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Is there a legal basis for Russia's actions?

Under the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, the US, Russia, Ukraine and the UK agreed not to threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine. They also pledged never to use economic coercion to subordinate Ukraine to their own interest.

Russia says its decision to send troops into Ukraine is necessary to protect Russian citizens.

There is an ethnic Russian majority in Ukraine's autonomous republic of Crimea. Russia's Black Sea fleet is based at Sevastopol, where much of the population have Russian passports. But the US insists there is no legal basis for the Russian move move, accusing Moscow of acting unilaterally in violation of its commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty. The G7 group of leading economies agrees.

• Ethnic Russians - 58.5%
• Ethnic Ukrainians - 24.4%
• Crimean Tatars - 12.1%

Ukraine census 2001

4 March 2014

Ukraine crisis: Does Russia have a case?


Soldiers believed to be Russians outside the territory of a Ukrainian military unit in Crimean village of Perevalnoye

Russia says it is acting in Ukraine to protect the human rights of its citizens. But what justification does it have for sending troops into Crimea?

What is Russia's claim to Crimea?

Its historical links with the peninsula go back to Catherine the Great in the 18th Century, when Russia conquered southern Ukraine and Crimea, taking them from the Ottoman Empire. In 1954, Crimea was handed to Ukraine as a gift by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, who was himself half-Ukrainian. Only 10 years earlier, Joseph Stalin had deported Crimea's entire Tatar population, some 300,000 people, allegedly for co-operating with Hitler's Germany.


Nikita Khrushchev (file pic) Nikita Khrushchev (R) transferred Crimea to the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1954

When Ukraine became independent in 1991, Russian President Boris Yeltsin agreed that Crimea could remain in Ukraine, with Russia's Black Sea fleet remaining at Sevastopol under lease. That lease was in recent years extended to 2042.

hehe, it looks like for honorable trapos adobo is more important than a piece of red cloth. or adobo is tastier than scarborough shoal.

WASHINGTON DC: Protesters hold up signs and the national flag of Georgia as they demonstrate against Russia's military intervention in Crimea, in front of the Russian Embassy in Washington March 2, 2014. (REUTERS/Mike Theiler)

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ATHENS: Ukrainian people who live in Greece hold banners which read "No War " in English , Greek and Ukrainian on the right, and on the left "Putin-Hitler" during a protest outside the Russian embassy in Athens, on Monday, March 3, 2014. The protesters chanted slogans against President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, for the situation Ukraine. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

OTTAWA: Tetiana Sirskyj protests outside the Russian Embassy during a rally, organized by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and EuroMaidan, in Ottawa, Ontario, Saturday, March 1, 2014. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Justin Tang)

BERLIN: Demonstrators hold a minute of silence to commemorate the victims of the power struggles in Ukraine and remember the Soviet-Russian interventions in the past with placards reading 'East Germany (GDR) in 1953, Hungary in 1956, Czechoslovakia in 1968, Afghanistan in 1979, Georgia in 2008, Ukraine in 2014?' during a demonstration in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin, Germany, Sunday March 2, 2014. More than 200 people gathered for the protest against a possible military intervention of Russia in Ukraine. (AP Photo/dpa,Britta Pedersen)

ANKARA: A woman holds a placard that reads "Crimean Tatars will not surrender!" as several thousand Turks of Crimean Tatar origin protest against Russia's military intervention in Crimea, Ukraine, in Ankara, Turkey, Sunday, March 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)

BRUSSELS: A man holds a placard with drawings of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's deposed president, Victor Yanukovych, during a demonstration in front of the Russian embassy in Brussels on Sunday, March 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

MUNICH: Head of the Ukrainian UDAR (Punch) party Vitali Klitschko speaks in front of a demonstration which supports the opposition in the Ukraine during the 50th Munich Security Conference in the Bayerischer Hof hotel on February 1, 2014 in Munich, Germany. The annual event brings together leading representatives from nations across the globe and among this year's main topics of discussion are the war in Syria, security vs. freedom in cyberspace and the future of European defense. (Photo by Joerg Koch/Getty Images)

PARIS: Protesters gather in the 7th district of Paris to demonstrate against the violence in the Ukraine on February 20, 2014 in Paris, France. (Photo by Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)

NEW YORK CITY: Demonstrators against Russian military actions in Ukraine rally in Times Square, Sunday, March 2, 2014, in New York. Western powers are prepared "to go to the hilt" to isolate Russia for its military incursion into Ukraine, "an incredible act of aggression" that may lead to visa bans, asset freezes, trade and investment penalties, and a boycott of a Russian-hosted economic summit of global powers in June, Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

NEW YORK CITY: Trader Peter Tuchman works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, March 3, 2014. Global stock markets are down sharply on tensions over Russia's military advance into Ukraine and the threat of sanctions by Western governments. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

ROME: Ukrainians living in Italy shout slogans and hold a photo of what they say are victims of the unrest in Kiev, as they protest outside the Russian embassy, in Rome, Monday, March 3, 2014. Demonstrators condemned Russian military actions in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

BRUSSELS: Ukraine's Ambassador to NATO Ihor Dolhov adjusts the microphones prior to speaking during a media conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Sunday, March 2, 2014. NATO is called emergency talks on Sunday regarding the escalating crisis in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

BRUSSELS: From second left, Italian Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini, Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, speak with each other during an emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers at the EU Council building in Brussels on Monday, March 3, 2014. EU foreign ministers meet Monday, in emergency session, to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

SOFIA: A Bulgarian protester holds a poster reading "Save Ukraine, Stop Putin" during a protest in front of Russian embassy in Sofia, Monday, March 3, 2014. Demonstrators condemned Russian military actions in Ukraine. (AP Photo/Valentina Petrova)

NEW YORK CITY: Demonstrators against Russian military actions in Ukraine rally in Times Square, Sunday, March 2, 2014, in New York. Western powers are prepared "to go to the hilt" to isolate Russia for its military incursion into Ukraine, "an incredible act of aggression" that may lead to visa bans, asset freezes, trade and investment penalties, and a boycott of a Russian-hosted economic summit of global powers in June, Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power speaks during a Security Council meeting on the crisis in Ukraine, at the U.N. headquarters in New York March 3, 2014. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton)

U.N. French Ambassador Gerard Araud, second from left, speaks during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine, Monday March 3, 2014 at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

U.N. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, far left, speaks after listening to U.N. Ukraine Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev, far right, during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine, Monday March 3, 2014 at U.N. headquarters. Ukraine's mission to the United Nations claimed Monday that 16,000 Russian troops have been deployed in the strategic Crimea region, while Russia's U.N. ambassador told an emergency Security Council meeting that Ukraine's fugitive president requested them. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

U.N. Ukraine Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev listens during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014 at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

U.N. Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin arrives for a meeting on the Ukraine in the U.N. Security Council, Monday, March 3, 2014 at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

U.N. China Ambassador Liu Jieyi speaks during a U.N. Security Council meeting on the Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014 at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry departs Joint Base Andrews in Washington en route to Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. In remarks today, U.S. President Barack Obama said Kerry will propose ways in which a negotiation between Russia and Ukraine could be overseen by a multilateral organization when he goes to Kiev on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Kevin Lamarque, Pool)

In this image released by the White House, President Barack Obama, left, convenes a National Security Council meeting in the Situation Room of the White House to discuss matters in Ukraine, on Monday, March 3, 2014, in Washington. At right is Vice President Joe Biden. (AP Photo/The White House, Pete Souza)

Hague said "the world cannot just allow this to happen." But he, like other Western diplomats, ruled out any military action. "The U.K is not discussing military options. Our concentration is on diplomatic and economic pressure."

Tension between Ukraine and Moscow rose sharply after Yanukovych was pushed out by a protest movement among people who wanted closer ties with the EU. Yanukovych fled to Russia after more than 80 people were killed near Kiev's central square. He insists he is still president.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's confidence in his Ukraine strategy is underpinned by the knowledge that the nation's 46 million people have divided loyalties. While much of western Ukraine wants closer ties with the 28-nation European Union, its eastern and southern regions look to Russia for support.


Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, left, shakes hands with British Foreign Secretary William Hague in Kiev, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops took over a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Crimea close to Russia on Monday, exacerbating fears that Moscow is planning to bring even more troops into this strategic Black Sea region. (AP Photo/Andrew Kravchenko, Pool)

Crimea is where Russia feels most at home in Ukraine: It is home to 2 million mostly Russian-speaking people and landlord for Russia's critical Black Sea Fleet at Sevastopol.

___

Bennett reported from Kerch, Ukraine. Associated Press writers Lara Jakes in Washington, Yuras Karmanau in Kiev, Raf Casert and Juergen Baetz in Brussels, Frank Jordans in Berlin, John Heilprin in Geneva, Volodya Isachenkov and Laura Mills in Moscow and Danica Kirka in London contributed to this report.

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He said four Russian military ships, 13 helicopters and eight transport planes had arrived in Crimea in violation of agreements that permit Russia to keep its Black Sea fleet at the naval base in Sevastopol but limits the deployment of additional forces at the base.

Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk admitted his country had "no military options on the table" to reverse Russia's military moves into Crimea.

He appealed for outside help and said Crimea remained part of his country.

"Any attempt of Russia to grab Crimea will have no success at all. Give us some time," he said at a news conference with British Foreign Secretary William Hague.


Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, and the commander of the Western Military District Anatoly Sidorov, right, walk upon arrival to watch military exercise near St.Petersburg, Russia, Monday, March 3, 2014. Putin has sought and quickly got the Russian parliament's permission to use the Russian military in Ukraine.(AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Mikhail Klimentyev, Presidential Press Service)

By Monday, it was clear that Russia had complete operational control of Crimea.

Russian soldiers controlled all Crimean border posts, as well as all military facilities in the territory. Troops also controlled a ferry terminal in the Crimean city of Kerch, just 20 kilometers (12 miles) across the water from Russia. That intensified fears in Kiev that Moscow would send even more troops into the peninsula via that route.

Border guard spokesman Sergei Astakhov said the Russians were demanding that Ukrainian soldiers and guards transfer their allegiance to Crimea's new pro-Russian local government.

"The Russians are behaving very aggressively," he said. "They came in by breaking down doors, knocking out windows, cutting off every communication."


Russian solder is seen behind Ukrainian Orthodox Archbishop Clement, foreground, outside of a Ukrainian military base in the village of Perevalne, outside of Simferopol, Ukraine, on Sunday, March 2, 2014. Hundreds of armed men in trucks and armored vehicles surrounded the Ukrainian military base Sunday in Crimea, blocking its soldiers from leaving. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Gazprom, the Russian energy giant, was also a big loser, its share price down 13 percent as investors worried how it would get its gas to Europe if hostilities kept up, since much of it goes through Ukrainian pipelines.

Moscow has justified its military moves in Crimea as necessary to protect its country's citizens living there. At an emergency session of the Security Council on Monday, Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, told council members Russian troops were deployed at the request of Yanukovych.

Reading a statement he said was from the fugitive president, Churkin said the request came because, "as the legitimately elected representative," Yanukovych believes "Ukraine is on the brink of civil war."

Churkin quoted Yanukovych as saying "the life and security and the rights of people, particularly in the southeast part in Crimea, are being threatened" and there were "open acts of terror and violence."


Russian soldiers walk as a local resident waves with Russian flag outside of a Ukrainian military base in the village of Perevalne, outside of Simferopol, Ukraine, on Sunday, March 2, 2014. Hundreds of armed men in trucks and armored vehicles surrounded the Ukrainian military base Sunday in Crimea, blocking its soldiers from leaving. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Still, it was not clear what the West could do to make Russia retreat. The clearest weapon at the disposal of the U.S. and the EU appeared to be economic sanctions that would freeze Russian assets and pull the plug on multibillion dollar deals with Russia. Late Monday, the EU threatened to freeze visa liberalization and economic cooperation talks and boycott the G-8 summit in Russia later this year.

Already the economic fallout for Russia was being intensely felt. Russia's stock market dropped about 10 percent Monday and its currency fell to its lowest point ever against the dollar. But the economic consequences of antagonizing Russia were also acute for Western Europe. The EU relies heavily on Russian natural gas flowing through a network of Ukrainian and other pipelines.


A ship sails by the port of Kerch, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Ukraine's Crimea region close to Russia on Monday, intensifying fears that Moscow will send even more troops into the strategic Black Sea region in its tense dispute with its Slavic neighbor. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Global market reaction to the Russian seizure was furious. On Wall Street, both the Dow Jones industrial average and the Nasdaq composite closed sharply down, while oil prices rose on fears that Russia, a major oil exporter, might face sanctions. In European trading, gold rose while the euro and stock markets fell.

The greatest impact, however, was felt in Moscow, where the main RTS index was down 12 percent at 1,115 and the dollar spiked to an all-time high of 37 rubles. Russia's central bank hiked its main interest rate 1.5 percentage points to 7 percent, trying to stem financial outflows.

"The commanders and crews are ready to defend their ships. They are defending Ukraine," Turchynov said in a televised address to the nation after a military spokesman said Ukraine's corvette Ternopil and command ship Slavutych were being blocked by four Russian navy ships in the Crimean port of Sevastopol.

Vladimir Anikin, a Russian defense ministry spokesman, dismissed the accusation as nonsense but refused to elaborate.

In Washington, the State Department warned of a "dangerous escalation" and said the U.S. would hold Moscow directly accountable for any threat to Ukraine's navy.

Russia is "on the wrong side of history" in Ukraine, President Barack Obama said, adding that continued military action would be "a costly proposition for Russia." Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Obama said the U.S. was considering economic and diplomatic options that will isolate Russia, and called on Congress to work on an aid package for Ukraine.


A pro-Russian soldier stands by a billboard with a map of Crimea and bearing the words "Autonomous Republic of Crimea" in the port of Kerch, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Ukraine's Crimea region close to Russia on Monday, intensifying fears that Moscow will send even more troops into the strategic Black Sea region in its tense dispute with its Slavic neighbor. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a U.N. Human Rights Council session in Geneva that Ukraine should return to an agreement signed last month by pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych â€" but not Moscow â€" to hold early elections and surrender some powers. Yanukovych fled the country after sealing the pact with the opposition and foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland.

"Instead of a promised national unity government," Lavrov said of the fledgling new administration in Kiev, "a government of the victors has been created."

The latest flashpoint came when Ukrainian authorities said Russian troops had issued an ultimatum for two of the besieged country's warships to surrender or be seized.

"I call on the leadership of the Russian Federation. Stop the aggression, stop the provocations, stop the piracy! These are crimes, and you will be called to account for them," said acting Ukrainian President Oleksandr Turchynov.


Pro Russian soldiers wait outside a Ukrainian military base in the port of Kerch, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Ukraine's Crimea region close to Russia on Monday, intensifying fears that Moscow will send even more troops into the strategic Black Sea region in its tense dispute with its Slavic neighbor. The seizure of the terminal in the Ukrainian city of Kerch about 20 kilometers (12 miles) by boat to Russia, comes as the U.S. and European governments try to figure out ways to halt and reverse the Russian incursion. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

The U.S. originally estimated that 6,000 Russian troops were dispatched to Crimea, but Ukraine's mission to the United Nations said Monday that 16,000 had been deployed. That stoked fears that the Kremlin might carry out more land grabs in pro-Russian eastern Ukraine.


A Ukrainian armored personnel carrier is stationed behind the gate of a military base in the port of Kerch, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Ukraine's Crimea region close to Russia on Monday, intensifying fears that Moscow will send even more troops into the strategic Black Sea region in its tense dispute with its Slavic neighbor. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was headed to Kiev in an expression of support for Ukraine's sovereignty, and the EU threatened a raft of punitive measures as it called an emergency summit for Thursday. The Pentagon said it was suspending exercises and other activities with the Russian military, and a senior U.S. officialsaid the U.S. would not move forward with meetings designed to deepen the trade relationship between the two countries. Lacking authorization to speak publicly about the trade meetings, the official requested anonymity.

But it was Russia that appeared to be driving the agenda.

Russia sets Ukraine agenda with diplomacy, threats

Associated Press
By DAVID McHUGH and DALTON BENNETT

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) â€" Russian troops said to be 16,000 strong tightened their stranglehold on Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula Monday, openly defying the U.S. and the European Union and rattling world capitals and stock markets.

The West struggled to find a way to get Russia to back down, but with little beyond already threatened diplomatic and economic sanctions, global markets fell sharply over the prospect of violent upheaval in the heart of Europe.

For its part, Moscow reiterated its price for ending the crisis: restoration of a deal reached with the opposition less than two weeks ago to form a national unity government in Kiev that represents pro-Russian as well as Ukrainian interests, with new elections to be held by December.

Ukraine, meanwhile, accused Russia of piracy for blocking two of the besieged country's warships and ordering them to surrender or be seized.


Ukrainian soldiers stand guard at the gate of a military base in the port of Kerch, Ukraine, Monday, March 3, 2014. Pro-Russian troops controlled a ferry terminal on the easternmost tip of Ukraine's Crimea region close to Russia on Monday, intensifying fears that Moscow will send even more troops into the strategic Black Sea region in its tense dispute with its Slavic neighbor. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

naa ba kahay legislator nato nga nangagot nganong wa maapil aning listaha?

LOLL, BAI TIGS, ayaw na tawon mingawa ning tb.  gimaw na mo bi!

Sign in grounds of presidential residence in Ukraine (22 feb 2014) Signs in the grounds of his home openly mocked the ousted leader.

http://www.bbc.com/

Protesters celebrate in the presidential residence north of Kiev (22 Feb 2014). There was no sign of attempts by security to stop people celebrating in the grounds.

There are also replica ancient Greek ruins and lavish waterways and follies.

Estate of Viktor Yanukovych. The parks are dotted with statues, ponds with fountains, wild ducks, a tennis court and a colonnaded pavilion.

Bar inside president's residence. For many anti-government protesters, the opulence is a symbol of the alleged corruption at Ukraine's highest levels.

Golf clubs that belonged to Viktor Yanukovych The sprawling estate also features a golf course. This visitor found a set of clubs stamped with the president's initials.

People also lined up to take photographs of the private zoo complete with ostriches and deer.

Fake galleon at Mezhyhirya estate. With the gates to the secretive estate thrown open, people discovered a replica galleon floating on an artificial waterway.

People stare through windows of Mezhyhirya residence. Inside the walled compound known as Mezhyhirya - about 15 km (10 miles) from Kiev - luxurious buildings stood amid manicured lawns.

Thousands of Ukrainians flocked to see the opulent country estate of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych after he unexpectedly fled the capital, Kiev.

23 February 2014

In pictures: Luxury Ukraine presidential home revealed

The lavish country estate of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has been thrown open to the public as parliament voted to remove him from power.

Mr Yanukovych has left the capital Kiev and his whereabouts are unknown. On Sunday, parliament voted to return ownership of the Mezhyhirya property to the state. Acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov called for it to be put under state guard to prevent looting.

the reason why i'll never reveal the name of the book author?  duha na unya ming purya.  i should at least take pride in my imagined professionalism.

honestly, i know someone (whose name i'll never reveal under pain of torture) asked me to research and write 99 percent of his history "book".  he gave me a hamburger for my efforts and wasn't even credited a wee bit in the book.  not even a thanks.  i would have settled for a credit as "researcher", come to think of it.

i know how it feels.

Ukraine has economic ties to both the European Union and Russia.

more at http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26387353

Strategic importance

The majority Russian-speaking Crimea region is of political and strategic significance to both Russia and Ukraine.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet has its historic base at Sevastopol. After Ukraine gained independence, a leasing agreement was drawn up to allow the fleet to continue operating from there.

In 2010, this lease was extended to 2042 in exchange for Russia supplying discounted natural gas.

more at http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26387353

1 March: Russia's parliament approves a request by President Vladimir Putin to use Russian forces across Ukraine. In response, Ukraine's acting President Olexander Turchynov puts his army on full alert. Large pro-Russian rallies take place in several Ukrainian cities outside Crimea, including in Kharkiv, the country's second-biggest city. Western countries express alarm over the Russian deployment. US President Barack Obama holds a 90-minute telephone conversation with Mr Putin, urging him to pull forces back to bases in Crimea. Mr Putin says Moscow reserves the right to protect its interests and those of Russian speakers in Ukraine.

2 March: US President Barack Obama tells his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that Russia has flouted international law by sending troops to Ukraine. In a 90-minute telephone conversation, Mr Obama urges the Russian leader to pull forces back to bases in Crimea. Mr Putin responds by saying that Moscow reserves the right to protect its interests and those of Russian speakers in Ukraine.

3 March: Russia's military gives Ukrainian forces a deadline to surrender or face an assault, Ukrainian defence sources said. The head of Russia's Black Sea Fleet Aleksander Vitko sets the deadline and threatens an attack "across Crimea". He also reportedly told two warships to surrender or be attacked. But the Interfax-Russia news agency later quoted a spokesman for the Russian Black Sea Fleet as denying the reports, which he dismissed as "nonsense".


Russia has been accused by Ukraine of orchestrating much of the violence in Ukraine

http://www.bbc.com/

25 February: Mr Turchynov warns of dangers of separatism.

26 February: Members of the proposed new government appear before demonstrators, with Arseniy Yatsenyuk nominated as prime minister. Acting interior minister disbands elite Berkut police unit, blamed for deaths of protesters. Rival protests are held in Crimea.

27 February: New coalition formed in parliament to unite opposition parties. In Crimean capital Simferopol, pro-Russian gunmen seize key buildings. Mr Yanukovych issues statement through Russian media saying he is still legitimate president.

28 February: Unidentified gunmen in combat uniforms appear outside Crimea's main airports, sparking fears of Russian military intervention. At first news conference since fleeing Ukraine, Mr Yanukovych, now in Russia, insists he remains president and says he opposes any military intervention or division of Ukraine. Prospects for fielding single pro-EU candidate at 25 May presidential election take a knock when contender Vitaliy Klitschko says he has been told by Yulia Tymoshenko that she means to stand too. Ukraine's central bank limits daily foreign currency cash withdrawals to the equivalent of 15,000 hryvnia (1,000 euro; £820).


Unidentified gunmen near Sevastopol's airport in Crimea on 28 February

21 February: President Yanukovych signs a compromise deal with opposition leaders, envisaging a new national unity government, constitutional changes to hand powers back to parliament and early elections, to be held by December. The deal was brokered by the foreign ministers of France, Germany and Poland. Sporadic violence continues and in western Ukraine protesters occupying government buildings remain defiant, refusing to recognise the Kiev authorities.

22 February: Events move quickly as protesters take control of presidential administration buildings without resistance and opposition leaders call for elections on 25 May. President Yanukovych is nowhere to be seen and reports emerge that he has left for Kharkiv in the north-east. Parliament votes to remove him from power with elections set for 25 May. Mr Yanukovych appears on TV to insist he was lawfully-elected president, and denounces a "coup d'etat". His arch-rival, opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko who was jailed for seven years in 2011, is freed and travels from Kharkiv to Kiev.

23 February: Parliament names speaker Olexander Turchynov as interim president. Mr Turchynov, a close associate of freed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, tells MPs they have until Tuesday to form a new unity government.

24 February: Arrest warrant issued for Mr Yanukovych.


President Viktor Yanukovych (L) is seen as Russia's man

14 February: All 234 protesters who have been arrested since December are released but charges against them remain.

16 February: Protesters evacuate Kiev city hall after occupying the building since 1 December, along with other public buildings in the regions. A day later, arrested protesters are granted amnesty.

18 February: At least 18 people, including seven policemen, are killed. Protesters take back control of Kiev's city hall. Riot police encircle Independence Square, where some 25,000 protesters remain.

20 February: A truce agreed the previous day is short-lived. Central Kiev sees the worst violence yet, and the death toll in 48 hours of clashes rises to at least 77. Hundreds more are wounded. Video shows uniformed snipers firing at protesters holding makeshift shields. Witnesses report demonstrators dying from single gunshot wounds. Three European Union foreign ministers fly in to try to broker a deal; Russia announces it is sending an envoy.


Independence Square was a very different picture on 20 February with scenes of devastation

2014

16 January: Ukraine's parliament passes restrictive anti-protest laws, which opponents call "draconian".

22 January: The unrest turns deadly for the first time as two people die from gunshot wounds after clashes with police. The body of a high-profile activist, Yuriy Verbytsky, is found the next day in a forest after he was reportedly abducted earlier in the week.



24 January: Protestors begin storming regional government offices in Western Ukraine.

28 January: As pressure mounts, Ukraine's Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigns and parliament annuls the anti-protest law.

29 January: Parliament passes an amnesty bill promising to drop charges against all those arrested during the unrest, if protesters leave government buildings. The opposition rejects its conditions.

1 December: Protesters occupy Kiev city hall and Independence Square in dramatic style. They turn the square into a tent city.

8 December: The largest demonstration yet sees 800,000 people attend a protest in Kiev.


A huge protest took place on 8 December

14 December: Rival pro-government protests are held in Kiev's Independence Square, but with far fewer numbers. A thin line of riot police separates the two sides.

17 December: After talks with President Viktor Yanukovych, Russian President Vladimir Putin throws Ukraine an economic lifeline, agreeing to buy $15bn of Ukrainian debt and to reduce the price of Russian gas supplies to Ukraine by about a third.

2013

21 November: President Yanukovych's cabinet announces that it is abandoning an agreement that would strengthen trade ties with the EU, and will instead seek closer co-operation with Russia. Ukrainian MPs also reject a bill that would have allowed jailed opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko to leave the country. Protests begin that same night, with only several hundred present at first, but already comparisons with the Orange Revolution begin.


EuroMaidan began on Nov. 21 and continues in Ukraine. It started as a protest against President Viktor Yanukovych's scrapping of a European Union pact and now is aimed at forcing his resignation.
© AFP

24 November: Protests gather pace, with 100,000 people attending a demonstration in Kiev. It is the largest protest in Ukraine since the Orange Revolution in 2004.

30 November: Police launch their first raid on protesters, arresting 35. Images of injured demonstrators spread quickly in the media, raising the international profile of the protests.

1991

August: Ukrainian parliament declares independence from the USSR following attempted coup in Moscow. In nationwide referendum in December, 90% vote for independence.

2004

December: Opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko tops poll in election re-run. Rival candidate Viktor Yanukovych challenges result but resigns as prime minister.

November: Orange Revolution begins after reports of widespread vote-rigging in presidential election nominally won by pro-Russian candidate Viktor Yanukovych. Opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko leads mass street protests and civil disobedience. Supreme Court annuls result of poll.

Ukrainian soldiers on Sunday guarded the entrance to the Ukrainian military base in the village of Perevalnoye, in Crimea. Credit Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times


Ukrainian soldiers, left and unidentified gunmen, right, guard the gate of an infantry base in Privolnoye, Ukraine, Sunday, March 2, 2014. Hundreds of unidentified gunmen arrived outside Ukraine’s infantry base in Privolnoye in its Crimea region. The convoy includes at least 13 troop vehicles each containing 30 soldiers and four armored vehicles with mounted machine guns. The vehicles â€" which have Russian license plates â€" have surrounded the base and are blocking Ukrainian soldiers from entering or leaving it. AP

what putin just did:

Putin Engages in Test of Will Over Ukraine

By STEVEN LEE MYERS
MARCH 2, 2014

MOSCOW â€" President Vladimir V. Putin has left little doubt he intends to cripple Ukraine’s new government, forcing it to make concessions or face the de facto partition of areas populated predominantly by ethnic Russians, from the Crimea to Odessa to the industrial heartland in the east.

That strategy has been pursued aggressively by subterfuge, propaganda and bold military threat, taking aim as much at the United States and its allies in Europe as Ukraine itself. The pivotal question now for Kiev and Western capitals, is how boldly Mr. Putin continues to push his agenda, risking a more heated military and diplomatic conflict.

So far, the Kremlin has shown no sign of yielding to international pressure â€" but it also has not taken the most provocative step yet, openly ordering Russian troops to reinforce those already in Crimea and expand its incursion into southern or eastern Ukraine.

more at http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/03/world/europe/putin-engages-in-test-of-will-over-ukraine.html?rref=world/europe&module=Ribbon&version=origin&region=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Europe&pgtype=article

Lavender fields
Aromatic plant cultivated in the Mediterranean areas mainly in Provence, in the south of France. Produces a scented essential oil used in perfumery.

Mesa Arch
Peak through Mesa Arch to have a great view.

Plane in the Andes
Airplane view of the Andes.

Golden Gate Bridge at night
Iron bridge crossing the San Francisco Bay. Built in 1937, it is the most photographed bridge in the world. Franciscoers are celebrating its 75th anniversary.

Tropical River
The volume of water coming from the surrounding forests and the variation of ground levels produce waves and often impressive falls.

Tree silhouette against starry night sky
Photo of the nocturnal splendor of trees under a starry sky.

Paris, France
Capital city of France, Paris is renowned for its large boulevards dated from Haussmann administration and its numerous monuments like the Eiffel Tower, emblematic spot of the city.

Moonlight
Moonlight is the light that reaches Earth from the Moon. This light does not originate from the Moon, but from sunlight.

Horseshoe Bend
A horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River located in the Nevada desert in U.S.A. The Hoover Dam can be found nearby.

free ba kaha ang headless hinoon?

kagwapa.

unsa man kuno diay na siya?  giraffe o elongated kalbasa?

atot na lang.  there goes my appetite for peanuts.  must i suffer from imagining fetuses every time i eat peanuts, henceforth? 

taym sa, kinsay may amahan ani?  hubag ug bugsay, tingog na mo diha!

p.s. one thing with the internet highway is there's no end to surprises, wit, humor, and creativity and our access to these.  here we get introduced to the depths of what humans can imagine.

i can hardly wait for a national face to be proposed.

what's with our congressman?  so far he had landed on national news for 3 reasons:

he proposed changing the name of EDSA to Cory Aquino Avenue,

he was one of those reported to have a perfect attendance during ex-chief justice corona's impeachment trial when attendees were allegedly given a not-to-be-trifled-with amount for every attendance,

and now this. 

Quote from: islander on March 02, 2014, 03:19:32 PM
Moreover, he also wants the following declarations of national symbols:

1. bakya as national slippers
2. bahay kubo as national house
3. jeepney as the national vehicle
4. arnis as national martial arts and sport
5. cariñosa as national dance
6. Philippine monkey-eating eagle as national bird
7. kalabaw as national animal
8. bangus as national fish
9. narra as national tree
10. Philippine pearl as national gem
11. sampaguita as national flower
12. anahaw as national leaf
13. mango as national fruit

i thought nos. 5-9 and 11-13 were already settled as national somethings long ago.  was i taught wrongly at elementary school?

but the national dance if i remember right is tinikling and not cariñosa.

Quote from: islander on March 02, 2014, 03:19:32 PM
Moreover, he also wants the following declarations of national symbols:

1. bakya as national slippers
2. bahay kubo as national house

bakya as national slippers?  is there such a thing as national slippers to begin with?  er, your honor, care to wear a pair with your barong?

as for no. 2, will any of our legislators wish to live in one?

Relampagos explained, "National symbols represent its country, its people, its history and its culture. In the Philippines, there are around twenty national symbols being taught in school. However, of these symbols, only ten are official, that is with basis either in the Constitution, Republic Acts and Proclamations."

Uh, OK, whatever you say, congressman.

http://manila.coconuts.co/

Bohol congressman files bill to name adobo as national food

By Coconuts Manila
February 28, 2014


Photo from WikiCommons


As much as we love adobo, we can't help but wonder if this lawmaker is better off as a food show host.

"Bohol 1st District Rep. Rene Relampagos has filed a measure seeking official recognition of adobo as the national food," reports ABS-CBNnews.com.

Moreover, he also wants the following declarations of national symbols:

1. bakya as national slippers
2. bahay kubo as national house
3. jeepney as the national vehicle
4. arnis as national martial arts and sport
5. cariñosa as national dance
6. Philippine monkey-eating eagle as national bird
7. kalabaw as national animal
8. bangus as national fish
9. narra as national tree
10. Philippine pearl as national gem
11. sampaguita as national flower
12. anahaw as national leaf
13. mango as national fruit

UNA secretary general Toby Tiangco on why only the opposition and not Liberal Party allies are being prosecuted over the pork barrel scam despite the all-encompassing COA report:

Among the administration allies named in the report were Joel Villanueva, the former Cibac party-list representative who now heads the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority; Iloilo Rep. Nathaniel Tupas Jr., Mandaluyong Rep. and Majority Floor Leader Neptali Gonzales, Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, former An-Waray party-list Rep. Florencio Noel, former Sen. Edgardo Angara and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

Read more: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/581593/what-about-admins-allies-asks-opposition#ixzz2upvnfEPv

Norwalk virus

The most common foods implicated are sandwiches, cookies, raw and ice shellfish, salads. Before being transformed into an expensive delicacy, oysters lurk on the ocean floor doing what they do best â€" filter feeding. And when the water they are filtering is contaminated, so are the oysters. What’s more, they can be contaminated during handling. If served undercooked or raw, they can contain germsâ€"mostly a gut-churner called norovirus and a bacterium known as Vibrio vulnificusâ€"that can cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

Toxoplasma gondii

Humans are most likely to get toxoplasmosis from eating undercooked meat. Meat caused at least 1000 illnesses from 1990 to 2011, according to a scientist’s report. Chicken was the number one offender, with 400 outbreaks linked to almost 5,000 illnesses. Ground beef was another one. As experts say, raw food: unpasteurized milk, raw eggs, undercooked meat, and raw shellfish are the most common foods to be contaminated. Consider uncooked poultry and meat as potentially contaminated, and make sure to cook them thoroughly. Clean any surfaces that meat has come into contact with, and follow national guidelines on food preparing to avoid getting poisoned.

Mushrooms

7 different types of toxins are found in a variety of different species of wild mushrooms, some of which are lethal. Many mushrooms, including the Green Gill, Gray Pinkgill, Tigertop, Jack O’Lantern, Naked Brimcap, Sickener, Early False Morel, Horse mushroom  and Pepper bolete, contain toxins that can cause gastrointestinal problems, including but not limited to vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.

Leftover Rice

Surprising as it may seem, but rice can be contaminated with heat resistant bacteria which is able to survive cooking. If you leave rice out at room temperature, this bacterium will multiply quickly and make you feel bad in case if you are not careful. Prepare it safe and keep leftover rice in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking and dispose of any uneaten rice after three days.

http://www.lifespan.com/

Solanine poisoning

This toxin is found in potatoes which have started to sprout. The biggest threat comes from the potato skins or from the sprouts themselves. A freshly scrubbed spud if cooked properly is less likely to cause illness. But be careful with potato salads, particularly potato salads which are prepared at a restaurant or a deli.

Germ transfer from one type of food, usually meat, to another type of food is called cross contamination and can be the source of the problem and this can easily happen at any kitchen.

Fish poisoning

Certain fish poisoning is serious, especially from large or tropical fish. Mild type of poisoning is â€" scombroid. In this particular case, some tuna or similar fish have excess histamine and consuming them leads to immediate allergy-like reaction such as hives, sweating, cramps, flushing, headache, diarrhea, etc. If after eating tuna you have similar symptoms, you have to think that fish was contaminated by scombrotoxin.

If fresh fish is stored above 60° after being caught, it can release the toxin that can’t be destroyed by cooking and is unrelated to mercury contamination or other problems related to tuna and other fish. You just can’t cook out all the things wrong with the food supply right now. Even though freshness is the most important thing with tuna and other seafood, it needs to be kept appropriately cold from the moment fish comes out of the water to the time it reaches your plate.

Shellfish poisoning

Various shellfish, especially during red tides, contain nerve toxins. They can cause unusual sensations, paralysis, and cold â€" hot reversal among other symptoms.

Salmonella

Commonly found in poultry, eggs, and meat, you can get salmonella easily from consuming raw or undercooked eggs, undercooked meat or poultry, or drinking unpasteurized milk. Inappropriate food handling is second common cause of salmonella, for instance, putting cooked poultry back on the same plate where it had been as raw. The breakfast favorite eggs have been linked to at least 150 outbreaks since 1990s, most often due to Salmonella bacteria. This bacterium can lurk inside the egg, so proper cooking is very important in order to kill the germs. Keep off eating any products containing raw eggs, including cookie dough. Always refrigerate eggs before using them. Remember that, raw foods including eggs might be contaminated and need to be handled properly.

Staph

This bacterium is a common cause of skin diseases, from pimples to boils to impetigo. Staph can get in the food during inappropriate food handling. Warm food at about 100 degrees is the ideal place for the bacteria to grow and produce its toxin. Cooking can’t destroy the toxin.

Melting ice cream allows staph to grow, and the biggest mistake you are making with ice cream is putting it back in the freezer after letting it thaw. Avoid leaving the container out on the counter during dessert. Instead, take what you need and put the container back in the fridge. At the market, pay close attention what your pint looks like. Being frosted with ice is a sign that ice cream may have been partially thawed and you should pick a different one.

Clostridium

Found in the stool of humans and different animals, children most often get clostridium if food handlers have not washed their hands properly, or the food is left out for awhile, as on a steam table. Some experts call it “restaurant cramps.”

While cafeteria is a primary source of food-related poisoning, most people who get sick from cheese do so from products eaten at home. Cheese can be contaminated with microorganisms such as clostridium, which may cause miscarriages. Therefore, experts warn pregnant women to reduce eating soft cheeses, such as Brie, feta, blue-veined, Camembert, and Mexican style cheese.

E. coli

Another organism found in the stool of animals and humans, this microbe can be spread by incorrect food handling. Severe cases are often caused by Eating undercooked ground beef or drinking apple juice. Consuming unwashed fruit or veggies can also cause illness. Yes, your favorite salad greens including spinach, lettuce, endive, escarole, kale, cabbage, chard and arugula can be a culprit.

Greens can be contaminated by dirty water rinses, manure, or unwashed hands even before you buy them. In order to avoid poisoning, wash them and prevent cross contamination like improper handling of meat in your kitchen, which can spread bacteria to other types of food, by washing hands and using separate cutting knifes. Like salad greens, tomatoes are a risky food, because they’re regularly consumed raw instead of being cooked in order to wipe out bacteria.

14 Hidden Poisons In Your Food â€" Warning!



Nearly a billion cases of food poisoning and million related deaths occur in the developed countries each year. The very young, the elderly, pregnant females and people with weakened immune systems are typically the most vulnerable. Though, we’re not totally helpless. This short list of certain poisons will help you avoid food borne illnesses.

Botulism

This toxin is most often found in improperly canned foods or foods in dented cans, such as corn, peas and green beans. It can also be found in improperly heated or stored restaurant foods. What’s more, infant botulism might be caused by spores in honey.

BPA

The group of experts recently tested ten brand name canned pasta and soup products and found bisphenol- A in all of them. It is a hormone mimicking toxin which also has recently been proved to impact human DNA and to kill off women’s ovarian cells in a way to cause Down syndrome and fertility problems in future generations. While BPA shouldn’t be in any of foods, kids are thought to be the most vulnerable and the pastas and soups tested were marketed toward this age group.

Campylobacter

Found in the stool of poultry, wild birds, and several farm animals, children get it easily from eating not properly cooked poultry or indulging on unpasteurized milk.

Unpasteurized milk is milk which hasn’t been processed to kill bacteria. It comes straight from the cow to your body. Omitting the process of pasteurization basically means that the same bacteria found in beef can also turn up in your daily beverage of calcium. The solution is simple: avoid unpasteurized milk and raw milk cheese completely, especially if you’re immune-compromised or pregnant.

Glendora city workers clear mud and debris from the hills, in Glendora, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. The first wave of a powerful Pacific storm spread rain and snow early Friday through much of California, where communities endangered by a wildfire just weeks ago now faced the threat of mud and debris flows. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

http://news.yahoo.com/

Glendora city workers clear mud and debris from the hills, in Glendora, Calif. on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Rain falls as workers try to contain mud and water flowing from an area damaged last month by a wildfire in Glendora, California February 28, 2014. (REUTERS/Jonathan Alcorn)

Commuters rush to avoid heavy rain in downtown Los Angeles, Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. The first wave of a powerful Pacific storm spread rain and snow early Friday through much of California, where communities endangered by a wildfire just weeks ago now faced the threat of mud and debris flows. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A pedestrian blocks the heavy winds with her umbrella in Los Angeles, Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. The first wave of a powerful Pacific storm spread rain and snow early Friday through much of California, where communities endangered by a wildfire just weeks ago now faced the threat of mud and debris flows. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A man places sandbags at the top of a street lined with K-rail and sandbags in Glendora, Calif., as the city and residents prepare for possible flooding Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. Mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for 1,000 homes in two foothill suburbs east of Los Angeles in advance of a powerful storm. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) 

Clouds are shown over the iconic Hollywood sign Thursday Feb. 27, 2014 in Los Angeles. Southern California got an overnight soaking Thursday as residents prepared for a second, more powerful storm that could bring heavier rain and prompted fears of mudslides in communities along fire-scarred foothills. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

Storm clouds are shown over downtown Los Angeles Thursday Feb. 27, 2014. Southern California got an overnight soaking Thursday as residents prepared for a second, more powerful storm that could bring heavier rain and prompted fears of mudslides in communities along fire-scarred foothills. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

This NOAA satellite image taken Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, at 2:00 AM EST shows a storm system moving into the southern Pacific Northwest and California with heavy rain. Isolated showers are possible as far west as Arizona and New Mexico. Areas in the highest elevations could have snow showers with this system. (AP PHOTO/WEATHER UNDERGROUND)

“He was not dead, long story short,” funeral home manager Byron Porter told local television station WAPT, noting that he had never seen anything like it before.

Williams’s daughter, Martha Lewis, said: “I don’t know how much longer he’s going to grace us and bless us with his presence, but hallelujah, we thank him right now, right now!”

A local coroner said Williams’ pacemaker may have stopped working and then started up again.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/

‘Dead’ man wakes up in US funeral homeâ€"report

Agence France-Presse
Saturday, March 1st, 2014

WASHINGTONâ€"A 78-year-old American man who was declared dead and taken to a funeral home dramatically woke up as he was about to be embalmed, US media reported Friday.

Walter Williams was registered dead on Wednesday evening after medics failed to find his pulse. He was transported to the Porters and Sons Funeral Home in Lexington, Mississippi.

However, a few hours later when workers were about to prepare his corpse they noticed Williams moving in his body bag.