KIEV, April 24 – President Viktor Yushchenko on Thursday criticized Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s plan of turning Ukraine into a parliamentary republic in which powers of the president would be reduced or eliminated.

KIEV, April 24 – The National Bank of Ukraine on Thursday postponed a decision that would allow the hryvnia to rapidly gain value against the U.S. dollar, but pledged to consider the issue again later this year.

KIEV, April 24 – President Viktor Yushchenko stepped up security at the State Property Fund, the country’s privatization agency, amid a looming clash with the government of Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko over assets to be sold off.

KIEV, April 24 ??“ The Ukrainian government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych, plans to approve on Wednesday a resolution that would increase pensions to more than 1 million retirees, according to the government??™s press service.

KIEV, April 24 ??“ The Prosecutor General??™s Office on Tuesday declined opening a criminal investigation against a judge of the Constitutional Court that had been accused by security service agents of corruption.

KIEV, April 24 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko??™s popularity has increased sharply in April, the first such steep increase since early 2005, following his decision to dismiss Parliament, an opinion poll showed Tuesday.

KIEV, April 24 ??“ Ukraine is likely to join the World Trade Organization later this year, Economy Minister Anatoliy Kinakh.

KIEV, April 24 ??“ Foreign Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk will visit Oslo, Norway, on April 27 to take part in a meeting of the Ukraine-NATO commission at the level of foreign ministers as a part of an informal meeting between NATO foreign ministers.

KIEV, April 22 ??“ Fourteen people, including one child, were injured after two explosions had almost at the same time hit two different supermarket stores in Kharkiv on Saturday, the Emergency Ministry reported.

KIEV, April 24 ??“ Ukraine will probably begin within the next three months construction of the $1 billion state-of-the-art cover over the damaged reactor at Chornobyl nuclear power plant, President Viktor Yushchenko said Monday.