Turkish Police Clash With Mine Protesters

Turkish police have fired tear gas and water cannon at thousands of protesters in Soma near the site of a deadly mining disaster.

A crowd, reported to be around 10,000 strong, were chanting anti-government slogans as they demonstrated in the town following the deaths of at least 284 coal miners.

The country's worst ever mining accident has lead to protests in several Turkish cities from the capital Ankara to the western city of Izmir.

Anger grew as the extent of Tuesday's fire and explosion became clear.

Protests were partly directed at mine owners accused of prioritising profit over safety, and partly at Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's government, seen as too close to big business and too lax in enforcing regulations.

Relatives of a miner mourn beside his grave

Mr Erdogan has also been accused of punching a demonstrator, as fresh images sparked new claims of violence against protesters angry over the government's handling of the disaster.

In Soma, people scattered into side streets as the police intervened on a commercial street lined with shops and banks, as well as the offices of the local government and labour union.

One hand-written sign among the crowd read: "No coal can warm the children of fathers who died in the mine".

The protesters had been trying to get to a statue honouring miners in the centre of the town when the route was blocked by the police.

An adviser to Turkey's PM was seen kicking a protester in Soma on Thursday

Fire sent carbon monoxide rushing through the mine within minutes on Tuesday but the exact cause remains unclear, the mine operator said on Friday.

Most of the 787 workers inside had oxygen masks but smoke and gas spread so quickly that many were unable to escape, with 284 confirmed dead and 18 believed still to be trapped.

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Nigeria Leader Cancels Visit To Girls' Village

What Plans Does Boko Haram Have For Nigeria?

Updated: 5:35pm UK, Monday 05 May 2014

By Lisa Holland, Foreign Affairs Correspondent

The abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria has well and truly put Boko Haram on the terror map.

They are a group of militants already well-established in their aims and their successes - but the scale of this attack is unprecedented.

Their name in their local language means "Western education is sinful".

You can see how embarrassed and alarmed the Nigerian government is by its attempts to underplay the gravity of what has happened.

Initially, the government said most of the abducted girls had been safely rescued - now it has emerged from figures collated by parents and teachers that over 200 girls remain unaccounted for.

The girls, aged from 16 to 18, were abducted from their boarding school where they were taking exams and are thought to have been taken to remote forest camps run by Boko Haram in the north east of Nigeria - a region already under a state of emergency because of a breakdown in security.

The students had been recalled for exams after being sent home for four weeks when the school shut down because of the state of emergency.

The whole episode has exposed the impotency of the Nigerian military in dealing with Boko Haram and its failure to protect its own citizens.

Borno is one of three states in the north east under a state of emergency - a geographical area which accounts for a sixth of Nigeria. That alone tells you what the government is up against.

The military has had to halt aerial bombardments against the militants in their forest camps - for the safety of the girls.  

The abduction plot has proved to be a clever one for Boko Haram both in self-protection and self-promotion.

Over the past year the Boko Haram has increasingly targeted civilians, with an estimated 1,500 people killed in attacks blamed on the group. That compares with 3,600 between 2010 and 2012.

Boko Haram wants a pure Islamic state in the north of the country, ruled by sharia law.

Its five-year struggle is now seen as the main security threat in Nigeria - Africa's leading energy producer.

The government had claimed the extremists were cornered in the north-east of the country - but that claim was shattered by an explosion at a bus station in the capital Abuja on the same day as the abduction, which killed at least 75 people and wounded 141.

In March 2012, some 12 public schools were burned down in a single night, with as many as 10,000 pupils forced out of education.

The group now appears to have broadened its horizons, though it is a group bent not necessarily on attacking western interests but on enhancing its own.

The bold abduction indicates the group is growing in confidence and in its ability  to carry out spectacular al Qaeda-style attacks.

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Fifa Head: Qatar Summer World Cup A 'Mistake'

FA Boss Warning Over Qatar 2022

Updated: 3:36pm UK, Saturday 10 August 2013

Fifa "probably made a mistake" in awarding the World Cup to Qatar for the summer of 2022, according to the FA's new chairman.

Greg Dyke has said staging the tournament in the Middle East country during some of the hottest weeks of the year, when temperatures can reach 50C (122F), would be "impossible".

But Qatar said in a statement that it was the right decision to award it the Finals, and it was ready to stage the event in either summer or winter.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Dyke said he had serious concerns for the safety of football players and supporters if the event was not moved to the winter or taken away from Qatar completely.

He said: "I have a lot of sympathy with the Qataris. They bid for it and they got it. I think the Fifa executive probably made a mistake at that time - we have to live with that.

"The question now is, how do we solve this problem?"

It is the first time the FA has taken a formal position on the controversial issue. Mr Dyke believes a winter World Cup is more likely than Qatar losing the tournament completely.

His predecessor David Bernstein said in June that any plans to move the World Cup to the winter were "fundamentally flawed".

The FA's position could lead to some differences with the Premier League, whose chief executive Richard Scudamore strongly opposes any move to change the World Cup to the winter because it would disrupt domestic club competitions.

Fifa's president, Sepp Blatter, has said there is still enough time to switch the tournament to the winter months, when temperatures are significantly cooler but can still reach 30C (86F).

Mr Dyke said: "I don't know how many people have been to Qatar in June. I have. The one thing I can tell you is you can't play a football tournament in Qatar in June.

"Even if all the stadia are air-conditioned - which seems a bit strange in terms of the green policy - it would be impossible for the fans just to go out there, wander around in that sort of heat.

"The FA's position will be you can't play it in summer in Qatar.

"Fifa therefore has two choices; you either move it in time or to another location.

"I suspect that either ends up in some sort of litigation, but then someone should have worked that out in 2010 when it was awarded."

The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee later released a statement saying: "It was the right decision to award the World Cup to the Middle East for the first time in 2022.

"Football is the most popular sport in the Middle East and the people of our region deserve the opportunity to have history made in their part of the world.

"We are committed to delivering on the promises we made in our successful bid.

"We are ready to host in summer or winter. We have always maintained that this issue requires the agreement of the international football community.

"A decision to alter the dates of the 2022 FIFA World Cup would not affect our infrastructure planning."

The final decision on the fate of Qatar's World Cup rests with Fifa, whose executive committee will discuss the matter at its next meeting, in early October.

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General Motors Fined $35m Over Delayed Recall

The US government has fined General Motors the maximum $35m (£21m) for delayed recalls of vehicles with faulty ignition switches.

GM has admitted it knew about the problem for more than a decade, though car-makers are supposed to report safety defects within five days of discovery.

GM did not recall the cars until this year.

At least 13 people have died in crashes linked to the problem, the company says.

The Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the company had agreed to pay the civil penalty.

The NHTSA has also been criticised over the safety scandal because it received reports in 2007 and 2010 about the faulty switches, but did not act.

Along with the Justice Department, the agency has been investigating GM's delayed recall of 2.6 million Chevrolet Cobalts, Saturn Ions and other cars. 

The faulty ignition switch was prone to turning off, causing the engine to shut down and disabling the air bags.

The Detroit-based firm first spotted the problem with the ignition switches during pre-production in 2001, however, it was not until early 2014 that it instigated a recall.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement: "Safety is our top priority, and today's announcement puts all manufacturers on notice that they will be held accountable if they fail to quickly report and address safety-related defects." 

The fine amounts to less than a day's revenue for the car-maker, which made $37.4bn in the first quarter.

As part of its agreement with the US government, GM has also acceded to government oversight on safety issues.

On Thursday, General Motors said it had issued five more recalls, covering about 2.7 million vehicles in the US, mostly for faulty break lights. 

GM chief executive Mary Barra appeared before Congress in April and told lawmakers offered her "sincere apologies" for the scandal.

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New Indian Prime Minister Modi Hails Victory

Opposition candidate Narendra Modi says he wants to "fulfil the dreams of 1.2 billion people" after sweeping to power in historic elections in India.

The final results have yet to be declared but the Hindu Bharitya Janata Party (BJP) already has enough seats to become the first majority government India has elected in 30 years.

As the polling data came in Mr Modi tweeted: "India has won. Good days are coming."

He then told crowds: "The heat of the election is over and the people have given their verdict which says that we need to take India forward to fulfil the dreams of India's 1.2 billion people.

"There are no enemies in democracy, there is only opposition. I will take your love and convert it into progress before I return."

The BJP has already surpassed the 272 seats needed to avoid a coalition, ending 10 years of Congress Party rule.

Narendra Modi declares victory on Twitter

The result is the worst ever for the Gandhi dynasty and follows what the BJP describe as a "people's revolution".

"This is the beginning of change, a people's revolution and the start of a new era," senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar told AFP.

David Cameron has already spoken to Mr Modi and an invitation to Britain has been accepted.

And the Prime Minister tweeted: "Congratulations @narendramodi on victory in India's elections. Keen to work together to get the most from UK-India relationship."

Sky's Neville Lazarus is outside the BJP headquarters in New Delhi and described the celebrations as "euphoric".

Narendra Modi is blessed by mother, Hira Ba, on the day of his victory

"They were expecting the number of seats to be high, but not this high," he said. "It's a vindication of Narendra Modi and his campaign.

"There is a mood of change in this country because the Congress Party has been reeling from the economic slowdown and corruption charges."

Mr Modi oversaw a modern campaign which utilised everything from holograms to WhatsApp.

The stock market responded to his win by leaping 6%, sending the rupee to an 11-month high.

Celebrations outside a counting centre in Siliguri

Mr Modi has been the top official in Gujarat state for a decade.

The 63-year-old is the son of a tea seller and has played on his humble roots during the election campaign, with references to his mother riding a rickshaw to cast her ballot.

His victory comes despite controversy over links to the paramilitary Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) - which some describe as neo-fascist.

As chief minister of Gujarat, Mr Modi was criticised for failing to apologise for religious riots in 2002 in which at least 1,000 people died - mostly Muslims.

He has denied any role in the violence and the Supreme Court declared he had no case to answer.

However, suspicions prompted the US to deny him a visa in 2005, while Britain maintained a diplomatic boycott on Mr Modi until 2012.

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Sudan Death Sentence For Pregnant Woman

A pregnant woman has been sentenced to be hanged by a Sudanese court for converting to Christianity.

Mariam Yahya Ibrahim, 27, who is being held in detention with her 20-month-old son, had been ordered to abandon her faith and return to Islam.

She has also been charged with adultery for marrying a Christian man.

The death sentence was handed down despite appeals by Western embassies for compassion and respect for religious freedom.

At a court in Khartoum, Judge Abbas al Khalifa said: "We gave you three days to recant but you insist on not returning to Islam. I sentence you to be hanged."

He also sentenced her to 100 lashes for "adultery".

Born to a Muslim father, the woman was convicted under the Islamic sharia law that has been in force in Sudan since 1983, and outlaws conversions under threat of death.

The death sentence was handed down at a court in Khartoum

She is married to a Christian national of South Sudan, which won independence in 2011 after decades of civil war.

Earlier in the hearing, an Islamic religious leader spoke with her in the caged dock for about 30 minutes, trying to convince her to change her mind.

But she told the judge: "I am a Christian and I never committed apostasy."

Following her sentence, one of her lawyers Mohanad Mustafa said they would seek to overturn the ruling on appeal.

About 100 people, including Western embassy representatives, were in court to hear the sentence.

The United States, Canada, Britain and the Netherlands have all expressed "deep concern" over her case.

Amnesty International said she had been condemned to death for offences that should not be considered crimes at all, and condemned the sentences as "abhorrent".

Manar Idriss, Amnesty International's Sudan researcher, said: "The fact that a woman has been sentenced to death for her religious choice, and to flogging for being married to a man of an allegedly different religion is appalling and abhorrent.

"Adultery and apostasy are acts which should not be considered crimes at all. It is flagrant breach of international human rights law."

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South Korea Ferry Captain Charged Over Deaths

The captain of the South Korean ferry that capsized killing more than 280 passengers has been charged with manslaughter.

Two officers and a chief engineer have been charged with the same offence. If convicted all four could face the death penalty.

"The captain, a first officer and second officer and the chief engineer escaped before the passengers, leading to grave casualties," prosecutor Ahn Sang-don, who is leading the investigation, said.

They are accused of leaving the ship as it was sinking while telling passengers, mostly high school students, to stay where they were.

Ferry captain Lee Joon-seok

Prosecutors have also charged 11 other surviving crew members of the Sewol with negligence and abandoning passengers in need.

The charges were filed at Gwangju District Court where an official said a trial date will be decided in a few days. All 15 defendants are expected to be tried together.

Mr Ahn said the Sewol's stability had been compromised after it had been altered to increase capacity and it had been overloaded before it set sail on April 16.

It also had insufficient water in the ballast tanks used to keep it steady.  

Relatives of the victims pay tribute at a memorial wall

Strong currents where the disaster happened made the vessel less responsive and prompted the crew to make a turn of 15 degrees, sharper than advisable, causing the ferry to list rapidly and then sink, Mr Ahn said.

He added: "The captain should have been in command of the navigation, but left that to a third officer, and that is gross negligence."

Captain Lee Joon-seok told passengers to stay in their cabins and it was about half an hour before an evacuation order was issued. It is not clear whether that order was ever conveyed to passengers.

After his arrest, Lee told reporters he withheld the evacuation order because rescuers had yet to arrive and he feared for the safety of passengers in the water.

Lee Joon-seok escaping the ferry with many of the passengers still onboard

A coastguard spokesman said a further five bodies were recovered on Wednesday, bringing the total to 284. Twenty people are still missing.

Only 172 people including 22 of the ship's 29 crew members survived, with the rest presumed to have drowned.

Most of the victims were students and teachers from a school near Seoul on a day trip to the southern tourist island of Jeju.

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China Looks For Clue To Crack Cash Stash

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent

Police in China have uncovered a stash of cash so large that 16 money-counting machines had to be used to count it.

According to Caixin, a Chinese financial news agency, 100 million yuan (£10m) was found at the home of Wei Pengyuan, a Chinese government official.

The largest denomination banknote in China is a 100 yuan (£10) note which means that the stash contained about a million notes.

In a single pile, that would measure about 100 metres high.

Four of the counting machines, which are commonly used across China, broke down in the process of counting them.

Mr Wei is being held while the investigation continues

Mr Wei is the deputy head of the "Coal Bureau" at China's National Energy Administration.

According to reports, his job involves approving the construction of power stations of which China is building plenty at the moment.

Mr Wei has been detained as the investigation continues into how he acquired so much cash.

The Chinese government is in the middle of a crackdown on corruption within its ranks in a bid to improve its domestic and global image.

The focus on corruption has led for calls for China's leaders to reveal their own personal assets.

However, Chinese activists calling for transparency among the Chinese leadership have been detained and jailed.

The New York Times and Bloomberg have conducted investigations into the assets of President Xi Jinping and former premier Wen Jiabao.

Neither leader was accused of wrongdoing but the websites of both organisations were blocked in China and the issuance of reporters' visas made more difficult.

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Bangladesh Ferry Capsizes: Hundreds Missing

At least ten people have died after a ferry carrying hundreds of passengers capsized in Bangladesh.

The vessel was travelling on the river Meghna near the capital Dhaka when it was caught in a storm at 3.30pm local time (10.30am UK time).

Local officials said it was unclear how many people were onboard but it could be up to 350 passengers.

"We are receiving confusing figures on how many passengers were on board when it sank, but the number could range from 200 to 350," district government administrator Saiful Hasan said.

Some survivors managed to swim ashore despite the strong currents and high waves.

"There was a sudden storm and we requested the boat-swain to anchor at the river side but he ignored us ... and all of a sudden the ferry capsized within a few seconds," said Abdur Rahmann, one of the survivors.

A rescue vessel sent to the scene in Munshiganj district, approximately 30 miles (50km) south of Dhaka, arrived three hours after the MV Miraj-4 ferry, which was travelling to the southern district of Shariatpur, sank.

Local police chief Ferdous Ahmed said: "The ferry is completely under water. We are now trying to locate it."

Firefighters and the coast guard were involved in the search for survivors.

Police officer Oliur Rahman, who was at the scene, said the dead included women and children.

Mr Ahmed said hundreds of relatives gathered on the river bank as bodies were laid in lines so they could be identified.

Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, a delta nation of 153 million people, which is criss-crossed by more than 200 rivers.

Overcrowding, poorly maintained vessels and design flaws are often blamed.

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Turkey Mine Still Ablaze As Protests Flare

Fire continues to rage inside a Turkish mine following an underground explosion, hampering rescue efforts to find survivors and bring out bodies.

Emergency workers have also had to contend with toxic fumes in their frantic search at the scene of the disaster in Soma, some 300 miles (480km) southwest of Istanbul.

And trouble has flared on the streets in Turkey as grief turned to anger in the wake of the accident which killed at least 282 workers.

The first funerals have been held for those killed in the underground blast

Police used water cannon against protesters amid growing fury directed against the government over poor underground safety standards.

The death toll is expected to rise as families lose hope of finding any of the estimated 150 miners still feared trapped.

The last survivor was brought out more than 24 hours ago.

A protester is kicked by an adviser to Turkey's PM during trouble in Soma

Rows of graves have been dug to bury those killed what has become Turkey's worst mining disaster.

In the meantime, security was tightened at the site for a visit of the country's President Abdullah Gul, with officials anxious to avoid a repeat of the anger which greeted Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, when his car was mobbed by protesters.

Pictures have emerged of that visit which show Yusuf Yerkel, an adviser to the prime minister, kicking a demonstrator as he is held on the ground by police officers.

There have been fresh clashes in Turkey following the disaster

Miners have been staging a strike in protest at the tragedy.

The accident has become a focal point of wider dissent against the ruling administration, which has been in power for 11 years, with violent clashes in Istanbul and the capital Ankara.

The government said 787 people were inside the coal mine at the time of the explosion, and 363 have been rescued, including many who were injured.

Scores of graves have been dug close to the mine to bury the dead

But some families have cast doubt on the official figures.

Those still trapped are thought to be some 1.2 miles (2km) below the surface and 2.5 miles (4km) from the mine entrance.

As thousands of anxious relatives waited for news, Mr Erdogan was accused of ignoring warnings over safety at the coal pit.

A convoy containing his car was attacked by crowds and he was forced to seek refuge in a supermarket, surrounded by police.

With tensions running high, protesters shouted for him to resign and said he was a "murderer" and a "thief".

The visit of Turkish President Abdullah Gul took place amid tight security

And Mr Erdogan's attempt to downplay the disaster at a news conference did little to quell the anger.

While he declared three days of national mourning and ordered flags to be lowered to half-mast, the Turkish leader said such accidents were not uncommon and happened in other countries, even highlighting cases in 19th century Britain.

Mr Erdogan said: "These types of things in mines happen all the time.

"It's in its nature. It's not possible for there to be no accidents in mines. Of course we were deeply pained by the extent here."

The public backlash over the disaster could threaten Mr Erdogan's presidential ambitions ahead of the August election.

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'Six Ukrainian Troops Killed In Kramatorsk'

Six Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and eight hurt in an ambush by separatists near Krematorsk, Kiev's defence ministry says.

Authorities say the troops were attacked outside the town in the east of the country by at least 30 insurgents using grenade launchers and automatic weapons.

Pro-Russia insurgents have been seizing government buildings and controlling towns and cities across eastern Ukraine for the last month.

It comes after two eastern regions, Donetsk and Luhansk, declared independence on Monday.

German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, speaking earlier at Kiev's main airport, said Germany supported Ukraine's efforts to arrange a dialogue between the central government and its opponents in the breakaway regions.

Official buildings have been captured across the country's east

He said he hope for the quick release of journalists being held hostage by pro-Russia insurgents and that the occupied buildings would be handed back soon.

Mr Steinmeier also stressed the importance of holding Ukraine's presidential vote as planned on May 25.

The Ukrainian government and the West have accused Russia of instigating the mutiny in the east to derail Ukraine's presidential vote and possibly grab more land.

Mr Steinmeier's trip is part of the road map for settling the crisis, as outlined by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, a trans-Atlantic security group.

Russia called for a swift implementation of the OSCE plan, saying its demand to end violence means that the central government in Kiev should stop its military operation to recapture buildings in the east.

Moscow also says the scheme should compel Ukraine to lift its blockade of cities and towns, pull its forces from eastern regions and release all political prisoners.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "We are demanding (they) stop intimidating civilians by using force or threatening to use it."

It added that it expects separatists in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions to respond in kind if Kiev does all that.

"(The road map) creates conditions for launching a broad national dialogue involving all political forces and regions of Ukraine, aimed at reconciliation and a comprehensive constitutional reform intended to stop the nation from sliding further to catastrophe," the ministry said.

Russia also urged the United States and the European Union to persuade Kiev to prioritise talks over giving more powers to Ukraine's regions ahead of the presidential vote.

The separatists held a referendum on Sunday and claimed around 90% of those who voted in Donetsk and Luhansk backed sovereignty. The two regions declared independence on Monday and those in Donetsk asked to join Russia.

Ukraine's acting president called the vote a sham and Western governments, including the UK's, said it violated international law.

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Oscar Pistorius Facing Psychiatric Tests

Oscar Pistorius faces having to undergo psychiatric tests after a forensic psychiatrist told the athlete's murder trial he has an anxiety disorder.

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued that the defendant's mental health should be examined more fully - a move that could delay the trial for up to a month.

Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux says the prosecution request has "no merit"

It came after Dr Merryl Vorster told the court Pistorius has generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), and is a "distrusting and guarded" person who is "hyper-vigilant" about security.

But Mr Nel questioned the timing of the defence evidence.

Dr Vorster had been consulted and called only after Pistorius had given evidence to the court.

Mr Nel said: "Can it not be seen as a fallback position.

"The timing of the witness being called and the timing of the consultations is important."

If Pistorius were found to be suffering from a mental illness, he could be held not criminally responsible for his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's death and found not guilty by reason of "mental illness or intellectual disability".

The law allows a person to undergo mental health observation for up to 30 days.

Mr Nel argued it was in the interests of justice that if there was any suggestion psychiatric factors had played a part in the killing, then the accused should be sent for observation.

He has applied to the court for a referral.

But Pistorius' defence team said the application had "no merit" and was premature.

Oscar Pistorius could undergo psychiatric observation for a month

The judge has adjourned the trial to consider the prosecution's application, and will announce her decision on Wednesday morning.

Earlier, in evidence to the court, Dr Vorster explained the nature of GAD.

She said: "It may impact on your capacity to live a normal lifestyle. By definition generalised anxiety disorder is a psychiatric disorder, so one can say it's a mental illness.

"But one has to look at the impact of that diagnosis on the individual's capacity to live and socialise."

When questioned by Mr Nel, the psychiatrist said: "He (Pistorius) was still able to function at a high level and he still did socialise.

"He had distress because of his anxiety disorder but he was at that stage, still able to continue with his life."

Dr Vorster also felt Pistorius was more concerned about personal safety than other South Africans, by locking himself in his bedroom at night.

Reeva Steenkamp's mother June attended the court hearing in Pretoria

But Mr Nel questioned why the defendant, if he had been anxious about security, had not repaired a broken downstairs window that did not have bars on it.

Pistorius is accused of killing Ms Steenkamp in a premeditated attack at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, on Valentine's Day last year.

He denies the charge and claims he shot his partner after mistaking her for an intruder.

The trial continues.

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Ice Sheet Melt 'Past The Point Of No Return'

The huge West Antarctic ice sheet is melting at a faster pace than scientists had predicted and the thaw is irreversible, a new study has found.

The Nasa report said there is "nothing to stop the glaciers in this area from melting into the sea".

The study looked at 40 years of ground, airplane and satellite data.

Evidence shows "a large sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet has gone into a state of irreversible retreat", said Nasa glaciologist Eric Rignot, chief author of the study.

The development is likely because of man-made global warming and the ozone hole which have changed the Antarctic winds and warmed the water that eats away at the feet of the ice, researchers said.

"The system is in sort of a chain reaction that is unstoppable," Mr Rignot said.

"Every process in this reaction is feeding the next one."

The ice sheet melt will contribute to sea level rise. Pic: Nasa

This part of Antarctica would be a major contributor to sea level rise in coming decades and centuries, and the study sees eventually 4ft (1.2m) of sea level rise from the melt.

"It's passed the point of no return," Mr Rignot said.

"A conservative estimate is it could take several centuries for all of the ice to flow into the sea."

Curbing emissions from fossil fuels to slow climate change will probably not halt the melting but it could slow the speed of the problem, Mr Rignot said.

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Nigeria Girls' Parents Spot Daughters On Tape

Several parents of schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria have been able to identify their daughters in a video released by the militants, according to local officials.

The authorities have been showing the film to the families but efforts to establish which girls are among the 130 in the footage have been hampered by electricity supply problems in Chibok, Borno state, where they were seized more than four weeks ago.

The authorities have been showing the film to the families but efforts to establish which girls are among the 130 in the footage have been hampered by electricity supply problems in Chibok, Borno state, where they were seized more than four weeks ago.

In the video, Boko Haram claimed the girls, who were shown apparently praying, had converted to Islam.

The co-ordinator of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign, which has helped drive international pressure for action through social media and global street protests, said at least three parents had recognised their daughters.

"(Borno) Governor (Kashim) Shettima has now organised a screening in (the state capital) Maiduguri with audio and is bringing parents from Chibok to try to identify more girls," Hadiza Bala Usman said from the Nigerian capital Abuja.

Dumoma Mpur, chairman of the local parent-teachers association, said: "The video got parents apprehensive again after watching it, but the various steps taken by the governments and the coming of the foreign troops is boosting our spirit."

Meanwhile, former British prime minister Gordon Brown urged Boko Haram to release image so of the 276 schoolgirls they are believed to be holding in order to prove they are still alive.

Mr Brown, who has been visiting Nigeria in his role as United Nations special envoy for global education, said the snatching of the girls from their school in the northeast of the country was "every parent's nightmare".

"If we can track down and locate the girls and then release them, that would be a blow to the efforts of Boko Haram, who have killed almost 5,000 people in the last few years," he added.

However, a civil rights activist and former Boko Haram mediator called on the Nigerian government to open talks with the militants or risk the girls being killed. The kidnap of the schoolgirls has sparked international condemnation

Shehu Sani told Sky News: "Negotiation is the best way to get the girls out. We cannot contemplate using force because it will end up with their lives at risk.

"No doubt, any attempt to use force to rescue the girls and the insurgent group will kill these girls."

The group are offering to exchange the girls for prisoners, although this has been rejected by the Nigerian government.

The United States is flying manned surveillance missions over the region to assist the hunt for the schoolgirls and Britain has indicated it could also provide air support, including drones.

The former head of Britain's Special Forces has said military intervention may be necessary, although he admitted it would not be without risk.

Major General Jonathan Shaw told Sky News: "One of the problems of the press coverage of special forces operations over the years has been that they have special forces magic dust, there is no such thing, this is just advanced infantry tactics and sometimes they succeed and sometimes things go wrong.

"Sometimes you can do a neat surgical raid, and sometimes it has to be rather large and messy, so in our own minds I don't think we should have any expectation of any clean clinical finish to this."

A British team including counter-terrorism and intelligence experts in Nigeria has held talks with counterparts and political leaders as well as a group representing the families of the girls.

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Turkish Coal Mine Blast: At Least 200 Trapped

A coal mine explosion in western Turkey has killed at least one miner and trapped between 200 and 300 others.

Twenty people were rescued from the mine in the town of Soma, in the province of Manisa, local administrator Mehmet Bahattin Atci said.

One later died in hospital.

Mr Atci said: "Rescue efforts are underway."

He said the explosion was caused by a power distribution unit.

Private NTV television said the blast occurred some 2km deep inside the mine.

More follows...

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Pro-Russians: Ukraine's Donetsk 'Independent'

Pro-Russian insurgents in Ukraine's Donetsk region have declared it an independent state and are asking to join Russia.

Denis Pushilin, the self-proclaimed head of the 'People's Republic of Donetsk' in eastern Ukraine, said: "Proceeding from the expression of the will of the people of the Donetsk People's Republic and in order to restore historical justice, we ask the Russian Federation to consider the issue of the Donetsk People's Republic becoming part of the Russian Federation."

It comes after Russia says the outcome of an independence referendum in eastern Ukraine should be implemented "in a civilised manner without violence".

Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine have claimed victory in the contentious poll which could see two regions break away.

Voters in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk cast ballots on Sunday on whether to declare their areas independent, but with links to Moscow.

The unofficial poll has been condemned by a host of countries, including Britain, and dismissed as a "criminal farce" by the government in Kiev.

Mariupol has been at the centre of eastern Ukraine violence

British Foreign Secretary William Hague, speaking after attending an EU meeting in Brussels, said: "We're very clear about the so-called referendums that finished yesterday in some of the eastern regions of Ukraine.

"These do not have credibility or international acceptance or recognition. I think the votes in the Eurovision Song Contest really were more credible and carried greater weight."

But the Kremlin said it "respects the will of people" and condemned the use of force against civilians after at least one person was reportedly killed by Ukrainian forces.

More than three million ballot papers are said to have been distributed across the two regions, with organisers claiming to have spent just £980 on the entire ballot.

Roman Lyagin, election chief in Donetsk, said early results showed almost 90% of voters in the region were in favour of sovereignty.

In Luhansk, about 96% were reported to have backed severing ties with Kiev.

In Mariupol, the scene of fierce fighting in recent days, there were just eight polling stations for half a million people.

People queued up to vote on the future of Donetsk and Luhansk

As the makeshift polling stations closed on Sunday night, at least one person in the town of Krasnoarmeisk was reported to have been shot dead by Ukrainian government forces.

Reports said the troops had tried to stop people voting.

Witnesses claimed heavily armed men in balaclavas started shooting at the crowd as the tense standoff escalated.

On the edge of Slavyansk, fighting broke out around a television tower shortly before people began making their way through barricades of felled trees and tyres for the vote. One serviceman was wounded.

Slavyansk's self-proclaimed mayor Vyacheslav Ponomaryov said turnout was 80% and the result "was not in doubt".

Asked if he knew what would follow, the former businessman said: "Of course we know. Work starts on the establishment ... of the Donetsk People's Republic."

Western leaders have threatened more sanctions in the key areas of energy, financial services and engineering if Moscow continues what they regard as efforts to destabilise Ukraine.

The EU may announce as early as today measures endorsing a widening of the legal criteria for imposing sanctions on Russia, with the goal of making it easier to freeze the assets of companies involved in the Ukraine crisis.

Using the new expanded criteria, EU officials have prepared a list of 14 people and two Crimean companies active in the energy sector that ministers are likely to add to the EU sanctions list today, diplomats say.

The identities of the people and firms are being kept confidential for now.

The EU has previously imposed asset freezes and visa bans on 48 Russians and Ukrainians over Moscow's annexation of Crimea but it would be the first time the bloc has targeted companies.

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Boko Haram Video Claims To Show Missing Girls

A new video issued by Boko Haram claims to show some of the nearly 300 schoolgirls missing in Nigeria, who the Islamist group's leader says have converted to Islam.

Abubakar Shekau reportedly said the girls would not be released until his fighters being held in prison are freed.

More than 300 youngsters were abducted from a school on April 14 from the northeastern town of Chibok, in Borno state. Fifty-three managed to escape but 276 are still missing.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau speaks on the video for 17 minutes

In the video, the militant chief speaks for 17 minutes before showing what he says are about 130 of the girls, wearing full-length hijabs, reciting the first chapter of the Koran and praying in an undisclosed rural location.

One of the girls talks directly to the camera.

The girls were shown wearing Hijabs and praying

None of the youngsters appears to be visibly distressed, but it appears as if they are under duress.

Holding a pad of paper in his hand, Shekau tells the camera: "These girls, these girls you occupy yourselves with their affair we have indeed 'liberated' them. We have indeed 'liberated' them.

Two of them hold a flag in the background

"Do you know 'we have liberated them'? These girls have become Muslims. They are Muslims."

He continues: "It is now four years or five years that you arrested our brethren and they are still in your prison.

One of the girls comes forward and talks to the camera

"You are doing many things (to them). And now you are talking about these girls. We will never release them until after you release our brethren."

Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "The video from Boko Harem will only add to the agony of the families involved. It is a reminder of the heartlessness and cruelty of these people."

He said British and US teams were working with the Nigerian authorities and security forces which are trying to find and rescue the captives.

Doctor Reuben Abati told Sky News Nigeria will not pay a ransom

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford who has spoken to a father of one of the kidnapped girls says he does not want the government to release Boko Haram prisoners in exchange for his daughter.

He told her: "It's not right. They'll do it again."

A special adviser to the country's president Doctor Reuben Abati told Alex Crawford there were lines the government would not cross in the hunt for the girls.

Speaking after it was revealed authorities had made indirect contact with Boko Haram, Dr Abati said: "The government of Nigeria has no intention to pay a ransom or to buy the girls, because the sale of human beings is a crime against humanity.

"The determination of the government is to get the girls and to ensure that the impunity that has brought this about is checked and punished."

Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau has threatened to sell the girls "at the market" and some are believed to have already been taken out of the country.

The search for the girls remains centred on the huge Sambisa forest, which is three times the size of Wales.

France said that Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan had agreed to attend a summit in Paris on Saturday to discuss what to do about Boko Haram.

Britain has been invited, as has the EU, the United States and the four countries bordering Nigeria: Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Several of the countries in the region affected by the consequences of Boko Haram violence are French speaking.

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Ukraine: Russia Bites The Hand That Feeds

When the Russian bear roars, us jobbing journalists reach for the grab bag of cliches and hackneyed metaphor.

Vladimir Putin is playing chess while the West is playing checkers.

He's behaving like an 18th-century Tsar in a 21st-century world.

He's a small man with a massive trove of resentment filled by two decades of contempt shown by the West to Mother Russia.

Cliches come into common use because they are very often true.

But now that the general picture has been established the latest developments in the Ukraine deserve closer examination -  what are the options for Russia's president?

The question itself is revealing.

In this race for influence Mr Putin has made all the running. The US and, more importantly, the European Union, can only remain reactive.

The Kremlin is dictating the order of battle.

Clearly Russia is intent on destabilising Ukraine's east.

Clearly the Kremlin will disrupt the May 25 presidential elections and thereby establish an argument that whoever wins cannot be seen as a legitimate post-revolutionary leader because Ukraine's east will have been left out of the new dispensation (thanks to Russian support for separatists).

Vladimir Putin visited Crimea on Victory Day

Over the next three weeks there will be more violence - that much is obvious.

But there are already hints that Mr Putin knows that he needs to reduce the tensions before his economy is wrecked by sanctions.

Harrumphing over whether or not the latest "referendum" in eastern Ukraine is legitimate or not is a natural part of what European politicians will have to do.

Some 14 more individuals, and a couple of companies, associated with Mr Putin's inner circle are to be added to a slowly growing list of economics targets that was first drawn up when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula.

The incremental imposition of limited sanctions has already had a profound effect on Russia's economy.

Capital flight is now at $70bn this year, more than the total of last year's export of wealth from Russia.

Inward investment is inevitably depressed. This is very damaging for Russia in the long term.

It's lost about 60% of its Soviet-era manufacturing base, leaving it vulnerable as a primary producer of fossil fuels - rather than as an economy capable of adding value, and therefore wealth, by processing its own raw materials.

Europe gets about 30% of its gas from Russia. About 80% of Russia's oil and 76% of Russia gas is imported by Europeans.

But the EU and others in the West don't need to depend on an unreliable Russia.

Plans are already under way to reduce this relationship in the long term with imports from elsewhere, notably from American gas fracking operations.

Russia, however, needs European machinery in order to grow. Some 85% of her imports from the EU were manufactured goods in 2012.

Vote counting is under way in the referendum in parts of eastern Ukraine

Russia needs Europe more than Europe needs Russia.

Small wonder that the Russian petrochemical giant Gazprom is hoping to sign a deal with China.

Anatoly Yanovsky, the Russian deputy energy minister, recently said that the deal to supply a vast amount of gas to China was "98%" done.

An alternative buyer for Russia petrochemicals is now a strategic necessity for Russia. The West will never again trust it as a supplier of choice.

The Chinese know that and are driving down the price they will pay for Russian gas that the Kremlin desperately needs to sell.

In hack-speak that means that the Russian bear has not only bitten the European hand that feeds it but is also finding that the Asian tiger has claws.

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Oscar Pistorius 'Suffers From Anxiety Disorder'

Oscar Pistorius has an anxiety disorder and is a "distrusting and guarded" person who is "hyper-vigilant" about security, the athlete's murder trial has heard.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr Merryl Vorster offered a rare insight into the athlete's mindset, saying he often feels "isolated and alone" and normally keeps his thoughts and feelings bottled up.

But her evidence inadvertently opened up the possibility of Pistorius being admitted to a psychiatric hospital for tests.

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued the defendant's mental health should be examined more fully - a move that could delay the trial for up to a month.

Pistorius was described as a "distrusting and guarded person"

If Pistorius were found to be suffering from a mental illness, he could be held not criminally responsible for his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's death and found not guilty by reason of "mental illness or intellectual disability".

Dr Vorster spoke at length about Pistorius' childhood, saying his mother was a "very anxious person" who slept with a gun under her pillow and "abused alcohol intermittently".

He views his father as an "irresponsible and mostly absent parent", the court heard, and he and his siblings - brother Carl and sister Aimee - were "reared to view the world as threatening".

The psychiatrist went on to talk about the 27-year-old's "fight or flight response", claiming he is more likely to stand up to threatening situations than to flee, as his capacity to do so is limited by his disability.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead on February 14, 2013. Pic: Stimulii

Pistorius had both legs amputated when he was 11 months old - an operation he would have perceived as a "traumatic assault" because he would not have known what was happening, she said.

Dr Vorster also told the court the insistence of his parents that he should take part in activities his friends enjoyed would have added to his stress and anxiety.

As he became more famous, she said, the Paralympian attempted to hide his disability.

He felt anxious about attending public events and would spend "many hours preparing for them so he would not embarrass himself", she added.

Pistorius is accused of killing Ms Steenkamp in a premeditated attack at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, on Valentine's Day last year.

Thomas Wolmarans faced tough questioning from Gerrie Nel on Friday

He denies the charge and claims he shot his partner after mistaking her for an intruder.

Dr Vorster said Pistorius worries about his family's safety, especially his sister's, even when he is away training in Italy.

While in South Africa, he "worries about being followed and about the security of his home", she said.

He sleeps with his bedroom door locked and wakes often during the night, believing he has heard noises in his house, she added.

The court heard the Paralympian's increased anxiety levels mean he "perceives his surroundings as being threatening when perhaps they're not".

Dr Foster is expected to be one of the last witnesses to be called by Pistorius' defence team.

The trial was adjourned before Mr Nel could make a formal application for a psychiatric referral.

The trial continues.

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Parents' Shock As 'Nurse Tapes Up Baby's Mouth'

A father has reportedly said he feels "raped" after a nurse allegedly sealed up his newborn son's lips with tape.

Ryan Noval said his partner Jasmine Badocdoc made the discovery when she visited the child at a nursery room in a private hospital.

He said the nurse told her she had to tape up the boy's mouth because he was constantly crying and making too much noise.

Mr Noval claimed his partner asked the nurse to remove the tape to which she allegedly replied: ''You can go ahead and take it yourself ma'am."

Ms Badocdoc was apparently afraid she might hurt the baby and the nurse eventually volunteered to remove the tape herself.

Speaking of his shock about the incident in Cebu City in the Philippines, Mr Novak reportedly said in an interview: "I feel raped as a parent."

He has put pictures of his week-old baby with his lips sealed up on Facebook.

In the post, he said: "Meet my son Yohannes Noval!! He cannot speak about his horrific experience from the attending nurse's hands.....so we have to speak out for him.

"If you think your newborn babies are safe, think again. Your babies could be silent victims and you will never really know about it!!!"

The couple's son was born on May 3 but had to stay in hospital for a few days due to an infection he had at birth.

Mr Noval and his wife have filed a complaint against the nurse over the incident.

An investigation is being carried out by the hospital and the couple are still waiting for the results.

Dr Raida Varona, the hospital's medical director, said they are investigating which of the nurses on duty allegedly taped the baby's mouth, stressing such an act is not part of their procedures.

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Kidnapped Nigerian Schoolgirls Tell Of Escape

Nigerian Kidnap Tactic 'Standard Procedure'

Updated: 4:26pm UK, Saturday 10 May 2014

Splitting the captured Nigerian schoolgirls into groups by their kidnappers is "standard operating procedure", a hostage negotiator has told Sky News.

Dr James Alvarez explained this was done on the basis of "not putting all your eggs in one basket".

He also said while negotiation was the safest option, it often had to be backed up by the threat of force in order to act as a back-up if talks do not work out, and also as a "prod" to the hostage-takers.

Meanwhile, Davis Lewin from the Henry Jackson Society - a think-tank on extremism - gave a chilling insight into the Boko Haram militant group behind the kidnappings.

Mr Lewin told Sky News the movement had a "gruesome history" and posed a "major security threat".

They demonstrated "a brutality that frankly doesn't compute in Western minds", he said.

It is thought the schoolgirls are being held in a forest near the border with Cameroon.

Their kidnappers have divided the girls into at least four different groups, complicating the search and hampering rescue efforts.

Dr Alvarez said: "It's standard operating procedure. You don't want to put all your eggs in one basket."

He said negotiators would be making contacts locally and trying to gather information about the aims of the group, what they wanted with the girls, and also find out from the Nigerian government what concessions they are prepared to make.

"Negotiations only work if you have got something to exchange," he said.

Mr Lewin added: "What the problem really is, is that there's a very grave lack of infrastructure in terms of intelligence in terms of capability on the part of the Nigerian government in the region of the country where these extremists are active.

"We have seen them get stronger and stronger and they have really proven to be one of the most deadly forms of this radical Islamist threat with thousands dead, and a brutality that frankly doesn't compute in Western minds.

"The leader of this terrorist movement couldn't care less about the outrage that Michelle Obama and so many others have expressed."

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'Sixth Of Indian Election Candidates On Charges'

By Neville Lazarus, India Producer

More than a sixth of candidates in the Indian elections have criminal cases pending against them, according to a think tank.

The Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) said some candidates are facing allegations of murder, kidnapping, extortion, trafficking and rape.

The group, which keeps track of national and state elections, political parties, contestants and legislators, found 1,398 of the 8,230 candidates (17%) are facing criminal charges - an increase of 2% compared to the last elections of 2009.

India's elections are the largest in the world, with more than 800 million voters eligible to take part in choosing MPs for 543 constituencies.

Voting has been taking place in nine phased stages, with the last round of voting due to take place on Monday.

Professor Jagdeep Chhokar, a founding member of ADR, told Sky News the number of prospective MPs facing charges was a "very serious" problem.

"It emanates from a mindset of political parties that winning the election by any which way is fair game," he said.

"If we have people in decision-making positions who have serious criminal cases pending against them, it is rather unfair to expect them to make decisions which are in the overall societal interest.

"The law breakers are becoming the law makers."

Almost half of the constituencies in the polls have three or more declared criminals running for office, ADR found.

More than 800 million Indians are eligible to vote

During the parliament that has just concluded, the think tank found 30% of MPs had criminal charges against them.

The revelation that some candidates are facing rape charges comes at a time when India has been grappling with the issue of violence against women.

Widespread shock followed the brutal gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student in Delhi in December 2012.

It resulted in new fast-track courts to try cases of crimes against women, as well as new laws and the toughening up of punishments for those found guilty.

However, the issue has taken a back seat since the start of the election campaign.

Mr Chhokar said: "It's very disheartening and disturbing to see that political parties don't see a rape case against a person as (warranting) a disqualification.

"The law says that unless a person is convicted, he or she is presumed to be innocent … but one would expect political parties (to) also look at the spirit of the law and rise above legal technicalities."

Mr Chhokar said he accepts some of the charges may be politically motivated but added all of them have reached the third stage of the criminal jurisprudence process, meaning a judicial officer has found enough evidence in the police investigations to frame charges in court.

The first election results are expected on Friday.

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Eastern Ukraine Independence Vote 'Chaotic'

Voting is taking place in eastern Ukraine in a disputed independence referendum amid reports of chaotic scenes.

A severe shortage of polling booths, ballot papers being printed off unsupervised, and confusion over what people are actually being asked to vote on, are reported to have beset the hastily-organised vote in Donetsk and Luhansk provinces.

The referendum has been held in defiance of Moscow by pro-Russian militants and polls close at 8pm UK time. 

People queue up to vote on the future of Donetsk and Luhansk regions

More than three million ballot papers have been distributed across the regions, with organisers claiming to have spent just £980 on the entire ballot.

While voting has so far has been largely peaceful, in Mariupol - the scene of fierce fighting in recent days - there were just eight polling stations for half a million people.

It has led to lengthy queues, and at one centre, ballot boxes were put out on the pavement.

The vote has been declared illegal by both the Kiev government and the international community and marks a serious deepening of the political crisis in Ukraine.

Acting chief of the Ukrainian presidential administration Sergiy Pashinski said: "The turnout throughout the whole region amounts to zero as far as formalities are concerned.

"I would like to underline one more time it's not a referendum. It is a desultory attempt by terrorists, bandits and killers to cover their activity by having citizens vote in Luhansk and Donetsk."

Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande want a reduction of Russian troops

Although a 'yes' vote would likely only be recognised by Russia, it would greatly undermine a presidential election that Ukraine is to hold in two weeks, which the US and Europe see as crucial to restoring stability.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "It is regrettable that separatists who are causing so much disruption to the lives of ordinary citizens are going ahead with their illegitimate, so-called referendum today.

"All Ukrainians will have a proper opportunity to express their democratic choice in the forthcoming presidential elections on May 25.

"The focus must be on ensuring that free and fair elections can go ahead in a calm and stable environment."

It came as France and Germany called on Russia to prove it had withdrawn its forces from the Ukrainian border.

A pro-Russian at a checkpoint near Slavyansk

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande issued a joint statement saying there needed to be a "visible" reduction in troops close to the crisis-hit country.

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country's forces had moved back to training bases, although the White House and Nato both said they had seen no movement.

The joint statement, issued after a meeting in Stralsund, Germany, also called on Ukrainian security forces to "abstain from taking offensive actions" before the start of presidential elections.

Mrs Merkel said Mr Putin "must send more signals of de-escalation" so the May 25 poll can go ahead.

The vote comes amid intensifying violence on the ground in east Ukraine.

Troops have been battling the well-armed rebels, who have barricaded themselves in towns and cities in Donetsk and Luhansk.

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Nigerian Govt 'In Contact With Boko Haram'

The Nigerian government is indirectly in contact with the Islamist group which abducted 273 schoolgirls, Sky News sources say.

Intelligence sources said neighbouring countries Chad, Cameroon and Niger are also providing satellite imagery to help find the girls.

More than 300 youngsters were kidnapped from a boarding school in Chibok in the northern Borno state on April 14. It is thought that 53 managed to escape, but 273 are still missing.

Security experts from the UK, US and France are assisting Nigerian authorities in the rescue operation.

But Sky News sources have learned that the militants are likely to have laid booby traps and landmines to stop the girls being found.

Boko Haram has reportedly blown up two key transit bridges near the borders

Former air commodore Darlington Abdullahi said: "They may have made land mines, one cannot rule that out."

Search efforts have been further hampered by reports that two important bridges near the borders with Chad and Cameroon have been destroyed by militants in the last week, hindering the movements of rescue teams.

The rescue operation has been focused on the vast Sambisa forest near to where the girls were abducted. However there are also reports that some have been trafficked across Nigeria's borders.

They are believed to have been split into four different groups.

Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau claimed responsibility for the school raid in a video earlier this week. He threatened to sell the girls, who he described as slaves, "on the market."

Abubakar Shekau has threatened to sell the girls 'on the market'

The militant group has also admitted to carrying out a bomb attack in the capital Abuja on the same day as the abduction.

The Nigerian military has had tip-offs that the group could now be planning another attack on a nearby market.

The government has faced fierce criticism over its failure to contain the Islamist group's five-year insurgency, which has left thousands dead.

However the brazenness of April's mass abduction has particularly shocked the international community and triggered a major social media campaign under the banner #BringBackOurGirls.

British Prime Minister David Cameron is among the latest high-profile figures to take part in the campaign.

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Ukraine Referendum Will Add Fuel To The Fire

The polling stations are ready and we're told three million ballot papers have been printed, enough for every eligible voter in the region of Donetsk.

But what is still far from clear is what they are being asked to vote for.

The question seems to be deliberately vague: do you support the act of state sovereignty of the Donetsk People's Republic?  Yes or No?

That could be taken to mean greater autonomy, or some form of autonomous region, but still within Ukraine - or they could find they have voted for the creation of an independent state that could then seek to join the Russian Federation, a la Crimea.

Then there is the question of legality.

The referendum has no basis in law as there is no provision for local referenda on the statute in Ukraine.

There also seems to be no independent oversight and the poll will be policed by the separatists themselves - hardly the ideal conditions for a free and fair vote.

The organisers do not have access to up-to-date voting lists - those are held by the Ukrainian state security service - so they are relying on data from the 2012 parliamentary elections.

The vote is not being independently monitored

The ballot papers, at least those that we have seen so far, appear to have been printed on an ordinary printer, with no watermarks or other features to guard against, say, photocopying.

But that  is unlikely to be at the top of the list of complaints, when the votes are also going to be collected and counted by "People's Republic" volunteers.

None of which is to deny that there may well be a genuine number of voters going to the ballot box on Sunday to vote "yes", at the very least to express their dissatisfaction with the government in Kiev.

The latest poll shows that while a strong majority (70%) in the east still want to live in a united Ukraine, around two-thirds (67%) disapprove of the current national government.

But I strongly suspect we will be in roughly the same position after this referendum as we are now - the Ukrainian authorities and politicians in the West will say that this was an illegal poll, carried out under the threat of intimidation, and with no means of independent verification.

The People's Republic will say, assuming the vote goes their way, that the people have spoken, that they have a democratic mandate, that this is a genuine popular uprising of ordinary citizens demanding their rights.

What is clear is that this referendum is unlikely to resolve what seems to be a deteriorating security situation in the east of this country - it is difficult to see it will do anything other than add more fuel to the fire.

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