Militias aim for top intelligence seat after Sudani approved as PM

• RUSSIA - Kovalchuk clan adds another link to Kremlin spymasters

• IRAQ - INIS helps with Sudani's crackdown on corruption

• UNITED STATES/SAUDI ARABIA - Washington calls for greater intelligence sharing with Gulf Cooperation Council

• CHINA - Beijing relies on reserves to expand PLA

• CHINA - Lu Shaye, ambassador in Paris, in Beijing's good graces

• IRAQ - Mohammed Shia al-Sudani rallies his troops after sackings.

• GEORGIA - Intelligence service hopes to boost counter-espionage.

• FRANCE - News from the Intelligence College in Europe.

• KAZAKHSTAN - Former KNB leaders targeted in parliament.

New Baghdad Airport security contractor Biznis Intel comes under fire from Iraqi MPs 

Canadian security company Biznis Intel, which was previously unknown in Iraq, has replaced Britain's G4S as the company in charge of security at the capital's airport. This change has raised questions in the Green Zone, however, as the Shiite militias opposed to G4S regain influence.

• GEORGIA - state protection service moves up a rung.
  

• RUSSIA/UKRAINE - Promsvyazbank moves into the Donbass under the eye of Russian financial intelligence.
  

• IRAQ - Mohammed Shia Al Sudani's purge of the security services continues.
  

• FRANCE - Intelligence services' right to consult medical records from the public health system confirmed.
  

Dassault lets CMN and Couach test the water in Baghdad before pushing Rafales 

With Iraq known to be still interested in buying Rafale fighter aircraft, France is trying to identify the country's key decision-makers following the recent change of government. In the meantime, it is counting on the sale of patrol boats to the Iraqi navy to test the country's capacity to buy defence equipment.

TotalEnergies optimistic about its $27bn contract after the arrival of new prime minister Sudani 

TotalEnergies, which is determined to proceed with its big contract in Iraq, can count on the support of the French presidency, which sent its Middle East adviser to Baghdad to meet new PM Mohammed Shia Al Sudani.

Qassem Al Araji treads carefully with results of probe into PM Kadhimi's attempted assassination 

After a drone attack on the home of the Iraqi prime minister last month, the country's national security adviser Qassem Al Araji fell short of naming potential perpetrators when unveiling his findings on 29 November to avoid stirring the Shi'ite militia hornet's nest.

Pasdaran's political-military aura under threat in Tehran 

Iran's Supreme Leader is looking to review the prerogatives of the Revolutionary Guard after recent setbacks.