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President Obama has announced further sanctions against Russia over its annexation 1 ofCrimea. The sanctions target several individuals closely associated with President Putin, alongwith a Rossiya bank which is controlled by the Russian president's allies. Mr. Obama saidRussian threats to southern and eastern Ukraine posed a serious risk of escalating 2 the crisis,and that he was contemplating 3 penalties against key sectors 4 of the Russian economy. But hesaid that was not his preferred course of action.

“Diplomacy between the Untied 5 States and Russia continues. We've emphasized that Russia stillhas a different path available. One that de-escalates the situation, and one that involvesRussia pursuing a diplomatic solution with the government in Kiev, with the support of theinternational community.”

Russia has announced that it's imposing 6 its own sanctions against several senior USmembers of Congress and White House officials. Reports from Ukraine say pro-Russian armedmen have seized at least one Ukrainian warship 7 anchored in the Crimean port of Sevastopol.The Ukrainian Defense 8 Ministry 9 spokesman said at least 15 men were involved in the assaultduring which they set off grenades on board a ship named as the Ternopil. Other reports saythe armed men have taken control of two other Ukrainian warships 10 moored 11 in the port.

For the first time, in three years of fighting in Syria, United Nations aid convoy 12 has been allowedto cross the border from Turkey. The first of 80 trucks set off for the town of Qamishli innortheastern Syria. From Beirut here's Paul Wood.

“This is certainly a victory for the UN. But this one convoy was only made possible after longand torturous 13 negotiations 14. The convoy carrying food, medicines, blankets and mattresses 15 wasmade possible only by a UN Security Council resolution passed three weeks ago, demandingaccess for aid. It is far from clear then, if the passage of this one convoy means relief will flowto the 40% of the Syrian population, the UN says, is in desperate need of assistance.”

The Afghan security forces have restored control at a luxury hotel in the capital Kabul afterkilling four armed men who attacked it. The Taliban say they carried out the attack. Our worldaffairs correspondent David Loyn reports from Kabul.

“Shots rolled across Kabul soon after night fallen what is New Year's Eve across this region. Thegunfire, a massive response by counter-terrorism forces to what turned out to be fourteenagers with pistols hidden in their socks. The four youths had gotten through security at amajor hotel, claiming to be dinners at a special buffet 16 put on for the New Year. They werequickly shot dead when they emerged to carry out their attack after three hours hiding in atoilet. They succeeded only in injuring two people.”

World News from the BBC

A Norwegian merchant ship is searching part of the southern Indian Ocean through the nightfor possible debris 17 from a missing Malaysian airliner 18. The latest operation began after Australiareleased satellite images of two objects in the sea that could possibly be wreckage 19. From Perthin western Australia, here's Phil Mercer.

“After many false leads, Australian authorities say that debris spotted 20 southwest of Perth is themost tangible 21 breakthrough so far in efforts to solve the mystery of flight MH370. Badweather has hampered 22 rescue aircraft from Australia, New Zealand and the United States.Britain is sending a Royal Navy coastal 23 survey ship HMS Echo to join the search. While aNorwegian freighter is already scouring 24 the seas for what could be vital clues in the hunt for themissing jet.”

President Jose Mujica of Uruguay said his country would take five prisoners from theGuantanamo Bay detention 25 center in Cuba. Transfers out of Guantanamo to third countrieshave increased in recent months as President Obama tried to fulfill 26 a promise to close the camp.

Police in the US state of Texas are questioning five people on suspicion of running a humansmuggling operation following the discovery of more than 100 people locked inside a house. Thebuilding outside the city of Huston was raided on Wednesday. The authorities say they foundsuspected illegal immigrants as young as five held in squalid conditions. They say suspectedsmugglers have locked them inside pending 27 payment and stripped of their clothes and shoesto hinder their escape.

The former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has rejected media allegations that he receivedconfidential information from a senior prosecutor 28 about criminal cases against him. Mr.Sarkozy was giving his first public reaction to reports that prosecutors 29 had tapped his phonecalls while investigating allegations that he received illegal donations from Libya for hispresidential election campaign, something he denies.