THREE BASIC SCENARIOS FOR ISRAELS UPCOMING ELECTIONS: SWEET DREAMS KING LIBERMAN AND YOU WORST NIGHTMARE

epa06628397 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem, Israel, 23 March 2018. On 24 March thousands of African asylum seekers and Israelis took part in a demonstration in Tel Aviv after the Israeli Population and Immigration Authority launched a massive departure program 'voluntary leave' intending to pay each refugee 3,500 US dollars in exchange for them leaving the country and returning to Africa. EPA/ABIR SULTAN EPA POOL

Source: Haaretz By Chemi Shalev There are only 34 days left before Israelis head to the polls for the second time this year. Despite the critical and possibly fateful importance ascribed to the September 17 ballot, most Israelis seem disengaged, if not apathetic. That may change, however, once the parties launch their campaigns in earnest… Continue reading THREE BASIC SCENARIOS FOR ISRAELS UPCOMING ELECTIONS: SWEET DREAMS KING LIBERMAN AND YOU WORST NIGHTMARE

HELLENIC NAVY PLAYS CATCH-UP WITH TURKEY IN NAVAL DEVELOPMENT

Source: Ahval News By Salim Kahraman Turkey’s independent foreign policy in the eastern Mediterranean requires some serious muscle, and the Turkish Navy and defence industry have stepped up to make some advances in recent years. Having been held back by the pressures of the 2008 global economic crisis, the Greek Navy is now racing to… Continue reading HELLENIC NAVY PLAYS CATCH-UP WITH TURKEY IN NAVAL DEVELOPMENT

AUSTRALIA, SOUTH KOREA SAY NO TO DEPLOYMENT OF US INF-RANGE MISSILES ON THEIR SOIL

Source: The Diplomat By Franz-Stefan Gady Australia said this week that its territory will not be used as a base for land-launched mid-range missiles previously banned under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, while South Korea stated that is has no plans to discuss the deployment of such missiles with the U.S. on its… Continue reading AUSTRALIA, SOUTH KOREA SAY NO TO DEPLOYMENT OF US INF-RANGE MISSILES ON THEIR SOIL

RUSSIAN NAVY TO HOLD LIVE-FIRE EXERCISE OFF NORTHERN NORWAY

Source: The Barents Observer By Thomas Nilsen The Russian navy vessels are currently sailing outside the west coast of Norway en route back north after participating the exercise Ocean Shield in the Baltic Sea. “Four NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) are announced for areas off the coast of Helgeland and Lofoten for the period August 14th… Continue reading RUSSIAN NAVY TO HOLD LIVE-FIRE EXERCISE OFF NORTHERN NORWAY

RUSSIA TO BENEFIT STRATEGICALLY BY BUILDING TURKEY’S FIRST NUCLEAR PLANT – THE INDEPENDENT

Source: Ahval News Turkey’s drift away from its Western partners in favour of Russia is underpinned by Moscow’s strategy of “turning economic power into political influence and strategic advantage”, said journalist Borzou Daragahi in a column for British daily the Independent. This has brought Moscow the opportunity to operate a port on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast… Continue reading RUSSIA TO BENEFIT STRATEGICALLY BY BUILDING TURKEY’S FIRST NUCLEAR PLANT – THE INDEPENDENT

EGYPT AND ISRAEL SEEK NEW GAS ROUTES TO BOLSTER ENERGY TRADE

Source: Bloomberg By Mirette Magdy Egypt and Israel are discussing new routes to transport natural gas to the Arab country, which would allow the companies developing Israel’s largest natural gas reservoirs to export volumes beyond a $15 billion deal signed last year. The two countries are considering an “additional connection” to the system of pipelines… Continue reading EGYPT AND ISRAEL SEEK NEW GAS ROUTES TO BOLSTER ENERGY TRADE

RUSSIA STARTS LARGE-SCALE MILITARY EXERCISE AHEAD OF NATO DRILLS IN GEORGIA

Source: RFE Two armies of Russia’s Southern Military District on July 24 began a large-scale military exercise in the region ahead of a scheduled NATO exercise in Georgia, TASS reported, citing the district’s press service. District commander Colonel General Aleksandr Dvornikov is leading the command-and-staff exercise involving the 49th and 58th armies. The officer said… Continue reading RUSSIA STARTS LARGE-SCALE MILITARY EXERCISE AHEAD OF NATO DRILLS IN GEORGIA

FIRST EXPLOITATION LICENCES SET TO BE ISSUED FOR CYPRUS EEZ

Source: Cyprus-mail The Council of Ministers is expected issue exploitation licences for the Aphrodite field, Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis said on Sunday. “Regarding the agreements with Total and Eni, we are currently working on the legal details and they are expected to be brought before the Council of Ministers in the coming days for the… Continue reading FIRST EXPLOITATION LICENCES SET TO BE ISSUED FOR CYPRUS EEZ

RUSSIA’S SECRET INTELLIGENCE AGENCY HACKED: “LARGEST DATA BREACH IN ITS HISTORY”

By Zak Doffman Source: Forbes Red faces in Moscow this weekend, with the news that hackers have successfully targeted FSB—Russia’s Federal Security Service. The hackers managed to steal 7.5 terabytes of data from a major contractor, exposing secret FSB projects to de-anonymize Tor browsing, scrape social media, and help the state split its internet off… Continue reading RUSSIA’S SECRET INTELLIGENCE AGENCY HACKED: “LARGEST DATA BREACH IN ITS HISTORY”