The proliferation of social media, digital currencies and artificial intelligence (AI) has provided new avenues for threat actors to enhance kidnapping and extortion schemes. As continued technological advancements diversify victim profiles and complicate efforts to curb these crimes, the threat is likely to persist and continue to evolve in the coming…
As political instability and conflict events continue to drive threats to foreign nationals, travellers and commercial operators, Richard Gardiner interviews Paul Padman, S-RM’s Deputy Head of Crisis Response, to discuss recent trends in evacuations, and best practices for companies navigating high-risk environments and volatile situations.
2025 was a year filled with travel disruptions as a result of a shifting geopolitical landscape, regional conflict, and in some cases, domestic political dynamics. Tamsin Hunt examines some of the security trends that will continue to affect global travel over the coming year.
Gen Z protests have emerged as a global phenomenon in recent years, affecting at least 12 countries in 2025. With further such protests expected in 2026, Neo Tsotetsi explores the long-simmering grievances driving these movements, as well as their innovative use of technology to maintain momentum.
Amid heightened geopolitical tension and rivalry, the ways in which countries compete to secure influence and strategic goals have shifted in recent years. Richard Gardiner explores how conflict dynamics are likely to unfold in 2026, and the implications these may have for commercial operators in key hotspots.
With 2026 setting the stage for highly contested elections in US, Hungary, Israel and others, Tamsin Hunt explores the implications of potential outcomes for domestic stability and regional dynamics.
As global trade disputes intensify, the trickle-down effect of destabilised supply chains amid existing domestic economic challenges threatens to drive demonstrations and strikes across the US, Canada, Mexico and Europe. Neil Mugabe and Erin Drake examine how continued volatility in the trade landscape could drive instability in the coming year.
Despite heavy losses on the battlefield in 2023 and 2024, major territorial gains by Myanmar’s military in the past few months have signalled a recent shift in the military’s favour. With elections scheduled for December 2025, the junta’s ongoing offensive to secure strategic towns and transport arteries is increasingly intertwined with efforts to secure…
The late October fall of Al Fashir marked the consolidation of Rapid Support Forces (RSF) dominance in southwest Sudan, splitting security control over the country and setting the RSF up to rule Darfur as a parallel government, Neo Tsotetsi argues.
As increased polarisation and public dissatisfaction around a range of policy issues drive political tensions ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections, Richard Gardiner examines factors likely to influence unrest and disruption across the United States (US) in the coming year.
In late September, youth-led protests denouncing high government expenditure on international sporting tournaments amid the underfunding of public services took root across the country. Neo Tsotetsi examines the issues driving these demonstrations and the impact they have had on Morocco thus far.
On 8 and 9 September, youth-led protests resulted in the collapse of the Nepalese government. Although these demonstrations were triggered by a controversial government decision to ban social media platforms, Tamsin Hunt argues that they brought much deeper and endemic issues to the fore – grievances that the next government will struggle to overcome.…