KIEV, March 12 – Ukraine’s currency, the hryvnia, strengthened for the second day against the U.S. dollar on Thursday as prospects improved for the country to receive a $1.84 billion installment from the International Monetary Fund.

KIEV, March 12 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and the opposition Regions Party have agreed on 90% of their proposed constitutional amendments, but have stumbled on how to elect the next president, a senior Regions official said Thursday.

BRUSSELS, March 12 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko supports the efficient use of minerals through the licensing of effective investors selected by tenders who agree to adhere to state conditions.

KIEV, March 12 – The Ukrainian cabinet hopes that UkrGaz-Energo, 50% of the shares of which belong to the state-owned Naftogaz Ukrayiny, will pay dividends for 2006 and 2007 before its liquidation, according to First Deputy Prime Minister Oleksandr Turchynov.

KIEV, March 12 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said Wednesday more talks with Russia and Central Asian countries, such as Turkmenistan, were needed for setting a gas price for Ukraine in 2009.

KIEV, March 12 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said Wednesday Gazprom and Naftogaz Ukrayiny agreed to immediately eliminate UkrGaz-Energo as an intermediary in gas trades and confirmed the natural gas price at $179.5 per 1,000 cubic meters through the end of the year.

BRUSSELS, March 11 – Ukraine has pledged to resolve the issue of building a deep-water canal in the Danube River, taking into account ecological factors.

MOSCOW, March 12 - Ukraine is establishing a fleet of aircraft and helicopters for its Emergencies Ministry, Motor Sich President Viacheslav Bohuslayev told Interfax-AVN.

WARSAW, March 12 - Polish meat and meat-product exports to Ukraine are suffering from increased controls by Russia in Ukrainian plants and high Ukrainian duties, Poland's Deputy Prime Minister Andrzej Lepper said.

KIEV, March 12- Support for the Regions Party, the leading group in the pro-Russian government coalition, declined over the past 11 months, but the party is still the most popular in Ukraine, an opinion poll showed.