Six In The Morning Saturday April 26

26 April 2014 Last updated at 08:55

Ukraine crisis: G7 'to intensify Russia sanctions'

The G7 group of economic powers has agreed to intensify sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine.

A G7 statement gave no detail of the sanctions, but US officials said they could announce measures by Monday.

The West accuses Russia of leading a secession rebellion in Ukraine's east, months after it annexed Crimea. Moscow denies the allegations.

Meanwhile, negotiators are trying to secure the release of international observers seized by pro-Russia gunmen.

Forces in the city of Sloviansk are still holding the eight European military observers and several Ukrainian army personnel who they seized on Friday and accuse of espionage.

ROBERT FISK

Friday 25 April 2014

Robert Fisk: Yet another betrayal of the Palestinians

'Barack Obama becomes the latest US President effectively to give up on the peace process'

Dead in the water. Just as the entire world predicted – with the exception of Messrs Barack Obama and John Kerry and, I suppose, our favourite “peace” envoy Tony Blair – the whole fandango of an Israeli-Palestinian “peace” has collapsed again. US President Obama, walking away from the car crash for which his own political cowardice is entirely to blame, says it’s time for a “pause”. Could there be a more chilling word for America’s impotence in the Middle East?

Of course – lock-stepping with Israel as usual – Obama condemned Mahmoud Abbas for the “unhelpful” step of trying to form a unity government with Hamas, a skewed version of events that entirely chimes with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s predictable claim that the Palestinian President “formed an alliance with a murderous terrorist organisation that calls for Israel’s destruction”.

Forget that Mr Abbas insists that this Palestinian unity would be founded on recognition of Israel, renunciation of violence and acceptance of previous agreements.

China’s ‘People’s Daily’ in a flap over satirical tweets

Satirical Twitter account mocks bombastic, formulaic style of state media and officials

Clifford Coonan

The People’s Daily has taken to Twitter, which is banned in China, to call for the“immediate rectification” of a satirical account that pokes fun at the ChineseCommunist Party and state media.

The Relevant Organs satirical Twitter account has more than 14,000 followers and mocks the bombastic, formulaic style of Chinese state media and government officials – there is much use of “fervent” and “ardent”.

The People’s Daily , the official organ of the Chinese Communist Party, has taken offence at the Twitter account’s use of a link to the People’s Daily website and China’s national emblem.

Brazil ex-colonel who admitted torture killed

Paulo Malhaes found dead after testifying last month to carrying out torture during Brazil's 1964 to 1985 military rule. Last updated: 26 Apr 2014 08:00

A retired Brazilian colonel who last month admitted carrying out torture during the country's 1964-1985 military rule has been found dead following a break-in at his suburban Rio home, police have said.

Paulo Malhaes, 76, was killed after three men broke into the family property in the northern suburb of Novo Iguacu on Thursday, his widow told police on Friday.

"An evaluation of the scene has already been undertaken and the wife of the victim and their valet have been questioned. The latter will be able to help produce a photofit," a police spokesman told the AFP news agency.

Police said the men held the couple and the valet in separate rooms on Thursday night before killing the colonel and escaping with a number of firearms he collected.

As Iraq violence grows, U.S. sends more intelligence officers

BY MARK HOSENBALL AND WARREN STROBEL

WASHINGTON 

(Reuters) - The United States is quietly expanding the number of intelligence officers in Iraq and holding urgent meetings in Washington and Baghdad to find ways to counter growing violence by Islamic militants, U.S. government sources said.

A high-level Pentagon team is now in Iraq to assess possible assistance for Iraqi forces in their fight against radical jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a group reconstituted from an earlier incarnation of al Qaeda, said two current government officials and one former U.S. official familiar with the matter.

The powerful ISIL, which seeks to impose strict sharia law in the Sunni majority populated regions of Iraq, now boasts territorial influence stretching from Iraq's western Anbar province to northern Syria, operating in some areas close to Baghdad, say U.S. officials.

Everest shuts down for the first time since 1987

Everest will not be conquered for the first time in 27 years as climbing season is called off after sherpa guides' strike over avalanche threat

By Dean Nelson, in New Delhi

Climbers and their local guides were descending from Everest base camp yesterday as officials said a sherpa boycott and fresh avalanches had ended hopes of any group reaching the summit this year from the more popular Nepal side.

More than 300 climbers had hoped to scale Everest this season but the deaths of 16 sherpas last week in the worst ever accident on the mountain left the local guides distraught and angry. They were swept away by an ice avalanche as they fixed ropes up to camp two at above 19,000 feet.

It will be the first time in 27 years that the Everest route will be closed to climbers, although dozens are attempting to reach the summit from the northern Tibetan side.