KIEV, July 27 – The state agency for national projects will focus on broadening the transit potential of Ukraine, energy saving and energy efficiency, and the development of human resources, Deputy Presidential Administration head Iryna Akimova said.

KIEV, July 27 – The Communist Party, a member of the governing coalition, on Tuesday attacked the government for its decision to hike household natural gas prices, warning there may be street protests against the move.

KIEV, July 27 – President Viktor Yanukovych on Tuesday signed into law a controversial bill that makes it more difficult – or even impossible - for smaller parties to nominate candidates for local elections to be held October 31.

KIEV, July 26 – A court has declared invalid contracts for the sale and purchase of five car parking lots in Saperno-Slobidska Street in Kiev, with the help of which the wife of former MP Viktor Lozinsky attempted to sell objects belonging to the couple under terms of joint property in order to prevent their confiscation, the Prosecutor General's Office said on Monday.

KIEV, July 26 – The interdepartmental commission for defense examination together with the Defense Ministry, other central agencies of the executive branch, science and research establishments, and independent experts, are drawing up a program for the development of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for 2015, Deputy Prime Minister Volodymyr Sivkovych, who is in charge of interaction with law enforcement authorities at the Cabinet of Ministers, said at a briefing on July 22.

BRUSSELS, July 27 - The European Union is close to handing Ukraine a loan package to reform the country's run-down gas sector, UPI reported Monday, citing a statement from the European Commission.

KIEV, July 27 – The head of the Russian Orthodox Church rejected calls from Ukraine's president to create a local Orthodox church that would be independent from Moscow, saying he firmly supports the status quo.

KIEV, July 24 – Ukraine should enter an energy consortium with Russia and Europe on parity terms, according to Arseniy Yatseniuk, the Front for Change initiative leader, said in an interview with the Arguments and Facts newspaper.

KIEV, July 24 – The State Property Fund is studying the possibility of returning Kherson Engineering Plant Ltd. to state ownership.

"I have launched such a procedure, and the State Property Fund is currently considering ways to return this plant to state ownership," Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said at a press conference in Dnipropetrovsk region.

KIEV, July 26 - In a move that may further anger Moscow, President Viktor Yushchenko on Saturday asked the head of Orthodox Christianity to bless the creation of a Ukrainian Church independent of Russia.