Kiev - The parliament of the Ukrainian province of Crimea on Wednesday voted against allowing planned US naval manoeuvres in the Black Sea, the Interfax news agency reported.

The Crimean parliament in voted 61 in favour of a motion declaring the US Navy-led "Sea Breeze" 2009 manoeuvres "impermissable" - laying the legal grounds for a possible ban.

Nine members of Crimea's 91-member parliament opposed the motion, whilst the national government in Kiev has signalled it expects the exercise to go ahead as planned.

Kiev  - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed to greenlight an additional 2.8 billion dollars assistance loan to Ukraine, IMF officials in Kiev said on Friday.

An IMF mission visiting the former Soviet republic recommended Ukraine receive the badly-needed credit after meetings with the country's government.

At least half of the money to be advanced by the IMF will go towards balancing Ukraine's budget, mostly by helping service foreign-issue bonds, Ukraine Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said, according to an Interfax news agency report.

Kiev - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) should give Ukraine an additional 2.8 billion dollars assistance loan, Fund managers said on Friday.

An IMF mission visiting the former Soviet republic recommended Ukraine receive the badly-needed credit after meetings with the country's governmental leadership.

Kiev - Ukraine on Thursday threatened to pull the plug on Russia's biggest TV station unless it agrees to stop transmitting ads for vodka during daytime programming.

Under Ukrainian law, advertising alcohol on TV is only allowed in the evening after prime time, and then only as long as actual drunkness is not depicted.

Kiev claims that Russia's state-run Perviy Kanal (First Channel) is breaking written undertakings not to broadcast vodka ads and has given it until June to clean up its act.

Kiev/Chisinau - Ukraine has extradited a pair of Moldovan nationals suspected of organising violent anti-government protests in Chisinau, a Ukrainian official confirmed Thursday.

Businessman Gabriel Stati and his associate Auren Marinescu have been returned to the Moldovan capital "and are no longer on Ukrainian territory," said Oleksander Shinalsky, a spokesman for the Prosecutor General's office.

Kiev/Chisinau - Ukraine will extradite back home a pair of Moldovans suspected of organising violent anti-government protests, a government official said Wendesday.

Moldovan businessman Gabriel Stati and his associate Auren Marinescu could be returned to Chisinau "as early as tomorrow," said Oleksander Shinalsky, a spokesman for the Prosecutor General's office.