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MH370: Bluefin-21 completes full mission at its third attempt

Diane A. Wade
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MH370: Bluefin-21 completes full mission at its third attempt

Mini-submarine Bluefin-21 searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane has completed a full mission at its third attempt.

Two previous missions to scour the floor of the Indian Ocean for wreckage were cut short by technical problems.

The data from the sub’s latest mission is being analyzed. Previous forays have not shown anything significant.

It is searching in the area acoustic signals thought to be from the missing plane’s “black box” flight recorders were heard.

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on March 8 as it flew from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Using satellite data, officials have concluded that it ended its journey in seas west of the Australian city of Perth.

Bluefin-21 searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane has completed a full mission at its third attempt
Bluefin-21 searching for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane has completed a full mission at its third attempt

They do not know why the plane flew so far off course and an investigation is ongoing. Finding the plane’s flight recorders are seen as key to understanding what happened.

The Bluefin-21, operated by the US Navy off the Australian vessel Ocean Shield, is an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) that can identify objects by creating a sonar map of the sea floor.

It is searching in an area defined by four acoustic signals picked up by an Australian search team, and was deployed after officials concluded that the batteries on the plane’s flight recorders would likely have expired, given their one-month shelf life.

The submersible has an operating depth of 15,000ft and on its first mission a built-in safety device returned it to the surface after it exceeded that depth.

Its second mission was also cut short because of unspecified technical difficulties, but the third mission – a full 16 hours, plus two hours each way for diving and surfacing – went according to plan.

“Overnight Bluefin-21 AUV completed a full mission in the search area and is currently planning for its next mission,” the Joint Agency Co-ordination Centre (JACC) said in a statement.

“Bluefin-21 has searched approximately 90 square kilometres to date and the data from its latest mission is being analyzed.”

JACC also said that an oil sample collected in the area the acoustic signals were heard had arrived in Perth for testing.

“We will provide details of the results when they become available,” it said.

Officials have warned that the search for wreckage on the sea floor could take weeks or months.

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India elections 2014: Voting starts in biggest phase of polling

Diane A. Wade
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India elections 2014: Voting starts in biggest phase of polling

India is voting in the biggest day of the general election pitting the ruling Congress party against the main opposition BJP.

Polling takes place in 121 seats in 12 states, including the key states of Karnataka, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and West Bengal.

The nine-phase vote began on April 7 and will conclude on May 12. Votes will be counted on May 16.

More than 814 million Indians are eligible to vote in the polls.

Polling has been already completed in 111 seats, and voter turnout in most states has been higher than in 2009.

April 17 is one of the most critical days of voting spread across 12 states, from Indian-administered Kashmir in the north, to the information-technology hub of Bangalore in the south, Rajasthan in the west and the tea-growing Himalayan town of Darjeeling in the east.

With all of its 28 seats going to polls on Thursday, the southern state of Karnataka is a key battleground.

Bangalore South is one of the keenly contested seats in the state with Congress party’s Nandan Nilekani, BJP’s Ananth Kumar and the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Nina Nayak as candidates.

Nandan Nilekani is the billionaire co-founder and former CEO of Infosys, one of India’s largest IT services firms, while Ananth Kumar is a former federal minister.

The anti-corruption Aam Aadmi (Common Man’s) Party, which secured a spectacular result in local polls in Delhi last year, offers a challenge to the main parties.

Several smaller regional parties are also in the fray and if no single party wins a clear majority, they could play a crucial role in the formation of a government.

Thousands of police and paramilitary security personnel have been deployed across the country to ensure smooth polling.

India is voting in the biggest day of the general election pitting the ruling Congress party against the main opposition BJP
India is voting in the biggest day of the general election pitting the ruling Congress party against the main opposition BJP

The marathon vote is being staggered over five weeks for security and logistical reasons.

The main contest in the elections is between the Congress, led by Rahul Gandhi, and the BJP, led by the charismatic and controversial Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi.

Narendra Modi, who is ahead in all the pre-election opinion polls, is the leader of Gujarat state, which witnessed one of India’s worst anti-Muslim riots in 2002.

The BJP has promised to improve the economy and infrastructure and curb corruption if it wins in the general elections.

The Congress party has promised “inclusive growth” if it returns to power, with a raft of welfare schemes, including a right to healthcare for all and pensions for the elderly and disabled.

Any party or a coalition needs a minimum of 272 lawmakers to form a government.

Dates when different states and Union Territories vote:

Andaman and Nicobar islands: April 10
Andhra Pradesh: April 30 and May 7
Arunachal Pradesh: April 9
Assam: April 7, 12 and 24
Bihar: April 10, 17, 24, 30, May 7 and 12
Chandigarh: April 10
Chhattisgarh: April 10, 17, 24
Dadra and Nagar Haveli: April 30
Daman and Diu: April 30
Delhi: April 10
Goa: April 17
Gujarat: April 30
Haryana: April 10
Himachal Pradesh: May 7
Jammu and Kashmir: April 10, 17, 24, 30 and May 7
Jharkhand: April 10, 17, 24
Karnataka: April 17
Kerala: April 10
Lakshadeep: April 10
Madhya Pradesh: April 10, 17, 24
Maharashtra: April 10, 17, 24
Manipur: April 9, 17
Meghalaya: April 9
Mizoram: April 9
Nagaland: April 9
Odisha: April 10, 17
Puducherry: April 24
Punjab: April 30
Rajasthan: April 17 and 24
Sikkim: April 12
Tamil Nadu: April 24
Tripura: April 7, 12
Uttarakhand: May 7
Uttar Pradesh: April 10, 17, 24, 30, May 7 and 12
West Bengal: April 17, 24, 30, May 7 and 12

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Passover Recipe: Matzo Ball Soup

Kathryn R. Bown
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Passover Recipe: Matzo Ball Soup

Matzo Ball Soup

 

Ingredients (10 servings):

2 (10 ounce) packages matzo crackers

1/2 cup butter

6 eggs

Matzo Ball Soup
Matzo Ball Soup

salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 onions, minced

5 ounces matzo meal

96 ounces chicken broth

 

Directions:

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
  2. Break matzo crackers into small pieces, and place in a large bowl. Add water to cover; allow to soak for a few minutes, until soft. Drain off excess water.
  3. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat and stir in drained matzos; stir until mixture is dry and slightly brown. Remove from heat, and mix in eggs, salt and pepper to taste, parsley, and onions.
  4. Mix in just enough matzo meal to make mixture hold together. Roll one golf ball-size matzo ball. Place matzo ball in the boiling water to test the mixture. The ball must rise to the top of the water and not break apart. If it does not rise, then too much matzo meal was added. In this case, add another beaten egg to the mixture and try again. When desired consistency is reached, roll all of mixture into golf ball size spheres.
  5. In a large saucepan, bring chicken broth to a slow boil over medium heat; add balls to broth. Serve soup as the balls rise to the top of the broth.

South Korea ferry disaster: Search for Sewol passengers continues as 300 people missing

Diane A. Wade
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South Korea ferry disaster: Search for Sewol passengers continues as 300 people missing

South Korean emergency services are continuing to search overnight for almost 300 people missing after Sewol ferry carrying 462 people sank off Jindo Island.

According to officials, 174 people were rescued from the ship, which was travelling from Incheon Port, in the north-west, to the southern resort island of Jeju.

Emergency teams have been using floodlights and flares to search the vessel for passengers into the night.

At least six people are thought to have died, with dozens more injured.

It is not yet clear what caused the ship to list at a severe angle and flip over, leaving only a small part of its hull visible above water.

Rescue efforts are concentrated on the ship’s wreckage, which sank in 30 metres of water. Many passengers are thought to be trapped inside.

South Korea’s PM Chung Hong-won, has warned there is not “a minute or a second to waste” in the search for survivors, urging those involved to do their utmost to save more lives.

South Korean emergency services are continuing to search overnight for almost 300 people missing after Sewol ferry carrying 462 people sank off Jindo Island
South Korean emergency services are continuing to search overnight for almost 300 people missing after Sewol ferry carrying 462 people sank off Jindo Island (photo NBC News)

But officials say the rescue operation involving coast guard, military and commercial vessels has been hampered by poor visibility and strong currents.

“There is so much mud in the sea water and the visibility is very low,” said Lee Gyeong-og, vice-minister of security and public administration.

The US Navy has sent an amphibious assault ship, the USS Bonhomme Richard, to assist with the search.

Navy divers have managed to enter three compartments of the ship but have not yet found any bodies.

Relatives of the missing have gathered in the town of Jindo, near to where ferry capsized, awaiting news of their loved ones.

Many of the passengers on board the ship were school students and teachers from the same school near the capital, Seoul, heading on a field trip to Jeju island.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye has expressed sadness over the incident, saying it was “truly tragic” that students on a field trip were involved in “such an unfortunate accident”.

Kim Young-boong, an official from the company which owns the ferry, has apologized.

“I would like to say sorry to the passengers, which include a number of students and their parents, and promise that our company will do its best to minimise loss of life. We are sorry,” he said, according to the AP news agency.

“We will try to determine the cause of the accident after rescue operations are over,” Lee Gyeong-og said.

MV Sewol:

Passengers on board: 459

Maximum capacity: 900

Length: 146 metres

Built: 1994

Source: Reuters

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Prince William makes fun of Kate Middleton’s Roksanda Ilincic yellow dress

Lisa.Felice
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Prince William makes fun of Kate Middleton’s Roksanda Ilincic yellow dress

For her arrival in sunny Australia, Kate Middleton opted for a yellow and white blocked Ryedale dress from the Roksanda Ilincic spring 2014 collection.

The Duchess of Cambridge accessorized with her trusty nude L.K. Bennett pumps for the occasion.

Kate Middleton opted for a yellow and white blocked Ryedale dress from the Roksanda Ilincic spring 2014 collection
Kate Middleton opted for a yellow and white blocked Ryedale dress from the Roksanda Ilincic spring 2014 collection (photo Getty Images)

Prince William and Kate Middleton headed over to the iconic Sydney Opera House where more frenzied fans got a closer look at Kate’s new dress.

According to Hello magazine, Prince William wasn’t quite as impressed by Kate’s designer frock.

“William said I look like a banana!” Kate Middleton exclaimed to an onlooker.

Mt. Gox placed in administration by Tokyo court

Nancy Clayson
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Mt. Gox placed in administration by Tokyo court

Former world’s biggest Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox has been put in administration by a Japanese court.

Mt. Gox announced in February that hackers had stolen hundreds of thousands of Bitcoins from it, worth about $500 million.

It later said that it had found a substantial number of the Bitcoins and had hoped to find a way to continue as a business and pay back customers.

But the court dismissed this plan and appointed an administrator.

In a statement on Mt. Gox’s website the administrator said that bankruptcy proceedings were likely to follow.

Mt. Gox has been put in administration by a Japanese court
Mt. Gox has been put in administration by a Japanese court

This would involve Mt. Gox customers being asked to make any claims through the court, although the administrator pointed out that there was no time frame for this process at the moment.

Customers can continue to check the balance of any Bitcoins they have with Mt. Gox but are warned that this is not necessarily the amount they would receive as the result of a claim.

Mt. Gox said at the time it went offline that the Bitcoins had been stolen from its system by hackers who exploited a loophole in the software that oversaw the Bitcoin system. The administrator said that it plans to investigate the missing Bitcoins as part of its role.

The founder of Mt. Gox, Mark Karpeles, refused a request by a US court to attend a hearing this week to answer questions about the collapse of the exchange. He has not been charged with any crime.

Bitcoin is currently trading for around $500, down from a high of more than $1,100 last year.

Ukrainian armored vehicles seized by pro-Russian militants in Kramatorsk

Roy Siemens
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Ukrainian armored vehicles seized by pro-Russian militants in Kramatorsk

Six Ukrainian armored vehicles have been seized by pro-Russian militants in eastern town of Kramatorsk, the defense ministry in Kiev says.

Reports say the occupants were disarmed after the vehicles were blockaded by locals in the city of Kramatorsk.

The incident comes a day after the military began an operation to remove pro-Russian protesters from public buildings across eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile, NATO is increasing activity in member states bordering Russia.

After Ukrainian forces recaptured an airfield outside Kramatorsk on Tuesday, armored vehicles appeared in the centre of the town early on Wednesday.

“A column was blocked by a crowd of local people in Kramatorsk with members of a Russian diversionary-terrorist group among them,” the defense ministry said its statement.

The military vehicles were then taken to Sloviansk where they are being held by “people in uniforms who have no relation to Ukraine’s armed forces,” the ministry said.

The Ukrainian troops appear to have been disarmed before being fed by pro-Russian militants at a cafe in Sloviansk and then put on a bus back to their home city of Dnipropetrovsk.

Six Ukrainian armored vehicles have been seized by pro-Russian militants in eastern town of Kramatorsk
Six Ukrainian armored vehicles have been seized by pro-Russian militants in eastern town of Kramatorsk

In another incident, several hundred residents of Pchyolkino, south of Sloviansk, surrounded another column of 14 Ukrainian military vehicles.

After the crowd was reinforced by pro-Russian gunmen, negotiations ensued and the troops were allowed to drive their vehicles away, but only after agreeing to surrender the magazines from their assault rifles.

The episodes come amid increasing tension across eastern Ukraine, blamed by the Kiev government and the West on covert Russian intervention in the region – an allegation denied by Moscow.

The crisis escalated this month after pro-Russian rebels occupied buildings in about 10 towns and cities, demanding greater autonomy or referendums on secession.

Tens of thousands of Russian soldiers are believed to have massed on Ukraine’s borders since Russia took control of the Ukrainian region of Crimea last month, following a controversial referendum on self-determination.

As tensions rose, Ukraine’s acting Defense Minister Mykhailo Koval headed for the east of the country to monitor the progress of the “anti-terrorist operation” announced by acting President Oleksandr Turchynov on Tuesday.

In the city of Donetsk, where activists have been occupying the regional government building since April 6, pro-Russian gunmen have taken control of the mayor’s office.

They told an AFP correspondent their only demand was for the region to stage a referendum on turning Ukraine into a federation with broader local rights.

Meanwhile NATO announced it was beefing up its eastern members’ defenses.

In Brussels, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen promised “more planes in the air, mores ships on the water, more readiness on the land”.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen called on Russia to make clear it did not “support the violent actions of well-armed militias or pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine”.

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Reeva Steenkamp shot in quick succession

Clyde K. Valle
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Reeva Steenkamp shot in quick succession

Reeva Steenkamp was shot in quick succession as she fell down, a forensics expert has told Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial.

This differs from a police ballistics witness who said there was short break between the first and second shots.

Oscar Pistorius denies intentionally killing Reeva Steenkamp in early hours of Valentine’s Day last year.

He says he fired rapidly in fear through the toilet door after he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for an intruder.

The prosecution says the 29-year-old model and law graduate was deliberately killed after the couple had an argument.

Oscar Pistorius faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder.

The trial has been adjourned until Thursday, which will be the last day before a break; proceedings will resume on Monday 5 May.

Forensics expert Roger Dixon, a defense witness, says Reeva Steenkamp was standing at an angle to the door and that all four bullets hit her as fell to the ground.

Reeva Steenkamp was shot in quick succession as she fell down
Reeva Steenkamp was shot in quick succession as she fell down

Earlier in the trial, ballistics expert Captain Christiaan Mangena said he believed Reeva Steenkamp was standing up facing the closed door when she was hit in the right hip.

He said she then fell back onto a magazine rack next to the toilet before three more bullets were fired at the door, one of which missed her.

Roger Dixon’s testimony challenges the state’s version that Reeva Steenkamp would have had time to scream after the first bullet and that Oscar Pistorius then changed aim and continued firing.

On Tuesday, Roger Dixon told the court his tests showed that with the light out, Oscar Pistorius’ bedroom would have been almost completely dark on the evening of the shooting, despite a couple of LED lights.

This also supports Oscar Pistorius’ evidence that he did not see whether Reeva Steenkamp was still in bed when he got up.

The court also heard sound recordings Roger Dixon had made – of a cricket bat striking a door similar to the one in Oscar Pistorius’ toilet, and of gunshots fired through the door at a distance of 60m (196ft) and 180m.

Roger Dixon seemed to struggle to tell the sounds apart, which the defense will use to cast doubt on what neighbors say they heard that night.

Prosecution witnesses have testified to hearing a woman scream followed by gun shots, but the defense disputes their testimony, saying the only scream came from Oscar Pistorius – after he had fired.

But prosecutor Gerrie Nel has sought to cast doubt on Roger Dixon’s credibility and qualifications as a forensics witness during his cross examination on Wednesday.

Roger Dixon is a geologist and university lecturer who worked as head of materials analysis at a police forensic laboratory in Pretoria for 18 years until 2012 and repeatedly said he was not a ballistics expert.

Gerrie Nel also sought to prove that he was out of his depth when he was testifying about marks on Reeva Steenkamp’s body.

He had identified one as a bruise which other pathologists had not, Gerrie Nel said.

At one stage Roger Dixon used the phrase “in my layman’s understanding”.

“Now you call yourself a layman. You see how irresponsible it is to make inferences that aren’t in your area of expertise,” Gerrie Nel replied.

Roger Dixon took the stand after seven days of testimony from the sprinter came to an end with him reading a Valentine’s Day card from his girlfriend.

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Peggy: Birth of new Saturn moon captured by Cassini spacecraft

James J. Williams
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Peggy: Birth of new Saturn moon captured by Cassini spacecraft

NASA scientists say they witnessed what could be the birth of a new moon in the rings of Saturn.

Named Peggy, the object would become the 63rd moon in Saturn’s orbit if confirmed.

The evidence comes from a black-and-white image of the outermost ring captured by the Cassini spacecraft.

“Witnessing the birth of a tiny moon is an exciting, unexpected event,” said Linda Spilker of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

Scientists noticed a bump or distortion on the edge of the ring which they believe indicates the presence of some kind of object.

Peggy would become the 63rd moon in Saturn's orbit if confirmed
Peggy would become the 63rd moon in Saturn’s orbit if confirmed (photo NASA)

It is estimated that Peggy may be about half a mile in diameter and it is almost certainly made of ice.

The disturbance in the edge of the ring is 20% brighter than its surroundings and about 750 miles long and 6 miles wide.

Details were published in the journal Icarus.

The significance of the discovery is that the image may have captured the moment of the moon’s birth amid the clouds of ice particles making up the rings.

The most obvious theory is that because the rings contain so much ice, and because many of Saturn’s moons are composed primarily of ice, the rings provide the nursery for new moons before they migrate to more distant orbits.

What happens to Peggy now is not clear. If it continues to orbit inside the rings, it runs the risk of collisions with smaller lumps of ice with the likelihood of the tiny moon disintegrating.

However, if Peggy escapes beyond the rings, it will run the gauntlet of drifting through the paths of much larger moons.

In any event, the moon’s small size means that if it does migrate beyond the rings, it will be impossible for the scientists to keep track of it.

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Yahoo shares jump 9% despite falling profits

Clyde K. Valle
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Yahoo shares jump 9% despite falling profits

Yahoo shares jumped 9% despite a 20% fall in first-quarter earnings.

Yahoo’s profits of $312 million still beat expectations.

Yahoo also said revenue from display advertising increased by 2% to $409 million, the first rise in some time. Overall, first quarter revenue was $1.1 billion, the best since 2010.

“I am really pleased by our first-quarter performance,” said Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer in a statement.

Yahoo also reported that it had 430 million monthly mobile users who accessed Yahoo products, a crucial measure as the firm seeks to catch up with Facebook and Google to attract mobile advertising.

Yahoo shares jumped 9 percent despite a 20 percent fall in first-quarter earnings
Yahoo shares jumped 9 percent despite a 20 percent fall in first-quarter earnings

It also increased its total workforce by 8% to 12,400 global employees.

In contrast to Yahoo’s earnings fall, Chinese internet giant Alibaba, of which Yahoo owns a 24% share, reported surging revenues.

These increased by 66% in 2013 Q4 to $3.06 billion, compared with $1.84 billion during the same period a year earlier.

Profits increased 110% to $1.4 billion, compared with $642 million a year earlier.

Alibaba’s fourth quarter earnings were released as part of Yahoo’s report.

Alibaba, China’s largest internet company, is expected to complete a public share sale sometime this summer on a US exchange.

The share float could raise as much as $15 billion, making it the biggest technology company debut since Facebook’s stock sale in 2012.

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Ukrainian troops arrive in eastern town of Kramatorsk

Roy Siemens
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Ukrainian troops arrive in eastern town of Kramatorsk

Ukrainian soldiers sent to reclaim locations seized by pro-Russian militia in recent days, have been seen in the centre of Kramatorsk.

Kramatorsk’s airfield was recaptured on Tuesday after Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov announced an “anti-terror operation”.

Armored personnel carriers in the town were blocked by pro-Russian locals who were talking to the soldiers.

Tension is running high, with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin warning Ukraine is “on the verge of civil war”.

Vladimir Putin made the comments in a phone call to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, after President Oleksandr Turchynov announced the start of the operation on Tuesday.

Russian officials said both leaders “emphasized the importance” during the conversation of planned four-way talks on Thursday between senior diplomats from Russia, the EU, the US and Ukraine.

Ukrainian soldiers sent to reclaim locations seized by pro-Russian militia in recent days, have been seen in the centre of Kramatorsk
Ukrainian soldiers sent to reclaim locations seized by pro-Russian militia in recent days, have been seen in the centre of Kramatorsk

However, Ukrainian and Western officials have accused Russia of being behind the pro-Russia activism in the region. Moscow strongly denies fomenting the unrest.

Ukrainian counter-terrorism chief General Vasyl Krutov, speaking to reporters at Kramatorsk airfield late on Tuesday, emphasized that armed individuals had crossed the border into Ukraine.

“We have to deal with a very serious, highly skilled and very professional opponent,” he said according to Interfax-Ukraine news agency.

“They display a very high level of preparedness, tactical and practical skill. These people must have been to hot spots across the world and on their own territory.”

Last month’s annexation of Crimea by Moscow was preceded by the presence of uniformed, armed men believed to be Russian troops, although in greater numbers than the similarly dressed and equipped men who have been seen in eastern Ukraine, correspondents say.

The Kremlin has condemned the Ukrainian military operation in eastern Ukraine as an “anti-constitutional course to use force against peaceful protest actions”.

Russia’s foreign ministry has expressed “deep concern” at reports of casualties in eastern Ukraine, but these cannot be confirmed.

Tensions have mounted in recent days after pro-Russian rebels seized buildings in about 10 towns and cities across eastern Ukraine.

They are demanding greater autonomy or referendums on secession from Ukraine.

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Alison Michelle Ernst: Hillary Clinton shoe thrower detained in Phoenix

Nancy Clayson
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Alison Michelle Ernst: Hillary Clinton shoe thrower detained in Phoenix

Alison Michelle Ernst, who is accused of throwing a shoe at Hillary Clinton, has been ordered by a federal judge in Phoenix to remain in custody until she can appear in court in Las Vegas.

Alison Michelle Ernst, 36, made an initial appearance Tuesday in federal court in her hometown of Phoenix after she was arrested Monday.

US Magistrate Judge Steven Logan appointed attorney Maria Weidner to represent Alison Michelle Ernst.

Alison Michelle Ernst is accused of throwing a shoe at Hillary Clinton
Alison Michelle Ernst is accused of throwing a shoe at Hillary Clinton

Maria Weidner says Alison Michelle Ernst looks forward to resolving the case.

Alison Michelle Ernst had been freed from custody in Nevada with a court summons on a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge following her arrest Thursday at the Mandalay Bay resort.

US prosecutors filed federal misdemeanor trespassing and violence against a person charges Sunday. Those counts could get Alison Michelle Ernst up to two years in federal prison.

The shoe missed Hillary Clinton, and Alison Michelle Ernst immediately surrendered to authorities.

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Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox files for liquidation in Tokyo

Nancy Clayson
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Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox files for liquidation in Tokyo

Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox has given up plans to rebuild under bankruptcy protection and has asked a Tokyo court to allow it to be liquidated, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

The source cited the complexity of the procedure and the lack of realistic rehabilitation plans for the Tokyo-based exchange as reasons for the move, the newspaper said.

Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox has given up plans to rebuild under bankruptcy protection and has asked a Tokyo court to allow it to be liquidated
Bitcoin exchange Mt. Gox has given up plans to rebuild under bankruptcy protection and has asked a Tokyo court to allow it to be liquidated (photo Getty Images)

Mt. Gox, once the world’s biggest Bitcoin exchange, filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan last month, saying it may have lost some 850,000 Bitcoins – worth around $454 million at today’s rates – due to hacking into its computer system. It has since said it found 200,000 of those Bitcoins.

Mt. Gox’s lawyers declined to comment on the matter.

Mt. Gox CEO Mark Karpeles won’t travel to the US to answer questions about the Bitcoin exchange’s US bankruptcy case, the company’s lawyers told a federal judge this week.

Owen and Emmett Ezell: Formerly conjoined twins to be released from hospital after 8 months

Kathryn R. Bown
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Owen and Emmett Ezell: Formerly conjoined twins to be released from hospital after 8 months

Conjoined twins Owen and Emmett Ezell, who were separated at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas in August 2013, are expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday, eight months after their surgery.

Medical City announced Monday that Owen and Emmett Ezell are expected to be released to a local inpatient rehabilitation center this week.

To celebrate the twins’ health and success, a small celebration is being planned on Wednesday prior to their departure. Ahead of that celebration, the hospital and Ezell family released two new photographs of the now 9-month-old boys on Tuesday.

In the past the hospital had said Owen and Emmett Ezell had to pass three major hurdles to go home – eating and breathing on their own and fully healing from their surgical wounds.

Conjoined twins Owen and Emmett Ezell were separated at Medical City Children's Hospital in Dallas in August 2013
Conjoined twins Owen and Emmett Ezell were separated at Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas in August 2013 (photo Ezell family)

“This is the next step to getting the boys home with their family,” the news release said.

The hospital said Monday the twins are breathing on their own through a trachea breathing tube and that they are no longer being fed through an IV, but they continue to be fed through tubes in their abdomens.

While at rehab, the boys’ parents will learn to manage those tubes until the boys can eat on their own.

Owen and Emmett Ezell are expected to be released on Wednesday, but the hospital says as with any fragile patient, the release could change.

The hospital plans to celebrate the twins release at the hospital Wednesday, though the boys will not be there because of their fragile state.

The family has been chronicling the boys’ progress, since their separation surgery in August 2013 on The Ezell Twins blog. They are selling T-shirts through their blog that read, “The Works of God Displayed in Them, John 9:1-3.”

The funds donated go into a trust fund set up for Emmett and Owen Ezell and their direct care.

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How to tighten your tummy in just 15 minutes

Kathryn R. Bown
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How to tighten your tummy in just 15 minutes

Combine cardio and standing abs moves for an intense, waist-whittling routine that will tighten your tummy fast.

Research shows that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may be more effective than traditional cardio at getting rid of stubborn abdominal body fat.

Research shows that high-intensity interval training may be more effective than traditional cardio at getting rid of stubborn abdominal body fat
Research shows that high-intensity interval training may be more effective than traditional cardio at getting rid of stubborn abdominal body fat

Strengthening your core muscles can help create flatter, more drawn-in abs and improve your posture, contributing to a slimmer waistline.

So get ready to blast off belly fat with this 15-minute circuit that combines fat-scorching cardio intervals with standing core exercises that do double-duty as your active recovery.

Do as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) of each exercise, in order with no rest. The core strength moves double as the warm-up, recovery and cool-down. Repeat the circuit 3 times total.

China’s economy expanded by 7.4% in 2014 Q1

Clyde K. Valle
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China’s economy expanded by 7.4% in 2014 Q1

China’s economy grew by 7.4% in 2014 Q1, better than what many were expecting.

However, it is a slowdown from 7.7% growth in the final quarter of last year.

Other data released with the gross domestic product (GDP) figure showed industrial output rising 8.8% in March from one year ago.

Retail sales for the month of March spiked by 12.2%, underscoring China’s efforts to boost economic growth via domestic consumption.

Last year China set its growth target for 2014 at 7.5%, part of efforts to stabilize the economy after years of fast-paced expansion.

China’s growth data is closely watched around the region. A slowdown could hurt Asian economies especially those which export commodities and industrial components to the world’s second largest economy.

A sluggish start for the year is not uncommon, due to the Lunar New Year holiday when many businesses and factories shut down operations for about two weeks.

China's economy grew by 7.4 percent in 2014 Q1, better than what many were expecting
China’s economy grew by 7.4 percent in 2014 Q1, better than what many were expecting

But recent data from the manufacturing as well as industrial sectors have been weak, raising fears of a prolonged slowdown.

Amid these concerns, China has recently taken more steps to give a jolt to its economy.

A mini-stimulus measure announced earlier this month will see Beijing extending a tax break for small and medium-sized companies, and ramping up spending on China’s railway infrastructure.

In addition, the mainland also took steps to open up its capital markets by announcing a tie-up with Hong Kong, allowing for cross-border stock investment. The pilot scheme is scheduled to take off in about six months.

And in January, China launched a free-trade zone in Shanghai, seen as a test bed for reforms in key areas of the economy, such as the financial and telecom sectors which previously were tightly controlled by the government.

China also said it will allow foreign firms to make gaming consoles within the free-trade zone and sell them across China – lifting a ban on gaming consoles which had been in place since 2000.

Analysts are hopeful that the Chinese economy has bottomed out, and will perform better later in the year.

China’s trade figures for March had shown a sharp drop in both imports and exports.

Earlier this month the World Bank lowered its growth forecast for the Chinese economy this year to 7.6% for this year from a previous prediction of 7.7%.

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Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince George arrive in Sydney

Lisa.Felice
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Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince George arrive in Sydney

Prince William, Kate Middleton and their son Prince George have arrived in Sydney for the next leg of their tour of New Zealand and Australia.

Prince George was in his mother’s arms as the royal couple emerged from a plane at Kingsford Smith Airport.

Kate Middleton carried the 8-month-old down the steps of the aircraft before she and Prince William were met by dignitaries.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will spend 10 days travelling across Australia, visiting its famous sites and honoring its war dead.

Australia’s PM Tony Abbott and Governor-general Peter Cosgrove, their spouses and other figures were among those who met Prince William and Kate Middleton as they descended from the plane.

Kate Middleton, wearing a yellow dress by Roksanda Ilincic, handed Prince George to his father as she accepted flowers from Joscelyn Sweeney, a 22-year-old with Down’s syndrome.

Prince William, Kate Middleton and their son Prince George have arrived in Sydney for the next leg of their tour of New Zealand and Australia
Prince William, Kate Middleton and their son Prince George have arrived in Sydney for the next leg of their tour of New Zealand and Australia (photo Reuters)

A lively Prince George, dressed in a white cotton babygrow with ships on the front, touched hands with the governor-general’s wife Lynne Cosgrove before his parents left for their first engagement at the Sydney Opera House.

Prince William and Kate Middleton completed the first leg of their trip Down Under with a tour of New Zealand.

They arrived in Australia on Wednesday for the second leg as a political scandal erupted, forcing one of the country’s senior figures to pull out of the official greeting party.

Barry O’Farrell resigned as premier of New South Wales just hours before Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived after a document emerged contradicting evidence he gave to an anti-corruption inquiry.

He admitted to a “massive memory fail” after he failed to declare a gift of A$3,000 wine.

The leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party had told an inquiry that he never received the wine and that he could not remember calling businessman Nick Di Girolamo, who sent him the gift in 2011.

Barry O’Farrell resigned after investigators unveiled a hand-written thank you note from him.

He had been due to greet the royal couple on the tarmac, and later at their visit to Sydney Opera House, but did not attend the welcome ceremony at the airport.

Barry O’Farrell was not replaced by another official.

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Sewol ferry carrying 476 people sinks off South Korea’s Jindo Island

Diane A. Wade
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Sewol ferry carrying 476 people sinks off South Korea’s Jindo Island

About 300 people remain unaccounted for after a ferry carrying 476 people capsized and sank off South Korea, killing at least two passengers.

The passenger ferry, named Sewol, carrying mainly school students, was travelling from the port of Incheon, in the north-west, to the southern resort island of Jeju.

A major rescue effort is under way, using dozens of ships and helicopters.

Several hours after the disaster, at least 290 people remained missing, local media said.

South Korean officials had earlier said that 368 people had been plucked to safety, but later said there had been a counting error.

They have now revised down the number rescued to about 180, Yonhap news agency reported.

Two people are known to have died and at least 13 others have been injured, reports say.

An official from Sanwon High School in Seoul’s Ansan suburb told Reuters that all 338 students and teachers aboard the ferry had been rescued, although that information was not immediately confirmed by authorities involved in the rescue operation.

The students aboard the Sewol were on their way to the resort island of Jeju on a school trip, according to local reports.

Images showed the ferry listing at a severe angle and then later almost completely submerged, with only a small part of its hull visible.

About 300 people remain unaccounted for after a ferry carrying 476 people capsized and sank off South Korea
About 300 people remain unaccounted for after a ferry carrying 476 people capsized and sank off South Korea (photo Reuters)

Pictures showed rescue teams balanced on the sinking hull pulling teenagers from cabin windows. Some of their classmates jumped into the sea as the ship went down.

Reports suggest some of those rescued were picked up by nearby commercial vessels.

Navy divers were now searching the scene for those unaccounted for, officials said.

One body, of a female crew member, had been recovered from the ship, the coastguard said. Another person is reported to have died after being rescued.

One student told local media her friends became trapped.

It is not yet clear what caused the incident, but witnesses described hearing an impact, before the ship listed and quickly sank.

One passenger told the YTN news channel: “We heard a big thumping sound and the boat stopped.

“The boat is tilting and we have to hold on to something to stay seated,” the passenger said.

Another passenger said the ship was “shaking and tilting”, with people tripping and bumping into each other.

Weather conditions were described as fine.

However, Reuters reported that heavy fog had set in overnight off the west coast, leading to the cancellation of many island passenger ferry services.

The Busan Regional Maritime Affairs & Port Administration confirmed that the ferry sent a distress call Wednesday morning local time.

News agencies said the ferry had sent out a distress signal about 12 miles off the island of Byungpoong at about 09:00 local time.

Earlier reports put the number of passengers on the ferry at about 350. The Sewol is reported to have a capacity of up to 900 people. Shipping records show it was built in Japan in 1994.

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Easter Leg of Lamb Recipe

Kathryn R. Bown
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Easter Leg of Lamb Recipe

Easter Leg of Lamb

 

Ingredients (8 servings):

1 (5 1/2 pound) boneless leg of lamb, tied in netting

Easter Leg of Lamb
Easter Leg of Lamb

20 cloves garlic, or more to taste

garlic powder, or to taste

10 fresh rosemary sprigs

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 F (165 C).
  2. Cut 20 deep slits evenly spaced around the leg of lamb without cutting the netting. Stuff a garlic clove into each slit. Rub garlic powder over the lamb. Slice rosemary sprigs under netting evenly around the lamb. Place lamb into a roasting pan.
  3. Roast in preheated oven until reddish-pink and juicy in the center for medium-rare, about 2-2 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 130 F (54 C). Cover in aluminum foil; rest meat until thermometer reads 135 F (57 C) before carving.

Boston holds tribute event to mark marathon bombing anniversary

Nancy Clayson
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Boston holds tribute event to mark marathon bombing anniversary

Boston is holding a tribute event on the anniversary of the deadly bombing at last year’s marathon.

Vice-President Joe Biden told survivors they were an example of “pure courage”.

Boston’s leaders thanked those who saved lives in the frenzied aftermath.

Three people were killed and some 264 injured when two bombs exploded near the finish line at last year’s Boston Marathon.

“I know that no memorial, no words, no acts can fully provide the solace that your hearts and soul still yearn to acquire,” Joe Biden said at a midday memorial program.

“I hope it eases your grief a little bit.”

Participants in Tuesday’s ceremonies included representatives from families of the victims, members of the city’s fire, police and ambulance services, government agencies and civic organizations.

Boston is holding a tribute event on the anniversary of the deadly bombing at last year's marathon
Boston is holding a tribute event on the anniversary of the deadly bombing at last year’s marathon (photo LA Times)

Dignitaries in attendance included Joe Biden, former Mayor Thomas Menino, current Mayor Martin Walsh, Governor Deval Patrick, Senator Elizabeth Warren, and others.

This year’s Boston Marathon is due to take place on April 21.

Tuesday’s memorial events began with a wreath-laying ceremony at the site of the explosions, attended by the families of the three bombing victims – Martin Richard, Krystle Campbell and Lu Lingzi.

Relatives of university police officer Sean Collier, who was killed during a manhunt for the suspects, also attended the solemn ceremony.

An invitation-only audience of about 2,500 people gathered at the city’s convention centre at midday to remember victims and honor those who responded to the attack.

“This day will always be hard, but this place will always be strong,” Thomas Menino said.

“Even though the memory still brings tears to our eyes and our heart aches for those we have lost, it’s a comfort to be here with family and friends who got us through that tragic day.”

Several survivors spoke at the event, including Patrick Downes and dancer Adrianne Haslet-Davis, both of whom lost their lower left legs in the bombings.

“We should have never met this way, but we are so grateful for each other,” Patrick Downes said, describing the sense of community that has developed among those who were injured.

The program finished with remarks from Joe Biden, who said last year, “the whole world witnessed ordinary people doing extraordinary things”.

The vice-president ended the tribute to loud applause: “We are Boston. We are America. We respond. We endure. We overcome, and we own the finish line.”

As the race approaches, officials have warned residents and visitors to expect a larger than normal police presence in the city streets.

However, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh said it would be “the Boston Marathon as it has always been”.

“Our goal is for everyone to enjoy the race,” he said.

City health officials say they have also made preparations to help those affected by the bombings cope with the anniversary.

Bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 20, is due to stand trial in November. He has pleaded not guilty to 30 charges, of which 17 carry the possibility of capital punishment.

Prosecutors allege that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev set off two pressure cooker bombs with his older brother Tamerlan, 26, who later died in a police shoot-out.

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London hair salon visited by North Korean officials over Kim Jong-un ad

Lisa.Felice
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London hair salon visited by North Korean officials over Kim Jong-un ad

London salon M&M Hair Academy has been visited by North Korean officials to question why it had used their leader Kim Jong-un’s picture in a poster offering haircuts.

The poster in M&M Hair Academy in South Ealing featured the words “Bad Hair Day?” below Kim Jong-un’s picture.

Barber Karim Nabbach said embassy officials were shown the door and the salon’s manager spoke to the police.

The Met Police said: “We have spoken to all parties involved and no offence has been disclosed.”

The salon put up the poster on April 9 and the next day two men claiming to be officials from the North Korean embassy visited the salon and demanded to meet the manager, Mo Nabbach.

M&M Hair Academy has been visited by North Korean officials to question why it had used their leader Kim Jong-un's picture in a poster offering haircuts
M&M Hair Academy has been visited by North Korean officials to question why it had used their leader Kim Jong-un’s picture in a poster offering haircuts (photo M&M Hair Academy)

Karim Nabbach said: “We put up posters for an offer for men’s hair cuts through the month of April. Obviously in the current news there has been this story that North Korean men are only allowed one haircut.

“We didn’t realise but the North Korean embassy is a 10-minute walk from the salon. The next day we had North Korean officials pop into the salon asking to speak to the manager.

“He said <<listen this isn’t North Korea, this is England, we live in a democracy so I’m afraid you’re going to have to get out of my salon>>.”

The manager later informed the police about the visit by the North Koreans and he was told the embassy had also contacted officers.

“We haven’t had any trouble since then, if anything the poster has become a tourist attraction,” Karim Nabbach said.

Last month it was reported by Radio Free Asia that male university students in North Korea were now required to get the same haircut as Kim Jong-un’s.

Flavor Flav pleads guilty to attempted battery

Lisa.Felice
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0
Flavor Flav pleads guilty to attempted battery

Flavor Flav has pleaded guilty to attempted battery after pulling a knife on the teenage son of his long-term girlfriend during an argument at their Las Vegas home.

Public Enemy rapper, whose real name is William Jonathan Drayton, had been facing more serious assault charges which carried a prison sentence of up to 12 years.

The boy said the musician had threatened to kill him.

Flavor Flav has since reconciled with his girlfriend and received counseling.

In court, the 55-year-old rapper told the judge: “I love my son and my son loves me, too.”

Flavor Flav has pleaded guilty to attempted battery after pulling a knife on the teenage son of his long-term girlfriend
Flavor Flav has pleaded guilty to attempted battery after pulling a knife on the teenage son of his long-term girlfriend

Flavor Flav admitted wielding a kitchen knife during the fight on October 17, 2012.

The teenager, who is now 18, testified that the musician chased him to a bedroom and stabbed the knife through the door.

He and his mother were not in court when Flavor Flav pleaded guilty to attempted battery that could have caused substantial injury and battery constituting domestic violence.

Outside court, the rapper said: “I’m standing here in front of the camera, not behind bars.”

If he violates the terms of his plea deal, he could face up to a year in jail, the judge said.

Public Enemy, the group that William Jonathan Drayton founded with fellow rapper Chuck D, are considered one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

Flavor Flav has also starred in several reality TV series, including The Surreal Life, Strange Love, and Flavor of Love.

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Oscar Pistorius trial: Reeva Steenkamp Valentine’s card presented to court

Clyde K. Valle
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Oscar Pistorius trial: Reeva Steenkamp Valentine’s card presented to court

Reeva Steenkamp Valentine’s card has been presented to court during Oscar Pistorius’ murder trial in Pretoria.

Reeva Steenkamp had intended to give the card to Oscar Pistorius before he shot her dead.

The athlete read the poem to the court after five days of gruelling cross-examination.

Earlier, Oscar Pistorius said he was “heartbroken” when he saw her body in the early hours of Valentine’s Day last February.

Oscar Pistorius denies murder, saying he fired through a door in fear, believing there was an intruder behind it.

The prosecution says he deliberately shot dead Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, after the couple had had an argument.

Oscar Pistorius, 27, faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder.

His defense lawyer Barry Roux presented to the court the Valentine card which Reeva Steenkamp had got the athlete.

Oscar Pistorius read out Reeva Steenkamp's Valentine Day card
Oscar Pistorius read out Reeva Steenkamp’s Valentine Day card

The double-amputee sprinter read the card out in a trembling voice.

The front of the card reads: “Roses are red, violets are blue…”

Inside, Reeva Steenkamp had written: “I think today is a good day to tell you that, I love you.”

Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead in the early hours of Valentine’s Day – before they had opened each other’s cards and gifts.

Oscar Pistorius has previously told the court he only opened the card on Reeva Steenkamp’s birthday, in August 2013.

On the final day of his cross-examination, Oscar Pistorius said that after shooting and realizing Reeva Steenkamp was not in the bedroom as he believed, he tried to break down the door with his shoulder, before using a cricket bat, all the time screaming in panic.

He said he stopped screaming when he finally opened the door and saw the body.

When prosecutor Gerrie Nel asked why, Oscar Pistorius replied, his voice trembling with emotion: “I was heartbroken… overcome with sadness.”

“I crouched down over her… and I checked to see if she was breathing or if she had a pulse,” he said.

But this was disputed by prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

“You fired four shots through the door whilst knowing that she was standing behind the door,” he said.

“She was locked into the bathroom and you armed yourself with the sole purpose of shooting and killing her.”

Oscar Pistorius replied: “That is not true.”

The athlete has previously said he and Reeva Steenkamp had spent a quiet evening together before he woke up on hearing a noise in the bathroom.

During the cross-examination, Oscar Pistorius broke down in tears on several occasions.

Gerrie Nel suggested that he was doing this on purpose when he was struggling to explain his actions.

Oscar Pistorius has now ended his testimony.

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Ukraine launches anti-terrorist operation against pro-Russian separatists

Roy Siemens
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Ukraine launches anti-terrorist operation against pro-Russian separatists

Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has announced the start of an “anti-terrorist operation” against pro-Russian separatists.

Oleksandr Turchynov told parliament it was being conducted “stage by stage, in a responsible… manner”.

Hours later, gunfire was heard at an airbase which officials said had been in the hands of militants.

Oleksandr Turchynov said the airbase at Kramatorsk had been “liberated” from “terrorists”.

Pro-Russian rebels have seized buildings in about 10 towns and cities across Ukraine’s eastern provinces, which form the heartland of Ukraine’s heavy industry.

Thousands of Russian troops are reported to be deployed along the border, kindling fears that any crackdown on the rebels could trigger an invasion.

Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has announced the start of an "anti-terrorist operation" against pro-Russian separatists
Ukraine’s acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has announced the start of an “anti-terrorist operation” against pro-Russian separatists

Russia annexed the Ukrainian province of Crimea last month, after it broke away and held a controversial referendum on self-determination.

A crowd of some 200 people remained on Tuesday evening, chanting slogans in favor of a referendum on the region’s future.

A spokesman for the Russian foreign ministry expressed “deep concern” at reports of casualties in eastern Ukraine, but these could not be confirmed.

Oleksandr Turchynov said the aim of the operation in the east was to “protect Ukrainian citizens, to stop the terror, to stop the crime, to stop the attempts to tear our country apart”.

Protesters gathered outside parliament in Kiev to demand action against the separatists.

There were reports overnight of gun attacks on rebel checkpoints near the Donetsk town of Sloviansk, where pro-Russian militants seized a police station and a security services building at the weekend.

A police building in Kramatorsk was also seized but the militants there have reportedly now handed back control to the police.

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Nigeria: 100 schoolgirls abducted by gunmen in Chibok

Roy Siemens
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Nigeria: 100 schoolgirls abducted by gunmen in Chibok

Boko Haram gunmen abducted around 100 schoolgirls in an attack on a school in north-east Nigeria, officials say.

The attackers reportedly arrived at the school in Chibok, Borno state, late last night, and ordered the hostel’s teenage residents on to lorries.

The attackers are believed to be from the Islamist group, Boko Haram, whose militants frequently target schools.

On Monday, bombings blamed on the group killed more than 70 people in the capital, Abuja.

Boko Haram gunmen abducted around 100 schoolgirls in an attack on a school in north-east Nigeria
Boko Haram gunmen abducted around 100 schoolgirls in an attack on a school in north-east Nigeria

Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is forbidden” in the local Hausa language, has been waging an armed campaign for an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.

The exact number of missing students had yet to be established, as some of the girls had managed to return to their homes.

“Many girls were abducted by the rampaging gunmen who stormed the school in a convoy of vehicles,” AFP news agency quotes Emmanuel Sam, an education official in Chibok, as saying.

Another witness, who requested anonymity, told AFP that gunmen overpowered soldiers who had been deployed to provide extra security ahead of annual exams.

The schoolgirl said the men loaded the food items in the store into a truck and ordered some of the girls to climb in.

The other girls were packed into a bus and two other trucks, one carrying sacks of food and the other petrol.

The girl said the convoy had passed about three villages when the truck she was in developed a fault and was forced to slow down.

This gave her and about 10 to 15 other girls the opportunity to jump off and escape into the bush.

Nigerian media reported that two members of the security forces had been killed, and residents said 170 houses were burnt down during the attack.

Boko Haram emerged as a critic of Western-style education, and its militants frequently target schools and educational institutions.

This year, the group’s fighters have killed more than 1,500 civilians in three states in north-east Nigeria, which are currently under emergency rule.

The Nigerian government recently said that Boko Haram’s activities were confined to that part of the country.

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