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Nine killed in Kabul hotel attack

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 21 Maret 2014 | 18.19

21 March 2014 Last updated at 08:24

Nine people were killed when gunmen broke into a hotel in the Afghan capital Kabul and attacked diners on Thursday evening.

Two children and four foreign nationals were among the dead, the official said.

Special forces shot the gunmen. The Taliban said it was behind the assault.

The Afghan government has blamed the attack on Pakistan's ceasefire with the Taliban, which it says has enabled the militants to focus on targeting Afghanistan, correspondents report.

Afghan authorities are usually unwilling to voice Kabul's belief that Pakistan is behind violence in Afghanistan, the BBC's David Lloyn, in Kabul, reports.

But Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi was very specific in blaming Pakistan for a ceasefire in the frontier region during the Afghan election campaign, our correspondent says.

The truce allowed the Taliban to move across Afghanistan, and enabled the group to keep open thousands of religious schools, known as madrassas, which Mr Sediqi said "teach terrorists to fight Afghans".

Pistols in socks

The gunmen - alleged to be teenagers - entered the five-star Serena Hotel, which is popular with foreigners, with pistols hidden in their socks.

They arrived at about 18:00 local time (13:30 GMT) claiming to be diners at a special buffet put on to mark Nowruz, the spring equinox and the start of the new year.

They started shooting three hours later after hiding in a toilet.

Among the dead were two women from New Zealand and Canada, and two men from India and Pakistan; the others killed were Afghans.

AFP news agency is reporting that one of its journalists, Sardar Ahmad, died in the attack along with his wife and two of their children.

Six other people were also wounded, Deputy Interior Minister General Mohammad Ayub Salangi told the BBC.

An Afghan MP, Habib Afghan, is in hospital after being shot in the face, stomach and leg.

The building was immediately surrounded by members of the elite Afghan Crisis Response Unit, who killed the attackers.

The Serena Hotel is less than 1km (0.6 miles) from the presidential palace and key government ministries.

It currently houses UN staff who will be monitoring April's presidential elections.

The hotel has been one of the most frequent targets of the Taliban with several previous attacks.

The election of Afghan President Hamid Karzai's successor is due to take place on 5 April.


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Twitter website 'blocked' in Turkey

21 March 2014 Last updated at 00:10
The Twitter logo

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The BBC's James Reynolds tries to access the site

Twitter users in Turkey report that the social media site has been blocked in the country.

Some users trying to open the twitter.com website are apparently being redirected to a statement by Turkey's telecommunications regulator.

It cites a court order to apply "protection measures" on the website.

This comes after PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to "wipe out Twitter" following damaging allegations of corruption in his inner circle.

The BBC's James Reynolds in Istanbul reports that he is unable to access Twitter.

"I don't care what the international community says at all. Everyone will see the power of the Turkish Republic," Mr Erdogan said earlier on Thursday.

He spoke after some users had posted documents reportedly showing evidence of corruption relating to the prime minister - a claim he denies.

His office said that Twitter had not responded to Turkey's court rulings to remove some links, forcing Ankara to act.

Twitter has so far made no public comment on the issue.

There are about 10m Twitter users across Turkey.

In 2010, the country lifted its ban on YouTube - two years after it blocked access to the website because of videos deemed insulting to the country's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.


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Teams scour ocean for missing plane

21 March 2014 Last updated at 07:48
Tony Abbott

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Tony Abbott: "If there is anything down there, we will find it"

An international search of the southern Indian Ocean is continuing for a second day as authorities try to locate a missing Malaysian airliner.

Five military and civilian aircraft are taking part in the search for debris from flight MH370, which disappeared on 8 March with 239 people on board.

Satellite images released on Thursday showed objects possibly related to the plane in waters far south-west of the Australian city of Perth.

Bad weather hampered Thursday's search.

"It's about the most inaccessible spot that you can imagine on the face of the earth, but if there is anything down there, we will find it," said Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who is currently visiting Papua New Guinea.

"We owe it to the families of those people (on board) to do no less."

Flight MH370 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it lost contact with air traffic controllers and disappeared from radar.

Satellite data has led to a search in two corridors to the north and south of its last known location in the Malacca Straits - the opposite direction from its flight path.

Malaysian officials say they believe the plane was intentionally diverted. Authorities in many countries have scrutinised the backgrounds of both passengers and crew on board but say they have no substantive leads.

Other reports of debris to date have proved not to be linked to the missing plane.

Bad conditions
Continue reading the main story

For another day the search for flight MH370 is again focused on some of the most remote waters on Earth. The aerial operation is run from the Pearce airbase north of Perth, where three Australian P-3 Orion reconnaissance planes are scouring distant parts of the southern Indian Ocean.

Their sorties are staggered to make the best use of daylight hours, and they are joined by a civilian Bombardier Global Express and a sophisticated American surveillance aircraft.

The challenge they face is immense. The weather so far out into the ocean can be harsh and unpredictable, while churning seas make it hard to see any floating objects.

Yet there is a determination here to get the job done no matter how long it takes, although so far there has been no sign of the debris that could yield vital clues in the hunt for the missing Malaysia airlines jet.

The debris which is the current focus of the search was identified on satellite images by Australian experts.

Mr Abbott announced early on Thursday that vessels were being sent to investigate, but cautioned that the objects found could be unrelated to the plane.

Four military planes, including three Orions belonging to the Royal Australian Air Force, are taking part in the search, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) said in a statement.

A civilian Bombardier Global Express is also involved. Two Orions and the Bombardier Global Express were due in the search area on Friday morning, with another Orion and a US P8 Poseidon aircraft due there later in the day.

The aircraft are searching a 23,000 km area, about 2,500 km (1,550 miles) south-west of Perth, Amsa said.

Each aircraft is able to search for no more than two hours, due to the distance from land.

The first aircraft returned on Friday without finding any debris.

A Norwegian merchant ship is in the area and has been searching since Thursday. Another merchant ship is en route, as is an Australian navy vessel with recovery capacity.

John Young, manager of Amsa's emergency response division, said: "Although this search area is much smaller than we started with, it nonetheless is a big area when you're looking out the window and trying to see something by eye.

"So we may have to do this a few times to be confident about the coverage of that search area."

On Thursday military officials said weather had hampered the search.

The captain of the first Australian air force Orion to return from the search area described conditions as "extremely bad" with rough seas and high winds.

Warren Truss, Australia's deputy prime minister, emphasised the difficulty of the task.

"Clearly this is a very, very difficult and challenging search. Weather conditions are not particularly good and [the] risk [is] that they may deteriorate,'' he said.

China says it is sending three navy vessels to the search area. It also has an icebreaker in Perth that could join the search, its National Maritime Search and Rescue Centre said.

'False information'

On Thursday, Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein described the debris sighting as a "credible lead".

The largest object appeared to be 24m (78ft) in size, the Australian authorities said.

Correspondents say many families are hoping the objects are not debris from the plane, as they are holding onto hope that their relatives could be alive somewhere.

Wen Wancheng, whose 33-year-old son Wen Yongsheng was on the plane, said: "What wreckage? In a few days they are going to say it's not true.

"[The Malaysian authorities] need to stop giving us false information. I simply don't believe them any more."

Malaysia says search efforts are continuing in both corridors, involving a total of 18 ships, 29 aircraft and six ship-borne helicopters.

"Until we are certain that we have located MH370, search and rescue operations will continue in both corridors," Mr Hishammuddin said.

Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.

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EU seals closer ties with Ukraine

21 March 2014 Last updated at 11:07
Ban Ki-moon

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COMING UP: UN secretary general news briefing after meeting Ukraine's interim leader

EU leaders have signed an agreement on closer relations with Ukraine, in a show of support following Russia's annexation of Crimea.

The EU signed the deal hours after announcing more targeted sanctions.

Pro-Moscow leader Viktor Yanukovych's abandonment of the deal in November had led to deadly protests, his removal and Russia taking over Crimea.

On Friday, Russia's upper house unanimously approved the treaty on Crimea joining the Russian Federation.

'Rule of law'

The EU Association Agreement is designed to give Ukraine's interim leadership under PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk economic and political support.

EU President Herman Van Rompuy said in a statement that the accord "recognises the aspirations of the people of Ukraine to live in a country governed by values, by democracy and the rule of law".

Mr Yatsenyuk said this was a "historic day", adding: "We want to be a part of the big European family and this is the first tremendous step in order to achieve for Ukraine its ultimate goal, as a full-fledged member."

He added that "the best way to contain Russia is to impose real economic leverage".

Continue reading the main story
  • 21 Nov 2013: President Viktor Yanukovych abandons an EU deal
  • Dec: Pro-EU protesters occupy Kiev city hall and Independence Square
  • 20-21 Feb 2014: At least 88 people killed in Kiev clashes
  • 22 Feb: Mr Yanukovych flees; parliament removes him and calls election
  • 27-28 Feb: Pro-Russian gunmen seize key buildings in Crimea. Parliament, under siege, appoints pro-Moscow Sergei Aksyonov a PM
  • 6 Mar: Crimea's parliament votes to join Russia
  • 16 Mar: Crimea voters choose to secede in disputed referendum
  • 17 Mar: Crimean parliament declares independence and formally applies to join Russia
  • 18 Mar: Russian and Crimean leaders sign deal in Moscow to join the region to Russia

The BBC's Matthew Price in Brussels says Friday's accord is not the full package that Mr Yanukovych rejected in November - many parts will not be signed until after new presidential elections in May.

The most sensitive issue of trade integration with the EU is as yet unsigned.

But in its Conclusions on Ukraine, published on Friday, the EU said it was committed to signing the remainder.

The EU also said it would push ahead with similar cooperation deals with two former Soviet republics - Georgia and Moldova - in the summer.

Moscow has troops in breakaway parts of Georgia and in Trans-Dniester, which broke away from Moldova, and our correspondent says the EU's announcement on this is likely to infuriate the Kremlin far more than any sanctions imposed so far.

The EU has also cancelled a summit with Russia in June and said member states would cancel regular bilateral summits.

Friday's signing came hours after the EU broadened its sanctions over Russia's annexation of Crimea.

It added 12 individuals to an earlier list of 21 who now face asset freezes and travel bans.

People near flowers

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The BBC's Chris Morris meets people who have been camped in Kiev's Independence Square for over a month

The US on Thursday added to its own list and also targeted the Rossiya bank.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said after talks with officials in Moscow that he would not take an immediate reciprocal action.

"I think we should refrain from taking steps in response for now," Interfax quoted Mr Putin as saying.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy

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Herman Van Rompuy: "We strongly condemn the unconstitutional referendum in Crimea"

However, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Ukraine should pay back $11bn in gas discounts as an agreement linked to the lease of the Sevastopol naval base in Crimea was now invalid.

In response to the US sanctions on Rossiya bank, Mr Putin said: "I personally did not have an account with it but will open an account there on Monday for sure."

Two credit rating agencies have now downgraded Russia's outlook to negative from stable.

In Moscow, all 155 senators present in the upper house of parliament voted to ratify the treaty incorporating Crimea into the Russian Federation.

Addressing the house, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said any reference to annexation was an insult to people, to their inalienable rights to self-determination, which they have exercised to the full".

Mr Putin is expected to complete the process by signing the treaty at a ceremony later on Friday.

Are you in Crimea or the wider region? What are your thoughts on recent events? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.ukwith the subject heading 'Crimea'.


18.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Plane searchers investigate debris

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 20 Maret 2014 | 18.19

20 March 2014 Last updated at 10:24
Satellite imagery provided by DigitalGlobe via the Australian Maritime Safety Authority shows possible object

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Amsa's John Young said the objects spotted were a "reasonable size"

Australia is investigating two objects seen on satellite images that could potentially be linked to the missing Malaysia Airlines plane, officials say.

Planes and ships from Australia, New Zealand and the US were in or heading to the area 2,500km (1,550 miles) from Perth to search for the objects.

The largest appeared to be 24m in size, maritime authorities said, but warned they could be unrelated to the plane.

Australia has been searching in the southern Indian Ocean for the aircraft.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein described the possible sighting as a "credible lead".

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on 8 March when it lost contact with air traffic controllers. A total of 239 people were on board.

Twenty-six nations have been involved in a major search for the missing plane, which Malaysia says was intentionally diverted.

Investigators have been scrutinising the backgrounds of both the crew and the passengers, but have so far identified no evidence of terror or other potentially relevant links.

A number of sightings of possible debris have been investigated in the course of the search but so far none have proved to be linked.

Southern corridor

Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the discovery based on satellite images taken on 16 March.

"The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) has received information based on satellite information of objects possibly related to the search," Mr Abbott told parliament.

"Following specialist analysis of this satellite imagery, two possible objects related to the search have been identified."

An Australian Orion aircraft searched the area on Thursday, joined later by US and New Zealand aircraft. A merchant ship was due there late on Thursday and an Australian naval vessel, HMAS Success, was also heading to the area.

Amsa said the debris had been located in waters some 2,500km south-west of the Australian city of Perth.

US P-8 Poseidon plane

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ABC News reporter David Wright is on board the US navy aircraft which will be first to reach the objects

The objects identified were of a "reasonable size", Amsa's general manager John Young said. The largest object appeared to be about 24m (78ft) in size, he said.

"The objects are relatively indistinct. The indication to me is of objects that are of a reasonable size and probably awash with water and bobbing up and down over the surface," he said.

Continue reading the main story

The relatives of Chinese passengers on board MH370 watched the announcements from Australia on monitors set up at the Beijing hotel where they have been waiting for the past 13 days.

When the press briefings were over, the families left the room. Most refused to speak to journalists, though one man told the BBC: "I don't believe any of this. I think my son is still alive."

Another relative, the son of a famed calligrapher on the plane, explained to us the families' reluctance to accept the possibility the plane had crashed.

"If the Australian findings really turn out to be the remains of the plane, that would mean there is no hope left for us."

"This is a lead, it is probably the best lead we have right now. But we need to get there, find them, see them, assess them, to know whether it's really meaningful or not."

He warned that poor visibility in the area could hamper the search.

Australia informed Malaysian authorities of the development on Thursday morning.

Malaysia's transport minister told reporters that while the debris sighting was a "credible lead" it needed to be verified and corroborated.

Mr Hishammuddin said search efforts were continuing in both "corridors", involving a total of 18 ships, 29 aircraft and 6 ship-borne helicopters.

Satellite signal

Investigators had identified two corridors of territory - one to the north and one to the south - spanning the possible positions of the plane about seven hours after take-off.

This was based on its last faint signal to a satellite - an hourly "handshake'' broadcast even when the main communication systems are switched off.

The plane lost contact with controllers over the South China Sea as it crossed from Malaysian to Vietnamese air space.

Malaysian officials say it then turned west and its last position - according to Malaysian military radar - was over the Malacca Straits, in the opposite direction to its planned flight path.

Attention has focused on the crew and on Wednesday multiple unidentified US officials said that the FBI was helping Malaysia analyse data from a flight simulator taken from the captain's home.

Hishammuddin Hussein on Wednesday stressed the captain should be considered innocent until proved otherwise and said that members of his family were co-operating with the investigation.

Meanwhile, relatives of those on board are still waiting for concrete news.

Bimal Sharma, a merchant navy captain whose sister Chandrika was on the plane, told the BBC he had experienced "hope and then despair and then hope and then despair".

"I have been very hopeful because it was intentionally diverted, so I don't believed it was crashed," he said. "It's been a very, very difficult time, and very emotionally stressing."

Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.

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Syria ships 45% of chemical weapons

20 March 2014 Last updated at 10:26

Almost half of Syria's declared stockpile of chemical weapons has now been removed, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons says.

Two additional consignments of the most dangerous chemicals were loaded on to cargo vessels at Latakia over the past week, according to an OPCW statement.

A total of 10 consignments have been shipped, including all of Syria's sulphur mustard, a blister agent.

The OPCW aims to destroy or remove the country's entire arsenal by 30 June.

The Syrian government approved the initiative last year after a chemical weapons attack outside Damascus left hundreds of people dead.

Revised schedule

The OPCW said the two most recent consignments were delivered to Nordic cargo vessels docked at the Mediterranean port of Latakia on 14 and 17 March. They included both "Priority 1" chemicals and less hazardous "Priority 2" chemicals.

The 10 consignments represent 45.6% of all the chemicals that must be removed from Syria for destruction, including 29.5% of Priority 1 chemicals and 82.6% of Priority 2 chemicals.

The OPCW said all stocks of sulphur mustard had now been removed.

Sulphur mustard is a "unitary" agent that is stored in a form that can be deployed immediately. In contrast, Syria's nerve agent sarin is thought to be stored in a "binary" manner, meaning it is kept as two distinct chemical precursors that are combined just before use.

Although the OPCW-UN Joint Mission said earlier this month that "good progress" is being made in the removal of the chemical stockpile even though the Syrian government has missed a series of deadlines.

The removal of Priority 1 chemicals was initially due by 31 December, while the deadline for the shipment of Priority 2 material was 5 February.

The Syrian government, which says the shipments have been delayed by security and logistical issues, has presented a revised schedule that aims to have them completed by 27 April.

Removing Syria's chemical weapons: How the plan will unfold
  • 1. The Syrian authorities are responsible for packing and safely transporting the chemical weapons from 12 sites across the country to the port of Latakia. Russia has supplied large-capacity and armoured lorries, while the US has sent container drums and GPS locators.
  • 2. Russia is providing security for loading operations at Latakia, for which the US has supplied loading, transportation and decontamination equipment. China has sent 10 ambulances and surveillance cameras, and Finland an emergency response team in case of accidents.
  • 3. Denmark and Norway are providing cargo ships and military escorts to take the chemicals to the container port of Gioia Tauro in Italy. Russia and China are also providing naval escorts and the first consignment of 16 tonnes left Latakia on 7 January.
  • 4. In Italy, the "most critical" chemical agents will be loaded onto the US Maritime Administration cargo ship, MV Cape Ray, to be destroyed by hydrolysis in international waters. Less-toxic chemicals will be shipped by Norwegian and Danish vessels for disposal at commercial facilities.

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Russia faces fresh Crimea sanctions

20 March 2014 Last updated at 10:53

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Russia will face escalating EU sanctions if it does not take steps to ease the crisis over Crimea.

Mrs Merkel, speaking ahead of an EU summit in Brussels, said the current political situation also meant the G8 effectively no longer exists.

Tensions remain high in Crimea after its leaders signed a deal with Moscow to split from Ukraine and join Russia.

Pro-Russian forces took over at least two military bases there on Wednesday.

Ukraine's navy commander, Serhiy Hayduk was detained, but has now been released.

Continue reading the main story

Over dinner Europe's leaders will discuss their next moves. A few more Russian names may be added to the sanctions hat. That is the easy part. The names are already drawn up.

The question is whether, this time, they will go after people closer to President Putin. That is less certain.

Crimean leaders signed a treaty with Moscow on Tuesday to absorb the peninsula - an autonomous republic in southern Ukraine - into Russia, following a referendum which the West and Kiev say was illegal.

Russia's lower house will vote on ratifying the Crimea treaty on Thursday, and the upper house on Friday. The measure is expected to sail through.

In a resolution on Thursday, Ukraine's parliament said the country would "never and under no circumstances end the fight to free Crimea of occupants, no matter how difficult and long it is".

'Political consequences'

Western leaders have denounced Russia's actions in Crimea as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and a breach of international law.

Continue reading the main story

Crimean dispute

Russia's argument:

  • Crimea has always been part of Russia and was unfairly given to Ukraine in 1954
  • Russia has a duty to protect ethnic Russians wherever they are
  • Crimeans voted overwhelmingly in a legally sound referendum to join Russia

West's argument:

  • Ukraine's pro-Moscow government was legitimately ousted by the uprising
  • The referendum was carried out by a Moscow-installed leadership and under military occupation
  • Russia is breaking international law and threatening regional stability

The EU has already imposed sanctions on 21 people connected to Moscow's intervention in Crimea, and is expected to discuss expanding the sanctions when it meets on Thursday to include political and military figures close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking in Berlin, Mrs Merkel said the EU would "make clear that we are ready at any time" to increase sanctions against Russia "if there is a worsening of the situation".

The EU would also, she said, "draw consequences for the political relations between the EU and Russia, as well as for relations between the G7 and Russia".

The G8 - comprising seven of the world's leading industrialised nations, and Russia - is scheduled to hold a summit in the southern Russian city of Sochi in June.

But Mrs Merkel said it was "obvious, as long as the political context for such an important format like the G8 does not apply, as is the case at the moment, the G8 doesn't exist anymore, neither does the summit nor the format as such".

The BBC's Stephen Evans in Berlin says the chancellor did not say what the sanctions would be, and it is unclear whether Germany expects Russia to undo the integration of Crimea into Russia in order to avoid tough economic measures.

Germany has substantial trade with Russia, he adds, and opinion polls indicate a widespread lack of support for economic sanctions.

A street in Crimea

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What does the future look like for Crimea's economy? Tanya Beckett reports

The US has also ordered a freeze of assets and travel bans on 11 individuals, and has said it is considering expanding these.

But President Barack Obama ruled out US military involvement in Ukraine on Wednesday, saying: "We do not need to trigger an actual war with Russia."

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will meet President Putin in Moscow on Thursday before travelling to Kiev on Friday.

He has called for a solution to the crisis guided by the principles of the UN Charter including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the unity of Ukraine.

Continue reading the main story

Crisis timeline

  • 21 Nov 2013: President Viktor Yanukovych abandons an EU deal
  • Dec: Pro-EU protesters occupy Kiev city hall and Independence Square
  • 20-21 Feb 2014: At least 88 people killed in Kiev clashes
  • 22 Feb: Mr Yanukovych flees; parliament removes him and calls election
  • 27-28 Feb: Pro-Russian gunmen seize key buildings in Crimea. Parliament, under siege, appoints pro-Moscow Sergei Aksyonov a PM
  • 6 Mar: Crimea's parliament votes to join Russia
  • 16 Mar: Crimea voters choose to secede in disputed referendum
  • 17 Mar: Crimean parliament declares independence and formally applies to join Russia
  • 18 Mar: Russian and Crimean leaders sign deal in Moscow to join the region to Russia

The crisis comes nearly a month after Ukraine's pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was replaced by Western-leaning interim authorities.

Pro-Russian troops took control of Crimea in late February.

Ukraine has said it is drawing up plans to withdraw its thousands of soldiers and their families from Crimea for their own safety, and redeploy them on the mainland.

A number have already accepted Russia's offer to change sides, but many are still in their bases refusing to surrender.

Ukraine's navy headquarters in Sevastopol was one of two bases seized by pro-Russia forces in Crimea on Wednesday.

It was during the storming of the bases that the navy chief Serhiy Hayduk was taken away.

Moscow and Kiev had both urged his release, and Ukraine's presidency confirmed on Thursday morning that he and other Ukrainians taken from the navy HQ had been freed.

Earlier this week, a Ukrainian serviceman and a member of the pro-Russia self-defence force were killed in an incident in Simferopol.

Are you in Crimea or the wider region? What are your thoughts on recent events? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk adding 'Crimea' in the subject heading and including your contact details.


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Four convicted of Mumbai gang rape

20 March 2014 Last updated at 11:00

A court in the Indian city of Mumbai has convicted four men of the gang rape of a photojournalist last year.

The men have been found guilty of five offences, including gang rape, unnatural sex and destruction of evidence. Sentencing is set for Friday.

The 22-year-old woman was attacked by five men while on assignment in a deserted mill in August.

The fifth accused, believed to be under 18 at the time of the incident, is being tried in a juvenile court.

In India, where a rape is recorded every 22 minutes, scrutiny of sexual violence has grown since the gang rape and murder of a student on a bus in Delhi in December 2012.

The attack on the Mumbai photojournalist had renewed public outrage over sexual violence in the country.

'Strong message'

Maharashtra state Home Minister RR Patil, who was in court for Thursday's verdict, said justice had been done.

"The verdict has come in a very short time and justice has been delivered quickly," Mr Patil said.

"The verdict will send a strong message to other criminals. It will deter such crimes in future," he added.

The four convicts - Mohammed Salim Ansari, Siraj Rehmat Khan, Vijay Mohan Jadhav and Mohammed Kasim Hafeez Shaikh, also known as Kasim Bangali - aged between 18 and 27 at the time of their arrests, were present in the Mumbai court for the verdict.

An intern with a Mumbai-based English magazine, the victim had gone to the Shakti Mills - a former textile mill that now lies abandoned and in ruins - with a male colleague on a photo assignment when she was attacked.

Her colleague was beaten during the assault.

There were nationwide protests in December 2012 after the gang-rape of a 23-year-old student on a bus in the capital, Delhi. She later died from her injuries.

Four men have been sentenced to death over the incident. A fifth accused, a juvenile, was sent to a correction facility for three years.


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Pistorius 'on stumps when shooting'

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 19 Maret 2014 | 18.19

19 March 2014 Last updated at 09:50
Captain Christian Mangena

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Captain Christian Mangena said Pistorius was most likely not wearing his prosthetic legs when he shot Reeva Steenkamp

A key police ballistics expert said Oscar Pistorius was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he shot his girlfriend, as the athlete's trial continued in South Africa.

The police officer was giving evidence on the trajectory of the bullets which killed Reeva Steenkamp.

Mr Pistorius denies murdering the model on Valentine's Day 2013, saying he thought she was an intruder.

The prosecution says he intentionally shot her after an argument.

On day 13 of the trial, Captain Christian Mangena said analysis of the crime scene and his subsequent tests suggested that Mr Pistorius was not wearing the prostheses when he fired the fatal shots.

Correspondents say whether or not Mr Pistorius was on his prosthetic limbs when he fired his gun is important because it lends support to the defence team's insistence that the shooting was not premeditated.

Capt Mangena also said that while he had not been able to determine the exact distance, the evidence pointed to the shots having been fired from a position greater than 60cm (23 inches) away from the toilet door but no further than 3m.

Correspondents say this is in line with the athlete's testimony that he pulled the trigger while standing at the entrance to the bathroom.

Explaining the trajectory of the bullets, Capt Mangena said that Ms Steenkamp, 29, was standing up in the toilet cubicle when she was hit in the right hip by the first of four bullets.

He said she then fell backwards before being hit in the arm and the head by the last two bullets fired by Mr Pistorius through the wooden door as she crossed both hands over her head to protect herself.

Double tap?

Contradicting the athlete's testimony that the shots had been fired in close succession, Capt Mangena said there had been a short break between the first and second shots and that the second bullet missed Ms Steenkamp.

Correspondents said this corroborates the evidence given by a neighbour who said that she heard a shot, then a pause, then three further shots.

But defence lawyer Barry Roux contested Capt Mangena's evidence on the timing, maintaining that the bullets could have been fired in quick succession using a "double tap" technique - where the trigger is pulled in quick succession.

Capt Mangena insisted this was "impossible", saying that if this had been the case then Ms Steenkamp's wounds would have been in the same area of her body.

The trial is expected to call on more than 100 witnesses. It had been set to last for three weeks, but looks likely to be extended.

There are no juries at trials in South Africa, and his fate will ultimately be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.

If found guilty, the 27-year-old - a national sporting hero and double amputee dubbed the "blade runner" because of the prosthetic limbs he wears to race - could face life imprisonment.

INTERACTIVE

  • ×
  • × Balcony

    Mr Pistorius said in his statement at the start of the trial that he woke in the early hours and walked on his stumps to the balcony, pulled in two fans, closed the sliding door and drew curtains. He said that shortly before he had spoken to Reeva, who was in bed beside him.

    He said he rejected prosecution claims that a witness heard arguing coming from the house before the shooting.

  • ×

    Mr Pistorius said he heard the bathroom window sliding open and believed that an intruder, or intruders, had entered the bathroom through a window which was not fitted with burglar bars.

    "Unbeknown to me, Reeva must have gone to the toilet in the bathroom at the time I brought in the fans," he said.

    Mr Pistorius said he approached the bathroom armed with his firearm, to defend himself and his girlfriend, believing Ms Steenkamp was still in bed.

  • ×

    Both sides agree four bullets were fired. Ms Steenkamp was hit three times.

    Mr Pistorius said he fired his weapon after hearing a noise in the toilet which he thought was the intruder coming out of the toilet to attack him and Ms Steenkamp.

    He said he was in a fearful state, knowing he was on his stumps and unable to run away or properly defend himself.

    Mr Pistorius said he rejected claims that he was on his prostheses when he shot at the door.

    A witness told the trial she woke to hear a woman screaming and a man shouting for help. She said that after the screams she heard four shots.

  • ×

    At his bail hearing last year, Mr Pistorius said he went back to the bedroom after shooting at the toilet door, then noticed Ms Steenkamp was not in bed.

    Mr Pistorius said he then realised she could have been in the toilet.

  • ×

    Mr Pistorius said he went back to the bathroom but the toilet was locked, so he returned to the bedroom, pulled on his prosthetic legs, turned on the lights before bashing in the toilet door with a cricket bat.

    Forensics expert Johannes Vermeulen told the court that the height of the marks on the door caused by the cricket bat suggest Mr Pistorius was on his stumps at the time.

  • ×

    Mr Pistorius's defence team has said he then called security at the gated housing complex and a private paramedic service before carrying Ms Steenkamp downstairs.

    But security guard Pieter Baba told the trial he had called Mr Pistorius first, in response to neighbours' reports of gunfire, and not the other way round.

    He said Mr Pistorius had told him: "Everything is fine," before calling him back a few minutes later and crying down the phone.


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Missing plane frustration boils over

19 March 2014 Last updated at 10:46
Missing plane relative dragged away from news conference

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Relatives were forcibly removed while trying to speak to journalists at a news conference in Kuala Lumpur

Frustration with the search for flight MH370, boiled over into chaotic scenes as Chinese relatives were dragged away from journalists.

They were attempting to speak to Chinese journalists outside the daily press conference in Kuala Lumpur.

A BBC reporter was also pushed away from the relatives carrying banners criticising the handling of the case.

In the briefing, Malaysia's acting Transport Minister dismissed reports the plane was spotted in the Maldives.

Police

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The BBC's Jonah Fisher faced a wall of police when trying to speak to relatives after the news conference in Kuala Lumpur

Hishammuddin Hussein also said the authorities had carried out background checks into almost all the passengers and crew of the plane, but had so far found no information of significance.

"We have received passengers' background checks from all countries apart from Ukraine and Russia," he told reporters. There were two Ukranians and one Russian on the plane.

In the briefing, it was also revealed that some data had been deleted from the flight simulator found at the home of one of the pilots, although it was not made clear if that was thought to be significant.


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