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A second Korean War could be far deadlier than the first, with modern nuclear and conventional capabilities raising the potential human cost. Pyongyang has expanded nuclear, missile, conventional, cyber, biological, and chemical capabilities, maintaining a deterrent posture while preparing for potential conflict. Seoul relies on advanced conventional forces, a growing blue-water navy, air superiority, and a US nuclear umbrella to counterbalance North Korean aggression.

Proxy warfare has become a central tool of geopolitical competition, allowing states to pursue strategic objectives while avoiding direct military confrontation. Modern proxy conflicts are increasingly globalised and multidomain, spanning conventional battlefields, maritime chokepoints, cyberspace, and information environments. While proxies offer plausible deniability and cost efficiency, they significantly increase escalation risk, reduce accountability, and can draw major

Western Sahara is a territory disputed between the Sahrawis, claiming independence under the Polisario Front, and Morocco. ●       Morocco proposed an autonomy plan in 2007 that was recently voted on and widely recognised by UN member states in 2025. ●       Increasing international backing of Morocco and the Polisario Front’s growing openness to peace discussions indicate a future of economic and political stability after decades of contentious relations.

Violence against women and girls in the UK represents a widespread structural problem rooted in gender inequality and power imbalances. Affecting millions of women each year, its scale and persistence justify its recognition as a national emergency rather than a collection of individual crimes.

IoT devices significantly expand organisational attack surfaces and are increasingly targeted due to weak security by design. Criminal exploitation of IoT is systematic and scalable, enabling botnets, credential markets, and covert network intrusion. Insecure IoT devices can be leveraged to disrupt operations, enable data breaches, and amplify wider cybercrime campaigns. Many IoT risks persist due to poor visibility, outdated firmware, and separation between IT and operationa

WEF 2026 in Davos is due see a heightened security presence to counter protests and mitigate against chances of lone-actor and small-cell attack trends, with explicit concern for low-tech attacks, drones and cyber threats.

The January 2026 US military intervention in Venezuela has rasiedconcerns over Trump’s ambition to take over Greenland were renewed. The Trump administration reportedly does not exclude using military or economic force to take over Greenland, leading many European leaders to signal the end of NATO if the US were to intervene in the nation. The critical minerals found in Greenland are significant to US and private company interests in terms of defence and green technologies.

On 28 December 2025, following the collapse of the rial to 1.42 million per USD, protesters took to the streets in Tehran's Grand Bazaar, actions which quickly spread across the country and have reached 111 cities across all 31 provinces as of 08 January 2026. Security forces (IRGC, Basij, LEF) have used force, including live ammunition and hospital raids; protest activity has been geographically diffuse, extending to peripheral regions and stretching the capacity of secur

The Fitburg ship was seized by Finnish authorities on 31 December 2025, after dragging its anchor on the seafloor, damaging an undersea telecoms cable. The incident is the first to take place a year after extensive securitising measures were taken by NATO, the EU, and coastal states to protect the Baltic undersea installations. Baltic maritime affairs impact various business practices, including shipping, communications, and energy, and all could be affected by changes to th

Electricity demand from AI data centres in the West is projected to increase 31-fold by 2035, potentially absorbing up to 20–25% of total annual electricity generation in the United States. Structural increases in electricity prices have already driven U.S. power costs up by around 50% since 2021, undermining competitiveness and the viability of new data-centre investments. The construction timelines for new power plants—up to ten years for combined-cycle facilities—are misal

The UK is unlikely to face direct war with Russia in 2026, but will remain under sustained pressure below the threshold of armed conflict. ·         Russian activity against the UK and NATO is most likely to manifest through hybrid threats such as cyber attacks, sabotage, espionage and disinformation. ·         Escalation risks are more likely to arise from incidents or miscalculation than from deliberate invasion or overt military action.

Organised crime is highly complex and transnational: UK criminal networks range from small, local groups to large international organisations, exploiting vulnerabilities abroad and leveraging technology to commit fraud, cybercrime, and money laundering. Financial systems are a major target: Criminals use cash-intensive businesses and complex financial arrangements to launder illicit funds, making London and the UK’s open economy attractive for organised crime.

The U.S. seizure of Venezuelan-linked tankers represents an escalation in sanctions enforcement and maritime attacks. Actions increasingly resemble blockade-like measures, which some observers argue could constitute an act of war under international law. Latin America is deeply divided, with left-leaning governments condemning U.S. actions and right-leaning governments cautiously aligning with Washington.

Nuclear power is deemed the most cost-effective, efficient, and safe energy source to power lunar operations, including powering a permanent moonbase, resource extraction, and mining initiatives. The major spacefaring powers, China, Russia, the US, and Canada have all begun developing mini nuclear reactors to be used on the Moon and power the lunar bases they plan to build. Small modular reactors, an umbrella term for mini nuclear reactors, are an emerging technology in ful

Digital forensics is essential for modern investigations, but its expanding reach creates significant privacy and ethical challenges. UK legislation seeks to balance investigative needs with civil liberties, yet rapid technological change continues to test these frameworks. Operational pressures – like evidence backlogs, encryption barriers, and skills shortages – complicate the responsible use of digital evidence.

Wrongful releases have risen sharply in the UK, driven by a combination of overcrowded prisons, staff shortages and outdated administrative practices that together weaken the accuracy of sentence management. Structural pressures across prisons in the UK, including the growing number of people held on remand, high turnover in busy establishments and the continued use of paper-based processes, create conditions in which administrative mistakes are likely.

Beijing has escalated pressure across multiple fronts by issuing travel warnings, launching coast guard patrols near the Senkaku Islands, increasing military activity around Taiwan, and reinstating a seafood import ban. Takaichi has adopted an unusually assertive stance toward China compared with her predecessors, while simultaneously pursuing closer security ties with South Korea to address shared regional threats. China could escalate to more disruptive measures, such as ra

The month of November marked a significant shift in Western European states’ defensive strategies. The UK encountered several Russian threats (a spy ship in British waters, cyberattacks, and satellite spying), while Germany and France increased their defence budgets and introduced voluntary conscription plans. The private sector is heavily implicated in European defence projects, especially as Russian threats manifest in hybrid forms; skills include AI, cyberspace, ammunition

Online extremism is rising across multiple ideologies, driven by social grievances, digital echo chambers, and global conflicts. Early online behaviours – including fixation, extremist memes, hate rhetoric, and network engagement – often precede real-world criminal or terror activity. OSINT tools and analytics can detect precursor signals at scale, enabling proactive policing and threat mitigation. Youths are increasingly vulnerable to radicalisation, making education and ear

Israel’s airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburb of Haret Hreik on 23 November 2025 eliminated Haytham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s Chief of Staff and its effective second-in-command. The IDF carried out the strike deep inside Dahieh, one of Hezbollah’s most secure strongholds, killing Tabatabai and four aides. Israeli officials described the operation as a precise, opportunistic action aimed at disrupting Hezbollah’s military rebuilding after the 2023–24 conflict.