MIT spending, DC quiet on pilots in China, Sergey Beseda in good form, Tracfin reform toughens, KGB takes swipe at MI6

FSB comes back in from the cold 

Benefitting from the rising number of incidents on Russia's periphery and the careful staging of its response to these, the national security service has returned to the forefront of Russian politics after being given the cold shoulder over its strategic errors on Ukraine.

• LONDON - Will Jenkins swaps Nardello for GPW 

• BETHESDA - RosettiStarr takes on Marsh & McLennan's security head

• NEW YORK - Eli Cherkasky speeds up the ladder at Exiger 

• LONDON - Russia specialist Resheniya closes shop

• LONDON - Hakluyt takes on more former Inter-Mediate talent
  

Are French pilots about to train on Chinese jets? 

Last year we reported that French pilots were training their counterparts in the People's Liberation Army. We have since learned that Chinese aircraft could be used to train French military aviators.

The West's scattered response to its ex-fighter pilots training Chinese counterparts 

For some time, US, Australian, British and French pilots have been training their Chinese air force counterparts, as we revealed in May last year. Caught unprepared, their governments are now scrambling to find legal means to stop the practice from benefitting their strategic adversary.

Turkey's MIT maps out intelligence academy plans 

Following the lead of a number of Western intelligence communities, Turkey is planning to open an intelligence academy, under the aegis of the MIT, headed by spymaster Hakan Fidan.

French financial intelligence service Tracfin makes management changes as part of strategic plan 

Guillaume Valette-Valla, the head of the French financial intelligence service Tracfin, has been reshuffling management to carry out its strategic plan and to do so ahead of the opening of a second headquarters next year.

Erdogan utilising Turken Foundation to extend his influence in the US 

Although it is officially involved in education and both parent foundations are registered with the US authorities as apolitical bodies, the Turken Foundation is nevertheless prosecuting a political agenda in the United States on behalf of the Turkish presidency.

How Ankara is luring the best minds of Kyiv's defence industry 

While bolstering Ukraine's army with its drones, Ankara is also hoping to benefit from the country's defence industry's expertise. To this end, Turkey has set up policies to attract engineers from Kyiv's major defence groups.

Rafale pilots lured by Chinese generosity  Free

According to our sources, a number of French Rafale fighter pilots have been approached by Chinese companies in countries where

Swiss-based businesswoman Pascale Perez plays behind the scenes role in Benalla affair 

Pascale Perez, a businesswoman who has operated in Africa and the Middle East for years, has stepped in to help Macron's beleaguered former aide Alexandre Benalla.