All posts tagged: Global Security

Chilling footage shows Iran Revolutionary Guard seizing Hormuz ships | World | News

Chilling footage shows Iran Revolutionary Guard seizing Hormuz ships | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

Panama condemned what it described as the “illegal seizure” of the Panama-flagged MSC Francesca, declaring it a grave assault on maritime security. In footage aired by Iranian state broadcasters, armed soldiers were seen approaching one of the vessels via a small boat before scaling a ladder to board it. The Guard also launched an assault on a third vessel, identified as the Euphoria, which had reportedly become “stranded” along the Iranian coastline, according to Iranian media, though no further details were provided. The strikes came just a day after Trump extended a two-week ceasefire while maintaining an American blockade of Iranian ports. The ongoing standoff between the US and Iran has effectively strangled nearly all exports passing through the strait — through which 20% of the world’s traded oil flows during peacetime — with no resolution in sight. Video footage broadcast on Iranian state television purportedly captures the chilling moment masked Islamic Revolutionary Guard troops boarded and commandeered two vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, just hours after Donald Trump extended a fragile ceasefire. Iran …

CIA agents killed in horror car crash on secret raid to destroy Mexico drug lab | World | News

CIA agents killed in horror car crash on secret raid to destroy Mexico drug lab | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

Two U.S. officials killed in a vehicle crash as they returned from destroying a clandestine drug lab in northern Mexico over the weekend were working for the CIA, according to a U.S. official and two other people familiar with the matter. Two Mexican investigators also were killed in the crash, which Mexican authorities said occurred while the convoy was returning from an operation to destroy drug labs of criminal groups. There have been discrepancies in the public accounts of what happened from U.S. and Mexican officials, which experts say underscores heightened American involvement in security operations in Mexico and across the region. The CIA’s involvement was confirmed Tuesday by the three with knowledge of the crash, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence matters. That the U.S. officials worked for the CIA was reported earlier by The Washington Post. It comes after days of contradictions from Mexican and U.S. authorities about the role that American officials played in an operation to bust a narco-laboratory in northern Chihuahua state. The lack of …

Starmer risks a major war within 10 years without one change, warns AI | UK | News

Starmer risks a major war within 10 years without one change, warns AI | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

An artificial intelligence system billing itself as the most accurate forecaster on earth has put Britain’s chances of fighting a major war within the next decade at one in four — and says only a dramatic increase in defence spending can bring that risk down. Cassi AI, whose founder claims it produces forecasts “just off the best forecast that humanity can make under uncertainty”, put the odds of UK involvement in a major conflict at one in five before the Iran war broke out on February 28. That figure has since climbed to 24 per cent. The system’s modelling suggests a single policy decision could transform the picture entirely. Were Britain to commit to spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence averaged over five years and hit that target by 2036, the conflict probability would fall to just 5 per cent — one in twenty. What qualifies as a major conflict For Cassi’s purposes, a major conflict is one in which British fatalities hit 500, or 250 in a war that claims 10,000 combatant …

Statue of Liberty terror attack warning ahead of USA 250 celebrations | US | News

Statue of Liberty terror attack warning ahead of USA 250 celebrations | US | News

Published by Sam Flores

The Statue of Liberty could become the target of a terrorist attack, Burgum warned (Image: Getty) Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum issued a stark warning about a possible terrorist attack on the Statue of Liberty as the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of its independence. Speaking at a press conference in New York, Burgum praised the U.S. Park Police, the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency, highlighting their crucial role throughout American history. While discussing their work safeguarding the Statue of Liberty – amongst America’s most recognisable landmarks – he observed it features prominently in imagery on the majority of terrorist recruitment websites, cautioning that it could one day become the target of an assault. “The Statue of Liberty, by the way, is the most featured image on terrorist recruiting sites,” Burgum said. “It’s the thing that, if someone could wreck our 250th anniversary…” He continued by explaining that the U.S. Park Police vets more than 4 million visitors to the monument annually before they embark on the renowned ferry crossing …

UK households urged to stockpile 9 key foods for WW3 breakout | UK | News

UK households urged to stockpile 9 key foods for WW3 breakout | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Shoppers worried about WW3 should turn to 9 key foods (Image: Getty) With US strikes on Iran and the death of the Ayotollah this weekend, alongside Vladimir Putin’s lakeys making yet more nuclear threats to UK, it’s fair to say tensions are continuing to ramp up. It’s the worst case scenario which absolutely nobody wants to think about. But with everything that’s going on in the world right now, there are some fears that World War Three could genuinely be closer than we want to admit and the UK government does advise that households should be prepared, not just for the event of war but for other national emergencies too. Earlier this year, the Doomsday Clock was moved to just 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been. The clock has, since just after the end of World War Two, been used to symbolise how close science believes the world is to annihilation, whether environmental, viral or indeed, nuclear. When Russia invaded Ukraine, it triggered a cost of living crisis that saw food …

Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese evacuated from home over ‘safety fears’ | World | News

Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese evacuated from home over ‘safety fears’ | World | News

Published by Sam Flores

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been evacuated from the Lodge in Canberra amid safety concerns, police said. The federal police were called to his home due to reports of a threat, and he ahs since been moved to a different secure location.  Emergency vehicles were spotted outside the property at around 6pm local time on Tuesday. According to sources, the prime minister has confirmed he is safe and there is no threat to the public. Australian Federal Police (AFP) said: “About 6pm today, the AFP responded to an alleged security incident within the ACT. “A thorough search of a protection establishment has commenced and is still ongoing. There is no current threat to the community or public safety.” Former AFP Detective Superintendent David Craig called it a “significant move” by authorities. He told Sky News: “This isn’t a some online threat… There must be some corroboration to it for [police] to act this way.  “They will have a number of plans, and depending on the the objective or the vector of the threat, those plans will …

Lords torpedo Starmer’s £30bn Chagos giveaway in latest humiliation for PM | Politics | News

Lords torpedo Starmer’s £30bn Chagos giveaway in latest humiliation for PM | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

Sir Keir Starmer’s Chagos “surrender bill” has suffered another massive blow after peers voted to kick it back to MPs. Members of the House of Lords overwhelmingly backed a vote to object to the treaty, which would see Britain forking out billions to return its own territory to another country. The Upper House voted 201 to 169 in favour of a formal objection, known as a “regret motion”, which expressed disapproval with the treaty and has forced it back to the Commons where it must be debated again by MPs. Under the proposed terms of the deal, the United Kingdom will hand up to £30billion to Mauritius as part of a handover which former military chiefs have branded an act of “self-harm”. In a letter signed by several former leaders of the military, it was argued that the base located there was an essential part of British national security. The letter, seen by GB News, said: “We also believe that the Labour Party has been disingenuous to the point of distortion and dishonesty in its …

Keir Starmer bows down to China super-embassy plans despite spying fears | Politics | News

Keir Starmer bows down to China super-embassy plans despite spying fears | Politics | News

Published by skeptic

Plans for a Chinese super-embassy are set to be given the green light despite fears over Beijing’s spying campaigns. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to approve the proposals at the former Royal Mint building. But “mitigations” will need to be put in place to protect national security, it is understood. Some fear China will be able to use the embassy in the heart of London as a base for its intelligence officers, with particular concern about a series of underground cables nearby linking the City to Westminster. But the Home Office and Foreign Office, which represent MI5 and MI6, will not raise any formal objections to the plans. Sir Keir has been under intense pressure to block the super-embassy plans after a series of spy plots were discovered linked to Beijing. Two recruitment firms, Amanda Qiu (BR-YR Executive Search) and Shirly Shen (Internship Union), were accused of passing on details about politicians, their staff, policy wonks, economists and officials to Chinese intelligence officers. And a case against two suspected moles – Christopher Cash …