Thai 'red-shirt' protest leader shot

22 January 2014 Last updated at 01:39 ET

A leader of Thailand's pro-government "red-shirt" group has been shot, as the 60-day state of emergency came into effect in Bangkok and nearby provinces.

Kwanchai Praipana, a local radio presenter who played a large role in Bangkok protests in 2010, was wounded at his home in Udon Thani in the north.

It came as anti-government protesters continued to block parts of Bangkok to force the prime minister to resign.

The emergency decree gives the government wide-ranging powers.

Imposed late on Tuesday, it covers Bangkok and three surrounding provinces. It gives the government the power to control crowds and censor media, but it remains unclear how it will be enforced.

The protesters - who began their campaign in November - say Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government is being influenced by her brother, exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra.

The protesters want an unelected "people's council" to run Thailand until its political system is changed.

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The government has not given details of how emergency rule will be enforced

Ms Yingluck has refused to step down and has called an election on 2 February, which the opposition are boycotting.

The emergency declaration follows incidents of violence during protests, with both the pro-government and anti-government sides blaming each other for attacks.

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• Sep 2006: Army ousts Thaksin Shinawatra
• Dec 2007: Pro-Thaksin party wins election
• Aug 2008: Thaksin flees Thailand
• Dec 2008: Huge anti-Thaksin protests; court bans ruling party; Abhisit Vejjajiva comes to power
• Mar-May 2010: Huge pro-Thaksin protests; dozens killed in army crackdown
• Jul 2011: Yingluck Shinawatra, sister of Thaksin, elected PM
• Nov 2013: Anti-government protests
• Dec 2013: Ms Yingluck calls election
• Jan 2013: Ms Yingluck declares state of emergency

At least nine people have died since the wave of protests started last year.

'Exercise restraint'

Kwanchai Praipana, a prominent leader of the "red shirts" who support Mr Thaksin and the current government, was wounded in the leg and shoulder while standing outside his home on Wednesday.

Police Colonel Kowit Tharoenwattanasuk told Reuters news agency that unidentified people fired shots from a pick-up truck.

He added that the attack was possibly a "politically motivated crime".

The "red-shirt" government supporters - who shut down Bangkok in 2010 - have for the most part stayed away from these protests. But observers fear that violence could erupt if a trigger brought them out onto the streets.

In Bangkok, meanwhile, there was little change seen on the streets in the first few hours of the state of emergency, with anti-government protesters continuing their blockades in the city centre.

In the past, emergency decrees in Thailand have usually meant deploying the army to impose order on the streets, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok.

This time, the government says emergency rule will be run by the police, who until now have been told to avoid confrontations with the protesters and have performed poorly when attempting crowd control, our correspondent adds.

Meanwhile, the US State Department issued a statement urging "all sides to refrain from violence, exercise restraint, and respect the rule of law".

"We encourage all involved to commit to sincere dialogue to resolve political differences peacefully and democratically," the statement from spokeswoman Marie Harf added.

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Chinese activist Xu Zhiyong on trial

22 January 2014 Last updated at 05:04 ET

Xu Zhiyong, a prominent human rights lawyer who campaigned against corruption, has gone on trial in China.

Mr Xu is charged with "gathering crowds to disrupt public order". He is one of several activists from a transparency movement to be tried this week.

Rights groups have criticised President Xi Jinping - who pledged to fight corruption - over their trials.

They come as a report says many members of China's elite have set up offshore companies in overseas tax havens.

The trial of Xu Zhiyong, who was arrested in July 2013, began on Wednesday in Beijing.

There was tight security outside the court, with police blocking journalists from approaching or filming outside.

A BBC team reporting from a street near the court were forced to move after a group of men in plain clothes pushed the crew down the street.

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BBC reporter Martin Patience is jostled at Xi Zhiyong's trial

CNN reporter David McKenzie said on his Twitter feed that he had been "manhandled, detained, and [had] equipment broken" near the courthouse.

Western diplomats said they were able to enter the building but were not allowed into the courtroom itself.

Mr Xu's lawyer, Zhang Qingfang, told the BBC that Mr Xu and his lawyers both viewed the court proceedings as illegal, and stayed silent during the trial in protest.

Earlier, Mr Zhang told reporters that a fair trial looked "unlikely". He said that he had not been given the opportunity to defend Mr Xu in a fair court.

"Last week I applied for five witnesses to come and testify, but not only did the court reject my application, but also the police have been restricting these witnesses in the last two days," he said.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei described Mr Xu's case as a "common criminal case" and that Mr Xu had been "arrested in accordance with the law".

'Hypocritical crackdown'

Mr Xu, who was also previously under house arrest, is a leading advocate of a group campaigning for government officials to reveal their wealth.

Seven members of the informal grassroots group, New Citizens Movement, also face separate trials this week on similar charges.

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Analysis

The New Citizens Movement was a loose collective of activists across China demanding that authorities follow the rights and ideals outlined in the country's own constitution.

The group was inspired by an essay written by legal scholar Xu Zhiyong and published online in May 2012. "China inevitably needs to complete the civilised transformation of politics," Mr Xu wrote, "to establish a free China that is completely democratic and ruled by law."

By following China's own constitution, he explained, people across China could address ongoing injustices, such as the yawning gap between the rich and the poor, and unequal access to education. Mr Xu also called for greater government transparency, and importantly, he pushed for government leaders to disclose their assets.

Hundreds of people agreed with his ideas and began holding small, peaceful protests across China. Followers of the movement argued, like Mr Xu, that they were trying to improve China from within. Their goals were said to be in step with President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign.

Beijing, it seems, did not agree. The movement has now been effectively shut down. Xu Zhiyong faces a five-year prison term, and several of his supporters are also facing trial this week.

A known legal scholar, Mr Xu also campaigned on behalf of inmates on death row and families affected by tainted baby milk formula in 2009.

In a video message from prison last year, he urged people to unite in pursuit of democratic freedoms.

No matter how "absurd" society was, he said, "this country needs brave citizens who can stand up and hold fast to their convictions".

Mr Xu now faces up to five years in prison for disturbing public order, the BBC's Celia Hatton in Beijing reports.

Human rights advocates say Mr Xu's true crime was to go too far in pushing the ruling Communist Party to expose the illicit wealth of some government officials, our correspondent adds.

Rights group Amnesty International condemned what it called China's "hypocritical crackdown on anti-corruption campaigners".

"Instead of President Xi Jinping's promised clampdown on corruption, we are seeing a crackdown against those that want to expose it," Roseann Rife, East Asia research director, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Xu Zhiyong was a "prisoner of conscience and he should be released immediately and unconditionally", Ms Rife added.

"Anything less would make a mockery of the Chinese government's ongoing anti-corruption efforts."

'Hidden riches'

Meanwhile, a report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) said relatives of many of China's political elite, including the brother-in-law of Mr Xi, and the son and son-in-law of former Premier Wen Jiabao, owned offshore companies in international tax havens.

It said that almost 22,000 offshore clients with addresses in mainland China and Hong Kong appear in leaked documents from two offshore firms that set up offshore companies and accounts for clients.

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New Citizens' Movement

• A loose network of activists in China
• Campaigns for more civil and political rights in China, and educational rights for children
• Has urged officials to declare their assets to help combat corruption
• Members have organised mealtime gatherings to discuss social and legal issues

The practice is legal, but the revelations, if true, shine a light onto the wealth of the families of many Chinese leaders, and could embarrass members of the political elite.

The Guardian newspaper, which was part of the investigation, said that its website appeared to be partially blocked in China on Wednesday, as was the website of the ICIJ.

In October 2012, a New York Times investigation said that members of then-Premier Wen Jiabao's family had amassed "hidden riches" of billions of dollars.

Lawyers for Mr Wen's family rejected the claims, and said that while some of the family were involved in business activities none of it was illegal.

Both the New York Times' Chinese and English sites were blocked in China after the report.

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Bitter exchanges as Syria talks open

22 January 2014 Last updated at 05:56 ET

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Syria's foreign minister and the Syrian national coalition president delivered angry statements

Syria's government and main political opposition have traded bitter accusations as a major peace conference begins in Switzerland.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged delegates to engage in constructive discussions, but neither side appeared prepared to abandon their positions.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said there was "no way possible" President Bashar al-Assad could remain in power.

The conflict has left more than 100,000 dead and millions displaced.

The summit is discussing the Geneva communique which lays out a political transition plan for Syria. But the key issue is President Assad's future.

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Analysis

This first day of talks was always expected to be somewhat ceremonial, with one formal speech after another. But already predictable fault lines are emerging.

Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said his country was engaged in a war against terrorist groups, adding that only the Syrian people could decide on President Assad's future. The opposition leader Ahmad Jarba called the human rights violations in Syria reminiscent of Nazi Germany, and suggested President Assad's departure was a precondition for peace.

These two men won't be in the negotiating room together until Friday, then the talking will be in private, but it's expected to be equally tough.

Key figures here - including Ban Ki-moon, John Kerry, Sergei Lavrov and William Hague - have publicly reminded the warring parties of the real price of this conflict: an "all encompassing disaster" said the UN secretary general, which Russia's foreign minister added had caused "incalculable suffering" to the Syrian people.

It will hear from around 40 foreign ministers on Wednesday before direct Syrian talks are scheduled to begin in Geneva on Friday.

This would be the first time the Syrian government and the main opposition - the National Coalition - have met face to face since the conflict began in 2011.

'Raising hope'

In an often angry opening speech, Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said some states attending the talks had "Syrian blood on their hands" and were trying to destabilise the country.

"Syria the independent state will do all that is necessary to defend itself," he said, and, addressing US Secretary of State John Kerry, said: "No-one in the world has the right to confer or withdraw the legitimacy of a president, a constitution or a law, except for the Syrians themselves."

Mr Muallem ran far over the allotted 10-minute slot for each speaker, ignoring Mr Ban's attempts to intervene.

"I have the right to give the Syrian version here," he said.

The head of the the National Coalition, Ahmad Jarba, said that it had not been the opposition's choice to take up arms, but "was the choice imposed by the Syrian regime".

He called on the government to immediately sign the Geneva document and transfer power to a transitional authority.

"For the Syrians, time is now blood."

Opening the summit, Mr Ban urged all parties to engage "seriously and constructively" in the talks.

"Let me not mince words - the challenges before you and before all of us are formidable. But your presence here raises hope," he added.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the talks "will not be simple, will not be quick", but that there was "a historic responsibility on the shoulders of all participants".

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Geneva II talks

• 22 Jan: Conference opens in Montreux. Speeches from all delegates, including Syrian government and opposition
• Syria chief delegate - Foreign Minister Walid Muallem. Opposition chief delegate - Ahmed Jarba, head of the National Coalition
• 24 Jan: Talks to move to Geneva. Negotiations between Syrian delegations begin, moderated by Lakhdar Brahimi. No duration set.

He also repeated his insistence that Iran, whose invitation to the summit was revoked, should be involved.

Mr Kerry used his opening remarks to remind the conference the uprising had begun as a peaceful process, but said the government had responded "with ever-increasing force".

"We see only one option: negotiating a transition government born by mutual consent," he said. "There is no way, no way possible, that a man who has led a brutal response to his own people can regain legitimacy to govern."

'Patience and persistence'

International delegates to Geneva II have played down hopes of a breakthrough, saying the talks should be seen as the first step in a process.

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Geneva Communique

A UN-backed meeting in 2012 issued the document and urged Syria to:

• Form transitional governing body
• Start national dialogue
• Review constitution and legal system
• Hold free and fair elections

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: "We must have measured expectations. We will not see peace triumph during these discussions."

Earlier this week the UN withdraw its invitation to Iran to attend the talks, saying it had orally accepted the Geneva Communique, the plan for a transitional Syrian governing body agreed at a UN-backed meeting in 2012, only to later fail to put the commitment in writing.

Iran's President Hasan Rouhani said on Wednesday that the "lack of influential players in the meeting" meant he doubted its "success in fighting against terrorism... and its ability to resolve the Syria crisis".

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Two dead in renewed Kiev clashes

22 January 2014 Last updated at 05:59 ET

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Daniel Sandford reports from near the barricades as police and protesters clash

At least two people have died in clashes between police and protesters in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

Prosecutors confirmed the two had died from bullet wounds. They are the first fatalities since protests began in November at the government's rejection of a planned treaty with the EU.

Wednesday's clashes began after police moved in to dismantle a protest camp.

The introduction of new laws last week that criminalise protests has triggered three days of violence.

Hundreds of people have been injured, though some of the violence has been blamed on a little-known far-right group, Right Sector.

Meanwhile, the US embassy in Ukraine says it has revoked the visas of "several Ukrainians who were linked to the violence". It did not give names, but said it was "considering further action against those responsible for the current violence."

Fireworks

Wednesday's violence was restricted to a small area around Hrushevskyy Street, close to the main protest encampment at Maidan (or Independence Square).

Shortly after 06:00 GMT on Wednesday - after a relatively peaceful night - police stormed protesters' barricades on Hrushevskyy Street.

Fresh clashes broke out as police arrested protesters, amid heavy snowfall.

Protesters could be seen on live TV coverage throwing stones and fireworks towards police. At least one police officer threw a firebomb towards a burned bus.

The police later fell back to their positions and the protesters returned to the square.

Officials confirmed the deaths of two people, found with gunshot wounds. The general prosecutor said their bodies were found in a national library close to the scene of the clashes.

Medics for the activists say at least one person had multiple wounds and claimed he had been killed by a police sniper.

A third activist is also reported to have died on Wednesday from injuries sustained after falling from the top of the Dynamo football stadium.

Prime Minister Mykola Azarov denied the police would have been responsible for the deaths as they were not carrying live ammunition.

They "remain on the consciousness and responsibility of the organisers and certain participants of mass disturbances," he said.

By noon, thousands of protesters had arrived at the barricades - many wearing helmets, in defiance of the new laws, which ban protective headgear and masks at protests.

The laws also prescribe jail terms for anyone blockading public buildings and outlaw unauthorised tents in public areas.

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China jails doctor for baby theft

14 January 2014 Last updated at 01:52 ET

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The BBC's Celia Hatton: "Zhang Shuxia was a respected doctor who had won quite a few awards in the province where she worked"

A Chinese obstetrician has been given a suspended death sentence for stealing newborn babies and selling them to child traffickers.

Zhang Shuxia was found guilty of abducting and selling seven babies in Fuping, Shaanxi province, the sentencing court said.

She told parents their infants had serious diseases and convinced them to give up the babies, the court said.

Zhang has been sentenced to death, with a two year reprieve.

Suspended death sentences are normally commuted to life imprisonment in China.

Zhang sold seven babies to child traffickers between November 2011 and July 2013, including a pair of twins, a judgement posted on the Weinan Intermediate People's Court's verified microblog on Tuesday said.

Six of the babies were rescued, but one baby girl died.

'Fabricated reports'

Zhang worked in Shaanxi's Fuping Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital.

"Zhang used her position as medical personnel to fabricate reports about the infants, saying they suffered from birth defects or diseases that were hard to cure," the court said in its judgement.

"She abducted and sold several new-born infants, violating professional and social ethics," the judgement added.

It is not yet clear whether Zhang will appeal, the court said.

Zhang and several other suspects were arrested after the most recent abduction case in July.

The parents reported the case to police after they suspected their baby had been trafficked.

The baby was found and returned to his parents in early August.

Police said they were still investigating 50 related cases, including 26 cases linked to Zhang, and several other suspects were in criminal detention, Xinhua news agency reported.

Four other officials from the hospital are on trial for suspected dereliction of duty and are awaiting sentencing, Xinhua added.

'Unspeakable acts'

Under China's strict population control policies, most couples can only have one child, and there is a strong preference for healthy baby boys.

Earlier this month, China's top legislature formally adopted a resolution easing the country's one-child policy, allowing couples to have two children if either parent is an only child.

On Chinese social media, netizens condemned Zhang's actions, with many calling for the death penalty.

"She obliterated her humanity, and conducted unspeakable acts under a cloak of legality - only executing her will level the people's anger!" microblog user China Luo Jian wrote.

However, user Wen Jin Rang wrote: "For such a criminal, sparing her life will serve a greater educational purpose than killing her."

Meanwhile, Sina Weibo user Doctor Fei Ge described Zhang as the "scum of the medical profession, who damaged the reputation of doctors".

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Egypt holds vote on new constitution

14 January 2014 Last updated at 05:24 ET

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The BBC's James Reynolds reports from outside a voting station surrounded by Yes voters

Egyptians are voting amid tight security in a two-day referendum on a new constitution, which could pave the way for fresh elections.

The new charter aims to replace the constitution passed under Islamist President Mohammed Morsi months before he was ousted by the army.

The military wants a strong Yes vote to endorse Mr Morsi's removal.

His Muslim Brotherhood, now designated a terrorist group, is boycotting the vote and there are fears of violence.

Shortly before voting began, an explosion took place near a court building in Cairo's Imbaba district, although no casualties were reported.

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At the scene

"Sisi is the lion of Egypt," shouts one man in a queue of voters outside a polling station at the Workers' University in Cairo's Nasr City. The rest of the crowd behind him decides to join in.

Many of the hundreds queuing up here see this referendum as a personal vote in favour of Egypt's most powerful man, armed forces chief General Sisi. "Sisi, Sisi," chants a group of women at the female entrance to the polling station.

Across the road, there are several official posters showing a green tick in favour of a Yes vote. There is no sign of any No posters. The government has used a new anti-protest law to silence the No campaign.

The security forces have made their strength - and their desire for a Yes vote - clear. Several military Chinook helicopters flew overhead. A military convoy drove outside the polling station - on the bonnet of one vehicle was a picture of Gen Sisi.

However, one person was killed during an anti-referendum protest in Bani Suef, south of Cairo, the governor there told the BBC.

A huge security operation is being mounted for the two days of voting. The interior ministry says 200,000 police officers, 150 central security units and 200 combat groups are being deployed around polling stations on both days.

Army chief Gen Abdel Fattah al-Sisi visited one polling station in north Cairo, telling guards there: "Work hard. We need the referendum to be completely secured."

The BBC's Orla Guerin in Cairo says this has been a distorted campaign, with endorsements for the new constitution flooding state-run and private TV and radio.

However, spotting any posters from the No campaign is a lot harder and people have been arrested for putting them up, our correspondent says.

Democratic or not, she says, the referendum is seen by many as more than a ballot on a new constitution - it is widely viewed as a verdict on the removal of Mr Morsi.

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Shortly before polls opened, a bomb exploded at a Cairo courthouse

Television pictures showed long lines of voters at some Cairo polling stations.

One voter, Salah Mustafa, told the BBC: "Compared to the document that we had last year, which was a really horrible constitution, there's a lot of rights, there's a lot of concepts that we wanted to see from day one."

But Mohammed Soudan, a spokesman for the Brotherhood's political wing, said most people were boycotting the vote, adding: "This is a message that we are not recognising this kind of new power."

'Every vote'

Interim Prime Minister Hazem Beblawi has called the referendum the "most critical moment" for Egypt.

Continue reading the main story

Voters' views

"I will boycott because my vote doesn't matter"

Rawan Ahmed, 23

After voting on Tuesday, he said: "Our country needs every vote from Egyptians."

The new constitution was drafted by a 50-member committee that included only two representatives of Islamist parties.

The authorities maintain that the new draft delivers more rights and freedoms, and is a crucial step on the road to stability.

Under the new constitution:

• The president may serve two four-year terms and can be impeached by parliament
• Islam remains the state religion - but freedom of belief is absolute, giving some protection to minorities
• The state guarantees "equality between men and women"
• Parties may not be formed based on "religion, race, gender or geography"

Critics say the new constitution favours the army at the expense of the people, and fails to deliver on the revolution of 2011 which overthrew Hosni Mubarak.

It retains a provision allowing civilians to be tried in military courts, and it gives the military control over the appointment of the defence minister for the next eight years.

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Egypt's constitutional referendum explained - in 60 seconds

It also stipulates that the military's budget will be beyond civilian oversight.

A Yes vote could also pave the way for fresh presidential and parliamentary elections.

It now seems certain that Gen Sisi, who backed Mr Morsi's removal following mass protests, will run for president.

Turnout 'key'

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Egypt key dates

• 25 Jan 2011: Anti-government protests begin
• 11 Feb 2011: President Hosni Mubarak resigns
• 24 June 2012: Muslim Brotherhood's Mohammed Morsi wins presidential elections
• 26 Dec 2012: President Morsi signs a controversial new constitution into law following a referendum
• 3 July 2013: President Morsi is deposed after street protests
• 14 Aug 2013: Hundreds of pro-Morsi supporters killed when troops clear sit-in protests
• 4 Nov 2013: Mohammed Morsi goes on trial
• 14 Jan 2014: Referendum held on new constitution

The constitution is expected to attract a resounding Yes vote, but the turnout is key, analysts say.

The last charter, passed just over a year ago, was approved by 63.8%, but only 32.9% of the population voted.

Mohammed Morsi was Egypt's first democratically elected president but was deposed by the military last July.

He is being held in jail in Alexandria, facing several criminal charges relating to his time in office - which he says are politically motivated.

Many of the Muslim Brotherhood's senior leaders and the movement's supporters are also behind bars.

More than 1,000 people have died in violence since Mr Morsi's overthrow.

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Hollande attempts policy relaunch

14 January 2014 Last updated at 05:26 ET

French President Francois Hollande is to hold a news conference outlining new plans for the economy, with media interest likely instead to be on recent allegations about his private life.

Last week, the magazine Closer alleged Mr Hollande was having an affair with film actress Julie Gayet.

Mr Hollande did not deny the report but protested at invasion of his privacy.

His partner Valerie Trierweiler remains in hospital after having been admitted on Friday.

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"Start Quote

Opposition leader Jean-Francois Cope said it was "disastrous" for the president's image, while one columnist warned that when he tried to talk about his economic reforms he would be "inaudible""

End Quote

Her aides told French media that she had suffered "shock" after seeing the revelations.

She had been expected to leave hospital on Monday, but her aides said doctors had told her she needed more rest.

Tuesday's press conference, scheduled for 16:30 (15:30 GMT), is a long-planned event aimed at unveiling new policies to help France's struggling economy.

Mr Hollande is expected to outline ideas to stimulate growth and combat record high unemployment.

More details will be given on a proposed "responsibility pact", which would introduce tax cuts for firms in return for a commitment to hire more workers.

There is a public aspect to the allegations by Closer insofar as they touch on whether or not Ms Trierweiler is still first lady.

She has an office in the Elysee Palace with six staff - popularly known as "Madame's domain" - which is supported by public money.

However, Tuesday's news conference is likely to be highly stage-managed, the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris reports.

While there may be one or two questions about the president's private life, Mr Hollande is likely to have a prepared response and the conference will quickly move on to the economy, our correspondent says.

The foreign press will likely be much more interested in the affair than their domestic counterparts, he adds.

'Recovering from shock'

He has not denied the report in Closer but has protested at the invasion of his privacy.

The president and Ms Trierweiler have been together since 2007.

She lives with the president in his official residence, the Elysee Palace.

Ms Trierweiler's aides said she went to hospital on Friday for "rest and some tests".

Continue reading the main story

COUP DE BLUES?

Le blues, used by a presidential spokesman to refer to Ms Trierweiler's condition, means (as in English) sadness or melancholy. To have a coup de blues is to get an attack of the blues, to feel down all of a sudden. Used of Valerie Trierweiler, it underplays the extent of her distress. You would not normally go to hospital with le blues.

On Monday, an aide told Europe 1 broadcaster: "The doctors will determine when she can be dismissed from hospital. She needs to recover from the shock she has suffered."

The French media face strict privacy laws, but the tradition of secrecy over the private lives of public figures has been steadily eroded in recent years.

On Friday, Closer printed a seven-page article about the alleged affair between Mr Hollande and Ms Gayet.

It was illustrated with photos showing a man said to be the president visiting a flat near the Elysee Palace at the same time as Ms Gayet.

Mr Hollande, who has never married, left his previous partner, fellow Socialist politician Segolene Royal, to be with Ms Trierweiler.

The scandal comes at a difficult time for Mr Hollande, with opinion polls already suggesting he is one of the most unpopular French presidents ever.

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Many drown fleeing S Sudan fighting

14 January 2014 Last updated at 06:15 ET

More than 200 civilians in South Sudan have drowned in a Nile ferry accident while fleeing fighting in the town of Malakal, an army spokesman has said.

He said women and children were among the victims in Sunday's disaster.

More than 350,000 people have been displaced by the fighting between the South Sudanese government and rebel forces, according to the UN.

Malakal is the gateway to the oilfields of the Upper Nile region. Rebels have advanced on the town in recent days.

"The reports we have are of between 200 to 300 people, including women and children. The boat was overloaded," army spokesman Philip Aguer told the AFP news agency.

"They all drowned. They were fleeing the fighting that broke out again in Malakal," he added.

Malakal is located on the banks of the White Nile - just north of its confluence with the Sobat River.

Thousands of civilians have been trying to escape the fighting by crossing the river, but many say they simply cannot afford to pay for a boat, says the BBC's Andrew Harding in South Sudan.

One refugee, Akuch, told our correspondent that she had had to borrow as much as 150 Sudanese pounds (£40; $66) to cross the river.

Some 9,000 civilians have recently arrived at a UN base in Malakal, almost doubling the number of people seeking shelter there, our correspondent says.

On Tuesday, heavy fighting was reported in and around the government-held town of Malakal, amid reports that rebels were closing in. Malakal has already changed hands several times since the conflict began last month.

In the south, government troops are believed to be advancing on Bor - the only major town held by the rebels.

Meanwhile, talks aimed at securing a ceasefire in South Sudan are currently taking place in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The negotiations are being overseen by the East African regional bloc, Igad.

The violence erupted on 15 December between forces loyal to President Salva Kiir and soldiers backing Riek Machar, his former vice-president.

President Kiir is a member of South Sudan's largest ethnic group, the Dinka, while Mr Machar is from the Nuer community - the country's second largest.

The conflict has seen reports of mass killings along ethnic lines even though both men have prominent supporters among their rival's community.

The UN estimates that more than 1,000 people have died since the conflict began on 15 December.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011 after a long and bloody conflict, to become the world's newest state.

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American Hustle hat-trick at Globes

13 January 2014 Last updated at 04:16 ET

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Footage courtesy of Golden Globe® Awards clips provided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and dick clark productions, inc.

Crime caper American Hustle has won three awards at the Golden Globes, including best film comedy or musical.

Its female stars Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence also picked up best actress and supporting actress prizes for their roles in the 1970s-set movie.

Loosely based on a real-life FBI sting operation, it tells of con men enlisted to bring down a corrupt politician.

Steve McQueen's historical tale 12 Years a Slave received the top honour of the night, winning best film drama.

It was the only award the movie was given, after going into the evening with seven nominations.

McQueen and stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong'o had all received nods but came away from Sunday's event empty-handed.

Collecting the award, McQueen said he was "a little bit in shock" and thanked his wife for finding the book by Solomon Northup, on which the film was based.

The other film awards were spread around a number of movies.

Matthew McConaughey was named best actor in a drama for his role as Aids patient Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club.

The actor said the award was "unexpected, but graciously accepted".

His co-star Jared Leto won the best supporting actor prize for his depiction of a transgender woman.

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What the stars wore at the Globes

Cate Blanchett collected the best actress in a drama award for her part as a disgraced socialite in Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine.

Leonardo DiCaprio, meanwhile, won best actor in a comedy or musical for The Wolf of Wall Street.

DiCaprio, who won his second Golden Globe from nine nominations, thanked director Martin Scorsese for his mentorship and for "allowing me to stalk you to make this movie".

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GOLDEN GLOBE FILM WINNERS

• 3 prizes - American Hustle
• 2 prizes - Dallas Buyers Club
• 1 prize - 12 Years a Slave, All is Lost, Blue Jasmine, Frozen, Gravity, The Great Beauty, Her, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, The Wolf of Wall Street

Alfonso Cuaron was named best director for Gravity - the only award the space movie picked up on the night.

The Mexican beat McQueen, Captain Phillips director Paul Greengrass, Nebraska's Alexander Payne and American Hustle's David O Russell to the director prize.

The screenplay award went to Spike Jonze for Her, a romance about an office worker who falls in love with a computer-generated voice.

Italian film The Great Beauty won the title of best foreign language film, while Disney's Frozen took home the best animated feature award.

Robert Redford's film All is Lost won the best original score prize, while Irish band U2 won best original song for Ordinary Love, as featured in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

British band Coldplay and US country star Taylor Swift had also been in the running for their songs from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Paul Potts film One Chance respectively.

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ANALYSIS

Lizo Mzimba Entertainment correspondent, BBC News

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12 Years a Slave only won one of its seven Golden Globe nominations, but it was for the biggest prize of the night, best drama film. That means it's still likely to have a strong showing at the Academy Awards.

Its main rivals seem set to be American Hustle, which took home three big awards, and space thriller Gravity, which picked up the prestigious best director award for Alfonso Cuaron.

The results come too late to affect this week's Academy Award nominations, for which ballots have already been cast.

But the spread of results indicate that Oscar honours could well end up being shared between several films in March, rather than one movie sweeping the board.

U2 said working on the film completed a decades-long journey with Nelson Mandela that began with them playing an anti-apartheid concert some 35 years ago.

"This man turned our life upside down, right side up,'' said frontman Bono. "A man who refused to hate not because he didn't have rage or anger or those things, but that he thought love would do a better job."

As the first major ceremony of the awards season, the winners are a likely indication of who will be shortlisted when the Oscar nominations are announced later this week.

The TV categories featured a number of double award winners.

Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra was named best TV movie/mini-series, with Michael Douglas beating co-star Matt Damon to the best actor in a TV movie, series or mini-series prize.

Although the film was released in cinemas around the world, it was only shown on cable channel HBO in the US.

"The only reason you're not here is I had more sequins," Douglas told Damon as he collected his award.

Breaking Bad also came away with two awards - best drama series and best actor in a drama for its star Bryan Cranston.

It was the first Golden Globe for Cranston, having been nominated for the same award every year since 2011. He was also nominated in 2003 for his role in TV comedy Malcolm in the Middle.

He called the award "a lovely way to say goodbye" after the series ended after five years in September.

Police caper Brooklyn Nine-Nine also collected two prizes - best comedy or musical TV series, and best actor in a comedy for Andy Samberg.

Ceremony co-host Amy Poehler won best actress in a TV comedy or musical for her role in Parks and Recreation, while House of Cards star Robin Wright was named best actress in a drama series.

Elisabeth Moss won best actress in a TV movie or mini-series for BBC drama Top of the Lake, while veteran actor Jon Voight collected best supporting actor in a TV movie, series or mini-series for Ray Donovan.

It was a generally disappointing night for British talents, most of whom came away empty handed.

Jacqueline Bisset was the only Briton to win an award - the prize for best supporting actress in a TV series, mini-series or TV movie - for her part in BBC drama Dancing on the Edge.

Other British stars who missed out included Dames Helen Mirren and Judi Dench, Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Michael Sheen, Idris Elba and Christian Bale.

Poehler and 30 Rock star Tina Fey hosted the ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for the second year running, earning big laughs with jokes about George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep.

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India set for polio-free landmark

13 January 2014 Last updated at 04:56 ET

India is marking three years since its last reported polio case, a landmark in the global battle against the disease.

The milestone is seen as confirmation of one of India's biggest public health successes, achieved through a massive and sustained immunisation programme.

Only one case of polio was recorded in 2011, down from 741 in 2009.

In 2012 the World Health Organisation removed India from the list of polio-endemic countries. Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria remain on it.

The list refers to countries in which the virus is circulating freely and the transmission of the infectious disease has not been stopped.

'Monumental milestone'

Despite India's success, health experts fear a resurgence of polio in other parts of the world.

After India's government declares the country polio-free on Monday, reports say the WHO will certify the status on 11 February after testing its last samples.

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India's battle with polio

• Polio cases in 2011: 1
• Polio cases in 2009: 741
• Polio cases in 1985: 150,000
• Two formerly polio-endemic states - Uttar Pradesh and Bihar - have not reported any case since 2010

Nicole Deutsch, head of polio operations for the UN children's charity Unicef in India, described the country's landmark of three years without polio as "a monumental milestone".

"India has now set other important public health goals as a result of the confidence that the country has got from the successful eradication of polio," she told the AFP news agency, citing a new measles eradication goal.

India's last case of polio was reported from the eastern state of West Bengal in 2011 when an 18-month-old girl was found to have contracted the disease.

Rukshar Khatoon is now going to school and leads a "normal life" although she still suffers pain in her right leg, her doctors and parents told AFP.

"She can now stand on her feet and walk, but can't run. When her friends play, she remains a spectator," her father Abdul Shah said.

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Polio's last stand? 2012 cases

• Nigeria - 97
• Pakistan - 47
• Afghanistan - 26
• Chad - 5*

Source: IMB

* Polio is considered "non-endemic" in Chad

Mr Shah said it had been a "grave mistake" only to get his son vaccinated for polio, but not his two daughters.

After the eradication of smallpox in 1980, polio is the second disease in India that has been eliminated through immunisation.

Nearly 2.3 million volunteers visit 209 million homes to vaccinate some 170 million children under five years of age in India during every round of immunisation.

Polio is capable of causing crippling disability or death within hours. It plagued societies in ancient times - and was present in more than 100 countries even in the 1980s, when it left 350,000 people paralysed each year.

Despite a quarter-century-long vaccination programme, experts fear it could make a comeback in countries riven by conflict.

Outbreaks in Syria and Somalia, where vaccination programmes have been disrupted, could hamper efforts to rid the world of the disease,

Polio immunisation efforts have been suspended in parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan because of attacks by militants who see the campaign as a Western plot.

BBC correspondents say unless immunisation is re-started promptly, polio could infect more children, with a risk it could spread beyond Pakistan's borders to India.

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