Political and security risk updates from around the world. This week: Donald Trump assembles transition team and announces controversial appointments and nominations to key posts; airstrikes by Saudi-led coalition forces continue in Yemen despite 48-hour ceasefire; controversial power-sharing agreement extending presidents term until 2018 comes into effect in DR Congo; and more.
Category: Publications
The remote warfare digest
Open Briefing has produced a series of monthly intelligence briefings on remote warfare since April 2014. Periodically, we undertake a more in-depth assessment of the trends in remote warfare. This current report sets out the findings of the third such assessment. A key theme of this assessment is the adoption of remote warfare by state and non-state actors beyond the United States and its Western allies.
The weekly briefing, 15 November 2016: Moldova elects pro-Russia president, Ethiopia arrests 11,000 people during state of emergency, Iraqi forces liberate ancient city of Nimrud
Political and security risk updates from around the world. This week: Moldova elects pro-Russia president in first presidential election since 1996; Ethiopia arrests 11,000 people during state of emergency; Iraqi forces liberate ancient city of Nimrud from Islamic State; and more.
Why the United States was caught off-guard on Iran
Many intelligence agencies were caught off-guard by the Arab Spring in 2011. Similarly, many agencies failed to anticipate the Islamic State taking over Mosul in 2014. Yet, the reasons behind these instances of strategic surprise were not new at all. They were already apparent over 25 years before, prior to the Iranian Revolution, and still pervade contemporary intelligence work.
The weekly briefing, 8 November 2016: Kenya withdraws troops from UN mission in South Sudan, over 200 people drown in two shipwrecks off coast of Libya, pro-government rallies in Malaysia against independent news website
Political and security risk updates from around the world. This week: Kenya withdraws troops from UN mission in South Sudan after UN commander sacked; over 200 people drown in two shipwrecks off coast of Libya; pro-government rallies in Malaysia against independent news website reportedly funded by George Soros’s Open Society Foundation; and more.
The weekly briefing, 25 October 2016: coup plot foiled in Burkina Faso, anti-US protests in Philippines turn violent, operation to retake Mosul makes good progress
Political and security risk updates from around the world. This week: coup plot in Burkina Faso foiled by government security forces; anti-US protests in Philippines turn violent after police crackdown; anti-IS forces make good progress in operation to retake Mosul; and more.
The weekly briefing, 18 October 2016: DR Congo government delays presidential election, Venezuelan president passes 2017 budget by decree, Iraqi government and Kurdish forces launch campaign to retake Mosul
Political and security risk updates from around the world. This week: DR Congo government announces it is delaying next month’s presidential election until 2018; Venezuelan president passes government’s 2017 budget without approval of congress; Iraqi government and Kurdish forces launch long-awaited campaign to retake Mosul from Islamic State; and more.
The weekly briefing, 11 October 2016: North Korea likely preparing for new nuclear test, United States blames Russia for recent hacks of American political groups, Ethiopian government declares state of emergency
Political and security risk updates from around the world. This week: North Korea likely preparing for new nuclear test; US intelligence agencies blame Russian government for recent hacks of American political groups and subsequent leaks; Ethiopian government declares state of emergency; and more.
