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September 5, 2025 The UN Is Leaving Its People Vulnerable To Kidnapping in Yemen The United Nations refuses to stand up to Houthi bullying in Yemen, and its staff are paying the price. The Houthis, a rebel group closely tied to Iran, launched raids on UN offices in the Yemeni cities... September 4, 2025 China’s Military Parade Showcases Advanced Weapons and Growing Ties With Russia, Iran, and North Korea Tiananmen Square shuddered as advanced Chinese military hardware rolled past the leaders of the Axis of Aggressors — Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un. Wednesday’s parade, attended by about two dozen foreign leaders, was intended to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II — despite the limited role the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) played in that conflict. September 3, 2025 Syria Is No Longer a Narco-State, But the Captagon Trade Rolls On Interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa pledged to dismantle his country’s massive illegal drug trade when he took power in December, but the dangerous amphetamine captagon is still flowing. On September... August 28, 2025 US-EU Tariff Agreement Prioritizes Economic Security, Presents Pathway for Combating China The art of the EU tariff deal has been revealed at last. The United States and the European Union released a written tariff agreement on August 21, following the handshake deal announced in late July.... August 28, 2025 Microsoft Severs Chinese Access to Cybersecurity Vulnerability Information It wasn’t the first time, but Microsoft would love to make it the last. After dozens of government agencies and corporations running SharePoint were recently compromised, the software goliath is cutting... August 28, 2025 Following Australian Proscription, Time To Tighten the Terrorism Sanctions Noose on the IRGC It was a decision years in the making. Canberra will now proscribe the entirety of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization. On August 25, Australian Foreign Secretary... August 26, 2025 New Iran Sanctions Are Welcome, but Maximum Impact Demands Maximum Attention President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran is taking shape — incrementally. On August 21, the Departments of State and the Treasury sanctioned several individuals... August 25, 2025 Microsoft Omitted Key Details in DOD Security Filings on China-Related Program The Department of Defense (DOD) cannot mitigate security flaws it cannot see — or those that are purposely hidden. On August 20, ProPublica reported that Microsoft failed to alert DOD that the company... August 25, 2025 Signaling Potential Crackdown, Chinese Leader Xi Jinping Conducts Rare Visit to Tibet China is signaling that it is prepared to increase its repression of Tibet. On August 20, Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Tibet to mark the anniversary of China’s effective annexation of the region... August 22, 2025 Limiting Access to Cyber Support for Water Sector Leaves Communities Vulnerable The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is trying to stem the tide of cyberattacks against the water sector. On August 19, the EPA held a webinar explaining the details of its new $9.5 million cybersecurity... August 21, 2025 For the First Time in 25 Years, Syria Acknowledges Direct Talks With Israel Israel and Syria are talking — and for once, no one is denying it. Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani met with an Israeli delegation in Paris on August 19, the Syria’s official news agency announced.... August 21, 2025 Showcasing Growing Ties, China Allegedly Buys Russian Command-and-Control System Despite the draining war in Ukraine, Russian arms dealers remain able to supply an important customer: China. On August 14, The Insider, a European-based independent investigative journalism outlet, released... August 19, 2025 Druze City Offers Syria’s Leader Yet Another Challenge Things are not getting any easier for Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and his fractured country. On August 18, hundreds of Druze demonstrated in the city of Suwayda — where they make up the... August 15, 2025 South Africa Expands Military Ties With Iran, Taunts Trump to ‘Bring On’ Sanctions South Africa is not hiding its support for Iran. On August 12, Pretoria’s top military chief, Rudzani Maphwanya, met with senior officials of Iran’s military to strengthen cooperation between the two... August 15, 2025 UN Report Ties New Syrian Army to Coastal Massacres The Syrian coastal massacres in March marked one of the deadliest violent episodes since the downfall of the Assad regime. An August 11 report by the United Nations’ Independent International Commission... August 15, 2025 Qatar Is Repressing Religious Minorities — and Washington Knows It Remy Rowhani, a 71-year-old Qatari citizen, found out on August 13 that he will be spending the next five years of his life in prison. His crime? Posting content on social media that allegedly “cast... August 14, 2025 Stalled Syria-SDF Deal Risks Sparking Wider Conflict Clashes have erupted between the Syrian government and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria. Since August 2, the SDF has reported five clashes, leaving tens wounded. The... August 14, 2025 Egypt Inks Multi-Billion Dollar Energy Deal With Israel Despite Gaza Tensions After months of threatening to walk away from its peace treaty with Israel, Egypt has instead moved to strengthen ties with Jerusalem by securing its largest-ever energy deal. On August 7, Cairo signed... August 14, 2025 Tehran Seeks to Consolidate Its Influence in Iraq Iran still seeks to project power in the Middle East — not only by arming proxies and smuggling oil but also by shaping regional parliaments and policies. Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s new Supreme... August 13, 2025 China Ramps Up Pressure on the Philippines — and Strikes a Blow Against Itself China’s efforts to harass the Philippines have suffered a significant setback. On August 11, a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel collided with a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ship while attempting... August 13, 2025 Sanctions Hit Iran but Leave Chinese Facilitators Untouched President Donald Trump is slamming shut the back doors allowing prohibited Iranian financial trade to continue in the shadows. On August 7, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned members of two networks... August 12, 2025 U.S. and Partners Conclude Month of Military Exercises in the Pacific While Eyeing China The Department of Defense concluded large-scale military exercises in the Indo-Pacific on August 8 that honed skills critical to thwarting potential Chinese aggression. REFORPAC 2025 focused on demonstrating... August 11, 2025 White House Offers NVIDIA and AMD a Pay-To-Play Scheme for Chinese Market Access The U.S. government is going into business with America’s most potent adversary, China. On August 10, The New York Times reported that chipmakers NVIDIA and AMD will receive export licenses to sell high-end... August 11, 2025 Revelation of Iranian Visit to Russia Raises Questions on Nuclear Cooperation There are signs that Russia and Iran could once again collaborate on Tehran’s nuclear weapons program. A delegation of Iranian nuclear scientists and officials visited Russian institutions linked to... August 8, 2025 Tehran Ramps Up Executions Amid Fears of Post-War Unrest In Iran, espionage trials have become a form of theater in which political prisoners face very real executions. It’s an attempt by the regime to mask its failure to stop Israel’s spy agency, the Mossad,... August 7, 2025 Trump Administration Fails to Halt Iran’s Oil Exports The Trump administration came into power promising to reduce Iran’s oil exports to 100,000 barrels per day. It has so far failed to deliver on that promise. Early data by TankerTrackers indicate that... August 7, 2025 South Africa Remains a Risky Jurisdiction for Terror Finance South Africa would like to get out of a very particular doghouse — the one where countries that fail to counter money laundering live. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the world’s leading intergovernmental... August 7, 2025 China Releases Footage of Major Missile Test To Threaten U.S. China’s military celebrated its birthday by subtly threatening the United States. On July 31, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force, the military service responsible for China’s conventional... August 6, 2025 Russia Lures Young Migrant Women from Latin America to Build Drones The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) has discovered Russian efforts to recruit young migrant women from Latin America to build drones to sustain its war of aggression in Ukraine. The Alabuga... August 5, 2025 Qatar Is Powering Syria For Syria, Qatar’s money is power. On July 31, the Qatar Fund for Development announced plans to fund a surge of natural gas deliveries to Syria. Deliveries began on August 2. The gas, which is flowing... August 5, 2025 U.S. Cancellation of Sudan Talks Was a Mistake The United States unwisely cancelled a key meeting on Sudan’s civil war. The State Department called off a gathering with the Sudan Quad — Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates — scheduled... August 1, 2025 Russian Cyber Threat Group Uses AI-Guided Malware Hackers are now using AI to guide attacks in real time. In a statement that initially attracted little attention among Western analysts, Ukraine’s national cybersecurity agency warned on July 17 that... July 31, 2025 A Thirsty Iran Provides an Opening for the U.S. Rivers are running dry, cities are shutting down, and Iranians know who to blame for their parched land: the tyrants in Tehran. From July 25-29, protests erupted across towns in Iran’s northern, northeastern,... July 31, 2025 Did Qatar Just Take a Step Back From Hamas? This week’s UN conference on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulted in a rare moment of international unity. On July 29, 17 countries, the European Union, and the Arab League, signed a declaration... July 30, 2025 House Committee Moves to Overhaul U.S.-South Africa Relationship Ahead of Potential FATF Delisting U.S. pressure is mounting on Pretoria. The House Foreign Affairs Committee cleared a consequential piece of legislation on July 22 aimed at reevaluating America’s longstanding relationship with South... July 30, 2025 New York Acts To Avert Cyberattacks Against State’s Drinking Water Systems With the federal government slow to act, New York State government is stepping in to protect its water systems from cyber threats. On July 22, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a new $2.5 million cybersecurity... July 29, 2025 The Global Cyber Vulnerability Database Cannot Run on Unstable Funding A critical cybersecurity system that supports global threat coordination operates without guaranteed funding, statutory authority, or a formal governance structure. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures... July 29, 2025 Syria’s Parliamentary “Elections” Are a Charade Parliamentary elections in Syria will take place in September, Damascus announced on July 27 — but the people will not vote and presidential appointees will choose the winners. Interim President Ahmad... July 25, 2025 Trump Administration Announces New Security Assistance as Ukrainians Face ‘Russian Terror’ Ukraine will be getting more American weapons as it faces escalating Russian aggression. In the latest evidence of a positive but insufficient policy shift, the Trump administration approved four arms... July 25, 2025 U.S. Must Apply Pressure to Prevent Turkish Military Intervention in Syria Syria after Bashar al-Assad is a country in chaos, but that does not mean it cannot get worse. One way that could happen would be a direct Turkish military intervention. Unfortunately, that is exactly... July 22, 2025 Post-12-Day War, Iran Continues To Invest in the Houthis Tehran is still arming the Houthis. Yemen’s National Resistance Forces (NRF), an anti-Houthi coalition, intercepted 750 tons of Iranian weapons en route to the Houthi-controlled port of al-Salif from... July 21, 2025 Lebanese Central Bank Lands a Blow on Hezbollah’s Finances, but It’s Not Enough Lebanon’s Central Bank (Banque Du Liban or BDL) issued a circular on July 15 that effectively banned Lebanese financial institutions from dealing with Al Qard Al Hassan (AQAH), Hezbollah’s de facto... July 18, 2025 Defending Against DeepSeek: Congress’ Federal Firewall A NATO ally has branded China’s AI chatbot as a Trojan horse for Beijing’s spies. The Czech Republic’s [DA1] cybersecurity agency issued a warning on July 10 that led to an immediate ban of... July 17, 2025 Time To End UN’s Anti-Israel and Anti-American Commission of Inquiry All three members of a notoriously anti-Israel and anti-American UN commission resigned in recent days. While a welcome first step, the resignations only take effect after another three months. ... July 17, 2025 U.S. Rail Systems at Risk After Industry Ignored Decades-Old Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities U.S. rail system controls are not safe. While industry slept, security researchers discovered decades ago that hackers can remotely access the radio communications equipment that controls a train’s braking... July 17, 2025 Assad’s Narco-Trade Lives on in Lebanon The Lebanese Army busted a major narcotics factory. On July 13, Lebanese forces raided a facility in Baalbek used to produce the synthetic, amphetamine-like drug captagon. The army dismantled approximately... July 16, 2025 Reversing Previous Restrictions, Washington Allows NVIDIA To Sell Advanced Chips to China The Trump administration is giving China a much-needed boost in the race for artificial intelligence (AI). After a White House meeting between President Donald Trump and NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, the company... July 16, 2025 EU Sanctions Tehran’s Transnational Repression Network Tehran’s global terror apparatus has triggered an important European response. On July 15, the European Union (EU) Council designated the network of narco-trafficker Naji Ibrahim Sharifi Zindashti and... July 16, 2025 Syria Acts To Adhere to Chemical Weapons Convention, While Russia Doubles Down on Non-Compliance Syria has taken key steps to eliminate its chemical weapons assets — but Russia has actually used its own stockpiles against Ukraine. That was the conclusion of the Organization for the Prohibition of... July 16, 2025 The Pentagon Has Given China Access to Its Systems for Over a Decade The Defense Department (DoD) is letting Beijing into its most critical systems — not through a breach, but by design. On July 15, a ProPublica investigation revealed that the DoD has outsourced some...

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