In 2020, it seems that we lurch from one existential threat to another. While our news feeds are all but consumed by coronavirus and the resulting economic setbacks, it is worth remembering that the wheels of politics and national security continue to grind. As the thin veneer of society slips with supply shortages and financial […]
States of Insecurity Read More »
Eleven years after his untimely death, Sergei Magnitsky may be about to deal the biggest blow yet to the Russian criminal state – among others. A new and comprehensive law has been introduced in Britain, targeting those accused of human rights abuses in Russia, North Korea and Saudi Arabia with sanctions, asset freezes and travel
The Magnitsky Act: A gamechanger at last? Read More »
We all know Richard III – or at least we think we do. The hunchbacked, kin-murdering, usurper king of England thrown down by Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond to end the Wars of the Roses and usher in the glorious era of the Tudors. But a growing body of historiography is now putting forth a
“And every tale condemns me for a villain…” Read More »
The business of politics and the politics of business continue unabated despite the coronavirus crisis, and recent events in London’s High Court have proven that for some, it is all about the money, money, money. Venezuela holds $1bn USD of gold bullion in the vaults of the Bank of England, but an attempt to retrieve
A rare and seemingly supersized success for the UK’s National Crime Agency, as EncroChat, an encrypted messaging system used by some of the top criminals in the country, is successfully cracked, resulting in over 700 arrests and drugs, guns and cash in significant quantities being seized. Although the full scale of this operation is unlikely
Tales from The Encrypt Read More »
Regular readers of these articles will recall the intention of Pierre Nkurunziza, outgoing president of Burundi, to become a ‘supreme leader’-style figure within his own country and remaining the power behind the throne. These plans were hit for six with Nkurunziza’s untimely passing this week, understood to be from coronavirus. Not only does this illustrate
Covid-19: The power play’s the thing… Read More »
Whatever the opposite of a political earthquake is, Burundi has likely just experienced it. After 15 years, the president Pierre Nkurunziza is stepping down and a new leader is incoming – albeit from the same party. However, Nkurunziza will remain as a ‘supreme guide to patriotism’ and all decisions on security and ‘unity’ (a delightfully
Burundi: Elective Surgery? Read More »
With all the tedious inevitability of an unloved season – as one Hugo Drax might have put it – here we are again. A new Unexplained Wealth Order has been issued in the UK, against a property on London’s ‘Billionaire’s Row’ suspected to have been purchased with money embezzled by the Kazakhstan elite. Given that
Unidentified Wealthifying Object Read More »
Regrettably, the coronavirus crisis has proven a fertile breeding ground for fake news and scams. It originated from America… it originated from China… it can be cured by a specific type of metal. While governments and health authorities have been quick to dispel these fabrications, it is symptomatic of the ease and breadth with which
Fake news: World tour Read More »
Aside from phishing, hacking, vishing, ransomware, malware, social engineering, insider threats and state-sponsored espionage, a new threat is fast rising: smishing. This is where texts, instant messages and communication apps are used to scam the unwary users, through asking them to click or link or make a payment when the message purportedly comes from a