…

As the world moves towards a multipolar system, Africa’s future holds weight. Jakkie Cilliers, Head of African Futures and Innovation at ISS Pretoria, analyses this shift in a recent ISS Today article. He argues that the US needs to adapt to this new reality and collaborate with China, rather than compete, to maintain its influence in Africa. Cilliers highlights the dangers of a return to Cold War-style proxy conflicts and emphasises that strong trade partnerships, not political coercion, are key to Africa’s development. Retaining US influence in Africa requires bridge-building with China In a complex new multipolar world, a country’s…

A Russian drone regiment is recruiting members of the Kremlin elite so they can ‘sidestep’ military service on the front, according to the British government.The unit called “Bars Kaskad” is recruiting Russian elites, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.Bars Kaskad was created by the Russian State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, and it contains an “unusually high” number of pro-Putin United Russia Party members and sons of Kremlin elites — “up to 10 in total”, according to the MoD.The unit is primarily involved in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations…

The UK continues to cement its position as a global leader in AI safety with the launch of Inspect, the world’s first state-backed AI safety testing platform made available for free public use. Developed by the UK AI Safety Institute, Inspect empowers a wide range of users – from startups to international governments – to evaluate AI models for potential security risks. With super-powered AI models poised to hit the market this year, the need for robust safety measures has never been greater. Untested AI poses a risk of biased decisions, unforeseen accidents, and loss of control. “Inspect” tackles this…

In the midst of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) conflict, the spotlight falls on Aviacon Zitotrans, a Russian cargo airline entangled in controversy. Steering this entity is Valery Savelyev, a figure with a complex past intertwining business, politics, and alleged ties to Russia’s intelligence networks. As the head of AVS Group, the umbrella corporation encompassing Aviacon Zitotrans, Savelyev’s image as a philanthropist contradicts a murky history. Formerly associated with Russia’s ruling party, United Russia, he faces accusations linking him to the FSB and organised crime. Savelyev’s intricate web of aviation enterprises, with Aviacon Zitotrans at its core, sparks…

President Vladimir Putin has replaced his defence minister in what is seen as a strategy to intensify his war on Ukraine.

Russia is recruiting far-Right extremists to carry out attacks in the UK and Nato countries, National Security News has learned.Intelligence sources have said that terrorists recruited by Russian GRU agents have been responsible for a series of attacks in Western Europe and the US in the last six months.The sources said that extremists are being recruited by undercover officers of the GRU – the Russian military intelligence service – and members of the mercenary group Wagner.It comes after the expulsion of Col Maxim Elovik, the Russian defence attache to the UK, who is believed to be a GRU operative.An intelligence…

The Russian agent expelled from Britain for spying is Maxim Elovik, an intelligence officer working under the cover of the defence attaché to the UK.Elovik – who has been in Britain for around a decade – is believed to be a member of the Russian military intelligence service called the GRU, also known as the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.In his role, Col Elovik would have been responsible for planning and coordinating numerous Russian covert operations in the UK and could have potentially been involved, or at least had prior knowledge…

In June 2023, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa embarked on a peace mission to Ukraine and Russia, aiming to initiate negotiations to end the Russian-Ukrainian war. The delegation, which included the heads of state from Egypt, Senegal, Congo-Brazzaville, Comoros, Zambia, and Uganda, faced a setback when they were detained at an airport in Warsaw. The mission yielded little progress, leading some to view it as a geopolitical diversion from President Ramaphosa’s domestic challenges. His government has also been accused of bias towards Russia. Despite these setbacks, Ukraine remains eager to engage with Africa, particularly South Africa, in facilitating the return…

Ukraine is intensifying its engagement with Africa through the expansion of its grain exports and the establishment of new embassies across the continent. A crucial aspect of this outreach involves inviting journalists from Africa to visit Kyiv.

Americans have already received over 16 billion political robocalls this year, and scammers are poised to plague the 2024 elections with the latest AI deceptions and deepfake tricks, according to a report released by Transaction Network Services (TNS). As the nation prepares for one of the most pivotal electoral contests in its history, the spectre of manipulated audio and video content looms large. The TNS Q1 2024 Robocall Investigation Report highlights three primary categories of political scam calls: fraudulent campaign donations, election surveys, and false voting registration. These are delivered through robocalls, which are automated phone calls that play a…

British defence chiefs are considering plans to develop an Israeli-style air defence dome amid fears that the UK could be targeted by long range missiles and attack drones. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the Chief of the Defence Staff and the Armed Forces most senior officer, said the plans were part of a “live conversation” to help the UK and its allies “better defend ourselves” against threats which “will only increase.” Admiral Sir Tony said the UK will require an Iron Dome system in the future, and added: “We’ve got certain capabilities at the moment that help to protect the UK…