KIEV, Nov. 26 – The Cabinet of Ministers has signed an agreement with the World Bank about raising UAH3 billion for 30 years at an annual interest rate of 5% to cover Ukraine’s budget deficit, Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said while opening a meeting of the government in Kiev on Wednesday.

KIEV, Nov. 27 - President Viktor Yushchenko has urged the government to work harder on the issue of modernizing Ukrainian nuclear power plants so as to improve the energy and ecological security of the country.

KIEV, Nov. 27 – President Viktor Yushchenko’s party, Our Ukraine, faced a major challenge on Tuesday when it failed to get enough members to show up for an important meeting aimed at supporting a pro-Western coalition.

The meeting, called to emphasize the support of party members for the coalition, failed after only 74 members showed up, falling short of the required 99.

KIEV, Nov. 27 – President Viktor Yushchenko said Tuesday he will meet each of the seven Our Ukraine-People’s Self-defense lawmakers who have so far refused to sign an agreement to create a pro-Western government coalition.

KIEV, Nov. 27 - President Viktor Yushchenko urged the government Monday to stop putting pressure on UkrNafta, the country??™s largest oil company, forcing the company to sell its oil and gas domestically at below market prices.

MOSCOW, Nov. 27 ??“ Russia is not concerned about ongoing talks between Ukraine and Belarus, the two major shippers of Russian gas to Europe, aimed at coordinating their tariff policies, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said.

KIEV, Nov. 27 ??“ The pro-government coalition will probably boycott President Viktor Yushchenko??™s plans to amend Ukraine??™s constitution, Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Adam Martyniuk said Monday.

KIEV, Nov. 27 - The Foreign Ministry said Sunday pirates freed a Ukrainian cargo ship seized nearly 40 days ago off the coast of Somalia.

KIEV, Nov. 25 - Poland will oppose Russia??™s plans to build a natural gas pipeline across the Baltic Sea, bypassing Poland and Ukraine on the way to Germany, for political and environmental reasons, Polish President Alexander Kwasniewski said Friday.

KIEV, Nov. 27 ??“ Six parties, with platforms ranging from nationalist to liberal, Friday created a bloc that will bear the name of President Yushchenko in hopes of winning the March 2006 general election.