From Hong Kong to Mexico City, there has been a notable increase in scams involving hoax kidnappings in recent years. Virtual kidnapping involves attempts to extort a ransom from individuals by perpetrators falsely claiming they have abducted a loved one. S-RM Latin America and Asia Pacific analysts, Rufus Kleinwort and Rob Attwell, highlight some recent…
The death last September of long-time Uzbek dictator Islam Karimov, who ruled the Central Asian state from its independence in 1991, was an opportunity for the isolated country to open up to the world and liberalise its oppressive regime, writes Filip Rambousek. The Uzbek government appears to be seizing its chance.
The recent abduction of Afgan Mukhtarli not only puts Georgia's democratic credentials under scrutiny, but also highlights the variety of threats faced by independent journalists in many parts of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), including wrongful detention, writes Saif Islam.
The arrest of one of Nigeria's most notorious kidnap kingpins, Chukwudubem Onwuamadike, has been hailed as a potential turning point in the battle against criminally-motivated kidnappings in the country. Yet, the case has also exposed the sophistication of kidnap gangs in Nigeria and why perpetrators continue to elude law enforcement, argues Reinet…
The Mali-based group, Jamaat Nasr al Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), is currently holding five foreign nationals captive in northern Mali. This has put the group in a lucrative position, as the phased release of hostages following ransom payments will offer useful cash injections to prolong JNIM's armed campaign, writes Gabrielle Reid.
Thousands of ransomware attacks across the globe in May 2017 were allegedly tied to a North Korea-affiliated group of cyber-criminals. As US-led calls for tougher economic sanctions gain traction internationally, the North Korean government is likely to stage further cyber-attacks as a form of asymmetric warfare and as a means of generating revenue,…
With corruption scandals simmering at the upper levels of the Brazilian government and opposition to unpopular austerity measures growing, political instability looks set to continue in 2017. Anti-corruption and anti-austerity protests are likely to increase in frequency and size this year.
July's ASEAN summit provided a rare opportunity to reflect on the recent Hague ruling on the Philippines' dispute with China in the South China Sea. However, the summit concluded without a clear response from the region, allowing China to continue with belligerent actions in the region, writes Mandira Bagwandeen.
ASHLEIGH SOMAROO discusses the reasons behind the recent increase in Islamic State-sympathisers in India and whether or not they maintain the capacity to launch coordinated and sophisticated attacks in the country.
Carilee Osborne explores the possibility of cyberattack tactics during the US presidential campaigns and election
Despite Malaysian authorities carrying out several counter-terrorism operations targeting people involved with the Islamic State, the country continues to face a threat from its citizens fighting for the group in Iraq and Syria, writes Mandira Bagwandeen
Although there are some indications of potential changes to foreign and economic policy, there is little doubt that the new Uzbek leader will continue the tradition of his predecessor and preserve the authoritarian political system, writes Saif Islam.