The Summer 2016 issue of Connections is dedicated to the study of organized crime (OC). The lead article presents a study of the activities of organized crime groups in a megacity--Karachi--elaborating on their involvement in the implementation of impotantant governance functions and the local political process. The second article takes a view on the global dimension of organized crime and thr role played by international organizations. In the third contribution, a member of the Latvian Parliament describes the OC challenges faced by this Eastern European country. The next two articles study respectively the links between organized crime, piracy, and cybersecurity. In the sixt contribution faculty members of the G.C. Marshall Center for European Security Studies elaborate on the similarities and differences between organized crime and terrorism, and the modalities of their cooperation. The final article looks into the methods used by the "Islamic State" to recruit and mobilize foreign fighters.