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| UN urges restraint on Burma junta | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The UN Security Council has urged Burma's ruling junta to show restraint amid a worsening political crisis. | The UN Security Council has urged Burma's ruling junta to show restraint amid a worsening political crisis. |
| After an emergency session, it also called on Burma's generals to allow a special UN envoy into the country. | After an emergency session, it also called on Burma's generals to allow a special UN envoy into the country. |
| The US and European Union wanted the council to consider imposing sanctions - but that was rejected by China. | The US and European Union wanted the council to consider imposing sanctions - but that was rejected by China. |
| Burmese authorities confirmed one death on Wednesday as police clashed with protesters in Rangoon. There were reports of at least two other deaths. | |
| US President George W Bush has already announced a tightening of US economic sanctions against Burma. | US President George W Bush has already announced a tightening of US economic sanctions against Burma. |
| Key locations of Rangoon democracy protestsEnlarge Map | Key locations of Rangoon democracy protestsEnlarge Map |
| But China's UN ambassador, Wang Guangya, said that sanctions against Burma's military rulers would not be "helpful". | But China's UN ambassador, Wang Guangya, said that sanctions against Burma's military rulers would not be "helpful". |
| China and Russia have argued that the situation in Burma is a purely internal matter. Both vetoed a UN resolution critical of Burma's rulers last January. | China and Russia have argued that the situation in Burma is a purely internal matter. Both vetoed a UN resolution critical of Burma's rulers last January. |
| Experts say the hope remains that China - a permanent member of the council and a key importer of Burmese energy resources - may use its powerful influence behind the scenes to persuade the regime to show restraint. | Experts say the hope remains that China - a permanent member of the council and a key importer of Burmese energy resources - may use its powerful influence behind the scenes to persuade the regime to show restraint. |
| The G8, the world's eight most industrialised countries, warned Burma's ruling generals that they would be held accountable for their actions but stopped short of calling for sanctions. | The G8, the world's eight most industrialised countries, warned Burma's ruling generals that they would be held accountable for their actions but stopped short of calling for sanctions. |
| Analysts fear a repeat of the violence in 1988, when troops opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing thousands. | Analysts fear a repeat of the violence in 1988, when troops opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing thousands. |
| Clumsy show of force | Clumsy show of force |
| The confrontation in Burma has become a battle of wills between the country's two most powerful institutions, the military and the monkhood, and the outcome is still unclear, the BBC's South East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, says. | The confrontation in Burma has become a battle of wills between the country's two most powerful institutions, the military and the monkhood, and the outcome is still unclear, the BBC's South East Asia correspondent, Jonathan Head, says. |
| A clampdown on the media by Burma's military government - which has banned gatherings of five people or more in addition to imposing a curfew - has made following the exact course of the protests difficult. | A clampdown on the media by Burma's military government - which has banned gatherings of five people or more in addition to imposing a curfew - has made following the exact course of the protests difficult. |
| The junta are using dirty tactics - they don't fire guns but beat people with rifle butts BBC News website reader Accounts from Burma In pictures: Mood darkens In quotes: Global reaction | The junta are using dirty tactics - they don't fire guns but beat people with rifle butts BBC News website reader Accounts from Burma In pictures: Mood darkens In quotes: Global reaction |
| It is known that on Wednesday thousands of monks and opposition activists moved away from Shwedagon pagoda, heading for Sule pagoda in the city centre. | It is known that on Wednesday thousands of monks and opposition activists moved away from Shwedagon pagoda, heading for Sule pagoda in the city centre. |
| Others headed for the home of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. | Others headed for the home of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. |
| Reports suggested they were prevented from reaching it but other demonstrators did gather at Sule to jeer soldiers. | Reports suggested they were prevented from reaching it but other demonstrators did gather at Sule to jeer soldiers. |
| Troops responded by firing tear gas and live rounds over the protesters' heads - for the first time since protests began nine days ago. | Troops responded by firing tear gas and live rounds over the protesters' heads - for the first time since protests began nine days ago. |
| Monks marching to the home of Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly urged civilians not to join them and not to resort to violence. | Monks marching to the home of Aung San Suu Kyi reportedly urged civilians not to join them and not to resort to violence. |
| But elsewhere witnesses said civilians were shielding the marching monks by forming a human chain around them. | But elsewhere witnesses said civilians were shielding the marching monks by forming a human chain around them. |
| The Burmese state radio station, Radio Myanmar, reported that one person had been killed and three others injured - the first official confirmation that the violence had caused casualties. | |
| Earlier, a hospital source in Rangoon told the BBC that the monks were beaten with rifle butts, and that taxi drivers had transported the injured to nearby medical facilities. | Earlier, a hospital source in Rangoon told the BBC that the monks were beaten with rifle butts, and that taxi drivers had transported the injured to nearby medical facilities. |
| How will the junta respond? Burma's saffron army Protests split regional media | How will the junta respond? Burma's saffron army Protests split regional media |
| There were unconfirmed reports of at least three deaths on Wednesday, including a civilian, and two monks who were killed near the Shwedagon pagoda. State radio spoke only of one death. | |
| Our correspondent says that for all their brutality, the security forces were clumsy. | Our correspondent says that for all their brutality, the security forces were clumsy. |
| They failed to prevent demonstrators from making their way through the city and their attacks on the monks only inflamed public anger - none of which was reflected on state television. | They failed to prevent demonstrators from making their way through the city and their attacks on the monks only inflamed public anger - none of which was reflected on state television. |
| Large demonstrations also took place in the cities of Mandalay and Sitwei, but the security forces there reportedly did little to prevent them. | Large demonstrations also took place in the cities of Mandalay and Sitwei, but the security forces there reportedly did little to prevent them. |
| The protests were triggered by the government's decision to double the price of fuel last month, hitting people hard in the impoverished nation. | The protests were triggered by the government's decision to double the price of fuel last month, hitting people hard in the impoverished nation. |
| Are you in Burma? How have you been affected by the current situation? What is the mood like in the country? Send us your comments and experiences. | Are you in Burma? How have you been affected by the current situation? What is the mood like in the country? Send us your comments and experiences. |
| You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial +447725100100. | You can send pictures and video to: yourpics@bbc.co.uk or to send via MMS please dial +447725100100. |
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| At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. | At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws. |