Author: M Barbu

Project Pegasus: Unauthorized Snooping Or Threat To National Security? – OpEd

‘Pegasus’, the mythical winged horse has been the center of the universe of discourse for the last few days. Only this time, this is not a horse, but a spy software developed by Israel’s NSO group that exploits the weaknesses of someone’s phone that even the manufacturers don’t know about. Using ‘Pegasus’, a cell phone can be hacked and it will start transmitting data to the attacker through the apps, microphone or camera. It’s like having a spy in one’s pocket; turning the phone, one paid for, a weapon, used by others.

China, Russia Showcase Growing Ties With Joint Military Exercises – Analysis

In the latest display of deepening ties between Beijing and Moscow, Chinese and Russian troops kicked off five days of military exercises in northwestern China on August 9.

More than 10,000 troops from the Chinese and Russian militaries are participating in the Zapad/Interaction 2021 drills in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region that will involve large numbers of aircraft, weapon systems, and vehicles.

Croatia Urged to Ease Path for Wronged Serbs to Gain Citizenship

Legal changes are now helping Croatian Serbs who couldn’t get citizenship of Croatia for years because of administrative failings, but a few are still having trouble obtaining approval, sparking claims of ethnic discrimination.

After amendments to Croatia’s Citizenship Law came into force last year, the problems of Croatian Serbs who had not been able to obtain Croatian papers since the collapse of federal Yugoslavia in 1991 have finally started to be resolved.

‘Nationalists Want to Convince Croats and Serbs They Can’t Coexist’

This week, while Croatia celebrates its victory in 1995’s Operation Storm and Serbia mourns the victims, nationalists on both sides will be seeking to profit politically from one of the war’s most traumatic events, says sociologist Marijana Stojcic.

Every August, relations cool between Croatia and Serbia and officials exchange harsh words about what happened back in 1995 – the Croatian Army’s Operation Storm, which liberated territory controlled by rebel Croatian Serbs and effectively ended the Croatian war.

Tudjman’s ‘Freedom Train’: Celebrating Croats’ Victory and Serbs’ Exodus

After Croatia’s victory over rebel Serbs in Operation Storm in August 1995, President Franjo Tudjman set off on a triumphalist cross-country railway journey, staging celebratory rallies along the way – with harsh words for the refugees who fled.

Two weeks after the Croatian Army’s victory in Operation Storm in early August 1995, which effectively ended the war in Croatia, President Franjo Tudjman gathered state officials at the Presidential Palace in Zagreb to discuss his next political moves and a new strategy to promote his Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ party.

Ten Years On From Revolution, Tunisia In Uncharted Waters – Analysis

Tunisia’s president Kais Saied has propelled the country into the unknown. On July 25, he announced he would dismiss the prime minister, suspend parliament and assume new powers, effectively concentrating all three branches of governance in his hands.

His actions were met with mass celebrations across the country, even as the military moved to lock down parliament and a number of state institutions. Simultaneously, the dominant political party Ennahda and its allies accused the president of orchestrating a coup.

How Syrian jihadi group is laundering money in Idlib

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leaders in Idlib are investing their money in various economic sectors, as part of money laundering operations to control resources and economic activity in their areas of control.

Prominent leaders in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls Idlib and its surroundings in northwestern Syria, are seeking to invest their money in various economic sectors in the area. It seems that these efforts, which could amount to money laundering operations, are encouraged by the HTS leadership, which wants to have various sources of support to help it survive and increase its power and influence.

A Comprehensive Review of the Effectiveness of US and EU Sanctions on Syria

Executive Summary

The subject of Western sanctions on Syria is a divisive one among analysts and policymakers interested in ending the misery of the country’s citizens. The division comes at a time when, more than ever, the country needs a comprehensive policy that ends the agony of most Syrians. This study assesses the effectiveness of the sanctions imposed on the regime of Bashar al-Assad by conducting a comprehensive review of their history, evaluating shortcomings in the current setup, and recommending ways to move forward.