US destroyer nears Ukraine Ship & Somali pirates
September 29, 2008
Pirates in small boats sail close to the MV Faina (Photo: US Navy)
A US Navy destroyer has made visual contact with a Ukrainian ship which was seized by pirates last week and is now moored off the Somali coast.
There is no indication that the USS Howard intends to approach the ship, which is carrying 33 battle tanks destined for Kenya’s government.
The pirates’ ransom demand for the ship and its 21 crew has fallen from $35m to $20m (£10.9m), their spokesman said.
Cabinet appoints new boss for EU/NATO integration
September 29, 2008
Cabinet appoints new boss for EU/NATO integration
KYIV, Sept. 26: The Ukrainian cabinet has appointed Vadym Tryukhan as director of the Bureau for European and Euro-Atlantic integration and plans to fully staff it by the end of the year, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration Hryhoriy Nemyrya told a briefing today. He said that Tryukhan was appointed at the cabinet meeting on Sept. 24. This body already has 22 employees. There are plans it will employ 70 public service workers from Jan. 1 2009.
“In fact, the cabinet has taken a very important step to pass to the most efficient coordination, that is, horizontal coordination,” he said. He added that the bureau would conduct strategic monitoring and analyse the methodology which is used by the EU.
“We are not encroaching upon the powers and functions of the Foreign Ministry, the Justice Ministry and the Economics Ministry,” he said. However, he added that the bureau would conduct efficient horizontal coordination, since one post of deputy prime minister for European integration was not enough for this. It was reported earlier that the cabinet had established in its secretariat a coordination bureau for European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
Its major functions will be to monitor the implementation of the Ukraine-EU action plan and analyse the efficiency of EU integration policy. Tryukhan worked as deputy director of the EU department in the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry and deputy head of the service of the Ukrainian deputy prime minister.
Sir.Paul McCartney wows Kyiv !
June 16, 2008
Sir Paul McCartney played a free concert on Sunday 15th June in Kyiv, intended to promote unity in Ukraine.
Crowds of this size have not been seen in Kyiv since the Orange Revolution. Some estimates say 300,000 people turned up to watch Sir.Paul in the heavy rain.
