The rapid spread of conflict across the Middle East since February 2026 has spurred widespread travel disruptions amid significant uncertainty. Richard Gardiner reflects on the challenges companies and foreign nationals faced in navigating relocations and evacuations as the conflict escalated, and highlights key considerations around how to prepare…
The war in Iran has plunged the Middle East into a period of instability that is likely to have ripple effects beyond the conflict. Richard Gardiner considers how the current situation has exacerbated existing tensions, and will continue to drive the threat of further instability within the region and abroad.
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.
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.
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.
Russia’s grey zone attacks in Europe have surged amid the conflict in Ukraine. This strategy reflects growing tensions between NATO and Russia, but also highlights underlying challenges in responding to Russia’s covert aggression, writes Richard Gardiner.
The fall of Bashar Al Assad has substantially reshaped Syria’s security landscape, with knock-on effects for the country’s illicit economy. Richard Gardiner explores how the new status quo is driving a rise in extortion and kidnapping in some areas, entrenching these activities in others, and the implications for prospective foreign investors.
With kidnapping incidents in Nigeria persisting, Richard Gardiner examines the current dynamics of the crime and highlights emerging trends shaped by the country’s difficult socioeconomic conditions and troubled security landscape.
With member states pledging to increase defence spending, the recent NATO summit could, in many respects, be seen as a success. Yet beneath the surface, significant tensions and unresolved issues persist. Richard Gardiner examines the outcomes of the summit, and the key challenges the alliance is likely to face in the years ahead.
In May, the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) released its annual report, highlighting a sharp rise in violence against healthcare organisations and workers in conflict zones. Richard Gardiner explores the underlying drivers of this trend and argues that the SHCC’s findings reflect deeper concerns about the state of the aid sector as…
A recent spate of politically motivated attacks in the US – including the killing of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington, DC – underscores the complex threat posed by extremist actors. Richard Gardiner argues that a combination of domestic and external factors is driving a diverse range of actors to carry out such attacks.
Between March and May 2025, the US conducted a sustained campaign of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, while Iran signalled its intention to reduce its support for the group. Despite these developments – including a recent ceasefire agreement with the US – Richard Gardiner argues that the Houthis will continue to pose a threat to both regional…