Deep Dive | United Kingdom

Louise Sandher-Jones grapples with British military intelligence's US dependence

Britain's new armed forces minister is at the centre of the UK’s greatest strategic dilemma since 1945. The end of alignment with US interests has forced the government to question its US military intelligence reliance. Yet this ex-Intelligence Corps officer knows better than most that British sovereignty in many strategic areas remains unattainable in the short term.

Against a fraught political backdrop, staff recruitment and retention are proving to be crucial factors in enabling the US technical intelligence agency to meet its modernisation challenges.

Ahead of Xi's visit to the US on 24 September, Beijing is positioning itself as the only credible mediator between Washington and Pyongyang. Intelligence Online has learned that the Chinese Communist Party is preparing several plans for a Trump–Kim summit in four different cities, including in North Korea itself.

Deep Dive | United Kingdom

MI6: Blaise Metreweli's unbridled quest for intelligence alliances to counter US unreliability

Since becoming head of MI6 last year, the athletic Blaise Metreweli has embarked on a marathon trek in search of partnerships to reduce UK dependence on US data. While some within the security establishment may have long dreamt of foregoing the Five Eyes, the goal is now to focus on drawing as many countries as possible into the technical alliance to "dilute" the data-collection power of the US alone.

The recent appointment of the National Security Council's Europe chief, Chris Curran, who will be called to take part in negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, comes as Washington is looking to scale back the influence of envoys Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Spotlight | European Union

Ursula von der Leyen organises her intelligence unit and appoints its head

The president of the European Commission has just appointed a senior civil servant and former European master spy to coordinate her security council’s new intelligence unit. This individual will also serve as the main point of contact for the liaison officers assigned by the European intelligence services to work with von der Leyen.

Designations by Washington and London have highlighted ongoing vulnerabilities in the UAE's financial system ahead of a crucial assessment by the global Financial Action Task Force watchdog.

Deep Dive | United Kingdom

Jonathan Powell, the Cassandra of the ‘special relationship’ turned Prometheus of new alliances

A veteran of such impossible negotiations as North Korea, the FARC and the two Irelands, will Jonathan Powell succeed in the most difficult of them all: restoring London’s strategic room for manoeuvre vis-à-vis Washington, while retaining influence?

Spotlight | Saudi Arabia

From weapons to biscuits, former Saudi defence industry tsar works his network

Walid Abukhaled has taken on multiple advisory roles since leaving the Saudi agency responsible for defence industry partnerships in 2024 in the middle of a purge. From aerial surveillance sensors to confectionery, he now acts as a multi-faceted consultant for those with an interest in the Saudi market.

The acquisition by the Philippine Navy of fast patrol boats has sparked a fierce international bidding war among shipbuilders. The bid, about to be awarded by Manila, is shaping up to be a heated contest between South Korean and French bidders.

The French advertising agency run by Yannick Bolloré, the son of billionaire Vincent Bolloré, has just poached an intelligence specialist from the French defence ministry to branch out into areas traditionally served by Adit and Axis & Co. That fresh talent will complement Havas Paris's new subsidiary, set to provide corporate counter-influence services.

Leading Gulf defence figures are expected to attend the Marrakesh Air Show in early October.

Indonesia's renewed efforts to procure Chinese and Russian military equipment are now being conducted out in the open. At the same time, Jakarta is maintaining the prospects of lucrative contracts with the US to stay in Washington's good books.

United States

US intelligence stays mum on foreign threats as midterms loom

The US intelligence community is currently refusing to comment on the threat assessment for the upcoming legislative elections or on how it is preparing just weeks before this decisive moment for the country – and a perilous one for agencies.

Published on 21/09/26 at 09:00 GMT: French MPs Laurent Jacobelli and Jean-Louis Thiériot are visiting Kyiv as part of a parliamentary mission on the future of the land defence industry in Europe, for which they are the co-rapporteurs. Their agenda notably includes meetings with key players in Ukraine's drone industry.

The EU has been trying behind the scenes to drastically bolster its security presence in the country, as its foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas plans to possibly visit over the next few days. Damascus has set up a system to facilitate relations between service providers and those close to the new regime.

The arrival of Columbia's new president Abelardo de la Espriella, who shares the Trump administration's vision for Latin America, has rekindled a security cooperation between the two governments.

The French luxury firm's head of security by day, consultant for the company's subcontractors by night: besides Heracles group, Intelligence Online has identified other service providers to Louis Vuitton that Gaël Marchand invoiced as a consultant while in charge of security at the leather goods maker.

Spotlight | Azerbaijan, Europe, France, Kazakhstan

Usmanov delisted, Latvia’s nuclear status confirmed, a pardon: France's intense diplomatic bartering revealed

Published on 23/09/26 at 12:37 GMT: A fierce diplomatic battle waged by Paris behind the scenes has resulted in the lifting of sanctions against Russian-Uzbek businessman Alisher Usmanov. But France's intense lobbying has revealed divisions and posturing both within the EU and French diplomacy. Intelligence Online has the inside story.

The GUR military intelligence has noted an increase in false positives of high-value targets on its SAR satellite imagery, attributed to a new generation of Russian decoys. With a difficult winter for Kyiv approaching, Ukrainian intelligence is seeking help from its Finnish supplier, Iceye.

Xi Jinping has put the People's Liberation Army's leadership reshuffle on hold while the purge is still ongoing. But he has already begun to reveal the new faces that will be taking control of the Party at the 2027 Congress.

Spy Master | United Kingdom

Ken McCallum, the relatable Scot fighting to maintain public trust in Britain's MI5

Steering the British domestic intelligence service through turbulent times, Ken McCallum finds himself regularly in front of cameras to explain mistakes made by the MI5. Praised for his competence and steadfast commitment, the career spy is said to have ministerial backing. So what might be going wrong at the agency?

France's DGA defence procurement agency wants several dozen long-endurance surface drones to extend intelligence-gathering operations around French Navy warships. The high turnover threshold required excludes the start-ups that drive the sector.