KIEV, July 30 – The Batkivschyna Party has approved an election program in which it promises to return Mezhyhirya, the residency of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, to state ownership, as well as deprive public officials of state residencies and villas.

KIEV, July 30 – Arseniy Yatseniuk, head of the Batkivschyna United Opposition, has promised that in case the opposition forms the democratic majority in Parliament, it will pass 80 priority laws that will “drastically change” Ukrainian life.

KIEV, July 30 - Parliament on Monday approved state guarantees on a $3.66 billion loan from China Development Bank aimed at boosting domestic coal industry to reduce imports of natural gas from Russia.

KIEV, July 30 – Parliamentary Speaker Volodymyr Lytvyn survived a confidence vote on Monday, but pro-government lawmakers said now he would have to sign a controversial language bill or otherwise face criminal prosecution.

KIEV, July 30 - A team of experts from the European Commission arrived in Ukraine to check the country’s natural gas underground storage facilities, Naftogaz Ukrayiny, the state energy company, reported Thursday.

KIEV, July 30 – Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko Thursday had an emergency meeting with Volodymyr Stelmakh, the governor of the National Bank of Ukraine, after the hryvnia plunged against the U.S. dollar, fueling devaluation concerns.

KIEV, July 29 – The fall in the hryvnia in late July is being caused by speculation by various banks, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said.

"A well-planned operation is currently being performed on the currency market in
Ukraine, and it is a cruel operation against Ukraine.

KIEV, July 30 - Flood waters that killed 30 people in western regions of Ukraine on Sunday and Monday have finally started to recede, emergency ministry officials said on Wednesday.

Water levels on the Prut, Dniestr and Seret rivers have decreased by one-to-two meters, the officials said.

KIEV, July 30 – A top government official on Wednesday urged Vanco Energy, an independent U.S. oil company, to suspend its lawsuit against Ukraine for a round of talks to try to settle the dispute.

KIEV, July 30 – Political rivalry between President Viktor Yushchenko and Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko will be tested on Thursday in Parliament when lawmakers meet for an emergency session to debate 2008 budget amendments.