THE TORCHSTONE WATCH
THE TORCHSTONE WATCH
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TorchStone publishes The Watch to assist our readers in proactively managing risk—whether personal, professional, or organizational—in an increasingly insecure world. The featured articles, blog posts, and expert interviews address vulnerabilities and issues we have frequently encountered while safeguarding high profile individuals, wealthy families, multinational corporations, and international sporting events across six continents. Now, more than ever, security seems to be a precious commodity. Our goal is to give you more of it through The TorchStone Watch.
SPOTLIGHT ISSUE
International Labor Day: Protests, Unrest, and Business Continuity 2025
By TorchStone Senior Intelligence Analyst Ben West and Intelligence Analyst Mare Cunningham
While the United States observes Labor Day in September, many countries—and many U.S.-based activists—recognize May 1 as International Labor Day or “May Day.” This date often sees widespread demonstrations, labor strikes, and activist-led protests. Though typically peaceful, May Day actions can escalate into violence.
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March 2025 TorchStone Global Monthly Executive Protection Report
The TorchStone Executive Protection Report tracked 23 domestic and 17 international security incidents or updates to prior incidents impacting high-profile individuals during the month of March 2025. TorchStone Global believes that broader situational awareness and intelligence are key to providing quality executive protection—whether the principal is a Fortune 500 CEO, international celebrity, or local city council member.
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Preparing for Global Protests to Mark al Quds Day 2025
Al Quds day will fall on Friday, March 28 this year and pro-Palestine activists are planning protests and rallies around the world. While al Quds day protests in the west have been largely peaceful in recent years, tensions appear to be increasing this year around the arrests of student protest leaders, resumption of fighting in Gaza, and domestic Israeli opposition to Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
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Don’t Connect Dots for Threat Actors
Sharing too much information—especially details that reveal predictable patterns of movement—can be deadly. When bad actors can “connect the dots” of a person’s whereabouts, they gain the ability to plan and execute an ambush.
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February 2025 TorchStone Global Monthly Executive Protection Report
The TorchStone Executive Protection Report tracked 23 domestic and 13 international security incidents or updates to prior incidents impacting high-profile individuals during the month of February 2025. TorchStone Global believes that broader situational awareness and intelligence are key to providing quality executive protection—whether the principal is a Fortune 500 CEO, international celebrity, or local city council member.
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The Extinction Rebellion — What It Is and How It Impacts Industries Far Beyond Energy
Scott Stewart shares his expertise on the Extinction Rebellion with Ontic’s Protective Intelligence Podcast host Fred Burton, and how his firm provides advice to corporations on how to best protect themselves and their employees in this environment. While not all activity poses a threat, it’s important for companies to be hyper-aware of activity and the measures activists can take.
READ MORE >BBC Sounds: Burn Wild Podcast – The Line
There is a school of thought in activism—all movements need a radical flank to succeed. In the podcast, Burn Wild Episode 6: The Line, TorchStone VP Scott Stewart discusses the grievance narrative of Extinction Rebellion (XR).
READ MORE >How to Get on a Watchlist Episode 5: How to Kidnap an Executive
“How to get on a Watchlist” is a new podcast from the team at Encyclopedia Geopolitica. In this installment, How to Get on a Watchlist Episode 5: How to Kidnap an Executive, TorchStone VP Scott Stewart discusses executive kidnappings.
READ MORE >With drug cartel violence, is it safe to travel to Mexico? Security experts weigh in
US tourism is ramping up again in Mexico, but so are the headlines regarding drug cartel violence. TorchStone Vice President of Intelligence Scott Stewart joins the discussion about how safe it is to travel to Mexico.
READ MORE >Perspectives on the Shinzo Abe Assassination
Perspectives on the Shinzo Abe Assassination whitepaper from AT-RISK International, Emergent Risk International, Ontic and Torchstone Global analyzes the July 2022 assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and addresses the broad range of global security implications for individuals and businesses.
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