Kenya attack: Mpeketoni near Lamu hit by al-Shabab raid.

 

Gunmen rampaged through the town for about five hours.

  

Hotels, restaurants and the police station were attacked.

At least 48 people have died after al-Qaeda-linked militants attacked hotels and a police station in a Kenyan coastal town, officials say.

Witnesses in Mpeketoni said gun battles lasted several hours, while several buildings were set on fire.

The town is on the mainland near Lamu island, a well-known tourist resort.

Somalia's al-Shabab group said the attack was carried out to avenge the presence of Kenyan troops in Somalia and the killing of Muslims.

Kenya sent troops to Somalia in 2011 to help the weak UN-backed government defeat the militants.

The BBC's Anne Soy in Mpeketoni says she was told the gunmen shot dead anyone who was unable to recite verses from the Koran.

This is the most deadly attack in Kenya since last September, when at least 67 people were killed during a siege by al-Shabab fighters at Nairobi's Westgate shopping centre.

Interior Minister Joseph Ole Lenku described the attackers as bandits, and said they had crossed a "red line".

Police fought fierce battles with the gunmen, who fled into a nearby forest, Mr Ole Lenku said.

John Waweru Resident

The attack started at 20:30 local time (17:30 GMT) on Sunday as locals were watching a football World Cup match on television.

Local residents told the BBC the gunmen hijacked a van and used it to attack various locations across Mpeketoni, which tourists travelling by road pass through before crossing to Lamu.

Our correspondent says there are five burnt-out police vehicles in front of the police station, which was the first building to be attacked.

She says she can still smell burning rubber, while smoke is billowing out from one of the vehicles.

 Timeline of Somali raids in Kenya

• September 2011: UK national Judith Tebbutt kidnapped and her husband David killed in raid on Kiwayu island, north of Lamu. She was released six months later by a pirate gang
• October 2011: Kenya sends troops into Somalia following Tebbutt's kidnapping and cross-border raids by al-Shabab; Al-Shabab warns of revenge attacks
• Since then, numerous attacks in Nairobi, Mombasa and north-eastern region of Kenya, inhabited by ethnic Somalis
• September 2013: At least 67 people killed after al-Shabab militants take control of Westgate shopping centre in Nairobi
• May 2014: UK issues travel advisory, warning of increased risk of terror attack in Nairobi and coastal areas - UK tourists evacuated
• June 2014: At least 48 people killed in raid on Mpeketoni All those killed are believed to be locals. The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) says no foreigners were in the town at the time of the attack.
  Witnesses said gunmen, who had their faces covered, threw explosives into the local police station before entering and stealing weapons.
    
  Mpeketoni is on the mainland near the tourist resort of Lamu 
   
   Islamist militant group al-Shabab says it carried out the attack
    
  Police say they are searching for the attackers
  Kenya has been on high alert recently following warnings that al-Shabab was planning more attacks.
  The US and UK have issued advisories to their nationals to keep away from parts of the Kenyan coast.
  Sunday's attack comes days after the UK government closed its consulate in the port city of Mombasa, citing heightened security threats.
  Surveillance aircraft District deputy commissioner Benson Maisori said hotels, restaurants, banks and government offices had also been torched, the AFP news agency reports.
  "There were around 50 attackers, heavily armed in three vehicles, and they were flying the Shabab flag. They were shouting in Somali and shouting 'Allahu Akbar' [God is Great]," he said.
  Lamu County police commander Leonard Omollo told Reuters news agency that the gunmen singled out men, sparing the lives of women and children. 
   Continue reading the main story
  

  “Start Quote

  I heard them shouting in Somali as they fired around. I lost two of my brothers, and I escaped”.

Ukraine crisis: Russia condemns attack on Kiev embassy

 

A lone T-64 battle tank is shown in Snizhne, Ukraine, with no markings.

Russia has reacted angrily to a violent protest outside its embassy in Ukraine, which saw windows smashed, the Russian flag torn down and cars overturned.

Russia accused Ukrainian police of doing nothing to stop the attack, and called it a "grave violation of Ukraine's international obligations".

Meanwhile Nato released images which it says back up Ukrainian claims that Russian tanks crossed into Ukraine.

Moscow has denied sending the tanks to help pro-Russian rebels in the east.

A range of images show the T-64 tanks first at a Russian military staging area near Rostov-on-Don, and then apparently inside Ukraine earlier this week.

Unlike Ukrainian armoured vehicles, the tanks have no markings or camouflage.

Nato says the pictures "raise significant questions'' about Russia's role in eastern Ukraine.

 Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC diplomatic correspondent

Now Nato has released satellite imagery, linked to existing video material, which appears to give added weight to assertions from the Ukrainian authorities that the tanks used by separatist forces that crossed into its country just a few days ago were indeed supplied by the Russians.

The evidence shown comes from Nato military sources and is not necessarily conclusive. But, despite Russian denials, it is strongly suggestive of the narrative that Nato is setting out.

It should be noted that Russian spokesmen have denied a number of things in regard to operations in Ukraine which have turned out to be untrue.

Read the full analysis here

Saturday's disturbance in Kiev occurred when several hundred protesters hurled eggs and paint at the Russian embassy.

One petrol bomb was also hurled, windows smashed and flags torn down.

The protesters - some wearing balaclavas - overturned cars with diplomatic plates. One protester held a sign saying: "Russia is a killer."

  

The protesters destroyed diplomatic vehicles and smashed windows.

Russia's protest against the incident was echoed by the US state department. "The United States condemns the attack on the Russian embassy in Kiev, and calls on Ukrainian authorities to meet their Vienna convention obligations to provide adequate security," it said.

Retaliation threat

Earlier on Saturday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko vowed to retaliate against pro-Russia separatists in the east after a military plane was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, killing all 49 people on board.

Those involved in such "cynical acts of terrorism" must be punished, said Mr Poroshenko, who summoned security officials for an emergency meeting.

The Ilyushin-76 transport was attacked by separatist forces as it was about to land in the city of Luhansk.

It is thought to be the biggest loss of life suffered by government forces in a single incident since the Ukrainian government in Kiev began an operation to try to defeat the insurgency in the east.

Rebel fighters were seen combing through the charred wreckage of the plane, south-east of Luhansk, on Saturday.

"This is how we work," one of them, who identified himself as Pyotr, told Reuters news agency. "The fascists can bring as many reinforcements as they want but we will do this every time."

The incident came less than a week after pro-Russia rebels launched a series of attacks on Ukrainian forces at Luhansk International Airport.

The airport has been under the control of government forces but the rebels hold most of the rest of the city.

The eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk declared independence last month. In March Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in the wake of the removal of Ukraine's pro-Moscow President Viktor Yanukovych.

The "anti-terrorist operation" by Ukrainian government forces has left at least 270 people dead over the past two months.

Mr Poroshenko had said that fighting must end "this week" following his inauguration last Sunday.

Sexual violence in war: Jolie praises leaders at summit end.

 

Angelina Jolie has said sexual violence in conflict is now "firmly on the top table of international diplomacy", as a global conference on the subject ended.

The actress and UN special envoy praised male leaders prepared to confront "the taboo" around the issue.

Ms Jolie was speaking alongside UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, who co-hosted the London summit with her.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said it was time to "banish sexual violence to the dark ages".

Their statements came at the close of the End Sexual Violence in Conflict summit, which brought together representatives from more than 120 countries.

'Heartening'

The four-day event - the largest ever of its kind - was the result of an intense two-year campaign to raise awareness.

"One of the most heartening aspects of this summit has been to see so many male leaders... prepared to confront the taboo surrounding sexual violence in conflict," Ms Jolie said at a news conference to end the meeting.

"This subject is now firmly on the top table of international diplomacy - and we will work to ensure it stays there," she said. 

  

Ms Jolie, a UNHCR special envoy, was joined at the final day of the summit by her partner Brad Pitt.

 

"Warzone rape is not simply a woman's issue, a humanitarian issue: it goes to the heart of international peace and security."

'Turning point'

The conference saw hundreds of officials, diplomats, activists and survivors of rape in conflict zones come together to discuss ways to better prosecute offenders and protect victims.

"It's been an unprecedented event and a turning point in the campaign over the past two years," said Mr Hague at the close of the summit on Friday.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, who appeared as a guest speaker, echoed Ms Jolie and Mr William Hague by calling for an end to impunity.

He said sexual violence in war was a stain on the conscience of the world that must be brought to an end.

The Global Summit on Sexual Violence in Conflict aimed to:

• launch an international protocol for documenting and investigating sexual violence in conflict, and encourage countries to strengthen domestic laws to enable prosecutions
• urge countries to train all soldiers and peacekeepers to prevent sexual violence
• increase funding to support survivors of sexual violence
• change attitudes towards rape in conflict
•  
•  In the two years since Mr Hague and Ms Jolie launched their campaign, a Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict has been endorsed by 141 countries. 
•  
  

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Ukraine's Poroshenko vows response to Luhansk plane crash.

 

The Il-76 transport aircraft came down overnight in a city mostly controlled by pro-Russian rebels

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has vowed to retaliate after pro-Russia separatists shot down a military plane in the east, killing 49 people.

Those involved in such "cynical acts of terrorism" must be punished," said Mr Poroshenko - who summoned security officials for an emergency meeting.

The defence ministry said the transport plane came under anti-aircraft fire over the city of Luhansk overnight.

It was about to land there, carrying troops and military equipment.

It is thought to be the biggest loss of life suffered by government forces in a single incident since the Ukrainian government in Kiev began an operation to try to defeat the insurgency in the east.

"The terrorists cynically and treacherously fired with a large-calibre machinegun, hitting an Ilyushin-76 of the Ukrainian air force," the defence ministry said.

all 49 military personnel on board - nine flight crew and 40 troops - were killed. 

Continue reading the main story

Ukraine crisis

• Poroshenko, Ukraine's rescuer
• Boots on the ground?
• Poroshenko profile
• Crisis mapped

Sex apps increase risk of STIs, US researchers warn.

 

Using smartphone apps to seek out partners for casual sex poses an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, researchers warn.

A study in Los Angeles, California, showed gonorrhoea and chlamydia were more common in gay men using apps than in those meeting in clubs or online.

Sexual health experts said technology was creating more opportunities for sex than ever before.

One of the apps, Grindr, said it was committed to promoting safe sex.

The researchers were curious about the impact of apps such as Grindr and Scruff which use a smartphone's location to help find partners.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

However good the sex is, it's not worth contracting a long-term condition”

Justin Harbottle Terrence Higgins Trust

They quizzed 7,184 men attending a sexual health clinic at the LA Gay and Lesbian Centre.

The results showed men were 23% more likely to have gonorrhoea and 35% more likely to be infected with chlamydia than men using other websites or clubs to meet new partners.

There was no difference in the risk of HIV between the groups.

Their report concluded: "Technology is redefining sex on demand.

"Advances which improve the efficiency of meeting anonymous sexual partners may have the unintended effect of creating networks of individuals where users may be more likely to have sexually transmissible infections."

 Condoms

 

Chlamydia is spread through sexual contact.

 

Dr Steve Taylor, a consultant in sexual health and HIV medicine at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, told the BBC: "Yes this is definitely something we are seeing in our sexual health and HIV clinics, both among gay men and heterosexuals.

"Without a doubt technology has facilitated rapid partner change and therefore it is a perfect environment for sexually transmitted infections and HIV to spread."

Justin Harbottle, a health promotion specialist at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: "However good the sex is, it's not worth contracting a long-term condition.

"Gay men today have more opportunities to meet for sex than ever before.

"Part of the problem is that communication on dating apps can be brief, making it easy to cut corners on important discussions like safe sex."

He said condoms were still the best defence against infection.

Grindr told the BBC: "Grindr is highly committed to promoting safe sex within the community and strongly encourages our users to engage in safe sex practices, get tested and know their HIV status."

It added that it collaborated with a range of organisations to raise awareness about safe sex.

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Africa elephants 'face survival threat' from poaching.

 

 Elephant conservationists say demand for ivory remains high.

The survival of Africa's elephants is under threat, with estimates suggesting more than 20,000 were killed in 2013, a report says.

The office of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) said poaching levels were far above the elephant birth rate.

However, the report said poaching numbers had dropped slightly compared to the previous two years.

Transnational organised crime appeared to be involved in the trade, it added.

Cites, which is based in Geneva, is responsible for regulating the international trade in more than 35,000 species of plants and animals. 

 Analysis: Matt McGrath, BBC Environment Correspondent

  

China has started to destroy seized ivory in public

 

There are a number of interesting signals in these latest figures, perhaps indicating that the tougher line being taken by Cites is bearing fruit.

For the first time, more large-scale consignments of ivory have been seized in Africa rather than in Asia.

This is down to better policing in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and perhaps a slight downturn in demand from the key markets such as China, which carried out the first public destruction of ivory earlier this year.

There is also the rise in demand in China for legal mammoth ivory that is mainly exported from Russia, which may also indicate a growing awareness of the connection to elephants and a willingness to look at alternatives.

While these may be positive indicators, the report highlights continuing bad news.

The slaughter of elephants is rising in countries like the Central African Republic, where local populations remain on the verge of extinction.

'Large seizures'

"Africa's elephants continue to face an immediate threat to their survival from high levels of poaching for their ivory," said Cites Secretary-General John E Scanlon.

The report also documented an increase in the number of large seizures of ivory - of shipments over 500kg (1,100 pounds), in 2013.

  

The report says elephants could face extinction if the current rate of poaching continues

 

For the first time, there were more such seizures in Africa than Asia, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda accounting for 80% of the seizures, the report said.

"Large-scale ivory seizures are indicative of transnational organised crime being involved in the illicit ivory trade," a Cites press release said.

While elephant conservationists do believe that increased ivory confiscation is a sign that law enforcement is improving, they also point out that demand for ivory remains very high, says the BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva.

Conservationists say that even in some of the monitored elephant populations, poaching is actually increasing, our correspondent adds.

The Cites poaching estimates were based on data from 51 sites across Africa, which accounted for 30-40% of the continent's elephant population.

Figures from those site were extended to estimate the total numbers killed in Africa.

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Kiev says three Russian tanks entered east Ukraine.

A Ukrainian tank is seen here firing during a clash with rebels in Sloviansk earlier this month.

Ukraine's interior minister has said three tanks have crossed the border from Russia into rebel areas of the east and that fighting is under way.

The tanks entered Ukraine along with other armour through a checkpoint controlled by rebels in the Luhansk region, Arsen Avakov said.

The army engaged two of them and destroyed part of the column, he said.

Russia has rejected Mr Avakov's statement as "another fake piece of information".

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who was elected last month, and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had a "substantial" conversation by phone on Kiev's plan of peaceful settlement in the east, Ukraine's presidency said in a statement.

Mr Poroshenko said that it was "unacceptable" for the tanks to be crossing into Ukraine, his press secretary said.

Pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions declared independence after holding referendums last month which were deemed illegal by the government in Kiev.

Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of supporting and arming the rebels - a claim denied by Moscow.

The rebellion began amid the turmoil which followed February's ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych, whose last-minute decision not to sign a landmark treaty with the European Union in November sparked mass street protests in Kiev. 

 'Fight under way'

 

Rebel fighters could be seen in Snizhne on Thursday

Mr Avakov said the tanks had crossed the border from Russia along with armoured personnel carriers and artillery pieces in the Dyakove area of Luhansk region, before moving into the neighbouring Donetsk region.

There, Ukraine's interior minister said, the tanks headed for the town of Snizhne on Thursday morning. Two then proceeded to the town of Horlivka and were attacked by government forces.

"The fight is under way," Mr Avakov said. "I cannot say about its final outcome, but part of this column has been destroyed."

Unverified video has been posted on YouTube of a battle tank rolling down a street said to be in Snizhne. The footage was shot from a flat overlooking the street.

 

A second clip, also said to have been recorded in Snizhne, shows a similar tank passing a roundabout.

The Russian foreign ministry told the BBC that Mr Avakov "was inventive and that the statement about Russian tanks and APCs crossing the border into Ukraine was another fake piece of information".

There was no confirmation about the tanks from the insurgents.

A rebel spokesman told Russia's Ria-Novosti news agency that they were fighting a force of 40 Ukrainian tanks north of the city of Luhansk.

The tanks had been stopped at the village of Makarovo, the spokesman said.