"BARACK OBAMA" - All our articles - Intelligence Online

French military intelligence agency tries out fusion cells

France's military intelligence directorate's latest fusion cell, dubbed the "Plateau Méditerranée", is designed to help it better anticipate crises in the strategic region amid mounting in-house organisational woes and staffing issues.

Fresh debate over remains of former Soviet spy reignites Kuril Islands dispute

The shadow of the unresolved conflict between Tokyo and Moscow over four islands in the Pacific has become a recurring theme in Russian-Japanese relations. This has led to a series of extremely high-profile public relations exercises by Moscow, which Washington is gradually becoming embroiled in.

ALBANIA UNITED STATES Surveillance & Interception 01/02/2022

Albania plays to NATO's tune by opting for American-style cybersecurity

After being rocked by massive data leaks in 2021, the Albanian authorities have hired US firm Jones Group to boost its cyber defence capacities. It's also a handy way to strengthen diplomatic and military ties with Washington.

UNITED KINGDOM Corporate Intelligence 14/12/2021

Adrian Leppard's business interests flourish as Black Cube's picks up too

Adrian Leppard is still very much a stalwart of Black Cube, which plans a renewed growth this year after a dip last year. However the former head of the British financial centre's police force has also been expanding his investments away from the firm.

CHINA UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNITED STATES Government Intelligence 12/10/2021

Washington concerned about joint Chinese-Emirati push into Europe

China's part-public group Sinopharm and Group 42, which is dedicated to the special projects of the Emirati national security adviser, have jointly invested in a number of projects in Serbia, sparking growing concern in Washington about the cooperation between the two countries.

SpotlightAUSTRALIA FRANCE UNITED KINGDOM UNITED STATES Corporate Intelligence 29/09/2021

Naval Group's covey of advisers foiled by a phone call to London

As news outlets in both hemispheres continue to relay every minute detail of the fallout from Australia's cancellation of its submarine deal with France, there is one glaring takeaway: more than five years of lobbying and intelligence gathering in Canberra failed to help Paris and Naval Group pick up on and anticipate Australia's doubts.

French president Emmanuel Macron and Australian prime minister Scott Morrison on 15 June 2021.

UNITED STATES Surveillance & Interception 13/09/2021

Pentagon seeks fake news automated detection grail

For one of the components of its counter-disinformation programme INCAS, US defence research agency Darpa is betting on artificial intelligence to combat foreign influence campaigns, with help from high-tech firms Sift and Protagonist.

FRANCE UNITED KINGDOM UNITED STATES Corporate Intelligence 21/06/2021

Wall Street's biggest users of private investigators settle their scores in battle over Universal

The future of music industry giant Universal will be settled in Paris tomorrow by "activist" investment companies. All the protagonists, who include Daniel Loeb and Bill Ackman, are big users of private investigators for their corporate raiding operations.

UNITED KINGDOM UNITED STATES Government Intelligence 07/06/2021

CIA brings in new London chief of station

The most emblematic of the CIA's overseas stations, London, is getting a new chief. The appointment is of significant importance for both the British and US intelligence communities.

UNITED KINGDOM Corporate Intelligence 21/05/2021

Kim Darroch jumps from national security to Netflix

Since his shift into the private sector, David Cameron's former national security advisor has been making speechs and acting as a consultant for the online media content platform.

Kim Darroch, David Cameron's former national security advisor.

UNITED STATES Government Intelligence 07/04/2021

Diplomatic Spymaster Holmgren has White House inside track

Nominated by Joe Biden at the end of March as Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), [...]

SpotlightUNITED STATES Government Intelligence 29/03/2021

Future ODNI's General Counsel wears Prada

The well-connected Chris Fonzone is headed back to US intelligence at a time when a rethink is underway on the legal framework for cyberspace.

FRANCE SAUDI ARABIA Government Intelligence 10/03/2021

With US taking new tack, Macron woos rejected Riyadh

The new US administration's chilly attitude towards Saudi Arabia has provided a golden opportunity for Paris to cosy up to Riyadh at a time when it has fewer options.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Prince Mohamed bin Salman in 2018.

UNITED STATES Government Intelligence 15/02/2021

DNI Avril Haines faces fresh CIA drone turf wars

Rivalry between the CIA and the Pentagon for management of drone strikes, which came under renewed scrutiny at the end of the Trump administration, is among the major issues facing the new Director of National Intelligence.

JAPAN Corporate Intelligence 03/02/2021

Cybersecurity firm SIG partners with ex-defence officials' think tank

The network security firm SIG has teamed with the Japan Institute for Space and Security, a think tank led by several former ministers and MPs.

CHINA UNITED STATES Government Intelligence 27/01/2021

Pentagon readies for China challenge with new team

Lloyd Austin, the new Defense Secretary under President Joe Biden, indicated during his Senate hearing last week that the Indo-Pacific [...]

Lloyd Austin, the new US Secretary of Defense.

UNITED STATES Corporate Intelligence 16/12/2020

Momentum, cyber merchant bank backing NightDragon

Dave DeWalt, the former FireEye and McAfee CEO whom Barack [...]

SYRIA Government Intelligence 07/12/2020

Biden to finish what Obama started in Syria

President-elect Joe Biden and his secretary of state-designate Antony Blinken are considering appointing a number of Syria advisers to the new administration's Middle East team, most of them inherited from the Obama era. Just as the challenges on the ground.

Joe Biden and Antony Blinken, in 2013, at the White House.

UNITED STATES Corporate Intelligence 25/11/2020

Biden's intelligence transition team heavy on data specialists

Joe Biden's interim administration includes a number of Obama-era spymasters, who were waiting patiently in the private sector. Their clients have much to gain.

AUSTRALIA EUROPE FRANCE INDIA UNITED STATES International Dealmaking 24/11/2020

HawkEye 360, Kleos, Unseenlabs vie for SIGINT dominance Free

Three companies, HawkEye 360, Kleos and Unseenlabs, are racing to become the leader in radio frequency-based satellites, pushing beyond their local markets to grab international contracts.

Barzan Holdings, Qatar's defence industry giant springing up out of the desert

Badr Jafar, the businessman 2.0 taking hold in the UAE

Barack Obama