Episodes
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The Rise of the Albanian Mafia - a brand new video series coming soon to the Intelligence Fusion YouTube channel.
From the beginnings of Albanian organised crime following the collapse of communism in the 1990s, to the markets they now dominate across Europe in the present day, we look at their activities across the continent, and how they have grown to become one of the most significant players in transnational organised crime.
Subscribe now to be the first to see brand new episodes each week: https://hubs.ly/Q01yCpnl0
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Join the discussion in the Intelligence Fusion OSINT community, exclusive to Discord: https://hubs.ly/Q01k6Qyv0
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How successful has Iranian foreign policy been in recent years? From Iran's alliance with Russia leading it to becoming involved in the war in Ukraine through the supply of drones and other weaponry, to closer to home, where Iran seeks to project power into the wider region such as supporting Houthi rebels in Yemen or Hezbollah in Lebanon, we take a look at understanding Iranian foreign policy, what it hopes to achieve, and whether it has been a success for Iran's regime.
To do this, Intelligence Fusion's Deputy Intelligence Manager, Max Taylor, is joined by Regional Analyst Peter Wood and Senior Regional Analyst for Europe Matt Pratten, where they discuss Iran's involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war, how Iran hopes to influence Iraqi politics and the problems it faces with Muqtada al-Sadr and the Sadrist Movement, and how secure Iran's borders are, particularly its borders with Iraq, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan - especially in light of potential Iran-Azerbaijan tension. The analysts also discuss whether Iran's foreign policy supports its domestic policy, and whether it has helped or hindered its security at home, especially in light of the ongoing Iranian protests.
Listen to latest episode of The Roundtable now.
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For more insights from Intelligence Fusion, head to: intelligencefusion.co.uk/insights
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Missing episodes?
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How are wars won in the modern era? As Ukraine’s counteroffensive reports significant gains, especially in its Kharkiv offensive, we look at the concept of a decisive battle, and whether it is possible in the modern era - or what a decisive battle might look like if so.
Recorded in two parts, and covering past conflicts from the modern era including the Vietnam War, the First Gulf War and the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, and the recent Nagorno-Karabakh War, Intelligence Fusion analysts Matt Pratten, Alex Smith and Max Taylor explore the ideas of and differences between a tactical and strategic victory, and how these ideas will relate to the Russia-Ukraine war, particularly with regard to the purported Kherson offensive in the south of the country, and the subsequent tactical victories being reported by the Ukrainian armed forces in the Kharkiv offensive in the north in recent days.
What is a decisive battle? Is a military victory won through a single battle or through attrition? And is a strategic victory now more important than any at the tactical level?
Listen to the full episode of The Roundtable now.
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NB: This podcast was recorded in two parts: on 5th September 2022, before the Kharkiv offensive began, and then on 13th September 2022, the day of release, to give as accurate and up-to-date information as possible.
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Other content you might be interested in:
Russia-Ukraine video briefing, 11th August 2022: Does Russia have the upper hand? - https://hubs.ly/Q01m917B0 The Roundtable podcast: How is conflict changing? - https://hubs.ly/Q01m91ct0 Pipeline politics: Russia’s instruments of power compared to Europe - https://hubs.ly/Q01m914S0Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In this episode of The Roundtable, our intelligence analysts - who specialise in the security situations of Asia, Africa and the Americas - take a closer look at their regions to understand which countries could be most heavily affected by the fuel shortages and growing food crisis across the world.
Selecting a handful of countries or subregions as case studies, the team explore how different nations and their governments will respond to the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the consequent soaring prices of food and fuel, particularly in areas of existing instability, economic hardship and conflict.
We discuss the impact of food insecurity and the rising cost of living in Nothern African countries, Central Asia and Lebanon as well as Peru, Ecuador and Chile.
Can previous uprisings such as the Arab Spring help us better anticipate unrest in 2022? Can we expect a return to hardline politics in response to the food and fuel crises? What are world leaders doing to combat this issue?Join Max Taylor, Viraj Pattni and Aaron Arends for an insightful discussion in Intelligence Fusion’s latest podcast episode.
If you enjoyed their analysis and assessment, you can see more from the team over on our blog, on YouTube and in our new Open Source Intelligence Community.
See more from Intelligence Fusion:
Is Europe losing the war on drugs? - A video by Aaron ArendsWhat's happening in Central Asia? - A monthly intelligence summary by Max TaylorMozambique's fight against terrorism - A video by Viraj PattniHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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What can the conflicts that we’ve witnessed in Iraq, Libya, Nagorno Karabakh, Syria, and even Ukraine, teach us about the evolution of conflict in recent years?
In the latest episode of our threat intelligence podcast, The Roundtable, we discuss how war and conflict have changed and address key issues including:
Do tanks have a place on the modern battlefield?Are drones evolutionary or revolutionary?How is OSINT changing conflict?What is the impact of a changing naval strategy?Is the west prepared for conflict moving forward?Thanks to our Intelligence Analysts, Max Taylor, Matt Pratten and Alex Smith for their insightful contributions to this podcast episode.
If you enjoyed their analysis and assessment, you can see more from the team over on our blog, on YouTube and in our new Open Source Intelligence Community.
See more from Intelligence Fusion:
What is Russia’s End Game? By Matt PrattenHow does the Taliban use Twitter? By Max TaylorThe Myanmar Coup: Protests, Conflict and the Future by Alex SmithHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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While global headlines are dominated by the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia and the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine’s Donbas region, there are a number of other armed conflicts to track in 2022 that are perhaps further out of the spotlight.
In the third episode of The Roundtable intelligence podcast, our analysts sit down to discuss six of these conflicts, hoping to shed some light on the wars taking place outside of the headlines.While this means we won’t be discussing conflicts like Ukraine or Myanmar in this episode, we have written extensively on both of these conflicts. If you’d like to learn more you may be interested in the following reports:
Russia-Ukraine conflict summary: What is happening in Ukraine? https://www.intelligencefusion.co.uk/insights/resources/intelligence-reports/russia-ukraine-conflict-what-is-happening-in-ukraine/
Myanmar one year on from the coup: from protest to armed conflict: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6896442288579694592
How to track armed conflict with threat intelligence software: https://www.intelligencefusion.co.uk/insights/resources/article/tracking-armed-conflict-using-threat-intelligence-software/
And to keep up to date with the latest developments from all of these conflicts, and any others, join our Discord server, where members of our team and our intelligence community share regular updates from conflicts across the world: https://www.intelligencefusion.co.uk/insights/resources/other/join-our-free-intelligence-community/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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In September 2021, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States of America signed an agreement aimed at strengthening military capabilities in the Pacific region, quickly becoming known as the AUKUS agreement. The immediate headlines resulting from this agreement were focussed on the announcement that the UK would be providing nuclear submarines to Australia - much to the consternation of France - but the pact is about much more than just submarines.
In this second episode of The Roundtable, Senior Regional Analyst for Asia, Max Taylor, is joined by former Australian Intelligence Corps and current Senior Regional Analyst for Europe at Intelligence Fusion Matt Pratten, and Regional Analyst Alex Smith, to unpack the AUKUS agreement - explaining what we know about it so far, the motivating factors that may have led to it, how countries such as China may respond, and how much substance there is to the pact.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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On this first episode of The Roundtable, Max Taylor, Viraj Pattni and Vincent Fevrier take a look at the ways in which armed groups have used extractive resources as a way of funding themselves, including ISIS and the Taliban in the Middle East and Central Asia, jihadist groups in the Sahel region of Africa, and cartels and insurgent groups in Central and South America.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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And how might they drive piracy in the Gulf of Guinea?
95% of all kidnappings by pirates in 2020 took place in the Gulf of Guinea, now the epicentre of piracy off the coast of Africa - and one of the most dangerous seas in the world. So what is driving this pirate threat? And how does what happens on land help fuel incidents at sea?
In this episode of The Insight, we explore the drivers of piracy in Africa, taking a look at what helped cause piracy in Somalia, what is driving piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, and how we can learn from this to identify when and where the next threat is coming from.
Learn how piracy in West Africa is linked to economic conditions, illegal fishing and gaps in maritime law, factors that can create pirates in Nigeria, the Niger Delta, and the rest of the gulf.
Intelligence Fusion's assessment is based on our day-to-day monitoring of the security landscape in West Africa. If you'd like to take a closer look at the intelligence that supports our analysis, get access to a 14-day free trial: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Here's some more content you might like:
- Explaining the political crisis in Ethiopia: https://hubs.ly/H0N2ny60
- How to use threat intelligence as a security consultant: https://hubs.ly/H0GHlcW0
- Security management in a post-COVID world: https://hubs.ly/H0GHkMD0
And don't forget to like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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And what is the current state of policing?
Police in Europe were already facing mounting pressures, with the threat of the far-right, left-wing extremists, organised crime gangs, and deteriorating morale and public trust even before the pandemic hit the continent last year. With governments imposing lockdowns in Europe because of COVID-19, this has impacted on how police are dealing with extremism, changed the potential operational landscape for organised crime, and caused economic and personal stress factors to a wide section of the population. This has worsened many of these issues, with increasing clashes with police by ordinary citizens, and creating opportunities for criminals and activists alike.
Policing the pandemic has also meant dealing with worsening anti-lockdown protests, enforcing business closures and social distancing rules, and arresting criminals who may spit, cough or use the threat of COVID-19 to resist arrest.
We've also seen that attacks on police, as well as protests and riots in Europe, have become a common feature of policing during the pandemic.
This episode takes a look at the current state of policing across Europe, particularly since the lockdowns were imposed, to see the impact of COVID-19 on police forces across the continent, and what long-term effects this might have on policing, and on police mental health.
Intelligence Fusion's assessment is based on our day-to-day monitoring of the security landscape in Europe. If you'd like to take a closer look at the intelligence that supports our analysis, get access to a 14-day free trial: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Here's some more content you might like:
- How to build an effective threat intelligence program: https://hubs.ly/H0M200F0
- The importance of human-led intelligence collection: https://hubs.ly/H0M201l0
- The three biggest threats to businesses in Europe in 2021: https://hubs.ly/H0K7G570
And don't forget to like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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And what threat does ISIS currently pose in the region?
It is 2 years since Islamic State lost its last territory in Syria and Iraq, yet the group remains a significant threat. Despite the end of the Islamic State caliphate, ISIS continues to carry out frequent attacks using IEDS and ambushes against both military and civilian targets, and funds part of its activities through coercive methods such as extortion of locals.
So with continued instability, insecurity and the societal factors that led to the group's formation in the first place still present - could we be seeing a resurgence for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria?
In this episode we'll take a look at Islamic State activity in the Middle East, specifically in its former strongholds of Iraq and Syria, examine the change in tactics in ISIS attacks, and how much of a threat it currently poses.
Intelligence Fusion's assessment is based on our day-to-day monitoring of the security landscape in Iraq and Syria. If you'd like to take a closer look at the intelligence that supports our analysis, get access to a 14-day free trial: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Here's some more content you might like:
- How to use threat intelligence as a security consultant: https://hubs.ly/H0GHlcW0
- How to conduct an effective route threat assessment: https://hubs.ly/H0HvhkW0
- Baghdadi’s Death: In Context: https://hubs.ly/H0K7G570
And don't forget to like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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And just how likely is an invasion?
Tensions over Taiwan have recently escalated from tough talk to increased military activity, most notably with China showcasing its growing military strength in a clear display of the power it could bring to bear on the island it sees as a breakaway province.
China has long made reunification with Taiwan one of its long-term goals, ideally without the need for the use of force - but with sentiment in Taiwan increasingly turning towards independence, US-China relations deteriorating, and the ‘One China Policy’ seemingly under threat, there is concern that rather than continue to exert cultural, diplomatic and economic pressure to achieve that aim, it may instead turn to its growing military might to take the island by force.
Such a concern might have been unthinkable not too long ago - but we will take a look at the Chinese military advancements that mean even US officials are now warning that China could take Taiwan militarily in the next six years.
Intelligence Fusion's assessment is based on our day-to-day monitoring of the security landscape in Taiwan. If you'd like to take a closer look at the intelligence that supports our analysis, get access to a 14-day free trial: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Here's some more content you might like:
- How to use threat intelligence as a security consultant: https://hubs.ly/H0GHlcW0
- How to conduct an effective route threat assessment: https://hubs.ly/H0HvhkW0
And don't forget to like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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And who is most likely to be a target?
In 2020, Intelligence Fusion reported over 12,200 incidents in Mexico alone, ranging from murders, cartel skirmishes, armed robberies, and fuel theft among others. One of the most persistent threats in the country has been abductions and kidnappings - and we’ve already mapped 97 such incidents thus far at the start of 2021.
The threat of abduction and kidnapping has evolved over recent years, and while it remains a point of concern for foreigners and business travelers, it now affects a wider section of Mexican society than ever before
Intelligence Fusion's assessment is based on our day-to-day monitoring of the security landscape in Mexico. If you'd like to take a closer look at the intelligence that supports our analysis, get access to a 14-day free trial: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Here's some more content you might like:
- How to use threat intelligence as a security consultant: https://hubs.ly/H0GHlcW0
- How to conduct an effective route threat assessment: https://hubs.ly/H0HvhkW0
And don't forget to like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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And how can mining companies in Africa better prepare for it?
COVID-19 has hit the mining industry particularly hard. With the detrimental impact that the pandemic is having on employment and living standards, there has been a consequent rise in illegal mining and crime targeting mines and extraction operations.
In this week's episode of The Insight, our Senior Regional Analyst Viraj Pattni provides an overview of the security threats to mining that are damaging Africa's economy.
Intelligence Fusion's assessment is based on our day-to-day monitoring of the security landscape in Africa.. If you'd like to take a closer look at the intelligence that supports our analysis, get access to a 14-day free trial: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Here's some more content you might like:
- How to use threat intelligence as a security consultant: https://hubs.ly/H0GHlcW0
- Security management in a post-COVID world: https://hubs.ly/H0GHkMD0
And don't forget to like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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And why it matters.
In 2014, Russian-backed forces invaded the Crimean Peninsula and later the Donbass region of Ukraine. Since then, there has been an ongoing armed conflict across the region, which continues to intensify despite numerous attempts to implement ceasefire agreements between the two nations. The war has resulted in a large number of casualties and significant damage to infrastructure.
In this episode of The Insight, our Senior Regional Analyst for Europe, Matt Pratten, provides a ten-minute breakdown of what’s happening with the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
As well as an overview on the background of the conflict, Matt highlights recent significant activities (SIGACTS) that are a cause for concern and most importantly, why it matters to security professionals and businesses operating in and around the Donbass region.
The podcast finishes up with our insights and analysis for the future of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Intelligence Fusion's assessment is based on our day-to-day monitoring of Ukraine and the war in Donbass. If you'd like to take a closer look at the intelligence that supports our analysis, get access to a 14-day free trial: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Here's some more content you might like:
- How to use threat intelligence as a security consultant: https://landing.intelligencefusion.co.uk/en-gb/threat-intelligence-for-security-consultants
- The rise of Private Military Companies (PMCs) in conflict and security: https://youtu.be/-AbByvFGP50
- An Update of the war in Donbass: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6745667043812495360
And don't forget to like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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And our forecast for the escalating tension in 2021.
More than one year on from the assassination of Qassem Soleimani, tensions are still high between the United States and Iran. Concerns have been raised in recent weeks regarding the potential for Iran to mark the anniversary of his death and renew the conflict once again.
In the latest podcast we give you a 10-minute overview of what we've since the killing of General Soleimani, the role of private security companies in the region as well as the likelihood of retaliation from Iran including their options for how and where they could attack.
We provide you with our insights into the ongoing conflict and a forecast for the short to medium term.
Intelligence Fusion's assessment is based on our day to day monitoring of Iran and the wider Middle East region. If you'd like to take a closer look at the intelligence that supports behind our analysis, get access to a 14-day free trial: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Here's some more content you might like:
- The rise of Private Military Companies (PMCs) in conflict and security: https://youtu.be/-AbByvFGP50
- The Soleimani assassination and the impact of America's airstrike: https://youtu.be/9JALOkyrPEk
- Iran's retaliation for Soleimani's assassination: https://www.intelligencefusion.co.uk/blog/iran-retaliation-for-soleimani-assassination-missile-attacks-on-us
And don't forget to like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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And what’s our outlook for 2021?
In the final episode of The Insight for 2020, the Intelligence Fusion Senior Analysts provide you with an overview of terrorism in 2020.
The team take a closer look at how some of the largest terrorist groups have evolved across each region, the growth of both left- and right-wing extremism and which poses the biggest threat as we move into the new year.
01:48 – Defining terrorism
10:15 – Islamic State and al-Qaeda activity across the globe this year
32:50 – Right- and left-wing terrorism
46:44 – Who poses the bigger threat, Islamic terrorism or right-wing extremism?
51:46 – Predictions and anticipated trends for each region in 2021
1:00:48 – Key insights from the episode
Further reading:
Capacity of the Afghan Security Forces following the US withdrawal: https://hubs.ly/H0CNcK60
Monthly intelligence report for Central Asia: https://hubs.ly/H0CNcMp0
Proud Boys Threat Assessment: https://hubs.ly/H0CNcy40
Antifa Threat Assessment: https://hubs.ly/H0CNcQy0To take a closer look at the data behind our analysis, speak to a member of the team: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Please like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Across the globe, we're witnessing a rise in the use of Private Military Companies and Private Security Companies in conflict and security situations. In the latest episode of our threat intelligence podcast, The Insight, the Intelligence Fusion team take a closer look at the changing nature of war and the increasing privatisation of the military.
As part of our analysis, we highlight the key differences between PMCs and PSCs, the reasons why they're often referred to as the same thing and the advantages and disadvantages of the roles they play in today's conflicts.
In addition to clearing up the common misconceptions of PMCs, we discuss cases of private military companies in active warzones including current examples such as Azerbaijan, Libya and Ukraine, how they're being used in China with regards to the Belt and Road Initiative and why we expect to see the use of PMCs across the globe only increase in the near future.
To take a closer look at the data behind our analysis, speak to a member of the team: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Please like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Taking a closer look conspiracy culture, this week on the Insight, we discuss some of the most influential theories surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and why we've seen a significant increase in such narratives across the globe.
The anti-vaccination movement The opposition to 5G networks The growing anti-lockdown protests
We analyse the drivers behind;
By looking at the tactical level incidents reported by our 24/7 team, we can identify key trends and patterns in our data and highlight the potential security and social consequences of COVID conspiracies.
To help businesses better understand the impact on their operations globally, we provide our forecast for the conspiracies and anti-government protests that have received significant support and increased prominence across the world.
To take a closer look at the data behind our analysis, speak to a member of the team: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Don't forget to like, share, review and follow!Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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On the 3rd October 2020 a young man was shot dead in front of the Wetland Hotel in Ughelli, Delta State by Special Anti-Robbery Squad officers.
Whilst reports of police violence and extortion from SARS officers have been circulating for some time, a video of the October incident reignited protests and sparked outrage across the globe with an outpouring of support for Nigerians ensuing.
In this week's episode of The Insight, we take a closer look at the activities, tactics and impacts of the protests and ongoing unrest since the police killing. We also identify the wider effects on businesses and the Nigerian economy, especially if the government fail to meet the demands of a police reform.
For the full video, visit our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC03wV0XigtnyeNCh_KovcHQ
All of our assessments are based on the tactical level intelligence that we collect and report on our award-winning intelligence platform. If you'd like to take a closer look at the data behind the analysis, speak to a member of the team: https://hubs.ly/H0nk-FG0
Enjoyed this episode of The Insight? Please like, share and subscribe. ☑️🚨Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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