The Agencies' Gazette
Russia using Hawala payments, Vietnam's new Paris defence attaché, ISC renewal, Silk Roads into Europe, Kremlin/Vatican's parallel diplomacy

Published on 16.12.2024 at 05:00 GMT Reading time 3 min

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

Russia/UKRussian embassy uses Hawala payments to dodge sanctions

Vietnam/France Hanoi appoints new defence attaché to Paris embassy

United KingdomNew Westminster intelligence committee crew take over

ChinaSecond New Silk Road phase turns towards Europe

Vatican/RussiaKremlin sends back-channel message it is open to Christmas ceasefire

This article may be accessed by subscribers

In order to ensure high-quality and independent journalism, Intelligence Online relies solely on subscriptions from its readers, with no advertising, no events and no consulting work.

Several offers are available depending on your particular reading needs

Consult our offers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

Create your free account

Discover our work by making use of the following possibilities: daily newsletters, a selection of free articles, keyword alerts.

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

create a free account

Vatican
Informal intelligence of cardinal importance as conclave looms

The conclave to elect pope Francis's successor begins on 7 May. The Church's greatest fear remains the possible appointment of a pontiff who will be accused of covering up or even of having himself committed abuse.

Subscribers only Back-Door Diplomacy 01.05.2025

Cardinals have been arriving at the Vatican in waves ahead of the conclave, not due officially to begin until 7 May.

The Agencies' Gazette
Pressure on DGSE in Africa, China on Ukraine fence, France's ‘Mr Big Event' security boss moves on, UK's former ISC chair speaks out

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

France/AfricaPressure tactics on DGSE

ChinaCCP bans criticism of Putin and Trump

FranceProtection Service's ‘Mr Big Event' lands interior ministry job

United KingdomFormer head of parliamentary oversight opens up

Subscribers only 17.03.2025

Spymaster | United Kingdom
Lord Beamish's quest to revitalise intelligence oversight

The former Labour MP Kevan Jones, known also as Lord Beamish, is the first member of the House of Lords to chair the Intelligence and Security Committee. Like his Tory predecessor at the ISC, he is hoping to boost the resources and independence of the committee.

Subscribers only Agencies 07.03.2025

Kevan Jones, aka Lord Beamish, new Chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC).

United Kingdom
No report from UK parliamentary intelligence committee after another disrupted year

More than four months after the general election, the parliamentary intelligence committee has still not been renewed. This has become a recurring situation, and one that hampers oversight of the UK's intelligence agencies.

Subscribers only Agencies 10.12.2024

France, Israel, Vietnam
French embassy pushing Airbus for new Vietnam spy satellite despite bumpy past

France has renewed hopes of selling an observation satellite to Vietnam, but the new corruption trial in absentia of businesswoman Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan in Hanoi could bring back bad memories.

Subscribers only Corporate Intel 29.11.2024

European Union, Russia, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan
Cryptocurrency haven Uzbekistan in the sights of Western hunters of Russian capital

Senior civil servant Dmitry Li, who is close to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, chaperones UzNEX, the company that holds the monopoly on cryptocurrency in Uzbekistan. His links with Russia are of concern to London and Brussels.

Free access Operations 31.10.2024

China
The future of the New Silk Roads, part 3: Beijing plans to make its money the new king of currencies

Intelligence Online has seen a number of CCP draft papers on the future of the New Silk Roads policy. Several avenues are being explored, including decoupling the economy from the West and internationalising the yuan.

Subscribers only Back-Door Diplomacy 23.10.2024

France, Vietnam
French push to sell frigates behind strengthening of Vietnam ties

The symbolic signing of a global strategic partnership between France and Vietnam opens up possibilities for new defence sales, although President Tô Lâm's recent visit to Paris only resulted in a limited number of contracts.

Subscribers only Corporate Intel 23.10.2024

Vietnamese President Tô Lâm and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron shake hands during a joint press conference at the Élysée Palace, 7 October 2024.

China
The future of the New Silk Roads, part 2: CCP prepares industrialisation plan

With the support of private companies and the Chinese diaspora, the Chinese Communist Party is identifying the industries and countries it wants to focus on for the next stage of the New Silk Roads project.

Subscribers only Agencies 16.10.2024

China
The future of the New Silk Roads, part 1: the Chinese Communist Party and the US counter-narrative

Intelligence Online has seen the documents behind the CCP's thinking on the New Silk Roads' future in the medium and long term, providing insight into Xi Jinping's strategy for his ‘project of the century' launched in 2013 and which continues to adapt to bilateral relations with Western countries.

Subscribers only Information Wars 11.10.2024

China's President Xi Jinping in San Francisco, California, on 15 November 2023.

France, Vietnam
Safran's local rep peddles Patroller drones to Vietnam

French defence group Safran has had an opportunity to present its intelligence drone know-how to the Vietnamese air force command. For years, Hanoi has been trying by any means to increase its capacity in the field.

Subscribers only Corporate Intel 12.09.2024

French group Safran plans to set up an assembly site for its Patroller tactical UAVs in Vietnam.

United Kingdom
How Labour plans to reform parliamentary oversight of intelligence in UK

Keir Starmer's party wants to strengthen the independence of parliament's intelligence committee, whose influence has been eroded by conflicts with Downing Street.

Subscribers only Agencies 20.06.2024

France, Russia, Vatican
Vatican keen to bring Russian and French sherpas to the negotiating table

After putting out feelers in different European capitals, Pope Francis' team is hoping to bring the French and Russian presidential diplomatic advisers at the Vatican together to discuss Ukraine. The invitation was welcomed by Moscow.

Subscribers only Back-Door Diplomacy 19.04.2023

Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, Vatican
Pope Francis keen to meet Ukraine war negotiators during Budapest visit

The pontiff, who has been looking to play a role as mediator in the Ukraine conflict, has lowered his sights and decided to travel to Hungary in late April. The Vatican is trying to convince the two sides in the conflict to send discreet representatives to meet him while he is there.

Subscribers only Back-Door Diplomacy 13.04.2023

15% OFF your subscription

Special offer: Only 4d and 23h to take advantage of it

Consult our offers

This offer is open to all new subscribers and runs until 12/06/2026

Headlines

General Ye Win Oo, commander-in-chief of the junta's armed forces, in Naypyidaw, on 30 March 2026.

Spymaster | Myanmar Ye Win Oo, Myanmar's ruthless spymaster turned military chief China, Europe, France Beijing snubs French investment gathering amid heated trade tensions with EU

French President Emmanuel Macron at the Choose France investment gathering, at the Chateau de Versailles, in Versailles, on 1 June 2026.

Kazakhstan, Russia Alaco uncovers links between Russia's Rusal and Kazakh coal producer

Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska attends the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in Saint Petersburg, on 20 June 2025.

Germany Intelligences services ramp up efforts to attract new recruits

BND Headquarters, in Mitte, Berlin, on 28 June 2022.

France Algorithmic intelligence techniques gain momentum

Headlines

Spymaster | Myanmar Ye Win Oo, Myanmar's ruthless spymaster turned military chief China, Europe, France Beijing snubs French investment gathering amid heated trade tensions with EU

Kazakhstan, Russia Alaco uncovers links between Russia's Rusal and Kazakh coal producer

Germany Intelligences services ramp up efforts to attract new recruits

France Algorithmic intelligence techniques gain momentum

Donald Trump

Houthis

Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud

Vantor

Xi Jinping

The Agencies' Gazette Russia using Hawala payments, Vietnam's new Paris defence attaché, ISC renewal, Silk Roads into Europe, Kremlin/Vatican's parallel diplomacy

Appointments, reforms and the issues at stake: every Monday, Intelligence Online serves up snippets big and small from the global intelligence community.

Russia/UKRussian embassy uses Hawala payments to dodge sanctions

Vietnam/France Hanoi appoints new defence attaché to Paris embassy

United KingdomNew Westminster intelligence committee crew take over

ChinaSecond New Silk Road phase turns towards Europe

Vatican/RussiaKremlin sends back-channel message it is open to Christmas ceasefire

This article may be accessed by subscribers

Do you want a free trial before subscribing?

Create your free account

create a free account

Read also

Vatican Informal intelligence of cardinal importance as conclave looms

The Agencies' Gazette Pressure on DGSE in Africa, China on Ukraine fence, France's ‘Mr Big Event' security boss moves on, UK's former ISC chair speaks out

France/AfricaPressure tactics on DGSE

ChinaCCP bans criticism of Putin and Trump

FranceProtection Service's ‘Mr Big Event' lands interior ministry job

United KingdomFormer head of parliamentary oversight opens up

Spymaster | United Kingdom Lord Beamish's quest to revitalise intelligence oversight

United Kingdom No report from UK parliamentary intelligence committee after another disrupted year

France, Israel, Vietnam French embassy pushing Airbus for new Vietnam spy satellite despite bumpy past

European Union, Russia, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan Cryptocurrency haven Uzbekistan in the sights of Western hunters of Russian capital

China The future of the New Silk Roads, part 3: Beijing plans to make its money the new king of currencies

France, Vietnam French push to sell frigates behind strengthening of Vietnam ties

China The future of the New Silk Roads, part 2: CCP prepares industrialisation plan

China The future of the New Silk Roads, part 1: the Chinese Communist Party and the US counter-narrative

France, Vietnam Safran's local rep peddles Patroller drones to Vietnam

United Kingdom How Labour plans to reform parliamentary oversight of intelligence in UK

France, Russia, Vatican Vatican keen to bring Russian and French sherpas to the negotiating table

Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, Vatican Pope Francis keen to meet Ukraine war negotiators during Budapest visit

Headlines

Related topics to this article

Headlines

Related topics to this article

About Intelligence Online

Subscription

Intelligence Online on social media

Indigo Publications' websites

The Agencies' Gazette
Russia using Hawala payments, Vietnam's new Paris defence attaché, ISC renewal, Silk Roads into Europe, Kremlin/Vatican's parallel diplomacy

Vatican
Informal intelligence of cardinal importance as conclave looms

The Agencies' Gazette
Pressure on DGSE in Africa, China on Ukraine fence, France's ‘Mr Big Event' security boss moves on, UK's former ISC chair speaks out

Spymaster | United Kingdom
Lord Beamish's quest to revitalise intelligence oversight

United Kingdom
No report from UK parliamentary intelligence committee after another disrupted year

France, Israel, Vietnam
French embassy pushing Airbus for new Vietnam spy satellite despite bumpy past

European Union, Russia, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan
Cryptocurrency haven Uzbekistan in the sights of Western hunters of Russian capital

China
The future of the New Silk Roads, part 3: Beijing plans to make its money the new king of currencies

France, Vietnam
French push to sell frigates behind strengthening of Vietnam ties

China
The future of the New Silk Roads, part 2: CCP prepares industrialisation plan

China
The future of the New Silk Roads, part 1: the Chinese Communist Party and the US counter-narrative

France, Vietnam
Safran's local rep peddles Patroller drones to Vietnam

United Kingdom
How Labour plans to reform parliamentary oversight of intelligence in UK

France, Russia, Vatican
Vatican keen to bring Russian and French sherpas to the negotiating table

Hungary, Russia, Ukraine, Vatican
Pope Francis keen to meet Ukraine war negotiators during Budapest visit