BBC News:北约秘书长称乌克兰危机是对欧洲安全严重威胁
Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov hassaid a referendum planned by the pro-Russianregional parliament in Crimea on joining Russia wasillegitimate. Mr. Turchynov called the plan as afarce, organized by the Russian military. The interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk saidonly the government in Kiev had the right to decide Crimea's future.
“This is illegitimate decision. And this so-called referendum has no legal grounds at all.Crimea was, is and will be an integral part of Ukraine.”
The Crimean parliament voted overwhelmingly to split from Ukraine and hold a referendum inten days. President Barack Obama has issued a warning to Russia over Ukraine, insisting thatUS and its allies are determined to oppose any actions that violate International Law.President Obama announced a number of measures against Russia.
“This morning, I signed an executive order that authorizes sanctions on individuals and entitiesresponsible for violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, or for stealing theassets of the Ukrainian people. According to my guidance, the State Department has also putin place restrictions on the travel of certain individuals and officials. These decisions continueour efforts to impose a cost on Russia, and those responsible for the situation in Crimea.”
The Nato Secretary-General earlier described Russia's actions in Ukraine as the gravest threatto European securities since the Cold War. European Union leaders have threatened seriousconsequences if Russia did not act to de-escalate the crisis in Ukraine. But some eastEuropean leaders called for stronger measures. This report by Chris Morris.
European leaders united with the interim government of Ukraine to declare the idea of areferendum in Crimea illegal and unconstitutional. So in tougher languages that manyexpected, the summit ended with a warning for Russia, change course or face the prospect ofreal economic sanctions. The measures announced so far are pretty symbolic, putting talkson various issues on hold. But the EU has now said publicly that there will be severe andfar-reaching consequences for relations with Russia if its policy in Ukraine doesn't change.
The top prosecutor for sexual assault cases in the US army has been suspended overallegations of sexual misconduct made by female army lawyer. Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Morseis accused of groping and trying to kiss the woman who worked for him at a conference onsexual assault. No charges have been filed yet. There has been a dramatic rise in reportedcases of sex crimes in the US military over the last two years.
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The British Home Secretary Theresa May has announced a new offence of police corruptionand promised a public inquiry into the work of undercover officers. Her statement followed adamning review of the way police investigated the murder of the black teenager StephenLawrence in 1993 by gang of white youths which suggested that at least one detective wascorrupt.
The leader of Venezuela's National Assembly has said an officer of the country's national guardand a government supporter have been shot dead by gunmen in eastern Caracas. DiosdadoCabello told reporters that authorities already had suspects for the crimes which would take thenumber of people killed in nearly a month of protests to at least 21. The victims were allegedlykilled as a roadblock in an opposition stronghold. The government accuses the United Statesand other countries of orchestrating the recent anti-government protests.
Security forces in Algeria have arrested some 40 people, protesting against the ailing PresidentAbdelaziz Bouteflika, it's the second such a protest be broken up in the past week. SebastianUsher reports.
The demonstrators in the capital Algiers were swiftly hemmed in, silenced and detained by thesecurity forces. They'd defied a ban on protest, chants, slogans against Mr. Bouteflika who'sbeen in power for 15 years. In their eyes, Mr. Bouteflika who's 77 and visibly weakened by aminor stroke last year symbolizes a political system that's outlived its purpose.
Scientists say they've captured the first images of an asteroid breaking up. The astronomersaid the Hubble Space Telescope had filmed the asteroid splitting into smaller fragments over aperiod of three months. The pieces then drifted away from other, at a rate of around 1mile/h.
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