News Info - Police in the northern French city of Calais are removing about 800 migrants from Asia, the Middle East and Africa who are occupying camps near the port.
premenstrual syndrome - The authorities say the evictions are needed to deal with an outbreak of scabies in the camps, where numbers have swelled in recent months.
The migrants have been trying to get to Britain, and say they have nowhere else to go after the camps are destroyed.
Police moved into the site after a deadline for people to leave expired.
Several busloads of police in riot gear arrived at the camps early on Wednesday.
After a stand-off with local activists, the officers moved in and told migrants to pack their bags. Many seem resigned to moving on, the BBC's Paul Adams at the site says.
An Eritrean man said he had tried to cross the English Channel by boarding lorries but was stopped by police several times. "I will try again and again," he told the BBC.
Most people at the camps believe the UK will be a more welcoming place if only they can get there, our correspondent says.
In 2002 the French government closed the main Red Cross centre at Sangatte near Calais, but insanitary illegal camps have sprung up in its place.
Wednesday 28 May 2014
Thailand coup
News Info - Thailand's army says it has now released 124 people, including politicians and activists, who were taken into custody after the coup.
An army spokesman said a total of 253 people had been summoned. Fifty-three did not report and 76 were in custody.
animal fact - Conditions for the release appear to include agreeing to avoid political activity and informing the army of travel, a BBC correspondent said.
Coup leaders, who took power last week, received royal endorsement on Monday.
Thailand's former prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, has been released but remains under some restrictions.
Aside from politicians and activists, academics have also been detained.
The military seized power in Thailand on 22 May, saying it wanted to return stability to the country after months of unrest.
How is Thailand's curfew being imposed?
The move followed six months of political deadlock as protesters rallied against Ms Yingluck's government. At least 28 people were killed and hundreds injured over the course of the protests.
But the coup, which removed an elected government, has drawn widespread international criticism.
Leaders of the anti-government movement have been released from custody but representatives of those who support the government remain in detention.
Correspondents say there is also a degree of scepticism about the total number of people in custody, with reports of more widespread detentions.
Rights groups have expressed alarm over the detentions, as well as the tight restrictions on media.
Television stations on Wednesday aired footage from the military showing five detainees, including pro-government "red-shirt" leader Jatuporn Prompan, at an unidentified location, in an apparent move to show they were being treated well.
Experts have said that the coup is unlikely to heal highly polarised political divisions in the country.
The current deadlock dates from 2006, when the military ousted Ms Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, in a coup.
Both have strong support in rural and northern areas, propelling them to successive election wins.
However, many in the middle class and urban elite, who comprise the heart of the anti-government movement that began in November 2013, oppose them bitterly.
An army spokesman said a total of 253 people had been summoned. Fifty-three did not report and 76 were in custody.
animal fact - Conditions for the release appear to include agreeing to avoid political activity and informing the army of travel, a BBC correspondent said.
Coup leaders, who took power last week, received royal endorsement on Monday.
Thailand's former prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, has been released but remains under some restrictions.
Aside from politicians and activists, academics have also been detained.
The military seized power in Thailand on 22 May, saying it wanted to return stability to the country after months of unrest.
How is Thailand's curfew being imposed?
The move followed six months of political deadlock as protesters rallied against Ms Yingluck's government. At least 28 people were killed and hundreds injured over the course of the protests.
But the coup, which removed an elected government, has drawn widespread international criticism.
Leaders of the anti-government movement have been released from custody but representatives of those who support the government remain in detention.
Correspondents say there is also a degree of scepticism about the total number of people in custody, with reports of more widespread detentions.
Rights groups have expressed alarm over the detentions, as well as the tight restrictions on media.
Television stations on Wednesday aired footage from the military showing five detainees, including pro-government "red-shirt" leader Jatuporn Prompan, at an unidentified location, in an apparent move to show they were being treated well.
Experts have said that the coup is unlikely to heal highly polarised political divisions in the country.
The current deadlock dates from 2006, when the military ousted Ms Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, in a coup.
Both have strong support in rural and northern areas, propelling them to successive election wins.
However, many in the middle class and urban elite, who comprise the heart of the anti-government movement that began in November 2013, oppose them bitterly.
Leaders agree to review EU agenda at Brussels summit
News Info - EU leaders have agreed to re-evaluate the bloc's agenda after voters "sent a strong message", European Council President Herman Van Rompuy has said.
horn of africa - Mr Van Rompuy said leaders of the 28 member states had asked him to launch consultations on future policies.
He was speaking after a meeting in Brussels to discuss big election gains by populist and far-right parties.
The results of the European Parliament election led to calls for an EU rethink by those leaders who suffered defeats.
But despite gains by anti-EU groups, pro-European parties still won most votes overall.
Tuesday's summit was the first opportunity for leaders of all member states to discuss the way forward after last week's polls.
Matthew Price, BBC News, Brussels
The European Union faces perhaps one of the defining moments in its history - how to deal in the coming years with the growing number of voters who want to reduce the power of Brussels, or even get rid of it all together. European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said all leaders had agreed on the outline of a way forward.
There needed to be a focus on economic growth, and jobs to reconnect with those struggling in the economic crisis, he said. He referred to a desire to maintain even develop freedom of movement for the blocs 500m citizens.
But at the same time the EU must combat irregular migration, crime and fraud. Leaders also said a balance needed to be found on what is best done at a European level and what at a national level.
The BBC's Chris Morris says reforms could include less regulation and less focus on economic austerity policies, while measures to boost growth and create jobs could address voter discontent.
Mr Van Rompuy said the results of the European elections had shown "a mix of continuity and change" and that the Eurosceptic message from voters was "at the heart" of discussions between leaders.
He said the meeting in Brussels had been a "useful first discussion" and that EU leaders had agreed on putting the economy at the heart of the group's agenda.
"As the union emerges from the financial crisis it needs a positive agenda of growth," he said, repeating a common refrain of what is needed to reverse growing anti-EU sentiment.
'France cannot live isolated'
President Francois Hollande asked Europe to "pay attention" to France after describing his Socialist party's defeat to the far-right National Front as "painful."
The National Front - which Germany's finance minister described as "fascist" - stormed to victory with a preliminary 25% of the vote, pushing Mr Hollande's Socialists into third place.
National Front President Marine Le Pen said she would use her electoral mandate to "defend France" and fight "crazy measures like votes for immigrants."
Speaking after EU leaders met in Brussels, Mr Hollande said the National Front victory was "traumatic for France and Europe."
"France cannot live isolated and frightened. Its destiny is in Europe," he added.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country had the "utmost interest in France being successful", adding that she would do all she could to help growth and competitiveness in the French economy.
Mr Van Rompuy also told reporters that he would hold talks with the political groups to be formed in the European Parliament on who will be named to head the next Commission, the EU's executive arm.
On the latest projections, the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) will be the biggest political group and its candidate is former Luxembourg premier Jean-Claude Juncker.
The German chancellor, whose Christian Democrat party is part of the EPP, indicated Mr Juncker may not end up leading the Commission, after some member states expressed reservations about him.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who sees Mr Juncker as too much of an EU federalist, is among those opposed to his nomination.
EU leaders have traditionally named the Commission head on their own, but under new rules they now have "to take account" of the European election results.
Our correspondent says the process for choosing the president of the Commission could produce fireworks amid rumblings over interpretations of the Lisbon Treaty.
But Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said that while there would be no time limit on Mr Van Rompuy, he would be expected to report back within two or three weeks.
"It should not be dragged out too long," Mr Kenny said.
horn of africa - Mr Van Rompuy said leaders of the 28 member states had asked him to launch consultations on future policies.
He was speaking after a meeting in Brussels to discuss big election gains by populist and far-right parties.
The results of the European Parliament election led to calls for an EU rethink by those leaders who suffered defeats.
But despite gains by anti-EU groups, pro-European parties still won most votes overall.
Tuesday's summit was the first opportunity for leaders of all member states to discuss the way forward after last week's polls.
Matthew Price, BBC News, Brussels
The European Union faces perhaps one of the defining moments in its history - how to deal in the coming years with the growing number of voters who want to reduce the power of Brussels, or even get rid of it all together. European Council President Herman Van Rompuy said all leaders had agreed on the outline of a way forward.
There needed to be a focus on economic growth, and jobs to reconnect with those struggling in the economic crisis, he said. He referred to a desire to maintain even develop freedom of movement for the blocs 500m citizens.
But at the same time the EU must combat irregular migration, crime and fraud. Leaders also said a balance needed to be found on what is best done at a European level and what at a national level.
The BBC's Chris Morris says reforms could include less regulation and less focus on economic austerity policies, while measures to boost growth and create jobs could address voter discontent.
Mr Van Rompuy said the results of the European elections had shown "a mix of continuity and change" and that the Eurosceptic message from voters was "at the heart" of discussions between leaders.
He said the meeting in Brussels had been a "useful first discussion" and that EU leaders had agreed on putting the economy at the heart of the group's agenda.
"As the union emerges from the financial crisis it needs a positive agenda of growth," he said, repeating a common refrain of what is needed to reverse growing anti-EU sentiment.
'France cannot live isolated'
President Francois Hollande asked Europe to "pay attention" to France after describing his Socialist party's defeat to the far-right National Front as "painful."
The National Front - which Germany's finance minister described as "fascist" - stormed to victory with a preliminary 25% of the vote, pushing Mr Hollande's Socialists into third place.
National Front President Marine Le Pen said she would use her electoral mandate to "defend France" and fight "crazy measures like votes for immigrants."
Speaking after EU leaders met in Brussels, Mr Hollande said the National Front victory was "traumatic for France and Europe."
"France cannot live isolated and frightened. Its destiny is in Europe," he added.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country had the "utmost interest in France being successful", adding that she would do all she could to help growth and competitiveness in the French economy.
Mr Van Rompuy also told reporters that he would hold talks with the political groups to be formed in the European Parliament on who will be named to head the next Commission, the EU's executive arm.
On the latest projections, the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) will be the biggest political group and its candidate is former Luxembourg premier Jean-Claude Juncker.
The German chancellor, whose Christian Democrat party is part of the EPP, indicated Mr Juncker may not end up leading the Commission, after some member states expressed reservations about him.
UK Prime Minister David Cameron, who sees Mr Juncker as too much of an EU federalist, is among those opposed to his nomination.
EU leaders have traditionally named the Commission head on their own, but under new rules they now have "to take account" of the European election results.
Our correspondent says the process for choosing the president of the Commission could produce fireworks amid rumblings over interpretations of the Lisbon Treaty.
But Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny said that while there would be no time limit on Mr Van Rompuy, he would be expected to report back within two or three weeks.
"It should not be dragged out too long," Mr Kenny said.
South Korea hospice fire kills 21
News Info - At least 20 patients and a nurse have been killed in a fire at a hospice in Janseong county, South Korea.
premenstrual syndrome - Six others are in critical condition after the fire at Hyosarang Hospital, about 300km south of Seoul.
Most of those who died are thought to have been in their 70s and 80s, and confined to their beds.
Officials said most of the people who died suffocated because of toxic fumes. The fire was put out within half an hour.
Police said they had detained an 81-year-old patient suffering from dementia after security video footage showed him entering an area where the fire began, reports said.
The fire broke out shortly after midnight at a three-storey annex.
Agencies report that many patients on an upper floor of the building were unable to evacuate as their rooms were filled with smoke from the fire.
The nurse who died had been trying to douse the flames with a fire extinguisher, according to Agence-France Presse.
Police said the building had recently undergone safety checks, reported Yonhap news agency.
A director of the hospice, Lee Hyung-seok, apologised and told reporters: "I've committed a grave sin... There is no excuse when valuable lives were sacrificed."
The incident comes at a time of mourning for South Korea after more than 300 people died in a ferry sinking last month.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye has formally apologised to the nation for the ferry disaster, promising to improve safety standards.
The prime minister at the time, Chung Hong-won, resigned over the government's handling of the disaster.
The hospital incident also comes a day after seven people were killed and 20 others injured in a fire at a bus terminal in Goyang city.
premenstrual syndrome - Six others are in critical condition after the fire at Hyosarang Hospital, about 300km south of Seoul.
Most of those who died are thought to have been in their 70s and 80s, and confined to their beds.
Officials said most of the people who died suffocated because of toxic fumes. The fire was put out within half an hour.
Police said they had detained an 81-year-old patient suffering from dementia after security video footage showed him entering an area where the fire began, reports said.
The fire broke out shortly after midnight at a three-storey annex.
Agencies report that many patients on an upper floor of the building were unable to evacuate as their rooms were filled with smoke from the fire.
The nurse who died had been trying to douse the flames with a fire extinguisher, according to Agence-France Presse.
Police said the building had recently undergone safety checks, reported Yonhap news agency.
A director of the hospice, Lee Hyung-seok, apologised and told reporters: "I've committed a grave sin... There is no excuse when valuable lives were sacrificed."
The incident comes at a time of mourning for South Korea after more than 300 people died in a ferry sinking last month.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye has formally apologised to the nation for the ferry disaster, promising to improve safety standards.
The prime minister at the time, Chung Hong-won, resigned over the government's handling of the disaster.
The hospital incident also comes a day after seven people were killed and 20 others injured in a fire at a bus terminal in Goyang city.
Pakistan woman
News Info - A Pakistani woman has been killed by her relatives outside Lahore High Court for marrying against their wishes.
menstrual cramps - Police said 30-year old Farzana Bibi died on the spot after being attacked with bricks and sticks.
Her father handed himself in, but police say her brothers and former fiance, who also took part in the attack, were still free.
Correspondents say hundreds of girls and women in Pakistan are killed every year by family members.
However, many more killings are believed to go unreported.
Farzana Bibi's parents accused her husband, Muhammad Iqbal, of kidnapping her, and had filed a case against him at the High Court.
However, she testified to police that she had married him of her own accord. Police said the couple had been engaged for a number of years.
As she arrived at the court building for a hearing, police said about a dozen family members pulled her aside and began to attack her and her husband, who managed to escape.
Police official Umer Cheema told Reuters that all the family members escaped after the killing, apart from her father, who has admitted his role in her death.
The BBC's Shumaila Jaffery says marriage against the wishes of relatives is culturally unacceptable in some parts of Pakistan.
Under Pakistani law, the victim's family is allowed to forgive the killer. However, in many cases family members are themselves responsible for the killing.
menstrual cramps - Police said 30-year old Farzana Bibi died on the spot after being attacked with bricks and sticks.
Her father handed himself in, but police say her brothers and former fiance, who also took part in the attack, were still free.
Correspondents say hundreds of girls and women in Pakistan are killed every year by family members.
However, many more killings are believed to go unreported.
Farzana Bibi's parents accused her husband, Muhammad Iqbal, of kidnapping her, and had filed a case against him at the High Court.
However, she testified to police that she had married him of her own accord. Police said the couple had been engaged for a number of years.
As she arrived at the court building for a hearing, police said about a dozen family members pulled her aside and began to attack her and her husband, who managed to escape.
Police official Umer Cheema told Reuters that all the family members escaped after the killing, apart from her father, who has admitted his role in her death.
The BBC's Shumaila Jaffery says marriage against the wishes of relatives is culturally unacceptable in some parts of Pakistan.
Under Pakistani law, the victim's family is allowed to forgive the killer. However, in many cases family members are themselves responsible for the killing.
Sunday 25 May 2014
Manchester United's brand 'devalued' by weak season
News Info - The value of the Manchester United brand has been damaged by a disappointing season according to a study by consultancy Brand Finance.
They say United's brand is worth $739m (£439m), down $98m on last year.
That makes it the third most valuable football brand after Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
menstrual cramps - Real Madrid's victory in the Champions League final on Saturday helped boost its brand value. The club already has the biggest sales of any football club.
'Solid footing'
The authors say an improvement in the Spanish economy could help the club retain the top brand spot.
And they add that "with arguably the finest player in the world in the shape of Ronaldo" and now a first Champions League title since 2002, "Real's brand is back on a solid footing".
Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid win their 10th European Cup as they finally overcame neighbours Atletico Madrid in a compelling Champions League final in Lisbon.
But despite Real's strong season, Bayern Munich has the most valuable brand in football for the second year running according to the report.
The authors point to the Bavarian club's record points haul in winning the Bundesliga title in the 2013-14 season.
English clubs Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are placed from fifth to eighth most valuable.
United revival?
Manchester United will be hoping the appointment of Louis van Gaal will reverse its fortunes both on and off the pitch next season.
Speaking on Dutch TV station RTL last week, Mr Van Gaal said his immediate objectives were to return United to "number one spot" as soon as possible, and that fans "will think they are champions of England again within a year".
The Brand Finance report said that "shrewd commercial management" has shielded Manchester United's brand from more serious damage.
"However, another season in the wilderness, outside the Champions League, will see brand value truly plunge, and leave few sponsors willing to do a deal with the [Red] Devils," the report said.
For the three months to the end of March, Manchester United reported profits of £11m, up from £3.6m a year ago. The club also posted record revenues of £115.5m for the period.
Brand Finance defines brand value as the cost another party would have to pay to license the use of a brand.
To calculate that cost the consultancy looked at a range of factors, including the mix of revenue, value of squad, and club heritage.
They say United's brand is worth $739m (£439m), down $98m on last year.
That makes it the third most valuable football brand after Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
menstrual cramps - Real Madrid's victory in the Champions League final on Saturday helped boost its brand value. The club already has the biggest sales of any football club.
'Solid footing'
The authors say an improvement in the Spanish economy could help the club retain the top brand spot.
And they add that "with arguably the finest player in the world in the shape of Ronaldo" and now a first Champions League title since 2002, "Real's brand is back on a solid footing".
Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid win their 10th European Cup as they finally overcame neighbours Atletico Madrid in a compelling Champions League final in Lisbon.
But despite Real's strong season, Bayern Munich has the most valuable brand in football for the second year running according to the report.
The authors point to the Bavarian club's record points haul in winning the Bundesliga title in the 2013-14 season.
English clubs Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are placed from fifth to eighth most valuable.
United revival?
Manchester United will be hoping the appointment of Louis van Gaal will reverse its fortunes both on and off the pitch next season.
Speaking on Dutch TV station RTL last week, Mr Van Gaal said his immediate objectives were to return United to "number one spot" as soon as possible, and that fans "will think they are champions of England again within a year".
The Brand Finance report said that "shrewd commercial management" has shielded Manchester United's brand from more serious damage.
"However, another season in the wilderness, outside the Champions League, will see brand value truly plunge, and leave few sponsors willing to do a deal with the [Red] Devils," the report said.
For the three months to the end of March, Manchester United reported profits of £11m, up from £3.6m a year ago. The club also posted record revenues of £115.5m for the period.
Brand Finance defines brand value as the cost another party would have to pay to license the use of a brand.
To calculate that cost the consultancy looked at a range of factors, including the mix of revenue, value of squad, and club heritage.
Egypt to elect new president
News Info - Polls are due to open across Egypt for two days of voting to choose a new president.
A huge security operation is under way for the vote, which will elect a successor to Mohammed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected leader who was ousted by the military last year.
animal fact - Analysts predict an easy victory for Abdul Fattah al-Sisi the former army leader who led the removal of Mr Morsi.
The only other candidate is veteran left-winger Hamdeen Sabahi.
The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Cairo says the huge security operation drums home a familiar message from Egypt's military-backed interim authorities - that the dangers of Islamist militants are ever present.
Mr Sisi, 59, appeals to Egyptians who crave stability after years of political upheaval and anything else than an easy win for him would be a source of astonishment, he adds.
President Morsi was deposed last July following mass protests and he is standing trial on a raft of charges. He strongly denies any wrongdoing.
Egypt's military authorities have since clamped down hard on Mr Morsi's party, the Muslim Brotherhood, declaring it a "terrorist organisation" and arresting its senior leaders and thousands of its members.
In his election campaign, Mr Sisi has set out plans to develop agriculture, housing, education, impoverished areas and employment.
He is backed by several big businessmen as well as a broad range of political parties from the Islamist right to the moderate left.
Hamdeen Sabahi, a previous presidential contender, offers an alternative to young voters who favour a civilian candidate over a former military one.
He promises to combat corruption and incompetence while promoting civil rights.
Both candidates say they will not re-legalise the Muslim Brotherhood.
A huge security operation is under way for the vote, which will elect a successor to Mohammed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically elected leader who was ousted by the military last year.
animal fact - Analysts predict an easy victory for Abdul Fattah al-Sisi the former army leader who led the removal of Mr Morsi.
The only other candidate is veteran left-winger Hamdeen Sabahi.
The BBC's Kevin Connolly in Cairo says the huge security operation drums home a familiar message from Egypt's military-backed interim authorities - that the dangers of Islamist militants are ever present.
Mr Sisi, 59, appeals to Egyptians who crave stability after years of political upheaval and anything else than an easy win for him would be a source of astonishment, he adds.
President Morsi was deposed last July following mass protests and he is standing trial on a raft of charges. He strongly denies any wrongdoing.
Egypt's military authorities have since clamped down hard on Mr Morsi's party, the Muslim Brotherhood, declaring it a "terrorist organisation" and arresting its senior leaders and thousands of its members.
In his election campaign, Mr Sisi has set out plans to develop agriculture, housing, education, impoverished areas and employment.
He is backed by several big businessmen as well as a broad range of political parties from the Islamist right to the moderate left.
Hamdeen Sabahi, a previous presidential contender, offers an alternative to young voters who favour a civilian candidate over a former military one.
He promises to combat corruption and incompetence while promoting civil rights.
Both candidates say they will not re-legalise the Muslim Brotherhood.
'Murder probe' as Briton dies in Bali
News Info - The Foreign Office has confirmed the death of a British national on the Indonesian island of Bali.
Reports have named her as Anne-Marie Drozdz, who is thought to be in her forties and from Leicestershire.
Indonesian police suspect the woman was murdered, according to the AFP news agency.
horn of africa - The agency quoted police as saying she was found dead by the owner of a villa where she was staying in the tourist district of Ubud.
Police say the door to the property the woman was damaged and she had a black cloth over her face, said AFP.
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Bali on 22 May.
"We are providing consular assistance to the family."
A police spokesman told AFP: "She was found by the owner of the villa lying dead on the floor with a black cloth over her face.
"The door was damaged and there were dried up pools of blood on the floor."
Police also told the agency the woman had been renting the villa since 17 May.
Ida Bagus Putu Alitin, the head of forensics at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar on the island, told AFP that the woman's body showed bruises on the neck and around the mouth.
"But we will wait until permission from her family and police to carry out an autopsy," Alitin said.
Reports have named her as Anne-Marie Drozdz, who is thought to be in her forties and from Leicestershire.
Indonesian police suspect the woman was murdered, according to the AFP news agency.
horn of africa - The agency quoted police as saying she was found dead by the owner of a villa where she was staying in the tourist district of Ubud.
Police say the door to the property the woman was damaged and she had a black cloth over her face, said AFP.
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Bali on 22 May.
"We are providing consular assistance to the family."
A police spokesman told AFP: "She was found by the owner of the villa lying dead on the floor with a black cloth over her face.
"The door was damaged and there were dried up pools of blood on the floor."
Police also told the agency the woman had been renting the villa since 17 May.
Ida Bagus Putu Alitin, the head of forensics at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar on the island, told AFP that the woman's body showed bruises on the neck and around the mouth.
"But we will wait until permission from her family and police to carry out an autopsy," Alitin said.
Ukraine's Petro Poroshenko pledges 'end to war'
News Info - Petro Poroshenko, who looks set to win Ukraine's presidential election, says he wants to "end war and bring peace".
Official results are expected on Monday but exit polls suggest the billionaire confectionary magnate has won the election with about 56% of the vote.
premenstrual syndrome - He said his first step as president would be to visit the eastern Donbass region where pro-Russian separatists have seized control in many areas.
He also said Kiev would never recognise Russia's "occupation" of Crimea.
The election came three months after pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev amid bloody street protests and calls for closer ties with the EU.
Since then, Russia has annexed the Crimean peninsula in southern Ukraine and armed separatists in the eastern Donbass provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk have declared independence from Kiev.
Ukraine's interim government is engaged in an offensive in the east to quash the uprising that has left dozens dead.
Pro-Russian separatists severely disrupted voting there. No polling stations were open in Donetsk city, and across the region only seven out of 12 district electoral commissions were operating.
However, the central elections commission said about 60% of Ukraine's 35.5 million eligible voters turned out.
"My first decisive step will be aimed at ending the war, ending chaos, and bringing peace to a united and free Ukraine," Mr Poroshenko said at a press conference in Kiev.
"I am certain that our decisive actions will bring fairly quick results."
He also promised a dialogue with people in eastern Ukraine if he is elected.
"For those people who don't take (up) weapons, we are always ready for negotiations to guarantee them security, to guarantee their rights, including speaking the language they want," he said in English.
Mr Poroshenko said he would also like to negotiate a new security treaty with Moscow.
Although he strongly backs closer ties with the EU, Mr Poroshenko also stresses the need to normalise ties with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to recognise the result of the election.
Kiev and the West accuse Russia of fomenting separatist sentiment - a claim President Putin denies.
US President Barack Obama hailed the election as an "important step forward in the efforts of the Ukrainian government to unify the country".
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague called the election a "decisive signal" of Ukraine's support for reform.
If the exit polls are confirmed, there will be no need for a run-off vote next month.
Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was Mr Poroshenko's nearest rival with 12.9% of the vote, according to the exit polls.
After polls closed, Mr Poroshenko appeared on stage beside former boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, who had once been tipped as a presidential candidate but later decided to support Mr Poroshenko.
In local elections also held on Sunday, Mr Klitschko looked set to become the mayor of Kiev.
Official results are expected on Monday but exit polls suggest the billionaire confectionary magnate has won the election with about 56% of the vote.
premenstrual syndrome - He said his first step as president would be to visit the eastern Donbass region where pro-Russian separatists have seized control in many areas.
He also said Kiev would never recognise Russia's "occupation" of Crimea.
The election came three months after pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev amid bloody street protests and calls for closer ties with the EU.
Since then, Russia has annexed the Crimean peninsula in southern Ukraine and armed separatists in the eastern Donbass provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk have declared independence from Kiev.
Ukraine's interim government is engaged in an offensive in the east to quash the uprising that has left dozens dead.
Pro-Russian separatists severely disrupted voting there. No polling stations were open in Donetsk city, and across the region only seven out of 12 district electoral commissions were operating.
However, the central elections commission said about 60% of Ukraine's 35.5 million eligible voters turned out.
"My first decisive step will be aimed at ending the war, ending chaos, and bringing peace to a united and free Ukraine," Mr Poroshenko said at a press conference in Kiev.
"I am certain that our decisive actions will bring fairly quick results."
He also promised a dialogue with people in eastern Ukraine if he is elected.
"For those people who don't take (up) weapons, we are always ready for negotiations to guarantee them security, to guarantee their rights, including speaking the language they want," he said in English.
Mr Poroshenko said he would also like to negotiate a new security treaty with Moscow.
Although he strongly backs closer ties with the EU, Mr Poroshenko also stresses the need to normalise ties with Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised to recognise the result of the election.
Kiev and the West accuse Russia of fomenting separatist sentiment - a claim President Putin denies.
US President Barack Obama hailed the election as an "important step forward in the efforts of the Ukrainian government to unify the country".
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague called the election a "decisive signal" of Ukraine's support for reform.
If the exit polls are confirmed, there will be no need for a run-off vote next month.
Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko was Mr Poroshenko's nearest rival with 12.9% of the vote, according to the exit polls.
After polls closed, Mr Poroshenko appeared on stage beside former boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, who had once been tipped as a presidential candidate but later decided to support Mr Poroshenko.
In local elections also held on Sunday, Mr Klitschko looked set to become the mayor of Kiev.
Pope prays at Israel's West Bank separation barrier
News Info - Pope Francis has prayed at the concrete barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank during his three-day tour of the Middle East.
The unscheduled stop came after he called for an end to the "increasingly unacceptable" Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Speaking in Bethlehem, the Pope invited the Israeli and Palestinian presidents to the Vatican to pray for peace.
The tour's official purpose is to improve ties with the Orthodox Church.
menstrual cramps - The Pope is to meet Bartholomew I, the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, in Jerusalem later - to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a historic meeting of Catholic and Orthodox leaders who moved to end 900 years of division between the two churches.
Francis's visit comes just weeks after peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down, and his invitation to Rome for Presidents Peres and Abbas - quickly welcomed by both - is an intriguing development, says BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen.
Following the Mass in Bethlehem, the Pope flew by helicopter to Tel Aviv where he was formally welcomed to Israel by President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Jeremy Bowen, BBC News, Bethlehem
This has turned into a much better than expected visit for the Palestinians, according to a PLO official I spoke to here in Bethlehem.
Palestinians have used social media to post pictures of Pope Francis praying at the 8m concrete wall that separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem. The Israelis say the wall and other parts of the separation barrier are vital for the security of their people. But for Palestinians the wall is tangible symbol of what they say is Israel's intention to grab as much land as possible.
The invitation to Rome for President Peres of Israel and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is an intriguing development, at a time when negotiations have collapsed. The Pope's spokesman said it was a papal peace initiative, based on the Pope's moral and spiritual authority.
line
"The time has come to put an end to this situation which has become increasingly unacceptable," the Pope said on Sunday as he met Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
He talked of the "tragic consequences of the protracted conflict" and the need "to intensify efforts and initiatives" to create a stable peace - based on a two-state solution.
He later held an open-air Mass for 8,000 local Christians by Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, during which he said he wished to invite Mr Abbas and Mr Peres to join him at the Vatican "in heartfelt prayer to God for the gift of peace".
The Pope's spokesman, Federico Lombardi, told the BBC the move was papal peace initiative and believed to be the first of its kind.
Pope Francis has insisted the purpose of his Middle East trip is purely religious, but his first speech on his arrival in Bethlehem showed he is also willing to address pressing political issues, correspondents say.
On his way to Bethlehem, he stopped to pray at an 8m concrete wall that is part of the barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank.
The Pope rested his head against the wall - which Israel says is needed for security, but the Palestinians see as a land grab - near graffiti reading: "Free Palestine."
Palestinian officials have noted that Pope Francis is the first pontiff to travel directly to the West Bank rather than enter via Israel: Many Palestinians see that as a recognition of their push for full statehood.
Papal precedents
Israel has issued restraining orders against several Jewish right-wing activists this week over concerns that they could try to disrupt the visit.
Twenty-six people were arrested overnight for throwing stones and bottles at police during a protest at a holy site on Mount Zion, reports say.
The Pope's tour began on Saturday with a visit to Jordan.
On Monday he is due to visit the al-Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem's Old City followed by the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall.
Pope Francis will be the fourth leader of the modern Roman Catholic Church to visit Jerusalem, after Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who went there in 2009.
The unscheduled stop came after he called for an end to the "increasingly unacceptable" Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Speaking in Bethlehem, the Pope invited the Israeli and Palestinian presidents to the Vatican to pray for peace.
The tour's official purpose is to improve ties with the Orthodox Church.
menstrual cramps - The Pope is to meet Bartholomew I, the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, in Jerusalem later - to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a historic meeting of Catholic and Orthodox leaders who moved to end 900 years of division between the two churches.
Francis's visit comes just weeks after peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down, and his invitation to Rome for Presidents Peres and Abbas - quickly welcomed by both - is an intriguing development, says BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen.
Following the Mass in Bethlehem, the Pope flew by helicopter to Tel Aviv where he was formally welcomed to Israel by President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Jeremy Bowen, BBC News, Bethlehem
This has turned into a much better than expected visit for the Palestinians, according to a PLO official I spoke to here in Bethlehem.
Palestinians have used social media to post pictures of Pope Francis praying at the 8m concrete wall that separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem. The Israelis say the wall and other parts of the separation barrier are vital for the security of their people. But for Palestinians the wall is tangible symbol of what they say is Israel's intention to grab as much land as possible.
The invitation to Rome for President Peres of Israel and the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is an intriguing development, at a time when negotiations have collapsed. The Pope's spokesman said it was a papal peace initiative, based on the Pope's moral and spiritual authority.
line
"The time has come to put an end to this situation which has become increasingly unacceptable," the Pope said on Sunday as he met Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.
He talked of the "tragic consequences of the protracted conflict" and the need "to intensify efforts and initiatives" to create a stable peace - based on a two-state solution.
He later held an open-air Mass for 8,000 local Christians by Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, during which he said he wished to invite Mr Abbas and Mr Peres to join him at the Vatican "in heartfelt prayer to God for the gift of peace".
The Pope's spokesman, Federico Lombardi, told the BBC the move was papal peace initiative and believed to be the first of its kind.
Pope Francis has insisted the purpose of his Middle East trip is purely religious, but his first speech on his arrival in Bethlehem showed he is also willing to address pressing political issues, correspondents say.
On his way to Bethlehem, he stopped to pray at an 8m concrete wall that is part of the barrier Israel is building in and around the West Bank.
The Pope rested his head against the wall - which Israel says is needed for security, but the Palestinians see as a land grab - near graffiti reading: "Free Palestine."
Palestinian officials have noted that Pope Francis is the first pontiff to travel directly to the West Bank rather than enter via Israel: Many Palestinians see that as a recognition of their push for full statehood.
Papal precedents
Israel has issued restraining orders against several Jewish right-wing activists this week over concerns that they could try to disrupt the visit.
Twenty-six people were arrested overnight for throwing stones and bottles at police during a protest at a holy site on Mount Zion, reports say.
The Pope's tour began on Saturday with a visit to Jordan.
On Monday he is due to visit the al-Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem's Old City followed by the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall.
Pope Francis will be the fourth leader of the modern Roman Catholic Church to visit Jerusalem, after Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who went there in 2009.
Thursday 22 May 2014
UN committee imposes sanctions on Nigeria's Boko Haram
News Info - The UN Security Council has approved sanctions against the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram, five weeks after it kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls.
It will now be added to a list of al-Qaeda-linked organisations subject to an arms embargo and asset freeze.
What is gun in japan - US envoy Samantha Power said it was an "important step" in support of efforts to "defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable".
It was earlier blamed for the deaths of 27 people in a north-eastern village.
Residents said gunmen had shot dead farm workers in Chikongudo, set fire to nearly all the homes there and stolen food in an attack on Wednesday night. The assailants stormed the village in cars and motorbikes, a trademark of Boko Haram, the residents added.
It came a day after twin bombings killed 122 in the central city of Jos. The authorities suspect Boko Haram of being behind them, but there has so far been no claim of responsibility from the group.
'Al-Qaeda training'
Boko Haram was added to the al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee's list of designated entities on Thursday at the request of Nigeria.
"Today, the Security Council took an important step in support of the government of Nigeria's efforts to defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable for atrocities," Ms Power said.
The sanctions designation would help "close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons" to the group, she added.
On Wednesday, Nigeria's permanent representative, U Joy Ogwu, said: "The important thing is to attack the problem, and that is terrorism."
The BBC's Barbara Plett Usher in New York says Boko Haram's links with al-Qaeda have come under scrutiny.
Reports quoting a draft UN document said its members had received training from al-Qaeda affiliates and fought alongside them in Mali.
Protests
Boko Haram, which has killed thousands of people in Nigeria through a wave of bombings and assassinations since 2009, is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state.
The government's failure to prevent attacks since launching an offensive against Boko Haram a year ago has triggered widespread anger.
On Thursday, protesters demanding the return of the schoolgirls snatched from their classrooms in the north-eastern town of Chibok and taken hostage five weeks ago were prevented from reaching the presidential villa in the capital, Abuja.
A statement from President Goodluck Jonathan read out to the demonstrators said the state was doing all it could to secure their release.
He also urged them to ensure their "zeal is matched with a realistic understanding of the situation".
The statement did little to placate the crowd, and one protester shouted: "Another small window for Jonathan and he refuses to use it."
Teachers across Nigeria also held a day of protests on Thursday in support of the abducted schoolgirls.
Teaching unions said they were also marching in memory of the 173 teachers killed by militants and called on the authorities to increase protection for schools, which were closed for the day.
It will now be added to a list of al-Qaeda-linked organisations subject to an arms embargo and asset freeze.
What is gun in japan - US envoy Samantha Power said it was an "important step" in support of efforts to "defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable".
It was earlier blamed for the deaths of 27 people in a north-eastern village.
Residents said gunmen had shot dead farm workers in Chikongudo, set fire to nearly all the homes there and stolen food in an attack on Wednesday night. The assailants stormed the village in cars and motorbikes, a trademark of Boko Haram, the residents added.
It came a day after twin bombings killed 122 in the central city of Jos. The authorities suspect Boko Haram of being behind them, but there has so far been no claim of responsibility from the group.
'Al-Qaeda training'
Boko Haram was added to the al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee's list of designated entities on Thursday at the request of Nigeria.
"Today, the Security Council took an important step in support of the government of Nigeria's efforts to defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable for atrocities," Ms Power said.
The sanctions designation would help "close off important avenues of funding, travel and weapons" to the group, she added.
On Wednesday, Nigeria's permanent representative, U Joy Ogwu, said: "The important thing is to attack the problem, and that is terrorism."
The BBC's Barbara Plett Usher in New York says Boko Haram's links with al-Qaeda have come under scrutiny.
Reports quoting a draft UN document said its members had received training from al-Qaeda affiliates and fought alongside them in Mali.
Protests
Boko Haram, which has killed thousands of people in Nigeria through a wave of bombings and assassinations since 2009, is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state.
The government's failure to prevent attacks since launching an offensive against Boko Haram a year ago has triggered widespread anger.
On Thursday, protesters demanding the return of the schoolgirls snatched from their classrooms in the north-eastern town of Chibok and taken hostage five weeks ago were prevented from reaching the presidential villa in the capital, Abuja.
A statement from President Goodluck Jonathan read out to the demonstrators said the state was doing all it could to secure their release.
He also urged them to ensure their "zeal is matched with a realistic understanding of the situation".
The statement did little to placate the crowd, and one protester shouted: "Another small window for Jonathan and he refuses to use it."
Teachers across Nigeria also held a day of protests on Thursday in support of the abducted schoolgirls.
Teaching unions said they were also marching in memory of the 173 teachers killed by militants and called on the authorities to increase protection for schools, which were closed for the day.
Chinese tycoon Liu Han sentenced to death for murder
News Info - Liu Han, a Chinese tycoon believed to have links to China's former security chief Zhou Yongkang, has been sentenced to death.
A Hubei court has found Liu Han and his brother Liu Wei guilty of "organising and leading mafia-style crime and murder", reports Xinhua.
Fun Crocodile Facts - The two men were among a group of 36 people charged with similar crimes.
Liu Han's sentencing is believed to be part of a wider corruption crackdown linked to Zhou's network.
The court verdict stated that, among other things, Liu Han and his group had "in an organised fashion obtained financial gains via illegal activities".
They had also on multiple occasions "committed murder, harm and illegal detention".
The verdict stated they relied on "the cover-ups and collusion of government employees" to illegally control gaming machines in Guanghan in Sichuan province.
Liu, who is the former head of mining conglomerate Sichuan Hanlong Group, was ranked 148th on Forbes' list of the richest Chinese business people in 2012.
His former company once tried to take over Australian miner Sundance Resources Ltd.
Chinese state media said previously that the Sichuan-based gang had had strong political ties that played a role in Liu Han's appointment as a delegate in Sichuan's political advisory body.
In recent months, several top officials from Sichuan province linked to Zhou Yongkang have come under scrutiny.
Mr Zhou was the party secretary in Sichuan province before becoming head of China's Public Security Ministry in 2003.
In April, China announced it had removed from office Guo Yongxiang, a former Sichuan vice-governor, and that Sichuan's former deputy party chief Li Chuncheng was being investigated for bribery.
Speculation has swirled for months that Mr Zhou is being investigated for corruption, although none of the rumours have been confirmed officially.
A Hubei court has found Liu Han and his brother Liu Wei guilty of "organising and leading mafia-style crime and murder", reports Xinhua.
Fun Crocodile Facts - The two men were among a group of 36 people charged with similar crimes.
Liu Han's sentencing is believed to be part of a wider corruption crackdown linked to Zhou's network.
The court verdict stated that, among other things, Liu Han and his group had "in an organised fashion obtained financial gains via illegal activities".
They had also on multiple occasions "committed murder, harm and illegal detention".
The verdict stated they relied on "the cover-ups and collusion of government employees" to illegally control gaming machines in Guanghan in Sichuan province.
Liu, who is the former head of mining conglomerate Sichuan Hanlong Group, was ranked 148th on Forbes' list of the richest Chinese business people in 2012.
His former company once tried to take over Australian miner Sundance Resources Ltd.
Chinese state media said previously that the Sichuan-based gang had had strong political ties that played a role in Liu Han's appointment as a delegate in Sichuan's political advisory body.
In recent months, several top officials from Sichuan province linked to Zhou Yongkang have come under scrutiny.
Mr Zhou was the party secretary in Sichuan province before becoming head of China's Public Security Ministry in 2003.
In April, China announced it had removed from office Guo Yongxiang, a former Sichuan vice-governor, and that Sichuan's former deputy party chief Li Chuncheng was being investigated for bribery.
Speculation has swirled for months that Mr Zhou is being investigated for corruption, although none of the rumours have been confirmed officially.
Wednesday 21 May 2014
Missing US woman found after 10 years
News Info - A 25-year-old woman who went missing 10 years ago in California has told police she was forced to marry her captor and have his child.
The unnamed woman contacted police shortly after communicating with her sister on Facebook, officers said.
Isidro Garcia, 41, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of kidnapping, rape and false imprisonment.
Animal Facts for Kids - Police said in a statement he had been living with the girl's family at the time of her disappearance.
The abuse began in 2004, the statement said, when Mr Garcia was dating the victim's mother and residing with her and her daughters in Santa Ana, a city in Orange County.
The police allege that Mr Garcia began sexually assaulting the victim in June of that year, only four months after the girl arrived in the US from Mexico.
In August, he assaulted the victim's mother and drugged the teenager, driving her 26 miles north to Compton, Los Angeles, where she was locked in a garage, say police.
"Over the course of the following months and years, Mr Garcia repeatedly told the victim her family had given up looking for her, and if she tried to go back to them, the family would be deported," police said.
The two moved on several occasions to avoid police detection, and used different identities, the police statement said.
Mr Garcia frequently physically and sexually assaulted the victim, it is alleged, and the two of them worked together at a night cleaning service.
"Even with the opportunity to escape, after years of physical and mental abuse, the victim saw no way out of her situation and lived a life with Garcia under sustained physical and mental abuse," police said.
At a press conference, Corporal Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department told reporters Mr Garcia had "brainwashed" her.
He said that in 2007, he forced the woman into a marriage, using documents he obtained in Mexico, and in 2012 the two had a child.
Recently, she contacted her sister on Facebook and was told that her mother had indeed been trying to find her, using a Spanish language newspaper and television station.
The communication with her sister made her realise she needed to leave, said Mr Bertagna, and on Monday she went to police to report that she was a victim of domestic abuse, and she told them she had been abducted.
The following day, police formally arrested Mr Garcia on suspicion of kidnapping for rape, lewd acts with a minor and false imprisonment. He has not been charged.
Neighbours in the street in Bell Gardens, Los Angeles, where the couple lived in recent years said on Wednesday evening they were stunned by the news, describing them as a happy couple who doted on their young daughter and even hosted parties.
The arrest comes a year after three women who went missing separately about a decade earlier were rescued from a house in Cleveland, Ohio.
Their captor, Ariel Castro, killed himself in prison in September 2013 at the beginning of a life sentence plus 1,000 years.
The unnamed woman contacted police shortly after communicating with her sister on Facebook, officers said.
Isidro Garcia, 41, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of kidnapping, rape and false imprisonment.
Animal Facts for Kids - Police said in a statement he had been living with the girl's family at the time of her disappearance.
The abuse began in 2004, the statement said, when Mr Garcia was dating the victim's mother and residing with her and her daughters in Santa Ana, a city in Orange County.
The police allege that Mr Garcia began sexually assaulting the victim in June of that year, only four months after the girl arrived in the US from Mexico.
In August, he assaulted the victim's mother and drugged the teenager, driving her 26 miles north to Compton, Los Angeles, where she was locked in a garage, say police.
"Over the course of the following months and years, Mr Garcia repeatedly told the victim her family had given up looking for her, and if she tried to go back to them, the family would be deported," police said.
The two moved on several occasions to avoid police detection, and used different identities, the police statement said.
Mr Garcia frequently physically and sexually assaulted the victim, it is alleged, and the two of them worked together at a night cleaning service.
"Even with the opportunity to escape, after years of physical and mental abuse, the victim saw no way out of her situation and lived a life with Garcia under sustained physical and mental abuse," police said.
At a press conference, Corporal Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department told reporters Mr Garcia had "brainwashed" her.
He said that in 2007, he forced the woman into a marriage, using documents he obtained in Mexico, and in 2012 the two had a child.
Recently, she contacted her sister on Facebook and was told that her mother had indeed been trying to find her, using a Spanish language newspaper and television station.
The communication with her sister made her realise she needed to leave, said Mr Bertagna, and on Monday she went to police to report that she was a victim of domestic abuse, and she told them she had been abducted.
The following day, police formally arrested Mr Garcia on suspicion of kidnapping for rape, lewd acts with a minor and false imprisonment. He has not been charged.
Neighbours in the street in Bell Gardens, Los Angeles, where the couple lived in recent years said on Wednesday evening they were stunned by the news, describing them as a happy couple who doted on their young daughter and even hosted parties.
The arrest comes a year after three women who went missing separately about a decade earlier were rescued from a house in Cleveland, Ohio.
Their captor, Ariel Castro, killed himself in prison in September 2013 at the beginning of a life sentence plus 1,000 years.
X-rays shine new light on mystery 'bird'
News Info - Is it a bird? Is it a dinosaur? Or something in between?
The feathered limbs of Archaeopteryx have fascinated palaeontologists ever since Charles Darwin's day.
Only 12 of these curious creatures have ever been found.
Now these precious fossils are going under the glare of a giant X-ray machine - to find out what lies buried beneath the surface.
human body system - Using a new "camera obscura" technique - inspired by Leonardo da Vinci - scientists have captured some of the clearest ever images of Archaeopteryx.
For the first time, they can see the complete skeleton in 3D. Not just the surface outlines, but all the hidden bones and feathers too.
They hope to discover how "the first true birds" evolved from feathered dinosaurs and took flight.
And what's more, to answer a riddle that has puzzled palaeontologists for 150 years. Could Archaeopteryx fly, or not?
The new tests are taking place at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, at the foot of the French Alps.
In the past, large fossil slabs were too bulky to be scanned in a synchrotron light source - a type of particle accelerator which generates high-energy X-rays.
But now scientists here are experimenting with a clever new trick, inspired by a very ancient and simple idea - the pinhole camera.
The basic concept has been around since at least 400 BC. But it was Leonardo da Vinci who made the first detailed drawings of a camera obscura in his 1485 sketchbook, Codex Atlanticus.
Light entering through a tiny hole is magnified and projected onto a screen wall.
Leonardo's camera allowed artists inside a tent to accurately trace and paint panoramic landscapes.
In a synchrotron, the pinhole system allows large fossils - too bulky to be rotated and scanned via conventional techniques (such as tomography) - to be captured in full by an extremely narrow X-ray beam.
"It's a beam that's only the thickness of a human hair. But extremely powerful. If you stood in front of it you would be killed," says Dr Paul Tafforeau, a palaeontologist at ESRF.
"As the beam goes through the sample you have diffusion of the X-rays and this diffusion pattern can be detected via the camera obscura - a very small hole in a piece of lead. Afterwards, you can reconstruct the images in 3D."
If their pinhole trick works as well on all dinosaur fossils as initial tests on Archaeopteryx suggest, it could open up new avenues in fossil research. The world's biggest, most famous dinosaur skeletons could be seen in a whole new light.
And so to demonstrate their proof of principle, the ESRF team began by summoning a very famous specimen.
Archaeopteryx caused a major stir when the first fossil was unearthed in 1861 - just two years after Charles Darwin published On The Origin of Species.
With the claws and teeth of a dinosaur, but the feathers of a bird, it was immediately recognised as a transitional form - proof of Darwin's theory.
Hailed as "the first true bird", the discovery shook the scientific community. Not bad for an animal as small as a magpie - only 20 inches from head to tail.
In recent years, more primitive bird ancestors have been unearthed in Liaoning, China. But the fascination with Archaeopteryx has endured - driven by the unsolved mystery over its ability to fly.
Around 150 million years ago, the modern-day region of Germany where Archaeopteryx lived was an archipelago of islands in a shallow tropical sea, covered in lush vegetation.
"We want to know how Archaeopteryx lived," says Martin Roeper, curator of the Solnhofen Museum, which houses one of the specimens.
"Was he a little dinosaur running, climbing trees - or was he flying? That's the most important question. Could Archaeopteryx fly or not?"
The answer grows closer as new, microscopic details of its anatomy emerge from ever more precise scans.
Blood vessels within the bones, for example, can be compared to modern birds.
One by one, the 12 fossils have been arriving at the ESRF. And very soon there may be a major breakthrough to announce.
In the meantime: "What is really remarkable are the feathers - they are far more visible by this new scan than by looking at the original specimen," says Paul Tafforeau.
"But that's not all, because this technique reveals a lot about the anatomy that's not visible below the surface.
"You can see many hidden details inside the stone. With these we can better understand what Archaeopteryx really was."
If this X-ray spectacle can be repeated with other famous fossils, there may be other discoveries that ruffle the feathers of established wisdom.
And not only scientists will see the benefit, says Martin Roeper.
"In former times the visitors to our museum cannot easily understand the fossil - because they cannot see the feathers.
"But now that we see the whole wings - now everyone can see that Archaeopteryx really is a very fine specimen."
The feathered limbs of Archaeopteryx have fascinated palaeontologists ever since Charles Darwin's day.
Only 12 of these curious creatures have ever been found.
Now these precious fossils are going under the glare of a giant X-ray machine - to find out what lies buried beneath the surface.
human body system - Using a new "camera obscura" technique - inspired by Leonardo da Vinci - scientists have captured some of the clearest ever images of Archaeopteryx.
For the first time, they can see the complete skeleton in 3D. Not just the surface outlines, but all the hidden bones and feathers too.
They hope to discover how "the first true birds" evolved from feathered dinosaurs and took flight.
And what's more, to answer a riddle that has puzzled palaeontologists for 150 years. Could Archaeopteryx fly, or not?
The new tests are taking place at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, at the foot of the French Alps.
In the past, large fossil slabs were too bulky to be scanned in a synchrotron light source - a type of particle accelerator which generates high-energy X-rays.
But now scientists here are experimenting with a clever new trick, inspired by a very ancient and simple idea - the pinhole camera.
The basic concept has been around since at least 400 BC. But it was Leonardo da Vinci who made the first detailed drawings of a camera obscura in his 1485 sketchbook, Codex Atlanticus.
Light entering through a tiny hole is magnified and projected onto a screen wall.
Leonardo's camera allowed artists inside a tent to accurately trace and paint panoramic landscapes.
In a synchrotron, the pinhole system allows large fossils - too bulky to be rotated and scanned via conventional techniques (such as tomography) - to be captured in full by an extremely narrow X-ray beam.
"It's a beam that's only the thickness of a human hair. But extremely powerful. If you stood in front of it you would be killed," says Dr Paul Tafforeau, a palaeontologist at ESRF.
"As the beam goes through the sample you have diffusion of the X-rays and this diffusion pattern can be detected via the camera obscura - a very small hole in a piece of lead. Afterwards, you can reconstruct the images in 3D."
If their pinhole trick works as well on all dinosaur fossils as initial tests on Archaeopteryx suggest, it could open up new avenues in fossil research. The world's biggest, most famous dinosaur skeletons could be seen in a whole new light.
And so to demonstrate their proof of principle, the ESRF team began by summoning a very famous specimen.
Archaeopteryx caused a major stir when the first fossil was unearthed in 1861 - just two years after Charles Darwin published On The Origin of Species.
With the claws and teeth of a dinosaur, but the feathers of a bird, it was immediately recognised as a transitional form - proof of Darwin's theory.
Hailed as "the first true bird", the discovery shook the scientific community. Not bad for an animal as small as a magpie - only 20 inches from head to tail.
In recent years, more primitive bird ancestors have been unearthed in Liaoning, China. But the fascination with Archaeopteryx has endured - driven by the unsolved mystery over its ability to fly.
Around 150 million years ago, the modern-day region of Germany where Archaeopteryx lived was an archipelago of islands in a shallow tropical sea, covered in lush vegetation.
"We want to know how Archaeopteryx lived," says Martin Roeper, curator of the Solnhofen Museum, which houses one of the specimens.
"Was he a little dinosaur running, climbing trees - or was he flying? That's the most important question. Could Archaeopteryx fly or not?"
The answer grows closer as new, microscopic details of its anatomy emerge from ever more precise scans.
Blood vessels within the bones, for example, can be compared to modern birds.
One by one, the 12 fossils have been arriving at the ESRF. And very soon there may be a major breakthrough to announce.
In the meantime: "What is really remarkable are the feathers - they are far more visible by this new scan than by looking at the original specimen," says Paul Tafforeau.
"But that's not all, because this technique reveals a lot about the anatomy that's not visible below the surface.
"You can see many hidden details inside the stone. With these we can better understand what Archaeopteryx really was."
If this X-ray spectacle can be repeated with other famous fossils, there may be other discoveries that ruffle the feathers of established wisdom.
And not only scientists will see the benefit, says Martin Roeper.
"In former times the visitors to our museum cannot easily understand the fossil - because they cannot see the feathers.
"But now that we see the whole wings - now everyone can see that Archaeopteryx really is a very fine specimen."
Tuesday 20 May 2014
Nigeria bombings: 'Death toll passes 100'
News Info - The bodies of at least 118 people have now been recovered from the sites of twin bombings in the central Nigerian city of Jos, the nation's emergency management agency says.
The first blast was in a busy market, the second outside a nearby hospital.
Painful menstrual periods - No group has said it was behind the attack but Boko Haram militants have carried out a spate of recent bombings.
Jos has also seen deadly clashes between Christian and Muslim groups in recent years.
A spokesperson for the regional governor told AFP news agency that most of the victims were women. The market and bus terminal are part of the commercial centre of Jos.
The second blast was some 30 minutes after the first and killed some rescue workers.
Journalist Hassan Ibrahim told the BBC that tension was rising in the area, with youths blocking some roads. Religious leaders are appealing for calm.
National Emergency Management Agency coordinator Mohammed Abdulsalam said: "We've now recovered 118 bodies from the rubble. This could rise by morning, as there is still some rubble we haven't shifted." He said 56 people were injured.
Rule
Analysis by Will Ross, BBC News, Abuja
Once again the explosions were meant to cause as many casualties as possible. Like the recent Abuja blasts, the victims are of different religions and were mainly people out on the streets struggling to earn a living.
It has been almost two years since the last attack on Jos - when several churches were bombed. Those attacks were seen as an effort by Boko Haram to spark clashes between Christians and Muslims in the often volatile Middle Belt region of Nigeria.
For more than 10 years this area has been the scene of violent clashes that have often been portrayed as religious conflicts even though they are rooted in competition over land, power and resources. There is, however, a risk that these latest bombings will spark reprisal clashes and religious leaders have appealed for calm.
Rule
The BBC's Muhammad Kabir Muhammad in the capital Abuja says witnesses at a hospital in Jos saw bodies being brought in that were burned beyond recognition.
A student in Jos, Ayo Tumbe Omeiza, told the BBC: "The second blast was close to me. I tried to get to my car. I was asking for help. I saw a lot of dead people. After the blast people could not stop panicking. People were driving in all directions."
President Goodluck Jonathan condemned the attack as a "tragic assault on human freedom".
"President Jonathan assures all Nigerians that the government remains fully committed to winning the war against terror and... will not be cowed by the atrocities of enemies of human progress and civilisation," his office said.
Although Boko Haram has previously targeted Jos, the capital of Plateau state, the city has been relatively calm for almost two years.
Plateau state lies on the fault-line which divides Nigeria's largely Muslim north from its mainly Christian south.
The state has witnessed violence blamed on land disputes between semi-nomadic Muslim Fulani herdsmen and mainly Christian Berom farmers.
States of emergency
The Nigerian government is also currently trying to trace more than 200 girls captured by Boko Haram in April from a boarding school in the north-eastern town of Chibok.
The case has shocked the world and prompted foreign powers to send military advisers to assist Nigeria's army.
On Tuesday, parliament approved a six-month extension of a state of emergency in three north-eastern states - Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in Boko Haram attacks this year.
Boko Haram is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state.
Nigeria's violence is not confined to the north.
This month a car bomb in the capital Abuja killed at least 19 people and injured 60 more.
The explosion happened close to a bus station where at least 70 people died in a bomb blast on 14 April.
The first blast was in a busy market, the second outside a nearby hospital.
Painful menstrual periods - No group has said it was behind the attack but Boko Haram militants have carried out a spate of recent bombings.
Jos has also seen deadly clashes between Christian and Muslim groups in recent years.
A spokesperson for the regional governor told AFP news agency that most of the victims were women. The market and bus terminal are part of the commercial centre of Jos.
The second blast was some 30 minutes after the first and killed some rescue workers.
Journalist Hassan Ibrahim told the BBC that tension was rising in the area, with youths blocking some roads. Religious leaders are appealing for calm.
National Emergency Management Agency coordinator Mohammed Abdulsalam said: "We've now recovered 118 bodies from the rubble. This could rise by morning, as there is still some rubble we haven't shifted." He said 56 people were injured.
Rule
Analysis by Will Ross, BBC News, Abuja
Once again the explosions were meant to cause as many casualties as possible. Like the recent Abuja blasts, the victims are of different religions and were mainly people out on the streets struggling to earn a living.
It has been almost two years since the last attack on Jos - when several churches were bombed. Those attacks were seen as an effort by Boko Haram to spark clashes between Christians and Muslims in the often volatile Middle Belt region of Nigeria.
For more than 10 years this area has been the scene of violent clashes that have often been portrayed as religious conflicts even though they are rooted in competition over land, power and resources. There is, however, a risk that these latest bombings will spark reprisal clashes and religious leaders have appealed for calm.
Rule
The BBC's Muhammad Kabir Muhammad in the capital Abuja says witnesses at a hospital in Jos saw bodies being brought in that were burned beyond recognition.
A student in Jos, Ayo Tumbe Omeiza, told the BBC: "The second blast was close to me. I tried to get to my car. I was asking for help. I saw a lot of dead people. After the blast people could not stop panicking. People were driving in all directions."
President Goodluck Jonathan condemned the attack as a "tragic assault on human freedom".
"President Jonathan assures all Nigerians that the government remains fully committed to winning the war against terror and... will not be cowed by the atrocities of enemies of human progress and civilisation," his office said.
Although Boko Haram has previously targeted Jos, the capital of Plateau state, the city has been relatively calm for almost two years.
Plateau state lies on the fault-line which divides Nigeria's largely Muslim north from its mainly Christian south.
The state has witnessed violence blamed on land disputes between semi-nomadic Muslim Fulani herdsmen and mainly Christian Berom farmers.
States of emergency
The Nigerian government is also currently trying to trace more than 200 girls captured by Boko Haram in April from a boarding school in the north-eastern town of Chibok.
The case has shocked the world and prompted foreign powers to send military advisers to assist Nigeria's army.
On Tuesday, parliament approved a six-month extension of a state of emergency in three north-eastern states - Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
More than 1,000 people have been killed in Boko Haram attacks this year.
Boko Haram is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state.
Nigeria's violence is not confined to the north.
This month a car bomb in the capital Abuja killed at least 19 people and injured 60 more.
The explosion happened close to a bus station where at least 70 people died in a bomb blast on 14 April.
Five guilty of killing Russian journalist Politkovskaya
News Info - A court in Moscow has found five men guilty of the murder of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya in 2006.
One man was found guilty of the shooting and the other four of organising the killing. Three of the men were brothers from Chechnya.
Animal Facts with National Geographic - Ms Politkovskaya, a 48-year-old investigative reporter and vocal critic of Russia's war in Chechnya, was shot in a lift in her block of flats.
Three of the men had been acquitted of the murder in a 2009 trial.
The initial verdict was overturned by Russia's supreme court, which ordered their retrial.
One of the brothers, Rustam Makhmudov, was found guilty of pulling the trigger. His brothers were found guilty of acting as getaway drivers.
The brothers' uncle and a retired policeman were also found guilty of organising the killing.
Ms Politkovskaya's reporting for Novaya Gazeta newspaper won international renown for her dogged investigation of Russian abuses in Chechnya.
But her pieces, which were highly critical of President Vladimir Putin, then serving his second term, and the Chechen leadership, angered many in authority.
The five men, who face possible life terms, will be sentenced on Wednesday morning.
A committee set up to investigate the shooting said it was still looking for the person who ordered the operation.
Her family welcomed the verdict but also expressed disappointment that the mastermind of the killing had not yet been found.
Last year a former police officer, Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for supplying the murder weapon.
Magnitsky sanctions
In a separate development, the US announced on Tuesday that it was imposing sanctions on a further 12 Russians believed to be involved in the death of a Moscow lawyer in 2009.
Sergei Magnitsky died in prison, allegedly because of torture and neglect, after accusing Russian officials of tax fraud.
Following his death, the US passed the Magnitsky Act, aimed at punishing officials involved in his death, and last year published a list of 18 individuals banned from entering the country.
Among the names added to the list on Tuesday are three doctors alleged to have withheld treatment from Magnitsky while he was in custody.
One of them, Larisa Litvinova, was chief physician at Butyrka maximum security jail where Magnitksy died while another, Dmitry Kratov, was its deputy director.
A judge involved in a posthumous prosecution of Magnitsky for tax fraud has also been added to the sanctions list.
The US says the sanctions are "independent of Russia's actions in Ukraine".
One man was found guilty of the shooting and the other four of organising the killing. Three of the men were brothers from Chechnya.
Animal Facts with National Geographic - Ms Politkovskaya, a 48-year-old investigative reporter and vocal critic of Russia's war in Chechnya, was shot in a lift in her block of flats.
Three of the men had been acquitted of the murder in a 2009 trial.
The initial verdict was overturned by Russia's supreme court, which ordered their retrial.
One of the brothers, Rustam Makhmudov, was found guilty of pulling the trigger. His brothers were found guilty of acting as getaway drivers.
The brothers' uncle and a retired policeman were also found guilty of organising the killing.
Ms Politkovskaya's reporting for Novaya Gazeta newspaper won international renown for her dogged investigation of Russian abuses in Chechnya.
But her pieces, which were highly critical of President Vladimir Putin, then serving his second term, and the Chechen leadership, angered many in authority.
The five men, who face possible life terms, will be sentenced on Wednesday morning.
A committee set up to investigate the shooting said it was still looking for the person who ordered the operation.
Her family welcomed the verdict but also expressed disappointment that the mastermind of the killing had not yet been found.
Last year a former police officer, Dmitry Pavlyuchenkov, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for supplying the murder weapon.
Magnitsky sanctions
In a separate development, the US announced on Tuesday that it was imposing sanctions on a further 12 Russians believed to be involved in the death of a Moscow lawyer in 2009.
Sergei Magnitsky died in prison, allegedly because of torture and neglect, after accusing Russian officials of tax fraud.
Following his death, the US passed the Magnitsky Act, aimed at punishing officials involved in his death, and last year published a list of 18 individuals banned from entering the country.
Among the names added to the list on Tuesday are three doctors alleged to have withheld treatment from Magnitsky while he was in custody.
One of them, Larisa Litvinova, was chief physician at Butyrka maximum security jail where Magnitksy died while another, Dmitry Kratov, was its deputy director.
A judge involved in a posthumous prosecution of Magnitsky for tax fraud has also been added to the sanctions list.
The US says the sanctions are "independent of Russia's actions in Ukraine".
Syrian refugees in Lebanon face health care crisis - Amnesty
News Info - Amnesty International says a shortfall in international support has left many Syrian refugees in Lebanon unable to access crucial medical care.
adinkra symbol fact - A new report says some refugees have resorted to returning to Syria to receive the treatment they need.
More than one million Syrians have fled to Lebanon to escape the fighting in their country.
The UN says there are now 2.7 million registered Syrian refugees and the number is still rising.
Large numbers have also been taken in by Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and other countries, but Lebanon is bearing the biggest burden of all.
In March the Lebanese foreign minister said the crisis was "threatening the existence" of his country.
The UN has appealed to international donors for $4.2bn (£2.4bn) for Syrian refugees in 2014 but has only received 24% of that sum.
Amnesty's report, entitled Agonizing Choices: Syrian refugees in need of health care in Lebanon, says there are serious gaps in the level of medical services available to refugees.
It says that in some cases refugees have been turned away from hospitals, including patients requiring emergency treatment.
"Hospital treatment and more specialised care for Syrian refugees in Lebanon is woefully insufficient, with the situation exacerbated by a massive shortage of international funding," said Audrey Gaughran, Director of Global Thematic Issues at Amnesty International.
"Syrian refugees in Lebanon are suffering as a direct result of the international community's shameful failure to fully fund the UN relief programme in Lebanon."
The report says the health system in Lebanon is highly privatised and expensive, leaving many refugees reliant on care subsidised by the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR.
However, due to a shortage of funds the agency has had to introduce eligibility criteria for anyone in need of hospital treatment. The report says that even when refugees meet the tight criteria, most must pay 25% of the costs themselves.
"It's time for the international community to recognise the consequences of its failure to provide adequate assistance to refugees from the conflict in Syria," said Ms Gaughran.
"There is a desperate need for countries to fulfil the humanitarian appeal for Syria and step up efforts to offer resettlement places for the most vulnerable of refugees, including those in dire need of medical treatment."
adinkra symbol fact - A new report says some refugees have resorted to returning to Syria to receive the treatment they need.
More than one million Syrians have fled to Lebanon to escape the fighting in their country.
The UN says there are now 2.7 million registered Syrian refugees and the number is still rising.
Large numbers have also been taken in by Turkey, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt and other countries, but Lebanon is bearing the biggest burden of all.
In March the Lebanese foreign minister said the crisis was "threatening the existence" of his country.
The UN has appealed to international donors for $4.2bn (£2.4bn) for Syrian refugees in 2014 but has only received 24% of that sum.
- Grey line
- Syrian refugees in numbers
- 2.7 million registered Syrian refugees
- More than 70,000 awaiting registration
- More than one million Syrian refugees in Lebanon
- 743,000 refugees in Turkey
- 596,000 refugees in Jordan
- Source: UNHCR
Amnesty's report, entitled Agonizing Choices: Syrian refugees in need of health care in Lebanon, says there are serious gaps in the level of medical services available to refugees.
It says that in some cases refugees have been turned away from hospitals, including patients requiring emergency treatment.
"Hospital treatment and more specialised care for Syrian refugees in Lebanon is woefully insufficient, with the situation exacerbated by a massive shortage of international funding," said Audrey Gaughran, Director of Global Thematic Issues at Amnesty International.
"Syrian refugees in Lebanon are suffering as a direct result of the international community's shameful failure to fully fund the UN relief programme in Lebanon."
The report says the health system in Lebanon is highly privatised and expensive, leaving many refugees reliant on care subsidised by the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR.
However, due to a shortage of funds the agency has had to introduce eligibility criteria for anyone in need of hospital treatment. The report says that even when refugees meet the tight criteria, most must pay 25% of the costs themselves.
"It's time for the international community to recognise the consequences of its failure to provide adequate assistance to refugees from the conflict in Syria," said Ms Gaughran.
"There is a desperate need for countries to fulfil the humanitarian appeal for Syria and step up efforts to offer resettlement places for the most vulnerable of refugees, including those in dire need of medical treatment."
Monday 19 May 2014
Thailand army declares martial law
News Info - The Thai army says that it is imposing martial law amid a political crisis "to preserve law and order".
The surprise announcement also granted the army wide-ranging powers to enforce its decision.
Hiccups Definition - The military insisted that its assumption of responsibility for national security was not a coup.
Martial law comes amid a long-running political crisis, and months of escalating tensions between the government and the opposition.
The chief security advisor to the interim prime minister said the government had not been consulted about the army's decision.
"Everything is normal except the military is responsible for all national security issues," said Paradorn Pattanatabut.
An army spokesman said that the imposition of martial law will have no impact on the caretaker government which remains in office.
The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says that the army's move - which it says is to stop "ill-intentioned groups from using war weapons" - has come as a surprise.
Our correspondent says that the army has made it clear that it is in charge of security and the site of troops on the streets is now likely to be much more commonplace.
Troops have taken steps to stop pro-government red-shirt supporters from gathering at their usual rallying-place outside Bangkok.
The Thai military last took power in 2006.
'No need to panic'
Earlier this month a court ordered Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and several cabinet ministers to step down.
Soldiers have taken over television stations.
An announcement on military-run television said that martial law had been imposed "to restore peace and order for people from all sides".
"The public do not need to panic but can still live their lives as normal," the announcement said.
Thailand is mired in political mayhem, with the opposition demanding that power be handed over to an unelected administration charged with rewriting the constitution.
The military statement was signed by army chief Prayuth Chan-Ocha, citing a 1914 law that allows it to intervene during times of crisis.
It said that the move had been taken because mass rallies between political rivals "could impact the country's security and safety".
Censorship of the media has also been ordered by the army in the interests of "national security" and both pro and anti-government protesters have been ordered not to march anywhere in order to prevent clashes.
On Monday acting Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan insisted his government would not resign, resisting pressure from anti-government protesters.
Correspondents say that the deadlock in south-east Asia's second-largest economy has got worse since Ms Yingluck dissolved the lower house of parliament in December and a court ordered her removal and the removal of nine cabinet ministers earlier in May for abuse of power.
The country has been without a properly functioning government since December and has failed to draw up a state budget.
The imposition of martial law could enrage supporters of the government, especially if it is seen as amounting to a coup, correspondents say.
The army has staged at least 11 coups since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932.
Anti-government protests began in the Thai capital late last year, with demonstrators blockading several parts of the city.
In response, Ms Yingluck called a snap general election in February that her party was widely expected to win. But the protesters disrupted the polls and the election was later annulled.
Ms Yingluck's supporters believe that the courts are biased against her and side with the urban elite at the heart of the protest movement.
Thailand has faced a power struggle since Ms Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted by the military as prime minister in the 2006 coup.
The surprise announcement also granted the army wide-ranging powers to enforce its decision.
Hiccups Definition - The military insisted that its assumption of responsibility for national security was not a coup.
Martial law comes amid a long-running political crisis, and months of escalating tensions between the government and the opposition.
The chief security advisor to the interim prime minister said the government had not been consulted about the army's decision.
"Everything is normal except the military is responsible for all national security issues," said Paradorn Pattanatabut.
An army spokesman said that the imposition of martial law will have no impact on the caretaker government which remains in office.
The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says that the army's move - which it says is to stop "ill-intentioned groups from using war weapons" - has come as a surprise.
Our correspondent says that the army has made it clear that it is in charge of security and the site of troops on the streets is now likely to be much more commonplace.
Troops have taken steps to stop pro-government red-shirt supporters from gathering at their usual rallying-place outside Bangkok.
The Thai military last took power in 2006.
'No need to panic'
Earlier this month a court ordered Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and several cabinet ministers to step down.
Soldiers have taken over television stations.
An announcement on military-run television said that martial law had been imposed "to restore peace and order for people from all sides".
"The public do not need to panic but can still live their lives as normal," the announcement said.
Thailand is mired in political mayhem, with the opposition demanding that power be handed over to an unelected administration charged with rewriting the constitution.
The military statement was signed by army chief Prayuth Chan-Ocha, citing a 1914 law that allows it to intervene during times of crisis.
It said that the move had been taken because mass rallies between political rivals "could impact the country's security and safety".
Censorship of the media has also been ordered by the army in the interests of "national security" and both pro and anti-government protesters have been ordered not to march anywhere in order to prevent clashes.
On Monday acting Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongphaisan insisted his government would not resign, resisting pressure from anti-government protesters.
Correspondents say that the deadlock in south-east Asia's second-largest economy has got worse since Ms Yingluck dissolved the lower house of parliament in December and a court ordered her removal and the removal of nine cabinet ministers earlier in May for abuse of power.
The country has been without a properly functioning government since December and has failed to draw up a state budget.
The imposition of martial law could enrage supporters of the government, especially if it is seen as amounting to a coup, correspondents say.
The army has staged at least 11 coups since the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932.
Anti-government protests began in the Thai capital late last year, with demonstrators blockading several parts of the city.
In response, Ms Yingluck called a snap general election in February that her party was widely expected to win. But the protesters disrupted the polls and the election was later annulled.
Ms Yingluck's supporters believe that the courts are biased against her and side with the urban elite at the heart of the protest movement.
Thailand has faced a power struggle since Ms Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted by the military as prime minister in the 2006 coup.
Ukraine crisis: No sign of Russia withdrawal, says Nato
News Info - Nato and the US say there is no sign of a withdrawal of Russian troops from areas bordering Ukraine.
The Kremlin earlier announced units in the Rostov, Belgorod and Bryansk areas would return to their permanent bases.
Correspondents say removing some of the estimated 40,000 Russian troops could help de-escalate the Ukraine crisis.
Your Guide to Menstrual Cramps - Ukrainian government forces continue to clash with pro-Russia separatists who have taken over government buildings in southern and south-eastern Ukraine.
'Firm evidence'
A statement from the Kremlin had said: "In connection with the completion of the planned spring phase of military training... at ranges in Rostov, Belgorod and Bryansk regions, [President Vladimir] Putin ordered the defence minister to withdraw the troops that took part in the exercises."
No indication was given as to troop numbers or a timetable.
However, Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: "Unfortunately, we have not seen any evidence at all that Russia has started withdrawal.
"I strongly regret that because a withdrawal of Russian troops would be a first important contribution to de-escalating the crisis."
Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told Reuters news agency: "We have seen no indication of any movement."
One senior US official told Agence France-Presse that Washington would want to see "clear, firm evidence of this move before we make any judgement".
Russia has made two statements about withdrawals in the past.
Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC Diplomatic correspondent
Some people may be wondering if there is a command and control problem in the Russian military. For this is actually the third time that Russian units have been ordered to pull back to their bases from their positions on Ukraine's border.
There was supposedly a partial withdrawal at the end of March. Only one battalion moved. A full withdrawal was ordered in early May but according to senior Nato military sources the troops are still very much there. Now a withdrawal order has come from the Kremlin again.
Of course there is nothing wrong with Russia's command system. President Vladimir Putin clearly decided that, whatever the public pronouncements, the threat of 40,000 troops on Ukraine's border was a powerful tool whether they were used or not.
This was by the way not the "planned spring phase of military training" as the Kremlin asserts but an unprecedented deployment of combat-ready forces designed specifically to threaten the Kiev government.
line break
Air force drills
The Kremlin statement also reiterated Moscow's demand that the Kiev administration stop its military activities against the separatists and withdraws its troops.
Kiev said it was checking the reports of a Russian border withdrawal but also urged Moscow to call off an air force exercise planned for south-west Russia between Wednesday and Sunday, saying the drills would fuel tension ahead of Sunday's Ukrainian presidential election.
Two eastern Ukrainian regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - declared independence last week after a referendum.
The self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic on Monday said it would halt all preparations for the presidential election on its soil, deeming the poll "illegal".
Ukraine's PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk admitted polling in some eastern districts would be difficult, but added: "It affects very few areas... The election will take place and we will have a legitimate president."
Mr Putin has welcomed initial talks between Kiev and some of the separatists and has termed the presidential election a "step in the right direction".
However, violence continues in some parts of the east.
One Ukrainian soldier was killed and one injured on Monday in an attack by separatists on a checkpoint near Sloviansk, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine's Interfax news agency quoted the country's defence ministry as saying.
Tensions between Russia and the West rose after the overthrow of pro-Kremlin Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in February, following months of street protests.
The revolt in the east gained momentum after Russia annexed Ukraine's mainly ethnic Russian region of Crimea in March.
The Kremlin earlier announced units in the Rostov, Belgorod and Bryansk areas would return to their permanent bases.
Correspondents say removing some of the estimated 40,000 Russian troops could help de-escalate the Ukraine crisis.
Your Guide to Menstrual Cramps - Ukrainian government forces continue to clash with pro-Russia separatists who have taken over government buildings in southern and south-eastern Ukraine.
'Firm evidence'
A statement from the Kremlin had said: "In connection with the completion of the planned spring phase of military training... at ranges in Rostov, Belgorod and Bryansk regions, [President Vladimir] Putin ordered the defence minister to withdraw the troops that took part in the exercises."
No indication was given as to troop numbers or a timetable.
However, Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: "Unfortunately, we have not seen any evidence at all that Russia has started withdrawal.
"I strongly regret that because a withdrawal of Russian troops would be a first important contribution to de-escalating the crisis."
Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told Reuters news agency: "We have seen no indication of any movement."
One senior US official told Agence France-Presse that Washington would want to see "clear, firm evidence of this move before we make any judgement".
Russia has made two statements about withdrawals in the past.
Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC Diplomatic correspondent
Some people may be wondering if there is a command and control problem in the Russian military. For this is actually the third time that Russian units have been ordered to pull back to their bases from their positions on Ukraine's border.
There was supposedly a partial withdrawal at the end of March. Only one battalion moved. A full withdrawal was ordered in early May but according to senior Nato military sources the troops are still very much there. Now a withdrawal order has come from the Kremlin again.
Of course there is nothing wrong with Russia's command system. President Vladimir Putin clearly decided that, whatever the public pronouncements, the threat of 40,000 troops on Ukraine's border was a powerful tool whether they were used or not.
This was by the way not the "planned spring phase of military training" as the Kremlin asserts but an unprecedented deployment of combat-ready forces designed specifically to threaten the Kiev government.
line break
Air force drills
The Kremlin statement also reiterated Moscow's demand that the Kiev administration stop its military activities against the separatists and withdraws its troops.
Kiev said it was checking the reports of a Russian border withdrawal but also urged Moscow to call off an air force exercise planned for south-west Russia between Wednesday and Sunday, saying the drills would fuel tension ahead of Sunday's Ukrainian presidential election.
Two eastern Ukrainian regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - declared independence last week after a referendum.
The self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic on Monday said it would halt all preparations for the presidential election on its soil, deeming the poll "illegal".
Ukraine's PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk admitted polling in some eastern districts would be difficult, but added: "It affects very few areas... The election will take place and we will have a legitimate president."
Mr Putin has welcomed initial talks between Kiev and some of the separatists and has termed the presidential election a "step in the right direction".
However, violence continues in some parts of the east.
One Ukrainian soldier was killed and one injured on Monday in an attack by separatists on a checkpoint near Sloviansk, in the Donetsk region, Ukraine's Interfax news agency quoted the country's defence ministry as saying.
Tensions between Russia and the West rose after the overthrow of pro-Kremlin Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in February, following months of street protests.
The revolt in the east gained momentum after Russia annexed Ukraine's mainly ethnic Russian region of Crimea in March.
Thailand's army declares martial law, denies coup underway
News Info - Thailand's army declared martial law early
Tuesday, claiming that it was doing so to help "preserve law and order"
after six months of sometimes violent political unrest.
But the military, which has been granted wide-ranging powers, insists that a coup d'etat is not underway.
Adinkra Symbols on Pinterest - The move effectively places the army in charge of public security nationwide. It comes one day after the Southeast Asian country's caretaker prime minister refused to step down and follows six months of anti-government demonstrations that have failed to oust the government.
The army said in a statement it had taken the action to "keep peace and order." But the chief security adviser to the interim prime minister said the government had not been consulted about the army's decision, the BBC reports.
Armed troops entered multiple private television stations in Bangkok to broadcast their message nationwide. Although troops were deployed at some intersections, the vast metropolis of 10 million people appeared calm and commuters could be seen driving and walking to work as usual.
An army official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, told The Associated Press "this is definitely not a coup. This is only to provide safety to the people and the people can still carry on their lives as normal."
A ticker on Chanel 5, an army station, also denied the military was taking over and asked the public not to panic.
Thailand's army has staged at 11 successful coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932. The last was in 2006.
The military statement was signed by army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-Ocha, who later read it on air. He cited a 1914 law that gives the authority to intervene during times of crisis, and said it had taken the action because on-going mass rallies between political rivals "could impact the country's security and safety of the lives and public property."
The leader of the pro-government Red Shirt movement, Jatuporn Prompan, said his group could accept the imposition of martial law, but said they "won't tolerate a coup or other non-constitutional means" to grab power.
"We will see what the army wants," he said, warning that the undemocratic removal the country's caretaker government "will never solve the country's crisis and will plunge Thailand deeper into trouble."
Red Shirts had been massing for days on the outskirts of Bangkok, and Jutaporn said his supporters were being "surrounded." More than 100 soldiers deployed near the rally venue with coils of barbed wire to block roads; they appeared to be taking over control of the area from police.
On Monday, Thailand's acting prime minister insisted his government will not resign, resisting pressure from a group of senators who are seeking ways to settle the country's political crisis, and from anti-government protesters who are demanding an appointed prime minister.
The deadlock in Southeast Asia's second-largest economy has worsened since former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra dissolved the lower house in December in a bid to ease the crisis. The Constitutional Court ousted her and nine Cabinet ministers earlier this month for abuse of power.
A group of about 70 senators, most of whom are seen as siding with the anti-government protesters, proposed a framework on Friday that calls for a government with full power to conduct political reforms.
Acting Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan and Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri met with two representatives of the Senate in an undisclosed location Monday to avoid disruption from the protesters.
After the meeting, Niwattumrong said the Cabinet cannot resign because it would be unconstitutional to do so. He insisted he "can carry out duties and has full authority" as prime minister.
The Cabinet has operated in a caretaker capacity with limited power since Yingluck dissolved the lower house in December in a failed bid to ease the political crisis. A new government cannot normally be named until there are elections, which anti-government demonstrators have vowed to block unless political reforms occur first.
The Senate, the only functioning legislative body in the country, was seen as the last resort of the anti-government protesters, who are calling for an interim, unelected prime minister to be chosen.
The protesters say they are making their final push to oust the government and install an unelected prime minister and government. They have promised to call off their rallies if they are not successful by May 26, following six months of street demonstrations in which 28 people have died and hundreds of others have been injured.
The protesters on Monday began searching for members of the Cabinet at their residences to pressure them to resign, but did not find any.
Labor unions representing about 20 state-owned enterprises vowed to go on strike Thursday to support the anti-government protesters, although several companies, including Thai Airways and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, said Monday that they would operate normally.
Thailand's political crisis began in 2006, when Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled by a military coup after being accused of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect for King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Thaksin, a former telecommunications billionaire, remains highly popular among the poor in the north and northeast, and parties controlled by him have won every national election since 2001. The anti-government protesters, who are aligned with the opposition Democrat Party and backed by the country's traditional elites, say they want to remove all traces of his political machine from politics.
But the military, which has been granted wide-ranging powers, insists that a coup d'etat is not underway.
Adinkra Symbols on Pinterest - The move effectively places the army in charge of public security nationwide. It comes one day after the Southeast Asian country's caretaker prime minister refused to step down and follows six months of anti-government demonstrations that have failed to oust the government.
The army said in a statement it had taken the action to "keep peace and order." But the chief security adviser to the interim prime minister said the government had not been consulted about the army's decision, the BBC reports.
Armed troops entered multiple private television stations in Bangkok to broadcast their message nationwide. Although troops were deployed at some intersections, the vast metropolis of 10 million people appeared calm and commuters could be seen driving and walking to work as usual.
An army official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, told The Associated Press "this is definitely not a coup. This is only to provide safety to the people and the people can still carry on their lives as normal."
A ticker on Chanel 5, an army station, also denied the military was taking over and asked the public not to panic.
Thailand's army has staged at 11 successful coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932. The last was in 2006.
The military statement was signed by army chief Gen. Prayuth Chan-Ocha, who later read it on air. He cited a 1914 law that gives the authority to intervene during times of crisis, and said it had taken the action because on-going mass rallies between political rivals "could impact the country's security and safety of the lives and public property."
The leader of the pro-government Red Shirt movement, Jatuporn Prompan, said his group could accept the imposition of martial law, but said they "won't tolerate a coup or other non-constitutional means" to grab power.
"We will see what the army wants," he said, warning that the undemocratic removal the country's caretaker government "will never solve the country's crisis and will plunge Thailand deeper into trouble."
Red Shirts had been massing for days on the outskirts of Bangkok, and Jutaporn said his supporters were being "surrounded." More than 100 soldiers deployed near the rally venue with coils of barbed wire to block roads; they appeared to be taking over control of the area from police.
On Monday, Thailand's acting prime minister insisted his government will not resign, resisting pressure from a group of senators who are seeking ways to settle the country's political crisis, and from anti-government protesters who are demanding an appointed prime minister.
The deadlock in Southeast Asia's second-largest economy has worsened since former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra dissolved the lower house in December in a bid to ease the crisis. The Constitutional Court ousted her and nine Cabinet ministers earlier this month for abuse of power.
A group of about 70 senators, most of whom are seen as siding with the anti-government protesters, proposed a framework on Friday that calls for a government with full power to conduct political reforms.
Acting Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan and Justice Minister Chaikasem Nitisiri met with two representatives of the Senate in an undisclosed location Monday to avoid disruption from the protesters.
After the meeting, Niwattumrong said the Cabinet cannot resign because it would be unconstitutional to do so. He insisted he "can carry out duties and has full authority" as prime minister.
The Cabinet has operated in a caretaker capacity with limited power since Yingluck dissolved the lower house in December in a failed bid to ease the political crisis. A new government cannot normally be named until there are elections, which anti-government demonstrators have vowed to block unless political reforms occur first.
The Senate, the only functioning legislative body in the country, was seen as the last resort of the anti-government protesters, who are calling for an interim, unelected prime minister to be chosen.
The protesters say they are making their final push to oust the government and install an unelected prime minister and government. They have promised to call off their rallies if they are not successful by May 26, following six months of street demonstrations in which 28 people have died and hundreds of others have been injured.
The protesters on Monday began searching for members of the Cabinet at their residences to pressure them to resign, but did not find any.
Labor unions representing about 20 state-owned enterprises vowed to go on strike Thursday to support the anti-government protesters, although several companies, including Thai Airways and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, said Monday that they would operate normally.
Thailand's political crisis began in 2006, when Yingluck's brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled by a military coup after being accused of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect for King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Thaksin, a former telecommunications billionaire, remains highly popular among the poor in the north and northeast, and parties controlled by him have won every national election since 2001. The anti-government protesters, who are aligned with the opposition Democrat Party and backed by the country's traditional elites, say they want to remove all traces of his political machine from politics.
Sunday 18 May 2014
Thousands line the street for Arsenal's victory parade
News Info - Thousands of people have lined the streets of north London to celebrate Arsenal's FA Cup win.
An open-top bus parade set off from the club's Emirates Stadium at 12:00 BST.
Adinkra Symbols of West Africa - The victory secured the Gunners' first trophy in nine years and was the 11th time the club had won the competition.
Arsenal, who started the final as favourites, came from two goals down against Hull to win 3-2 in Saturday's match.
The players travelled from the Emirates Stadium to Islington Town Hall, Upper Street and back in two open-top buses, stopping every few minutes to thank their fans.
Broadcaster and Arsenal fan Clive Anderson, who was at the parade, told BBC News: "It's been a long time coming and it's great to be back here celebrating.
"This is a fantastic day."
Mayor of Islington Barry Edwards who was at the parade, said: "My council career ends on Thursday at the elections, so I am really delighted that today as one of my last acts as mayor I may be able to invite the Arsenal in for a cup of tea.
Adding his family had been fans for three generations, he said: "It's all granddad's fault, if he hadn't gone to watch them in 1913 I might have had a nice quiet Saturday evening."
The two open top-top buses have now returned to the team's stadium after the victory parade, where players greeted more fans.
An open-top bus parade set off from the club's Emirates Stadium at 12:00 BST.
Adinkra Symbols of West Africa - The victory secured the Gunners' first trophy in nine years and was the 11th time the club had won the competition.
Arsenal, who started the final as favourites, came from two goals down against Hull to win 3-2 in Saturday's match.
The players travelled from the Emirates Stadium to Islington Town Hall, Upper Street and back in two open-top buses, stopping every few minutes to thank their fans.
Broadcaster and Arsenal fan Clive Anderson, who was at the parade, told BBC News: "It's been a long time coming and it's great to be back here celebrating.
"This is a fantastic day."
Mayor of Islington Barry Edwards who was at the parade, said: "My council career ends on Thursday at the elections, so I am really delighted that today as one of my last acts as mayor I may be able to invite the Arsenal in for a cup of tea.
Adding his family had been fans for three generations, he said: "It's all granddad's fault, if he hadn't gone to watch them in 1913 I might have had a nice quiet Saturday evening."
The two open top-top buses have now returned to the team's stadium after the victory parade, where players greeted more fans.
Nigeria suicide blast leaves four dead in Kano
News Info - A suicide blast in the northern Nigerian city of Kano has killed four people, police say.
They say that the blast happened in a street with many bars and night spots.
Anatomy of the Human Body - Witnesses say that the explosion was caused by a bomb in a car in the predominantly Christian area of Sabon Gari. The blast could be heard from several miles away.
The militant Islamist group Boko Haram has carried out attacks in Kano state and other areas of northern Nigeria.
"At about 22:00 (21:00 GMT), we heard an explosion and immediately mobilised to the scene where we discovered a suicide bomber... Five people, including the bomber, were killed," Kano Police Commissioner Adelere Shinaba said.
He said that the victims were "three men and a girl of about 12".
The BBC's Will Ross in Nigeria says that Sunday's blast was so powerful that all that remains of the car is its engine.
Kano is the largest city in the mainly Muslim north of Nigeria.
In January 2012, about 150 people died there in a series of co-ordinated attacks by Boko Haram.
The group is fighting to overthrow the Nigeria government and create an Islamic state.
The bombing comes as the Nigerian authorities continue the search for more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram.
The abducted schoolgirls, who include Christians and Muslims, were seized on 14 April in the north-east Nigerian town of Chibok in Borno state.
Boko Haram released a video last week showing more than 100 of the girls and offering an exchange for prisoners.
African leaders meeting in Paris at the weekend agreed to wage "war" on Boko Haram, pledging to share intelligence and co-ordinate action against the group.
They say that the blast happened in a street with many bars and night spots.
Anatomy of the Human Body - Witnesses say that the explosion was caused by a bomb in a car in the predominantly Christian area of Sabon Gari. The blast could be heard from several miles away.
The militant Islamist group Boko Haram has carried out attacks in Kano state and other areas of northern Nigeria.
"At about 22:00 (21:00 GMT), we heard an explosion and immediately mobilised to the scene where we discovered a suicide bomber... Five people, including the bomber, were killed," Kano Police Commissioner Adelere Shinaba said.
He said that the victims were "three men and a girl of about 12".
The BBC's Will Ross in Nigeria says that Sunday's blast was so powerful that all that remains of the car is its engine.
Kano is the largest city in the mainly Muslim north of Nigeria.
In January 2012, about 150 people died there in a series of co-ordinated attacks by Boko Haram.
The group is fighting to overthrow the Nigeria government and create an Islamic state.
The bombing comes as the Nigerian authorities continue the search for more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram.
The abducted schoolgirls, who include Christians and Muslims, were seized on 14 April in the north-east Nigerian town of Chibok in Borno state.
Boko Haram released a video last week showing more than 100 of the girls and offering an exchange for prisoners.
African leaders meeting in Paris at the weekend agreed to wage "war" on Boko Haram, pledging to share intelligence and co-ordinate action against the group.
South Korea to break up coastguard after ferry disaster
News Info - South Korea plans to break up its coastguard in the wake of the ferry disaster in which more than 300 people died, says President Park Geun-hye.
abyssal plain animals - In a televised address, Ms Park apologised formally for the sinking.
A new safety agency would handle rescue duties, with investigative functions passing to the police, she said.
The Sewol ferry disaster on 16 April killed 281 passengers, most of whom were high school students. Another 23 are still missing.
"The ultimate responsibility of the poor response to this accident lies with me," Ms Park said.
She said the coastguard had "failed to fulfil its original duties" and "had it actively carried out rescue efforts immediately after the accident", more lives could have been saved.
Ms Park added that in its current form, the coastguard would be unable to prevent another large-scale disaster.
"The coastguard continued to get bigger in size but did not have enough personnel and budget allocated for maritime safety, and training for rescue was very much insufficient," she said, according to Reuters.
Ms Park's office told agencies that her plans had to be approved by the National Assembly, in which her Saenuri party maintains a majority.
'Abnormal practice'
The planned disbanding of the coastguard one of several reforms the South Korean leader announced on Monday.
An interim investigation found that the ferry was overloaded, carrying three times its approved amount of cargo, and that a sharp turn destabilised it and caused it to capsize.
The ferry captain and three members of the crew have been charged with manslaughter. Prosecutors have indicted another 11 crew members for negligence, for failing to evacuate passengers.
Officials from the ferry's operator and a company that conducted safety checks on the ferry prior to the incident have also been arrested.
"This accident showed how big a calamity can be brought about by the abnormal practice of collusion between the government and civilians," Ms Park was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.
She said she planned to increase restrictions on government officials taking up jobs related to their duties after retirement. The practice, also known as "bureaucratic mafia" in South Korea, is seen as fostering too-cosy ties between bureaucrats and regulators.
The president also proposed establishing a committee to look into whether the Sewol ferry accident was caused by corruption and other irregularities.
Only 172 passengers survived the sinking of the ferry, including 22 of the 29 crew members.
abyssal plain animals - In a televised address, Ms Park apologised formally for the sinking.
A new safety agency would handle rescue duties, with investigative functions passing to the police, she said.
The Sewol ferry disaster on 16 April killed 281 passengers, most of whom were high school students. Another 23 are still missing.
"The ultimate responsibility of the poor response to this accident lies with me," Ms Park said.
She said the coastguard had "failed to fulfil its original duties" and "had it actively carried out rescue efforts immediately after the accident", more lives could have been saved.
Ms Park added that in its current form, the coastguard would be unable to prevent another large-scale disaster.
"The coastguard continued to get bigger in size but did not have enough personnel and budget allocated for maritime safety, and training for rescue was very much insufficient," she said, according to Reuters.
Ms Park's office told agencies that her plans had to be approved by the National Assembly, in which her Saenuri party maintains a majority.
'Abnormal practice'
The planned disbanding of the coastguard one of several reforms the South Korean leader announced on Monday.
An interim investigation found that the ferry was overloaded, carrying three times its approved amount of cargo, and that a sharp turn destabilised it and caused it to capsize.
The ferry captain and three members of the crew have been charged with manslaughter. Prosecutors have indicted another 11 crew members for negligence, for failing to evacuate passengers.
Officials from the ferry's operator and a company that conducted safety checks on the ferry prior to the incident have also been arrested.
"This accident showed how big a calamity can be brought about by the abnormal practice of collusion between the government and civilians," Ms Park was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.
She said she planned to increase restrictions on government officials taking up jobs related to their duties after retirement. The practice, also known as "bureaucratic mafia" in South Korea, is seen as fostering too-cosy ties between bureaucrats and regulators.
The president also proposed establishing a committee to look into whether the Sewol ferry accident was caused by corruption and other irregularities.
Only 172 passengers survived the sinking of the ferry, including 22 of the 29 crew members.
Thursday 15 May 2014
Why abalone is New Zealand's catch of the day
News Info - In New Zealand's southern province of Otago, a group of recreational fishermen are about to go on their regular hunt for shellfish.
It is autumn here and they will be diving into waters so cold that full-body wetsuits are needed.
What Are Menstrual Cramps? - But it is not just any mollusc that they're after. They are looking for a humble sea snail that has become one of the world's most expensive seafood items.
Blackfoot abalone is known here by its indigenous Maori name, paua. It is not the prettiest creature and could easily be mistaken for a rock.
But its unique black flesh and taste has made it a hot commodity, particularly in Asia where it is a prized delicacy.
Locally, a single abalone commands a hefty retail price of about NZ$50 (US$43; £26). In some Asian restaurants, it would set you back more than US$100.
Natural defence
There are more than 100 species of abalone around the world, but the blackfoot abalone is one of the largest and found only in New Zealand waters.
Apart from their strong suction to rocks, their only other natural defence is camouflage. Strict rules are needed to help protect the species from overfishing.
Fishermen cannot use any sort of underwater breathing equipment and are allowed to pick only 10 pieces of abalone per day.
They also have to be of a certain size; the legal recreational size is 125mm long - about five years of growing. However, abalone can reach over 20cm long and live for decades.
It takes only minutes for the fishermen to spot the mollusc clinging to rocks in waters about 5m deep.
Within an hour of the dive, they have caught enough and in true New Zealand style, a barbecue is set up on the back of their truck.
The abalone is quickly shucked (shell removed) and cooked right there in the car park.
Among the successful fishermen is the barrel-chested Kees Meeuws, a former rugby legend for the New Zealand All Blacks. He describes abalone as an acquired taste.
"The texture is a bit like calamari, a little chewy, but it's got a distinct flavour and is more like a steak rather than a shellfish," he says.
Sustainable catch
Meeuws is part of a group called Paua to the People, which last year stood up to commercial divers who wanted access to abalone areas that were dedicated to recreational fishermen.
Eventually the government decided to maintain the restrictions on commercial divers, which Meeuws and his group called a real success.
"We've got this closed area here, which has got an abundance of paua," he says.
"The industry knows that, they wanted to open it up to make their catch a little easier - completely understandable but at the end of the day if they go and take everything out of our coastline it's not good for the public."
There has been increasing pressure on commercial abalone producers because of rising demand from Asia for the delicacy.
Like recreational divers, commercial producers in New Zealand are also subject to strict guidelines such as only free diving. They also face catch limits but, unlike recreational fishermen, they can take hundreds of kilos in their quotas.
Lantern festivals
Nestled in the South Pacific ocean, New Zealand is blessed with an abundance of seafood, with its surrounding waters yielding massive lobsters, luxurious oysters and a vast array of fish.
Seafood exports are a huge business worth about NZ$1.5bn per year. By comparison, the country's abalone industry is still fairly small - only about 400 tonnes of the shellfish, worth about NZ$43m, are exported annually, largely because of the strict catch limits.
That's why some industry players are considering abalone farms, seen as a possibly lucrative but capital-intensive endeavour.
The chairman of New Zealand's Paua Industry Council, Storm Stanley, says the strong New Zealand dollar has affected sales, but adds that the industry enjoys a boost at certain times of the year.
"Smaller export amounts go to Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and Taiwan, but the majority is to China," he says.
"Most of that is to supply the Chinese New Year market and other celebrations such as lantern festivals as abalone is highly regarded as a special banquet food and often used in the gifting associated with these events."
Black market
Aside from over-fishing, the biggest threat to the growth of the abalone industry, according to experts, is the rise of a black market.
There are no official figures, but it is estimated that only two-thirds of abalone shipments were legally caught.
There are now specialised officers staking out New Zealand's coastline to catch poachers, who face hefty fines and sometimes imprisonment.
Technology is also being used to improve sustainability by having loggers monitor dives so that an overall picture of national catches can be formed.
But people continue to fish for the blackfoot abalone because it is not just the meat that is prized.
The shell itself also brings in tourist dollars because once polished, its stunning colours make it a popular souvenir.
For the average New Zealander though, the cultural value of the abalone may outweigh its monetary perks.
It has been eaten as a delicacy since the island was first settled hundreds of years ago. It's also been used in Maori art for centuries.
As a result, locals view it as a national treasure and are likely to protect the right for anyone here to have access to such a prized and valuable delicacy.
It is autumn here and they will be diving into waters so cold that full-body wetsuits are needed.
What Are Menstrual Cramps? - But it is not just any mollusc that they're after. They are looking for a humble sea snail that has become one of the world's most expensive seafood items.
Blackfoot abalone is known here by its indigenous Maori name, paua. It is not the prettiest creature and could easily be mistaken for a rock.
But its unique black flesh and taste has made it a hot commodity, particularly in Asia where it is a prized delicacy.
Locally, a single abalone commands a hefty retail price of about NZ$50 (US$43; £26). In some Asian restaurants, it would set you back more than US$100.
Natural defence
There are more than 100 species of abalone around the world, but the blackfoot abalone is one of the largest and found only in New Zealand waters.
Apart from their strong suction to rocks, their only other natural defence is camouflage. Strict rules are needed to help protect the species from overfishing.
Fishermen cannot use any sort of underwater breathing equipment and are allowed to pick only 10 pieces of abalone per day.
They also have to be of a certain size; the legal recreational size is 125mm long - about five years of growing. However, abalone can reach over 20cm long and live for decades.
It takes only minutes for the fishermen to spot the mollusc clinging to rocks in waters about 5m deep.
Within an hour of the dive, they have caught enough and in true New Zealand style, a barbecue is set up on the back of their truck.
The abalone is quickly shucked (shell removed) and cooked right there in the car park.
Among the successful fishermen is the barrel-chested Kees Meeuws, a former rugby legend for the New Zealand All Blacks. He describes abalone as an acquired taste.
"The texture is a bit like calamari, a little chewy, but it's got a distinct flavour and is more like a steak rather than a shellfish," he says.
Sustainable catch
Meeuws is part of a group called Paua to the People, which last year stood up to commercial divers who wanted access to abalone areas that were dedicated to recreational fishermen.
Eventually the government decided to maintain the restrictions on commercial divers, which Meeuws and his group called a real success.
"We've got this closed area here, which has got an abundance of paua," he says.
"The industry knows that, they wanted to open it up to make their catch a little easier - completely understandable but at the end of the day if they go and take everything out of our coastline it's not good for the public."
There has been increasing pressure on commercial abalone producers because of rising demand from Asia for the delicacy.
Like recreational divers, commercial producers in New Zealand are also subject to strict guidelines such as only free diving. They also face catch limits but, unlike recreational fishermen, they can take hundreds of kilos in their quotas.
Lantern festivals
Nestled in the South Pacific ocean, New Zealand is blessed with an abundance of seafood, with its surrounding waters yielding massive lobsters, luxurious oysters and a vast array of fish.
Seafood exports are a huge business worth about NZ$1.5bn per year. By comparison, the country's abalone industry is still fairly small - only about 400 tonnes of the shellfish, worth about NZ$43m, are exported annually, largely because of the strict catch limits.
That's why some industry players are considering abalone farms, seen as a possibly lucrative but capital-intensive endeavour.
The chairman of New Zealand's Paua Industry Council, Storm Stanley, says the strong New Zealand dollar has affected sales, but adds that the industry enjoys a boost at certain times of the year.
"Smaller export amounts go to Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea and Taiwan, but the majority is to China," he says.
"Most of that is to supply the Chinese New Year market and other celebrations such as lantern festivals as abalone is highly regarded as a special banquet food and often used in the gifting associated with these events."
Black market
Aside from over-fishing, the biggest threat to the growth of the abalone industry, according to experts, is the rise of a black market.
There are no official figures, but it is estimated that only two-thirds of abalone shipments were legally caught.
There are now specialised officers staking out New Zealand's coastline to catch poachers, who face hefty fines and sometimes imprisonment.
Technology is also being used to improve sustainability by having loggers monitor dives so that an overall picture of national catches can be formed.
But people continue to fish for the blackfoot abalone because it is not just the meat that is prized.
The shell itself also brings in tourist dollars because once polished, its stunning colours make it a popular souvenir.
For the average New Zealander though, the cultural value of the abalone may outweigh its monetary perks.
It has been eaten as a delicacy since the island was first settled hundreds of years ago. It's also been used in Maori art for centuries.
As a result, locals view it as a national treasure and are likely to protect the right for anyone here to have access to such a prized and valuable delicacy.
Sudan woman faces death for apostasy
News Info - A Sudanese court has sentenced a woman to hang for apostasy after she left Islam and married a Christian man.
"We gave you three days to recant but you insist on not returning to Islam. I sentence you to be hanged to death," the judge told the woman, AFP reports.
Western embassies and rights groups had urged Sudan to respect the right of the pregnant woman to choose her religion.
Genghis Khan Biography - Local media report the sentence would not be carried out for two years after she has given birth.
Sudan has a majority Muslim population, which is governed by Islamic law.
The judge also sentenced her to 100 lashes after convicting her of adultery - because her marriage to a Christian man was not valid under Islamic law.
Earlier in the hearing, an Islamic cleric spoke with her in a caged dock for about 30 minutes, AFP reports.
Then she calmly told the judge: "I am a Christian and I never committed apostasy."
Amnesty International said the woman, Meriam Yehya Ibrahim Ishag, was raised as an Orthodox Christian, her mother's religion, because her father, a Muslim, was reportedly absent during her childhood.
In court, the judge addressed her by her Muslim name, Adraf Al-Hadi Mohammed Abdullah.
She was convicted of adultery on the grounds that her marriage to a Christian man from South Sudan was void under Islamic law, as practised in Sudan, Amnesty said.
She was arrested and charged with adultery in August 2013 and the court added the charge of apostasy in February 2014 when she said she was a Christian and not a Muslim, the group said.
Amnesty said she should be released immediately.
She is said to be eight months' pregnant.
"We gave you three days to recant but you insist on not returning to Islam. I sentence you to be hanged to death," the judge told the woman, AFP reports.
Western embassies and rights groups had urged Sudan to respect the right of the pregnant woman to choose her religion.
Genghis Khan Biography - Local media report the sentence would not be carried out for two years after she has given birth.
Sudan has a majority Muslim population, which is governed by Islamic law.
The judge also sentenced her to 100 lashes after convicting her of adultery - because her marriage to a Christian man was not valid under Islamic law.
Earlier in the hearing, an Islamic cleric spoke with her in a caged dock for about 30 minutes, AFP reports.
Then she calmly told the judge: "I am a Christian and I never committed apostasy."
Amnesty International said the woman, Meriam Yehya Ibrahim Ishag, was raised as an Orthodox Christian, her mother's religion, because her father, a Muslim, was reportedly absent during her childhood.
In court, the judge addressed her by her Muslim name, Adraf Al-Hadi Mohammed Abdullah.
She was convicted of adultery on the grounds that her marriage to a Christian man from South Sudan was void under Islamic law, as practised in Sudan, Amnesty said.
She was arrested and charged with adultery in August 2013 and the court added the charge of apostasy in February 2014 when she said she was a Christian and not a Muslim, the group said.
Amnesty said she should be released immediately.
She is said to be eight months' pregnant.
Tuesday 13 May 2014
China Detains Man Who Wrote for Foreign Website
News Info - A Beijing man who supplied information to a dissident-run U.S.-based news website has been detained on charges he made up stories that disparaged the Chinese government, police said Tuesday.
Xiang Nanfu was accused of providing false stories to Boxun.com that authorities harvested organs and buried people alive, according to a police statement. It said Xiang worked with Boxun.com to incite public dissatisfaction against the government.
Last week, China announced the detention of a prominent journalist, Gao Yu. She was accused of leaking a document from the ruling Communist Party to a publication abroad.
definition of abyssal plain - Chinese leaders want "to stop the flow of embarrassing and damaging information to overseas websites," said Willy Lam, a longtime political analyst in Hong Kong.
Lam said publications abroad are a battleground for Chinese political factions, which use them to attack each other by leaking information such as about the wealth of leaders' families.
Boxun.com, founded in 2000 and based in New York City, is known for publicizing allegations of corruption and human rights abuses. Access to the site is blocked in China.
Boxun gained prominence in 2012 when it publicized information it said came from insiders about the downfall of Bo Xilai, a leading ruling party figure.
Xiang, 62, was detained under a law against troublemaking, according to the police statement. Violators usually are punished with fines, but the law also allows a prison sentence of up to five years.
Xiang was shown on the national state television noon newscast confessing and expressing contrition.
"I have made up things that are not facts," said Xiang, who was shown wearing the green vest of a jail inmate. "My behavior has had a very bad impact. I realize that I have smeared the ruling party and the government."
The founder of Boxun.com, Watson Meng, denied it had reported that organ harvesting or burying people alive had occurred. But he said an April report described petitioners who made such allegations in front of the Beijing office of the United Nations.
"The authorities could have used some means to extort the public confession, although we do not know what means they have used," Meng said by phone from New York.
Meng called Xiang trustworthy and said he backed up his reports with photos and video footage. Meng said most were about people who petitioned the government seeking redress to what they perceive as injustice done by local authorities.
Meng rejected a police allegation that Boxun paid Xiang "large amounts of U.S. dollars" for his reports.
Another veteran activist, Huang Qi, said authorities regularly investigate his website, which documents efforts of petitioners and the government's response. The site, 64Tianwang.com, also is blocked in China.
"We condemn all forms of illegal suppression of freedom of the press and citizen journalists," Huang said.
Xiang Nanfu was accused of providing false stories to Boxun.com that authorities harvested organs and buried people alive, according to a police statement. It said Xiang worked with Boxun.com to incite public dissatisfaction against the government.
Last week, China announced the detention of a prominent journalist, Gao Yu. She was accused of leaking a document from the ruling Communist Party to a publication abroad.
definition of abyssal plain - Chinese leaders want "to stop the flow of embarrassing and damaging information to overseas websites," said Willy Lam, a longtime political analyst in Hong Kong.
Lam said publications abroad are a battleground for Chinese political factions, which use them to attack each other by leaking information such as about the wealth of leaders' families.
Boxun.com, founded in 2000 and based in New York City, is known for publicizing allegations of corruption and human rights abuses. Access to the site is blocked in China.
Boxun gained prominence in 2012 when it publicized information it said came from insiders about the downfall of Bo Xilai, a leading ruling party figure.
Xiang, 62, was detained under a law against troublemaking, according to the police statement. Violators usually are punished with fines, but the law also allows a prison sentence of up to five years.
Xiang was shown on the national state television noon newscast confessing and expressing contrition.
"I have made up things that are not facts," said Xiang, who was shown wearing the green vest of a jail inmate. "My behavior has had a very bad impact. I realize that I have smeared the ruling party and the government."
The founder of Boxun.com, Watson Meng, denied it had reported that organ harvesting or burying people alive had occurred. But he said an April report described petitioners who made such allegations in front of the Beijing office of the United Nations.
"The authorities could have used some means to extort the public confession, although we do not know what means they have used," Meng said by phone from New York.
Meng called Xiang trustworthy and said he backed up his reports with photos and video footage. Meng said most were about people who petitioned the government seeking redress to what they perceive as injustice done by local authorities.
Meng rejected a police allegation that Boxun paid Xiang "large amounts of U.S. dollars" for his reports.
Another veteran activist, Huang Qi, said authorities regularly investigate his website, which documents efforts of petitioners and the government's response. The site, 64Tianwang.com, also is blocked in China.
"We condemn all forms of illegal suppression of freedom of the press and citizen journalists," Huang said.
US Flying Aircraft Over Nigeria in Hunt for Girls
News Info - A Nigerian government official said "all options are open" in the search for missing schoolgirls that's now being actively supported by U.S. surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.
Boko Haram, the militant group that is holding some 276 female students kidnapped , says in a new video that the girls will only be freed after the government releases jailed militants.
genghis khan facts - The group, which wants to impose Islamic law on Nigeria, has killed more than 1,500 people this year in a campaign of bombings and massacres. Boko Haram's kidnapping of schoolgirls at a boarding school in northeast Nigeria last month has focused international attention on the extremist group amid outrage that most of the girls have not been rescued.
Nigeria's government, which has repeatedly denied allegations that was slow to respond to the mass abduction, had initially suggested there would be no negotiations with Boko Haram. Now it appears that stance may be relaxed.
Mike Omri, the director of Nigeria's National Orientation Agency, said late Monday that the government will "use whatever kind of action" it takes to free the girls.
"At the moment, because all options are open we are interacting with experts, military and intelligence experts from other parts of the world," he said. "So these are part of the options that are available to us and many more."
The White House said Monday that the U.S. team assisting is made up of nearly 30 people drawn from the State and Defense departments, as well as the FBI, including 10 Defense Department planners who were already in Nigeria and were redirected to assist the government.
Another seven Defense Department personnel were sent to Nigeria from AFRICOM, the U.S. Africa Command based in Germany, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
The U.S. is also sharing commercial satellite imagery with the Nigerian government, a senior U.S. official told The Associated Press on Monday.
Boko Haram, the militant group that is holding some 276 female students kidnapped , says in a new video that the girls will only be freed after the government releases jailed militants.
genghis khan facts - The group, which wants to impose Islamic law on Nigeria, has killed more than 1,500 people this year in a campaign of bombings and massacres. Boko Haram's kidnapping of schoolgirls at a boarding school in northeast Nigeria last month has focused international attention on the extremist group amid outrage that most of the girls have not been rescued.
Nigeria's government, which has repeatedly denied allegations that was slow to respond to the mass abduction, had initially suggested there would be no negotiations with Boko Haram. Now it appears that stance may be relaxed.
Mike Omri, the director of Nigeria's National Orientation Agency, said late Monday that the government will "use whatever kind of action" it takes to free the girls.
"At the moment, because all options are open we are interacting with experts, military and intelligence experts from other parts of the world," he said. "So these are part of the options that are available to us and many more."
The White House said Monday that the U.S. team assisting is made up of nearly 30 people drawn from the State and Defense departments, as well as the FBI, including 10 Defense Department planners who were already in Nigeria and were redirected to assist the government.
Another seven Defense Department personnel were sent to Nigeria from AFRICOM, the U.S. Africa Command based in Germany, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
The U.S. is also sharing commercial satellite imagery with the Nigerian government, a senior U.S. official told The Associated Press on Monday.
Ukrainian Separatists Ask to Join Russia
News Info - The leader of the pro-Russian separatist "People's Republic of Donetsk" requested Monday afternoon that Moscow consider annexing the eastern Ukrainian province, shortly after declaring independence.
"Given the will of the people of the Donetsk People's Republic, and in order to restore historical justice, we ask Russia to consider the issue of our republic’s accession into the Russian Federation," said Denis Pushilin, the self-declared governor.
Adinkra Symbols of West Africa - The request followed unofficial referenda in Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk province on Sunday in which separatist leaders said voters voted 89 percent and 96 percent, respectively, for independence for the regions.
Earlier on Monday, Pushilin told ABC News that the overwhelming results mean "the people now have the right to decide what is in the best social and economic interest of this region."
Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to respond, but had earlier called on separatist leaders to delay the vote. In a statement before Pushilin’s announcement, the Kremlin encouraged Kiev to have talks with pro-Russian leaders in the eastern part of the country.
"Moscow respects the will of the population of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and hopes that the practical implementation of the outcome of the referendums will proceed along civilized lines, without repeat outbreaks of violence and through dialogue between representatives of Kiev, Donetsk and Luhansk," the statement said, according to the Interfax news agency.
But Pushilin told ABC News that after several violent incidents that left pro-Russian protesters dead, the separatists in Donetsk have no meaningful contact with Ukrainian leaders in Kiev.
"The channel of interaction with Ukraine is very narrow, if not closed," Pushilin said. "The only negotiations with Ukraine at the moment is about hostages. I don’t see any other topics."
Ukraine’s interior minister also dismissed the idea of negotiations, saying that there can’t be talks with “terrorists” and that the Ukrainian security services will "restore constitutional order in the east of Ukraine."
The unofficial votes in Donetsk and Luhansk over the weekend have been condemned as improper and illegal by Western nations and Ukraine.
"The farce, which terrorists call the referendum, will have no legal consequences except the criminal responsibility for its organizers," Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said in a statement Monday, the AP reported.
Added U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki today, "We do not recognize the illegal referendum that took place in portions of Donetsk and Luhansk over the weekend. ... It was illegal under Ukrainian law and an attempt to create further division and disorder in the country. Its methodology was also highly suspect, with reports of carousel voting, pre-marked ballots, children voting, voting for people who were absent, and even voting in Moscow and St. Petersburg."
"Given the will of the people of the Donetsk People's Republic, and in order to restore historical justice, we ask Russia to consider the issue of our republic’s accession into the Russian Federation," said Denis Pushilin, the self-declared governor.
Adinkra Symbols of West Africa - The request followed unofficial referenda in Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk province on Sunday in which separatist leaders said voters voted 89 percent and 96 percent, respectively, for independence for the regions.
Earlier on Monday, Pushilin told ABC News that the overwhelming results mean "the people now have the right to decide what is in the best social and economic interest of this region."
Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to respond, but had earlier called on separatist leaders to delay the vote. In a statement before Pushilin’s announcement, the Kremlin encouraged Kiev to have talks with pro-Russian leaders in the eastern part of the country.
"Moscow respects the will of the population of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and hopes that the practical implementation of the outcome of the referendums will proceed along civilized lines, without repeat outbreaks of violence and through dialogue between representatives of Kiev, Donetsk and Luhansk," the statement said, according to the Interfax news agency.
But Pushilin told ABC News that after several violent incidents that left pro-Russian protesters dead, the separatists in Donetsk have no meaningful contact with Ukrainian leaders in Kiev.
"The channel of interaction with Ukraine is very narrow, if not closed," Pushilin said. "The only negotiations with Ukraine at the moment is about hostages. I don’t see any other topics."
Ukraine’s interior minister also dismissed the idea of negotiations, saying that there can’t be talks with “terrorists” and that the Ukrainian security services will "restore constitutional order in the east of Ukraine."
The unofficial votes in Donetsk and Luhansk over the weekend have been condemned as improper and illegal by Western nations and Ukraine.
"The farce, which terrorists call the referendum, will have no legal consequences except the criminal responsibility for its organizers," Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said in a statement Monday, the AP reported.
Added U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki today, "We do not recognize the illegal referendum that took place in portions of Donetsk and Luhansk over the weekend. ... It was illegal under Ukrainian law and an attempt to create further division and disorder in the country. Its methodology was also highly suspect, with reports of carousel voting, pre-marked ballots, children voting, voting for people who were absent, and even voting in Moscow and St. Petersburg."
Monday 12 May 2014
Pregnant drivers face higher risks for serious motor vehicle crash
News Info - Women in their second trimester of pregnancy are at much greater risk of a serious motor vehicle crash compared with the same women before pregnancy, say Canadian doctors who want obstetricians to remind their patients about road safety.
financial crisis - In Monday's issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers crunched data on emergency department visits for more than 507,000 women who gave birth in the province over five years.
"Our main finding was that the middle months of pregnancy were associated with about a 42 per cent increase in the risk of a life-threatening motor vehicle crash," Dr. Donald Redelmeier, the study's lead investigator and a senior scientist at Toronto's Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, said in an interview.
The magnitude of the effect equals about one crash for every 50 pregnant women.
Redelmeier is concerned that pregnant women might let down their guard on the road during the second trimester when the fatigue, back pain, and insomnia that many face are beginning to take their toll on top of the stress of preparing for the baby's arrival.
"I look after these patients in clinic and they frequently ask me about roller-coasters and airline flights and hot tubs and yet they almost never ask about road safety, despite it being a much larger risk to the safety of Canadians," he said.
The researchers don't advise women to give up driving during pregnancy or to ask their husbands to chauffeur. They simply want women to drive more carefully.
Standard advice applies:
financial crisis - In Monday's issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers crunched data on emergency department visits for more than 507,000 women who gave birth in the province over five years.
"Our main finding was that the middle months of pregnancy were associated with about a 42 per cent increase in the risk of a life-threatening motor vehicle crash," Dr. Donald Redelmeier, the study's lead investigator and a senior scientist at Toronto's Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, said in an interview.
The magnitude of the effect equals about one crash for every 50 pregnant women.
Redelmeier is concerned that pregnant women might let down their guard on the road during the second trimester when the fatigue, back pain, and insomnia that many face are beginning to take their toll on top of the stress of preparing for the baby's arrival.
"I look after these patients in clinic and they frequently ask me about roller-coasters and airline flights and hot tubs and yet they almost never ask about road safety, despite it being a much larger risk to the safety of Canadians," he said.
The researchers don't advise women to give up driving during pregnancy or to ask their husbands to chauffeur. They simply want women to drive more carefully.
Standard advice applies:
- Buckle up.
- Obey traffic signs.
- Follow the speed limit.
- Minimize distractions like cellphones.
The risk during the middle months of pregnancy were about 6.47 compared with about 4.55 beforehand. The elevated risk during the second trimester is about the same as for a patient with sleep apnea, Redelmeier said. In comparison, a teenage boy's risk ranks about 10.
Why second trimester riskier?
Study co-author Dr. Jon Barrett, chief of maternal fetal medicine at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, said he was surprised at the magnitude of the effect.
"The first trimester is up to 12 weeks. People might be nauseous but they're still sleeping. The big pregnancy hasn't really taken effect," Barrett said.
"In the third trimester, maybe they're stopping work, maybe they're so tired and so uncomfortable they're not doing so much activity finally. It's the second trimester where you still have all these pregnancy symptoms … people are expecting them to function as normal because you know in our society we don't give pregnant women much leeway."
The study was funded by a Canada Research Chair in Medical Decision Sciences, the Canadians Institutes of Heath Research, a community health course at the University of Toronto and the D+H SRI Summer Student Research Program.
Why second trimester riskier?
Study co-author Dr. Jon Barrett, chief of maternal fetal medicine at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, said he was surprised at the magnitude of the effect.
"The first trimester is up to 12 weeks. People might be nauseous but they're still sleeping. The big pregnancy hasn't really taken effect," Barrett said.
"In the third trimester, maybe they're stopping work, maybe they're so tired and so uncomfortable they're not doing so much activity finally. It's the second trimester where you still have all these pregnancy symptoms … people are expecting them to function as normal because you know in our society we don't give pregnant women much leeway."
The study was funded by a Canada Research Chair in Medical Decision Sciences, the Canadians Institutes of Heath Research, a community health course at the University of Toronto and the D+H SRI Summer Student Research Program.
Free aircraft-tracking service launched after Flight MH370 tragedy
News Info - The British satellite communications company that pointed the search for Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 to the Indian Ocean is offering a free and basic tracking service to its customers, which include most of the world's airlines.
Inmarsat said the service would be offered to all 11,000 commercial passenger aircraft that are already equipped with Inmarsat satellite connections, comprising virtually 100 per cent of the world's long-haul commercial fleet.
crocodile facts - Malaysia Airlines MH370: Report urges better real-time tracking
"This offer responsibly, quickly and at little or no cost to the industry, addresses in part the problem brought to light by the recent tragic events around MH370," Inmarsat CEO Rupert Pearce told the Associated Press.
The company made the announcement before United Nations aviation officials gathered in Montreal on Monday to discuss better tracking of aircraft in the highest-level response yet to safety concerns raised by the disappearance of Flight MH370.
The Boeing 777 with 239 people on board was en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8 when it disappeared. The plane automatically sent signals to a satellite belonging to Inmarsat after the plane's transponder and its communication systems had shut down — but researchers were unable to find the plane before the batteries in the black box flight recorder shut down.
Inmarsat said it anticipated the adoption of further safety measures following the loss of MH370.
Black box streaming service
The company said it would also offer both an enhanced position reporting facility and a 'black box in the cloud' service that would stream historic and real-time flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder information when a plane deviates from its course. These would not be free.
Malaysia Airlines MH370: Why airlines don't live-stream black box data
The United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is hosting this week's talks in Montreal to discuss what can be done with current technology and what standards need to be set for new technology as globalization brings a steady increase in intercontinental air traffic.
The May 12-13 meeting at ICAO headquarters brings together 40 nations and representatives of aviation regulators, airports, airlines, air traffic controllers, pilots and radio experts.
"For the general public it has become unthinkable that a flight can simply disappear," the European Union said in a paper presented in advance of the two-day talks.
"An aircraft should be permanently tracked, even beyond radar coverage, and in case of an accident it should be immediately located," the paper said.
The EU paper also warned that some existing satellite-based cockpit systems could also be vulnerable to cyberattacks.
How could Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 go off the radar?
The International Air Transport Association, which represents nearly all long-haul airlines, said in April that it would set up a special task force on the issue of tracking.
Officials say that jets can be tracked with hardware available for less than $100,000 and updates can be transmitted using existing technology, though the cost depends on the frequency of updates.
Other more simple options include embedding GPS tracking devices in aircraft, but these could require safety certification and there are no common safety standards.
Plane-tracking discussed since 2010
Regulators have been discussing since 2010 how to improve communications with passenger jets over oceans and remote areas after an Air France plane crashed into the Atlantic a year earlier, but they have so far failed to agree on a co-ordinated international approach to the problem.
However, worldwide alarm at the failure to find MH370 in more than two months since it vanished en route to Beijing has pushed the issue to the top of the aviation agenda.
Regular flight-tracking was one of the key recommendations of French investigators after the loss of Air France 447.
Aviation experts say previous attempts to reach agreement on tracking and other reforms in the aftermath of Air France 447 have been delayed by uncertainties over the cost and control of infrastructure and reluctance to rely on "monopoly" providers.
Recent EU decision-making has also had to overcome wrangling among manufacturers, regulators and pilots.
But officials are now more optimistic that the aviation industry will take the lead with the help of a common strategy between regulators.
Inmarsat said the service would be offered to all 11,000 commercial passenger aircraft that are already equipped with Inmarsat satellite connections, comprising virtually 100 per cent of the world's long-haul commercial fleet.
crocodile facts - Malaysia Airlines MH370: Report urges better real-time tracking
"This offer responsibly, quickly and at little or no cost to the industry, addresses in part the problem brought to light by the recent tragic events around MH370," Inmarsat CEO Rupert Pearce told the Associated Press.
The company made the announcement before United Nations aviation officials gathered in Montreal on Monday to discuss better tracking of aircraft in the highest-level response yet to safety concerns raised by the disappearance of Flight MH370.
The Boeing 777 with 239 people on board was en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur on March 8 when it disappeared. The plane automatically sent signals to a satellite belonging to Inmarsat after the plane's transponder and its communication systems had shut down — but researchers were unable to find the plane before the batteries in the black box flight recorder shut down.
Inmarsat said it anticipated the adoption of further safety measures following the loss of MH370.
Black box streaming service
The company said it would also offer both an enhanced position reporting facility and a 'black box in the cloud' service that would stream historic and real-time flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder information when a plane deviates from its course. These would not be free.
Malaysia Airlines MH370: Why airlines don't live-stream black box data
The United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is hosting this week's talks in Montreal to discuss what can be done with current technology and what standards need to be set for new technology as globalization brings a steady increase in intercontinental air traffic.
The May 12-13 meeting at ICAO headquarters brings together 40 nations and representatives of aviation regulators, airports, airlines, air traffic controllers, pilots and radio experts.
"For the general public it has become unthinkable that a flight can simply disappear," the European Union said in a paper presented in advance of the two-day talks.
"An aircraft should be permanently tracked, even beyond radar coverage, and in case of an accident it should be immediately located," the paper said.
The EU paper also warned that some existing satellite-based cockpit systems could also be vulnerable to cyberattacks.
How could Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 go off the radar?
The International Air Transport Association, which represents nearly all long-haul airlines, said in April that it would set up a special task force on the issue of tracking.
Officials say that jets can be tracked with hardware available for less than $100,000 and updates can be transmitted using existing technology, though the cost depends on the frequency of updates.
Other more simple options include embedding GPS tracking devices in aircraft, but these could require safety certification and there are no common safety standards.
Plane-tracking discussed since 2010
Regulators have been discussing since 2010 how to improve communications with passenger jets over oceans and remote areas after an Air France plane crashed into the Atlantic a year earlier, but they have so far failed to agree on a co-ordinated international approach to the problem.
However, worldwide alarm at the failure to find MH370 in more than two months since it vanished en route to Beijing has pushed the issue to the top of the aviation agenda.
Regular flight-tracking was one of the key recommendations of French investigators after the loss of Air France 447.
Aviation experts say previous attempts to reach agreement on tracking and other reforms in the aftermath of Air France 447 have been delayed by uncertainties over the cost and control of infrastructure and reluctance to rely on "monopoly" providers.
Recent EU decision-making has also had to overcome wrangling among manufacturers, regulators and pilots.
But officials are now more optimistic that the aviation industry will take the lead with the help of a common strategy between regulators.
Friday 9 May 2014
Smartphone app predicts bipolar mood swings
News Info - An essential part of managing bipolar disorder -- which is characterised by dramatic mood swings between manic energy and depressive apathy -- is being able to predict when those changes will occur, and act accordingly.
An experimental new smartphone app called PRIORI could offer an non-intrusive way to manage the condition. Developed by a team at the University of Michigan's Depression Center, the app runs in the background, automatically kicking in to monitor the user's voice patterns, whether it be a normal phone conversation or a scheduled weekly call with their care team.
abyssal plain animals - As it monitors the call, it analyses the sounds and silences of the user. A manic episode, for instance, may be heralded by rapid-fire speech with little silence, where as a depressed episode could be signalled by fewer words and longer silences.
After the individual user's patterns have been learned by the app, it will be able to signal both the user and his or her medical team to alert them of the upcoming mood change.
The team is careful to note that only the patient's side of the conversation is recorded, and then it is encrypted and placed on a secure server so that no one can listen to it -- the researchers only have access to the computer analysis of the recordings.
So far, the app has been tested on six patients with rapid-cycling Type 1 bipolar disorder. The researchers have found that the app is able to detect in everyday conversations the vocal modulations that predict varying levels of bipolar mood changes. The next step is to test the app further, with the eventual hope that it will help not just bipolar individuals, but those living with disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress and even Parkinson's disease.
"These pilot study results give us preliminary proof of the concept that we can detect mood states in regular phone calls by analysing broad features and properties of speech, without violating the privacy of those conversations," said study co-leader Zahi Karam, a postdoctoral fellow and specialist in machine learning and speech analysis. "As we collect more data the model will become better, and our ultimate goal is to be able to anticipate swings, so that it may be possible to intervene early."
The app may not be much use for those who text rather than make calls, but, once the analysis framework is in place, we imagine it would not be too much of a stretch to use software similar to Swype's behaviour-learning technology to the same end.
In the meantime, PRIORI still needs a fair bit of work to get it off the ground. If you want to help out by participating in the study, you can sign up at the University of Michigan clinical studies website.
An experimental new smartphone app called PRIORI could offer an non-intrusive way to manage the condition. Developed by a team at the University of Michigan's Depression Center, the app runs in the background, automatically kicking in to monitor the user's voice patterns, whether it be a normal phone conversation or a scheduled weekly call with their care team.
abyssal plain animals - As it monitors the call, it analyses the sounds and silences of the user. A manic episode, for instance, may be heralded by rapid-fire speech with little silence, where as a depressed episode could be signalled by fewer words and longer silences.
After the individual user's patterns have been learned by the app, it will be able to signal both the user and his or her medical team to alert them of the upcoming mood change.
The team is careful to note that only the patient's side of the conversation is recorded, and then it is encrypted and placed on a secure server so that no one can listen to it -- the researchers only have access to the computer analysis of the recordings.
So far, the app has been tested on six patients with rapid-cycling Type 1 bipolar disorder. The researchers have found that the app is able to detect in everyday conversations the vocal modulations that predict varying levels of bipolar mood changes. The next step is to test the app further, with the eventual hope that it will help not just bipolar individuals, but those living with disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress and even Parkinson's disease.
"These pilot study results give us preliminary proof of the concept that we can detect mood states in regular phone calls by analysing broad features and properties of speech, without violating the privacy of those conversations," said study co-leader Zahi Karam, a postdoctoral fellow and specialist in machine learning and speech analysis. "As we collect more data the model will become better, and our ultimate goal is to be able to anticipate swings, so that it may be possible to intervene early."
The app may not be much use for those who text rather than make calls, but, once the analysis framework is in place, we imagine it would not be too much of a stretch to use software similar to Swype's behaviour-learning technology to the same end.
In the meantime, PRIORI still needs a fair bit of work to get it off the ground. If you want to help out by participating in the study, you can sign up at the University of Michigan clinical studies website.
Pro-Russian separatists defy Putin call to delay referendum in Ukraine
News Info - Pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine have decided to go ahead with a Sunday referendum on greater local powers, they said Thursday, defying a call by Russian President Vladimir Putin to postpone the vote.
Putin had urged the pro-Russia sympathizers to delay the referendum to give dialogue "the conditions it needs to have a chance."
human body fact - Representatives from the council of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic and separatists from Luhansk told reporters they have voted to press ahead to ask eastern Ukrainians there if they want sovereignty from Kiev.
"After the vote that was held today, the unanimous decision was to go ahead with the referendum May 11," Denis Pushilin, the self-declared chairman of the Donetsk People's Republic said, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
Pushilin said Putin's comments Wednesday were "surprising" but he respected him.
There was no immediate reaction from Moscow or Kiev.
Sunday's referendum could echo events in March when voters in Crimea approved a controversial ballot to secede from Ukraine and join Russia, which subsequently annexed the Black Sea peninsula. The move escalated the turmoil rocking the country.
"On the local 'referenda,' we strongly emphasize that they should not take place -- neither on 11 May nor at any later date," said Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for the European Union's top diplomat, Catherine Ashton. "Such unauthorized local 'referenda' have no democratic legitimacy and can only lead to further escalation."
Separatists have been defiant in the past. An international pact reached among Russia, Ukraine and its Western allies in Geneva, Switzerland, last month that called for the rebels to disarm and vacate buildings seized in the volatile region has not yet materialized.
In what seemed to signal a softening in Moscow's attitude toward Kiev, Putin also said Wednesday that Ukrainian presidential elections scheduled for this month were "a step in the right direction."
However, he also voiced caution.
"But it will not solve anything unless all of Ukraine's people first understand how their rights will be guaranteed once the election has taken place," Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript following his meeting with the chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Putin also said that direct talks between Kiev authorities and representatives of the pro-Russian sympathizers in southeast Ukraine were key to settling the crisis.
Ukrainian interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk dismissed Putin's comments on the referendum as "hot air."
Amid the diplomatic tit-for-tat, Russia's Foreign Ministry said Thursday it had added names to its list of U.S. and Canadian officials barred from entering Russia, in response to sanctions impose by the United States and Canada on Russian officials.
NATO: No sign of Russian troop withdrawal
In a statement on his official website on Thursday, interim President Oleksandr Turchynov said his government was ready for dialogue with those who want to talk -- but not with "armed criminals with blood on their hands."
"Ukrainian authorities have never conducted punitive operations in the east," he said, responding to Russian accusations over Kiev's military campaign to defeat the rebels who have overrun the east.
"The law enforcement agencies protect the lives and health of the citizens in the framework of the anti-terrorist operation performed against terrorists, saboteurs, and other criminals who murder, torture, and kidnap our citizens."
Police in Luhansk confirmed Thursday that Valeriy Salo, a man named by the Kyiv Post as the kidnapped head of a pro-Ukrainian group in the Donetsk region, was found dead in a burned-out car near the Luhansk village of Petrovskiy.
Salo's family told police that on Wednesday evening an unknown armed group arrived at their home and took Salo away. The Kyiv Post said he was captured by representatives of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Rights group Amnesty International last month raised concern over the reported abduction of journalists and local officials by the Donetsk People's Republic and other groups, and urged their immediate release.
Poll: Lack of confidence
A majority of Ukrainians agree their country should remain a unified state, according to a poll released Thursday.
The Pew Research Center poll, conducted in the first half of April, found that 77% of Ukrainians want the country to remain united; 70% in the east feel the same. Things differ in Crimea, where 54% of those surveyed voice support for the right to secede.
The survey also highlighted a lack of confidence in the new government that came to power after pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted following months of protests. Just 41% say the interim authorities are having a good influence on the way things are going.
"Russia is viewed with the greatest suspicion. Three times as many Ukrainians say Russia is having a bad influence on their country as say it is having a good impact (67% vs. 22%)," it said.
Meanwhile, NATO hasn't seen "any signs" that Russia is withdrawing troops from Ukraine's border, said Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the military alliance's secretary-general.
"So far we haven't seen any indications that they are pulling back their troops. Let me assure you that if we get visible evidence that they are actually pulling back their troops, I would be the very first to welcome it," Rasmussen told a news conference in the Polish capital.
White House deputy press secretary Josh Earnest also told reporters Wednesday that "there is not evidence to date that there has been a meaningful and transparent withdrawal of Russian forces from the Ukrainian border."
The comments came after Putin announced a troop pullback Wednesday, saying Russian forces are "now not on the Ukrainian border but are carrying out their regular exercises at the test grounds."
Kiev, its neighbors and Western governments have voiced alarm over what NATO estimates are around 40,000 Russian troops massed along the Ukrainian border. Moscow has repeatedly said they are only carrying out exercises.
The state-run ITAR-Tass news agency cited Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov as saying Thursday that Ukraine has deployed a 15,000-strong military force near Russia's borders. He reiterated Putin's comments that Russia had pulled back from the border and said Moscow's defense minister had informed U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel about this in a phone conversation.
Military offensive
Violence has escalated on the ground as tensions rise.
The State Department is now warning U.S. citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Ukraine. It also said Thursday that U.S. citizens should defer all travel to Crimea and eastern regions
Kiev last week launched its biggest military campaign yet to drive out pro-Russian militants who have reportedly taken over some public buildings in towns across southeast Ukraine.
Five pro-Russian activists were killed overnight Wednesday when Ukrainian forces attacked barricades on the outskirts of Mariupol, a spokeswoman for the pro-Russian camp said.
Elsewhere in the volatile Donetsk region, an uneasy standoff continued between the Ukrainian military and separatists.
Both sides clashed Monday at the rebel stronghold of Slovyansk. Ukraine's security services said 30 "heavily armed" militants had been killed in recent days as part of the "anti-terrorist" operation in the area.
Kiev and many experts in the West believe the separatists are backed by Moscow and fear that Putin is fomenting trouble to increase his influence in the region. The Ukrainian authorities have accused Russian special forces of leading the rebellion in the field -- a claim Moscow denies.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia accused Russian troops -- which he says comprise special forces and intelligence -- of infiltrating and destabilizing the east of the country.
"These well-equipped groups resort to guns, oppression and blackmail to intimidate people ... in an effort to channel them to their own purposes, and thus create the false impression that their demands are backed by broad public support," he said.
"Russia's major goal is to destabilize and control the country. We will not let this happen."
Moscow says right-wing, ultranationalist groups are behind the violence in Ukraine and that it has no direct influence over the pro-Russian groups.
The violence in Ukraine has created the worst East-West diplomatic crisis since the end of the Cold War.
However, French President Francois Hollande said Thursday that Putin would be welcome to attend next month's ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, northern France.
"We may have differences with Vladimir Putin at the moment namely over the crisis in Ukraine but I have not forgotten and never will forget that the Russian people gave millions of lives (during World War II)," Hollande told local television in a clip posted on the presidential palace website.
"That is why I told Vladimir Putin that as the representative of the Russian people, he is welcome to these ceremonies."
The government in Kiev is bracing for further unrest in the run-up to Friday's national holiday to commemorate the end of World War II.
In a television address, Yatsenyuk urged Ukrainians not to take part in "mass actions" and not to respond to provocations. Kiev has said it is stepping up security measures ahead of the holiday.
Putin had urged the pro-Russia sympathizers to delay the referendum to give dialogue "the conditions it needs to have a chance."
human body fact - Representatives from the council of the self-declared Donetsk People's Republic and separatists from Luhansk told reporters they have voted to press ahead to ask eastern Ukrainians there if they want sovereignty from Kiev.
"After the vote that was held today, the unanimous decision was to go ahead with the referendum May 11," Denis Pushilin, the self-declared chairman of the Donetsk People's Republic said, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.
Pushilin said Putin's comments Wednesday were "surprising" but he respected him.
There was no immediate reaction from Moscow or Kiev.
Sunday's referendum could echo events in March when voters in Crimea approved a controversial ballot to secede from Ukraine and join Russia, which subsequently annexed the Black Sea peninsula. The move escalated the turmoil rocking the country.
"On the local 'referenda,' we strongly emphasize that they should not take place -- neither on 11 May nor at any later date," said Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for the European Union's top diplomat, Catherine Ashton. "Such unauthorized local 'referenda' have no democratic legitimacy and can only lead to further escalation."
Separatists have been defiant in the past. An international pact reached among Russia, Ukraine and its Western allies in Geneva, Switzerland, last month that called for the rebels to disarm and vacate buildings seized in the volatile region has not yet materialized.
In what seemed to signal a softening in Moscow's attitude toward Kiev, Putin also said Wednesday that Ukrainian presidential elections scheduled for this month were "a step in the right direction."
However, he also voiced caution.
"But it will not solve anything unless all of Ukraine's people first understand how their rights will be guaranteed once the election has taken place," Putin said, according to a Kremlin transcript following his meeting with the chairman of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Putin also said that direct talks between Kiev authorities and representatives of the pro-Russian sympathizers in southeast Ukraine were key to settling the crisis.
Ukrainian interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk dismissed Putin's comments on the referendum as "hot air."
Amid the diplomatic tit-for-tat, Russia's Foreign Ministry said Thursday it had added names to its list of U.S. and Canadian officials barred from entering Russia, in response to sanctions impose by the United States and Canada on Russian officials.
NATO: No sign of Russian troop withdrawal
In a statement on his official website on Thursday, interim President Oleksandr Turchynov said his government was ready for dialogue with those who want to talk -- but not with "armed criminals with blood on their hands."
"Ukrainian authorities have never conducted punitive operations in the east," he said, responding to Russian accusations over Kiev's military campaign to defeat the rebels who have overrun the east.
"The law enforcement agencies protect the lives and health of the citizens in the framework of the anti-terrorist operation performed against terrorists, saboteurs, and other criminals who murder, torture, and kidnap our citizens."
Police in Luhansk confirmed Thursday that Valeriy Salo, a man named by the Kyiv Post as the kidnapped head of a pro-Ukrainian group in the Donetsk region, was found dead in a burned-out car near the Luhansk village of Petrovskiy.
Salo's family told police that on Wednesday evening an unknown armed group arrived at their home and took Salo away. The Kyiv Post said he was captured by representatives of the Donetsk People's Republic.
Rights group Amnesty International last month raised concern over the reported abduction of journalists and local officials by the Donetsk People's Republic and other groups, and urged their immediate release.
Poll: Lack of confidence
A majority of Ukrainians agree their country should remain a unified state, according to a poll released Thursday.
The Pew Research Center poll, conducted in the first half of April, found that 77% of Ukrainians want the country to remain united; 70% in the east feel the same. Things differ in Crimea, where 54% of those surveyed voice support for the right to secede.
The survey also highlighted a lack of confidence in the new government that came to power after pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted following months of protests. Just 41% say the interim authorities are having a good influence on the way things are going.
"Russia is viewed with the greatest suspicion. Three times as many Ukrainians say Russia is having a bad influence on their country as say it is having a good impact (67% vs. 22%)," it said.
Meanwhile, NATO hasn't seen "any signs" that Russia is withdrawing troops from Ukraine's border, said Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the military alliance's secretary-general.
"So far we haven't seen any indications that they are pulling back their troops. Let me assure you that if we get visible evidence that they are actually pulling back their troops, I would be the very first to welcome it," Rasmussen told a news conference in the Polish capital.
White House deputy press secretary Josh Earnest also told reporters Wednesday that "there is not evidence to date that there has been a meaningful and transparent withdrawal of Russian forces from the Ukrainian border."
The comments came after Putin announced a troop pullback Wednesday, saying Russian forces are "now not on the Ukrainian border but are carrying out their regular exercises at the test grounds."
Kiev, its neighbors and Western governments have voiced alarm over what NATO estimates are around 40,000 Russian troops massed along the Ukrainian border. Moscow has repeatedly said they are only carrying out exercises.
The state-run ITAR-Tass news agency cited Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov as saying Thursday that Ukraine has deployed a 15,000-strong military force near Russia's borders. He reiterated Putin's comments that Russia had pulled back from the border and said Moscow's defense minister had informed U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel about this in a phone conversation.
Military offensive
Violence has escalated on the ground as tensions rise.
The State Department is now warning U.S. citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Ukraine. It also said Thursday that U.S. citizens should defer all travel to Crimea and eastern regions
Kiev last week launched its biggest military campaign yet to drive out pro-Russian militants who have reportedly taken over some public buildings in towns across southeast Ukraine.
Five pro-Russian activists were killed overnight Wednesday when Ukrainian forces attacked barricades on the outskirts of Mariupol, a spokeswoman for the pro-Russian camp said.
Elsewhere in the volatile Donetsk region, an uneasy standoff continued between the Ukrainian military and separatists.
Both sides clashed Monday at the rebel stronghold of Slovyansk. Ukraine's security services said 30 "heavily armed" militants had been killed in recent days as part of the "anti-terrorist" operation in the area.
Kiev and many experts in the West believe the separatists are backed by Moscow and fear that Putin is fomenting trouble to increase his influence in the region. The Ukrainian authorities have accused Russian special forces of leading the rebellion in the field -- a claim Moscow denies.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Deshchytsia accused Russian troops -- which he says comprise special forces and intelligence -- of infiltrating and destabilizing the east of the country.
"These well-equipped groups resort to guns, oppression and blackmail to intimidate people ... in an effort to channel them to their own purposes, and thus create the false impression that their demands are backed by broad public support," he said.
"Russia's major goal is to destabilize and control the country. We will not let this happen."
Moscow says right-wing, ultranationalist groups are behind the violence in Ukraine and that it has no direct influence over the pro-Russian groups.
The violence in Ukraine has created the worst East-West diplomatic crisis since the end of the Cold War.
However, French President Francois Hollande said Thursday that Putin would be welcome to attend next month's ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, northern France.
"We may have differences with Vladimir Putin at the moment namely over the crisis in Ukraine but I have not forgotten and never will forget that the Russian people gave millions of lives (during World War II)," Hollande told local television in a clip posted on the presidential palace website.
"That is why I told Vladimir Putin that as the representative of the Russian people, he is welcome to these ceremonies."
The government in Kiev is bracing for further unrest in the run-up to Friday's national holiday to commemorate the end of World War II.
In a television address, Yatsenyuk urged Ukrainians not to take part in "mass actions" and not to respond to provocations. Kiev has said it is stepping up security measures ahead of the holiday.
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