Turkey Fires Into Syria After Rocket Hits Mosque At Border

Free Syrian Army fighters stand on a tank at the Armenian Christian town of KasabReuters

Turkish military have returned fire to Syria in a tit-for-tat attack after a rocket and mortar shells hit a mosque near the border, injuring a Syrian woman.

The incident took place in the Yayladagi town, a Turkish province on the border with Syria, where clashes between Syrian troops and the Free Syrian Army intensified.

Three artillery shells fell in the Turkish countryside during battles between the rebel forces in Syria and forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad for the control of the Armenian Christian village of Kasab.

A rocket hit the Haci Bilal mosque in central Yayladagi, which is sited across from a Syrian refugee camp. The mosque's wall partly collapsed injuring a 60-year-old Syrian refugee who was passing by.

"Our artillery troops have fired back at the region from where the shots originated," the Hatay governor's office said in a statement on its website.

Syrian government forces have intensified their shelling of positions seized by rebels in the coastal province of Latakia, focusing on the Kasab border crossing into Turkey.

The province, which is the historic homeland of President Bashar al-Assad's clan and his Alawite sect of Shiite Islam, was seized by opposition forces last week.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said around 100 fighters had been killed on each side.

On Sunday, Turkey downed a Syrian jet that allegedly violated its airspace.

Damascus described the act as "a flagrant act of aggression".

But Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said his country was ready to take any measures against threats to national security.

Nigeria Army 'Killed Hundreds' After Boko Haram Barracks Attack - Amnesty

A soldier sits in a truck during a military patrol in Nigeria's central city of Jos.Reuters

The Nigerian Army killed approximately 600 people after a Boko Haram attack on a military barracks, according to Amnesty International.

The military raid in the city of Maiduguri saw escaped detainees captured and killed, eyewitnesses told Amnesty.

Boko Haram militants allegedly freed hundreds of Islamists before many were extrajudicially killed by Nigerian soldiers.

"I saw the soldiers asking the people to lie on the ground," a witness told Amnesty.

"There was a small argument between the soldiers and the civilian JTF [a self-defence group]. The soldiers made some calls and a few minutes later they started shooting the people on the ground. I counted 198 people killed at that checkpoint."

The human rights group said that half of the 1,500 people killed in the conflict between the Nigerian military and Islamist insurgents this year have been civilians.

"More than 1,500 deaths in three months indicate an alarming deterioration in the situation. The international community cannot continue to look the other way in the face of extrajudicial executions, attacks on civilians and other crimes under international law being committed on a mass scale," Amnesty's briefing said.

"Civilians are paying a heavy price as the cycle of violations and reprisals gather momentum," it added.

The insurgents want to turn Nigeria into a strict sharia state and their campaign of terror has been waged mainly in the northeast of Nigeria. Three hundred people have been killed in February alone.

The state of Yobe has been placed under emergency rule along with two other predominantly Muslim northeastern states - Borno and Adamawa.

A military campaign to combat the militants has failed.

Boko Haram, which means "Western education is forbidden" is designated a terrorist organisation by the United States and has targeted many schools in the past year.

UN Climate Change Report Predictions in Pictures

If the world doesn't cut the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the already noticeable harms of global warming could spiral "out of control", according to a 32-volume, 2,610-page report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

'We're now in an era where climate change isn't some kind of future hypothetical,' said the overall lead author of the report, Chris Field of the Carnegie Institution for Science in California. 'We live in an area where impacts from climate change are already widespread and consequential.'Reuters

Recent disasters such as droughts in Australia and deadly flooding in Mozambique, Thailand and Pakistan show how vulnerable we are to extreme weather. The dangers are going to worsen as the climate changes even more, the report's authors said.

While global warming will hit everyone in some way, it will be worse for the people who can least afford it, the report says. It will increase the gaps between the rich and poor, healthy and sick, young and old, and men and women.

Scientists are seen during a study of Arctic sea ice in July 2011. There are warning signs that damage to coral reefs and Arctic Sea ice may be irreversibleReuters/NASA

Huge chunks of ice peel off from the Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina in an unexpected rupture during the southern hemisphere's winter months, in July 2008. Higher temperatures would cause glaciers in East Africa, the Alps, the Rockies and the Andes to retreat, leading to drinkable water shortages and a rise in sea levelsReuters

An aerial view of Male, the capital of the Maldives, taken on December 14, 2009. President Mohamed Nasheed said that two degrees Celsius warming would risk swamping the coral atolls and islets that form his countryReuters

A man in scuba diving gear wades through floodwaters in Saint Mark's Square in Venice on December 3, 2010. Rising sea levels could threaten the city's existenceReuters

Survivors take part in a religious procession in Tolosa on the eastern Philippine island of Leyte on November 18, 2013, a week after Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the area. Deadly storms like Haiyan, Sandy and Nargis may not have been caused by warming, but their storm surges are augmented by ever rising seasAFP

Rain clouds gather over the city of Sao Paulo on May 4, 2009. The report suggests that electricity stations and other infrastructure could be wiped out by increasingly severe stormsReuters

Houses in Staines-Upon-Thames are surrounded by water on on February 16, 2014. The report suggests that British winters are likely to become milder and wette, while summers will be hotter and drierGetty

Residents use a donkey cart to transport their belongings out of the flooded Pangrio town in Pakistan's Sindh province on September 14, 2011. Unprecedented torrential monsoon rains caused flooding that killed more than 400 people and damaged 1.5 million homesReuters

The report echoes an earlier UN climate science panel that said if greenhouse gases continue to rise, the world is looking at about 3.5 or 4 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100. The difference, Princeton's Oppenheimer said, "is the difference between driving on an icy road at 30 mph versus 90 mph. It's risky at 30, but deadly at 90."

Global warming is triggered by heat-trapping gases, such as carbon dioxide, that stay in the atmosphere for a century. Much of the gases still in the air and trapping heat came from the United States and other industrial nations. China is now by far the number one carbon dioxide polluter, followed by the United States and India.

A traffic policeman signals to drivers Harbin, Heilongjiang province, on October 21, 2013, when pollution forced the closure of schools and highwaysReuters

Tourists walk on Moscow's Red Square in heavy smog caused by peat fires in nearby forests, on August 9, 2010 during Russia's worst heatwave in over a centuryReuters

An aerial view of the Yueyaquan Crescent Lake in Dunhuang, in China's northwestern Gansu province, surrounded by sand dunes a result of increasing desertificationGetty / Reuters

Workers harvest soybeans at a farm in western Brazil, on March 5, 2009. Climate change could mean a drastic reduction in crop yields, leading to food poverty and instabilityReuters

A Somali fisherman carries a swordfish from the port to the market in Mogadishu on February 11, 2014. Rising sea temperatures could lead to a mass migration of fish stocks, leading to critical food shortages in tropical regionsAFP

March 12, 2014: A small dam is seen in a dry paddock next to an area that has been affected by a recent fire on the outskirts of Melbourne. Australia endured its hottest year on record in 2013, with average temperatures 1.2 degree Celsius above the long-term average of 21.8 degrees, and breaking the previous record set in 2005Reuters

A mother holds her malnourished child at the Mirriah refugee camp in Niger on May 31, 2012. A coup in Mali forced more than 320,000 people from their homes, with 187,000 seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, including Niger -- already in the grips of a drought that put millions at risk of hungerAFP

Firefighters scurry down a blazing hillside to escape a sudden flare-up while tackling a huge wildfire in California. Fires are expected to become more regular and more severe as temperatures rise, drying out the vegetationReuters

Smoke from a bushfire billows over beach goers at Carlton, Tasmania, where temperatures reached record highs on January 4, 2013,Reuters

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Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370: Time Running Out for Black Box Hunt

A U.S. Navy P8 Poseidon aircraft returns from a search flight for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 over the Indian OceanReuters

Malaysian aviation authorities have warned that "time is running out" to find the black box from flight MH370 as signals from the recorders are due to fade out by the end of the week.

Transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that questions surrounding the Malaysian Airlines flight that is believed to have plunged into the Southern Indian Ocean almost 30 days ago can be answered only finding the black box.

But Hussein added that "time is running out as far as signals coming out".

A pinger locator and an underwater drone have been attached to the Australian Defence Vessel (ADV) Ocean Shield as the ship begins sailing to the remote southern Indian Ocean in the hunt for the debris.

Hishammuddin said the search area has been narrowed to 98,000 sq m (254,000 sq km) west of Perth. Ten aircraft scoured the area and further 11 ships have been deployed.

However, none of the objects found were related to MH370.

The transport minister also contradicted earlier Malaysian remarks that "all lives were lost" as the aircraft was lost and with great probability crashed in the Southern Indian Ocean.

Talking about a meeting with the families of those missing, Hishammuddin said he promised the relatives that "we will not give up hope. We will continue with all our efforts to find MH370."

International experts are also expected to brief relatives of the missing passengers after they refused to do so last week.

The briefing will take place in Kuala Lumpur and will include the British company Inmarsat and the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

China's Huawei Posts Fastest Profit Growth in Four Years

Huawei logo

Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei has witnessed its biggest growth in annual profits for four years, posting a 34% increase in 2013.

Net profit for 2013 increased to 21bn yuan ($3.38bn, £2bn, €2.5bn) from 15.6bn yuan last year. Revenues rose 8.5% to 239bn yuan.

The company noted that the recent 4G network rollout in China and the resulting increased demand for its products helped its results.

In addition, its growing global presence also contributed to the revenue growth in the carrier network, enterprise, and consumer business segments, it said.

Huawei earned 65% of its revenue from markets outside of China in 2013, while its domestic revenues increased 14.2% year-on-year to 84bn yuan.

"Thanks to the favorable global macroeconomic and industry environment, as well as the effective execution of our company strategy, Huawei basically achieved our business targets for 2013," Eric Xu, Huawei's rotating and acting CEO, said in a statement.

The company, which had been concentrating on telecoms network equipment, started operations in the fast-growing smartphone market. It could manage to produce high-end smartphones at lower cost, and benefit from plenty of demand for low cost devices in its home market.

At present, Huawei is the third-biggest smartphone manufacturer globally.

Outlook

The company expects a 10% improvement in revenue in 2014, and is looking to achieve global sales of $70bn by 2018.

"While continuing to pursue a more focused strategy and a leaner management style in 2014, we will work to expedite steady growth to lay a solid foundation for the company's development over the next 10 years, especially to pursue a leading position in the Enterprise business," Xu added.

In 2014, Huawei intends to benefit from the growing penetration of ultra-broadband and mobile broadband, particularly the 4G technology, enabling faster internet.

"2014 marks a new beginning, not only for Huawei, but for the entire industry," Xu said.

Syria Launching Kinda Airlines from War Torn Damascus

Kinda Airlines is set to launch in May, despite the ongoing civil war that has engulfed Syria

Syria is set to launch an ironically named aviation group called Kinda Airlines and will operate from the war-ravaged country's capital Damascus and the coastal city of Latakia.

Kinda Airlines, backed by a handful of private investors, is only the second company to challenge the dominant Syrianair since the air industry was liberalised in 2008.

According to the company's website, Kinda plans to fly to destinations including the United Arab Emirates, Iraq and Kuwait.

The launch has been anything but smooth so far.

The first Kinda flight was due in January this year, only to be delayed until April. The inaugural flight has now been pushed back to 1 May due to "documents that aren't ready and paperwork inside Syria."

As well as sparking online outrage among Syrian government opponents, the brand "Kinda" has inevitably been the source of online laughs.

Social media has been awash with jokes, with one Twitter user posting "This is your captain. Kinda airlines may be landing shortly. Sorta first class, please stow your tray tables."

The Syrian government and its allies are subject to wide-ranging international sanctions from the United States and the European Union among others.

Some flights have continued to run out of Damascus over the past year, despite the conflict that has paralysed swathes of the country.

The launch of a new airline demonstrates the changing dynamic of the Syrian conflict as forces loyal to the government have taken control of large parts of the country in recent months.

Rebels have lost key ground near the country's border with Lebanon, including the strategic town of Yabroud in March. It was the last remaining rebel stronghold on the border and a key smuggling route for weapons, fighters and supplies.

At least 140,000 people have died in the Syrian conflict, which is stretching into its fourth year. Peaceful protests in March 2011 escalated after the government cracked down on demonstrators with lethal force.

The rebel cause escalated into a nationwide uprising, which attracted foreign fighters on both sides.

UN-brokered peace talks aimed at finding a settlement to the conflict broke down in February without a resolution.

Hot Shots Photos of the Day: Star Wars, Rugby Sevens, Lady Gaga

Activists from the Internet Party of Ukraine, dressed as Star Wars characters, hold a party congress in Kiev. The party announced that its leader 'Darth Vader' has registered as a candidate for Ukraine's May 25 presidential electionReuters

Lady Gaga arrives at Roseland Ballroom in New York CityGetty

Show host Mark Wahlberg gets slimed on stage at the 27th Annual Kids' Choice Awards in Los AngelesReuters

Rugby fans wearing masks cheer during the second day of the three-day Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournamentReuters

The New Zealand team perform the Haka after winning the Cup Final between England and New Zealand during the 2014 Hong Kong SevensGetty

Boca Juniors players pose with a protest banner before their Argentine first division football match against River Plate in Buenos AiresAFP

People play football on Ipanema beach in Rio de JaneiroReuters

Someone walks past the Soldier and Sailor memorial in the Crimean port town of SevastopolReuters

The Shanghai World Financial Centre, Shanghai Tower and Jin Mao Tower are seen during Earth HourReuters

A photo of the Las Vegas High Roller, which opens today. At 550 feet, it is is the highest observation wheel in the world – 8 feet higher than the Singapore Flyer and 107 feet taller than the London EyeGetty

Amphibious assault vehicles of the South Korean Marine Corps throw smoke bombs as they move towards shore during a US-South Korea joint landing operation drill in PohangReuters

Supporters of Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan turn on their mobile phones as they celebrate his election victory in front of the party headquarters in AnkaraReuters

Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan greets his supporters with members of his family in AnkaraReuters

A Palestinian woman reacts after an Israeli border police officer sprayed her with tear gas during confrontations at a Land Day protest outside Jerusalem's Old CityReuters

A woman carries her crying child as she queues to receive her polling card at a voter registration centre in Kabul. The Afghan presidential elections will be held on April 5Reuters

An Afghan woman walks past a wall painted with a mural encouraging people to vote in Kandahar provinceReuters

Protesters hold up a large Catalan independence flag as they demonstrate against the government's Ebro River Basin Management Plan in DeltebreReuters

Weapons of victims are placed by the road as security forces inspect a bomb attack that killed two policemen and wounded three others in the province of Narathiwat, ThailandReuters

China President Xi Jinping Uses Pandas to Soften EU Free Trade Deal

China President Xi Jinping Uses Pandas to Soften EU Free Trade DealReuters

China's President Xi Jinping is using two pandas, Xing Hui and Hao Hao, to foster better relations with the West in a bid to secure a free trade deal.

China has a long history of using pandas as diplomatic tools and Xi plans to soften the European Union's opposition to its proposed multi-billion euro free trade deal.

"Our common interests far outweigh our differences," said China's ambassador to the EU, Yang Yanyi.

"We need to explore ways to deepen our partnership. We should look at the broader picture. It will eventually benefit not only China but Europe."

Eric Domb (L), CEO of Pairi Daiza Zoo, Belgium's King Philippe (2nd R), Queen Mathilde (R), China's President Xi Jinping (C) and his wife Peng Liyuan look at panda Hao Hao during an official ceremony in Brugelette March 30, 2014.Reuters

Last month, China loaned Xing Hui and Hao Hao to Belgium for a wildlife park near Brussels.

Xi greeted the two pandas with Eric Domb, CEO of Pairi Daiza Zoo, Belgium's King Philippe, Queen Mathilde, China's President Xi Jinping's wife Peng Liyuan during an official ceremony in Brugelette 30 March 2014.

Xi will also become the first leader to visit the EU's headquarters since Brussels established ties with Beijing four decades ago.

China is the EU's most important trading partner behind the US as trade between the two has doubled since 2003 to more than €1bn (£827m, $1.4bn) a day.

However, the EU has resisted pressure to boost relations with a free trade deal after a series of damaging trade rows which have led to threats of millions of euros worth of new duties.

Officials believe that China is unfairly crushing competition by granting state-owned companies massive subsidies which allow them to undercut foreign firms.