Civilian caravan attacked in Ukraine, military says

Civilians, including women and children, have been killed in an attack on a caravan of refugees in Ukraine's eastern Luhansk region, the Ukrainian military said Monday.

The civilians were trying to escape fighting between pro-Russian rebels and the Ukrainian military but were not in an established humanitarian safety corridor when they came under fire, a military representative said.

The civilians were being escorted by the Ukrainian military from the towns of Khryaschuvate and Novosvitlivka when they were attacked at 9:40 a.m. local time (2:40 a.m. ET), the Kiev-recognized Luhansk Regional Government said.

A government representative confirmed that there had been "heavy gunfire" in the area and that the victims had been unable to call for help as mobile phone towers were down.

Ukrainian Col. Andriy Lysenko told CNN that "terrorists" had attacked the caravan with guns from Russia.

Lysenko later told media that preliminary information indicated that the attack had been an ambush. The caravan was almost destroyed, and tens of people were killed, he said. Lysenko said that people had been registering to leave with the caravan for several days before the attack.

Ukraine's state information agency reported that Grad launchers and mortars had been fired at those trying to leave the war zone.

There had been 25 battles in the past 24 hours, with government forces regaining part of the city of Luhansk, Lysenko said. "Luhansk is almost fully encircled, and the operation to free it is going on right now," he said.

The rebels had used Uragan rocket launchers for the first time, Lysenko said.

Ukraine on Sunday reported gains against the rebels, saying the army had entered Donetsk and raised the Ukrainian flag in front of the district's police offices. Ukrainian forces also regained control of the strategic town of Yasynuvata in Donetsk in the southeastern part of the country, according to the official Twitter account of President Petro Poroshenko.

On Monday, Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported that the self-styled Donetsk People's Republic had announced the death penalty would be introduced "for the gravest crimes."

Once the war ended, the group would step "on the path of humanization of the criminal law," RIA Novosti quoted a DPR minister as saying, after a meeting of its council Sunday.

Humanitarian agencies say thousands of people in the region don't have access to water, electricity and proper medical aid.

Ongoing fighting downed power lines and stopped Donetsk city's water treatment plant from working Sunday, the City Council said. The Donetsk City Council announced on its website that the water supply would be cut off starting at 9 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET). In a new statement Monday, it said the supply remained disrupted, with fighting hindering repairs.

Ukrainian officials acknowledged Sunday that a convoy of more than 260 Russian vehicles on the border is, in fact, carrying humanitarian aid, a statement on the Ukrainian Cabinet website said.

Ukraine received an inventory of the supplies Saturday, which was signed by the head of the regional International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation to Russia.

Ebola facility in Liberia attacked; patients flee

 Ebola patients fled during an attack at a health care facility in Monrovia, Liberia, on Saturday, Liberian National Police spokesman Sam Collins said.

All patients who ran away had Ebola, Collins said.

But some patients chose to stay at the facility. And by Monday, some who left had returned, he said.

Health workers were looking for the other patients.

No one was injured in the incident, Collins said. The assailants were using weapons but not wielding guns. They stole mattresses and equipment, Collins said.

"It was an attack from people afraid of Ebola," Collins told CNN. "Everybody is afraid."

Since an Ebola epidemic was declared in Guinea in March, the disease has spread to Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria. Ebola can be contracted by coming into contact with infected organs and body fluids such as blood, saliva, urine and other secretions.

In the deadly disease's current outbreak in those countries, 712 people have died from Ebola and 1,310 people are Liberia confirmed to be infected with the virus, the World Health Organization reports.

Tolbert Nyenswah, Liberia's assistant minister of health, told CNN that as of Friday, 154 people in the nation have died from Ebola. There are more cases in which patients are suspected to have the disease, but that information has not been confirmed, he said.

Last week, Liberia's government said that sample doses of ZMapp, an experimental drug used to treat two American health care workers in Atlanta, Georgia, would be sent to Liberia to treat doctors who have contracted the virus.

The drug arrived and was given to three doctors, Nyenswah told CNN. He said the Liberian government is in talks to try to get more.

The country had requested the drug, and the White House and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it.

ZMapp has not been tested for public use. Earlier, the company that makes ZMapp said its supply was exhausted after fulfilling a request of a West African country which it did not, at the time, name.

Liberia has taken other measures to try to contain the virus.

In late July, it closed most of its borders and national campaigns have been launched to educate the public about how Ebola is spread and what to do if someone comes into contact with an infected person.

On Sunday, Cameroon's information minister told CNN that the country was closing its border with Nigeria over Ebola concerns.

Issa Tchiroma Bakari said that all flights to and from Nigeria into and out of Cameroon are suspended.

People in Cameroon and Nigeria cross borders daily for commercial and personal reasons.

Police put brakes on ride

About 100 security officers were deployed in the capital’s Meanchey district yesterday to stop a bicycle ride involving only about 30 environmentalists, some of whom were dressed as animals.

Before many of the young activists had arrived at the office of NGO Mother Nature, which organised the ride to raise awareness about a planned hydropower dam in Koh Kong province’s Areng Valley, police and district security guards had gathered on either side of the office gates.

When a truck carrying bikes for the activists arrived outside the Mother Nature office at about 2pm, police instructed the driver to take the bikes to the local police station, where they were impounded.

After activists gathered together on other bikes outside, a bizarre standoff with the security forces ensued, as activists dressed as animals posed for photos in front of the helmeted district security guards.

Heng Samnang, a youth member of Mother Nature, said the authorities had already banned the group from riding on Saturday and had issued warnings that they would be arrested if they continued to organise bike rides.

“The commune authorities surrounded the office yesterday as well. They said that they would arrest us if we kept trying to ride our bikes around town for the Areng Valley,” he said.

At about 4pm, after several attempts to negotiate with the security forces to stand down and allow the riders to pass, the activists retreated indoors, and the police began to disperse without incident.

The planned Stung Cheay Areng hydropower dam has come up against staunch opposition from residents of the valley, activists and experts.

Late last year, Chinese mega-firm Sinohydro took over from the previous contractor, China Guodian, to assess the area and determine whether it would push ahead with the construction of the dam.

Since mid-March, villagers in the Areng Valley and their supporters have blocked an access road in an attempt to stop Sinohydro bringing in machinery and workers.

In the five months the villagers have blocked the road, numerous attempts have been made by company representatives and officials to enter the valley.

“It’s just a show of force,” said Mother Nature founder Alex Gonzalez-Davidson, who spoke at length with the police during the stand-off yesterday to diffuse any potential tensions.

“Areng is recognised by UNESCO, so it belongs to all Cambodians and the people in this world. We cannot stop protesting until we win because the Chinese company, Sinohydro, plans to build the hydropower dam, which will affect the valley’s natural resources,” he explained. “There are at least 31 endangered species in the area and it’s the last strong forest in the country.”

The Areng Valley at the edge of the Cardamom Mountain range is home to endangered Siamese crocodiles and a large wild elephant population, as well as numerous other vulnerable species.

The Mother Nature event followed separate protests in the capital last week that were mostly free of the security presence that public demonstrations have attracted this year.

Hak Chanleang, Meanchey district deputy governor, said the authorities had blocked yesterday’s ride because the activists had not identified what route they planned to take or filled out the proper paperwork.

“If they want to protect the environment, we ask that they apply for permission from Phnom Penh Municipal Hall and I believe City Hall will allow them, but they have not asked for permission,” he said.

However, Mother Nature representatives said they informed City Hall of their plans in line with the requirements in the Law on Demonstrations.

City Hall spokesman Long Dimanche claimed the activists would be allowed to hold a protest in the future.

“We will allow them to hold demonstrations, but protocols should be followed because we need to prepare many things for them, such as security and public order. But the most important thing is that they did not follow the rules at all,” he said.

But Am Sam Ath, technical adviser for Licadho, said the activists did not have to apply for permission from the authorities under the demonstrations law.

“All they have to do is inform the authorities five days in advance,” he said.

Mu Sochua, an opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party lawmaker, decried yesterday’s show of force by the authorities.

“I have nothing but regrets to see that the government continues to reject the right of the people to participate in development, especially in preserving the environment,” she said.

“All the factors of the militarisation of the police force … for the so-called protection of the people, it’s alarming and unacceptable. It’s going to lead to more violence and injustice for people who are only trying to express their rights.”

Third Kilo submarine to arrive in Vietnam in November

According to Interfax-AVN, Vietnamese sailors are practicing with the submarine at sea, which is the second training phase at sea. The first phase training took place from July 1 to 20 in the waters of Hogland Island.

“In the first phase, the submarine was in the water for 57 hours," Interfax-AVN said.

On August 20 the ship will return to the shipyard and will then return to sea 10 days later. It is expected to be delivered to Vietnam.

The fourth submarine in the contract to build six submarines for Vietnam is being tested at sea by the shipyard, while the fifth and the sixth ships are being built. The launch of the sixth ship is scheduled in September next year.

Besides building the submarines, Russia will help train Vietnamese sailors and provide equipment and technical supplies.

Varshavyanka (Kilo) submarines are the most advanced type in the contemporary world. The length of the vessel is 74 meters, and the width 10 meters. Their deepest submerging level is 300 meters, and they have an underwater speed of up to 37 km/h. The submarine can run automatically for 45 days and nights.

The Kilo submarines are equipped with the "Club" missile complex which is capable of projecting power at a distance of 300 km. The unique feature of this submarine is its extremely low noise. Western experts call Varshavyanka submarines the "black holes in the ocean."

Pro-government protesters hit back with huge Hong Kong rally

Just call it the anti-protest protest.

Tens of thousands of people marched through Hong Kong yesterday in support of China and to protest Occupy Central, a pro-democracy movement that says it will plan to stage a civil disobedience sit-in unless the Chinese government allows the Hong Kong public to nominate and vote for its next leader.

Robert Chow, the organizer of Sunday's march, said it represented Hong Kong's desire to work "peacefully" with the Chinese government in Beijing on political reform.

"We want universal suffrage, but not at any cost," he told CNN Monday.

The pro-government march followed the same route as Hong Kong's massive annual anti-government, pro-democracy rally on July 1, but the tenor was markedly different: Sunday's marchers were arranged into organized groups wearing matching t-shirts, some emblazoned with names of mainland Chinese organizations. Many waved Chinese flags.

Paid protester claim

Local media swirled with reports of marchers getting paid or bused in to attend the pro-government march. Onevideo (Cantonese) purportedly showed cash being handed out to marchers. Other images appeared to show marchers getting paid and enjoying free food in a dim-sum restaurant.

Chow said he took the bribery accusations "seriously" and would "investigate" but maintained that no laws were broken.

There were also conflicting reports on the size of the march. Chow said his group counted a "quarter million" marchers, but an estimate by University of Hong Kong statisticians put the number much lower, between 79,000 and 88,000.

By contrast, July's pro-democracy rally drew between 154,000 and 172,000, according to the university.

Pictures taken by reporters appeared to show a noticeably thinner crowd on Sunday than the crowd in July, but Chow said the difference was because "we were marching very, very fast."