President Obama is in Israel right now. He received a warm welcome from Prime Minster Netanyahu, but a rather frosty reception from the Palestinians. There is rhetoric from the US side about the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian impasses, but very little evidence that there are any new ideas or initiatives toward that end.
South Korea was hit by a rather extensive cyber attack that shut down TV stations and ATM machines throughout the nation. The attack was a “wiper” virus that essentially erases files, very similar to attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities last year. The South obviously suspects the North Koreans of launching the attack, but we will wait for further details before a determination is made. It is unclear what kind of response would be appropriate in such circumstances–North Korea lacks a similar vulnerability among its civilian population.
Many in Greece are applauding the Cypriot decision to reject the terms of the bank bailout offered by the Troika. This response is just one of the many ripple effects expected from the Cypriot decision. As Cyprus tries to formulate an alternative, many are speculating on whether Cyprus will turn to Russia for aid in return form military bases or for concessions on reputed natural gas fields off the coast of Cyprus. It will be interesting to see how the Turks will respond to this intrusion of Russia power.
World Politics News 
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