02/05/2014 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today with me Philippa Thomas.

In Ukraine today, deadly violence in the east and south. There's a

standoff in Sloviansk, where the Ukrainian military has encircled the

rebels but they're still holding the city centre. Two Ukrainian soldiers

were also killed and two helicopters brought down.

And in the southern port city of Odessa, at least three people have

been killed during clashes between protestors for links with Russia and

those for Ukrainian unity. It is obvious to the world that these

Russian groups are not just protesters. They are heavily and

militants who are receiving significant support from Russia.

Around 500 are feared dead as a landslide buries a village in the

north east of Afghanistan. Also coming up: dozens arrested in

the Philippines for luring Internet users into explicit sex acts and

then blackmailing them with the images.

And imagine a gospel according to Mary - we visit the London stage

production that breathes life into a character rarely given a voice. The

church downgraded her to almost silence, to acceptance, to

passivity. This may be seen as lovely virtues in the female form.

Hello and welcome. Rebels in eastern Ukraine have suffered heavy losses

according to a statement from Ukraine's acting president - who

says Kiev's forces have taken control of a number of checkpoints

during today's military operation against pro-Russian activists in the

eastern city of Sloviansk. But government forces have also taken

losses. Two Ukrainian helicopters have been shot down by what Kiev

says appeared to be surface-to-air missiles, with two crew dead.

Meanwhile, in Odessa, at least three people are said to have been killed

and many others injured through clashes with pro-Russian militants

and supporters of the country's unity. More on that in a minute but

first, our Special Correspondent Fergal Keane got to the outskirts of

Sloviansk and this is his report. This was the rebels answer to the

government's offensive, missiles that downed helicopters. These were

the instruments of state power. Two were brought crashing to the

ground, two pilots killed. Here, a wounded crew member is helped by the

rebels who captured him. It was an image that seemed to define a day in

which the government yet again struggled in the face of determined

opposition. The militants had been waiting for some move by the state.

This, the masked face of well-prepared insurgency. Don't

stand behind me, this gunman warns. Here, petrol bombs are being

prepared, ammunition brought forward. And a promise of fire down

the road any soldiers might come. It was here on this bridge that

Ukraine's army was confronted by its own citizens. Helicopters deployed

troops onto the strategic crossing six miles from Sloviansk. But the

people refused to allow them across. Firing in the air, they tried to

push on but it simply increased the emotion. This elderly man was

treated for shock. But as the stalemate on the bridge deep end, we

found a mood of defiance. I am prepared to take the gun if I need

to for my land. You understand me? The soldiers were nervous, far from

Kiev and the government that is giving them orders. You don't seem

very in control here? What is happening? Pointing to the

protesters, he told us, they are the people. The atmosphere on the bridge

remains very tense. There is not an appetite for any more confrontation

from the troops and there is a great deal of anger for the pro Russian

supporters. No -- neither side knows where this is leading.

Let's get the latest on this from the BBC's Sarah Rainsford, who's in

Donetsk. Sarah, is it your understanding that the military

operation is continuing? Yes, certainly that is what both sides

are saying. There is a statement from the pro-Russian forces inside

Sloviansk and they are confirming they have suffered some casualties,

talking about 3 million share and two civilians being killed and

fortified checkpoints being taken over. They say they are building new

check point inside the city as they prepare for another assault by the

Ukrainian military. We have also heard from the interior minister,

talking about what has been happening. He described military

operation as a necessary action. He said, we couldn't not act but we

needed to act carefully. We need to act carefully. Underlining the very

delicate situation that the government is enough it begins the

launch of this military operation, anxious to reassert its control in

Ukraine but nervous about sparking a reaction from Russian troops on the

border, as Russia said they would intervene if they felt their

citizens were in any danger. Thank you.

In the last couple of hours, President Obama and the German

Chancellor, Angela Merkel, have been speaking at the White House about

the Ukraine crisis and urging Russia to take more action to de-escalate

the situation. It is obvious to the world that these Russian backed

groups are not peaceful protesters. They are heavily armed militants who

are receiving significant support from Russia. The Ukrainian

government has the right and responsibility to withhold law and

order within its territory and Russia needs to use its influence to

make these groups disarm and stop promoting -- stop provoking

violence. But Russia's Minister proclaimed that the people of

Ukraine are standing up for themselves. The most striking and

irritating thing is that the requirements of the people in the

east of the country are very simple. They are in a situation

where there is an illegitimate government in the capital, very much

representative of radical elements and people wanted guarantees of

their right, they wanted federalisation. Over a very long

period of time, perhaps two months after the toppling of the legitimate

government, no one took up weapons, at least for a month and a half.

They were waiting for a construct of response from Kiev regarding their

requirements to ensure their legitimate interests.

With me is John Lough, an associate fellow on the Russia and Eurasia

Programme at Chatham House. Clearly an military battle now and still

that battle of propaganda. A proper -- a problem for the Russian --

Ukrainian military is that they want to see if they can assert control

without provoking Russia. That is right. As you just spoke about and

that report, the danger is that a peacekeeping force will come over

the border. At the same time, the Ukrainian military's capacities are

limited so how successful they could be his questionable. What do you

think of President Putin's strategy here? From what we can see, Russia

wants to prevent the election taking place in Ukraine, thus meaning it

would delegitimise a new leader. That would put pressure on Kiev to

agree to reformatting of Ukraine as a country, giving the regions are

much enhanced autonomy, allowing eastern regions to gravitate away

from Kiev, undermining the independence of the country. So the

strategy is not so much to go in and be seen to go in and an incursion as

to make the east ungovernable customer I think that is the intent.

It would be very dangerous if they invaded, as it would probably

unleash war. They wouldn't want to do that. The danger is that they are

escalating the situation in the east of the country and it could get

beyond their control. We saw President Obama and Angela Merkel

talking there but what can they do? The sanctions have been levied. They

could put more sanctions in, stop Russia having access to

international finance. That would have a very marked effect on the

Russian economy. It is something of a nuclear option. It would tip them

immediately into recession. But I do not see any immediate hunger for

that because it would have an effect on the rest of the West as well.

Briefly, is there any other way to de-escalate the situation from

outside? At the moment, I don't see any immediate way of doing that. We

have to hope that the Russians will accept that there are extreme

dangers involved here and they may have to come involved in appeasing

-- peacekeeping way. As many as 500 people are missing,

feared dead, after heavy rains triggered a major landslide in

Afghanistan. A UN spokesman in the country says they died after a hill

collapsed on the village of Hobo Barik in the remote northeastern

province of Badakshan. Local government officials are appealing

for help, including special equipment to help them dig through

the mud. Let's get more from our correspondent who is following

events from Kabul. David, there are various figures for the numbers

missing, feared dead. What are you hearing? I appreciate it is hard to

know this far-flung region. Hard facts are very few and far between

on the ground but we do know that 350 bodies have been confirmed found

in the mud when this huge landslide came down and engulfed not one but

two villages, wrecking 300 houses, threatening 700 more. It is, as you

say, the most remote part of the country. It is the finger of

Afghanistan that stretches up towards the Chinese border in the

north-east. Badakhshan is mountainous, there are deep ravines

and high mountains. It is inaccessible and in a country where

there are many mountainous and desert regions which are hard to get

to, Badakhshan really is the most inaccessible part of the country.

The government -- the governor of the province has told us that he

believed some 2000 people could be missing. There was a wedding going

on in one of the villages, it was a Friday morning, so those that work

away from the village would have been away so those attending the

wedding will have been caught up in this natural disaster. This follows

many days of very heavy rain. We had 150 people killed in the north of

the country last week in floods and bass heavy rain caused the mountain

to collapse downwards. The first pictures which are coming in from

the area show rescuers digging with shovels and their bare hands. Local

rescue officials are saying they need heavy machinery to come in to

see if they can find survivors, miraculously, hidden in the mud. As

we saw in the United States recently, it is very hard to find

people in thick mud settling down in an area like this. The UN have got

teams on the ground and the international forces here say they

stand ready to help if the request comes from the Afghan government.

President Obama has expressed his solidarity with the Afghan people,

calling this a tragedy, and saying the international forces will be

what they can but at the moment, it is just individuals with picks and

shovels trying to find whether there are any survivors under this huge

mudslide. Thank you. The Nigerian capital Abuja has again

been hit by a bomb blast, which has killed at least 19 people, injuring

60 more. The car bomb targeted a busy bus station in the suburbs

which was hit by another deadly explosion last month. The Islamist

militant group, Boko Haram, claimed responsibility. Our correspondent,

Will Ross, reports from the scene. Scenes of chaos on the outskirts of

the Nigerian capital. A man was seen parking a car here and walking away.

Seconds later, the bomb exploded. Is molested extremists -- Islamist

extremists said they carried out the attack. This is the spot where the

car was detonated, overhear the wreckage of other cars which were

loaned out. The great shop here is that this is the second blast in

less than two weeks and people here are wondering why they are being

targeted. In hospitals across the capital, the injured are getting

help. Reza tells me she was waiting for a lift home with a friend when

the bomb exploded. There was fire everywhere and she said she was

thrown to the ground by a nearby car. She has no idea if her friend

survived. Security is getting worst -- worse in Nigeria. These are the

parents of the 200 girls missing after being abducted last month.

They are angry the government has not done enough to rescue the girls.

At the bomb site, foreign forensic teams have come to help with

investigations but feeling vulnerable, many people want to know

what is being done to prevent another attack. This city is due to

hold a huge event, the world economic Forum, next week with heads

of state coming here from all over the world. With results as --

relentless violence in the north-east and now bomb blast,

perhaps it is now time for everyone to admit the strength of the crisis

in Nigeria. Now a look at some of the days other

news. Northern Ireland's Republican party Sinn Fein says police in the

province are asking a judge for more time to question its leader, Gerry

Adams, in connection with one of the most notorious murders of Northern

Ireland's Troubles. Jean McConville, a mother of ten, was shot by the IRA

in 1972. Mr Adams, who denies any involvement, volunteered for

questioning almost 48 hours ago. A truce has been agreed between

Syrian government forces and rebels in the besieged city of Homs. It

allows opposition fighters to withdraw from their positions.

Around 1,000 fighters are expected to leave the city over the next 48

hours. The US Secretary of State, John

Kerry, says the South Sudanese president has agreed to hold peace

talks with his bitter rival Riek Machar. The talks between Salva Kiir

and his former deputy could take place as early as next week.

Here in Britain the celebrity publicist Max Clifford is beginning

an eight year jail sentence tonight for a string of indecent assaults

against young girls and women in the 1970s and 80s. It's a longer

sentence than many expected, but the judge told Clifford that he was

wrong to assume his position in the entertainment world meant he was

untouchable. Police in the Philippines say they

have arrested dozens of suspects linked to an online sexual blackmail

syndicate. In a case relating to what some describe as sextortion 58

people have been arrested, alleged to have persuaded people to expose

themselves in front of webcams, or to send explicit material. Demands

for between ?500 and ?15,000 dollars were made with threats to send the

compromising images to the victims' relatives or friends.

It took place from call-centre style offices on what Interpol

investigators described as an industrial scale. There were

hundreds of victims in Hong Kong and Singapore.

People in the Philippines, the United States and United Kingdom

were also targeted. Among the victims, investigators say, was the

Scottish teenager Daniel Perry who committed suicide last July.

Jim Gamble is the former head of a specialist British police unit the

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre and now runs his

own internet security company tackling a range of issues including

so-called sexploitation cases. He joins us from Belfast.

Welcome to the programme. Tell us what your take is on the industrial

nature of this very systematic exploitation. It is a blend of

grooming techniques that you will see from those people who seek out

children to offend against them online and actually traditional

criminal techniques where conmen for years and years have laboured

vulnerable and susceptible individuals. I am not surprised that

it is industrial. It is almost a call Centre of days gone by when you

would have phoned the sex lines they are able to go online to social

media sites and dating sites and identify men who are either

vulnerable would because of their age, either very young or very old

or because they are out and seeking some kind of sexual engagement so it

must be like shooting fish in a barrel for these criminals. When

they get these men and engage them in a conversation where the men

think they are talking to attractive young women, they are all too quick

to expose themselves in what they think is some form of sexual

gratification and then they are caught, trapped. Is this kind of

Sting, it has been uncovered in the Philippines, are the Philippines a

centre for this kind of abuse) I do not think the Philippines

necessarily. South East Asia has a range of factors apparent within it

around the vulnerability of some groups where we have seen travelling

sex offenders go there in the past. There has been a perception I think

wrongly held by some where police corruption lends itself to people

getting away with this but the police in the Philippines have shown

that there is a real collaborative effort here to identify and locate

and hold these people to account. Let us go to basics. A young boy,

Daniel Perry, was exploited and blackmailed and he took his own

life. What to Police Scotland have done should be applauded, they have

set an example for other police services to follow and they have

relentlessly and ruthlessly pursued the individuals the whole way to the

Philippines to hold them to account to what they did to this young

Scottish man. I must say this is that it is the kind of deterrent

that we need to see, it is a real deterrent that sees 58 people

arrested. If you are listening to this programme tonight and you have

been seduced by one of these exploited groups, please talk to the

police. Once you hand over any financial details and you pay

someone, it never goes away. These people will bleed you and drain you

dry and you might think you can keep it a secret but one day the police

and the Philippines or elsewhere around the world will discover some

of these organisations and they will get into the computer that they have

and your photographs and names will come out anyway. Think about it, the

right time to come forward is when somebody tries to exploit you. Go to

talk to the police, where ever you are, and put the fear where it

belongs, in the predator, so they do not come online looking for people

to exploit for their own financial gain. That is a very important

discussion to have. Jim Gamble in the Belfast, thank you.

She is worshipped, she is an icon of womanhood, but we rarely hear her

words. Now a stage production of Colm Toibin's novel The Testament Of

Mary gives the world's most famous mother a voice. The Virgin Mary is

played in a 90 minute one-woman performance by the actor Fiona Shaw

at London's Barbican Centre. Kasia Madera has been speaking to Shaw and

her producer Deborah Warner. We sat there for a while in silence

because they were afraid of the word. Crucified. I said, yes. Yes.

And that Mary spoke, but it will be a new beginning. I would say the

intention is to open up the imagination of someone without a

religious act dash-mac whip dash-mac without a religious imagination or

with. You open it up to a different keyhole and you see a different

landscape, different and yet familiar. It lets you see something

that you know in a new way. The crucifixion is a scene that is so

well-known. How do you dramatise it. The items that she lives with now.

She lives in a room with the necessary items to prompt her

memory. She has a crown of thorns which is made out of barbed wire.

She has the large nails of the cross. Sponges. It is amazing how

domestic the death of that man was. I grasped. I saw the cross. Given

that she is so iconic and she is such a mythical creature now, this

story is so well-known, it is so important to so many different

people. By playing it in such a way, by making the figure of Mary so

ordinary, are you downplaying it? She does not speak often. If she was

ever downgraded, the Church downgraded her to almost silence, to

acceptance, to passivity. All of this may be seen as lovely virtues

in the female form but if God came to earth as a man, then there is

always a limitation of identity if he is only a man. There has to be

also the female side of that theology. I dream to my son came

back to life it was dawn. We dream to that we were sleeping. There were

left trees in the distance but nothing close by and there was no

sound. We were woken by the sound of water gargling up from the earth and

I put my hand down to see if it was real. Then I heard Mary Garst

because the water seems to be gushing out over the well and then I

saw him. He was rising with the water. He seems -- his hands, his

feet, his forehead where their form and been, there were blue marks,

open and gaping -- where the thorns had been. Mary held him as the water

delivered in. She laid him across my lap. Fiona Shaw giving us The

Testament Of Mary. A final story. Twin sisters who have spent almost

80 years apart have been reunited. They were separated as babies when

one was put up for adoption. Their unmarried mother was in domestic

service and could not afford to keep both girls. The women met in

California after the longest period of separation ever recorded for

twins. A reminder of our main news: Ukraine

says pro-Russian militants have suffered what it called heavy losses

during the government operation against the insurgent-controlled

city of Sloviansk. Ukrainian forces are reported to

have taken control of a number of checkpoints around the city. There

have also been losses on the Ukrainian side. Thank you for being

with us. Hello. It has been a cloudy day

today and the cloud will continue to melt away tonight and it will turn

cold. There will be patches of frost developing overnight even