Free Republic

Today's top stories 13.10.20; 1) The Israeli Parliament, or Knesset in Hebrew, formally opened its winter session -- amid domestic reports of a reemerging political crisis that may yet again force the Jewish State into another round of national elections.2) A Cargo Vessel makes a first official maritime transport of Emirati goods to the state of Israel.3) Tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean are once again on the rise, after Turkey announced its decision to conduct exploration works for offshore energy sources in disputed waters, south of the Greek Island of Kastellorizo -- which is situated near Turkey's southern coast.Turkey-Greece tensions...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Wednesday not to yield to "pirates" and to keep searching for energy in disputed eastern Mediterranean waters despite EU pressure to stop. Long-seated suspicions between regional powers resurfaced when Turkey sent a research vessel accompanied by warships off the Greek island of Kastellorizo last week. The European Union urged Turkey to "immediately" halt on Sunday and NATO said Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed his "concern" in a call with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Wednesday. But Erdogan sounded undeterred. "We're 100 percent right on this issue," the Turkish leader said on a...

Turkey will suspend research for oil and gas exploration in disputed waters in the Eastern Mediterranean that abruptly raised military tensions with neighboring Greece, a top Turkish official said Tuesday. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told his aides to “put this on hold for some time,” presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told Turkish broadcaster CNN Turk. Last week, Turkey announced plans to dispatch research vessel Oruc Reis and two support ships to carry out operations through Aug. 2 south of the Greek islands of Rhodes, Karpathos, and Kastellorizo. The islands are close to Turkey's coastline.

How does one say “Goodnight, Irene” in Greek? Or “Show Me the Way to Go Home”? Or, if neither of those classic festivity-enders does the trick, “Hit the Road, Jack”? In any case, the message needs to be sent: The party is over, and it is time for Greece to be shown the door, if the Greeks cannot find it themselves, and exit the eurozone. A Greek default appears to be imminent. The question is whether it is to be an orderly default or a chaotic one. At the moment, the odds are about even between those two possibilities. Prime...

AN UNPRECEDENTED EU crisis looms as tensions between the Brussels bloc and Turkey escalate along its border, as Greece warns it will do "whatever is necessary" to defend itself from Ankara. Earlier this week, Athens vowed to defend its rights against "any type of threat" after Turkey confirmed plans to send oil-and-gas research vessels to the Eastern Mediterranean. Greek armed forces are officially on 'high alert' and are monitoring Turkish movements in the region. French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday gave his backing to Greece in the dispute. Mr Macron called for sanctions against Turkey, adding he will soon call...

There has never been any love lost between Turkey and Greece, but the danger of war between the two NATO members has not been this high since the Cyprus conflict more than forty-five years ago. In the past, Turkey and Greece have gone to the brink, but policies initiated by Turkish President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan may very much push the two neighbors over the edge. reek and Turkish fighter jets engaged in mock dogfights this week over the Greek island of Kastellorizo, just a mile and a half from the Turkish coast, causing tourists to flee. Meanwhile, there is a...