ceres news digest vol.6 week 3; jan. 26 - 30

8/9/2019 CERES News Digest Vol.6 Week 3; Jan. 26 - 30

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1/26/15 1/30/15


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Russian Ambassador to the United Kingdom AlexanderYakovenko was asked to come in to the Foreign Office whentwo Russian bombers were discovered to be flying over theEnglish Channel on Wednesday. The Tupolev 95 Bear planes

were escorted off the southern coast of the UK by RAFTyphoon jets after they were disrupted civilian airspace.Although the bombers never technically entered UK airspace,some observers have speculated that their proximity could betied to the recent UK inquiry into the killing of Russianintelli ence officer Alexander Litvinenko in 2006.

NPRGuardian

Facebook has blocked access to Facebook pages deemedinsulting to the prophet Muhammed in response to theTurkish governments threats to shut down access to the site

if it did not comply. The move follows a decision byTurkeys Penal Court of Peace in Ankara, which issued an

order on Sunday to block an unspecified number ofsacrilegious Facebook pages. The recent ban comes as part

of a wider censorship push in Turkey.

BuzzfeedAl Jazeera

On Friday, an attempt to reopen peace negotiations in Belarusfell apart as heavy fighting resumed in East Ukraine. Rebeldelegates flew to Minsk, but later announced that peace talkswere off and flew instead to Moscow. Fighting resumed inDonetsk, where separatists claim seven civilians were killed,as well as in Debaltseve, where another seven civilians arereported to have died due to shelling. The widespreadviolence marks this past week as the worst fighting since theshaky ceasefire was signed five months ago.

RFE/RLReuters

On Wednesday, Bidzina Ivanishvili, former Prime Ministerof Georgia and alleged informal ruler of the country, said ina press conference that his organization Society 2030 iscurrently researching the activities of prominent GeorgianNGO leaders. We will provide some interesting information

about them, he commented. U.S. Ambassador to Georgiamade a statement on the issue, pointing out that the NGOsmentioned are close partners of the U.S. Embassy.

InterPressNewsGeorgian Times

Armenian officials in Nagorno-Karabakh have deniedreports that an Armenian drone was shot down byAzerbaijani forces near the region. The drone was downedon Thursday, amidst increasing violence in the regiondespite a long-standing cease-fire agreement. Azerbaijaniofficials have said the drone was shot over Azerbaijaniterritory. Armenian officials have dismissed the allegationsas absurd.

RFE/RLReuters

For the first time since 1992, the Russian Federation has notoffered the expected 100 million dollars in financial supportto Moldovas separatists region, Transnistria. The financialaid was intended to cover social expenses such as salaries andpensions. Lately, Russian aid has been limited due to theworsening economic situation in the Russian Federation. Thebreak-away region is currently facing severe economic crisisdue to its inability to sustain itself.

New Eastern EuropeMoldova.org

BloombergReuters

On Thursday, Seymur Hazi, a journalist at an oppositionnewspaper and a member of the Popular Front oppositionparty, was sentenced to five years in prison in a case that hasbeen regarded as politically motivated. The lawyer of Hazinoted that the verdict is not fair and the whole case has been

fabricated.The Azeri government escalated its repression

against its critics in 2014.

Reuters RFE/RL

After an announcement on Thursday by PresidentLukashenko that Belarus might need to restructure its $4billion in foreign-currency debt, the value of Belarusiansovereign bonds fell by 27 cents to the dollar. Lukashenkoreassured the bondholders that the government has enough inreserves to repay the debt, a statement that was reiterated bythe Finance Ministry. The Belarusian ruble has lost 30percent of its value against the dollar this year, leading to a25% hike in interest rates by the Central Bank.
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3/6

A high-level Iranian delegation met with representatives ofFrance, Britain, and Germany in Istanbul on Thursday tocontinue nuclear negotiations. While stressing difficultiesstemming from divisions among the P5+1 powers, the Iraniandelegation expressed optimism that the negotiations willproduce a comprehensive deal by the July 1 deadline. "Thetalks were very useful, positive and promising but still we arenot in a position to say we made progress," Deputy ForeignMinister Abbas Araqchi told reporters after the day-long

meeting on Thursday.ReutersPressTV

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov metwith Tajik President Emomali Rahmon this week to discussRussian military aid to Tajikistan. Antonov stressed theimportance of strengthening Tajikistans armed forces in the

wake of the withdrawal of Western combat troops fromAfghanistan. Speaking to journalists after the meeting,Antonov referred to Tajikistan as "our outpost in the fightagainst terror" and promised Russian military aid.

EurasiaNet RFE/RL

The foreign ministers of Turkmenistan, Turkey, andAzerbaijan gathered for a rare trilateral meeting in Ashgabaton Thursday to discuss regional and economic issues.Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu arrived onWednesday and held bilateral talks with Turkmen officials todiscuss potential cooperation in energy and transport as wellas Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov's

upcoming visit to Turkey in March.

RFE/RL Trend

In an effort to end a policy standoff that has stalled the Phase2 expansion of the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine, RioTinto has offered to forego a $1.6 billion royalty. The dealwould provide the Mongolian government with significantrevenues from the fully operational mine. It is believed thatthe revenue from the mine could substantially impact theailing Mongolian economy, which saw Mongolian dollarbonds and currency values falling to record lows thismonth.

Australian Bloomberg

On Tuesday, President Islam Karimov accepted thecredentials of the new Ambassador of the United States ofAmerica to Uzbekistan, Pamela Spratlen. AmbassadorSpratlen was confirmed by the Senate on November 20,2014, as a career foreign service officer for over 20 years.Her most recent position was as the U.S. Ambassador toKyrgyzstan. Ambassador Spratlen expressed her desire tocontinue strong, candid, and fruitful cooperation between

Uzbekistan and the United States.

Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General StephaneDujarric announced that Kyrgyzstan is temporarily deprivedof the right to vote at the UN General Assembly due to thecountrys outstanding debts to the United Nations.

Kyrgyzstan joins six other countries, including Grenada,Marshall Islands, Macedonia, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Yemen.According to the UN Charter, a member state is stripped ofthe right to vote if its debt is equal or exceeds the sum of fees

the country should pay for two previous years.

ITAR-TASS 24.kg

US Embassy in Tashkent UzReport

This week has seen a series of deadly attacks in Afghanistan,beginning with a Taliban attack on a checkpoint manned by alocal militia in central Ghazni province that killed 11 militiamembers and six insurgents. On Thursday, a roadside bombkilled four people in the eastern province of Laghman, and laterin the day, a suicide bomber struck a funeral for the victims ofthe attack, killing an additional 16 people and wounding 39.Three American contractors were killed on Thursday in ashooting incident at a military base in Kabul. The Taliban hasclaimed res onsibilit for the attack.

ABC NewsWashington Post

A UN report released on Tuesday sharply criticizedKazakhstan for clamping down on human rights, includingthe right to assembly. The UN rapporteur noted that thisright has been more strictly curtailed in recent months toprevent a popular revolt like that which occurred in Ukraine.The rapporteur also expressed concern that the people withwhom he interacted during the fact-finding missionimmediately came under police surveillance.

GuardianEurasiaNet
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/29/us-iran-nuclear-talks-idUSKBN0L22KR20150129http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/29/us-iran-nuclear-talks-idUSKBN0L22KR20150129http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/01/29/395317/Marathon-talks-with-P51-not-easy-Iranhttp://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/01/29/395317/Marathon-talks-with-P51-not-easy-Iranhttp://www.eurasianet.org/node/71821http://www.eurasianet.org/node/71821http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-says-army-to-be-strengthened-as-outpost-in-tajikistan/26817875.htmlhttp://www.rferl.org/content/russia-says-army-to-be-strengthened-as-outpost-in-tajikistan/26817875.htmlhttp://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijani-tukish-turkmen-fms-in-ashgabat/26819780.htmlhttp://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijani-tukish-turkmen-fms-in-ashgabat/26819780.htmlhttp://en.trend.az/casia/turkmenistan/2358580.htmlhttp://en.trend.az/casia/turkmenistan/2358580.htmlhttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/rio-offers-to-drop-2bn-royalty-in-bid-to-solve-mongolian-standoff/story-e6frg6n6-1227197603160?nk=186737daf8c8c74d4db35c68fcdd9a58http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/rio-offers-to-drop-2bn-royalty-in-bid-to-solve-mongolian-standoff/story-e6frg6n6-1227197603160?nk=186737daf8c8c74d4db35c68fcdd9a58http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-26/mongolia-s-bonds-slump-with-copper-as-spat-with-rio-stalls-minehttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-26/mongolia-s-bonds-slump-with-copper-as-spat-with-rio-stalls-minehttp://itar-tass.com/en/world/774026http://itar-tass.com/en/world/774026http://www.eng.24.kg/politic/174266-news24.htmlhttp://www.eng.24.kg/politic/174266-news24.htmlhttp://uzbekistan.usembassy.gov/012915pr.htmlhttp://uzbekistan.usembassy.gov/012915pr.htmlhttp://news.uzreport.uz/news_2_r_128707.htmlhttp://news.uzreport.uz/news_2_r_128707.htmlhttp://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/taliban-bomb-kills-attack-kills-11-afghanistan-28568243http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/taliban-bomb-kills-attack-kills-11-afghanistan-28568243http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/3-foreign-contractors-afghan-national-killed-in-shooting-at-kabul-airport/2015/01/29/4976758a-a7e9-11e4-a06b-9df2002b86a0_story.htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/world/3-foreign-contractors-afghan-national-killed-in-shooting-at-kabul-airport/2015/01/29/4976758a-a7e9-11e4-a06b-9df2002b86a0_story.htmlhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/28/kazakhstan-freedoms-ukraine-unhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/28/kazakhstan-freedoms-ukraine-unhttp://www.eurasianet.org/node/71801http://www.eurasianet.org/node/71801http://www.eurasianet.org/node/71801http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/28/kazakhstan-freedoms-ukraine-unhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/world/3-foreign-contractors-afghan-national-killed-in-shooting-at-kabul-airport/2015/01/29/4976758a-a7e9-11e4-a06b-9df2002b86a0_story.htmlhttp://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/taliban-bomb-kills-attack-kills-11-afghanistan-28568243http://news.uzreport.uz/news_2_r_128707.htmlhttp://uzbekistan.usembassy.gov/012915pr.htmlhttp://www.eng.24.kg/politic/174266-news24.htmlhttp://itar-tass.com/en/world/774026http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-26/mongolia-s-bonds-slump-with-copper-as-spat-with-rio-stalls-minehttp://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/rio-offers-to-drop-2bn-royalty-in-bid-to-solve-mongolian-standoff/story-e6frg6n6-1227197603160?nk=186737daf8c8c74d4db35c68fcdd9a58http://en.trend.az/casia/turkmenistan/2358580.htmlhttp://www.rferl.org/content/azerbaijani-tukish-turkmen-fms-in-ashgabat/26819780.htmlhttp://www.rferl.org/content/russia-says-army-to-be-strengthened-as-outpost-in-tajikistan/26817875.htmlhttp://www.eurasianet.org/node/71821http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/01/29/395317/Marathon-talks-with-P51-not-easy-Iranhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/29/us-iran-nuclear-talks-idUSKBN0L22KR20150129


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of-cease-fire-deal?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=world

Polish officials continue to debate the best policies forresponding to the sharp increase in mortgage payments for the575,000 Polish families who took out Swiss-franc denominatedhome loans. In contrast to the statements by the FinancialSupervision Authority last week, on Wednesday, Polandsfinance minister Mateusz Szczurek ruled out the possibility offorcing Polish banks to convert Swiss franc loans to zloty athistorical rates, arguing that such a move would undermine thestability of Polands banking sector.

ABC HotNews.ro

Slovak pipeline operator Eustream proposed that Bulgaria andRomania build an interconnecting pipeline aimed at reducingtheir dependency on Russian gas. According to the projectinitiators, the pipeline will ensure that the Balkans will receivegas from western hubs and will diminish the risks in caseRussian supplies via Ukraine are disrupted. The memorandumof understanding between the countries will be signed inupcoming weeks.

Reuters Novinite

The head of the Romanian Intelligence Service (SRI),George Maior, stepped down on Tuesday, several days afterhe criticized the Romanian Constitutional Court for strikingdown a set of surveillance laws. The laws would haveallowed the SRI to gather and retain data on citizenswithout court approval. President Iohannis acceptedMaiors resignation, and will appoint a new director. Maior

had served since as chief since 2006.

Reuters ABCBaltic CourseJanes

On Tuesday, President of Latvia Andris Berzins stated thathe will not be attending WWII Victory Day celebration inMoscow given the worsening situation in Ukraine. Thestatement published by the Presidents webpage stated thatRussias support for the separatists in Eastern Ukraine hascaused the death and suffering of civilians.The Presidentof Lithuania and the President of Estonia also announced thatthey will not attend the ceremony.

Moscow Times Leta

Wall Street Journal Bloomberg

DF Watch

Yahoo! Politics.hu

RFE/RL

On Tuesday, Czech President Milos Zeman said that theinternational community should unite to take military actionagainst the Islamic State (IS). Speaking at a Holocaustcommemoration forum convened by the European JewishCongress in Prague, he drew parallels between IS and NaziGermany: If we are to avoid a super-Holocaust, we needunited armed action, led on the international level, under theaegis of the United Nations Security Council, he told an

audience of European parliamentary delegations.

Lithuanian Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevicius travelled toGeorgia from January 25 to 27 for talks on Georgias efforts

to integrate with NATO and the European Union. In additionto EU and NATO integration, he discussed bilateraleconomic cooperation and energy issues with GeorgianPrime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and President GiorgiMargvelashvili. On Tuesday, Butkevicius also took part in aLithuanian-Georgian business forum and visited the EUsMonitorin Mission in Mtskheta.

Estonia has completed the creation of its military airsurveillance network, which will cover its entire territory.Defense Minister Sven Mikser has pointed out that the radarsystem provides Estonia with necessary situational awarenessand preliminary threat warning ability. The radar installed atthe Tika air force facility is the second ordered by theEstonian authorities from Finland. The project cost $32million.

At a memorial for Jewish soldiers who fought and died toprotect Hungarian borders in World War I, Prime MinisterOrban praised the Hungarian Jews who sacrificed their livesfor the country. He also admitted that, thirty years later,some Hungarians chose evil over good, who chose

shameful acts over honest ones when they sent theHungarian Jews to their deaths in Nazi extermination camps.The memorial was held a day before the 70th anniversary ofthe liberation of Auschwitz.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/romanias-spy-chief-backed-security-laws-resigns-28511683http://english.hotnews.ro/stiri-top_news-19213633-head-romania-intelligence-service-resigns.htmhttp://english.hotnews.ro/stiri-top_news-19213633-head-romania-intelligence-service-resigns.htmhttp://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/gas-pipeline-balkans-idUKL6N0V73HR20150128http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/gas-pipeline-balkans-idUKL6N0V73HR20150128http://www.novinite.com/articles/166240/Slovakia+Proposes+Gas+Interconnection+to+Romania+and+Bulgariahttp://www.novinite.com/articles/166240/Slovakia+Proposes+Gas+Interconnection+to+Romania+and+Bulgariahttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/us-mideast-crisis-czech-idUSKBN0L01D120150127http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/us-mideast-crisis-czech-idUSKBN0L01D120150127http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/czech-president-international-action-terrorism-28508930http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/czech-president-international-action-terrorism-28508930http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=101636http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=101636http://www.janes.com/article/48391/estonia-completes-air-surveillance-programmehttp://www.janes.com/article/48391/estonia-completes-air-surveillance-programmehttp://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/latvian-president-berzins-to-skip-moscow-s-victory-day-celebrations/515004.htmlhttp://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/latvian-president-berzins-to-skip-moscow-s-victory-day-celebrations/515004.htmlhttp://www.leta.lv/eng/home/important/24FA4D23-2126-42AC-BCAD-02951DF484BB/http://www.leta.lv/eng/home/important/24FA4D23-2126-42AC-BCAD-02951DF484BB/http://www.wsj.com/articles/poland-rules-out-exchange-rate-relief-on-swiss-franc-loans-1422461305http://www.wsj.com/articles/poland-rules-out-exchange-rate-relief-on-swiss-franc-loans-1422461305http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-28/poland-won-t-copy-orban-in-search-of-franc-mortgage-fixhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-28/poland-won-t-copy-orban-in-search-of-franc-mortgage-fixhttp://dfwatch.net/lithuanian-pm-starts-two-day-visit-to-georgia-88505http://dfwatch.net/lithuanian-pm-starts-two-day-visit-to-georgia-88505http://news.yahoo.com/orban-acknowledges-hungarians-chose-evil-over-good-holocaust-154910932.htmlhttp://news.yahoo.com/orban-acknowledges-hungarians-chose-evil-over-good-holocaust-154910932.htmlhttp://www.politics.hu/20150126/orban-praises-hungarian-jews-readiness-for-sacrifice-in-ww1/http://www.rferl.org/content/butkevicius-vists-georgia-hold-talks-with-leadership/26813583.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-14/hungary-mulls-shielding-religious-symbols-to-prevent-terrorism.htmlhttp://www.rferl.org/content/butkevicius-vists-georgia-hold-talks-with-leadership/26813583.htmlhttp://www.politics.hu/20150126/orban-praises-hungarian-jews-readiness-for-sacrifice-in-ww1/http://news.yahoo.com/orban-acknowledges-hungarians-chose-evil-over-good-holocaust-154910932.htmlhttp://dfwatch.net/lithuanian-pm-starts-two-day-visit-to-georgia-88505http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-28/poland-won-t-copy-orban-in-search-of-franc-mortgage-fixhttp://www.wsj.com/articles/poland-rules-out-exchange-rate-relief-on-swiss-franc-loans-1422461305http://www.leta.lv/eng/home/important/24FA4D23-2126-42AC-BCAD-02951DF484BB/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/latvian-president-berzins-to-skip-moscow-s-victory-day-celebrations/515004.htmlhttp://www.janes.com/article/48391/estonia-completes-air-surveillance-programmehttp://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/?doc=101636http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/czech-president-international-action-terrorism-28508930http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/us-mideast-crisis-czech-idUSKBN0L01D120150127http://www.novinite.com/articles/166240/Slovakia+Proposes+Gas+Interconnection+to+Romania+and+Bulgariahttp://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/gas-pipeline-balkans-idUKL6N0V73HR20150128http://english.hotnews.ro/stiri-top_news-19213633-head-romania-intelligence-service-resigns.htmhttp://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/romanias-spy-chief-backed-security-laws-resigns-28511683


5/6

On Wednesday, six Bulgarians working for the UNs World

Food Programme were detained by Sudanese rebels after anemergency helicopter landing in the war-torn South Kordofanprovince, announced the Bulgarian foreign ministry. Theflight was en route to Khartoum from South Sudan, wherefighting between the government and the Sudan Peoples

Liberation Movement-North continues to rage. The chairmanof the board of directors of Heli Air, owner of the capturedhelicopter, announced that the six Bulgarians would bereleased by Friday.

Novinite Reuters

Anti-government protests erupted in Pristina this week in theworst unrest since Kosovo declared independence in 2008. Theprotests began on Saturday, with demonstrations organized byopposition parties. On Tuesday, 2,000 people gathered at arally that turned violent. Police responded with tear gas, watercannons, and rubber bullets. The protesters called for thenationalization of the Trepca mine and the dismissal of anethnic Serb minister who referred to a group of Albaniansprotesting against ethnic Serb pilgrims marking OrthodoxChristmas in January as savages.

Reuters Al Jazeera

Ivica Dacic, Serbian Foreign Minister and OSCEChairperson-in-Office, called on all sides of the Ukrainianconflict to renew the peace dialogue in Minsk. On a call withthe Special Representative to the Trilateral Contact Group,Dacic said that the international community expects the

signatories of the Minsk documents to honor theircommitments and pave the way for a peaceful resolution ofthe conflict. Dacic assumed the office of chairperson with

Serbias OSCE presidency on January 15.

InSerbia Sputnik

Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovivisited Estonia andmet with his Estonian counterpart Taavi Roivas. During hisvisit, Milanoviannounced that Croatia plans to apply to jointhe Schengen zone on July 1, 2015. Joining the Schengenzone will help Croatias tourism industry and integrate thecountrys economy closer with the rest of the EU. Croatiajoined the European Union on July 1, 2013. The country hasbeen official candidate for membership since 2004.

Croatia Week Dalje

Supporters of the opposition Democratic Party blocked trafficto protest fuel taxes on Monday. The protesters argue that thetaxes are driving up the cost of fuel, resulting in local fuelprices that do not reflect the global drop in oil prices. Theprotesters hope that lower fuel prices will help reviveAlbanias economy. Albania's Competition Authority hasannounced an investigation of a suspected oligopoly in thefuel market.

Slovenia's second largest bank Nova KBM (NKBM)announced on Wednesday that it ended 2014 with a net profitof 35.9 million euros ($40.8 million). NKBM receivedgovernment aid in 2013 as part of a 3 billion euro initiative bythe Slovenian government to prevent local banks fromcollapsing and is one of two Slovenian banks that failed anECB stress test in October. NKBM, which is owned by thestate, is set to be privatized by the end of February. U.S.private equity fund Apollo and Hungarys OTP Bank haveoffered rival bids for the bank.

Portfolio.hu Reuters

Ukraine TodayReuters Balkans.comFreedom House

World BulletinAlbeu

Macedonias former intelligence director Zoran Verushevski

was arrested at his home in Skopje early Saturday. He ischarged with possession of child pornography and illegalfirearms, according to Macedonian Interior MinistrySpokesman Ivo Kotevski. Verushevski is the second directorof Macedonias security and intelligence agency to be

arrested. Slobodan Bogoevski was arrested in 2013 andsentenced to two years in prison for criminal financialactivity.

Freedom Houses Freedom in the World Report has ranked

Montenegro as free. When compared to other countries inthe region, Montenegro is ahead of Bosnia-Herzegovina,Macedonia, Kosovo, and Albania, while Serbia and Croatiaare also ranked as free. The Freedom House report showedthat the global political rights and civil liberties declined in2015.
http://www.novinite.com/articles/166226/Captured+Bulgarians+in+Sudan+Expected+to+be+Released+Soonhttp://www.novinite.com/articles/166226/Captured+Bulgarians+in+Sudan+Expected+to+be+Released+Soonhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/us-sudan-bulgaria-idUSKBN0L119U20150128http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/us-sudan-bulgaria-idUSKBN0L119U20150128http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/kosovo-protests-idUSL6N0V635120150127http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/kosovo-protests-idUSL6N0V635120150127http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2015/01/running-battles-streets-kosovo-150129105525297.htmlhttp://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2015/01/running-battles-streets-kosovo-150129105525297.htmlhttp://inserbia.info/today/2015/01/dacic-all-sides-in-ukrainian-conflict-to-return-to-negotiating-table/http://inserbia.info/today/2015/01/dacic-all-sides-in-ukrainian-conflict-to-return-to-negotiating-table/http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150130/1017535540.htmlhttp://www.croatiaweek.com/ccroatian-pm-in-estonia-confirms-1-july-schengen-area-application/http://www.croatiaweek.com/ccroatian-pm-in-estonia-confirms-1-july-schengen-area-application/http://dalje.com/en-croatia/milanovic-pays-official-visit-to-estonia/534519http://dalje.com/en-croatia/milanovic-pays-official-visit-to-estonia/534519http://www.portfolio.hu/en/equity/hungary_otp_bank_in_talks_to_up_bid_for_slovenias_nova_kbm_source.29051.htmlhttp://www.portfolio.hu/en/equity/hungary_otp_bank_in_talks_to_up_bid_for_slovenias_nova_kbm_source.29051.htmlhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/nkbm-results-idUSL6N0V74M420150128http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/nkbm-results-idUSL6N0V74M420150128http://uatoday.tv/politics/albanian-drivers-hold-protest-over-taxes-they-say-are-keeping-fuel-prices-high-405370.htmlhttp://uatoday.tv/politics/albanian-drivers-hold-protest-over-taxes-they-say-are-keeping-fuel-prices-high-405370.htmlhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/26/albania-fuel-protests-idUSL6N0V52SM20150126http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/26/albania-fuel-protests-idUSL6N0V52SM20150126http://www.balkans.com/open-news.php?uniquenumber=200802http://www.balkans.com/open-news.php?uniquenumber=200802https://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2015#.VMqE7Swb1_Vhttps://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2015#.VMqE7Swb1_Vhttp://www.worldbulletin.net/news/153727/macedonias-former-intelligence-director-arrestedhttp://www.worldbulletin.net/news/153727/macedonias-former-intelligence-director-arrestedhttp://english.albeu.com/news/news/former-head-of-secret-service-of-macedonia-arrested-for-child-pornogra/185789/http://english.albeu.com/news/news/former-head-of-secret-service-of-macedonia-arrested-for-child-pornogra/185789/http://www.worldbulletin.net/news/153727/macedonias-former-intelligence-director-arrestedhttps://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2015#.VMqE7Swb1_Vhttp://www.balkans.com/open-news.php?uniquenumber=200802http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/26/albania-fuel-protests-idUSL6N0V52SM20150126http://uatoday.tv/politics/albanian-drivers-hold-protest-over-taxes-they-say-are-keeping-fuel-prices-high-405370.htmlhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/nkbm-results-idUSL6N0V74M420150128http://www.portfolio.hu/en/equity/hungary_otp_bank_in_talks_to_up_bid_for_slovenias_nova_kbm_source.29051.htmlhttp://dalje.com/en-croatia/milanovic-pays-official-visit-to-estonia/534519http://www.croatiaweek.com/ccroatian-pm-in-estonia-confirms-1-july-schengen-area-application/http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150130/1017535540.htmlhttp://inserbia.info/today/2015/01/dacic-all-sides-in-ukrainian-conflict-to-return-to-negotiating-table/http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/2015/01/running-battles-streets-kosovo-150129105525297.htmlhttp://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/27/kosovo-protests-idUSL6N0V635120150127http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/28/us-sudan-bulgaria-idUSKBN0L119U20150128http://www.novinite.com/articles/166226/Captured+Bulgarians+in+Sudan+Expected+to+be+Released+Soon


6/6

On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesmanAlexander Lukashevich warned that Sarajevos plans to ship

small arms ammunition to Ukraine would lead to anescalation. The deal would not contribute to peaceful

resolution in the area, and would lead to new, senselesscasualties among the civilian population, according to

Lukashevich. The Bosnian companies of Igman and Unisagreed to sell Ukraine ammunition for about $5.6 million.

Sputnik DW
http://sputniknews.com/military/20150129/1017488142.htmlhttp://sputniknews.com/military/20150129/1017488142.htmlhttp://www.dw.de/russia-warns-bosnia-and-herzegovina-against-sending-ammunition-to-ukraine/a-18224123http://www.dw.de/russia-warns-bosnia-and-herzegovina-against-sending-ammunition-to-ukraine/a-18224123http://www.dw.de/russia-warns-bosnia-and-herzegovina-against-sending-ammunition-to-ukraine/a-18224123http://sputniknews.com/military/20150129/1017488142.html

ceres news digest vol.6 week 3; jan. 26 - 30

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