Ukraine has signed a shale-gas deal with Royal Dutch Shell worth at least $10 billion -- potentially the largest foreign investment ever in the country.

• January 25, 2013

Since Transnistria elected a new “president” on December 11, 2011, Russia has been trying to tighten its controls over this province, which was carved out of Moldova and is sustained by a force of Russian troops. Over the past year, Moscow has declared its intention to establish a consulate in Transnistria—which would in essence create another pseudo-recognized government—institute a permanent mechanism of Russian control over the breakaway region, and irrevocably detach the province from Moldova.

• January 24, 2013

In an interview with the newspaper Kommersant published on January 11, the deputy prosecutor general of Russia, Ivan Sydoruk, admitted that despite some successes in countering rebel activities in the North Caucasus, the government still faced serious challenges in the region.

• January 24, 2013

North Korea vowed on Thursday to launch more long-range rockets and conduct its third nuclear test, saying that it would build a capability to strike the United States in the wake of the United Nations Security Council’s tightened sanctions against the country.

• January 24, 2013

ISSUE # 01
01/21/2013
Tymoshenko faces charges of organizing murder; life sentence possible.
On 18 January 2013, Prosecutor-General Viktor Pshonka said that Yuliya Tymoshenko and Pavlo Lazarenko, both former prime ministers, were to face charges of organizing a contract killing. He said that the investigation established that Tymoshenko and Lazarenko had paid 2.8m dollars to have politician and businessman Yevhen Shcherban killed in 1996 in a dispute over business interests. READ MORE

• January 24, 2013

Insights into Turkish Domestic and International Politics during 1-15 January 2013
By John VanPool, EGF Turkey and Black Sea Regional Analyst

Key Points:

• Turkey makes progress on the Kurdish issue, conducting unilateral talks with Abdullah Ocalan. Most Turks appear to support the government’s actions, but the assassination of a PKK co-founder in Paris raises concerns of sabotaging any future agreement.
• The Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) begins oil shipments to Turkey while its relationship with Baghdad continues to deteriorate. Moves by the Iraqi government to bring Kirkuk under military control result in Turkey having to take sides in another civil war.
• The Turkish stock market produced positive returns for investors in 2012, well above the losses experienced by the Eurozone and U.S. But concerns rise over growing credit expansion according to Fitch’s latest report.
• Gazprom’s take or pay contracts end, resulting in over $3 billion in savings for Turkey. Meanwhile, the country invests in large scale refinery upgrades that will double its crude refining capacity. Energy Minister Yildiz visits Algeria and Libya to renew one energy deal in the former and promote investment in the latter.

• January 24, 2013

The U.N. Security Council unanimously condemned North Korea's December rocket launch and expanded existing U.N. sanctions, and Pyongyang reacted with a vow to boost the North's military and nuclear capabilities.

• January 23, 2013

Russia warned Israel and the West on Wednesday against any military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. but suggested Tehran should be quicker to cooperate over inspections of its nuclear sites.

• January 23, 2013