Kiev  - A Ukrainian journalist hurled a shoe at a local politician Friday to protest against remarks concerning NATO.

The reporter in southern Ukraine's Odessa tossed his footwear at Oleh Soskin, an official presiding at the opening of a NATO information centre in the Black Sea port, the Interfax news agency reported.

Odessa-based Revizor, a website devoted to controversial regional news, reported the incident took place at the city's Ushansky University, where Soskin reportedly was giving a speech on the need for Ukraine to join NATO.

Kiev - The Ukrainian government has dismissed speculation that the country may not be in a position to co-host Euro 2012 alongside Poland.

"We will be ready in 2012, I have no doubt about it," Yuri Pavlenko, Ukraine's minister for sport, youth and family, was quoted Friday by the Interfax news agency as saying in Kiev.

Pavlenko said that Kiev's Olympic stadium would be finished on time and be ready to host the final despite construction hold-ups of more than a year.

Last month UEFA expressed doubts about Ukraine's ability to host the event due to organizational problems and internal political conflicts.

Kiev/Moscow - A last-ditch effort by Ukraine to pay part of a massive debt to Russia may be insufficient to prevent a natural gas supply crisis affecting Europe, according to a Thursday announcement by the Russian energy giant Gazprom.

Ukraine's government late Monday evening transferred 800 million dollars to the Russian natural gas monopolist on Tuesday, but the payment does not cover all of Kiev's outstanding debt, the Interfax news agency reported, citing a Gazprom company statement.

Kiev - Ukraine's parliament formed a new ruling coalition on Tuesday, allowing the legislature to take up long-stalled legislation for stimulating the economy.

Leaders of three centrist parties, the senior Block of Yulia Tymoshenko (BYut), Our Ukraine National Defence (OUND) and the junior Block of Litvin (BL) signed the coalition agreement, giving parliament its first ruling majority since September.

Kiev - Ukraine's new ruling majority in parliament hit a glitch on Wednesday with one member party declaring a formal coalition agreement on the deal is yet to be signed.

MP Ksenia Liapina speaking for the Our Ukraine People's Union party (OUPU) said parliament leaders had four days to hammer out a common platform and get it approved by party rank and file, or the country's long-running political crisis would continue as before.

Nairobi/Mogadishu  - The crew of a hijacked Ukrainian ship failed in a bid to escape their Somali captors Tuesday, according to media reports.

The BBC, quoting a pirate spokesman, reported that several crew members attacked two of their guards, but were quickly overpowered.

The MV Faina, which was captured in late September, is carrying a cargo of 33 tanks and other military equipment.

The ship was the pirates' highest-profile capture until the seizure of a Saudi supertanker carrying crude oil worth 100 million dollars in November.