Kiev court rejects 8 arrest appeal from Tymoshenko's defense

A Kiev district court rejected for the eighth time a release appeal from former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko on trial for the 2009 gas deals with Russia. Tymoshenko, 50, who was arrested on August 5, is accused of damaging Ukraine's national interests by signing "unfair" gas supply deals with Russia as prime minister in 2009. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Currently Ukraine's leading opposition figure, Tymoshenko has denied all the charges as politically motivated. Her defense team made the appeal on the grounds of Tymoshenko's poor health, lawyer Yuri Sukhov said.