Ukraine considers state of emergency as ministry seized

A Ukrainian government minister on Monday warned protesters that a state of emergency could be imposed to deal with the country’s deadly crisis, after radicals seized the justice ministry in Kiev.
The storming of the justice ministry threatened to derail talks between the opposition and the president, Viktor Yanukovych, to find a peaceful outcome to a boiling standoff that according to officials has left three activists dead.
The Ukrainian parliament on Tuesday was due to meet to discuss concessions proposed by Yanukovych to end the crisis, in a highly anticipated extraordinary session that could be a make-or-break moment to resolve the standoff.
With concern growing in the West that the situation in Ukraine is spiralling out of control, the crisis was also set to dominate an EU-Russia summit on Tuesday.
The protests, which began in November as a drive for EU integration after Yanukovych ditched a key deal with the bloc under Russian pressure, have now turned into an all out uprising to unseat him.
Tensions remained high in Kiev as several dozen radical protesters from a group named Spilna Sprava (The Right Deed) seized control of the justice ministry late Sunday, smashing windows and erecting new barricades outside.
Justice minister Olena Lukash, who is taking part in the negotiations, said she would ask for the talks to be broken off if the building was not freed.
‘I will be forced to ask the president of Ukraine to stop the talks if the building is not freed immediately and negotiators are not given a chance to find a peaceful solution to the conflict,’ Lukash told Ukraine’s Inter channel.
If the protesters do not vacate the building, Lukash said she would also approach Ukraine’s national security council with ‘a demand to discuss imposing a state of emergency in this country.’
The Interfax-Ukraine news agency said opposition leader and former boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, who is involved in the negotiations with the president, had visited the scene overnight and asked the protesters to leave, but to no avail. Agence France-Presse . Kiev 

Three killed in mall shooting near US capital

Three people died and five others were injured Saturday in a shooting at a popular shopping mall outside the US capital, amid signs the suspect may have intended to kill more, reports AFP. Howard County Police Chief Bill McMahon said the as yet unidentified alleged gunman had "a large amount of ammunition" still on and around him when officers found his corpse in a store alongside the two victims at the Columbia Mall in Maryland. "Because of concerns about any other weapons he may have or explosives, we are approaching this with an abundance of caution," McMahon said, stressing that an investigation had just begun. "We're getting assistance from some of our federal partners and making sure there are no explosives on the body of the deceased." First responders were alerted to the mid-morning gunfire at the mall, a favorite weekend spot for young families about 45 minutes outside downtown Washington, by an emergency police call indicating shots were fired inside the two-story shopping center. " HoCoPolice responded to 911 call in less than 2 minutes. Found victims and suspect dead from gunshots upon arrival," the Howard County Police Department tweeted. It said officers would be posted "throughout the night" both inside and outside the mall, which will remain closed for the day. Police identified the victims as Brianna Benlolo, 21, of College Park, Maryland, and Tyler Johnson, 25, of Ellicott City, Maryland. Both were employees of skateboard store Zumiez. The identity of the shooter is still unknown, and police have yet to identify a motive. Howard County General Hospital said all five injured shooting victims have been treated and released. One had suffered a gunshot wound to foot. "The other four were either medical conditions or twisted ankles, things like that as people have were moving away from a very, very chaotic and dangerous situation," McMahon said. The mall of about 200 stores, which has an indoor carousel and play area, is a favored weekend destination for young and old alike. Many people living in Columbia, a planned community replete with parks and good schools, work in either Washington or Baltimore. The Baltimore Sun newspaper said shoppers reported hearing gunfire before fleeing the upscale mall, home to several department stores such as Lord & Taylor, Macy's and Nordstrom. NBC television spoke to one man who said he was in phone contact with his daughter, who was taking shelter in a Bank of America branch inside the shopping center, along with dozens of others. The young woman described a chaotic scene as shoppers were told to evacuate or quickly take shelter. "People were panicking," her father said. An employee at one of the stores described the mayhem as shots resonated through the mall. "In today's world that we live in, when you hear gunshots, you run. There's nothing else to do," he told CNN. The shooting is the latest in a slew of gun-related rampages in the United States. The most notorious in recent history took place in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012, when a young gunman entered an elementary school and opened fire. In 10 minutes, the 20-year-old shot and killed 26 people before taking his own life. The Newtown attack briefly reignited the US gun control debate, triggered every time there is a major shooting, although attempts to pass tougher laws have made little headway in the US Congress.

North Korean envoy meets CPB leaders

North Korean ambassador to Bangladesh Ree Song Hyun met with the leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) at the Mukti Bhavan on Thursday.

North Korean ambassador to Bangladesh Ree Song Hyun met with the leaders of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) at the Mukti Bhavan on Thursday. Newly appointed North Korean ambassador and Mujahidul Islam Selim, CPB President congratulated each other at the party office. Comrade Selim welcomed North Korean ambassador at the party office.

They discussed various issues, including strengthening the relation between peoples of the two countries, international politics and recent important issues in Bangladesh.

Ambassador acclaimed the role of CPB in the movement against imperialism, Counsellor of North Korean Embassy was present in the meeting.

CPB general secretary Syed Abu Jafar Ahmed, Presidium member Md. Shah Alam & International affairs member Hasan Tarik Chowdhury were also present in the meeting.

Comrade Selim emphasized in his speech that election should be fair and participated by all party, He said that the USA and other imperialist countries should not interfere in Bangladesh politics. He also said that the people of North Korea were and will be with Bangladeshi people in any legal movement. He said the struggle of North Korean people against the injustice of USA is an inspiration to the peaceful world today.