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Ukraine has accused Russia of carrying out an armed invasion by sending naval forces to occupy Sevastopol airport in the Crimea region. Russia's Black Sea Fleet denies its servicemen are blocking the airport. Another Crimean airport, Simferopol, has also been occupied by armed men, thought to be pro-Russia militia. Relations between the two countries have been strained since Viktor Yanukovych was ousted as Ukrainian president last week. Continue reading the main story At the Scene Christian FraserBBC News, near Sevastopol airport Sevastopol is by name an international airport, but civilian flights stopped some years ago, and it is owned by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. So it would be of no real consequence that soldiers are guarding a military base were it not for the fact no-one knows whose orders they are obeying. There are roadblocks springing up from here to the administrative capital Simferopol. The local parliament is in session there, but is sharing the municipal building with a paramilitary unit, and Simferopol airport is also under protection. The interim interior minister, however, is quite clear on his Facebook page who he thinks these units are. They are answering to the Russian Federation he said - and this, he adds, is a military takeover. Mr Yanukovych is now in Russia and expected to hold a news conference later in the city of Rostov-on-Don, near the Ukrainian border. He disappeared after leaving office but resurfaced in Russia on Thursday, asserting that he is still Ukraine's lawful president. Ukraine's general prosecutor has said he will ask Russia to extradite Mr Yanukovych, if it is confirmed that he is still there. In other developments: The BBC has seen eight trucks with the black plates of the Russian army moving towards Simferopol Unconfirmed reports say eight Russian military helicopters have arrived in Sevastopol Ukraine's central bank has put a 15,000 hryvnia (1,000 euro; £820) limit on daily cash withdrawals Armed Forces chief Yuriy Ilyin, appointed earlier this month by Mr Yanukovych, is sacked Ukraine's parliament calls on the UN Security Council to discuss the unfolding crisis in Crimea Lynchpin of struggle These tensions between Russia and Ukraine in the wake of Mr Yanukovych's departure have been particularly evident in Crimea, Ukraine's only Russian-majority region. The BBC's Bridget Kendall, in Moscow, says the Crimea is becoming the lynchpin of a struggle between Ukraine's new leaders and those loyal to Russia. Ukrainian Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said Russian soldiers had arrived in Sevastopol military airport near Russia's Black Sea Fleet Base on Friday morning. The men were patrolling outside, backed up by armoured vehicles, but Ukrainian military and border guards remained inside, Mr Avakov said. "I consider what has happened to be an armed invasion and occupation in violation of all international agreements and norms," Mr Avakov said on his Facebook page. Armed men also arrived at Simferopol airport overnight, some carrying Russian flags. A man called Vladimir told Reuters news agency he was a volunteer helping the group there, though he said he did not know where they came from. Continue reading the main story Crimea's airportsSimferopol is the main international terminal, serving the regional capital Sevastopol, home to Russia's Black Sea Fleet, has a Soviet-era military airport (Belbek) which was also used for civilian flights until some years ago. Ukrainian air force jets are stationed there The Russian Black Sea Fleet has aircraft stationed at other air bases in Crimea (Gvardeyskaya and Kacha) "I'm with the People's Militia of Crimea. We're simple people, volunteers," he said. Andriy Parubiy, acting chairman of Ukraine's National Security Council, has claimed that both airports are now back under the control of Ukrainian authorities. The airport occupation is latest in a series of moves to raise fears of unrest in Crimea, which traditionally leans towards Russia. On Thursday, a group of unidentified armed men entered Crimea's parliament building by force, and hoisted a Russian flag on the roof. The Crimean parliament later announced it would hold a referendum on expanding the region's autonomy from Ukraine on 25 May. Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged his government to maintain relations with Kiev, but he is also giving the Crimean government humanitarian aid. US Secretary of State John Kerry has called on all sides to "step back and avoid any kind of provocations". Financial strain On top of its political problems, Ukraine also faces huge financial hurdles. It says it needs $35 billion over the next two years to avoid default on its loans. Russia has suspended the next instalment of a $15bn loan because of the political uncertainty. Switzerland and Austria announced on Friday that it had launched an investigation against Mr Yanukovych and his son Aleksander for "aggravated money laundering". Austria also said it had frozen the assets of 18 Ukrainians suspected of violating human rights and involvement in corruption. It did not give any names. Crimea - where ethnic Russians are in a majority - was transferred from Russia to Ukraine in 1954. Ethnic Ukrainians loyal to Kiev and Muslim Tatars - whose animosity towards Russia stretches back to Stalin's deportations during World War Two - have formed an alliance to oppose any move back towards Moscow. Russia, along with the US, UK and France, pledged to uphold the territorial integrity of Ukraine in a memorandum signed in 1994. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26379722

Unker Sam running out of countries to whack? [laugh] From 《联合早报网》: 美国务院：不会入侵加拿大 (联合早报网讯)中央社报道，美国国务院发言人纽兰，今天在对记者做新闻简报时，连续3声否认美国与墨西哥正在密谋侵占加拿大。 在新闻简报前，美国国务卿希拉蕊曾与墨西哥外交部长艾斯皮诺萨（Patricia Espinosa）签订1项协议。签约仪式并未公开。 在新闻简报中，记者问纽兰（Victoria Nuland），签约仪式为什么不公开，美墨到底签了什么协议。 纽兰答说，「我尚不知道答案，不过我会为你找到答案。」 记者又问，是否像是侵占加拿大那样的事？纽兰急忙回答，「不、不、不，这绝非机密性的协议。」 这件趣闻，在美国引起很多人兴趣，大家开始在网上开玩笑地讨论美国要不要侵占加拿大。 美国NBCnews.com网站的部落格里，有人写道，美国在1935年确曾拟定入侵加拿大的秘密计划。 有人在www.invadecanada.us网站留言称，加拿大人有点太骄傲，美国应该将本土及阿拉斯加连成一块。 也有人称，美国应该入侵加拿大，因为加拿大人喜欢在炸薯条中加上奶酪及肉汁。 《联合早报网》 （编辑：王秘） Source: http://realtime.zaobao.com.sg/2012/09/jg120920_015.shtml *** Now angmo version: State Department: No secret plan to invade Canada By Ian Johnston, NBC News The U.S. and Mexico are not secretly planning to invade Canada, a State Department spokeswoman confirmed to laughter during a daily press briefing. Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland was taking questions from journalists about its activities Tuesday, which included a meeting between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Mexico Foreign Minister Patricia Espinosa. She was asked about