Alexander Mashkevich, an Israeli tycoon from Central Asia, announced his intention to launch by 2012 an around-the-clock world satellite news channel offering a Zionist take on current events. He plans to submit his project to President Shimon Peres in the near future.

One would be tempted to remark that there is already an oversupply of such channels, but Mr. Mashkevich is especially keen on conveying the official Israeli point of view.

Alexander Mashkevich, together with pals Patokh Chodiev and Alijan Ibragimov, made a fortune with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Known as the "Kazach trio", they exploited Kazahkstan’s key mineral resources through the London-based Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC). They gradually extended their empire to Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Russia and Kosovo.

Mr. Mashkevich currently serves as President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), one of the five regional branches of World Jewish Congress. He is campaigning for the creation of a parliament for the world’s Jewish diaspora. An orthodox Jew, he funded the construction of several synagogues in many parts of the world.
He hit the headlines in September 2010 when he was arrested along with other personalities while partying on the Savarona, the yacht that formerly belonged to Kemal Atatürk. Alexander Mashkevich is suspected by the Turkish police of being part of an international women trafficking ring, headed by Taufik "David" Arif. He is believed to have hosted and ensconced in his hotels young Russian and Ukrainian girls who were bought and imported by Arif.
Mr. Mashkevich paid 300 000 dollars to rent the yacht for 9 days for the fun and games of his customers. During the raid, the girls that were freed by the police were between 13 and 14 years of age.