Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/273625
By Juergen Baetz The Associated Press SIMFEROPOL, UkRaInE » Ukraine lurched toward breakup Thurs- day as lawmakers in Crimea unan- imously declared they wanted to join Russia and would put the de- cision to voters in 10 days. Pres- ident Barack Obama condemned the move and the West answered with the first real sanctions against Russia. Speaking from the W hite House, Obama said any decisions on the future of Crimea, a pro-Rus - sian area of Ukraine, must include the country's new government. "The proposed referendum on the future of Crimea would violate the constitution and violate inter - national law," Obama said. "We are well beyond the days when borders can be redrawn over the heads of democratic leaders." Russian President Vladimir Pu - tin was almost certainly behind Thursday's dramatic develop- ments, but it was not clear whether he is aiming for outright annexa- tion, or simply strengthening his hand in talks with the West. Crimea's parliament rammed through what amounted to a dec - laration of independence from Ukraine, announcing it would let the Crimean people, 60 per- cent of whom are ethnic Russian, decide in a March 16 referedum whether they want to become part of their gigantic neighbor to the east. "This is our response to the disorder and lawlessness in Kiev," said lawmaker Sergei Shu - vainikov. "We will decide our fu- ture ourselves." U k ra ine's pr ime minister swiftly denounced the action. "This so-called referendum has no legal grounds at all," said Arseniy Yatsenyuk. The country's acting president, Oleksandr Turchynov, later said Ukraine would move to dissolve Crimea's parliament, but such an action would have virtu - ally no practical effect. EU leaders gathered at an emer- gency summit in Brussels to put in place their own measures, but appeared split over potential re- sponses. EU President Herman Van Rompuy said the bloc would suspend talks with Russia on a wide-ranging economic pact and on a visa deal, and would consider further measures if Russia does not quickly open meaningful dia - logue. Earlier this week, Putin said Russia had no intention of annex- ing Crimea, while insisting its pop- ulation has the right to determine the region's status in a referen- dum. A popular vote would give Putin a democratic fig leaf for what would effectively be a formal take- over — although it was too early to tell whether such a move would ac- tually go forward. EUROPE Crimea sets vote to separate from Ukraine Darko VojinoVic — The associaTeD Press People look at the scuttled decommissioned russian vessel "ochakov" as it lays on its side off the Black sea shore outside the town of Myrnyi, western crimea, Ukraine, on Thursday. in the early hours of Thursday russian naval personnel scuttled the decommissioned ship, blockading access for five Ukrainian naval vessels now trapped inside of the southern naval headquarters located in Myrnyi in Western crimea. news feed WaSHInGTOn » The White House on Thursday says that President Barack Obama has signed into law a reauthori - zation of the National Inte- grated Drought Information System. The law extends until 2018 a system that provides drought information to farm - ers, ranchers and others af- fected by the weather. It sup- ports an early warning sys- tem for droughts, including actions for beefed-up monitor- ing and weather forecasting. — The Associated Press WaTER Obama signs renewal of drought info system BaGHDaD » Bombings target- ing shoppers across central Iraq and clashes near the mili- tant-held city of Fallujah killed at least 42 people Thursday, authorities said. No one claimed responsi - bility for the string of bomb- ings that began Thursday af- ternoon, mostly from parked car bombs. However, they bore the hallmarks of al-Qa- ida and other Sunni insur- gents, who frequently use car bombs and suicide at- tacks to target public areas. — The Associated Press MIDDLE EaST Bombings, clashes in Iraq kill at least 42 kaBUL, aFGHanISTan » An early morning NATO air- strike in Afghanistan's east- ern Logar province killed f ive A fgha n sold iers on Thursday, defense ministry officials said. The coalition said the deaths were an ac - cident and expressed its con- dolences. NATO said that the Af- ghan soldiers were "acciden- tally killed," without specify- ing whether it was the result of an airstrike or some other military maneuver. — The Associated Press cEnTRaL aSIa NATO airstrike kills five Afghan soldiers WaSHInGTOn » Aiming at the heart of President Barack Obama's strategy for fight- ing climate change, the Re- publican-controlled House voted Thursday to block the administration's plan to limit carbon pollution from new power plants. The bill targets Obama's proposal for the Environ - mental Protection Agency to set the first national lim- its on heat-trapping carbon pollution from future power plants. — The Associated Press WaSHInGTOn House passes bill to block climate plan WaSHInGTOn » Government regulators are taking too long to write new rail safety reg- ulations in light of recent fi- ery oil train accidents and a deadly commuter train derail- ment, senators complained Thursday. Railroads are also tak- ing too long to implement safety improvements Con- gress ordered under legisla- tion passed seven years ago, lawmakers said at a hearing before the Senate's surface transportation panel. — The Associated Press TRanSPORTaTIOn Senators: Quicker action needed on trains By Bradley klapper The Associated Press WaSHInGTOn » President Barack Obama ordered the West's first sanctions in response to Russia's mili - tary takeover of Crimea on Thursday, declaring his de- termination not to let the Kremlin carve up Ukraine. He asserted that a hastily scheduled referendum on Crimea seceding and becom - ing part of Russia would vio- late international law. European leaders an- nounced their own measures but split over how forcefully to follow America's lead. Obama threatened further steps if Russia persists. All signs pointed to a con - tinuing diplomatic battle over Ukraine's territorial in- tegrity and what could prove a broader fault line in Eu- rope's post-Cold War order. While East and West no longer threaten nuclear war and have vastly expanded commercial ties, Russia is determined to dominate the future of the former Soviet republics along its borders. Washington, its NATO part - ners and others are striving to pull these nations out of Moscow's orbit. Underscoring his resolve to Putin, Obama issued an executive action slapping new visa restrictions on Rus - sian and other opponents of Ukraine's government in Kiev and authorizing wider finan- cial penalties against those involved in the military inter- vention or in stealing state as- sets. None of the measures ap- peared aimed at the Russian president personally. cRIMEa Obama: West won't let Kremlin carve up Ukraine By Lisa Leff The Associated Press San FRancIScO » A survey of the nation's college fresh- men has found that the per- centage attending their first- choice school has reached its lowest level in almost four de- cades, as cost and the avail- ability of financial aid have played an influential role in decisions of where to enroll. The annual survey re - leased Wednesday, con- ducted by UCLA's Higher Education Research Insti- tute, found that while more than three-quarters of those who started college last fall were admitted to their school of choice, only 57 per - cent ended up going to their top school. HIGHER EDUcaTIOn Cost a growing factor in college decisions 2 Bud's BBQ 22825 Antelope Blvd. Red Bluff We seat 40 people inside M-F 11am-6pm Sat. 11am-3pm Closed Sunday (530) 528-0799 CATER COMPANY MEETINGS BBQ PORK ★ BEEF ★ CHICKEN Smog Check (MOST CARS & PICK-UPS) 527-9841 • 195 S. Main St. starting at $ 29 95 + $ 8 25 certificate SERVICES AT LOWER PRICES All makes and models. We perform dealer recommened 30K, 60K, 90K Members Welcome We Do That 1375 Montgomery Rd. Red Bluff, CA T: 530 529-0797 530-366-3166 545 Adobe Rd. Red Bluff www.redbluffdodge.com I-5 at Liberal Avenue in Corning | 530 528-3500 | www.rollinghillscasino.com Comedy Night - This Friday, March 7 Tom Clark and Mark G Doors Open at 7:30pm • Show Starts at 8:30pm Reserved Table Seats $15 • Gen. Admission Only $10! Tickets On Sale online at www.rollinghillscasino.com, by phone at (877) 840-0457 or in person at Rolling Hills Casino. NATION+WORLD » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, March 7, 2014 » More aT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS anD TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS a8