Open-source intelligence (or OSINT) has grown up. Digging up the truth about criminals, conflicts and cartels using only what's available online used to be the obscure realm of hobbyists. Now with the war in Ukraine, OSINT enthusiasts and professionals alike have been thrust into the spotlight and hundreds of thousands of people are poring over their work. They have a new, global audience and new responsibilities, as we explore in this week's Tech 24.

Officials in Nigeria, known as a hub for illegal wildlife trafficking have seized a record amount of pangolin scales and claws and elephant tusks as the government attempts to combat the trade, the head of customs said on Wednesday.

The World Health Organization mission in Wuhan ended without finding the source of the coronavirus, prompting criticism from Washington. But experts have found new lines of inquiry, including some proposed by China.

In the fight against terrorist groups in Africa, US forces provide crucial support to the G5 Sahel group (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger) with intelligence, logistics and supplies. But as the terror threat continues to spread in the region, Africa is no longer a priority for the Pentagon, which could well withdraw its troops, as announced by US President Donald Trump.

For the first time anywhere, Syrian intelligence officers are facing trial — in Germany. The court aims to probe the defendant's alleged crimes as well as cast light on Bashar Assad's system of torture and oppression.

A leaked military intelligence report from the United States over the weekend had suggested that a man from Jordan could target US forces in Germany. But officials say the threat was quickly dismissed as nonexistent.

What Buhari told Africa’s Committee on Intelligence, Security

'Difficult to be optimistic about Iran,' Saudi former intelligence chief say's

Personal user data from the popular dating app Tinder can now be monitored by Russian intelligence agencies after it was added to a special data storage register. Tinder could be banned in Russia if it fails to comply.

The Indian government has recently passed an order that allows intelligence agencies to access data stored on computers anywhere in the country. A petition filed in the Supreme Court is opposing the move.

The rise of artificial intelligence is evident across various industries, it is also introduces new risks to society and is as prone to bias. Joining CNBC Africa is Joy Buolamwini, Founder of the Algorithmic Justice League on fighting bias in Artificial Intelligence.

Facial recognition is one of the fastest-evolving technologies in the field of artificial intelligence. It has major implications in terms of security and counter-terrorism, but also e-commerce and industry.