Weekly News Roundup
25 - 31 Jan 2026
Weekly news update on key security related developments from around the world, by Farah Benis
The final week of January has been characterised by diplomatic recalibration, unresolved security liabilities, and the resurfacing of long-standing exposure risks. From strategic engagement with China to renewed instability across the Middle East and Africa, this week highlights how much contemporary security policy is shaped by what states are unwilling - or unable - to fully confront.
UK–CHINA
Prime Minister Keir Starmer concluded a high-profile visit to China, marking the first UK prime ministerial trip in nearly eight years. The visit was framed as an effort to stabilise relations and reopen channels for economic and diplomatic engagement, coinciding with Beijing’s decision to lift sanctions on several UK MPs.
Despite the diplomatic tone, security concerns remain unresolved. The proposed approval of China’s new embassy complex at Royal Mint Court in London continues to draw criticism from security and intelligence experts due to its proximity to sensitive financial and communications infrastructure. Critics argue the visit risks prioritising economic optics over unresolved concerns around surveillance, cyber intrusion, and strategic dependency.
UNITED STATES: DHS FUNDING
A partial U.S. federal government shutdown this week disrupted several Department of Homeland Security functions following congressional disputes over immigration enforcement and border security funding. The standoff has intensified political pressure around ICE and CBP operations.
In parallel, large-scale protests against ICE were announced across multiple U.S. states. Internationally, the deployment of U.S. ICE personnel to support security operations linked to the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy prompted public demonstrations and political backlash, raising questions about the internationalisation of contested domestic enforcement practices.
RUSSIA–UKRAINE
Fighting between Russia and Ukraine continued at high intensity throughout the final week of January, with sustained long-range strikes and pressure along multiple fronts. Ukrainian authorities reported further Russian drone and missile attacks targeting energy infrastructure and logistics hubs, while Russian officials claimed strikes against military-industrial facilities and air defence systems.
Both sides continue to expand the geographical scope of operations. Ukrainian forces have maintained long-range strike capabilities against targets well beyond the immediate front line, reinforcing the erosion of what was once considered “strategic depth.” Russian forces, meanwhile, have increased the volume of drone deployments, relying on saturation tactics to strain Ukrainian air defences and critical infrastructure resilience.
Western military analysts assess that the conflict remains locked in an attritional phase, with neither side demonstrating decisive breakthrough capability. Attention has increasingly shifted towards sustainment: ammunition supply, air defence coverage, industrial capacity, and external political support. As winter conditions persist, energy security and civilian infrastructure remain central pressure points.
MIDDLE EAST: IRAN
Tensions in the Middle East intensified following a deadly explosion in Iran’s port city of Bandar Abbas, occurring days before planned naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian authorities attributed the blast to an industrial incident, though the timing heightened regional concern amid increased U.S. military deployments.
The European Union formally designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organisation, escalating diplomatic and legal pressure on Tehran. Iranian officials accused Western governments of fomenting unrest as protests linked to economic conditions and political repression continued.
The United States repositioned additional military assets into the region, describing the move as deterrent signalling. Analysts warn that the combination of sanctions, internal instability, and visible military posture increases the risk of escalation driven by miscalculation rather than intent.
AFRICA managing PERSISTENT INSURGENCY AND STATE FRAGILITY
In northeastern Nigeria, coordinated attacks by armed extremists killed dozens, reinforcing the enduring threat posed by Boko Haram and ISWAP despite sustained counter-terrorism operations. Reports indicate continued use of drones and complex assaults on both civilian and military targets.
Across the Sahel, instability remains entrenched. Niger and neighbouring states continue to face challenges around airport security, border control, and fragmented authority. In Sudan, reports of drone strikes and urban violence in contested regions underline the increasing operational capability of non-state actors and the erosion of civilian protection mechanisms.ICELAND: THE SECURITY SHOCK
UNITED STATES managing EPSTEIN DOCUMENT RELEASE AND COMPROMISE RISK
U.S. courts authorised the release of a further tranche of documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case this week, including depositions, contact records, and previously sealed references to political, financial, and internationally connected figures. No new criminal charges were announced.
From a security perspective, the significance of the release lies not in individual allegations but in the renewed focus on compromise exposure. The documents reinforce concerns that Epstein’s network may have represented a long-term vector for leverage, coercion, or influence, given his sustained access to senior political figures, financiers, and foreign nationals.
Former counterintelligence officials have publicly noted that unresolved questions around archived material, undisclosed relationships, and historical prosecutorial decisions continue to present a potential national security concern. U.S. agencies have not confirmed whether updated damage or exposure assessments are under way.
CYBER AND STRATEGIC RISK
New global cybersecurity risk assessments released this month — including the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 — make clear that geopolitical competition has become one of the primary drivers of cyber risk heading into the year ahead. The report, based on survey data from organisations worldwide, shows that geopolitically motivated cyberattacks (such as critical infrastructure disruption and espionage) are now factored into overall cyber-risk strategies by roughly two-thirds of respondents, and 91 % of the largest enterprises have already adjusted their cyber planning in response to geopolitical volatility.
Alongside geopolitical drivers, the same Outlook highlights that AI-related vulnerabilities are expanding the threat surface and accelerating adversary capabilities, with major increases in fraud, phishing, and supply chain exploitation noted over the past year.
A separate analysis from the Information Security Forum (ISF) warns that traditional cybercrime will be overshadowed in 2026 by state-linked operations targeting infrastructure, data and digital resilience as nation states weaponise technology for political aims.
Taken together, these assessments underscore a shift in the cyber landscape: technical exploitation and criminal activity are no longer the sole vectors of risk. Cybersecurity is now deeply entangled with geopolitical competition, sanctions regimes, great-power tensions, and national policy friction, making digital operations and critical infrastructure inherently strategic arenas.
EDITOR’S COMMENT: EXPOSURE AS A SECURITY CONDITION
This week’s developments point less to escalation than to the continued deferral of risk. Across multiple regions, vulnerabilities are being managed rather than resolved, allowing them to persist as part of the baseline security environment.
The release of additional Epstein-related documents is relevant not as scandal, but as a reminder of state-level compromise risk. Long-term access to political, financial, and internationally connected figures, combined with incomplete investigations and institutional opacity, creates enduring vulnerability. Where the extent of material, relationships, or past failures remains unclear, uncertainty itself becomes a constraint. This is the basic logic of kompromat: leverage does not require active deployment to influence behaviour.
The war in Ukraine reflects a similar dynamic at state level. The conflict is now characterised by endurance rather than manoeuvre. Long-range strikes on infrastructure, supply chains, and industrial capacity have reduced strategic depth and placed civilian systems at the centre of pressure. The focus has shifted from territorial gain to sustaining resilience over time.
Comparable patterns are evident elsewhere. Diplomatic engagement proceeds while infrastructure concerns remain unresolved. Military deterrence is reinforced without addressing the political drivers of instability. Counter-terrorism operations continue in parts of Africa amid declining governance and civilian protection. In cyber security, defensive capabilities improve even as strategic dependence on contested technologies increases.
In this context, security policy is increasingly about determining which risks are tolerated and deferred. Those choices shape future constraints. Unresolved exposure rarely disappears; it accumulates and reasserts itself when conditions change.
We’ve done the reading so you don’t have to, but please note that in a rapidly changing environment, facts on the ground can shift after publication. This roundup reflects the status of international security as of COB 31 January 2026. This content is for informational purposes and does not constitute professional advice. The Security Edit remains a neutral aggregator of developments based on their material impact; inclusion does not imply endorsement.
