As the US administration intensifies its security strategy in the Western hemisphere, and local frustrations grow among populations contending with criminality and violence, Latin American governments face pressure to stem drug trafficking and organised crime. With some states turning to a more heavy-handed approach, Neil Mugabe considers the challenges…
Violence as a Service (VaaS) networks have proliferated over the past year, in which kidnapping, extortion and assassinations, among other crimes, are commissioned, brokered and carried out transnationally. Shannon Lorimer argues that these fragmented chains complicate law enforcement detection, exposing private companies to new security and commercial…
Extortion in Canada has evolved from opportunistic street crime into a coordinated threat, forcing business owners, families and individuals to remain on high alert. Neil Mugabe explores the groups and tactics behind rising extortion activity in the country and the challenges that lie ahead for law enforcement.
Hijackings continue to pose significant risks for businesses and private citizens as global economic pressures drive demand for cheaper goods on black markets. Neil Mugabe examines notable trends in hijackings in 2025, and key hotspots where such events are likely to occur.
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…
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.
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.
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 August and September, tensions between the US and Venezuela ramped up over the latter’s alleged role in transnational organised crime. Tamsin Hunt examines the wider security and geopolitical implications of counternarcotic militarisation, and broader pressure from the US on regional governments to stem the practice.
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.
On 30 April, US and Ukrainian representatives signed a bilateral minerals deal, securing an alliance for Ukraine in the ongoing war with Russia. However, its skirting of security guarantees changes little on the ground for Ukraine, and sustains uncertainty over whether the investments it seeks to entice will turn a timely profit, writes Neo Tsotetsi.…