09:20
19.6.2014
Ukraine's parliament has now backed several key Poroshenko nominations in addition to the Yarema as prosecutor-general news that we reported earlier.
Poroshenko called Yarema a key figure in the fight against corruption.
But lawmakers have now also confirmed Pavlo Klimkin, the current ambassador to Germany, as foreign minister. Klimkin, 46, assured parliament after the vote that he will conduct a foreign policy in line with Ukraine's national interests.
Klimkin has been conspicuous in negotiating the association and free-trade agreements with the European Union that Ukraine is expected to sign later this month. He replaces acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya.
Parliament also backed Valeriya Hontareva, an investment banker, as the new head of the central bank. Hontareva will replace Stepan Kubiv.
09:27
19.6.2014
Dpa says the OSCE is back in contact with its missing international monitors, says they are unharmed:
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) said Thursday that it has established contact with two groups of political observers that have been missing for three weeks in eastern Ukraine.
"We established contact with both groups, they are okay and not harmed," OSCE spokesman Michael Bociurkiw told dpa by telephone from Kiev.
Bociurkiw added that the no one has taken responsibility for the missing OSCE staff. He declined to give further details, citing security reasons.
The two groups of four foreign observers each went missing last month, one in the Donetsk and another in the Luhansk region.
"We established contact with both groups, they are okay and not harmed," OSCE spokesman Michael Bociurkiw told dpa by telephone from Kiev.
Bociurkiw added that the no one has taken responsibility for the missing OSCE staff. He declined to give further details, citing security reasons.
The two groups of four foreign observers each went missing last month, one in the Donetsk and another in the Luhansk region.
09:28
19.6.2014
Reuters video of empty pine coffins piled up outside the Luhansk city hall yesterday, awaiting the arrival of the bodies of rebels killed as Ukrainian forces retook the town of Shchastya, 20 kilometers north of Luhansk, from pro-Russian separatists.
09:40
19.6.2014
09:48
19.6.2014
09:56
19.6.2014
The Ukrainian Culture Ministry rejects the idea of a visit by Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill to Ukraine, saying it would be "undesirably provocative and political," according to RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service.
10:08
19.6.2014
Poroshenko's people say there's another diplomatic appointment on tap for outgoing acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya:
10:10
19.6.2014
Pretty wild. You might have to click to the pic to spot the individual that he's talking about. There's a resemblance, it's true.
10:28
19.6.2014