Iraq battle after militia arrest

There are estimated to be 100,000 Awakening members nationwide

Two passers-by have died in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, after clashes between security forces and one of the militias which are backed by US forces.

The gun battle in the Fadil district of the city erupted shortly after the leader of the local Awakening group, Adil Mashadani, was arrested.

One account says US troops helped with the arrest alongside the Iraqi army.

Fadil was run by al-Qaeda in Iraq for most of 2006 and 2007, but they were driven out by the Awakening movement.

Baghdad security spokesman Qassim Moussawi told Reuters news agency: "Iraqi forces arrested Mashadani because they had a judicial warrant. The clashes started because of this."

Children playing

The BBC's Hugh Sykes happened to be in Fadil a few hours before the gun battle and he says the neighbourhood seemed calm and normal.

People were out shopping, fresh fish was on sale on a cart in the shade and children were playing.

He says it is an impoverished district where many buildings are bullet-pocked from the days when al-Qaeda menaced the mostly Shia neighbourhoods nearby.

No reason has yet been given for the arrest of Mr Mashadani - but his detention may destabilise Fadil unless it is satisfactorily explained, adds our correspondent.

The Awakening - or Sons of Iraq, as the Americans call them - mostly consist of Sunni Arab fighters who used to work with al-Qaeda.

They have been credited with helping drastically reduce violence, flushing out Sunni Islamist al-Qaeda from parts of Baghdad, western Anbar province and some northern towns.

There are estimated to be around 100,000 Awakening members nationwide and they were paid by the US military until last year when the Iraqi government began taking over the programme.

Analysts say the Shia-led government's handling of the Sunni Arab fighters it once fought against will be a key test of efforts to stabilise Iraq as the US prepares to withdraw its combat troops by August 2010.

Russian 'Arctic military' plan

Warmer temperatures are making access to the Arctic easier

Russia has announced plans to set up a military force to protect its interests in the Arctic.

In a document published on its national security council's website, Moscow says it expects the Arctic to become its main resource base by 2020.

While the strategy is thought to have been approved in September, it has only now been made public.

Moscow's ambitions are likely to cause concern among other countries with claims to the Arctic.

'Military security'

The document foresees the Arctic becoming Russia's main source of oil and gas within the next decade.

In order to protect its assets, Moscow says one of its main goals will be the establishment of troops "capable of ensuring military security" in the region.

With climate change opening up the possibility of making drilling viable in previously inaccessible areas, the Arctic has gained in strategic importance for Russia, says the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow.

Russia's moment of Arctic triumph in 2007 was captured on film

However, Russia's arctic ambitions have already put those with competing claims on the defensive.

In 2007, a Russian expedition planted a Russian flag on the seabed beneath the North Pole.

Russia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and the United States, all of whom have an Arctic coastline, dispute the sovereignty over parts of the region.

With an estimated 90 billion untapped barrels of oil, Russia's strategy is likely to be scrutinised carefully by its neighbours in the far north.

US aircraft parts fall on Brazil

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Debris from plane's engine which landed in a Brazil town

Sections of a US plane have fallen from the sky onto a residential area in the city of Manaus in northern Brazil.

Pieces from one of the turbines of the DC-10 aircraft caused damage to several houses and a car, but there were no reported injuries.

The flight, operated by the Miami-based Arrow Cargo company, had been en route to the Colombian capital, Bogota.

Brazilian officials are investigating the incident and the company said it would pay for any damage to property.

Local resident Aparecida Silva said a large part of the turbine had landed on her house when she was sleeping.

Residents reported hearing a loud bang before the parts fell from the sky

"I opened the window after I head this huge boom and I see this thing up in flames, right in front of my doorway," she told Brazil's Globo TV.

"I had no idea what it was, I thought it was some weird, ugly thing or a UFO or something."

The television station broadcast amateur footage of what appeared to be burning debris falling through the night sky.

Other footage showed damage to houses, one with a collapsed roof and smashed toilet, and a piece of engine about 2m (6ft) long lying in the street.

A representative for Arrow Cargo in Manuas, Rai Marinho, told reporters the plane, carrying three crew members and an engineer, had had engine problems shortly after takeoff.

It was able to continue its journey but was later diverted to Medellin in Colombia because of bad weather, the Associated Press quoted the Colombian air force as saying.

F1 teams given Melbourne go-ahead

Rivals claim the rear diffuser of three cars, including this Williams, are illegal

AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX
Venue: Albert Park, Melbourne Dates: 27-29 March Coverage: Comprehensive live coverage of Friday's practice sessions, Saturday's qualifying sessions and Sunday's race across BBC TV, radio and online. Find complete listings here

---

Motorsport's governing body has rejected the protest made by three Formula 1 teams about the legality of certain cars.

With F1 just days away from the start of the new season in Australia, the FIA has ruled that the cars of Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams are all legal.

Ferrari, BMW Sauber and Renault claimed a crucial part at the back of the car does not conform to new F1 regulations.

The protesting teams now have until 1400 GMT to appeal against the ruling.

More soon.

Turkish politician in air crash

Muhsin Yazicioglu is one of six people missing

The chairman of Turkey's ultra-nationalist Grand Unity Party is missing after the helicopter he was travelling in crashed on Wednesday.

Hundreds of rescue workers have joined the search for Muhsin Yazicioglu, the pilot and four further passengers.

Turkish TV channels broadcast a phone call reported to be from one of the passengers saying that "everybody else on the helicopter seems to be dead".

Continuing bad weather conditions are slowing down the search efforts.

According to the Turkish daily Hurriyet, Mr Yazicioglu was returning from a political rally ahead of Sunday's local election when his helicopter ran into trouble in the mountainous area of Kahramanmaras province at 1500 local time (1300 GMT).

Call for help

Turkish TV channels have played a recording of a phone call they say one of the passengers made shortly after the crash.

In it, Ismail Gunes, a reporter for the IHD news agency, talks about a snowstorm and fog. He goes on to say that he fears he is the only survivor.

The Transportation Minister, Binali Yildirim, told the Anatolian news agency that they had "received signals from mobile phones of the pilot and the passengers". He said efforts were under way to locate the co-ordinates of their whereabouts.

Some members of Mr Yazicioglu's party have protested outside the office of the Interior Minister over the failure to locate the crash site almost 24 hours after the accident.

Hundreds of volunteers as well as police are taking part in the search and rescue efforts, which officials say are being hampered by the continuing harsh weather conditions.

A number of political parties, including the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the opposition Republican People's Party, have cancelled their election rallies scheduled for Thursday.

Clinton: US shares blame on drugs

Hillary Clinton will meet Mexico's president and foreign minister

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said the US must take part of the blame for drug-related violence in Mexico on a visit to the country.

She said the US appetite for drugs and inability to stop arms crossing the border were helping fuel violence.

Mrs Clinton's visit comes a day after the Obama administration announced new measures to boost border security.

Some 8,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico over the past two years.

Trade and immigration issues are also expected to be high on Mrs Clinton's agenda.

'Co-responsibility'

"Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade," Mrs Clinton said upon arrival in Mexico.

We need to do more to make sure that illegal guns and cash aren't flowing back to the cartels US President Barack Obama Mexico arrests 'top drugs hitman'

"Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians.

"I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility."

Mexico and the US are currently locked in a trade dispute, after the US government stopped a pilot scheme earlier this month which allowed Mexican trucks to use roads in the US.

Mexico said the decision violated a free-trade deal between the countries and retaliated by imposing higher tariffs on some 90 American exports.

In signs of movement on the issue, US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and other Obama administration officials have reportedly been working on plans to revive the scheme.

Mexico's Economy Minister Gerardo Ruiz Mateos said on Tuesday that his country would lift its tariffs as soon as the US returned to its "agreed commitments" on access for its trucks.

Illegal guns

But it is the drugs-related violence in Mexico that is likely to be the focus of Mrs Clinton's discussions.

On Tuesday, the White House unveiled a $700m (

Chinese use pills to curb gerbils

Gerbils' burrowing is damaging the roots of plants

Chinese authorities are using contraceptive pills to cut down the number of gerbils in a north-western province plagued by the rodents.

Forestry officials are leaving pills by the gerbils' burrows to try to cut back the rodents' exploding numbers.

The gerbils, officials say, are threatening the fragile desert ecosystem in the vast Xinjiang region.

Their burrowing in the Gurbantunggut Desert damages roots of the few plants that thrive there, officials say.

Authorities are using the pellets - which prevent females getting pregnant and cause abortion in those already pregnant - disguised as bran feed, the state news agency Xinhua said.

It's a good way to tackle the desert rat plague Du Yuefei forestry official

Use of the contraceptive pills is deemed to be more humane than killing the rodents and, according to officials, have little effect on other animals.

"It's a good way to tackle the desert rat plague," local forestry official Du Yuefei said.

More than 180kg (400 lb) of the tainted feed has so far been spread across an area of about 49,000 hectares in the arid region.

Officials had previously installed hundreds of perches for the gerbils' natural predators - eagles and owls - but the move failed to halt the rodents' rising numbers.

The scheme has already caused a slight drop in gerbil numbers, Mr Du said, with 11 gerbils caught in every 100 traps laid out for them. Previously an average of 12 were caught in the traps, the AP news agency reports.

If it continues to be successful, other regions in an increasingly arid China may adopt the scheme.

Ethiopia hit by Coca-Cola drought

Coca-Cola is normally on sale even in remote parts of Africa

Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa has run out of Coca-Cola as the credit crunch takes the fizz out of the economy.

The BBC's Elizabeth Blunt in the city says she has known African countries to run out of petrol, soap, sugar, batteries or tyres - but never Coke.

The East Africa Bottling Share Company, which produces the soft drink in the region, last week temporarily shut its bottling operation in Ethiopia.

It said they had the Coca-Cola - but did not have the bottle tops.

The firm, which has sent 1,000 workers on compulsory leave, said in its most recent statement that the Ethiopian government had intervened.

The company promised the familiar bottles would start rolling out of the plant again soon.

National emergency?

Our correspondent says it sounds almost as if the Coca-Cola shortage is being treated as a national emergency.

When she visited a local bar she found it had run out of Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Sprite and Fanta. Mirinda was the only soft drink on offer.

It has been estimated that around 35,000 outlets throughout Ethiopia will be unable to serve Coca-Cola and sister brands until the shortage is resolved.

Street children have reportedly been collecting the much-needed bottle tops from the streets of Addis Ababa and selling them back to companies to recycle for around $0.2 (

Lebanon bomb kills PLO official

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People rush to help the injured

A roadside bomb in Lebanon has killed a senior Palestinian official and three others, said to be bodyguards, close to Mieh Mieh refugee camp near Sidon.

Kamal Medhat, a member of the Fatah faction, was the deputy representative of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in Lebanon.

The bomb blew one car off the road and badly damaged another, scattering burning debris.

There was no immediate indication of who may have been behind the attack.

Kamal Medhat recently attended a memorial for dead Hezbollah fighters

Condemning it, Fatah official Fahmi Zaarir said: "We do not accuse anyone at this point but we confirm that it was a targeted assassination."

Lebanon's crowded and poorly developed camps, housing families expelled from what became Israel in 1948, are prone to violent unrest and insecurity.

Two people were killed in a gun battle in Mieh Mieh camp on Saturday.

Leader visiting

The PLO's chief representative in Lebanon, Abbas Zaki, also visited the camp on Monday but was not caught up in the attack.

"The bomb was apparently hidden in a little shed on the side of the road and was detonated as Medhat's convoy drove by," a Lebanese army spokesman told AFP news agency.

The force of the blast tore through the Mercedes in which Mr Medhat was travelling and threw the car into a nearby field, witnesses said.

Witnesses said the bomb blast could be heard across Sidon. Young Palestinian men ran to attend to casualties as ambulances and emergency workers sped to the scene.

Munir Maqdah, in charge of security at Lebanon's 12 refugee camps, said the bomb had gone off near the entrance to the camp and an army checkpoint.

Reuters news agency reported that the bomb had been planted under a manhole cover.

'Mediation bid'

Mr Medhat had been visiting Mieh Mieh in an effort to calm the situation after the weekend shootings, a PLO official told AFP.

"He was on his way out of the camp where he had visited officials in a bid to ease the tension," said Hisham El-Debsi.

Osama Hamdan, a representative in Lebanon of the Palestinian group Hamas, confirmed that the dead man had played a role in helping to ease tensions among Palestinian groups.

Mr Zaarir of Fatah said the killing of his colleague was an attack on "the stability and the efforts which are being exerted in order to reunite the Palestinian factions... in Lebanon".

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the killing as an act of terrorism, Reuters added.

"President Abbas condemns the terrorist crime that targeted Maj Gen Kamal Medhat," a statement issued by his office said.

"He dedicated his life to serve his people and his cause."

Initial reports of the attack said four people were killed along with the PLO official.

Security tight as Macedonia votes

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The current president and other candidates cast their votes

Macedonians have voted in presidential and local polls seen as critical to the country's EU and Nato membership bids, amid stringent security.

Thousands of extra police were deployed and the electoral commission said voting went well during the day.

There were no reports of the kind of violence between rival ethnic Albanian parties that marred last June's parliamentary election.

"So far, so good," was US Ambassador Philip Reeker's assessment of the day.

A dispute with Greece over its name has also threatened its EU and Nato bids.

Run-off expected

According to opinion polls, Gjorgje Ivanov, of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's governing conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, has about a 10-point lead over Ljubomir Frckoski, who is backed by the Social Democratic SDSM.

Five other candidates are also running for the largely ceremonial presidency, including former Interior Minister Ljube Boskoski, who was acquitted by the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague last year.

This is probably the last opportunity for quite some time for the country to show that it has not only the capacity, but also the political will, to organise elections in line with international standards Erwan FouereEU envoy to Macedonia

Current President Branko Crvenkovski is not running for a second term.

Neither of the frontrunners is expected to gain the absolute majority needed to avoid a run-off vote on 5 April.

Heavy snowfall prevented 134 of almost 3,000 polling stations from opening.

But Aleksandar Novakovski, head of the state electoral commission, said the affected polling stations had 12,556 voters registered - less than 1% of the total 1.8 million eligible voters.

Voting there would be repeated in two weeks' time.

Turnout at 1700 stood at 48.7% and there had been no official complaints of irregularities.

"I'm generally satisfied with the election process until now. Everything is going well," Mr Novakovski said.

Local polls were also being held simultaneously to elect mayors for 85 communities.

First preliminary results are expected during the night, with final results due to be announced in the coming day.

"So far so good"

The three weeks of campaigning passed off mostly peacefully, with a few claims of voter intimidation.

One person was killed and several injured in ethnic Albanian areas of Macedonia during parliamentary elections in June 2008 that monitors said fell short of international standards.

More than 500 international and around 7,000 local observers have been on hand to monitor Sunday's vote.

"So far so good," US Ambassador Philip Reeker said during the day, giving his first assessment on the electoral process.

The EU's envoy in Skopje, Erwan Fouere, said the vote was "the last chance not to miss the train again to EU" membership.

"This is probably the last opportunity for quite some time for the country to show that it has not only the capacity, but also the political will, to organise elections in line with international standards," he said.

Last year, Greece said it would block Macedonia from joining Nato and the EU unless it compromises over its official name.

Macedonia is also the name of a northern region of Greece.

In December 2008, Macedonia decided to take the issue of its name to the International Court of Justice in the Hague.

IPL will be staged outside India

This year's Indian Premier League will be held outside the country after organisers failed to secure government approval for the matches to go ahead.

The tournament clashes with the upcoming Indian general election, prompting fears over security.

An alternative venue is now being sought, with England a possible option.

"We have to move the event because of existing conditions," said Indian board president Shasank Manohar. "The venue will be decided soon."

Manohar said that all efforts had been made to stage the event in India but this had proved impossible and that discussions are underway with a number of other countries as potential hosts of the tournament.

"We made the best of our endeavors to stage the event in India," said Manohar. "We're in discussion with some foreign cricket boards who have shown interest."

The IPL is scheduled to be held from April 10 to May 24, with the elections for the Indian Parliament's lower house taking place across the country in five different phases between April 16 and May 13.

Two proposed itineraries were made to India's federal Home Ministry by IPL organizers but both were rejected as security forces would be preoccupied with the elections.

The security agencies in states hosting matches were subsequently approached and whilst some gave clearance for the matches, others refused to sanction fixtures until the elections were over.

'Obstacle' Hungary PM to resign

Ferenc Gyurcsany is to notify parliament of his decision on Monday

Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany says he will stand down, as his government's popularity plummets amid the global financial crisis.

The Socialist leader, in power since 2004, told his party congress that he considered himself a hindrance to further economic and social reforms.

He is to officially notify parliament of his decision on Monday.

Badly hit by the global credit crisis, Hungary received a $25.1bn (

Madagascar leader to be sworn in

The army handed power to Andry Rajoelina

Madagascar's new leader, Andry Rajoelina, who ousted elected President Marc Ravalomanana this week, is due to be formally sworn in as president.

But the ceremony at the main sports stadium in the capital, Antananarivo, is to be hit with a diplomatic boycott.

The US cut off non-humanitarian aid to Madagascar and the African Union suspended Madagascar on Friday. The EU also condemned the power grab.

Madagascar's constitutional court this week approved the handover of power.

"The ambassadors to the US, France, Germany and the European Union have told us they won't be attending," an aide to the deposed Mr Ravalomanana told Reuters new agency.

Mr Rajoelina, a 34-year-old former disc jockey, has suspended parliament and set up two transitional bodies to run the country.

The former Antananarivo mayor says he now wants to change the constitution, which at presents bars him from contesting presidential elections, as he is six years too young.

Washington called Tuesday's takeover a "coup" while the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) has threatened sanctions against Madagascar.

There is still no word on the whereabouts of Mr Ravalomanana, whose re-election to a second term in 2006 could not save him from being ousted.

At least 100 people died in Madagascar during several months of violent protests and looting, triggered by the power struggle between Mr Ravalomanana and Mr Rajoelina.

Pope condemns African corruption

The Pope said God and history were not indifferent to "decent" behaviour

Pope Benedict XVI has made an emphatic appeal to Africans to rid the continent of corruption once and for all.

The 81-year-old was speaking during a televised address in Angola during a week-long tour of African countries.

The Pope said that with integrity, magnanimity and compassion Africans could transform their continent.

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has launched a similar attack, accusing many African presidents of running anti-democratic regimes.

The Pope arrived in the Angola capital Luanda on Friday from Cameroon, on the second leg of his African tour.

He said that people in Angola knew "the time of hope has arrived" for Africa and that every "decent, hopeful human behaviour" would make a difference to God and in history.

"My beloved friends, with an upright, magnanimous heart that is also compassionate, you can transform this continent, freeing the people from the whip of greed, violence, disorder and guiding it through the path of those principles that are indispensible to any modern democracy," he said.

Pope's visit raises hopes Can Catholicism help Africa?

Those principles, he said, included respect, transparent governance, freedom of the press, health care and adequate schooling as well as the promotion of human rights.

The 81-year-old pontiff said Africans needed "a firm determination to change hearts and finally put a stop, once and for all, to corruption".

He also repeated concerns raised while he was in Cameroon that modern culture was destroying traditional African family values and he criticised the spread of sexual violence and abortion.

The Pope's speech was echoed by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has been Angola's leader for the past three decades and through a civil war which has left hundreds of thousands dead.

Mr dos Santos said Angolans were "looking for the best ways to rebuild what was destroyed in the recent past, and to build a modern society that will integrate all the people without discrimination or exclusion".

'Profound shame'

Mr Annan said the Kenyan people were watching their leaders closely

The Pope's comments came on the same day as Mr Annan, on a visit to Nigeria, launched a strong attack on some African leaders.

He said that it was a matter of profound shame that once elected, many African leaders come to believe that only they can be trusted to run their countries.

He accused such leaders of governing for the benefit of a ruling elite, rather than society as a whole and said that in too many African countries, human rights and the rule of law were disregarded.

Mr Annan is due to attend talks with Kenya's leaders in Geneva next week to assess the fragile power-sharing agreement which followed last year's post-election violence.

Mr Annan told Kenya's leaders their people had been shocked by the events of 2008 and were now demanding more from their politicians.

The BBC's Karen Allen says the meeting is intended to be about what lessons have been learned, but in reality it is likely to be tougher on the leaders.

US offers Iran a 'new beginning'

President Barack Obama has offered to "extend a hand" to Iran

US President Barack Obama has offered "a new beginning" of diplomatic engagement with Iran in an unprecedented videotaped message.

"My administration is now committed to diplomacy that addresses the full range of issues before us," Mr Obama said.

His message was released to coincide with the festival of Nowruz - when Iranians mark the arrival of spring.

Relations between Iran and the US have been strained over Tehran's controversial nuclear activities.

The US fears Iran's nuclear programme is a cover to build atomic weapons, a charge Iranian officials deny.

Warning

In his message, President Obama said he wanted "to speak directly to the people and leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran".

He said his administration was committed "to pursuing constructive ties among the United States, Iran and the international community".

"With the coming of a new season, we're reminded of this precious humanity that we all share. And we can once again call upon this spirit as we seek the promise of a new beginning," the message said.

But Mr Obama warned: "This process will not be advanced by threats. We seek instead engagement that is honest and grounded in mutual respect."

Mr Obama has talked of engagement with Iran but has not made clear how that might take place.

Shortly after coming to office in January, he said "if countries like Iran are willing to unclench their fists, they will find an extended hand from us".

However, earlier this month he extended sanctions against Iran for one year, saying it continues to pose a threat to US national security.

Venezuela calls for mayor arrest

By Will Grant BBC News, Maracaibo

Mr Rosales said the order was designed to crush dissident voices

The Venezuelan government has called for the arrest of a key opposition leader on charges of corruption.

Manuel Rosales, who is mayor of the country's second city, Maracaibo, has said the charges against him are politically motivated.

The move comes just days after President Hugo Chavez sent troops to two major ports, including Maracaibo, in states run by the opposition.

Mr Rosales ran against Mr Chavez in the last presidential election in 2005.

In the latest in a series of clashes between the national government of Mr Chavez and leaders of the opposition, the public prosecutor is seeking the arrest of one of the president's most vocal opponents.

The state prosecutor, Katiuska Plaza, said the judiciary had a deadline of 20 days in which to come to a decision on whether to issue an arrest warrant for Mr Rosales on corruption charges.

The allegations of illegal enrichment date to his time as governor of the oil-rich state of Zulia and are charges he strenuously denies.

"This is an order that President Chavez has insisted on," said Mr Morales, adding that the accusations were intended to "crush" what he called "dissident voices in the country".

The government says the local leaders have failed to administer the ports properly and that a recent change to the law allows Mr Chavez to step in if he deems it necessary.

The opposition say the move is a further effort by the socialist leader to undermine their victories in last year's local elections and consolidate his hold on power.

Czechs halt US missile treaties

Mr Topolanek said the ratification process could be revived at any time

The Czech government has withdrawn treaties committing the country to the US' missile defence shield from parliament, fearing they faced defeat.

The scheme is very controversial and the centre-right government has only a slim majority in parliament, which was due to vote on the treaties on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek insisted the withdrawal was temporary.

But doubts hang over the whole project, with US President Barack Obama refusing to commit to it.

The Czech government has invested much political capital in the project, which would rely on a radar station based on Czech soil.

The opposition is against Czech participation in the scheme.

With one MP sick, and another recovering from a car accident, the government beat a tactical retreat, says the BBC's correspondent in Prague.

"This does not mean we are giving up on the ratification process," Mr Topolanek said. "We can return this material to the lower house at any time."

The treaties have already passed the Senate, but must also pass the lower house to take effect.

'Offer to Russia'

Mr Topolanek is likely to discuss the matter with Mr Obama when he visits Prague next month.

Mr Obama has said his support for the missile shield - conceived under his predecessor George W Bush - depends on its affordability and proof that the technology works.

He has also said there would be no need for the shield if Iran was prevented from obtaining nuclear arms.

Some analysts have read this as an offer to Russia - which deeply opposes the project - to drop the shield plans if Moscow takes a harder line with Iran.

'Change needed' in Madagascar

Mr Rajoelina, centre, said history must not be allowed to repeat itself

Andry Rajoelina, the former disc jockey who has taken power in Madagascar, says there must be changes to the constitution so elections can be held.

Military leaders conferred full powers on the 34-year-old after President Marc Ravalomanana resigned, refusing his request to form a military directorate.

But under the current constitution, the opposition leader is six years too young to be elected president.

He told the BBC free and fair elections would be held within two years.

He earlier installed himself in the president's offices, which were seized on Monday by pro-opposition troops after protests against Mr Ravalomanana began in January.

The political turmoil has left more than 100 people dead.

"There must not be a power vacuum," Mr Rajoelina told the BBC's World Today programme.

"The life of the country cannot wait, so for this reason the people, the very life force of Madagascar, have named me as president of the republic to govern the transition in order to prepare for elections that will be held within the next 18 to 24 months."

The BBC's Jonah Fisher in the capital, Antananarivo, says My Rajoelina has come into office on the back of public protests, apparently resolving a long power struggle on the Indian Ocean island.

But it would be wrong to think of this as a popular revolution, our correspondent says, as ultimately it was the military that got Mr Rajoelina into power.

The African Union had urged the army not to hand power to Mr Rajoelina, saying this would amount to a coup.

'Deep reflection'

Asked why earlier elections would not be held, Mr Rajoelina said he did not want "history to repeat itself".

MADAGASCAR KEY FACTS World's fourth largest island Biodiversity hotspot Exposed to tropical cyclones Population 20 million 70% live on less than $1 a day French colony until 1960 World's No 1 vanilla producer Country profile President bows to inevitable Madagascar's young pretender

"We'll have to change the constitution," he told the BBC. "We'll have to analyse the law on political parties, the electoral code; we need time to do all this."

Asked about the future of Mr Ravalomanana, who resigned on Tuesday, Mr Rajoelina said that was up to the judiciary.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed grave concern at the unrest in Madagascar, appealing to all parties to ensure a "smooth transition".

The African Union and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) had condemned in advance any direct seizure of power by Mr Rajoelina.

Mr Ravalomanana announced on Tuesday he was resigning and handing over to the military during a radio address.

But Vice Adm Hyppolite Ramaroson said the army was giving full powers to Mr Rajoelina "to become president of the high transitional authority".

The president's decision to cede power marks a dramatic victory for Mr Rajoelina, who was sacked as mayor of the capital in February.

On Monday, Mr Rajoelina rejected Mr Ravalomanana's offer of a referendum to solve the crisis and called for his arrest.

Later that day, troops stormed the presidential residence in the centre of the capital and seized the central bank.

Mr Ravalomanana was re-elected for a second term in office in 2006 and under him, Madagascar's economy has opened up to foreign investment, particularly in mining.

But 70% of the 20 million population still lives on less than $1 (

Madagascar president steps down

Former DJ Andry Rajoelina has promised elections within two years

Madagascar's President Marc Ravalomanana has said he is standing down and handing power to the military.

But speaking in a radio broadcast, Mr Ravalomanana said an unnamed general had turned down an offer to take over.

The news came after opposition leader Andry Rajoelina installed himself in the president's offices, seized on Monday by pro-opposition troops.

Mr Ravalomanana has reportedly left the Iavoloha palace on the fringes of the capital for an undisclosed location.

The crisis on the Indian Ocean island has left 100 people dead since January.

The BBC's Jonah Fisher in the capital Antananarivo says it seems clear that Mr Ravalomanana is stepping down, though there is some confusion over how it will be done.

In his radio address the president advised people to carry on listening to broadcasts.

Earlier, a spokesman for Mr Ravalomanana told Reuters news agency power had been handed to the most senior figure in the military, navy admiral Hyppolite Ramaroson.

As the military backs Mr Rajoelina, in this case power would effectively be handed over to the opposition leader, our correspondent says.

The move marks a dramatic victory for Mr Rajoelina, who was sacked as mayor of the capital in February.

The 34-year-old former disc jockey took up office at the presidential residence in central Antananarivo on Tuesday before emerging triumphantly to parade among thousands of supporters.

He has announced there will be a new constitution and elections within 24 months.

Our correspondent says the mood on the streets is one of relief as there had been fears of a bloody last stand if Mr Ravalomanana had continued to cling to power.

Earlier, a number of government ministers quit, as power ebbed away from the president.

MADAGASCAR KEY FACTS World's fourth largest island Biodiversity hotspot Exposed to tropical cyclones Population 20 million 70% live on less than $1 a day French colony until 1960 Country profile In pictures: Storming a palace Malagasy views on standoff

Mr Ravalomanana had said he was ready to fight to the death at the Iavoloha palace, about 15km (nine miles) from the city centre.

On Monday, Mr Rajoelina, who has declared himself president, rejected Mr Ravalomanana's offer of a referendum to solve the crisis and called for his arrest.

Later that day, troops stormed the presidential residence in the centre of the capital and also seized the central bank.

The African Union on Monday condemned the events in Madagascar "attempted coup d'etat".

Mr Ravalomanana was re-elected for a second term in office in 2006 and under him, Madagascar's economy has opened up to foreign investment, particularly in mining.

But 70% of the 20 million population still lives on less than $2 (

Win for UK story-telling website

By Darren Waters Technology editor, BBC News, Texas

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Representatives of five of the world's hottest young web companies deliver their pitch in the time it takes to ride 26 floors in an elevator.

A small British company has been named Best in Show at the South by Southwest Web Awards, in Austin, Texas.

Six to Start won the top prize for We Tell Stories, an interactive approach to retelling literary classics and redefining modern online story-telling.

The website held off competition from the likes of Hulu - the popular on-demand online TV site - Flickr and geo-location company BrightKite.

Dan Hon, co-founder of Six to Start, said: "It's been unbelievable."

He told BBC news: "We were quite pleased and happy [just] to win the experimental category."

Founded by Mr Hon and his brother Adrian in September 2007, the site was inspired by the "emerging field of alternate reality games (ARG) or cross-platform entertainment; this intersection where you have creativity and technology".

ARGs allowed stories to develop dynamically at almost any point, said Mr Hon.

SXSW WEB AWARDS WINNERS Activism: Tweet Congress Amusement: Addictionary Art: Things I Have Learned in my Life, So Far Blog: The Bygone Bureau Business: Jasmax CSS: ProjectMiso Classic: Flickr Community: Lost Zombies Educational Resource - The Cycle Experimental: We Tell Stories Film / TV: Hulu Games: Why So Serious? The Dark Knight Alternate Reality Game Mobile: Gigotron Motion Graphics: NVIDIA Speak Visual Music - James Zabiela Personal Portfolio: Ali Felski Student: Modernity Spirit of Experimentation Technical Achievement: Aviary People's Choice Award: Lost Zombies Best of Show Award: We Tell Stories

"The technology is there to let people dip in and out of stories when they want. And when they run live, they are a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with people."

After working on the ARG Perplex City for Mind Candy, the two brothers set up in business for themselves.

"Our heart lay in creating fantastic experiences that really pushed technology.

"We are seeing a generation of people who have grown up with video games and at same time we are seeing incredible acceleration in technology where the internet is everywhere now," said Mr Hon.

He said the company's ambition was to "to take devices like mobile phones and transport people into a fantastical, magical world that is playful, has great game design and story-telling".

He added: "The one thing which really drives us is trying to make then as accessible as possible."

For Six To Start that means games that do away with controllers or keyboards, and instead allow gamers to interact with characters by just picking up the phone.

"If you could just step into he the world of Harry Potter or Star Wars whenever you wanted, it is a great way to entertain people."

We Tell Stories came about after Penguin's digital publisher heard Mr Hon speak at a conference.

Keen to experiment, Penguin commissioned a series of classic novels to be remixed and retold in the digital age, and with new works redefined for the web generation.

There are six different interactive stories on offer

"The big thing for us was telling stories that cannot be done on any other platform," he said.

But this did not mean creating stories for the Kindle crowd.

"E-books are boring - they are just taking a manuscript and turning it into a PDF. It is taking no advantage of the possibilities afforded by the internet and other platforms.

"That's what led to wanting to tell stories on tools like Google Maps."

We Tell Stories worked with six authors on new forms of story-telling.

"They were fantastic and didn't run away from this. They want to do it again. We need that creative talent, great story telling and want them to be excited about the potential of this new medium."

Some of the stories use tools like Twitter and weblogs, telling a more conventional multi-platform tale from different viewpoints.

The husband and wife writers Nicci French wrote live for an hour each day for five days, with readers able to see the story unfold one sentence at a time.

Mr Hon said: "It was terrifying for them. Writing can be a solitary experience and suddenly they were being turned into performance artists."

Philippine clashes near hostages

The Red Cross is concerned for the safety of three ICRC hostages

At least six people have been killed in the Philippines, in an intense bout of fighting between the army and Islamic militants.

The troops were engaging the Abu Sayyaf group for the second consecutive day on the southern island of Jolo.

They are trying to rescue three Red Cross hostages - two of them foreigners - who are being held by the militants.

There is no information on the safety of the hostages, who have now been held for two months.

Government forces have been trying to box in the militants, to force their surrender, while the hostages have called for talks for their release.

Held hostage

The fighting erupted on Monday, when members of the Abu Sayyaf gang tried to break out of a military encirclement, the military said.

Gang leader Albader Parad may have been wounded or killed in the fighting, the military said.

The three workers from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have been held since 16 January in a hilly jungle area near southern Jolo island's Indanan township.

The ICRC said they had last been in touch last Wednesday and that the hostages - Swiss national Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba - were "calm and composed".

They have been enduring constant rain, some illness, and enforced movement as the gunmen holding them sought to avoid military operations.

The Abu Sayyaf has demanded the withdrawal of the military in exchange for freeing the captives.

Military spokesman Brigadier-General Gaudencio Pangilinan told reporters there was no word on the hostages.

"But now we know that they are intact in one group, the Abu Sayyaf and the hostages," he said.

The Red Cross continues to distribute aid to civilians displaced by fighting

"We learned later that they [the hostages] were nearby" during the clash. "Now they have moved locations, they are being pursued.

"They have moved I think around two or three kilometres from the original encounter site."

AFP news agency reported that troops had found tents and other equipment belonging to the three Red Cross workers.

ICRC concerns

In a statement, the ICRC said it was concerned that the firefight may have placed the hostages' lives in danger.

Alain Aeschlimann, the ICRC's head of operations in Asia, said that he last spoke with the hostages by phone on 11 March.

"The ICRC is aware that an exchange of gunfire took place in the region," Mr Aeschlimann said. "We're very concerned to hear about this development."