France suspects foreign intelligence over pigs heads left outside mosques https://t.co/XR0QtbHkkU ...

Defense Secretary Pete Hgsth on Friday fired the general who angered President Trump over his damage assessment of US strikes on Iran. Officials gave no reason for the firing of Lieutenant General Jeffrey Cruz, head of what's called the Defense Intelligence Agency. It follows a June assessment by the DIA that strikes against Iran's nuclear facilities had only set their nuclear program back by a matter of months.That contradicted the president's public claim that the buildings had been quote obliterated. ...

Geopolitical Landscape & Security Concerns - The proximity of Kirkenes, Norway to Russia and its ties to key NATO bases make it a focal point for covert operations [1][2] - Hybrid tactics, including sabotage, cyber warfare, and arson, are increasing across Europe, with Russia suspected to be behind these attacks [5] - The Barents Sea provides strategic military positions in the Arctic and a channel for Russia to reach the Atlantic, making Norway's high north particularly vulnerable [6] - Tensions in the region have significantly increased following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 [18] Espionage & Intelligence Gathering - Russian civilian vessels are suspected of conducting covert maritime intelligence operations in Norwegian waters [7] - Russian intelligence is adept at exploiting legitimate causes for intelligence gathering [8] - Russian agencies may be recruiting individuals on social media or crowdsourcing to gather information, with examples in Poland and the Baltics where individuals are paid around 20 euros to photograph sites [20] - There are concerns about Russian residents in Kirkenes being vulnerable to recruitment due to ties to Russia [19] Border Security & Surveillance - Authorities monitor Russian movements along the border for suspicious signs [17] - Civilian vessels and crews can be used by the armed forces in wartime [12] - The PST inspects Russian vessels and studies the identities of the Russian crew docking at Norwegian ports [9]

According to the latest assessment from America's intelligence agencies, China remains the most active and persistent cyber threat to the US. Its hackers have infiltrated the US government, the private sector, and critical infrastructure like water systems and power grids. Hacking, however, has not replaced Beijing's pursuit of old-fashioned human intelligence.China's Communist Party remains intent on leveraging a worldwide network of covert agents to monitor and influence events outside its own borders and ...