Global

River systems are not only trade routes but also pathways through which criminal networks and major global powers exert territorial control. Strategic waterways like the Paraguay–Paraná, Mekong, and Congo have become sites for drug trafficking, resource smuggling, and intense competition between Washington and Beijing for strategic resources and geopolitical power.

Iran-backed militias in Iraq have opened a northern front against Saudi petroleum infrastructure. The Houthis are simultaneously threatening Saudi ports, pipelines and tankers from Yemen. The attack on the Saudi-flagged tanker Encelia showed that the campaign extends beyond land-based infrastructure into the Red Sea.

The Arctic is becoming an increasingly important region due to climate change, opening previously inaccessible sea routes and creating new economic opportunities. Emerging shipping corridors could reshape global trade by reducing journey times between Europe and Asia, while competition increases between countries seeking influence over Arctic infrastructure. Growing activity in the Arctic is likely to create new security challenges, with implications for businesses oper

Canada is deepening ties with Saudi Arabia and the UAE as Ottawa seeks greater trade and investment diversification. Mark Carney's Saudi visit produced more than C$1 billion in commercial agreements across technology, infrastructure, mining and defence. The UAE's major investment commitment has highlighted the practical challenge of matching available capital with sufficiently advanced Canadian projects.

Key Takeaways Violence-as-a-Service is transforming organised crime, allowing criminal groups to outsource violent acts through online recruitment and encrypted communications. Young people are increasingly being targeted and exploited via social media and messaging platforms to carry out serious offences on behalf of organised crime networks. The threat is driving greater international cooperation, with the UK participating in Europol’s Operational Taskforce GRIMM to disrupt

Colombia's "Total Peace" strategy under Petro failed to reduce armed group activity, rebel numbers nearly doubled to roughly 27,000 fighters by 2026, and 2025 became one of the deadliest years in a decade. Abelardo De La Espriella won the presidency on 21 June by less than one percentage point, pledging a 90-day military offensive and an end to all peace talks.

Crime is falling. So why do so many people feel less safe? It’s a paradox that sits at the heart of the UK’s current security landscape. Understanding the threat landscape isn’t just about analysing crime data - it’s about understanding how people experience and interpret risk.

Railways, particularly the Lobito Corridor and the Tanzania–Zambia Railway, have regained strategic importance as they connect the Copperbelt to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Transport infrastructure has become a key instrument of international influence and geopolitical power. Global competition driven by control over routes bringing critical minerals to world markets allows African countries to leverage this rivalry to attract investment and development.

Hope Bay is expected to produce more than 400,000 ounces of gold annually, support close to 2,000 jobs and increase Canadian exports by C$2.6 billion each year. Canada increasingly views Arctic infrastructure, mineral development, clean energy and defence capability as connected elements of national sovereignty and economic resilience. The Arctic is no longer solely an environmental or security issue. It is emerging as a supply-chain frontier.

The G7 remains a relevant, minilateral forum capable of defending the liberal international order and its values at a time when it is under threat. It serves as an alternative to larger, often gridlocked global institutions, providing an informal structure for diplomacy. To protect G7 unity and avoid direct confrontation with the Trump administration, France has compromised on its agenda by omitting climate change.

nternal conflict in the UK has, in recent years, been heavily influenced by international conflict across the globe. The rise in hate crime incidents cannot be ignored, with increases in antisemitism and Islamophobia often closely linked to periods of international warfare and heightened geopolitical tensions.

Houthi attacks in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have demonstrated how relatively low-cost drone and missile attacks can generate disproportionate economic disruption across global supply chains, shipping lines, and energy markets.

The Dutch MV Hondius cruise liner has seen several of its passengers become infected with Andes hantavirus, a strain capable of spreading between humans.So far, three individuals have died and 11 have been infected, with all passengers disembarking from the ship. Communications between countries concerning the logistics and permissions needed to address, contain, and treat infected individuals have been difficult. Fears of the virus have rekindled fears about a global pandemi

The KSA maintains strong ties with the US whilst closely monitoring Iran in the Gulf, cooperating with the UAE and Russia, and engaging with BRICS+ economies. Businesses can capitalise on the KSA’s Vision 2030 for significant long-term opportunities.

Although external support in Mali has strengthened the military and prevented regime collapse, it has failed to restore control over large parts of the country. Insurgent groups such as JNIM have employed tactics, including blockades and ambushes, to weaken state forces before attacks and sustain pressure over time. More coercive operations have alienated local communities, contributing to insurgent recruitment and reinforcing the dynamics they aim to resolve.

The sea has always been a space of trade, crime and power. What is changing is the density of threats and the number of actors willing to use vessels as instruments of leverage. Piracy has not disappeared, but it is no longer the whole story. Future maritime risk map will be shaped as much by states, sanctions, militias and militarised law enforcement as by pirates with weapons and ladders.

Magyar’s speeches and statements after being elected Hungary’s new Prime Minister, effectively ousting Viktor Orbán, reflect an eagerness to cooperate with Austria economically and politically. ● Magyar’s accession reflects Central European nations’ goal to create an informal alliance to strengthen their presence in the European Union.

Since 2020, five West African countries have experienced military coups - Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Niger - with several now under junta rule. This political shift has further weakened already fragile state institutions and reduced cooperation with external partners, limiting coordinated responses to cross-border threats.

Péter Magyar’s Tisza Party secured a supermajority, ending Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s 16-year rule and providing a mandate to overhaul the constitution. Orbán's 2024 decline was driven by a child-abuse pardon scandal that damaged his party’s image, coupled with sustained economic stagnation and ineffective campaign strategies.

Geopolitical energy shocks can translate into nationwide unrest and infrastructure disruption within days, not weeks. Protest tactics and grievances are spreading across Europe, increasing the risk of cross-border contagion. Energy security is now a public order and national resilience issue, not just an economic concern.