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Ebola crisis: Five ways to avoid the deadly virus
Ebola is one of the world's most deadly viruses but is not airborne, so cannot be caught like flu. Medical experts say avoiding it should be quite easy if you follow these tips:
1. Soap and water
Wash your hands often with soap and clean water - and use clean towels to dry them. This can be difficult in slum and rural areas where there is not always direct access to clean water - but it is an effective way to kill the virus. Ordinary soap is all that's needed.
Shaking hands should also generally be avoided, Dr Unni Krishnan of Plan International told BBC Africa, because Ebola spreads quickly when people come into contact with an infected person's body fluids and symptoms can take a while to show. Other forms of greeting are being encouraged, he says.
2. No touching
So if you suspect someone of having Ebola, do not touch them. This may seem cruel when you see a loved one in pain and you want to hug and nurse them, but body fluids - urine and stools, vomit, blood, nasal mucus, saliva, tears, sperm and vaginal secretion - can all pass on the virus.
An infected person's symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, headache and fatigue - followed by nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, which may include blood.
Encourage them to seek help from a medical professional or health centre as soon as possible. It is also advisable not to touch the clothes or bedclothes of Ebola patients - and Medecins Sans Frontieres advises that such sheets and even mattresses be burnt.
3. Avoid dead bodies
If you think someone has died from Ebola, do not touch their body, even as part of a burial ceremony. When someone has died, you can still catch Ebola from their body as it ejects fluids that make it even more contagious than that of a sick person.
Organise for a specialised team to deal with the body as quickly as possible as it is risky to leave a dead body for any length of time in a cramped living area.
4. No bushmeat
Avoid hunting, touching and eating bushmeat such as bats, monkeys and chimpanzees, as scientists believe this is how the virus was first transmitted to humans.
Even if a certain wild animal is a delicacy in your region, avoid it as its meat or blood may be contaminated. Make sure all food is cooked properly.
5. Don't panic
Spreading rumours increases fear. Do not be scared of health workers - they are there to help and a clinic is the best place for a person to recover - they will be rehydrated and receive pain relief.
About half of the people infected in the current outbreak have died. There have been cases of medics being attacked and people being abandoned when they are suspected of having Ebola - even when they are suffering from something else.
A belief in irrational traditional remedies has also exacerbated the spread of the virus.
"Prevention is the best way to deal with Ebola, so stop rumours and do not panic; it is possible to reduce the suffering and save lives," Dr Krishnan says.
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD):
- Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
- Fatality rate can reach 90% - but current outbreak has mortality rate of about 55%
- Incubation period is two to 21 days
- There is no proven vaccine or cure
- Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
- Fruit bats, a delicacy for some West Africans, are considered to be virus's natural host
BBC.com
Ebola is one of the world's most deadly viruses but is not airborne, so cannot be caught like flu. Medical experts say avoiding it should be quite easy if you follow these tips:
1. Soap and water
Wash your hands often with soap and clean water - and use clean towels to dry them. This can be difficult in slum and rural areas where there is not always direct access to clean water - but it is an effective way to kill the virus. Ordinary soap is all that's needed.
Shaking hands should also generally be avoided, Dr Unni Krishnan of Plan International told BBC Africa, because Ebola spreads quickly when people come into contact with an infected person's body fluids and symptoms can take a while to show. Other forms of greeting are being encouraged, he says.
2. No touching
So if you suspect someone of having Ebola, do not touch them. This may seem cruel when you see a loved one in pain and you want to hug and nurse them, but body fluids - urine and stools, vomit, blood, nasal mucus, saliva, tears, sperm and vaginal secretion - can all pass on the virus.
An infected person's symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, sore throat, headache and fatigue - followed by nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, which may include blood.
Encourage them to seek help from a medical professional or health centre as soon as possible. It is also advisable not to touch the clothes or bedclothes of Ebola patients - and Medecins Sans Frontieres advises that such sheets and even mattresses be burnt.
3. Avoid dead bodies
If you think someone has died from Ebola, do not touch their body, even as part of a burial ceremony. When someone has died, you can still catch Ebola from their body as it ejects fluids that make it even more contagious than that of a sick person.
Organise for a specialised team to deal with the body as quickly as possible as it is risky to leave a dead body for any length of time in a cramped living area.
4. No bushmeat
Avoid hunting, touching and eating bushmeat such as bats, monkeys and chimpanzees, as scientists believe this is how the virus was first transmitted to humans.
Even if a certain wild animal is a delicacy in your region, avoid it as its meat or blood may be contaminated. Make sure all food is cooked properly.
5. Don't panic
Spreading rumours increases fear. Do not be scared of health workers - they are there to help and a clinic is the best place for a person to recover - they will be rehydrated and receive pain relief.
About half of the people infected in the current outbreak have died. There have been cases of medics being attacked and people being abandoned when they are suspected of having Ebola - even when they are suffering from something else.
A belief in irrational traditional remedies has also exacerbated the spread of the virus.
"Prevention is the best way to deal with Ebola, so stop rumours and do not panic; it is possible to reduce the suffering and save lives," Dr Krishnan says.
Ebola Virus Disease (EVD):
- Symptoms include high fever, bleeding and central nervous system damage
- Fatality rate can reach 90% - but current outbreak has mortality rate of about 55%
- Incubation period is two to 21 days
- There is no proven vaccine or cure
- Supportive care such as rehydrating patients who have diarrhoea and vomiting can help recovery
- Fruit bats, a delicacy for some West Africans, are considered to be virus's natural host
BBC.com
Hong Kong protesters regroup at main protest site
The BBC's Jon Sudworth says "the endgame may well have begun"
Pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong appear to be withdrawing from some protest sites and regrouping at the main site outside government buildings.
But student protesters denied blocking entrances to government HQ and insisted civil servants could return to work.
They said they would agree to the government's offer of talks if attacks on them were investigated and protest sites were not forcefully cleared.
Hong Kong's leader says public offices and schools will open on Monday.
The protesters are angry at China's plans to vet election candidates in 2017.
They are demanding that the central government in Beijing allow Hong Kong to hold fully free elections in the next vote for the territory's leader.
Numbers dwindling
But the BBC's John Sudworth in Hong Kong says the feeling on the streets of the city is that the endgame is about to begin.
The number of protesters has dwindled and many do not relish a brave last stand in the face of an expected forceful eviction by police, he adds.
Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung had called on the protesters to end the demonstrations, warning that police had a responsibility to take all actions necessary to resume social order.
The Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) said it had always maintained access to the government headquarters, adding that there was no reason for employees not to return to work on Monday.
Thousands of people attended a pro-democracy rally on Saturday but the crowds were smaller on Sunday
Hong Kong's leader said police had a responsibility to restore social order if protesters refused to go home
At the scene: Julianna Liu, BBC News, Mong Kok
After days of tension, a measure of calm has come to the commercial district of Mong Kok, the site of sometimes violent confrontations between pro-democracy activists and counter-protesters.
Earlier, there were scenes of confusion when, under pressure from an unfriendly crowd, a student leader announced on live television that demonstrators would pack up and leave the area, moving to the main protest site in Admiralty and ceding ground to their opponents.
It was seen as a blow to the sit-in movement.
That group left. But others refused to leave and soon took its place.
Members from a more radical pro-democracy group called Civic Passion arrived, as did lawmaker Raymond Wong and his supporters.
For now, Mong Kok remains a stronghold for demonstrators, with hundreds sitting on the ground demanding democratic reforms.
Both the Hong Kong government and protesters indicated on Sunday that they were willing to start talks to find a resolution to the week-long standoff.
But the HKFS said it was "difficult to convince the public and to ask the protesters to disperse without any realistic result".
It added in a statement that it had two conditions for resuming talks:
That the government should promise to investigate Friday's attacks on demonstrators by pro-Beijing groups
That the government should not forcefully clear any of the protest sites
Talks had been scheduled for Saturday, but protesters withdrew after the attacks on Friday night, which were mainly in the Mong Kok district.
Some of the protesters in Mong Kok appeared to be leaving the site on Sunday, saying they were joining the main protest group outside government buildings in the Admiralty district.
However, others decided to stay put.
Thousands of people held a rally overnight, defying calls from the Beijing-backed authorities for them to disperse.
Crowds chanted: "Democracy now! Democracy in Hong Kong!" as speakers from the pro-democracy movement urged them to persist in their campaign.
Steve Hui, Hong Kong Police: "To restore the public order we are determined, and we are confident, we have the capability to take any necessary action"
On Saturday, police said they had arrested 19 people who had been involved in clashes with protesters, adding that eight of them had "triad backgrounds".
Correspondents say triad gangs have traditionally been known for drug-running, prostitution and extortion networks but have in recent years become involved in legitimate ventures like property development and finance.
Some are also believed to have links with the political establishment, fuelling accusations that they have been paid by the authorities to stir up trouble.
'Doomed to fail'
What began as a peaceful sit-in to demand democracy on 22 September escalated last Sunday when riot police used tear gas against unarmed students converging on the government headquarters.
The police response was widely condemned as an overreaction, prompting thousands of people to join the rallies and block key areas, including Hong Kong's financial district.
At the heart of the row between the protesters and the government is China's insistence on tight rules on nominations for candidates wanting to stand for election in 2017.
The protesters say the restrictions mean the polls will fall short of the free elections they are seeking and have called for Mr Leung to step down.
But the central government in Beijing has thrown its full support behind Mr Leung, calling the protests illegal and "doomed to fail".
Hong Kong democracy timeline
1997: UK gives Hong Kong back to China under a 1984 agreement giving it "a high degree of autonomy" for 50 years
2004: China says it must approve any changes to Hong Kong's election laws
June-July 2014: Pro-democracy activists hold an unofficial referendum on political reform; both sides hold large rallies
31 August 2014: China says it will allow direct elections in 2017 but will pre-approve candidates
22 September 2014: Student groups launch a week-long boycott of classes
28 September 2014: Occupy Central and student protests join forces and take over central Hong Kong
2017: Direct elections for chief executive due to take place
2047: Expiry of current agreements
BBC.com
The BBC's Jon Sudworth says "the endgame may well have begun"
Pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong appear to be withdrawing from some protest sites and regrouping at the main site outside government buildings.
But student protesters denied blocking entrances to government HQ and insisted civil servants could return to work.
They said they would agree to the government's offer of talks if attacks on them were investigated and protest sites were not forcefully cleared.
Hong Kong's leader says public offices and schools will open on Monday.
The protesters are angry at China's plans to vet election candidates in 2017.
They are demanding that the central government in Beijing allow Hong Kong to hold fully free elections in the next vote for the territory's leader.
Numbers dwindling
But the BBC's John Sudworth in Hong Kong says the feeling on the streets of the city is that the endgame is about to begin.
The number of protesters has dwindled and many do not relish a brave last stand in the face of an expected forceful eviction by police, he adds.
Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung had called on the protesters to end the demonstrations, warning that police had a responsibility to take all actions necessary to resume social order.
The Hong Kong Federation of Students (HKFS) said it had always maintained access to the government headquarters, adding that there was no reason for employees not to return to work on Monday.
Thousands of people attended a pro-democracy rally on Saturday but the crowds were smaller on Sunday
Hong Kong's leader said police had a responsibility to restore social order if protesters refused to go home
At the scene: Julianna Liu, BBC News, Mong Kok
After days of tension, a measure of calm has come to the commercial district of Mong Kok, the site of sometimes violent confrontations between pro-democracy activists and counter-protesters.
Earlier, there were scenes of confusion when, under pressure from an unfriendly crowd, a student leader announced on live television that demonstrators would pack up and leave the area, moving to the main protest site in Admiralty and ceding ground to their opponents.
It was seen as a blow to the sit-in movement.
That group left. But others refused to leave and soon took its place.
Members from a more radical pro-democracy group called Civic Passion arrived, as did lawmaker Raymond Wong and his supporters.
For now, Mong Kok remains a stronghold for demonstrators, with hundreds sitting on the ground demanding democratic reforms.
Both the Hong Kong government and protesters indicated on Sunday that they were willing to start talks to find a resolution to the week-long standoff.
But the HKFS said it was "difficult to convince the public and to ask the protesters to disperse without any realistic result".
It added in a statement that it had two conditions for resuming talks:
That the government should promise to investigate Friday's attacks on demonstrators by pro-Beijing groups
That the government should not forcefully clear any of the protest sites
Talks had been scheduled for Saturday, but protesters withdrew after the attacks on Friday night, which were mainly in the Mong Kok district.
Some of the protesters in Mong Kok appeared to be leaving the site on Sunday, saying they were joining the main protest group outside government buildings in the Admiralty district.
However, others decided to stay put.
Thousands of people held a rally overnight, defying calls from the Beijing-backed authorities for them to disperse.
Crowds chanted: "Democracy now! Democracy in Hong Kong!" as speakers from the pro-democracy movement urged them to persist in their campaign.
Steve Hui, Hong Kong Police: "To restore the public order we are determined, and we are confident, we have the capability to take any necessary action"
On Saturday, police said they had arrested 19 people who had been involved in clashes with protesters, adding that eight of them had "triad backgrounds".
Correspondents say triad gangs have traditionally been known for drug-running, prostitution and extortion networks but have in recent years become involved in legitimate ventures like property development and finance.
Some are also believed to have links with the political establishment, fuelling accusations that they have been paid by the authorities to stir up trouble.
'Doomed to fail'
What began as a peaceful sit-in to demand democracy on 22 September escalated last Sunday when riot police used tear gas against unarmed students converging on the government headquarters.
The police response was widely condemned as an overreaction, prompting thousands of people to join the rallies and block key areas, including Hong Kong's financial district.
At the heart of the row between the protesters and the government is China's insistence on tight rules on nominations for candidates wanting to stand for election in 2017.
The protesters say the restrictions mean the polls will fall short of the free elections they are seeking and have called for Mr Leung to step down.
But the central government in Beijing has thrown its full support behind Mr Leung, calling the protests illegal and "doomed to fail".
Hong Kong democracy timeline
1997: UK gives Hong Kong back to China under a 1984 agreement giving it "a high degree of autonomy" for 50 years
2004: China says it must approve any changes to Hong Kong's election laws
June-July 2014: Pro-democracy activists hold an unofficial referendum on political reform; both sides hold large rallies
31 August 2014: China says it will allow direct elections in 2017 but will pre-approve candidates
22 September 2014: Student groups launch a week-long boycott of classes
28 September 2014: Occupy Central and student protests join forces and take over central Hong Kong
2017: Direct elections for chief executive due to take place
2047: Expiry of current agreements
BBC.com
Charles, only 5 ways? I have much more.
Ebola crisis: 11 Ways to avoid Deadly virus
1. Boil all bodily fluids before consumption.
2. Regularly examine your DNA under an electron microscope for any indication that Ebola has attached itself to your cell membranes.
3. Recognize the symptoms of Ebola, which include fever, chills, and developing symptoms too late to do anything about them.
4. Cover the nose and mouth of Ebola patients when they sneeze to avoid spreading germs.
5. Avoid eating bat soup, which is actually pretty sound advice whether there’s an ongoing Ebola outbreak or not.
6. Ebola can only be spread once patients are symptomatic, so if you believe you’ve been exposed, get all your errands and public trips out of the way before your symptoms start showing.
7. Be sure to stay up to date on developments by signing up for the official CDC phone tree.
8. Try being born one of the 15 percent of rural Gabonese citizens with natural immunity to the virus.
9. Give billions of dollars to pharmaceutical companies.
10. If you see a suspicious-looking filamentous virus particle roughly one micron in length, stay away.
11. Continue following lifelong plan of avoiding Dallas, TX at all costs.
Ebola crisis: 11 Ways to avoid Deadly virus
1. Boil all bodily fluids before consumption.
2. Regularly examine your DNA under an electron microscope for any indication that Ebola has attached itself to your cell membranes.
3. Recognize the symptoms of Ebola, which include fever, chills, and developing symptoms too late to do anything about them.
4. Cover the nose and mouth of Ebola patients when they sneeze to avoid spreading germs.
5. Avoid eating bat soup, which is actually pretty sound advice whether there’s an ongoing Ebola outbreak or not.
6. Ebola can only be spread once patients are symptomatic, so if you believe you’ve been exposed, get all your errands and public trips out of the way before your symptoms start showing.
7. Be sure to stay up to date on developments by signing up for the official CDC phone tree.
8. Try being born one of the 15 percent of rural Gabonese citizens with natural immunity to the virus.
9. Give billions of dollars to pharmaceutical companies.
10. If you see a suspicious-looking filamentous virus particle roughly one micron in length, stay away.
11. Continue following lifelong plan of avoiding Dallas, TX at all costs.
Throughout we’ve given Putin a simple choice: Respect Ukraine’s sovereignty or face increasing consequences. That has allowed us to rally the world’s major developed countries to impose real cost on Russia.
It is true they did not wantto do that. But again, it was America’s leadership and the President of the United States insisting, oft times almost having to embarrass Europe to stand up and take economic hits to impose costs. And the results have been massive capital flight from Russia, a virtual freeze on foreign direct investment, a ruble at an all-time low against the dollar, and the Russian economy teetering on the brink of recession.
vice president J. Biden
It is true they did not wantto do that. But again, it was America’s leadership and the President of the United States insisting, oft times almost having to embarrass Europe to stand up and take economic hits to impose costs. And the results have been massive capital flight from Russia, a virtual freeze on foreign direct investment, a ruble at an all-time low against the dollar, and the Russian economy teetering on the brink of recession.
vice president J. Biden
'Ebola Is Real' on Streets of Monrovia
Sep 1, 2014
The rain-soaked roads of Monrovia tell an ominous truth: Ebola is real.
The message is spray-painted on walls in the capital of Liberia, the country hardest hit by the worst-ever Ebola outbreak. Nearly 700 people have died here, but denial and government mistrust continue to fuel the virus’s spread.
A group of young adults wearing colorful paper hats stood out on the earth-toned streets. “Ebola can kill,” one hat read. “Tell someone about Ebola,” read another. I asked the group what they were doing and they called over their leader. "We should be in school but this is more important," he told me. "We are going door to door to people's homes in our community telling them about Ebola. Telling them it is real. Telling them how to prevent it."
Some people do not believe that Ebola exists. They believe it’s all a government hoax. Just two weeks ago, an angry mob stormed an treatment center in West Point, a slum that has since been quarantined. The mob told patients they had malaria, not Ebola, and encouraged them to flee. When government mistrust runs this high, communities need to spread public health messages.
"What are you telling people to do? How do you prevent Ebola?" I asked the men and women wearing paper hats. "Don't touch anyone," one young man replied -- advice the group itself was heeding. No arms were linked, no hands were held. "Don't go to funerals," the man added. "Don't take care of sick people."
How hard those warnings must be to sell. What community doesn't want to gather to remember lost loved ones? Who doesn't want to care for the sick? To hold the hand of someone who is dying?
As simple as this group seems, its actions will make inroads at a time when governments and aid organizations can only reach so far. Ordinary people educating their own communities.
abcnews.com
Sep 1, 2014
The rain-soaked roads of Monrovia tell an ominous truth: Ebola is real.
The message is spray-painted on walls in the capital of Liberia, the country hardest hit by the worst-ever Ebola outbreak. Nearly 700 people have died here, but denial and government mistrust continue to fuel the virus’s spread.
A group of young adults wearing colorful paper hats stood out on the earth-toned streets. “Ebola can kill,” one hat read. “Tell someone about Ebola,” read another. I asked the group what they were doing and they called over their leader. "We should be in school but this is more important," he told me. "We are going door to door to people's homes in our community telling them about Ebola. Telling them it is real. Telling them how to prevent it."
Some people do not believe that Ebola exists. They believe it’s all a government hoax. Just two weeks ago, an angry mob stormed an treatment center in West Point, a slum that has since been quarantined. The mob told patients they had malaria, not Ebola, and encouraged them to flee. When government mistrust runs this high, communities need to spread public health messages.
"What are you telling people to do? How do you prevent Ebola?" I asked the men and women wearing paper hats. "Don't touch anyone," one young man replied -- advice the group itself was heeding. No arms were linked, no hands were held. "Don't go to funerals," the man added. "Don't take care of sick people."
How hard those warnings must be to sell. What community doesn't want to gather to remember lost loved ones? Who doesn't want to care for the sick? To hold the hand of someone who is dying?
As simple as this group seems, its actions will make inroads at a time when governments and aid organizations can only reach so far. Ordinary people educating their own communities.
abcnews.com
US hostage Peter Kassig letter: 'I am scared to die'
An undated photo provided by Kassig family shows Peter Kassig standing in front of a truck filled with supplies for Syrian refugees. Peter Kassig was working for the relief organisation SERA when he was captured, his parents said
The parents of US hostage Peter Kassig, who is being held by Islamic State militants in Syria, have released a letter he has written in captivity.
In the letter, received in June, he said he was "scared to die" and saddened by the pain his ordeal was causing to the family.
Last week IS posted a video showing the beheading of UK hostage Alan Henning.
It ended with a threat to kill 26-year-old Mr Kassig, a Muslim convert who prefers to be known as Abdul-Rahman.
It was the fourth such video released by the militant group, which controls large swathes of Syria and Iraq.
Previous victims were American reporter James Foley, American-Israeli journalist Steven Sotloff and British aid worker David Haines.
IS said they were killed in retaliation for US-led air strikes on the group's targets.
'I pray every day'
The parents - Ed and Paula Kassig - said they had decided to release excerpts from the letter "so the world can understand why we and so many people care for him and admire him".
In the video, Peter Kassig's parents urge his captors to "show mercy"
In the letter, Abdul-Rahman Kassig wrote: "I am obviously pretty scared to die but the hardest part is not knowing, wondering, hoping, and wondering if I should even hope at all.
"I am very sad that all this has happened and for what all of you back home are going through.
"If I do die, I figure that at least you and I can seek refuge and comfort in knowing that I went out as a result of trying to alleviate suffering and helping those in need.
"In terms of my faith, I pray everyday and I am not angry about my situation in that sense."
The letter - which the parents received on 2 June - ends with the words: "I love you."
Mr Kassig's parents said he had been working for the relief organisation he founded, Special Emergency Response and Assistance (SERA), when he was captured on his way to Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria a year ago.
IS may hold many more hostages.
The group has its roots in al-Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate but was expelled over its brutal tactics and refusal to obey orders to confine its activities to Iraq.
It has since grown more powerful, and captured large areas of both countries in recent months.
BBC.com
(edited)
An undated photo provided by Kassig family shows Peter Kassig standing in front of a truck filled with supplies for Syrian refugees. Peter Kassig was working for the relief organisation SERA when he was captured, his parents said
The parents of US hostage Peter Kassig, who is being held by Islamic State militants in Syria, have released a letter he has written in captivity.
In the letter, received in June, he said he was "scared to die" and saddened by the pain his ordeal was causing to the family.
Last week IS posted a video showing the beheading of UK hostage Alan Henning.
It ended with a threat to kill 26-year-old Mr Kassig, a Muslim convert who prefers to be known as Abdul-Rahman.
It was the fourth such video released by the militant group, which controls large swathes of Syria and Iraq.
Previous victims were American reporter James Foley, American-Israeli journalist Steven Sotloff and British aid worker David Haines.
IS said they were killed in retaliation for US-led air strikes on the group's targets.
'I pray every day'
The parents - Ed and Paula Kassig - said they had decided to release excerpts from the letter "so the world can understand why we and so many people care for him and admire him".
In the video, Peter Kassig's parents urge his captors to "show mercy"
In the letter, Abdul-Rahman Kassig wrote: "I am obviously pretty scared to die but the hardest part is not knowing, wondering, hoping, and wondering if I should even hope at all.
"I am very sad that all this has happened and for what all of you back home are going through.
"If I do die, I figure that at least you and I can seek refuge and comfort in knowing that I went out as a result of trying to alleviate suffering and helping those in need.
"In terms of my faith, I pray everyday and I am not angry about my situation in that sense."
The letter - which the parents received on 2 June - ends with the words: "I love you."
Mr Kassig's parents said he had been working for the relief organisation he founded, Special Emergency Response and Assistance (SERA), when he was captured on his way to Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria a year ago.
IS may hold many more hostages.
The group has its roots in al-Qaeda's Iraqi affiliate but was expelled over its brutal tactics and refusal to obey orders to confine its activities to Iraq.
It has since grown more powerful, and captured large areas of both countries in recent months.
BBC.com
(edited)
MH370 search resumes in Indian Ocean
6 October 2014
Two Dutch-contracted vessels will join the Phoenix later this month
The next phase of the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has begun in the southern Indian Ocean.
A ship equipped with specialised sonar technology has arrived in a remote stretch of ocean where the plane is believed to have ended its flight.
The Boeing 777, with 239 people on board, went missing after it veered radically off course on 8 March.
Its whereabouts are still unknown despite a massive international air-and-sea search operation.
Australian officials believe the plane was flying on autopilot when it crashed.
Using satellite data, officials have concluded that the airliner ended its journey in the Indian Ocean, north-west of the Australian city of Perth.
'Big area'
On Monday, a vessel contracted by Malaysia, the GO Phoenix, began its work in the seas about 1,800 km (1,100 miles) off western Australia.
It will tow underwater sensors over the sea floor scanning for traces of jet fuel and using sonar and video to try to locate the plane.
The Phoenix will be joined later this month by two ships sent by Dutch contractor Fugro. The operation could last at least a year.
The head of Australia's transport safety agency, which is leading the underwater search, said he was "cautiously optimistic" the next phase - jointly funded by Malaysia and Australia - would eventually locate the plane.
"Cautious because of all the technical and other challenges we've got, but optimistic because we're confident in the analysis," Martin Dolan, chief commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
"But it's just a very big area that we're looking at."
The previous search was suspended four months ago to allow for detailed mapping of a 110,000 sq km (44,000 sq mile) area of sea bed.
That survey uncovered previously unknown extinct volcanoes and depressions up to 1,400m deep.
BBC.com
6 October 2014
Two Dutch-contracted vessels will join the Phoenix later this month
The next phase of the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has begun in the southern Indian Ocean.
A ship equipped with specialised sonar technology has arrived in a remote stretch of ocean where the plane is believed to have ended its flight.
The Boeing 777, with 239 people on board, went missing after it veered radically off course on 8 March.
Its whereabouts are still unknown despite a massive international air-and-sea search operation.
Australian officials believe the plane was flying on autopilot when it crashed.
Using satellite data, officials have concluded that the airliner ended its journey in the Indian Ocean, north-west of the Australian city of Perth.
'Big area'
On Monday, a vessel contracted by Malaysia, the GO Phoenix, began its work in the seas about 1,800 km (1,100 miles) off western Australia.
It will tow underwater sensors over the sea floor scanning for traces of jet fuel and using sonar and video to try to locate the plane.
The Phoenix will be joined later this month by two ships sent by Dutch contractor Fugro. The operation could last at least a year.
The head of Australia's transport safety agency, which is leading the underwater search, said he was "cautiously optimistic" the next phase - jointly funded by Malaysia and Australia - would eventually locate the plane.
"Cautious because of all the technical and other challenges we've got, but optimistic because we're confident in the analysis," Martin Dolan, chief commissioner of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
"But it's just a very big area that we're looking at."
The previous search was suspended four months ago to allow for detailed mapping of a 110,000 sq km (44,000 sq mile) area of sea bed.
That survey uncovered previously unknown extinct volcanoes and depressions up to 1,400m deep.
BBC.com
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-10-09/mh-17-false-flag-exposed-after-revelation-passenger-was-wearing-oxygen-mask
Charles, read just that bold text :-D
Charles, read just that bold text :-D
Yeh, make fun of the death with your smiles in the text! Disgusting person!!
This is how terrible it was for those on board as some apparently knew they where going to die!
(edited)
This is how terrible it was for those on board as some apparently knew they where going to die!
(edited)
when you dont understand the point, you always turn out to some spam...oh my charles... grow up :-) !
Belarus: Football fans jailed for anti-Putin chant
10 October 2014
The rude chant rings out across the stands
A court in the Belarusian capital Minsk has jailed eight Ukrainian football fans after they sang an insulting song about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One man was sent to prison for 10 days for possessing fascist symbols. Seven others were jailed for five days for using obscene language.
They had joined in anti-Putin chants and songs at the Euro 2016 qualifier between Ukraine and Belarus.
A number of Belarusian fans were also convicted and fined.
Both local and visiting fans at the Euro 2016 qualifier between Ukraine and Belarus in Borisov came together in a rousing rendition of a well-known song - which has became a popular expression of opposition to Putin in Ukraine, the Belarusian paper Nasha Niva reports.
Belarusian fans are also heard voicing their solidarity with their Ukrainian counterparts by chanting the signature slogan of the Maidan protests in Kiev - Slava Ukrayini ("Glory to Ukraine").
The Ukrainians return the favour by chanting Zhyve Belarus ("Long live Belarus").
After the match, about 100 Ukrainian and 30 Belarusian were initially held and taken to the local KGB station, according to the opposition website Charter '97.
A court later sentenced seven Ukrainians to five days in prison for "foul language", the Ukrayinska Pravda news website reports.
Four others were fined, while one Ukrainian fan was given a 10-day sentence for allegedly wearing a swastika on his clothing.
It's not the first time the anti-Putin song has made waves. In June, Russian officials called for the resignation of the then Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andriy Deshchytsya, after he joined Kiev protesters in insulting Putin.
The authorities in Moscow are frowning on fruity language more generally - in April, parliament passed a bill that bans swearing from films, music and other works of art.
Belarusian and Ukrainian supporters also came together in choruses of "Glory to Ukraine"
BBC.com
(edited)
10 October 2014
The rude chant rings out across the stands
A court in the Belarusian capital Minsk has jailed eight Ukrainian football fans after they sang an insulting song about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
One man was sent to prison for 10 days for possessing fascist symbols. Seven others were jailed for five days for using obscene language.
They had joined in anti-Putin chants and songs at the Euro 2016 qualifier between Ukraine and Belarus.
A number of Belarusian fans were also convicted and fined.
Both local and visiting fans at the Euro 2016 qualifier between Ukraine and Belarus in Borisov came together in a rousing rendition of a well-known song - which has became a popular expression of opposition to Putin in Ukraine, the Belarusian paper Nasha Niva reports.
Belarusian fans are also heard voicing their solidarity with their Ukrainian counterparts by chanting the signature slogan of the Maidan protests in Kiev - Slava Ukrayini ("Glory to Ukraine").
The Ukrainians return the favour by chanting Zhyve Belarus ("Long live Belarus").
After the match, about 100 Ukrainian and 30 Belarusian were initially held and taken to the local KGB station, according to the opposition website Charter '97.
A court later sentenced seven Ukrainians to five days in prison for "foul language", the Ukrayinska Pravda news website reports.
Four others were fined, while one Ukrainian fan was given a 10-day sentence for allegedly wearing a swastika on his clothing.
It's not the first time the anti-Putin song has made waves. In June, Russian officials called for the resignation of the then Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andriy Deshchytsya, after he joined Kiev protesters in insulting Putin.
The authorities in Moscow are frowning on fruity language more generally - in April, parliament passed a bill that bans swearing from films, music and other works of art.
Belarusian and Ukrainian supporters also came together in choruses of "Glory to Ukraine"
BBC.com
(edited)
Putin wants Russian say in Moldova-EU trade agreement
10 October 2014
President Putin (right) gave a new warning to Moldova's leader in Minsk
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Moldova that it must take account of Russia's interests before developing closer trade ties with the EU.
Mr Putin was speaking at a summit in Belarus with leaders of ex-Soviet republics, including Moldova.
He said he wanted Moldova to postpone a free trade deal with the EU until 2016, as Ukraine had agreed to do recently.
Russia supports separatists in Trans-Dniester, a long strip of land that broke away from Moldova in 1992.
The pro-Russian separatists are heavily armed and the fighting in eastern Ukraine has raised concern that the frozen conflict in Moldova could similarly reignite.
The EU and US accuse Russia of sending troops and armour into eastern Ukraine to help the rebels there. Russia has repeatedly denied doing so.
Mr Putin warned that economic integration between some ex-Soviet republics and the EU could undermine their preferential trade ties with Russia. He is pushing for a Russian-led Eurasian economic union.
Moldova is one of Europe's poorest countries and has particularly close economic and cultural ties with neighbouring Romania, an EU member.
Last month Moldovan Socialists rallied for closer ties with Russia and against the EU partnership
Russian pressure
In June the EU signed far-reaching partnership deals with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Moscow is worried that the Russian market could be flooded by cheap goods from the EU that would hit Russian producers.
Last month Russian pressure resulted in the EU and Ukraine agreeing to postpone until 2016 the free trade part of their new partnership agreement.
Russia persuaded the EU to include it in further discussions on the trade deal's possible impact on the Russian economy.
At the Minsk summit on Friday Mr Putin referred to that agreement with the EU and asked: "Where was Moldova? Why couldn't we build a relationship like that with Moldova?
"We wanted to, and asked many times for it. Unfortunately, we haven't heard a clear answer from our Moldovan friends...
"We have to resolve the existing differences and find compromise solutions," he said, adding that such compromises would help "all the member states of the CIS free trade zone" - that is, the ex-Soviet states with which Russia has preferential trade links.
Russia has selectively blocked imports of food and drink from Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in recent years, moves seen by Western politicians as efforts to exert political control. Russia mostly justified the measures by alleging hygiene violations.
BBC.com
And there we go again ............
10 October 2014
President Putin (right) gave a new warning to Moldova's leader in Minsk
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Moldova that it must take account of Russia's interests before developing closer trade ties with the EU.
Mr Putin was speaking at a summit in Belarus with leaders of ex-Soviet republics, including Moldova.
He said he wanted Moldova to postpone a free trade deal with the EU until 2016, as Ukraine had agreed to do recently.
Russia supports separatists in Trans-Dniester, a long strip of land that broke away from Moldova in 1992.
The pro-Russian separatists are heavily armed and the fighting in eastern Ukraine has raised concern that the frozen conflict in Moldova could similarly reignite.
The EU and US accuse Russia of sending troops and armour into eastern Ukraine to help the rebels there. Russia has repeatedly denied doing so.
Mr Putin warned that economic integration between some ex-Soviet republics and the EU could undermine their preferential trade ties with Russia. He is pushing for a Russian-led Eurasian economic union.
Moldova is one of Europe's poorest countries and has particularly close economic and cultural ties with neighbouring Romania, an EU member.
Last month Moldovan Socialists rallied for closer ties with Russia and against the EU partnership
Russian pressure
In June the EU signed far-reaching partnership deals with Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.
Moscow is worried that the Russian market could be flooded by cheap goods from the EU that would hit Russian producers.
Last month Russian pressure resulted in the EU and Ukraine agreeing to postpone until 2016 the free trade part of their new partnership agreement.
Russia persuaded the EU to include it in further discussions on the trade deal's possible impact on the Russian economy.
At the Minsk summit on Friday Mr Putin referred to that agreement with the EU and asked: "Where was Moldova? Why couldn't we build a relationship like that with Moldova?
"We wanted to, and asked many times for it. Unfortunately, we haven't heard a clear answer from our Moldovan friends...
"We have to resolve the existing differences and find compromise solutions," he said, adding that such compromises would help "all the member states of the CIS free trade zone" - that is, the ex-Soviet states with which Russia has preferential trade links.
Russia has selectively blocked imports of food and drink from Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in recent years, moves seen by Western politicians as efforts to exert political control. Russia mostly justified the measures by alleging hygiene violations.
BBC.com
And there we go again ............
Iraq's Anbar appeals for help against Islamic State
Iraqi officials have made an urgent appeal for military help in the western Anbar province, saying the area could fall to Islamic State (IS) militants.
The jihadist group has been attacking the provincial capital Ramadi, and has seized army bases in the area.
A US official told AFP news agency the situation in Anbar was "fragile".
IS fighters control large stretches of territory in Syria and Iraq. They are also fighting for control of the Syrian border town of Kobane.
Anbar is a strategically important province, and home to Iraq's second-largest dam, the Haditha dam.
Seizing Anbar would give IS control of a stretch of territory across much of Syria and Iraq, enabling it to establish a supply line and potentially launch attacks on the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
'Fall in days'
Anbar's provincial council submitted a request to the Iraqi government asking for US ground troops to help fight IS militants, Iraq's al-Sharqiyah TV reported.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has repeatedly ruled out any foreign ground troops in Iraq.
The US military has carried out several air strikes on IS militants, preventing them from seizing the Haditha dam. However, IS militants are still advancing in the province.
Jump media playerMedia player helpOut of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
John Simpson on the IS front line with the Iraqi army
The vice-president of the council, Faleh al-Issawi, warned that Anbar could "fall in 10 days", The Times newspaper reported.
Fighting in Kobane, the Kurdish town on the Syria-Turkey border, had diverted international attention from the IS advance in Anbar, he added.
A US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the situation in Anbar was "tenuous".
"They are being resupplied and they're holding their own, but it's tough and challenging."
Smoke rises from clashes between the Iraqi army and IS near Ramadi, 19 Sept
Smoke rises from clashes between the Iraqi army and IS near Ramadi last month
A damaged police station is seen in the Anbar province town of Hit, Iraq, 6 October 2014
IS fighters have attacked army bases and police stations elsewhere in Anbar
Iraqi government troops were unable to effectively combat the IS threat, US officials added.
One said that there was "no comparison" between the effectiveness of Kurdish forces and the Iraqi army.
"The Kurds are moving, they're taking back towns and territory," the official said, whereas the Iraqi army "starts an operation and it stops after a kilometre".
'Massacre likely'
Islamic State forces have continued to take ground inside the Syrian border town of Kobane.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29581193
Iraqi officials have made an urgent appeal for military help in the western Anbar province, saying the area could fall to Islamic State (IS) militants.
The jihadist group has been attacking the provincial capital Ramadi, and has seized army bases in the area.
A US official told AFP news agency the situation in Anbar was "fragile".
IS fighters control large stretches of territory in Syria and Iraq. They are also fighting for control of the Syrian border town of Kobane.
Anbar is a strategically important province, and home to Iraq's second-largest dam, the Haditha dam.
Seizing Anbar would give IS control of a stretch of territory across much of Syria and Iraq, enabling it to establish a supply line and potentially launch attacks on the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.
'Fall in days'
Anbar's provincial council submitted a request to the Iraqi government asking for US ground troops to help fight IS militants, Iraq's al-Sharqiyah TV reported.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has repeatedly ruled out any foreign ground troops in Iraq.
The US military has carried out several air strikes on IS militants, preventing them from seizing the Haditha dam. However, IS militants are still advancing in the province.
Jump media playerMedia player helpOut of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue.
John Simpson on the IS front line with the Iraqi army
The vice-president of the council, Faleh al-Issawi, warned that Anbar could "fall in 10 days", The Times newspaper reported.
Fighting in Kobane, the Kurdish town on the Syria-Turkey border, had diverted international attention from the IS advance in Anbar, he added.
A US defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the situation in Anbar was "tenuous".
"They are being resupplied and they're holding their own, but it's tough and challenging."
Smoke rises from clashes between the Iraqi army and IS near Ramadi, 19 Sept
Smoke rises from clashes between the Iraqi army and IS near Ramadi last month
A damaged police station is seen in the Anbar province town of Hit, Iraq, 6 October 2014
IS fighters have attacked army bases and police stations elsewhere in Anbar
Iraqi government troops were unable to effectively combat the IS threat, US officials added.
One said that there was "no comparison" between the effectiveness of Kurdish forces and the Iraqi army.
"The Kurds are moving, they're taking back towns and territory," the official said, whereas the Iraqi army "starts an operation and it stops after a kilometre".
'Massacre likely'
Islamic State forces have continued to take ground inside the Syrian border town of Kobane.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29581193