gamer putin has denied directing pro russian separatist who had captured government buildings in eastern ukraine ukraine's state security agents he however said that as directed at least ten members of the russian state intelligence directorate in the region and prevented more than ten thousand russians from entering the country to support the gym and again during the interview yet duke also said individuals behind anti semitic with flats distributed in the eastern city of the doubt earlier in the week will be held responsible for the provocation had to lift a synagogue and adapt math man handed out flyer purported to be from pro russian separatist ordering all to register with them or face deportation. a stretcher a store by the united nations human rights office last week keep on truckin claims of anti semitism in ukraine as that ukrainian jewish leader ira forman me about my administration's special envoy on anti semitism. last month disputed claims by russian president but to report in the ukrainian revolutionaries were spreading hatred of . toh tuck its minister has said his cup and leave t

does the way this all came down, in effect concede that russia is is a party to what happens in eastern ukraine? if not in law, in actual diplomacy? >> well, you know this idea of the legal organization, and troops in ukraine, it's not the first attempt to do it. disarmament did not happen, so now they are trying to do this again, and they can feel from reaction. and very little hope that this can be done this time. so if it would not be disarmed by now, then the united states and russia, are absolutely correct, have to take responsibility on russia, it could be -- the responsibility to come and to disarm them. >> if you add to this, russia would most likely not recognize presidential election, and russia does not recognize current government basically, and most feel extremely skeptical attitude towards this today. and really a lot of people believe the political elite, that nothing will go through. is then russia will have moral responsible to fix things. was the united states role played well this time? is. >> i think all of the diplomats did a good job in coming one a document, that at least

eastern ukraine independent clean hildebrand test that detects the true russian been considered sweep their flag of choice as it burned tires outside a government building in ukraine's second city kid unrest like this has been popping up in eastern ukraine which has a large population of ethnic russians. pro moscow supporters have called for secession for claiming sovereignty arcade people to the. the regional police were later quoted as saying the dispersed the protesters on monday less than three hundred km away in donetsk. a similar call for independence pro russian separatist sees the regional assembly building the regional council of duty and retains the stones the establishment of a sovereign states and peoples republic of the minutes. it didn't fit into those that led to rush's annexation of crimea cities in eastern ukraine have seen

the europeans sent observers to eastern ukraine, only to see some of them captured by pro-russian demonstrators. let's discuss this very dangerous situation in ukraine. right now, joining us, daniel bayer, the united states ambassador for cooperation in europe. also joining us, julia yaffi of "the new republic" magazine, josh rogin from "newsweek" and "the daily beast." ambassador, first you. what's the latest on those international monitors that have been taken hostage, if you will, or being held captive by pro-russian demonstrators in eastern ukraine? >> that's right, wolf, last week in slovyansk k, the self declared mayor took the eight international observers sent out on the vienna document, one of the arms control and transparency building measures and has been holding them, along with their ukrainian escorts, in a dungeon in slovyansk. obviously, one was released last week on medical grounds, but we remain deeply concerned about the remaining hostages and this terrorist tactic. >> have they made formal demands, what they want in exchange for their freedom? >> my understanding is that talk

putin denied russia was involved in any way in the protest that swept eastern ukraine for several days. he admitted for the first time russian forces were active in crimea that became part of russia last month. in the incident in ukraine, the government said the attack by pro russian militants in the space killing three people. nick has the latest. >> this after the aftermath by what they say is a ukrainian base. >> according to kiev, three pro russians were killed, more than a dozen injured. elsewhere in eastern ukraine, it's operations to re-establish control appears to have made little head way. it's an unhappy backdrop to the latest diplomatic push in geneva to defuse the crisis. russia's foreign minister strides in on the talks that will bring him together with u.s., european and ukrainian counter parts. diplomats defer. hopes aren't high here. previous diplomacy has gotten nowhere. from washington a new warning for russia. >> each time russia takes steps designed to destabilize ukraine and violate sovereignty, there are going to be consequences. what you have seen is the russian

the that interest but some like tv to western claims that moscow is striking the rebellion in eastern ukraine. crisis talks on the situation in ukraine are set to get underway in geneva between the us eu russia and ukraine. overnight clashes in eastern ukraine the government says several pro russian rebels the kilt is that right this moment but the variable. voting is underway in algeria presidential elections with the ability to think abt what is expected to win a fourth term in office. cool conditions but the search committee three hundred mostly high school students aboard the caps by south korean perry. and ch the sports heats was the slogan for the twelfth annual sport record convention held in turkey. it brought together at the one hundred and eight sports federations that make up the organization. despite not being well known outside the industry. it was established almost half a century ago to help change the future face of sports. we are helping and assisting them to bind people together in this world which creates the hottest knowledge of good things this and allowing the proposal o

it was sergei lavrov who categorially denied they were taking part in the destabilization in eastern ukrainehe said we have no agent there is. we have no intelligence and no troops. basically saying the west don't really get it. but the people of ukraine of eastern ukraine, those russian speakers, they have their own point of view, protests and grievances, and they're carrying out their own demonstrations in the government of kiev in pro russia support. basically lavrov said it's in russia's interest for ukraine to be stable, united as long as all the people are treated equally referring to the eastern russian speakers. he also said that--called on had a message for the u.s. and e.u. as this crisis continues to worsen. >> we need an honest and coherent reaction from the west without any double standards and without shifting blame to moscow. they didn't listen to the people in southern and eastern ukraine, now they're using military force to put down the protests. i think it's very dangerous and those people planning to do so should be punished. >> well, lavrov, it's been a busy day for him.

be content with that dictate the action spy comedy difficult to keep the eastern ukraine. these are times that the state line from ukraine must go. it's difficult to get its teeth sovereignty and territorial to critique of pure crap. we call upon russia to do so with welcome to pull its troops from ukrainian poet. the fed's actions aimed at de stabilize and ukraine have to sell. he likes to make events we decided to expand the list of those thought to tell us the trees on the third. most restraint is crucial to command the ukrainian authorities are pursuing their little dog operations in a mature manner. country week i reached the cup in tokyo can to keep that that reducing tensions. free and fair presidential elections on the twentieth of may. of the best way to express the will of the citizens out that the proceeds of competition reform. we'll continue to thwart the efforts to stabilize the situation in ukraine economically financially and politically. with this in mind the two day trip to key matches the package of proposals aimed at providing economic and financial supp

this week president putin in that call-in show talked about russia's historic ties to ukraine, eastern ukraine, as new russia and today ukraine's acting prime minister said that putin has dreams of restoring the old soviet union. how far is president putin prepared to go? what are his territorial ambitions? >> first thing his statements about us having dreams of restoring soviet union is a false notion in its very nature, and, secondly, the illusions to the history of relations between russia and ukraine by the president was just to show that we are so intertwined. we are. there are so many families that are spread both in ukraine and russia. we have been -- >> so to answer my question, how far is president putin prepared to go? >> we are not going anywhere. we just want the ukrainians to find a way of dialogue, a new constitution that would help them to live in a country that is democratic, that supports the rights of all the ethnic groups, including certainly russians, and we want to have a friendly neighbor, because for us all irrespective of what is happening, ukrainians are just our broth

of fop far reaching sanctions is to look weak and to encourage the pro russian separatists in eastern ukraine but to impose far reaching sections. we can all change the fact that russia is a key plank in this crisis. it supplies most of ukraine's oil and gas. it accounts for the ukraine straight to the west will need a president whose him at some point to find a solution to fit into this crisis into a single clear how the west saxons would help to fix the problems because of course the government is running out of money and into authority in the east is being very severely tested what about the role of the us in all of this has barack obama got any credit at persuading the european city which he thinks should be done on the sanctions issue is to be ramped up pressure on the europeans have the sense that the geneva meeting. she's now decided to do it alone even if the europeans don't fall at his the us president speaking a little early this monday from canada. we are really moving forward with it an expanded list of individuals and companies there will be affected by sanctions. we will also fo

the threat of important sectoral sanctions should putin go into eastern ukraine, some kind of diplomatic process that might slow them down. we have wryly taken a western military response off the table because they have no security guarantee and commitment to ukraine, but those seem to be the two levers that the west has, but they are not strong. i do think the west is at a disadvantage in this match with putin. >> thank you for joining us. watching bbc world news america. still to come on tonight's program, two decades after the genocide in rwanda, the country has made great strides towards recovery. but has the progress come at a price? four men who were paralyzed from the chest down have been able to move parts of their legs again after treatment here in the united states. electrical pulses were used to stimulate their spinal cords. it allowed them to move their hips. according to one researcher, it is a groundbreaking advance for those with similar injuries. >> kent stevenson from texas was completely paralyzed from the chest down five years ago. now he can do this. it's thanks to el

putin insisted russia was not involved in the conflict in eastern ukraine, but he said it is not havetay that way and issued a firm warning. >> may i remind you that russia's federation council granted the president the right to use armed force in ukraine. i very much hope i will not have to use that right. >> putin also fielded a question from former nsa employee edward snowden and denied that russian intelligence services and gazed in mass spying on its own people. algeria held presidential elections on thursday. 23 million people were voting. as was widely expected, the -- the incumbent was elected with 84% of the vote. the election was controversial. the opposition dismissed it as fraudulent and six parties boycotted the vote. writer gabrielle garcia marquez died on thursday at the age of 87. his native country announced three days of national mourning and tributes poured in at his mexico home. garcia marquez was born in the ofumbia town on the sixth march, 19 27. today, locals consider him a hero. it was their experiences he or trade in his most successful work, "100 years of sol

state-run company here is facing corruption allegations at the highest levels. ♪ and pictures from eastern ukrainewing how tense the situation there is getting. this is pro-russian gunman are not leaving the building they seized over the weekend and have barricades and stockpiled the weapons and ukraine soldiers are posed on the outskirts of the city. and the ukrainian crisis is straining relations between u.s. and russia, a phone call between barack obama and putin has been described as frank and obama accused putin government of supporting armed groups in eastern ukraine and asked him to are draw troops from the border and 40,000 are thought to be camped there and obama warned putin they will have costs on top of targeted sanctions in place and the russian president says accusations that moscow is interfering are unfounded and turning the tables he called on the united states to prevent the blood shed. these are some of the sorts of things obama is talking about. government buildings across the eastern ukraine being seized by pro-russia activists and latest is gunman stormed a police station in

is quoted as saying he believes the money is being used to fund their bridges insurgency in ukraine's eastern region. international news on one. slovakia and ukraine signed a deal that will allow the european union to provide a limited at could p soften the blow with fresh attacks its gas supply amid the crisis between the two countries the green is not as far reaching as leaders in kiev had hopes and video slovakia will make tactical adjustments to an old unused i played about eight nine billion cubic meters of gas starting in the bottom yippee tradition prison was a man lover of so as to the agreement strengthens ties between the european union's energy market and that ukraine is an important step to diversify ukraine solstice of gossip writer this contributes to greater damages the dvd is in europe and you can even have the whole beach over european union strong commitment in support of ukraine's energy sector which is also reflected in the economic and financial backers european union has typically provided for ukraine the boss speaks ukraine isn't pushing for another technical solution a

the government of ukraine is probably fearing that there is a replay happening here in eastern ukraine where in several towns did cities, either security buildings or lobing it will councils -- local councils have been taken obvious, and the reality that is developing is that the government of ukraine has not been able to counter. >> for more on the escalating crisis in eastern ukraine we turn to kim vinnell. >> tensions are spilling over in eastern ukraine. ukrainian authorities say this e have launched an anti-terrorist operation. this video, which can't be independently verified appears to show a man taking cover, nearby a second sits apparently lifeless. in the city center pro-russian activists remain in control of the police station. ukrainian forces on sunday tried to retake the building, but retreated reportedly because of a risk to the public. >> translation: we are the residents of slovyansk. the national guard is coming here. there has been a shoot out this morning. we have nothing to hide. here is my face. i want to ask comrade vladimir putin he promised to protect us. pleas

ukraine's acting president has accused russia of waging war in eastern ukraine. he announced an anti-terrorist operation that left at least two dead. >> this unconfirmed internet footage purports to show the latest fighting in eastern ukraine. this man has reportedly been shot in the chest. the video also includes images of a man that apparently died of his injuries. the ukrainian military is attempting to retake public buildings which are under the control of pro-russian separatists. the acting ukrainian president has stated the anti-terrorism operation will be expanded to other city is -- cities in eastern ukraine. he also promised amnesty for within turning in their weapons by monday. masked men seized city hall and raised flags declaring independence from kiev. crowd of approximately 1,000 pro-russian sympathizers have put up barricades. they say they will resist any ukrainian forces to make them leave. tensions are reaching the breaking point in cities throughout eastern ukraine. at least 50 were injured when a confrontation between pro-ukrainian and pro-rus

russia's minute lavrov has bbc has been traveling around eastern ukraine. i spoke to her in the city of donetsk as she just visited mariupol in the southeast of ukraine, very close to russia. i asked her what she'd seen. >> reporter: well we've been trying to follow reports constantly popping up on social media networks. yesterday it all started in the city. we're getting reports from the ukrainian antiterrorists operation. we're getting other reports from other places as well. the important thing to remember is this is not just military maneuvers here. it's also a massive information war watching russian tv, incredible some of the stories and leads we get on it. it's not just the russian side. here's one example. >> here we are in mariupol headed to what is the mayor's office to see what's going on. why are you speaking english, that guy is saying? he doesn't want english. you're american spies. turn around. >> they're asking who is in control of this building. they say people, we're in control of it. we have the minister of interior of ukraine saying ukrai

jeans are reaching the breaking point in cities throughout eastern ukraine. at least fifty were injured. keith for a confrontation between cooking cleaning and pro russian forces turned violent and its lobby and separatist forces are digging their heels ahead of monday's deadline. a fella to ignore key is called to lay down their weapons. earlier we talked our correspondent in eastern ukraine markets where he mentioned it in to slog out this evening and went to the police station and secret service building that were taken by pro russian activists. we asked him what he found there. growers voted for it. by observing they are picking up a barricade the boys didn't get very excited about those barricades to go but how would it break the cycle what they call it. think about it she does tell us how difficult was that you actually getting into sundance. well i did not start out with that done yet we did about one hundred and fifty two the market away from the thick of that. now we have to talk to her throat doctor. add the cocoa we were second only to have to show

pro-russian separatists rolled through the streets of eastern ukraine after having taken over ukrainian tanks. mass soldiers of unknown origin posed for pictures with residents as the lines of authority continue to blur in a region of ukraine where the loyalties are complex and where the flame of civil war might catch fire at any moment. president obama tonight ratcheted up the pressure on russia. >> is he mocking you and the u.s. military? >> they're not interested in any kind of military confrontation with us. understanding that our conventional forces are significantly superior to the russians. we don't need a war. what we do need is a recognition that countries like ukraine can have relationships with a whole range of their neighbors, and it is not up to anybody, whether it's russia or the united states or anybody else, to make decisions for them. >> the white house preparing new sanctions against russia, with the cia chief's weekend visit to ukraine reportedly for the purpose of sharing u.s. intelligence with the interim government, and with russian president vladimir putin reporte

thank you thanks for joining us and will be speaking more from eastern ukraine and two. and we'll know more about her russian separatists in eastern europe later in the program with a special report from the cia and turns nice tree up. but no cute new details on the ferry disaster off the coast of south korea the death toll has now climbed past one hundred divers recovered many of the bodies in cabins and a lounge area is going anguish among the relatives of the more than two hundred people who are still missing many of the high school students i wins in bad weather had hampered search operations. you knew more and more bodies of the victims are coming down to the harbor of judo. diapers are slowly making progress. by sending daily on the other passengers in the lounge. the next objective is to get into the dining hall which we still haven't succeeded in giving it a whirl was there to kentucky to go to the rough seas and strong kinds of cold. diapers are now able to enter the sunken ship. search crews have managed to secure find entry point into the ship so far the passen

in geneva, are we any clearer as to what vladimir putin's intentions are for the region of the eastern ukraine. >> no, we are not. he's keeping his options very much open. nature's convinced and the u.s. is convinced there's 40,000 troops on the border. ukraine seems to be falling apart. the rebel separatists are growing in number, and the attempts by the kiev government to put down this wave of occupation seems to be faltering. at the moment i suppose russia doesn't have the to do anything. the kremlin is happy to sit back and see how things lay out. it will be interesting to see what the outcomes of the talks are. no great hopes that they'll see any way forward, not with the entrenched positions that nick spicer is talking about. >> peter will keep ice ears and eyes open in moscow for us, as vladimir putin has the question and answer session with the russian people. >> we have a lot more to come at al jazeera - including no friends, no family and little money. we report from mexico where people are struggling to start over after being deported from the u.s. plus, china's version of twitter g

quell the uprising in the eastern part of ukraine. moscow has accused the us is sending mercenaries disguised as ukrainian special tax police to crack down on protesters. on his website. ray stone says is providing various security services the tales are nowhere to be found. gray stone is known as a mercenary firm that the us government hires a specific operations with secrecy as its major scene. the firm has denied its presence in ukraine and has an independent capacity in the sense that it's an independent business that gives it the ability to plausibly deny any allegations in all of the us government to say we don't know. the re sewn was founded by erik prince who also created the infamous poetry contracting firm formerly known as blackwater. carter received hundreds of new easel dollars to protect u s personnel in iraq and afghanistan. the mercenaries became known for their recklessness. in one incident in two thousand and seven a group of blackwater contractors shot and killed seventeen iraqi civilians and wounded twenty others t

borderland only on al jazeera america russian agents in eastern ukraine provoking scenes like this. ♪ello and welcome to al jazeera life from doha, also on the program, a warning on south sudan, 50,000 children at risk of starving to death. search crews looking for the missing airline and going deep in the indian ocean. and this 2000-year-old tomb was recently lucid and asking how this could have happened under the nose of the people. ♪ we are getting reports from nigeria increasing the death toll which is now at at least 35 people killed in a bomb blast at a busy bus station and no immediate claim of responsibility of the explosion that happened on the outskirts of the capitol and on sunday 60 people were killed by gunman in northern nigeria and this was this borno state and we can speak to our correspondent on the phone and at the scene of the latest explosion at the bus station and what are you seeing? >> reporter: it's absolute chaos here and thousands of people are at the scene to see what happened and from eyewitnesses we managed to make contact with here on the ground is that m

what are we hearing from the state democratic about the situation in eastern ukraine? fear is that ukraine accounted be on the brink of an all out war. the u.s. is using diplomatic means to stop anymore violence. >> in ukraine this morning, rival clashes continued. towns to the east are bracing for military action. pro russian accept are a activities have taken control of key buildings in several towns and are defying government orders to pull back or face ukrainian troops. >> the security council is called to order. >> the violence prompted an emergency u.n. security meeting last night. the obama administration is excusing russia of escalating the crisis. >> we are being bombarded by russian disinformation and propaganda while the ukrainians are being confronted by incitement and violence. >> it has all the telltale signs of what we saw in crimea, professional, coordinated. >> russia is concerns about ukraine's stability. >> the authorities do not want to listen to those who do not accept the imposed dominance in kiev. >> the u.s. is trying to help diplomatically. secr

is warning moscow about a very serious escalation in eastern ukraine. ite house says there is evidence that are testers were paid provocateurs from outside ukraine. is refrainingpan from extra stimulus. the central bank says the economy continues to recover, even with last week's sales tax increase. banks say proposals to overhaul risks choking securitization walk lashing with efforts to boost lending to businesses. deutsche bank says the rules seem very punitive. barclays settles the first u.k. lawsuit. the comes a week before trial that would've featured testimony from former barclays officials. stalling demand in the smart phone market. turnings andrecent posted the second decline in quarterly profits as the market becomes more saturated. joining us now is francisco geronimo, research director of european mobile devices. thank you very much for joining us. how much of a big deal is this second straight decline in quarterly profits come a the first quarter is traditionally week for technology companies. what should we read into this? >> this is somethi

are you -- now we see the same thing in eastern ukraine, similar. are you concerned that russia is playing games here, push the west as far as it can and then stepping back at the brink of sanctions that would hurt? >> well, it would be great in russia really did step back now at the brink, before sanctions hurt. that would be good news. that would mean that the russian special forces and russian operatives now in eastern ukraine would really stand down and the russian-led propaganda would stop in eastern ukraine. >> right, but -- >> i'm worried this agreement won't happen. >> we're seeing a pattern here, aren't we? of russia doing one thing, placating the west just a little bit, and then stepping back into this fight again. >> right. i think vladimir putin, for example, for weeks and weeks denied that they were russian forces inside crimea the last time around. today he just admitted they were russians all along. so there's no real issue about what the dialogue is with moscow and washington. that's had no relationship to what's gone on on the groun

on this addition of our program we're talking about the rising tensions in eastern ukraine.s what happened in crimea happening again? and what, if anything, can and would the west do about it? now with election approaching, the crowds in some of these cities were chanting referendum. and today the government in kiev said we would allow a referendum with the national election. and all ukrainians would allow--would be allowed to choose some new way. is there the potential, mark jacobson, for these elections to settle anything? >> i don't think it would be wise for the current ukrainian government to set up the sort of referendum that could decide--that could set up a situation where you could see a split east and west. what i do think these elections can do is look at the problems that anna has raised. there is a proximity of security that i do believe was instigated from the outside, but over long term the ukrainians have got to show some belief that their government will work towards ridding the institutionalized corruption and setting up a government that could be trusted t

someone use it as stated in on someone on some sad about is less of an allegiance to camp in eastern ukraine and there isn't a thing. i mean there is still an allegiance to ukraine maybe not in the sense of the central government. but there are wary truly their own region so it would be hyped imagine people don't it's not liking donetsk so the media like very sian and they aren't fond of this don't bust area actually i think they still want to be in ukraine because the not so many of them we do want to be with russia they want their rights be respected not this true. i may have been many faced in korea where a long time. i think what he is strange and what changed recently he's not easily the stations became aggressive. so for the top it's true there were people coming up the streets for a long time now but suddenly there's this organize the things going on in several places in ukraine and suddenly they become aggressive. and so for me that was quite surprising. in the sense not. ok we did expect that weekend was packed and we were tweeting that she would try to do something but it didn't re

moscow as once again prepared that it is prepared to intervene in eastern ukraine. what can we take from the latest remarks? >> those remarks today were the sharpest articulation that -- of what could potentially trigger a wider full-scale russian military intervention in eastern ukraine. as he said today, "russian citizens being attacked is an attack against the russian federation." with that kind of language, it is possible to imagine how continued violence, and chaos in the east, if it were to affect russian citizens, could in fact bring about wider russian military intervention, which lavrov said would be justified despite all international agreements. at the same time, he again placed much of the blame for the violence and disorder on ukraine and also saying it is the responsibility of the united states, saying that kiev maneuvers the attacks at play used by the interim are decided by vice president joe biden meeting with leaders in kiev. anything, i would say it has ramped up the tensions rather --n do anything to call columnist situation. -- aw is the geneva

we start in eastern ukraine where separatists are tightening their hold on the region. over aunmen took television station on sunday and forced the broadcaster to switch to russian programming. they already control public buildings in several cities across the east. the separatists release one of the international monitors theire. negotiators are working to free the others but the separatists are refusing to back down. they have accused observers of spying and call them prisoners or war. >> he's out because he suffers from a mild form of diabetes. but the swedish officer, one of theptured observers, is only one to come free this weekend. a spokeswoman for the pro-russia rebels said no others will be released on sunday. they were all paraded before a group of foreign journalists early on sunday morning. speaking on behalf of the group, watched, colonel schneider from germany said there had been no wrong treatment. >> i can tell you that the work the word of is a -- the mayor is a word of honor. we have not been touched, and we have been treated as the maximum extent, whi

if not of eastern ukraine, and a very unstable ukraine as a whole. >> i think there are attacks by russia to -- attempts by russia to find a political solution that favours russia, if it's not possible, there's every inspection that russia may consider intervening militarily. >> the united states blames russia for the events in ukraine, accusing the kremlin of stirring up anger and putting people on the ground to encourage the protests. how credible is that. do you think that is fair for the united states to say to russia. does it mean there's not a lot of support in the eastern ukraine area for russia? >> it's difficult to confirm. it's difficult to know to what extent they are russian or russian speakers. there's every indication that russia is, at least, encouraging what is going on in eastern ukraine. are there potential supporters of kind of leaving ukraine, and joining russia. there are a - there is a percentage of russian speaking ukrainians in eastern ukraine that continue to have ties with russia. there's certain established business relations with russia that are important for m

government in kiev this doesn't end up behind the occupation of tibet government buildings in eastern ukraine. the tools that can be eaten as if daring up anti ukraine and anti western sentiments. in anaheim. russia demonstrate its already courting of referendums to imagine the ukrainian of thirty somethings i picked palin as to stop the slave taken every two governments. thoughts on the rates teeth making an increased effort to confront the man to separate it. lol they reached the russian port at least accept a set of additional checkpoints because at the match with and check for weapons stopping anyone looking suspicious. these controls may not be enough to stop took us a wiki style tips. it will shift our attention to west africa now where warships from twenty nations are taking part in a huge anti piracy exercise all the drills are taking place in the gulf of guinea rate now pirates are rampant in the region. when a jury gangs a particular threat to international maritime services west africa as a whole now accounts for about twenty percent of the world's attacks. that rise has come as pi

time to win those days gone by monday evening at times centimeter piece linking masked men in eastern ukraine to russia. the photos featuring unidentified men the article claimed that the men photographed in ukraine were also previously seen in russia sent us these pictures commission provided by tm to the osce monitoring eastern ukraine were used to build a case alleging pro russian and present on the ground. the state department had heard this saying that this further confirms moscow's involvement essentially disregarding questions about whether this evidence would ever stand in a real court of law. we see in photos that have been again and international media on twitter and publicly available it is that there are individuals to a visibly appear to be tied to outrun the fact that publicly at countless number of times behind the picture is sad when a second picture is used without permission were actually taken in ukraine. so where are the statements that their link to russia coming from. shortly after we saw the state department he can step back acknowledging that these claims could have be

this is not going to affect dramatically what happens in eastern ukraine. have a deep interest, the europeans have a deep interest, in propping up ukraine. i suspect it's going to end up like finland was in the cold war, neutralized and very, very cautious about the russians. the best we can hope for is the russians will not invade eastern ukraine and that's the best we can hope for. >> one of the main arguments administration officials put forward in not providing so-called lethal weapons to ukraine is the ukrainian military, the intelligence services, widely they believe penetrated by russians right now and many of them are in fact sympathetic to russia, maybe even more loyal to russia than ukraine. it's sort of like with syria. the u.s. doesn't provide weapons to the syrian opposition because it could wind up in the hands of al qaeda elements there. what do you say about that argument, that they're afraid where these weapons would eventually wind up? >> look, if -- first of all, who cares about kevlar vests? i mean, if kevlar vests are defensive weapons

latest on the ground in eastern ukraine, daniel joins me. based on your reporting of what you have seen on the ground, do you think the momentum is with the pro-russian forces or with the ukrainians? certainly the ukrainians are still struggling to get any kind of control in eastern ukraine. what we're seeing is a ukrainian army checkpoint being set up on the road quite close to where they have the most militarized of the rebel towns. they are not able to do anything more than searched the cars on the road. from what we could see on the ground today they are not really doing that they are just really a token show of force. the armed militia is quite dominant. this is not all of eastern ukraine, and much of it it is going on -- life is going on normally. the day to day life is carrying on, and as we head towards those elections i think there is the the electionsat will function reasonably normally in eastern ukraine. there may be a bit of a fear -- thethat things will question is, once we get past those elections, where there there will be fu

it comes as pro-russian militants gain momentum and eastern ukraine.ll but eight of the nigerian girls kidnapped from their school in borno are free. officials say they think the armed group boko haram carried out the abduction of more than 100 girls. some were rescued and one of the alleged abductors were captured. >> there are around the clock rescue efforts under way across the south peninsula of south korea. an international team is searching a capsized ferry carrying 475 passengers. most of them teenagers on a high school trip. the death toll stands at eight people. 290 are missing. >> we hope to get an update. >> now, former new york major michael bloomberg says he intends to spend $50 million fighting gun violence. the money will be used to build a nation-wide grassroots membership to change the national rifle association. the group will work on expanding the background check system for gun buyers at state and national levels. the strategy targets 15 states including texas, montana and indiana. >> this is not a battle of dollars, but the hearts

they have dug in and are well armed and want a referendum on this part of the ukraine, eastern part of the ukraine, either becoming an independent state or becoming part of russian. this easter morning a number of the separatists left their compound and headed for easter services at church. they were not arrested or harassed by the ukrainian security forces in any way. those separatists tell me say they feel very protected by president vladimir putin of russia who said he's willing to use force, if necessary, to protect russian interests and supporters inside of eastern ukraine. the ukrainian government for its part is trying very hard not to give moscow a reason to order the tens of thousands of troops that it has on the ukrainian border in the eastern ukraine to invade, much like they did crimea a little bit more than a month ago. of course, a lot of folks here in eastern ukraine who don't think it's a matter of if but when the russians will invade and try to take this part of the world for themselves. jamie? >> as always, great reporter live from ukraine. we'll talk to you later. >>

government for testers across south eastern ukraine prepared to make a stand and defend the region's rides as eyewitnesses say war machines are closing in washington speaks out in support of its repression of dissent over the sea i changed it to keep fuelling fears the us is masterminding the crackdown. langer was the flow russia and china top multi billion dollar gas deals with for why it was shutting its doors may be giving beijing push towards moscow. plus the scramble for resources is creating heat in the arctic where us led military forces are stoking tensions as governments by forty and tap northern beaches. in. the you're watching a tv national me read accounts are welcome to the program. ukraine selkirk leaders say it launched a military assault an end to government for testers in eastern ukraine activists now occupy government building at least a dozen cities demanding and referendum on the region's future the protests is drawn to the world's focus with foreign politicians and media lashing out at russia's alleged involvement in the protest british know when to find out who

as recent events in eastern ukraine make clearer. they need our support now than they did it more than ever. ukraine has shown admirable. sometimes i think even remarkable restraint. in the face of considerable challenge. but no one should expect the leaders of the sovereign state. to always stand by passively. while order. this threat. the order. ukraine has been threatened in recent days. our most urgent task is to de escalate the situation in ukraine. so let me just outlined where we are in some additional concrete steps that we have agreed to take in the course of the discussions today. in order to de escalate tensions and restore security. for all ukrainians. the parties agreed today. that all sides must refrain from the use of violence intimidation or provocative actions. we strongly condemn and reject it. all expressions of extremism racism and religious intolerance including anti semitism. they say a quick word about that just in the last couple of days. notices were sent to in one city. indicating that they have to identify t

quite surprisingly the demonstrations of the citizens of ukraine in the eastern reaches of the country on the other hand are deemed to be illegal actions. in the report it is stated that the ukraine government allegedly intend to leave behind the unfairness of the past and elaborate a new vision for ukraine's future. in this unfortunately a number of convenient facts left aside some point to the fact the activities of this government from the very start is based on an atmosphere of violence and, which itself has created. there is no attention paid to a very dangerous development, the growth of ago aggressive nationalism and neofascism. the term of neofascism is not in fact used at all in fact. the sector and other radical groups, chief niche in the eastern -- chauvinism, in eastern ukraine merely states the right of participation of minorities in the political life of the country is not fully taken into account. nothing is said regarding the cause or fanning the flames of national emanity and destruction of the russian-speaking population. the leaders of the parliament on liberation of

people of eastern ukraine, pro-russian supporters, they've got their own grievances and they mount their own demonstration and protests without the involvement of russia. he went on to say that a really an united ukraine, a stable ukraine is really in russia's interest as long as all groups in the country are represented fully. and he had this message to the u.s. and the e.u. as this crisis worsened. >> we need a honest reaction from the west without double standards and without shifting blame to moscow. they didn't listen to the people in southern and eastern ukraine, now they're using military force to put down the protests. i think it's very dangerous and people who are planning to do so should be punished. >> in the last few minutes members of the foreign ministry office in moscow had been in touch with their counterparts in paris, and they're looking for france to use whatever means it can and exert whatever influence it can on kiev to avoid kiev using force in eastern ukraine. and russia is making it pretty clear, really, that you can really say goo goodbye to these four-party talk