Trump administration stalled on whether to arm Ukraine

After months of internal debate, the Trump administration is stalled on the question of whether to provide Ukraine with the defensive weapons it has long asked for. The de facto result has been to continue the Obama administration’s policy of denying Kiev what it needs to resist ongoing Russian aggression — and sharpen doubts about President Trump’s willingness to stand up to Vladi­mir Putin.

Amy Howe: No new grants today

This morning the Supreme Court issued orders from its conference last Friday, but the justices did not add any new cases to their merits docket for the term.

The justices declined to take up the property-rights question presented by a California case, 616 Croft Avenue v. West Hollywood, that they had considered at four consecutive conferences before finally denying review today. The dispute dates back to 2004, when a California couple applied to the city of West Hollywood for permission to redevelop two single-family houses into an 11-unit condominium complex. The city council approved the project, observing that it would provide “11 families with a high-quality living environment.” But, following a city housing ordinance, the council also required the couple to pay an “affordable housing fee” of over $500,000.

The Dark Side of AI in Law

Panelists at the College of Law Practice Management's Futures Conference discussed the potential ethical concerns posed by AI.

The Russian State’s Lost Birth Certificate

The centennial of the Russian revolution is not a big thing in modern Russia. It feels like an obscure old holiday or a literary anniversary known only to the initiated. It is no longer a historical event that forms the nation’s founding myth.

On Monday, just a few days before November 7, the date the centennial strikes, President Vladimir Putin took part in an unveiling of the Wall of Sorrow, a monument to victims of the very state that turns 100 years old in a week. “We and our successors must remember the tragedy of repressions and their causes,” Putin said, speaking at a televised ceremony, shown as item one on national television. “But it does not mean one must call for revenge. Nobody can push society to the dangerous line of confrontation.”

US representative for Ukraine Volker: DPR and LPR do not belong in the Donbas negotiation process

The US Department of State’s Special Representative for Ukraine, Kurt Volker, believes that representatives from the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics have no place in the negotiation process to resolve the situation in the Donbas. He expressed his opinion in an interview with Hromadske, while answering a question regarding the role of LDPR in the Minsk negotiations.

Ukraine four positions up in Doing Business 2018 ranking

Ukraine has climbed four positions in the Doing Business 2018 ranking of the World Bank, ranking 76th among the 190 economies studied, according to a press release from the Better Regulation Delivery Office.

Ex-head of Ukraine's State Affairs Department Bakai detained in Moscow – media

A scandalous ex-head of the State Department of Affairs, former Naftogaz CEO, Ihor Bakai, has been detained in Moscow, TSN news service reports with reference to its own sources.

Interior minister Avakov about charges against his son: "Not a penny from the budget"

Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov claims his son, Oleksandr Avakov, accused by the National Anti-corruption Bureau (NABU) of embezzlement of over UAH 14 million in budget funds amid military backpacks procurements, is not guilty.

Supreme Court warns Odessa Police over interference with judiciary

While the eyes of those that follow security, policing, and the rule of law more generally in Ukraine may be concentrating upon the (eventually successful) assassination of Amin Okuyeva, and wounding of her husband Adam Osmayev on the evening of 30th October, or the search of Alexander Avakov’s home (son of Interior Minister Arsen Avaokov) for his involvement in the supply of backpacks to the National Guard during 2015 at vastly inflated prices, it is the friction between the Supreme Court and the police of Odessa that catches the eye.

Ukrainian President started an official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

President Petro Poroshenko and his wife Maryna Poroshenko arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a two-day official visit.

The Head of State will hold negotiations with the leadership of Saudi Arabia - King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud.

The parties will discuss the issues of bilateral investment, trade-economic and military-technical cooperation.

Justice commissioner links EU funds to 'rule of law'

EU justice commissioner Vera Jourova said Tuesday that the EU should consider creating stronger conditionality between the rule of law and the EU cohesion funds geared toward poorer member states.

The Czech commissioner in a speech in Helsinki outlined how the EU executive could better uphold the rule of law across the European Union.

Turkey’s Ukrainian Gambit

Even as it warms towards Russia, Turkey is strengthening its ties with Ukraine. When will Moscow notice?

« Tournons-nous vers le Québec et le Canada pour répondre à la crise catalane »

Dans une tribune au « Monde », le politologue Patrick Weil invite les dirigeants européens, pour sortir par le haut de la crise en Espagne, à s’inspirer de la position adoptée par la Cour constitutionnelle canadienne dès 1998.

The Manafort Indictment

Mueller’s charges relate to money-laundering cash from Ukraine.

Lawmakers turn to tech sector for answers on 2016 election

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawyers from Facebook Inc (FB.O), Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) and Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google head before U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday for two days of hearings on how Russia allegedly used their services to try to sway the 2016 U.S. elections.

10 laws that can spoil your Halloween

Halloween is a holiday that gives license to kids and adults alike to get silly and strange. But in some places, the law doesn’t want you going too far with your Halloween celebrations. From a ban on Silly String to outlawing trick-or-treating on Sundays, here are some laws aimed at protecting the public from the potential human-made horrors of Halloween.

Halloween laws: No masks, no clowns, no nuns

Britain: The Empire that Never Was

Brexit sold the country a dream; ostensibly a project built on anti-migrant sentiment, it also invoked delusions of grandeur, rooted in reanimating the glorious days of imperial rule and global British hegemony. Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit speech announced a vision for a ‘Global Britain’ – ‘a great, global trading nation that is respected around the world and strong.’ 

Can Harvey Weinstein Be Successfully Sued? (Part II)

“[The Weinstein Company LLC] was aware of Weinstein’s pattern of using his power to coerce and force young actresses to engage in sexual acts with him,” claims actress Dominique Huett in her complaint filed against Harvey Weinstein’s (now former) company, The Weinstein Company. Huett’s lawsuit against the company, filed on October 24 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges one count of negligence and seeks $5 million in damages. You can read the complaint here.

Machine unreadable

More and more, we create our work to be read by a machine.

SEO specialists tell you how to write a blog post that Google will like. Your resumé needs to have the right keywords to get tagged. Everything has an ISBN, an ASIN or a catalog number.  Ideas become data become databases...

We did the same thing when assembly lines started up. Every part had to be the same size, the cogs in the system were less important than the system itself.

Being machine readable might feel like a shortcut to getting where you're going. After all, fitting in as a machine-readable cog into the database of ideas gets you a faster start. But it's also the best way to be ignored, because you've chosen to be one of the many, an idea that's easy to pigeonhole and then ignored.

What happens if your work becomes machine unreadable?

So new we don't have a slot for it.

So unpredictable that we can't ignore it.

So important that we have to stop feeding the database and start paying attention instead...

State Marijuana Laws: Employers Get By With a Little Help From Their Lawyers

State laws permitting the lawful use of marijuana for medical or recreational purposes continue to complicate employer efforts to craft policies concerning employees’ marijuana use. Employers know that employees who work under the influence of drugs or alcohol can cause significant safety problems, reduce productivity, and impact workplace morale. Most employers, therefore, prohibit employees from working while under such influence and fire employees who violate these policies. But off-duty use of drugs and alcohol can also create significant problems in the workplace. Consequently, many employers, encouraged or mandated by some state and federal laws and the requirements of certain government contracts, require job applicants to pass a pre-employment drug test

5 Reasons Tech Companies Should Consider International Arbitration

Tech companies often provide in their contracts for local courts to resolve their commercial disputes. While this may be sensible for a purely domestic dispute, there are good reasons to consider alternatives—especially international arbitration—for those disputes that have a significant international dimension. Unlike domestic litigation, only international arbitration can achieve all of the basic objectives of dispute resolution for international contractual relationships, including enforcement. Here are five reasons why international arbitration often makes sense and five key steps to make it work.

Futile Effort, New Maidan, or Neither? October Protests in Kyiv

A new political season has opened. This fact was made abundantly clear to Kyiv residents on October 18, as the police patrol had increased its presence downtown. The reason? Mass protests that started a day earlier near the Ukrainian parliament building.

Indeed, if the situation in Ukraine were judged based on the number of political forces and civic organizations participating in the protest, a likely conclusion would be that Ukrainian society had come together in a broad antigovernmental coalition. The participants involved entities and actors from across the political spectrum, including such diverse groups as the KyivPride LGBT activists and nationalist parties such as Svoboda and the Right Sector, and pro-European liberals from the Democratic Alliance and numerous civic organizations and supporters of the For Life party, whose rhetoric tends to be aimed at the traditionally pro-Russian regions of the country.

Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey launch new Asia-to-Europe rail link

The leaders of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia launched an 826-kilometer (500-mile) rail link connecting the three countries on Oct. 30, establishing a freight and passenger link between Europe and China that bypasses Russia.

The line, which includes 105 km of new track, will have the capacity to transport one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of freight. This capacity will rise to three million passengers and 17 million tons of freight by 2034.

The 826-km (513-mile) railway project connecting Baku with the northeastern Turkish province of Kars via Tbilisi was launched in 2007 and construction began in 2008.

Update: Paul Manafort just walked through the front door https://t.co/27QZQ89a3p

— Meg Wagner (@megwagner) October 30, 2017

#IRSTaxTip: Four Things to Know about Taxes and Starting a Business.

New business owners have tax-related things to do before launching their companies. IRS.gov has resources to help. Here are some items to consider before scheduling a ribbon-cutting event.

Choose a business structure

When starting a business, an owner must decide what type of entity it will be. This type determines which tax forms a business needs to file. Owners can learn about business structures at IRS.gov. The most common forms of businesses are:

• Sole Proprietorships
• Partnerships
• Corporations
• S Corporations
• Limited Liability Company

Determine business tax responsibilities 

The type of business someone operates determines what taxes they need to pay and how to pay them. There are the five general types of business taxes.

Paul Manafort, Who Once Ran Trump Campaign, Surrenders to F.B.I.

Paul Manafort, Who Once Ran Trump Campaign, Surrenders to F.B.I.

Poroshenko signs law on ratification of two protocols to European Convention on Human Rights

"The president signed the law on ratification of the 15th and 16th protocols to the European Convention on Human Rights! This is an important document that clearly regulates the state's obligations to the European Court of Human Rights and details the rules for filing lawsuits with the European Court of Human Rights. The Supreme Court of Ukraine is also becoming the body which can appeal to the ECHR to interprete the Convention," Ariev wrote on Facebook on Monday.

These 13 Wire Transfers Are A Focus Of The FBI Probe Into Paul Manafort

BuzzFeed News has learned of a series of wire transfers, made by companies linked to Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, that federal officials deemed suspicious. Many of the wires went from offshore companies controlled by Manafort to American businesses.

MEPs demand Cyprus open up over Russia money laundering

MEPs have urged Cypriot president Nicos Anastasiades to "correct" the mishandling of a Russia corruption case.

The 17 deputies voiced "grave concern" in a letter to Nicosia on Friday (26 October) that Cyprus was "actively assisting" Russia in "politically-motivated proceedings" against Bill Browder, a British human rights campaigner.

They also called on Cyprus to hold an investigation into alleged Russian money laundering via Cypriot banks.

Why Italy's New Electoral Law Doesn't Get Five Stars

After months of wrangling, the Italian parliament has finally passed a new electoral law. The new rules will make it much harder for the anti-establishment Five Star Movementto come to power. They will not, however, give Italy the stability it needs to escape the low-growth trap.

Апелляционный суд подтвердил разрешение на монтаж турбин Siemens в Крыму

Москва. 30 октября. INTERFAX.RU - Девятый апелляционный арбитражный суд оставил в силе решение суда первой инстанции об отказе в принятии обеспечительных мер по иску Siemens против структур "Ростеха" по турбинам в Крыму, сообщил корреспондент "Интерфакса" из суда.

Siemens требовал арестовать и остановить монтаж турбин своего производства в Крыму в целях обеспечения иска против ОАО "ВО "Технопромэкспорт" и ООО "ВО "Технопромэкспорт" (структуры госкорпорации "Ростех").

Home Office letter tells EU citizen to ‘go home or go elsewhere’

The Home Office is warning EU nationals held in detention centres that they should leave the UK to “avoid becoming destitute”, in the latest instance of a hardened tone towards citizens from European countries.

A government letter, written on behalf of home secretary Amber Rudd and seen by the Observer, also advises EU nationals that they should consider leaving because they have the “right to travel freely across the EU and can visit, live, study and in most cases work in any other EU member state” – an observation that appears to preempt the UK’s departure from the union.

Укримпатент: регистрация торговых марок и страдания сознательных граждан

После публикации текста о нотариате, волной принесло гневные комментарии юристов о том, что, дескать, существуют разные системы права и, вообще, не стоит совать нос туда, в чем не разбираешься. Забавная логика, если учесть ,что статья была написана с позиции обывателя.  То есть теперь, перед тем ,как вставить вилку фритюрницы в розетку, обязательно убедитесь, что помните развернутую диаграмму  синусоидального  тока. Ну, вы в курсе, график зависимости переменного тока от времени…

Как вообще можно заявляться к нотариусу, не имея понятия о двух системах права?!! Надо понимать всю глубину нотариальных глубин в Украине, дорогие панове!

The Way to Fix the Volcker Rule

The Trump administration is taking aim at the Volcker Rule, one of the core elements of the Dodd-Frank financial reform, saying it's too complex and burdensome. That's true, but improving the rule shouldn't mean weakening it.

The rule has a vital purpose: denying taxpayer subsidy to speculation. It therefore bans speculative trading at financial institutions with access to federal deposit insurance and emergency loans from the Federal Reserve -- backstops meant to support lending to people and companies, not betting on securities and derivatives.

Fitch Affirms Ukraine at 'B-'; Outlook Stable

Fitch Ratings-London-27 October 2017: Fitch Ratings has affirmed Ukraine's Long-Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'B-' with a Stable Outlook.

A full list of rating actions is at the end of this rating action commentary.

KEY RATING DRIVERS 

Ukraine's ratings reflect weak external liquidity, a high public debt burden and structural weaknesses, in terms of a weak banking sector, institutional constraints and geopolitical and political risks. These factors are balanced against improved policy credibility and coherence, the sovereign's near-term manageable debt repayment profile and a track record of bilateral and multilateral support.

Volker on Russian peacekeepers in Donbas: "I can't imagine it"

U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker during a meeting with the Ukrainian lawmakers has said he is convinced that Russians cannot participate in the peacekeeping mission in Donbas, Ukrainian MP Mustafa Nayyem wrote on Facebook.

100 Years After the Balfour Declaration, a Commemoration Rekindles Mideast Quarrels

Some hail a 1917 British pledge as Israel’s ‘foundation stone,’ while others decry it as highhanded imperialism that stifled Palestinian rights

Путин не уйдет с Донбасса, но американцы готовят Кремлю трагедию

США готовы ударить новыми санкциями по России в ответ на вмешательство в американские выборы. Вместе с тем, президент РФ Владимир Путин пытается рассорить Украину с западными союзниками в связи с событиями на Донбассе. А представитель Госдепа США Курт Волкер в Киеве намерен донести до украинской власти мнение о необходимости принятия закона, касающегося деоккупации ОРДЛО. Такое мнение "Апострофу" высказал военный эксперт и блогер Алексей Арестович.

The Vory (Thief in Law) in Ukraine

On 28th October, First Deputy Head of the National Police, Vyacheslav Abroskin, made a public statement about the Vory (Thieves-in-Law from Georgia and beyond) across the regions of Ukraine who have, or are attempting to obtain, Ukrainian citizenship.

The statement made, it has to be said, does not come close to the scale of the problem when it comes to Vory within the nation.

For a start, his statement relates only to those Vor who have or are actively seeking Ukrainian citizenship.  Accordingly only 19 Vory are displayed on a regional map of Ukraine.

There are omissions even to the small list of Vor attempting to remain in Ukraine via citizenship.

Ukrainian deputies unveil details of discussion with Volker on UN peacekeeping for Donbas

United States Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker told Ukrainian parliamentarians at a recent meeting how an initiative to deploy peacekeepers in Donbas can be put up for a vote at the United Nations Security Council.

"Kurt Volker told us about the course of negotiations with the Russian side, the course of talks on the issue of peacekeepers, namely what questions are being discussed and how this issue can be put up for a vote at the UN Security Council," Batkivshchyna faction deputy Oleksiy Riabchyn told Interfax-Ukraine after Volker's meeting with Ukrainian MPs in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President honored the deceased on occasion of the 73rd anniversary of the liberation of Ukraine from the Nazis

President Petro Poroshenko honored the deceased on occasion of the 73rd anniversary of the liberation of Ukraine from the Nazis together with the veterans of the World War II and the ATO veterans. The ceremony took place in the Park of Eternal Glory, Kyiv.

In his address to the Ukrainian nation, the President noted that “we celebrate a particularly memorable event - October 28, 1944, when, as a result of the successful Carpathian offensive, Ukraine was finally liberated from the Nazi occupation forces”.

Огляд деякіх методів оцінки вартості стартапа та нормативно-правова основа ведення діяльності стартапів

У наш час, швидше за все, багато підприємців або управлінців уже чули такий термін, як «стартап». Однак є ті, хто навіть не замислювався над тим, що ж це таке. Хоча очевидно, що із зразками продуктів світових стартапів багато хто вже зіткнувся. Адже прикладами є такі відомі проекти, як Wikipedia, Instagram або YouTube. І це – лише вершина світового «айсберга» з дивною назвою «стартап».

У цій доповіді я хочу оглянути деякі методи оцінки вартості стартапа та розповісти про норми українського законодавства, які регулюють правові відносини у сфері швидкозростаючих інноваційних проектів .

Don’t forget about basic meal and rest break obligations

It has been a few years that the California Supreme Court issued it groundbreaking ruling in Brinker Restaurant Group v. Superior Court.  With the end of the year approaching and employers preparing for the new year and the new legal obligations that come with it, now is a good time for employers to audit meal and rest break policies and practices. Regular readers of the blog are familiar with these issues, but it is always a good practice to review these issues at least once a year and audit meal and rest break policies and practices.  This Friday’s Five covers five issues employers should not forget regarding about meal and rest breaks.

Robert Mueller Russia inquiry: first charges have been filed – reports

A federal grand jury on Friday approved the first charges in the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election, according to multiple reports.

The indictment was sealed by a federal judge so it is not clear what the charges are or to whom they relate, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters, adding that the indictment could be unsealed on Monday.

Економіко- правовий алгоритм створення стартапу та огляд видів господарювання у США та Голландії

“Економіко- правовий алгоритм створення стартапу та огляд видів господарювання у США та Голландії”. from Kyiv National Economic University

The importance of guardian decisions in elder care

All adults, but particularly older adults, should plan ahead in the event they need a legal guardian to step in to make decisions for them. Formalizing your wishes while you are still able protects you against the need for a state-appointed guardian and helps protect against fraud and deceptive practices that can lead to disaster for you and your loved ones.

Commission to invest €30 billion in new solutions for societal challenges and breakthrough innovation

The European Commission today announced how it will spend €30 billion of the EU research and innovation funding programme Horizon 2020 during 2018-2020, including €2.7 billion to kick-start a European Innovation Council.

Horizon 2020, the EU's €77 billion research and innovation funding programme, supports scientific excellence in Europe and has contributed to high-profile scientific breakthroughs such as the discovery of exoplanets and gravitational waves. Over the next 3 years, the Commission will seek greater impact of its research funding by focusing on fewer, but critical topics such as migration, security, climate, clean energy and digital economy. Horizon 2020 will also be more geared towards boosting breakthrough, market-creating innovation.

Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, said: "Artificial Intelligence, genetics, blockchain: science is at the core of today's most promising breakthrough innovations. Europe is a world leader in science and technology and will play a major role in driving innovation. The Commission is making a concerted effort – including with the European Innovation Council which takes its first steps today – to give Europe's many innovators a springboard to become world leading companies."

"Russian aggression only increasing": Parubiy tells Volker about Ukraine's losses in Donbas

A total of 162 Ukrainian servicemen have been killed in the area of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in Donetsk and Luhansk regions since early 2017, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy said during a meeting with U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker in Kyiv, Friday, October 27.

U.S. State Department names Russian defense, intel firms under sanctions law

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department on Friday named 39 Russian defense- and intelligence-related entities under a new sanctions law, belatedly taking a step to enforce legislation passed overwhelmingly by Congress.

The law, which President Donald Trump signed on Aug. 2, requires sanctions on individuals who engage in “a significant transaction” with the Russian entities.

First on CNN: First charges filed in Mueller investigation

Washington (CNN) A federal grand jury in Washington on Friday approved the first charges in the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller, according to sources briefed on the matter.

The charges are still sealed under orders from a federal judge. Plans were prepared Friday for anyone charged to be taken into custody as soon as Monday, the sources said. It is unclear what the charges are.

A spokesman for the special counsel's office declined to comment.

Где искать миллиарды Януковича?

Куда исчезли деньги Януковича? Окончательного ответа на этот вопрос в Украине до сих пор так и не нашли. 

По разным данным, капиталы Семьи либо хранятся на каких-то банковских счетах, либо были вывезены из Украины КамАЗами в феврале 2014 года, когда Янукович убегал из страны. Однако на самом деле каждая из этих версий верна лишь отчасти. И вот почему. 

How to Read the JFK Assassination Files

The files, which are supposed to be released on the Archives website, are being made public under a deadline set by a 1992 law, the JFK Assassination Records Collection Act . The law, which Congress hoped would help tamp down the raging conspiracy theories revived or created by Oliver Stone’s film “JFK” the year before, was responsible for the release of millions of pages of other documents in the 1990s. What has remained secret at the Archives until this week were documents that the CIA, FBI and other agencies felt might somehow damage national security if made public. But short of Trump’s intervention, all of those documents must be made public, too – every word – to meet the 25-year deadline set by the law. That is the deadline that arrives on Thursday.

CAATSA Section 231(d) Defense and Intelligence Sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation

CAATSA Section 231(d) List Regarding the Defense Sector of the Government of the Russian Federation

Admiralty Shipyard JSC
Almaz-Antey Air and Space Defense Corporation JSC
Dolgoprudny Research Production JSC
Federal Research and Production Center Titan Barrikady JSC (Titan Design Bureau)
Izhevsk Mechanical Plant (Baikal)
Izhmash Concern JSC
Kalashnikov Concern JSC
Kalinin Machine Building Plant JSC (KMZ)
KBP Instrument Design Bureau
MIC NPO Mashinostroyenia
Molot Oruzhie
Mytishchinski Mashinostroitelny Zavod
Novator Experimental Design Bureau
NPO High Precision Systems JSC
NPO Splav JSC
Oboronprom OJSC

Ilmi Umerov and Ahtem Chiygoz return to Ukraine

Although this is not a news website, nor even a journalistic endeavour, but now and again the headline news rather than being deliberately avoided is worthy of mention.

Ilmi Umerov and Ahtem Chiygoz, to leading Crimean Tatar figures imprisoned by the Russian occupying machinery of the Crimean peninsula have been released.

They are once again at liberty, a liberty that was wrongly deprived of them.

Their route to freedom from the illegally annexed peninsula, to Russia, then to Turkey, and then latterly to Ukraine is now complete.

EU to grant 89.5 million euros to support implementation of reforms in Ukraine

October 27, First Vice Prime Minister/ Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine StepanKubiv and Peter Wagner, Head of the Support Group for Ukraine at the European Commission, signed twoagreements on cooperation between the Government of Ukraine and the European Union.

In the framework of the agreement on financing of the technical cooperation program of 2017, theEuropean Union will provide assistance to the Ukrainian government in enhancing the capacity of public authoritiesregarding the implementation of the Association Agreement as well as the comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. The said agreement envisages the funding for bringing Ukrainian legislation into line with EU law, as well aseffective drafting and implementation of reforms.

The Catalan parliament's a resolution that declared the creation of an "independent sovereign, democratic and social state" (PDF)

The Catalan parliament's a resolution that declared the creation of an "independent sovereign, democratic and social state" (PDF)

President of Ukraine held a meeting with CEO of ENGIE

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko held a meeting with CEO of ENGIE Isabelle Kocher.

The Head of State noted a fruitful development of the political dialogue between Ukraine and France, which promotes the intensification of bilateral economic and investment cooperation.

The President is satisfied with the level of cooperation between Ukraine and ENGIE group, which is the biggest European gas supplier for the Ukrainian consumers.

Ukraine Expects Trump to Approve Arms Deliveries

Ukrainian lawmakers are optimistic that the White House will give the green light for long-sought weapons.

Exit Strategies for Startups

“What is your exit strategy?” This is one of the most common questions that startups or early stage companies are asked, but many entrepreneurs have not given their exit strategy much thought. An “exit strategy” does not refer so much to your departure from the company (although it might), but rather how an investor will make a return on his/her/its investment. 

Book review: Justice Scalia’s living words

What makes an American is not the name or the blood or even the  place of birth, but the belief in the principles of freedom and equality that this country stands for.

— Antonin Scalia (1986)

TIME FOR THE FEDS TO SAY WHAT THEY KNOW ABOUT KASPERSKY

MORE THAN A month has passed since the antivirus giant Kaspersky Lab had its US government business executed without a trial. But while American federal agencies remove all traces of one of the world's most popular pieces of security software from their networks, they have yet to explain exactly what merits that Government Services Administration ban. And as the rest of the world decides whether it needs to similarly rid itself of all Kaspersky code, it's starting to get impatient for answers.

What’s Your Problem? The Differences Between AI and Analytics

You’ve probably heard about the two trendy “A” words of legal technology: analytics and artificial intelligence. But for all the talk, there is still vast confusion about the differences between AI and analytics and why you might choose one or the other (or both) to support your legal practice. A recent New York Times piece talks about the two technologies interchangeably, and I have sat on dozens of panels where so-called experts regularly confuse the technologies.

Ukraine’s Financial Future: Between Default and Prosperity

In the next five years, Ukraine’s aggregate payments for external liabilities will amount to more than $40 billion. However, the net reserves of the National Bank of Ukraine stand at $5 billion. On the basis of such a ratio, the risk of Ukraine defaulting on its debt is high. Can Ukraine overcome this risk?

My response to the above question is based on a study of the increased risk of a crisis around Ukraine’s external debt in coming years. Let’s look at the context in which the Ukrainian government would face such a risk.

Catalonia declares independence from Spain, direct Madrid rule looms

BARCELONA/MADRID (Reuters) - Catalonia’s parliament declared independence from Spain on Friday in defiance of the Madrid government, which at the same time was preparing to impose direct rule over the region.

Although the declaration was in effect a symbolic gesture as it will not be accepted by Spain or the international community, the moves by both sides take Spain’s worst political crisis in four decades to a new level.

Anti-Bribery and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Compliance Guide for U.S. Companies Doing Business in India

Odessa pilot project to be rolled out nationally (Bench marking?)

On 26th October Minister for Social Policy Andrei Reva was in Odessa visiting a pilot project run from what will be a centralised City Administration – the building and its acquisition subject to NABU investigation notwithstanding.

On the first floor, with effect from 2nd September, a pilot project was launched in Odessa relating to integrated social services.  (Who knew?)

The centre is apparently a central node for the provision of integrated social services, administrative services, and for the requests and applications of citizens (which presumably don’t fall within the remit administrative services).  A central node for a multitude of local constituency issues.

EBRD supports expansion of Ukrainian retailer Novus

FINTECC grant will help apply best international standards of energy efficiency

The EBRD is providing a seven-year loan of up to US$ 25 million to support the expansion of Ukraine’s major retail chain Novus, which is owned by Lithuanian shareholders. The project is part of the Bank’s strategy to facilitate investment in the development of storage, transport and distribution infrastructure as well as to modernise food and agricultural processing in Ukraine.

The loan will be used to finance the expansion of Novus, which is aiming to open a new logistics centre and 10 new stores in Kiev and the Kiev region by the end of 2018.

«ЮРИДИЧНА НАУКА І ПРАКТИКА: ПОШУК ПРАВОВОЇ ГАРМОНІЇ»

ЗБІРНИК МАТЕРІАЛІВ МІЖНАРОДНОЇ ЮРИДИЧНОЇ НАУКОВО-ПРАКТИЧНОЇ КОНФЕРЕНЦІЇ / ТЕЗИ НАУКОВИХ ДОПОВІДЕЙ (5 ЖОВТНЯ 2017 РОКУ) (PDF)

Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017 (an update)

"Finally, an issue I know you all are very interested in, and that is with regard to legislation going to Capitol Hill on Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act of 2017. So I have an announcement for you on that today and want to provide you with an update. Our Deputy Secretary John Sullivan just had a good conversation with Senator Corker. This took place at 2:30 this afternoon today. He updated him on our progress, and so I want to let you know where we are right now.

In accordance with Section 231 of the act, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has authorized the department to issue guidance to the public specifying the persons or entities that are part of or operating on behalf of the defense or intelligence sectors of the Government of the Russian Federation. What that means is that Secretary Tillerson has signed off on this and is now with – being held by Capitol Hill."

«Стартап: Інтелектуалізація економічного розвитку в Україні. Формування економічних та правових регуляторів».

«Стартап: Інтелектуалізація економічного розвитку в Україні. Формування економічних та правових регуляторів». from Kyiv National Economic University

Президент Казахстана одобрил переход на латинский алфавит

АЛМА-АТА (Рейтер) - Президент Казахстана Нурсултан Назарбаев поручил своей администрации в четверг подготовить документы для перевода казахского языка на латинский алфавит с кириллицы, что символически отдалит центральноазиатскую страну от России.

We Are Witnesses: A portrait of crime and punishment in America today.

The impact of America’s punishment policies is often measured in numbers: there are now 2.2 million people in our jails and prisons; one in a hundred and fifteen adults is confined behind bars; our inmate population is four times larger than it was in 1980. “We Are Witnesses,” a collection of short videos, offers a very different sort of calculation: the human cost of locking up so many citizens for so many years. The project comprises nineteen videos, each between two and six minutes long. Taken together, they present a rare 360-degree portrait of the state of crime and punishment in the United States.