Syria - refugees flee to Lebanon

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.net/ The fighting continues in Homs as up to 2,000 refugees, desperate to flee the violence, cross the Syrian border into northern Lebanon.

The border town of Qusair, south of Homs, has come under shelling by government troops, leaving many residents forced to make their getaway by foot.

While the Red Cross still tries to get supplies to the city, many other parts of the country have come under attack. These include Hama, Rastan and Jebel al Zawiya where raids have been reported.

In the northern city of Aleppo, activists claimed government forces used tear gas to disperse a protest against President Assad.

The outside world remains powerless to halt the killing in Syria. China and Russia have twice vetoed UN Security Council resolutions to condemn Damascus.

Although China is now urging the government and rebels to end the violence and start talks, it has reiterated its position opposing any foreign intervention

Congo - 150 feared dead in arms depot blasts in the capital Brazzaville

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.net/ At least 150 people are feared killed and some 1,500 others injured after a series of explosions in an arms depot in Congo's capital Brazzaville.

The figures from a European diplomatic source have not been officially confirmed.

The blasts, reportedly caused by a fire, happened near a heavily-populated neighbourhood. Panic spread to Kinshasa in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, where windows were shattered.

Both governments urged calm and there was no immediate suspicion of anything but an accident.

In Brazzaville, reports said houses were flattened and the Russian embassy damaged.

Japan - Fukushima homeless struggle with exile

Uploaded by telegraphtv on Mar 4, 2012

Nearly a year on from the earthquake which crippled parts of Japan and a nuclear plant, radiation fears keep tens of thousands of people from returning to homes.

Today in History: March 4 Franklin Delano Roosevelt sworn in as president; President Ronald Reagan takes....

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by AssociatedPress

On this day in history: Franklin Delano Roosevelt sworn in as president; President Ronald Reagan takes responsibility for Iran-Contra; AAA founded. (March 4)

Russia - Claims of fraud in Presidential election / Россия - Требования в мошенничестве на президентских выборах

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.net/ Euronews' correspondent Alexander Shashkov is among the 109 million eligible voters in Russia's presidential ballot.

Speaking at a polling station in Moscow, one of 96,000 nationwide, he said it was registering votes for local elections as well as the presidential ballot.

While everything there looked to be above board, opposition parties and an independent watchdog are already denouncing widespread irregularities.

Among the claims, some say groups of voters are being taken to one polling station after another to vote several times for Vladimir Putin.

But Takhir Nurmiev of the local Electoral Commission said: "These elections are different from others because we have installed video cameras that are live on line.

"Everyone can look at how the vote is unfolding and we have also got transparent ballot boxes to avoid fraud."

In an attempt to allay fears of vote rigging, Putin ordered the installation of 182,000 web cameras to stream footage of voting onto a website. International observers and opposition activists are also monitoring the polls.

"There have not been any serious irregularities in this polling station," said observer Sviatoslav Pavlov. However, he added that, despite promises made, the web cam images are not accessible in people's homes.

Critics claim the cameras were never going to prevent fraud with the counting process a serious concern when it comes to rigging an election.

USA - Storms Leave at Least 38 Dead in South and Midwest

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by AssociatedPress

Across the South and Midwest, survivors emerged after dozens of tornadoes swept through the region, leveling small towns along the way. At least 38 people were killed in five states, but a 2-year-old girl was somehow found alive. (March 4)

Russia - elections: Vladimir Putin casts his vote / Россия - выборы: Владимир Путин голосует

Uploaded by telegraphtv on Mar 4, 2012

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin cast his vote on Sunday in presidential elections that are widely expected to return him to the Kremlin.

Poland - Head on train-crash kills 15 on the Warsaw-Krakow mainline

Published on Mar 4, 2012 by Euronews

http://www.euronews.net/ Why were two passenger trains travelling towards each other on the same track?

The question is being asked in Poland after a head-on collision at high speed left at least 15 people dead and dozens injured.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the crash site in a rural area in the south of the country. He described the accident on the Warsaw-Krakow mainline as the most tragic train catastrophe in Poland's history in many, many years. The premier said it was too early to speculate about what caused it but that human error could not be excluded.

The crash happened near the southern town of Szczechociny at around 9 o'clock local time on Saturday night.

Some 350 passengers were on the trains, including French, Spanish and Ukrainian nationals. More than 50 people were hurt in the crash. Many are said to be in a serious condition.