CIA, Georgia's GIS, Hamas finance, DGSE operations

Special forces still the perfect incubator of generals 

France's special forces continue to churn out as many generals as ever in the latest round of mid-year recruits.

UE and US use tried and tested methods for security reform in Tbilisi 

After refusing Georgia the status of candidate for European Union membership, Brussels is pushing the country to relaunch major reform programmes. National security is an area that has come under particular criticism, both in defence and intelligence.

Tel Aviv's spymasters slow down reconciliation with Ankara 

Israel and Turkey had been warming to one another, but recent recommendations from Israel's national security council, warning Israelis to avoid travel to Turkey because of Iranian activisim, have put up a roadblock.

French Army commandos await new chief 

The surprise resignation of Eric Vidaud as head of French military intelligence, the DRM, in March is having all sorts of consequences on appointments in the French special forces.

• PALESTINE/ISRAEL/TURKEY: ANKARA AND TEL AVIV ARE TALKING AGAIN - to Hamas's dismay
  

• FRANCE - GPIS, Paris's social housing security service provider, collects intelligence for the police
  

• GEORGIA - NATO's ex-liaison officer in Kyiv takes up residence in Tbilisi
  

Vidaud's surprise exit from military intelligence turns the armed forces upside down 

The abrupt departure on 30 March of the Director of Military Intelligence (DRM) Eric Vidaud triggered a power struggle within the armed forces for the future positions.

• SAUDI ARABIA/IRAQ - The General Intelligence Presidency reopens talks with the Anbar tribes to try to block Iran.

• FRANCE - Intelligence expert Floran Vadillo is advising French presidential candidate Anne Hidalgo.

• UNITED KINGDOM - Telecommunications surveillance champion Jeremy Wright joins the ISC as it battles for greater powers

• GEORGIA - The National Security Council gets a new chief of staff