Director William Burns said the new centre will “further strengthen our collective work on the most important geopolitical threat we face in the 21st century.” The agency will also create another centre focusing on emerging technologies, climate change and global health. (Washington Post, Associated Press)

Talking point: The announcement comes days after The New York Times reported that the CIA sent a top-secret cable warning about U.S. informants being captured or compromised in countries including China, Russia and Iran. The CIA’s creation of the two new centres reflects increasing tensions between China and the U.S., especially in technological competitiveness. As my colleague Catherine noted, Canada has been a battleground for the tech Cold War between the two powers. Earlier this year, CSIS also warned about a shift toward emerging technology in state-sponsored espionage, citing job losses and diminished economic growth as a result.