Nigerian President Under Pressure At Summit

Police 'Ill-Equipped' To Fight Boko Haram

Updated: 10:18am UK, Saturday 17 May 2014

Police in Chibok have said they are not equipped to deal with another Islamist attack like the one which resulted in the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls.

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, who is in Chibok, said that despite an increased security presence, police felt under-equipped to serve as any sort of meaningful deterrent against further attacks.

One officer told her he felt unable to enter into a combat situation with the militants, many of whom are armed with heavy machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades. 

It has been over a month since more than 200 girls were seized by the militants.

Residents in Chibok, in Nigeria's northern Borno state, say they are in constant fear of further attacks, with abductions and killings taking place in the region on a regular basis.

Nigerian authorities are accused of being powerless in the face of the Islamist threat and too slow to respond to the schoolgirls' abduction. 

Speaking to Sky News, Nigerian presidential aid Dr Doyin Okupe denied the security forces were under equipped saying: "It is not correct at all."

He said there had been significant improvements in the kit provided to the police and army over the last three years and added that "slowly but surely we are equipping" them.

Frustration with the government rose further on Friday when President Goodluck Jonathan was said to have cancelled a visit to the region.

It was reported that his security team had advised him against a visit to Chibok on the basis that it was too dangerous. 

However, on Saturday morning, Dr Okupe denied that Mr Jonathan had cancelled the visit and said it was a "misconception". The president would be visiting Chibok, he said.

Crawford said the families of the missing girls were "very upset and very angry" at the president's apparent last-minute decision to pull out. 

She said: "As one father of an abducted girl told me: 'If it's not safe enough for the president of Nigeria to come to Chibok, how on earth does he feel about us residents of Chibok living here?'."

And added the community was still upset that the president had not yet visited, after the April 14 kidnapping.

The president instead flew directly from the capital Abuja to Paris, where he is due to take part in a summit with the leaders of Nigeria's neighbouring states later today.

Representatives from Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin will all take part in the half-day meeting aimed at forging a joint strategy to overcome the militants. 

Ahead of the summit, one French diplomat said: "Boko Haram represents a risk to the stability of every state in the region, and the leaders of these countries have to be aware of that."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague and US Secretary of State John Kerry are also scheduled to attend the meeting hosted by French President Francois Hollande.

Britain, the US and France are all taking part in the search for the missing schoolgirls.

Nothing was seen of the girls until last week when Boko Haram released a video appearing to show a group of about 100 of them who the group said had converted to Islam.

Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau said the girls would not be released until detained militants of the group were freed from prison.

The Nigerian government has reportedly ruled out negotiations on a prisoner swap.

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Nigeria: Police Not Equipped To Fight Boko Haram

Police in Chibok have said they are not equipped to deal with another Islamist attack like the one which resulted in the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls.

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford, who is in Chibok, said that despite an increased security presence, police felt under-equipped to serve as any sort of meaningful deterrent against further attacks.

One officer told her he felt unable to enter into a combat situation with the militants, many of whom are armed with heavy machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades. 

It has been over a month since more than 200 girls were seized by the militants.

Residents in Chibok, in Nigeria's northern Borno state, say they are in constant fear of further attacks, with abductions and killings taking place in the region on a regular basis.

The girls appeared in a video released by Boko Haram last week

Nigerian authorities are accused of being powerless in the face of the Islamist threat and too slow to respond to the schoolgirls' abduction. 

Speaking to Sky News, Nigerian presidential aid Dr Doyin Okupe denied the security forces were under equipped saying: "It is not correct at all."

He said there had been significant improvements in the kit provided to the police and army over the last three years and added that "slowly but surely we are equipping" them.

Frustration with the government rose further on Friday when President Goodluck Jonathan was said to have cancelled a visit to the region.

Parents have criticised the government's handling of the abduction

It was reported that his security team had advised him against a visit to Chibok on the basis that it was too dangerous. 

However, on Saturday morning, Dr Okupe denied that Mr Jonathan had cancelled the visit and said it was a "misconception". The president would be visiting Chibok, he said.

Crawford said the families of the missing girls were "very upset and very angry" at the president's apparent last-minute decision to pull out. 

She said: "As one father of an abducted girl told me: 'If it's not safe enough for the president of Nigeria to come to Chibok, how on earth does he feel about us residents of Chibok living here?'."

The Nigerian president is seeking a regional strategy to tackle Boko Haram

And added the community was still upset that the president had not yet visited, after the April 14 kidnapping.

The president instead flew directly from the capital Abuja to Paris, where he is due to take part in a summit with the leaders of Nigeria's neighbouring states later today.

Representatives from Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin will all take part in the half-day meeting aimed at forging a joint strategy to overcome the militants. 

Ahead of the summit, one French diplomat said: "Boko Haram represents a risk to the stability of every state in the region, and the leaders of these countries have to be aware of that."

British Foreign Secretary William Hague and US Secretary of State John Kerry are also scheduled to attend the meeting hosted by French President Francois Hollande.

Britain, the US and France are all taking part in the search for the missing schoolgirls.

Nothing was seen of the girls until last week when Boko Haram released a video appearing to show a group of about 100 of them who the group said had converted to Islam.

Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau said the girls would not be released until detained militants of the group were freed from prison.

The Nigerian government has reportedly ruled out negotiations on a prisoner swap.

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Party Time In India But Modi Must Reach Out

By Neville Lazarus, India Producer, in Delhi

It's a resounding victory and they are celebrating.

Supporters of the Bharitiya Janata Party have been partying since morning when counting began.

Young and old, first-time voters and veterans, they all converged on the BJP headquarters in Delhi.

Rishi, 24, who is studying to be a chartered accountant, believes Narendra Modi is the only one who can get India back on track.

No one but him can bring about that change, he says.

The right-wing BJP won more than 50% of the vote - a feat not seen for 30 years.

It will now form a new government with Mr Modi as prime minister.

BJP supporters celebrate outside the party's building in Ahmedabad

With victory in sight earlier in the day, Mr Modi met his mother and accepted her blessings.

A self-proclaimed recluse and introvert, he is rarely seen with family.

Right from the start, Mr Modi set the campaign agenda.

He covered a distance of nearly 200,000 miles across the country, addressing 477 rallies and attending over 5,000 events.

He has been the first politician to use a 3D hologram of himself, reaching 14 million people at 1,350 locations.

His Twitter account boasts 3.9 million followers, while his YouTube videos have been played 13 million times.

Ashok Kumar, who came to celebrate the victory, told Sky News: "Modi has delivered the second independence - the first being when India gained freedom from the British in 1947.

Indian women celebrate Mr Modi's election victory

"He has brought the second one after a terrible 10-year rule of the Congress party."

Sonia Gandhi, the head of the Congress party, and her 43-year-old son - vice president Rahul Gandhi, who led the election campaign - have taken moral responsibility for the defeat, telling reporters the mandate was clearly not theirs.

Chants of "Modi! Modi!" resound everywhere in Delhi.

Even senior leaders L.K. Advani and Rajnath Singh spoke of the Modi 'effect'.

His party seems to have been relegated to the background.

However, Mr Modi is seen by many as a polarising figure in the Indian political landscape.

He was at the helm of affairs during the Gujarat riots in 2002.

Mr Modi has pledged to work for the good of all Indians

Over 1,000 people died, many of them Muslims, and 100,000 were left homeless.

No courts have indicted him and investigations have left him in the clear but his role in the riots is still furiously debated.

Britain refused to deal with Mr Modi for a decade and only in October 2012 was the diplomatic boycott finally lifted.

Throughout his campaign, Mr Modi stayed away from religious rhetoric, concentrating instead on development and good governance, of which he has a proven record in Gujarat.

But India is a secular country with many minority and linguistic communities.

Mr Modi will have to reach out to all to be accepted as a national leader.

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India's Modi Poll Triumph Ushers In New Era

Thousands of jubilant supporters have lined the streets of Delhi to greet India's incoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his historic election win.

A victory parade has been held after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was swept to power in a landslide victory which will give the country its first majority government in 30 years.

Supporters danced, set off fireworks and handed out sweets in celebration as Mr Modi was showered with rose petals and crowds chanted his name.

Some 551 million people took part in the national election - more than the population of the US, the UK, Germany and Canada combined.

The outgoing prime minister, Manmohan Singh, has tendered his resignation

The resounding result saw the ousting of the Congress Party, led by the Ghandi family, which has long dominated Indian politics.

Outgoing prime minister Manmohan Singh tendered his resignation after 10 years in power.

Mr Modi, a Hindu Nationalist, is due to meet senior members of his party to discuss forming a new government.

He has pledged to take India forward "to fulfil the dreams of India's 1.2 billion people".

Speaking after his victory, which he proclaimed on Twitter, Mr Modi said: "There are no enemies in democracy, there is only opposition. I will take your love and convert it into progress before I return."

Mr Modi oversaw a modern campaign which utilised everything from holograms to WhatsApp.

He has been the top official in Gujarat state for a decade.

The 63-year-old is the son of a tea seller and played on his humble roots during the election campaign, with references to his mother riding a rickshaw to cast her ballot.

The 2014 elections pitted him against the 43-year-old Rahul Gandhi of the Congress Party.

Mr Ghandi's great grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of India. His grandmother Indira Gandhi and then his father Rajiv Gandhi also went on to lead the country.

Rahul's Italian-born mother Sonia Gandhi has been president of the Congress Party for the last 16 years.

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Turkey's PM Accused Of Punching Protester

Turkey's Prime Minister has been accused of punching a demonstrator, as fresh images sparked new claims of violence against protesters angry over the government's handling of the Soma mine disaster.

Amateur video shot during Mr Erdogan's visit to the site of the mining disaster appears to show two of his bodyguards punching an anti-government protester.

The footage was taken after the prime minister was forced to take refuge in a grocery store as he was jeered while walking through a hostile crowd in the mining town on Wednesday. His car was then mobbed by protesters calling for his resignation.

And Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy Lutfu Turkkan claimed he had spoken to a man who Mr Erdogan allegedly punched, saying his name was Taner Kuruca.

Mr Turkkan wrote on his Twitter page: "I spoke to Kuruca. The man said he was shopping at the store when Erdogan attacked him, thinking that he was a protester.

Mr Erdogan's bodyguards appear to be punching one protester

"He said that he was also beaten by Erdogan's bodyguards. Kuruca told me the only thing that he clearly remembers was that Erdogan assaulted him."

Other reports said eyewitnesses had suggested a man chanting slogans critical of Mr Erdogan was pursued into the store by the PM, who grabbed the man and punched him two or three times.

The allegations come as the Turkish government said the death toll was unlikely to exceed 302, although critics have previously cast doubt on official accounts following the disaster.

A protester is kicked by an adviser to Turkey's PM during trouble in Soma

Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said a maximum of 18 people were still inside the mine.

A total of 284 people are known to have died, with more bodies expected to be pulled from the mine in the coming hours.

The operator of the mine said there was no negligence on the part of the company and that it still did not know the exact cause of the accident.

Akin Celik, the plant manager of the mine, run by Soma Holding, said: "We still do not know how the accident happened. There is no negligence of ours in this incident. We all worked heart and soul."

Victims of the disaster are being buried in mass graves close to the mine

Separate images had previously emerged showing Yusuf Yerkel, an adviser to the prime minister, kicking a demonstrator as he is held on the ground by police officers during the visit.

Mr Yerkel released a statement on the attack which read: "I am sad I was not able to maintain my composure despite all the provocations, the insults and attacks to which I was exposed."

The images have fuelled public anger over the government's handling of the disaster, with many accusing political leaders of not demonstrating enough compassion. 

The government is also accused of failing to address safety concerns within Turkey's mining industry. Just two weeks ago the ruling AK party rejected an opposition attempt to launch an inquiry into the safety standards at mines in Soma.

Protesters have accused Mr Erdogan of ignoring safety concerns

The PM has rejected the allegations, saying such accidents are not uncommon and happen in other countries. He highlighted cases in 19th century Britain.

"These types of things in mines happen all the time," he said.

"It's in its nature. It's not possible for there to be no accidents in mines. Of course we were deeply pained by the extent here."

Thousands of protesters clashed with riot police in several Turkish cities for a second day on Thursday. 

Police fired water cannon at tens of thousands of demonstrators in the capital Ankara and in the western city of Izmir. 

Turkey's four biggest unions also held a one-day strike, alleging that workers' lives were put at risk by cost cuts. 

In a joint statement, they said: "Hundreds of our workers have been left to die from the very beginning by being forced to work in cruel production processes to achieve maximum profits."

Relatives in Soma, meanwhile, began to bury those killed in the disaster as emergency workers battled toxic fumes in their frantic search for those still missing.

The last survivor was pulled from the mine on Wednesday. 

Those still trapped are thought to be some 1.2 miles (2km) below the surface and 2.5 miles (4km) from the mine entrance.

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Grief And Anger As Turkey Buries Dead Miners

By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent

We watched a logjam of grief, as they filled a field with the bodies of those killed in the Turkish mine disaster.

Rows of graves were dug in what has now been called the Martyr's Cemetery, each hole separated by just a foot of earth.

The families say the men died shoulder-to-shoulder in the complex and should be laid to rest in the same way.

Ninety miners are due to be buried here, but many suspect that is a conservative estimate.

The suspicion of those we talked to is that the government and the mine company are lying about the death toll, because they are to blame for the tragedy.

A coffin draped in the Turkish flag is carried toward a grave in Soma

Abdullah Erdal, 21, has lost four friends in the mine.

He told us: "We are angry, with both the private mining companies and the government, because they did not have proper control.

"We are young, but we have been told that when mines belonged to the state they were better managed. 

"Workers had more rights. But with the private sector, salaries are low and security is lax."

Hulya Bilgen taught many of the victims, and her anger is barely concealed.

Mourners weep beside one of 90 graves dug at the "Martyr's Cemetery"

"I am sad, so sad. Young bodies are now in the ground for a few pieces of coal. Our future has been destroyed. It is a massacre. It is mass murder," she said.

But for the most part the scene at the cemetery was just of raw grief.

Hoarse from her lament, the mother of Ugur Colak, 26, slumped at his grave.

She cried: "I am burning! I am burning! Why has this happened to us?"

Her two-year-old grandson cannot possibly understand the manner of his father's death, but watching his family convulsed by grief, he too breaks down.

That proves too much for the many others gathered around the grave, including this reporter, who follow suit.

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New Indian Prime Minister Modi Hails Victory

Opposition candidate Narendra Modi declared the "good days are coming" after sweeping to power in historic elections in India.

Though the final results have yet to be confirmed, Mr Modi took to Twitter to declare victory for his Hindu Bharitya Janata Party (BJP).

He tweeted: "India has won. Good days are coming."

India's Election Commission says that for the first time in 30 years a party appears to have enough seats to form a majority government in what is the world's second most populous country.

The BJP currently leads in 339 seats - meaning they won't need to form a coalition in the lower house of parliament.

The result ends 10 years of Congress Party rule and follows what the BJP describe as a "people's revolution".

Narendra Modi declares victory on Twitter

"This is the beginning of change, a people's revolution and the start of a new era," senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar told AFP.

Outgoing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called Mr Modi to congratulate him - while David Cameron has also spoken to his new counterpart.

And the Prime Minister tweeted: "Congratulations @narendramodi on victory in India's elections. Keen to work together to get the most from UK-India relationship."

Sky's Neville Lazarus is outside the BJP headquarters in New Delhi and described the celebrations as "euphoric".

"They were expecting the number of seats to be high, but not this high," he said. "It's a vindication of Narendra Modi and his campaign.

Narendra Modi is blessed by mother, Hira Ba, on the day of his victory

"There is a mood of change in this country because the Congress Party has been reeling from the economic slowdown and corruption charges."

Mr Modi oversaw a modern campaign which utilised everything from holograms to WhatsApp.

The stock market responded to his win by leaping 6%, sending the rupee to an 11-month high.

Mr Modi has been the top official in Gujarat state for a decade.

Celebrations outside a counting centre in Siliguri

The 63-year-old is the son of a tea seller and has played on his humble roots during the election campaign, with references to his mother riding a rickshaw to cast her ballot.

His victory comes despite controversy over links to the paramilitary Hindu nationalist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) - which some describe as neo-fascist.

As chief minister of Gujarat, Mr Modi was criticised for failing to apologise for religious riots in 2002 in which at least 1,000 people died - mostly Muslims.

He has denied any role in the violence and the Supreme Court declared he had no case to answer.

However, suspicions prompted the US to deny him a visa in 2005, while Britain maintained a diplomatic boycott on Mr Modi until 2012.

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Nigeria Leader Cancels Visit To Girls' Village

What Plans Does Boko Haram Have For Nigeria?

Updated: 5:35pm UK, Monday 05 May 2014

By Lisa Holland, Foreign Affairs Correspondent

The abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria has well and truly put Boko Haram on the terror map.

They are a group of militants already well-established in their aims and their successes - but the scale of this attack is unprecedented.

Their name in their local language means "Western education is sinful".

You can see how embarrassed and alarmed the Nigerian government is by its attempts to underplay the gravity of what has happened.

Initially, the government said most of the abducted girls had been safely rescued - now it has emerged from figures collated by parents and teachers that over 200 girls remain unaccounted for.

The girls, aged from 16 to 18, were abducted from their boarding school where they were taking exams and are thought to have been taken to remote forest camps run by Boko Haram in the north east of Nigeria - a region already under a state of emergency because of a breakdown in security.

The students had been recalled for exams after being sent home for four weeks when the school shut down because of the state of emergency.

The whole episode has exposed the impotency of the Nigerian military in dealing with Boko Haram and its failure to protect its own citizens.

Borno is one of three states in the north east under a state of emergency - a geographical area which accounts for a sixth of Nigeria. That alone tells you what the government is up against.

The military has had to halt aerial bombardments against the militants in their forest camps - for the safety of the girls.  

The abduction plot has proved to be a clever one for Boko Haram both in self-protection and self-promotion.

Over the past year the Boko Haram has increasingly targeted civilians, with an estimated 1,500 people killed in attacks blamed on the group. That compares with 3,600 between 2010 and 2012.

Boko Haram wants a pure Islamic state in the north of the country, ruled by sharia law.

Its five-year struggle is now seen as the main security threat in Nigeria - Africa's leading energy producer.

The government had claimed the extremists were cornered in the north-east of the country - but that claim was shattered by an explosion at a bus station in the capital Abuja on the same day as the abduction, which killed at least 75 people and wounded 141.

In March 2012, some 12 public schools were burned down in a single night, with as many as 10,000 pupils forced out of education.

The group now appears to have broadened its horizons, though it is a group bent not necessarily on attacking western interests but on enhancing its own.

The bold abduction indicates the group is growing in confidence and in its ability  to carry out spectacular al Qaeda-style attacks.

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Bangladesh: Hundreds Missing As Ferry Capsizes

At least nine bodies have been recovered after a ferry carrying hundreds of people capsized in Bangladesh.

The vessel was travelling on the river Meghna near the capital Dhaka in stormy conditions when the accident occurred at 3.30pm local time (10.30am UK time).

It is feared the death toll will rise.

The M.V. Miraj-4 ferry was travelling to the southern district of Shariatpur, and it is unclear at this stage exactly how many people were on board.

District government administrator Saiful Hassan told the AFP news agency the number could range from 200 to 350.

Some survivors managed to swim ashore despite the strong currents and high waves caused by the stormy conditions.

"There was a sudden storm and we requested the boat-swain to anchor at the river side but he ignored us...and all on a sudden the ferry capsized within a few seconds," said Abdur Rahmann, who managed to swim to safety.

A rescue vessel sent to the scene in Munshiganj district, approximately 30 miles (50km) south of Dhaka, arrived three hours later.

Firefighters and the coast guard are also involved in the search for survivors.

Police officer Oliur Rahman, who is at the scene, said the dead include women and children.

Ferry accidents are common in Bangladesh, a delta nation of 153 million people.

The death toll often runs into the hundreds due to overcrowding.

More follows...

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South Korea Ferry Captain Charged Over Deaths

The captain of the South Korean ferry that capsized killing more than 280 passengers has been charged with manslaughter.

Two officers and a chief engineer have been charged with the same offence. If convicted all four could face the death penalty.

"The captain, a first officer and second officer and the chief engineer escaped before the passengers, leading to grave casualties," prosecutor Ahn Sang-don, who is leading the investigation, said.

They are accused of leaving the ship as it was sinking while telling passengers, mostly high school students, to stay where they were.

Ferry captain Lee Joon-seok

Prosecutors have also charged 11 other surviving crew members of the Sewol with negligence and abandoning passengers in need.

The charges were filed at Gwangju District Court where an official said a trial date will be decided in a few days. All 15 defendants are expected to be tried together.

Mr Ahn said the Sewol's stability had been compromised after it had been altered to increase capacity and it had been overloaded before it set sail on April 16.

It also had insufficient water in the ballast tanks used to keep it steady.  

Relatives of the victims pay tribute at a memorial wall

Strong currents where the disaster happened made the vessel less responsive and prompted the crew to make a turn of 15 degrees, sharper than advisable, causing the ferry to list rapidly and then sink, Mr Ahn said.

He added: "The captain should have been in command of the navigation, but left that to a third officer, and that is gross negligence."

Captain Lee Joon-seok told passengers to stay in their cabins and it was about half an hour before an evacuation order was issued. It is not clear whether that order was ever conveyed to passengers.

After his arrest, Lee told reporters he withheld the evacuation order because rescuers had yet to arrive and he feared for the safety of passengers in the water.

Lee Joon-seok escaping the ferry with many of the passengers still onboard

A coastguard spokesman said a further five bodies were recovered on Wednesday, bringing the total to 284. Twenty people are still missing.

Only 172 people including 22 of the ship's 29 crew members survived, with the rest presumed to have drowned.

Most of the victims were students and teachers from a school near Seoul on a day trip to the southern tourist island of Jeju.

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Anti-China Protests Leave 21 Dead In Vietnam

By Mark Stone, Asia Correspondent in Beijing

Twenty-one people have been killed in Vietnam as anti-Chinese protests spread to various parts of the country.

According to doctors at a hospital in the central province of Ha Tinh, five Vietnamese factory workers and 16 people described as Chinese died in rioting at a steel plant.

"There were about a hundred people sent to the hospital last night. Many were Chinese. More are being sent to the hospital this morning," the doctor at Ha Tinh General Hospital told Reuters.

The violence follows a day of clashes on Wednesday in which factories displaying Chinese writing were looted and set alight.

The Vietnamese government has appeared to back some of the protests

Most of the violence was directed at Taiwanese nationals mistakenly identified as Chinese.

The protests, directed at anything with a perceived link to China, are the consequence of a decision by Beijing to place a mobile oil drilling rig in waters off Vietnam claimed by both countries.

At the weekend, anti-Chinese rallies in the capital Hanoi appeared to have the backing of the Vietnamese government, keen to rally public support against China.

However, the violence seems to have gone beyond the control of the government and 600 people are said to have been arrested.

Factories displaying Chinese writing have been set alight

Hundreds of Chinese have reportedly fled over the border from Vietnam to Cambodia to escape the violence, according to local police.

In Beijing, the Chinese government expressed significant anger at the violence, in language which signals a dramatic breakdown in China's relations with Vietnam.

"(There is) a direct link with the Vietnamese side's indulgence and connivance in recent days with some domestic anti-China forces and lawbreakers", foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

The United States, an ally of Vietnam, has called for restraint on both sides, but US Secretary of State John Kerry has signalled his position on the matter, calling China's moves in the South China Sea "provocative" and "aggressive".

Six hundred people are said to have been arrested so far

The giant mobile oil rig, CNOOC 981, was moved into position about 100 nautical miles off the Vietnamese east coast and a similar distance south of the Chinese island of Hainan.

The rig is close to the Paracel Islands claimed by both Vietnam and China but controlled by China. The two countries fought a war over them in 1974.

The dispute is one of many in the South and East China seas where China, Japan, South Korea, The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have competing claims to vast stretches of water and uninhabited islands.

The tensions are high throughout the region partly because China's growing economic and military clout is giving Beijing the confidence and ability to reassert historic claims.

Tensions are high because of disputes over uninhabited islands

In a related development, the Philippines has accused China of reclaiming land on a reef which forms part of the Spratly Islands in order to build an airstrip.

There have been various examples in recent years of countries in the region 'militarising' uninhabited islands with deep harbours and airstrips.

Satellite images of some of the islands in the disputed waters, seen by Sky News, show that all the countries have invested significant time, effort and funds in building up their defensive measures.

In China's case, deep harbours and airstrips on islands they claim allow its military to operate many hundreds of miles from the Chinese mainland.

Given vital shipping lanes pass through the region and it contains huge reserves of oil and natural gas, the international implications are high.

Regional peace and economic stability are at stake.

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Natalee Holloway Suspect To Become A Father

The main suspect in the disappearance of an American teenager, who is serving a 28-year sentence for the murder of another woman, is to become a father.

Joran van der Sloot will wed his Peruvian fiance, who is five months' pregnant with a boy his lawyer Maximo Altez told the Associated Press news agency.

The 26-year-old Dutchman and 22-year-old Leydi Figueroa Uceda met while she was selling goods inside Lima's Piedras Gordas prison.

He is there for killing 21-year-old student Stephany Flores, who he bludgeoned to death after meeting her in a casino.

He also remains the chief suspect in the disappearance of teenager Natalee Holloway.

The 18-year-old vanished during a high school graduation trip to the Dutch Caribbean island of Aruba in 2005.

She was last seen leaving a bar with Van der Sloot, a Dutch national, who lived there at the time.

When Van der Sloot has completed his sentence, he will be extradited to the US to answer allegations he extorted and defrauded Ms Holloway's mother.

Prosecutors allege Van der Sloot accepted $25,000 (£15,000) in cash from the family in exchange for a promise to lead a lawyer to her body in early 2010, just before he went to Peru.

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British GSK Executive Accused Of China Bribery

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent, In Beijing

The British former head of GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) China unit has been accused of bribery.

Chinese investigators claim Mark Reilly ordered his salespeople to bribe doctors and hospital officials to use the drug company's products.

A statement released by police in the central city of Changsha said that resulted in "illegal revenue" of more than £100m.

Mr Reilly and two Chinese executives have also been accused of bribing government officials in Beijing and Shanghai.

A Ministry of Public Security official told a news conference in Beijing that GSK departments "offered bribes to hospitals and doctors as well as personnel to boost their sales".

GSK responded to the developments with a short statement: "We take the allegations that have been raised very seriously.

"They are deeply concerning to us and contrary to the values of GSK.

"We want to reach a resolution that will enable the company to continue to make an important contribution to the health and welfare of China and its citizens."

Mr Reilly, who left China in July last year only to return in September to assist the investigation, has since been prevented from leaving the country.

A spokesman from the Chinese Public Security Bureau told Sky News that he remained in China but would not be drawn on whether Mr Reilly would now be arrested.

The British Embassy in Beijing, which has been across the allegations against GSK since they first emerged, referred all questions to GSK.

"We are aware of recent developments in the case but cannot comment whilst it is still ongoing.  We are in close contact with GSK". an embassy spokesman said.

China is a key growth market for large drug-makers, which are counting on the country's swelling middle class to offset declining sales in Western countries.

Before the scandal, GSK's China sales had risen 14% year-on-year in the three months to end-June, but revenue in the country plunged 61% in the third quarter and 29% in the final quarter of 2013.

The crackdown reflects a growing determination by Chinese authorities to stamp out corporate bribery and corruption, which can drive up prices for consumers.

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Turkey: Oxygen Pumped To Trapped Miners

Rescuers are pumping oxygen into a coal mine in western Turkey as they battle to save hundreds of miners trapped underground following a blast which left at least 238 dead.

Hundreds of frantic relatives crowded around the surface of the mine, in Soma, some 155 miles (250km) south of Istanbul, anxiously waiting for news following what looks set to become Turkey's deadliest mining disaster. 

Relatives wailed as more bodies were pulled from the mine. One woman was pulled away as she desperately tried to get into the ambulance with her loved one.

The head of Turkey's mining union has said he believes there are between 100 and 150 workers still trapped inside, although other reports suggest that figure could be much higher.

Many of the miners were coughing and covered in dust as they were rescued

Those still underground are thought to be some 1.2 miles (2km) below the surface and 2.5 miles (4km) from the mine entrance.

But despite efforts to help any survivors who may be struggling to breathe, the country's energy minister Taner Yildiz said "hopes are diminishing" among rescuers. 

A fire was said to have been burning inside the mine long into the day and high levels of carbon monoxide have forced rescue teams to halt the operation on a number of occasions.

The father of one of the dozens of rescued miners embraces his son

The poisonous gas was thought to have been responsible for the majority of fatalities.

TV pictures earlier showed survivors coughing and spluttering as they were pulled out alive, their faces coated with black dust.

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has arrived at the scene to express his condolences to those who have lost loved ones.

But for many, fear has now turned into anger as reports suggest poor safety standards could have contributed to the disaster.

Soma is well known for its mining industry

The blast was said to have been triggered by an electrical fault, which then caused the fire.

Protests have broken out in Istanbul and Turkey's capital Ankara, where police have fired tear gas and water cannon at an estimated 800 people shouting anti-government slogans.

Journalist Dorian Jones told Sky News previous accidents have been reported at the mine and the safety record of operator Soma Komur Isletmeleri has been called into question.

Mr Jones said one miner had told him he felt like a "lamb to the slaughter" every time he went to work.

Worried relatives rush to the mine complex in the town of Soma

The disaster reportedly struck during a change of shifts, meaning more than the usual number of workers were underground. 

It is uncertain how many miners had started the later shift, meaning there is some confusion over reports that 787 workers were in the mine at the time of the blast.

According to Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency just 93 people were pulled out alive, a significantly smaller number than previously reported.

The explosion happened in Turkey's western Manisa province

In a statement, Soma Komur Isletmeleri described the explosion as a "tragic accident" which happened "despite maximum safety measures and inspections".

According to Turkey's ministry of labour, the pit was last inspected on March 17 and was found to be compliant with safety regulations.

Turkey's mines have one of the worst safety records in the developed world. 

The country's worst mining disaster was in 1992, when a gas explosion killed 263 workers near the Black Sea port of Zonguldak.

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Oscar Pistorius To Have Psychiatric Tests

Oscar Pistorius must undergo psychiatric tests, the judge in his murder trial has ruled.

The move is likely to lead to significant delays in the case, but Judge Thokozile Masipa said it was about justice, not convenience.

She said Pistorius could be evaluated as an out-patient, indicating he would not have to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital.

Further details about the referral are likely to come out when the order is officially made on Tuesday.

The prosecution made the application for an assessment after defence evidence from a forensic psychiatrist, who said the defendant had generalised anxiety disorder.

But the defence argued there was no need for psychiatric observation and the application had "no merit".

The prosecution has already claimed the decision to call Dr Merryl Vorster so late in the trial - after Pistorius himself had given evidence - may be a "fallback option" for the defence in the event of a guilty verdict.

Sending the 27-year-old for mental health tests at this stage could eliminate the possibility of an appeal by the defence on the grounds that Pistorius' mental health had not been fully and adequately assessed.

If Pistorius were found to be suffering from a mental illness, he could be held not criminally responsible for his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's death and found not guilty by reason of "mental illness or intellectual disability".

Pistorius denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp in a premeditated attack

Judge Masipa said the court was "ill-equipped" to assess the diagnosis by Dr Vorster, and so ruled Pistorius should be sent for evaluation.

She said: "The accused may not have raised the issue that he was not criminally responsible at the time of the incident in so many words, but evidence led on his behalf clearly raised the issue and cannot be ignored."

In her evidence, Dr Vorster said Pistorius had GAD and was a "distrusting and guarded" person who is "hyper-vigilant" about security.

But she also said he was able to able "to function at a high-level", and did socialise.

Pistorius is accused of killing Ms Steenkamp in a premeditated attack at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, on Valentine's Day last year.

He denies the charge and claims he shot his partner after mistaking her for an intruder.

The trial was adjourned until May 20.

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California Residents Back Home After Wildfire

Residents ordered to evacuate more than 20,000 homes in and around the Californian city of San Diego because of a wildfire have been allowed to go back.

The fire had spread amid high heat and dry winds in drought conditions but firefighters said it was being brought under control within hours as darkness fell and the weather cooled.

There are no reports of injuries or damage to homes.

"At the point the fire is right now, we believe we have a pretty good handle on it," San Diego Fire Chief Javier Mainar said.

"I think the largest part of the emergency has passed."

The flames began in the fire-prone Rancho Bernardo area of San Diego and quickly spread to 700 acres (280 hectares), driven by hot, dry Santa Ana winds.

By late afternoon, the flames had ripped through canyons to approach expensive homes and new subdivisions on the ridges, moving on to Rancho Santa Fe, one of the wealthiest US communities, known for its multimillion-dollar homes, golfing and horse riding.

Months of drought have left much of the landscape susceptible to fire.

Central Los Angeles has recorded just 6.08 inches of rain this season - less than half its annual average rainfall.

"Fire season last year never really ended in Southern California," said forestry and fire protection department spokesman Daniel Berlan.

His department has responded to more than 1,350 fires since January 1, compared with an average of 700.

The 700-acre blaze in San Diego has been caused by dry weather and winds.

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Ice Sheet Melt 'Past The Point Of No Return'

The huge West Antarctic ice sheet is melting at a faster pace than scientists had predicted and the thaw is irreversible, a new study has found.

The Nasa report said there is "nothing to stop the glaciers in this area from melting into the sea".

The study looked at 40 years of ground, airplane and satellite data.

Evidence shows "a large sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet has gone into a state of irreversible retreat", said Nasa glaciologist Eric Rignot, chief author of the study.

The development is likely because of man-made global warming and the ozone hole which have changed the Antarctic winds and warmed the water that eats away at the feet of the ice, researchers said.

"The system is in sort of a chain reaction that is unstoppable," Mr Rignot said.

"Every process in this reaction is feeding the next one."

The ice sheet melt will contribute to sea level rise. Pic: Nasa

This part of Antarctica would be a major contributor to sea level rise in coming decades and centuries, and the study sees eventually 4ft (1.2m) of sea level rise from the melt.

"It's passed the point of no return," Mr Rignot said.

"A conservative estimate is it could take several centuries for all of the ice to flow into the sea."

Curbing emissions from fossil fuels to slow climate change will probably not halt the melting but it could slow the speed of the problem, Mr Rignot said.

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Nasa Spots 'Square Hole' In The Sun's Surface

A near-perfect square 'hole' in the sun has been caught on camera by Nasa.

An updraft of solar winds ripped the shape in the sun's outer atmosphere, and the results were spotted by the agency's Solar Dynamics Observatory which monitors the star.

The dark spot is known as a coronal hole, and is made when solar winds pull away from the sun at incredibly high speeds.

It appears dark in ultraviolet light because there is less material to emit the wavelengths.

Nasa said: "A coronal hole is an area where high-speed solar wind streams into space.

"Inside the coronal hole you can see bright loops where the hot plasma outlines little pieces of the solar magnetic field sticking above the surface."

The shape of the coronal hole happened merely by chance, as they can come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

The hole occurred over two days but Nasa has condensed the footage into 14 seconds.

The event happened on March 29, but Nasa has only recently analysed the data.

In 2013 the sun's activity peaked as part of its 11-year solar weather cycle.

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Canada Oil Train Disaster: Three Men Charged

Three employees of the railway company involved in an oil train disaster in Canada that killed 47 people are due in court later on criminal negligence charges.

The charges come 10 months after more than 60 tankers carrying oil from North Dakota came loose in the middle of the night and rolled almost seven miles downhill to Lac-Megantic in eastern Quebec where they derailed.

At least five of the tankers exploded, destroying about 30 buildings in the downtown bar area on July 6 last year.

The Quebec provincial prosecutor's office says 47 counts of criminal negligence have been filed against engineer Thomas Harding, manager of train operations Jean Demaitre, traffic controller Richard Labrie and Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway Ltd.

The charges represent one count for each person killed and are the first to be brought in the case. Criminal negligence that causes death can carry life imprisonment in Canada.

Rene Verret, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said the three men were arrested late on Monday afternoon.

Firefighters at the scene of the crash

Prosecutors said in a statement that they had decided to file charges after an analysis of the evidence gathered at the scene.

The railroad has blamed engineer Harding for failing to set the brakes adequately, allowing the train to run downhill to Lac-Megantic, a lakeside town of 6,000 people.

Harding had apparently left the train unattended after checking into a local inn for the night.

The arrests came just days before the $15.85m (£9.4m) sale of the bankrupt railway is due to be completed in the US.

Most of the proceeds will be used to repay creditors and eventually a fund will be set up to compensate victims and help with clean-up costs. Initial estimates suggest these could be as high as $500m (£297m).

The railroad's buyer, a subsidiary of New York-based Fortress Investment Group, is changing its name to Central Maine and Quebec Railway and says it has no plans to continue with oil shipments.

The crash, the worst railway accident in Canada in nearly 150 years, has led to intense public pressure to make oil trains safer in that country and the US.

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Oscar Pistorius Facing Psychiatric Tests

Oscar Pistorius faces having to undergo psychiatric tests after a forensic psychiatrist told the athlete's murder trial he has an anxiety disorder.

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued that the defendant's mental health should be examined more fully - a move that could delay the trial for up to a month.

Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux says the prosecution request has "no merit"

It came after Dr Merryl Vorster told the court Pistorius has generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), and is a "distrusting and guarded" person who is "hyper-vigilant" about security.

But Mr Nel questioned the timing of the defence evidence.

Dr Vorster had been consulted and called only after Pistorius had given evidence to the court.

Mr Nel said: "Can it not be seen as a fallback position.

"The timing of the witness being called and the timing of the consultations is important."

If Pistorius were found to be suffering from a mental illness, he could be held not criminally responsible for his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's death and found not guilty by reason of "mental illness or intellectual disability".

The law allows a person to undergo mental health observation for up to 30 days.

Mr Nel argued it was in the interests of justice that if there was any suggestion psychiatric factors had played a part in the killing, then the accused should be sent for observation.

He has applied to the court for a referral.

But Pistorius' defence team said the application had "no merit" and was premature.

Oscar Pistorius could undergo psychiatric observation for a month

The judge has adjourned the trial to consider the prosecution's application, and will announce her decision on Wednesday morning.

Earlier, in evidence to the court, Dr Vorster explained the nature of GAD.

She said: "It may impact on your capacity to live a normal lifestyle. By definition generalised anxiety disorder is a psychiatric disorder, so one can say it's a mental illness.

"But one has to look at the impact of that diagnosis on the individual's capacity to live and socialise."

When questioned by Mr Nel, the psychiatrist said: "He (Pistorius) was still able to function at a high level and he still did socialise.

"He had distress because of his anxiety disorder but he was at that stage, still able to continue with his life."

Dr Vorster also felt Pistorius was more concerned about personal safety than other South Africans, by locking himself in his bedroom at night.

Reeva Steenkamp's mother June attended the court hearing in Pretoria

But Mr Nel questioned why the defendant, if he had been anxious about security, had not repaired a broken downstairs window that did not have bars on it.

Pistorius is accused of killing Ms Steenkamp in a premeditated attack at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, on Valentine's Day last year.

He denies the charge and claims he shot his partner after mistaking her for an intruder.

The trial continues.

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Ukraine: Russia Bites The Hand That Feeds

When the Russian bear roars, us jobbing journalists reach for the grab bag of cliches and hackneyed metaphor.

Vladimir Putin is playing chess while the West is playing checkers.

He's behaving like an 18th-century Tsar in a 21st-century world.

He's a small man with a massive trove of resentment filled by two decades of contempt shown by the West to Mother Russia.

Cliches come into common use because they are very often true.

But now that the general picture has been established the latest developments in the Ukraine deserve closer examination -  what are the options for Russia's president?

The question itself is revealing.

In this race for influence Mr Putin has made all the running. The US and, more importantly, the European Union, can only remain reactive.

The Kremlin is dictating the order of battle.

Clearly Russia is intent on destabilising Ukraine's east.

Clearly the Kremlin will disrupt the May 25 presidential elections and thereby establish an argument that whoever wins cannot be seen as a legitimate post-revolutionary leader because Ukraine's east will have been left out of the new dispensation (thanks to Russian support for separatists).

Vladimir Putin visited Crimea on Victory Day

Over the next three weeks there will be more violence - that much is obvious.

But there are already hints that Mr Putin knows that he needs to reduce the tensions before his economy is wrecked by sanctions.

Harrumphing over whether or not the latest "referendum" in eastern Ukraine is legitimate or not is a natural part of what European politicians will have to do.

Some 14 more individuals, and a couple of companies, associated with Mr Putin's inner circle are to be added to a slowly growing list of economics targets that was first drawn up when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula.

The incremental imposition of limited sanctions has already had a profound effect on Russia's economy.

Capital flight is now at $70bn this year, more than the total of last year's export of wealth from Russia.

Inward investment is inevitably depressed. This is very damaging for Russia in the long term.

It's lost about 60% of its Soviet-era manufacturing base, leaving it vulnerable as a primary producer of fossil fuels - rather than as an economy capable of adding value, and therefore wealth, by processing its own raw materials.

Europe gets about 30% of its gas from Russia. About 80% of Russia's oil and 76% of Russia gas is imported by Europeans.

But the EU and others in the West don't need to depend on an unreliable Russia.

Plans are already under way to reduce this relationship in the long term with imports from elsewhere, notably from American gas fracking operations.

Russia, however, needs European machinery in order to grow. Some 85% of her imports from the EU were manufactured goods in 2012.

Vote counting is under way in the referendum in parts of eastern Ukraine

Russia needs Europe more than Europe needs Russia.

Small wonder that the Russian petrochemical giant Gazprom is hoping to sign a deal with China.

Anatoly Yanovsky, the Russian deputy energy minister, recently said that the deal to supply a vast amount of gas to China was "98%" done.

An alternative buyer for Russia petrochemicals is now a strategic necessity for Russia. The West will never again trust it as a supplier of choice.

The Chinese know that and are driving down the price they will pay for Russian gas that the Kremlin desperately needs to sell.

In hack-speak that means that the Russian bear has not only bitten the European hand that feeds it but is also finding that the Asian tiger has claws.

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Ukraine Independence Vote Gets Russia Backing

Russia says the outcome of an independence referendum in eastern Ukraine should be implemented "in a civilised manner without violence".

Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine have claimed victory in the contentious poll which could see two regions break away

Voters in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk cast ballots on Sunday on whether to declare their areas independent, but with links to Moscow.

The unofficial poll has been condemned by a host of countries, including Britain, and dismissed as a "criminal farce" by the government in Kiev.

But the Kremlin said it "respects the will of people" and condemned the use of force against civilians after at least one person was reportedly killed by Ukrainian forces.

More than three million ballot papers are said to have been distributed across the two regions, with organisers claiming to have spent just £980 on the entire ballot.

Mariupol has been at the centre of eastern Ukraine violence

Roman Lyagin, election chief in Donetsk, said early results showed almost 90% of voters in the region were in favour of sovereignty.

In Luhansk, about 96% were reported to have backed severing ties with Kiev.

In Mariupol, the scene of fierce fighting in recent days, there were just eight polling stations for half a million people.

As the makeshift polling stations closed on Sunday night, at least one person in the town of Krasnoarmeisk was reported to have been shot dead by Ukrainian government forces.

Reports said the troops had tried to stop people voting.

Witnesses claimed heavily armed men in balaclavas started shooting at the crowd as the tense standoff escalated.

On the edge of Slavyansk, fighting broke out around a television tower shortly before people began making their way through barricades of felled trees and tyres for the vote. One serviceman was wounded.

People queued up to vote on the future of Donetsk and Luhansk

Slavyansk's self-proclaimed mayor Vyacheslav Ponomaryov said turnout was 80% and the result "was not in doubt".

Asked if he knew what would follow, the former businessman said: "Of course we know. Work starts on the establishment ... of the Donetsk People's Republic."

Western leaders have threatened more sanctions in the key areas of energy, financial services and engineering if Moscow continues what they regard as efforts to destabilise Ukraine.

The EU may announce as early as today measures endorsing a widening of the legal criteria for imposing sanctions on Russia, with the goal of making it easier to freeze the assets of companies involved in the Ukraine crisis.

Using the new expanded criteria, EU officials have prepared a list of 14 people and two Crimean companies active in the energy sector that ministers are likely to add to the EU sanctions list today, diplomats say.

The identities of the people and firms are being kept confidential for now.

The EU has previously imposed asset freezes and visa bans on 48 Russians and Ukrainians over Moscow's annexation of Crimea but it would be the first time the bloc has targeted companies.

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Oscar Pistorius 'Suffers From Anxiety Disorder'

Oscar Pistorius has an anxiety disorder and is a "distrusting and guarded" person who is "hyper-vigilant" about security, the athlete's murder trial has heard.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr Merryl Vorster offered a rare insight into the athlete's mindset, saying he often feels "isolated and alone" and normally keeps his thoughts and feelings bottled up.

But her evidence inadvertently opened up the possibility of Pistorius being admitted to a psychiatric hospital for tests.

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel argued the defendant's mental health should be examined more fully - a move that could delay the trial for up to a month.

Pistorius was described as a "distrusting and guarded person"

If Pistorius were found to be suffering from a mental illness, he could be held not criminally responsible for his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's death and found not guilty by reason of "mental illness or intellectual disability".

Dr Vorster spoke at length about his childhood, saying his mother was a "very anxious person" who slept with a gun under her pillow and "abused alcohol intermittently".

He views his father as an "irresponsible and mostly absent parent", the court heard, and he and his siblings - brother Carl and sister Aimee - were "reared to view the world as threatening".

The psychiatrist went on to talk about the 27-year-old's "fight or flight response", claiming he is more likely to stand up to threatening situations than to flee, as his capacity to do so is limited by his disability.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead on February 14, 2013. Pic: Stimulii

Pistorius had both legs amputated when he was 11 months old - an operation he would have perceived as a "traumatic assault" because he would not have known what was happening, she said.

Dr Vorster also told the court the insistence of his parents that he should take part in activities his friends enjoyed would have added to his stress and anxiety.

As he became more famous, she said, the Paralympian attempted to hide his disability.

He felt anxious about attending public events and would spend "many hours preparing for them so he would not embarrass himself", she added.

Pistorius is accused of killing Ms Steenkamp in a premeditated attack at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, on Valentine's Day last year.

Thomas Wolmarans faced tough questioning from Gerrie Nel on Friday

He denies the charge and claims he shot his partner after mistaking her for an intruder.

Dr Vorster said Pistorius worries about his family's safety, especially his sister's, even when he is away training in Italy.

While in South Africa, he "worries about being followed and about the security of his home", she said.

He sleeps with his bedroom door locked and wakes often during the night, believing he has heard noises in his house, she added.

The court heard the Paralympian's increased anxiety levels mean he "perceives his surroundings as being threatening when perhaps they're not".

Dr Foster is expected to be one of the last witnesses to be called by Pistorius' defence team.

The trial was adjourned before Mr Nel could make a formal application for a psychiatric referral.

The trial continues.

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Boko Haram Video Claims To Show Missing Girls

A new video issued by Boko Haram claims to show some of the nearly 300 schoolgirls missing in Nigeria, who the group's leader says have converted to Islam.

AFP reported that Boko Haram's leader said the girls would not be released until members of the terror group being held in prison are freed.

More than 300 youngsters were abducted from a school on April 14 from the northeastern town of Chibok, in Borno state. Some 276 are still missing.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau speaks on the video for 17 minutes

In the video, Abubakar Shekau speaks for 17 minutes before showing what he says are about 130 of the girls, wearing full-length hijabs and praying in an undisclosed rural location.

One of the girls then appears to talk directly to the camera.

The girls were shown wearing Hijabs and praying

None of the youngsters appears to be visibly distressed, but it appears as if they are clearly under duress. 

Holding a pad of paper in his hand, Mr Shekau tells the camera: "These girls, these girls you occupy yourselves with their affair we have indeed 'liberated' them. We have indeed 'liberated' them.

Two of them hold a flag in the background

"Do you know 'we have liberated them'? These girls have become Muslims. They are Muslims."

He continues: "It is now four years or five years that you arrested our brethren and they are still in your prison.

One of the girls comes forward and talks to the camera

"You are doing many things (to them). And now you are talking about these girls. We will never release them until after you release our brethren."

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford who has spoken to a father of one of the kidnapped girls says he does not want the government to release Boko Haram prisoners in exchange for his daughter.

He told her: "Its not right. They'll do it again."

Doctor Reuben Abati told Sky News Nigeria will not pay a ransom

A special adviser to the country's president Doctor Reuben Abati told Alex Crawford there were lines the government would not cross in the hunt for the girls.

Speaking after it was revealed authorities had made indirect contact with Boko Haram, Dr Abati said: "The government of Nigeria has no intention to pay a ransom or to buy the girls, because the sale of human beings is a crime against humanity.

"The determination of the government is to get the girls and to ensure that the impunity that has brought this about is checked and punished."

Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau has threatened to sell the girls "at the market" and some are believed to have already been taken out of the country.

The search for the girls remains centred on the huge Sambisa forest, which is three times the size of Wales.

France said that Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan had agreed to attend a summit in Paris on Saturday to discuss what to do about Boko Haram.

Britain has been invited, as has the EU, the United States and the four countries bordering Nigeria: Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Several of the countries in the region affected by the consequences of Boko Haram violence are French speaking.

More follows...

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Kidnapped Nigerian Schoolgirls Tell Of Escape

Nigerian Kidnap Tactic 'Standard Procedure'

Updated: 4:26pm UK, Saturday 10 May 2014

Splitting the captured Nigerian schoolgirls into groups by their kidnappers is "standard operating procedure", a hostage negotiator has told Sky News.

Dr James Alvarez explained this was done on the basis of "not putting all your eggs in one basket".

He also said while negotiation was the safest option, it often had to be backed up by the threat of force in order to act as a back-up if talks do not work out, and also as a "prod" to the hostage-takers.

Meanwhile, Davis Lewin from the Henry Jackson Society - a think-tank on extremism - gave a chilling insight into the Boko Haram militant group behind the kidnappings.

Mr Lewin told Sky News the movement had a "gruesome history" and posed a "major security threat".

They demonstrated "a brutality that frankly doesn't compute in Western minds", he said.

It is thought the schoolgirls are being held in a forest near the border with Cameroon.

Their kidnappers have divided the girls into at least four different groups, complicating the search and hampering rescue efforts.

Dr Alvarez said: "It's standard operating procedure. You don't want to put all your eggs in one basket."

He said negotiators would be making contacts locally and trying to gather information about the aims of the group, what they wanted with the girls, and also find out from the Nigerian government what concessions they are prepared to make.

"Negotiations only work if you have got something to exchange," he said.

Mr Lewin added: "What the problem really is, is that there's a very grave lack of infrastructure in terms of intelligence in terms of capability on the part of the Nigerian government in the region of the country where these extremists are active.

"We have seen them get stronger and stronger and they have really proven to be one of the most deadly forms of this radical Islamist threat with thousands dead, and a brutality that frankly doesn't compute in Western minds.

"The leader of this terrorist movement couldn't care less about the outrage that Michelle Obama and so many others have expressed."

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Nigeria Kidnapping: Militants 'Have Laid Traps'

The militants who have kidnapped almost 300 schoolgirls in Nigeria are likely to have laid booby traps and landmines to stop them being found, Sky News has been told.

A former member of Nigerian military added that starving members of Boko Haram could be a way of rescuing the girls, who were taken from Chibok in the northern state of Borno on April 14.

Former air commodore Darlington Abdullahi said: "They may have made land mines, one cannot rule that out.

Boko Haram have threatened to sell the girls 'on the market'

"One thing for sure is, even as they go along abducting children, they will also go after food; grabbing food from various angles.

"That is why it's important that if the military from various countries close up on them that means the issue of starvation might come in and might even force them to find exit ways and most likely abandon the girls that are still with them within the forest."

Intelligence sources have previously told Sky News they believe they know where some of the schoolgirls are.

Parents of some of the kidnapped girls

The sources believe they have been split into at least four different groups.

Sky News also understands British and American officials are using advanced eavesdropping equipment to scan the Sambisa forest where the schoolgirls are thought to be.

The militants are believed to have blown up an important bridge near where the girls were first seized, complicating efforts to find them.

The burnt out school from where the girls were taken

Fleeing residents said the bridge between the states of Adamawa and Borno was destroyed on Friday.

The wife and two children of a retired police officer were also abducted, they said.

A team of French experts arrived in the country on Saturday, as international efforts to find the schoolgirls are ramped up.

Borno state in the north borders Cameroon

This follows on from British and American personnel arriving earlier in the week.

As international help continues to arrive, the Nigerian military has had tip-offs that Boko Haram could be planning another attack on the market in the capital Abuja.

The militant group has killed more than 1,500 people this year and has been waging an insurgency in the country for the last five years.

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