KIEV, Jan. 15 – President Viktor Yushchenko said he is concerned over the situation with the observance of human rights with regard to receiving salaries and pensions.

KIEV, Jan. 15 – Industrial output in Ukraine fell by 3.1% in 2008 compared to 2007, the State Statistics Committee reports.

KIEV, Jan. 16 – Ukraine and Poland have agreed to draw up a roadmap for bilateral cooperation in 2009-2010, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Volodymyr Ohryzko and his Polish counterpart Radoslaw Sikorski said at a press conference in Kiev on Friday.

KIEV, Jan. 15 – Russia’s Vnesheconombank has become the owner of a 75% stake in Kiev-based Prominvestbank, the latter reported.

KIEV, Jan. 16 – Ukrainian national oil and gas company Naftogaz Ukrayiny currently owes $650 million to RosUkrEnergo, Dmytro Firtash, a co-owner of the Swiss-registered gas trader, said on Echo of Moscow radio.

KIEV, Jan. 18 – Ukraine and Russia made progress in natural gas talks over the weekend that may lead to a deal on Monday opening supplies to the European Union, Prime Minister Yulia Tymosheko said.

ANKARA, Jan. 17 - Ukraine is ready for active involvement in the multilateral Nabucco gas pipeline project, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych said following talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Wednesday.

KIEV, Jan. 18 ??“ Ukraine??™s economy expanded 7% on the year in 2006, faster than the government had expected, as robust steel exports had supported the country??™s economic growth, the State Statistics Committee reported.

The government has been steadily increasing its 2006 economic growth forecast from 2.6% in January 2006 to 6% in November 2006, due to growing demand for steel, Ukraine??™s major exports commodity.

KIEV, Jan. 17 ??“ The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is forecasting that Ukraine's GDP will grow 4-4.5% this year and that inflation will be higher than 10%, IMF Senior Resident Representative in Ukraine Jeffrey Franks said.

KIEV, Jan. 18 ??“ President Viktor Yushchenko used a loop-hole on Thursday to veto the controversial law on the Cabinet of Ministers that had been dramatically reducing powers of the president.