In late 2023, Google announced that its AI large language model, named Bard, will be restricted from answering election-related and many other politically-focussed questions in the run up to the 2024 US elections. Google’s announcement coincided with the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre’s annual report, which alerted that AI poses a significant threat to democracy. Whereas a few weeks ago, Bard would answer all political questions, even those relating to US politics, Bard now says, “Elections are a complex topic with fast-changing information. To make sure you have the latest and most accurate information, try Google Search.” Google said, “We…

Chinese authorities are reportedly exerting pressure on Iran to curb the persistent attacks of Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists, who have been carrying out strikes on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, or risk harming business relations with Beijing. Discussions on the attacks by the Yemeni group and their impact on trade have been a recurrent theme in recent meetings between Chinese and Iranian officials. China, being Iran’s primary trade partner for the past decade, holds significant economic ties with the country, and according to trade analytics firm Kpler, purchased over 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports last year, whereas Iranian oil,…

Iran has a unique power structure with the control of the country resting in the hands of the state’s supreme leader. The other major power broker is the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps – widely regarded as a terrorist organisation. National Security News set out how Iran is run and by whom.  Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei At the top of Iran’s power structure is the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who succeeded Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the father of the Iranian Revolution, upon his death in 1989. Khomeini and Khamenei are the only two men to have held the office since…

A feud between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Qatari government could jeopardise international efforts to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of around 130 hostages still trapped in terror tunnels by Hamas terrorists. Qatar, which is home to Hamas’ senior political leaders, has been leading mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel, closely coordinating with the Biden administration, since the 07 October terrorist attack on southern Israel. This diplomacy allowed Qatar in November to successfully mediate the release of 110 Israeli and foreign hostages from Gaza. Talks for the remaining hostages however have stalled in recent weeks, spurring…

 Iran and Russia will sign a new military treaty which will further strengthen the strategic alliance between the two countries.  President Vladimir Putin and his Iranian counterpart President Ebrahim Raisi will sign the agreement in the coming days which could see ballistic surface-to-surface missiles being delivered to the Russian armed forces. Iran has also reportedly developed a new form of attack drone which intelligence sources believe will be sold to Russia for use in Iran. The new weapon is called the Shahed-107, an “explosive and reconnaissance” unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), possibly fitted with technology to seek out high-value battlefield targets…

Western nations have donated close to an estimated 100bn USD in military aid to Ukraine to help the besieged country defeat the invading Russian armed forces.  More than 40 countries, led by the United States President Joe Biden, have supplied the Ukrainian armed forces with combat drones, helicopters, tanks, armoured personnel carriers, artillery pieces, anti-tank, anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, along with millions of artillery shells.  Ukrainian troops have been trained in both the UK and in Europe to fly combat aircraft such as the F-16 aircraft, while thousands more have received combat training.  Other countries have also donated billions of…

In an exciting move towards energy independence and a cleaner future, the UK government has published a landmark announcement. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, alongside Great British Nuclear, detailed the UK’s most extensive nuclear power expansion plan spanning 70 years. The Civil Nuclear Roadmap outlines a comprehensive strategy to quadruple nuclear generation capacity by 2050, marking a pivotal step towards enhanced energy security, job creation, and reduced electricity costs. In 1956, Calder Hall proudly flicked the switch as the world’s first commercial nuclear power station connected to the grid. Now, in 2024, the UK is reviving that…

Iran can produce enough weapons-grade uranium to make six nuclear bombs within a month, US weapons experts believe. The revelation follows the disclosure by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that the Iranian regime has increased the production rate of highly enriched uranium up to 60 per cent purity. Modern nuclear weapons require uranium to be enriched up to 90 per cent but inspectors within the IAEA believed this could be achieved by Iran very quickly.  Rafael Grossi, director general of the IAEA, stressed that Tehran must abide by the nuclear proliferation treaty to which it was a signatory. “Iran is the only…

Today, NSN had the privilege of discussing ‘just war’ with Eric Patterson, President of the Religious Freedom Institute in Washington, DC. Patterson is an expert in two areas: the ethics of war and peace, and religious freedom policy. He has long advocated for better training for government officials on how to understand the religious dynamics of international contexts and the links between democracy and religious freedom. Patterson’s government service includes time at the US State Department, service as a White House Fellow, and over 20 years as an Air National Guard commander. He is the author or editor of 22…

In a scathing report released in December 2023, the Joint Committee on National Security Strategy (JCNSS) issued a stark warning that the United Kingdom is alarmingly unprepared for the looming threat of a catastrophic ransomware attack. Highlighting the nation’s vulnerability to cyber threats, the committee has urged the government to take immediate and substantial action to mitigate the risk posed by ransomware attacks, which it says could bring the country to a standstill. The report underscores the severe repercussions and potential for destabilisation in the face of a major ransomware assault. Drawing parallels with past incidents like the Russian DarkSide…

Ali Khamenei – source Iranian government. 

TIMOTHY SNYDER, professor of history at Yale University, writes for VRYE Weekblad, saying the US should not decrease its support for Ukraine. YOU have a good neighbour. He does a lot for you. He keeps the street clean around your house.  He mows your lawn when you are away. He signs for your packages and brings them to you later. Your kids go and play with his kids. He has an alarm on his house with a camera, which you don’t, and he once chased burglars away from your house. He’s done a thing or two for you that you…