Ireland Marks Centenary Of Irish Volunteers

By David Blevins, Ireland Correspondent

The centenary of the Irish Volunteers, the force that fought for independence from Britain and participated in the Easter Rising of 1916, is being marked in Ireland.

President Michael D Higgins lays a wreath during the State Ceremony

Irish President Michael D Higgins has addressed guests and laid a wreath in Dublin's Garden of Remembrance before a fly-past by the Irish Air Corps.

Two years ago, the Queen honoured Ireland's dead when she laid a wreath at the same memorial during her historic visit to the Irish Republic.

Soldiers mark the founding of the Oglaigh na hEire

President Higgins' office announced last week he is to make an equally significant official visit to the United Kingdom in April of next year.

The Irish Volunteers came into being at a public meeting in Dublin's Rotunda on November 25, 1913, to reinforce the nationalist argument for Home Rule.

President Michael D Higgins and Taoiseach Enda Kenny

Earlier in the year, Unionists in Ulster had formed the Ulster Volunteer Force to resist Home Rule, then the dominant issue in Anglo Irish relations.

World War One split the Irish - tens of thousands fought for Britain in the hope that their efforts would be rewarded with Home Rule afterwards.

The commemoration is one of many occuring in "the decade of centenaries"

But by 1916, membership of the Irish Volunteers had increased again to 15,000 and they played a critical role in the Easter uprising against Britain.

The commemoration is just one of many taking place in a period described as "the decade of centenaries" in both Northern Ireland and the Republic.

A lament to The Volunteers is performed by bagpipe players

In September 2012, Unionists marked 100 years of the Ulster Covenant, signed by half a million men and women opposed to the Home Rule Bill.

Next July marks the centenary of World War One, in which thousands of soldiers from the 16th Irish and 36th Ulster Divisions lost their lives.

And the centenary of the Easter Rising, a defining moment in the establishment of Ireland's independence from Britain, will fall two years later in 2016.

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Ukraine: Police Fire Tear Gas At Protesters

Thousands of pro-Europe protesters in Ukraine have attempted to storm government buildings in the capital of Kiev, clashing with police who fired tear gas to keep them back.

Some demonstrators tried to break through police ranks with some throwing stones and hitting officers with the signs they were carrying, as police fought back with batons, according to reports.

Police used batons and tear gas to keep demonstrators back

The demonstration was led by Ukraine's top opposition figures, who are calling for the protests to continue until President Viktor Yanukovych agrees to sign the free trade and political association deal with the EU next Friday.

Ukraine's leaders announced suddenly last week that they were pulling out of the EU agreement, saying the country could not afford to break trade ties with Russia.

Protesters also appeared to use tear gas against the police

The Russian government has worked aggressively to derail the EU deal and bring Ukraine into the Moscow-dominated Customs Union.

But the protesters are demanding the government reverse course and sign a landmark agreement with the European Union.

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Syria: Largest Oil Field 'Captured By Rebels'

Islamist rebels claim they have seized Syria's largest oil field, potentially cutting off President Bashar al Assad's supply of almost all local crude reserves.

If confirmed, the loss of the al-Omar oil field in the eastern Deir al-Zor province could leave Assad's military forces relying almost entirely on imported oil in their campaign to crush the rebel uprising.

It came as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least 29 deaths following regime air strikes in northern Aleppo, including 14 people who were killed in the city's eastern district of Tariq al-Bab.

People search for survivors after shelling by government forces in Aleppo

Video posted online by Syrian activists showed dozens of people picking through the rubble of collapsed buildings and throwing buckets of water on a destroyed car still in flames.

It was also claimed that another 15 people, including a woman and a child, were killed in air strikes on the nearby town of al-Bab and the Tadef area.

Rami Abdelrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, claimed the capture of al-Omar meant "nearly all" of Syria's oil reserves are now in the hands of Islamist units, including the al-Nusra Front.

The strikes killed at least 29 people according to activists

"The regime's neck is now in Nusra's hands," he said.

Amateur video posted online appeared to show insurgents spreading out across al-Omar.

One rebel, who spoke to the camera in Arabic, said: "The field is going to be managed perfectly. We are going to keep it safe. We are going to run the oil field in a good way and better than before."

It was claimed Assad's forces launched the separate attacks

The Syrian army lost control of al-Omar in November 2012 but later recaptured it.

Until the insurgents' alleged seizure of the facility, a pipeline transporting crude oil to central Syria for refinement had still been working, despite the civil war.

International sanctions against Syria have sharply reduced its oil exports and the conflict has made production for domestic consumption increasingly difficult.

Most oil reserves are now in the hands of rebels, local tribes or Kurdish militias, some of whom may be willing to sell oil to Assad, who may be getting fuel from Iran, his main regional ally.

More than 120,000 people have been killed since the conflict in Syria began in March 2011.

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Sinabung: Thousands Flee Volcano Eruptions

Thousands of people have fled after a volcano in western Indonesia erupted eight times in a few hours, raining down rocks over a large area.

Mount Sinabung has been erupting on and off since September, but went into overdrive on Sunday, spewing out red-hot ash and rocks up to five miles into the air.

Several thousand people fled their homes overnight, bringing the total number who have left the area since the volcano rumbled into life to more than 12,000, local government official Robert Peranginangin said.

"People panicked as the eruption was accompanied by a loud thunderous sound and vibrations. Then it started raining down rocks," he said.

"They ran helter-skelter out of their homes and cried for help."

Residents living near the volcano have been urged to flee their homes

He said there were no known casualties from the latest eruptions.

Volcanology experts have raised the alert level for the volcano, on the northern tip of Sumatra island, to the highest point on a four-point scale, meaning a hazardous eruption is imminent or under way.

The government has urged people living within a three-mile radius of the volcano to leave their homes.

Sinabung is one of dozens of active volcanoes in Indonesia which straddle major tectonic fault lines known as the "Ring of Fire".

It erupted in September for the first time since 2010.

In August, five people were killed and hundreds evacuated when a volcano on a tiny island in East Nusa Tenggara province erupted.

The country's most active volcano, Mount Merapi in central Java, killed more than 350 people in a series of violent explosions in 2010.

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China Claims Airspace Over Disputed Islands

China has laid claim to a block of airspace over islands in the East China Sea which are at the heart of a dispute with Japan.

The Xinhua news agency published a map and co-ordinates of the area it called "the East China Sea Air Defence Zone", as well as rules for aircraft in the area, which covers most of the sea.

It reported that China has threatened "defensive emergency measures" against aircraft which do not comply with new identification rules.

Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said the establishment of the zone was aimed at "safeguarding state sovereignty, territorial land and air security, and maintaining flight order".

Japan says it owns the islands and the Foreign Ministry has lodged a strong protest against the new zone, Kyodo news agency reported. 

Ties between the Asian powers have been strained for months by the row over the islands, called the Diaoyu in China and the Senkaku in Japan, which are believed to be surrounded by energy-rich waters.

Patrol ships from both countries have been shadowing each other near the islets, raising fears that a confrontation could develop into a clash.

There have also been several incidents involving military aircraft flying close to each other.

In October, Chinese military aircraft flew near Japan for three days in a row.

Japan scrambled fighter jets each time in response.

The Chinese rules mean aircraft have to report flight plans to China's Foreign Ministry or civil aviation administration, maintain radio contact and reply promptly to identification inquiries, keep radar transponders turned on and bear clear markings of their nationality and registration.

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Dreamliner Warning After Plane Engines Ice Up

Boeing has warned airlines to avoid flying some Dreamliner planes near high-level thunderstorms due to a risk of engine icing problems.

The warning applies to 15 carriers who have 747-8 and 787 Dreamliners with engines made by General Electric (GE).

It is the latest alert for an aircraft which has suffered a number of technical glitches since its launch, including overheating lithium-ion battery systems that caused the planes to be grounded worldwide for three months earlier this year.

The engine warning follows six incidents between April and November involving five 747-8s and one 787, all of which suffered temporary loss of thrust while flying at high altitude.

The problem was caused by a build-up of ice crystals, initially just behind the front fan, which ran through the engine, a GE spokesman said.

All of the aircraft landed at their planned destinations safely, he added.

Boeing has prohibited the affected aircraft from flying at high attitude within 50 nautical miles of thunderstorms that may contain ice crystals.

In response, Japan Airlines (JAL) pulled 787 Dreamliners from two international routes.

Other affected airlines include Lufthansa, United Airlines, an arm of United Continental Holdings and Cathay Pacific Airlines.

A Boeing spokesman said: "Boeing and JAL share a commitment to the safety of passengers and crews on board our airplanes. We respect JAL's decision to suspend some 787 service on specific routes."

JAL said it will replace Dreamliners on its Tokyo-Delhi and Tokyo-Singapore flights with other types of aircraft.

It also dropped plans to introduce 787s to its Tokyo-Sydney route from December.

The company will continue to fly the aircraft on other international and domestic routes, which are unlikely to be affected by cumulonimbus clouds for the time being.

A spokesman for GE, which is working with Boeing on software modifications to the engine control system in a bid to eliminate the problems, said: "The aviation industry is experiencing a growing number of ice-crystal icing encounters in recent years as the population of large commercial airliners has grown, particularly in tropical regions of the world."

All 747-8s are powered by GE's GEnx engines, while 787s are powered either by GE units or the rival Trent 1000 made by Rolls-Royce.

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Iran Nuclear Deal Reached At Talks In Geneva

An agreement has been reached between Iran and six world powers to curb Tehran's nuclear programme in exchange for limited sanctions relief.

The deal, announced by European Union policy chief Catherine Ashton, is a first step towards resolving a decade-old stand-off between Tehran and the West.

The agreement between the Islamic state and the US, Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia was nailed down after more than four days of negotiations in Geneva.

US President Barack Obama said it was an important first step towards a comprehensive solution to Iran's nuclear programme.

William Hague hailed the agreement as 'very important and encouraging'

He said Iran could not use its next-generation centrifuges under the deal and the limitations under the agreement "cut off Iran's most likely paths to a bomb".

He added that if Iran did not meet its commitments during a six-month period, the US would turn off sanctions relief and "ratchet up the pressure".

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticised the nuclear deal as an "historic mistake" and reserved his country's right to defend itself.

"Today the world became a much more dangerous place because the most dangerous regime in the world made a significant step in obtaining the most dangerous weapons in the world," he said.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran's Mohammed Javad Zarif

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the agreement recognises Tehran's "rights" to maintain a nuclear programme, and it would "never" seek atomic weapons.

The country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "This can be the basis for further intelligent actions. Without a doubt the grace of God and the prayers of the Iranian nation were a factor in this success."

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron said the deal leaves Tehran further from getting a nuclear weapon and "demonstrates how persistent diplomacy and tough sanctions can together help us to advance our national interest".

Foreign Secretary William Hague said the agreement was "very important and encouraging", adding that it meant "the nuclear programme won't move forward for six months".

However, he acknowledged that "legitimate concerns" remained.

He and US Secretary of State John Kerry are holding talks in London today on the Iran deal and the latest developments in Syria.

Mr Kerry offered assurances to Israel over the nuclear agreement, saying it would make the Jewish state safer over the next six months because the world would have "insights" into Iran's nuclear programme.

Speaking on Iran's Press TV, Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the deal was an opportunity for the West to restore trust with the Iranian nation.

He said Tehran would expand co-operation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog, to address what he called some concerns.

European Union policy chief Baroness Catherine Ashton and Javad Zarif

Iran will get access to $4.2bn (£2.6bn) in foreign exchange as part of the accord, a Western diplomat said.

A senior US official added that the agreement halted progress on Iran's nuclear programme, including construction of the Arak research reactor.

It would neutralise Iran's stockpile of uranium refined to a fissile concentration of 20%, which is a close step away from the level needed for weapons, and calls for intrusive UN nuclear inspections.

Iran has also committed to stop uranium enrichment above a fissile purity of 5%, a US fact sheet said.

The deal has no recognition of an Iranian right to enrich uranium and sanctions would still be enforced.

Refined uranium can be used to fuel nuclear power plants - Iran's stated goal - but also provide the fissile core of an atomic bomb if refined much further.

The deal has sparked fears in Israel, said Sky's Middle East Correspondent Sam Kiley.

"Israel's economy minister Naftali Bennett has said this deal could result in the use of suitcase nuclear devices five years down the line. It could be traced to this historic moment," he said.

"What they're really saying is that the international community, the world's diplomats, have been suckered by Iran in the same way that the international community was successfully suckered, let's face it, by the North Koreans who agreed to a similar deal to downscale their nuclear programme, and after a few months went by actually demonstrated that they had developed a nuclear weapon in secret.

"That is precisely what worries the Israelis."

Diplomacy was stepped up after the landslide election of Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate, as Iranian president in June, replacing nationalist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

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Israel Says Nuclear Deal Is 'Historic Mistake'

It's "an historic mistake" that will "make the world more dangerous" - the result of cosmetic concessions - and the consequences "threaten Israel". And: "We will not allow Iran to obtain military capability."

Benjamin Netanyahu's take on the interim deal to limit Iran's nuclear programme could not be more out of tune with how the US President plays it.

Barack Obama said the agreement "opened up a new path toward a world that is more secure".

That the two men don't get along could be a diplomatic understatement. But why the huge gulf over what is an historic turning point in Iran's relations with the outside world?

It's partly caused by policy, and partly by personality. The deal with Iran is less of a turning point - more a junction.

The Israelis contend the world's superpowers and global diplomats have been suckered and that Iran has taken a devious route. The Saudis probably agree - though may not say so out loud.

Israel sees an Iranian nuclear weapon as an existential threat - the Saudis fear Iran's Shi'a agenda which has already established an arc of influence from Iraq to Syria.

The US, Europe, Russia and China see Iran has opted for a different road - one that will lead it back into the community of nations - and one that will have checkpoints manned by the International Atomic Energy Authority.

It will only be clear which direction Iran has really chosen over the next six months. These are rational differences of difference of policy.

Mr Obama says the deal opens a path to 'a world that is more secure'

An objective analysis of the interim deal, which is intended to lead to a permanent end to Iran's nuclear weapons programme in return for the end of crippling sanctions in six months, it is pretty good.

Enrichment of uranium will be halted at 5% (well below the weapons threshold purity of 90%). Iran's stockpile of 30% enriched uranium will be neutralised.

Tehran's capacity to re-start its nuclear weapons programme is also being rolled back. Centrifuges for enrichment will be put out of action and no new ones built. The plutonium reactor at Arak will, effectively, be mothballed before its completion.

IAEA inspectors will be given regular and unrestrained access to the nuclear sites and even access to CCTV cameras to try to ensure that Iran isn't backsliding.

In return, Iran gets access to airplane parts, and partial lifting of sanctions on the oil and gold industry worth $1.5bn a year.

It will also get, in instalments, revenues from $4.2bn worth of oil revenues - and $400m will be allowed to be sent to Iranian students and other educational projects abroad.

Iran will still be losing out on $4bn a month in oil sales because of caps on its exports, and $100bn of its foreign exchange will remain in frozen bank accounts.

The nuclear talks in Geneva

These simply are not the "cosmetic concessions" that the Israeli Prime Minister claims.

It is true that many western intelligence agencies share the Israeli fear that the international community may be falling into an Iranian trap.

"They are world class liars," one senior spook said.

But there is no need to say so - yet.

"All Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu) needs to do is say he reserves judgement on the interim agreement and hope that diplomacy will work - give the whole thing its six months and then if Iran is indeed cheating, Israel will have global support for more drastic action," said one western diplomat.

He risks being 'tuned out' by the international community - even if what he may say, in the end, is proved incorrect, the diplomat added.

Often belligerent Israel, led by Mr Netanyahu's personal style, is now being seen as petulant.

Behaviour that is trying the patience of its father figure -  the USA.

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Typhoon Haiyan: UK Pledges An Extra £5m Aid

Six new British aid flights will leave the UK this week for the Philippines carrying 1,400 tents and other supplies, International Development Secretary Justine Greening has announced.

The flights and the investment of £5m to improve the ability of four cities in the country to withstand extreme weather events takes the UK Government's contribution to the relief effort to more than £55m.

As she toured areas devastated by typhoon Haiyan, Ms Greening said the humanitarian efforts of the UK's armed forces and the Department for International Development (DfID) were already making a difference but "we will not stop here".

People board a C-130 after leaving their homes in typhoon-battered Tacloban

She said: "In the coming months the UK will be working hard to help build a better future for all the people of the Philippines, including girls and women who are often the ones who suffer disproportionately in the wake of crises like this."

The six new aid flights arriving over the next six days will carry supplies including 22,000 plastic sheets, 23,000 tarpaulins, 3,000 cooking sets and 17,000 blankets.

HMS Daring delivered aid relief to remote Philippines islands last week

Meanwhile, Lord Ashdown has described the typhoon which hit the Philippines two weeks ago and the deadly cyclone which struck an Italian island this week as "flashes of the future".

The Liberal Democrat peer warned that failure to tackle climate change by politicians would result in natural disasters occurring with greater frequency.

Speaking on Sky News' Murnaghan programme in his capacity as president of Unicef UK, he said: "This is the most powerful typhoon hurricane ever in recorded history to hit land. Never has there been one this powerful."

Worshippers gather during Sunday Mass at Santo Nino Church in Tacloban

He added: "It's always the kids who suffer most. (There are) 5.5 million children affected by this overall."

Asked whether global warming was to blame, he replied: "There are none so blind as those who will not see."

Last week HMS Daring delivered its first aid relief to remote Philippine islands hit by Typhoon Haiyan.

After surveying an area northwest of Cebu by helicopter, the Royal Navy warship dropped anchor off the coast of Guintacan, an island with a population of around 6,000.

No one had made it to the island in the 10 days since it was battered by the storm. Not a single building was untouched by the typhoon.

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Latvia Supermarket Collapse: Hope Fades

The chances of finding any more survivors after the collapse of a supermarket in Latvia is "almost zero", officials have said.

Fifty-four deaths have now been confirmed since the roof of the Maxima store caved in in the capital Riga on Thursday.

Recovery efforts were due to begin on Sunday after the search was called off on Saturday evening, when a third section of the roof collapsed.

However, the remaining structure is being described as unstable and rescue workers were being prevented from re-entering the site because of safety fears.

President Andris Berzins on Saturday called for the disaster to be "investigated at maximum speed", adding: "This case must be treated as the murder of many unprotected people.

Latvian officials say they will raze the supermarket where 54 people died

"This is a case where we need to say clearly that an enormous number of defenceless people were killed, and that's how we should proceed."

Some 40 people were wounded, including 13 firefighters.

It was the worst accident in the Baltic country since it regained independence in 1991. The government has declared three days of mourning and thousands of floral tributes and candles have been placed at the scene.

More than a dozen children have lost parents in the incident.

Antons Ryakhin said "about 100 people" had been inside the building with him.

The 19-year-old said: "I was queuing at the cash desk when the roof suddenly caved in. It all happened within a few seconds.

"It was dark but still light enough to see the exit. I ran out. The doors were open, but a lot of rubble fell in front of them - I think that's why some people couldn't get through."

The rescue operation has been dangerous for firefighters

The rescue operation has been hampered by the risk of further collapses.

Preliminary reports indicate the roof caved in due to either faulty construction or building activities on the roof, where workers were creating a garden area and children's playground for a new high-rise residential building adjacent to the supermarket.

Pictures show that a large amount of building materials, including bags of soil, were left in areas of the roof that, according to Riga city officials, could have been vulnerable to heavy loads.

The police investigation could take several weeks to complete.

The central government, Riga's city council and the Maxima retailer have promised compensation to victims, while charities are also raising cash.

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