An attack on the world’s biggest crude processing facility in Saudi Arabia has fueled growing tensions in the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia and the US pointing to Iran as the culprit. Bilal Bassiouni assesses the possible trajectories of this latest escalation
Amid countrywide power blackouts and subsidy cuts, Argentinians have mobilised against the government’s austerity measures, shutting down commercial operations and public services through mass-demonstrations. Erin Drake explores the growing anti-austerity movement and its potential to devolve into widespread civil unrest.
Attacks against and seizures of merchant vessels in the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman amid increased tensions between Iran and the US could result in a major military escalation, with serious implications for regional security and the global economy, writes Saif Islam..
Over the past few months, protests triggered by a controversial bill which would allow extraditions from Hong Kong to mainland China have paralysed Hong Kong. Markus Korhonen looks at how the protests have unfolded, and what commercial impacts they are having.
In this article, we examine three cases from around the world which highlight where and under what conditions police will turn to kidnap for ransom either directly or in cooperation with organised criminal groups.
In the Northern Triangle — comprising Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala — violent extortion is endemic, affecting public and private sectors alike. Erin Drake reviews the drivers of extortion and the threat it poses to companies operating in this region.
Maoist militants in Asia continue to fund their operations through so-called “revolutionary taxes,” underscoring the persistent threat of far-left extortion in the Philippines, India and Nepal, writes Rob Attwell.
The ongoing fighting in Tripoli has not only killed and injured thousands of people in and around the Libyan capital but has also exacerbated the threat of wrongful detention faced by foreign nationals, writes Saif Islam.
Despite the overthrow of long-serving president Omar Al Bashir in April, protesters continue to call for the Military Transitional Council to hand over power to a civilian administration. With negotiations faltering on several occasions, it appears that Sudan is on the brink of a political crisis for the second time this year. The road to stability…
On 21 and 22 May 2019, thousands of supporters of opposition leader Prabowo Subianto rioted in central Jakarta after he rejected the results of the recent general election. With the current tensions in mind, Rob Attwell explains how a combination of deep societal divisions and political polarisation is contributing to a worsening security environment…
Amid the protracted conflict in the eastern DRC, local militias have started to attack Ebola treatment centres in Butembo and Beni, North Kivu, killing medical staff and forcing the closure of several facilities. Erin Drake considers the threat to health workers and medical treatment facilities in this conflict area.
The recent attack on the Chabad of Poway synagogue in California once again highlights that while the US’s counter-terrorism agencies remain primarily focused on Islamist-inspired terrorism, the threat posed by far-right extremists is growing and deserves proportional attention, writes Tim Geschwindt.