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Will Crimea break away from Ukraine for Russia? The people decide today

The referendum on secession is taking place today, with Russia saying it will recognise the vote.

PEOPLE IN CRIMEA take to the polls today for a referendum on breaking away from Ukraine to join Russia that has precipitated a Cold War-style security crisis on Europe’s eastern frontier.

Ukraine’s new government and most of the international community except Russia have said they will not recognise a result expected to be overwhelmingly in favour of immediate secession.

Some 1.5 million people are called to vote on the diamond-shaped Black Sea peninsula, which is mostly inhabited by ethnic Russians and has been seized by Russian forces over the past month.

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AFP reporters saw voters cast their ballots in the regional capital Simferopol, the naval base of Sevastopol and Bakhchysaray — the hub of the Muslim Tatar community, which is urging a boycott.

“We have waited years for this moment,” said 71-year-old Ivan Konstantinovich, who raised his hands in victory after voting in Bakhchysaray.

“Everyone will vote for Russia,” he said.

Crimea says foreign observers are monitoring the vote but the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) is not because it needs to be invited by national governments.

OSCE military observers aiming to defuse tensions have been prevented from entering Crimea, which is at the centre of the worst East-West confrontation since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Voters can choose to become part of Russia or retain more autonomy but stay in Ukraine — a vote for the status quo is not an option.

Preliminary results are expected soon after polls close at 1800 GMT and Russian flags are already being handed out in the streets in Sevastopol.

Preparations to become part of the Russian Federation — a process that could take months — are to begin this week if the people vote for Moscow.

Rehearsals for the big day have included a show by Cossack troops and the slogan “We are in Russia!” beamed onto the government building in Simferopol, leaving no doubt as to the expected outcome.

Pro-Russia authorities and Moscow say the referendum is an example of self-determination like Kosovo’s decision to leave Serbia but Washington says the vote cannot be democratic because it is taking place “under the barrel of a gun”.

Ukraine’s new government fears the referendum is part of a plan by Moscow to stir up a wider rebellion across mostly Russian-speaking parts of eastern Ukraine to justify an invasion.

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Three activists have been killed in the eastern cities of Donetsk and Kharkiv in the run-up to the Crimea referendum and supporters of Russia have called for similar separatist polls to be held in other Ukrainian regions.

‘Extremely worrying’

Russian troops and pro-Moscow militias took control of the strategic peninsula soon after the Kremlin-backed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych fled Kiev last month in the wake of three months of deadly protests against his rule.

Russian lawmakers have also given the go-ahead for President Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine when he wants, citing the need to defend ethnic Russians against ultra-nationalist radicals.

Ukrainian military bases in the region — also home to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet since the 18th century — are surrounded by militias but there has been no armed Russia-Ukraine armed confrontation so far.

There have however been several attacks on journalists and pro-unity activists condemned by Amnesty International as “extremely worrying”.

It is also unclear what will happen to the thousands of Ukrainian military personnel currently based in Crimea after the secession vote.

Ukraine is on full combat alert and on the eve of the vote it accused Russian forces of seizing a village just outside Crimea, saying: “Ukraine reserves the right to use all necessary measures to stop the military invasion by Russia”.

‘Crimean Spring’

The diplomatic wrangling and brinksmanship over Crimea have been startling, including a confrontation at the United Nations Security Council in which Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk asked: “Do the Russians want war?”

Successive rounds of negotiations between US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov have failed and Kerry appeared to break diplomatic protocol by not showing up for planned talks in Moscow.

While the West has been powerless to stop annexation, Russia faces a painful round of sanctions against top officials that Washington and EU nations are set to unveil on Monday and it could be ostracised or even ejected from the Group of Eight leading world powers.

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Local authorities are calling this a “Crimean Spring” but many Crimeans are simply confused and concerned about a possible legal vacuum and economic turmoil in their region.

“Whether we stay with Ukraine or go with Russia, it’s understandable that people are concerned,” said Aleksiy Yefremov, head of the student association “New People of Crimea”.

“We do not have enough information. Do we listen to officials in Kiev or to the local authorities?”

One immediate concern is about the availability of cash and there have been long queues outside banks with Crimeans rushing to take their money out.

Crimea would not automatically join Russia after the vote and the local pro-Moscow prime minister Sergiy Aksyonov said it could take “a year maximum”.

Ukraine’s government has said Crimea cannot survive on its own since it depends on electricity, energy and water supplies from the mainland.

“We are ready to sit without electricity, without water… We’re afraid of nothing and we want a historic choice,” Aksyonov said earlier.

Aksyonov has assured residents that the region can manage on its own with assistance only from Moscow.

Pics: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

- © AFP, 2014

Read: Russia isolated as China abstains from UN vote on Crimea>

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    Mute See My Vest
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:06 PM

    Any of those ads that portray men as incompetent buffoons make the short list or are we sticking to one way sexism as per journal usual?

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    Mute Richard Cynical
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:21 PM

    I love hearing about women banging on about equal rights, it’s the most self centred argument going. Women get full rights when it comes to kids and men get nothing women get 6 mts meternity leave men get nothing

    254
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    Mute Plantation Watch
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:46 PM

    Also they live longer and dont do the mist dangerous jobs in society.

    118
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    Mute B Collins
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:49 PM

    Richard, most women who campaign for gender equality argue vehemently for paternity leave/shared parental leave because it’s the biggest factor in reducing the salary gap and creating a more level playing field both at home and at work. I don’t agree with ads that depict men as incompetent buffoons because they’re unfair and not accurate, but I DO think depictions of women at/under men’s feet, purchasing of wives or allusions to gang rape, are much more degrading and send a more sinister message. Just my two cents.

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    Mute Ryan Anth
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:56 PM

    The mens feet one is stupid – the one with the foot on the throat ought to have been banned- there are NO allusions to gang rape in any of those ads up there.

    74
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    Mute Richard Cynical
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:56 PM

    I genuinely think if women got equal rights they would shij a brick and demand things go back the way they were.

    51
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    Mute Sheik Yahbouti
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:00 PM

    I see your friends call you Dick. Entirely understandable.

    143
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    Mute Richard Cynical
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:05 PM

    Sheik, I just checked out your twitter as you did mine 3 followers, you have no friends!

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    Mute molly coddled
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:12 PM

    Trust me Richard, if you ever push out an 8lb bowling ball through your dick you’re going to need 6 months off work too :/

    231
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    Mute TheDoctor
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:17 PM

    I don’t get the gang rape reference in the D&G ad. An orgy maybe, but no rape.

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    Mute Ryan Anth
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:19 PM

    Its easy to click a red thumb not so easy to construct an argument – nobody has yet been able to defend the stupid notion that some of these ads are sexist – some are – but most are not, instead the discussion is being dragged off onto things nobody really disagrees on like equal pay, shows there is no credible argument here.

    This is a screenshot from an ad using male models:
    http://postimg.org/image/7n6wbta7b/
    Nobody would say these girls are dragging the guy off to be raped would they? Why because he has a smile on his face and so do they but they make the absurd claim with the ads above despite there being nothing in the ad to suggest it – it’s no less absurd to suggest it above than in this ad ^

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    Mute Richard Cynical
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:20 PM

    Molly women are pregnant for 9 mths for a man he has to hear about it for the rest of his life, billions of women have given birth you are designed to give birth, it’s what you do if you didn’t you would have very little to complain about. If you want equal rights it comes as a full package you can’t pick and choose.

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    Mute molly coddled
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:53 PM

    Well, I must have a serious design flaw as my first ripped the hole off me, took over 3 months to recover, couldn’t walk straight for quite a while after that, believe me I would have loved if my husband could have claimed more than a few days paternity leave (such as it was 30 years ago), instead i had to bring my mum down to help, so yea, I’m in favour of equality and after 3 months of the mum in law living with us so was the hubby.

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    Mute Catherine Mill
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    Apr 6th 2015, 8:37 PM

    I agree. Maybe women have the first baby and men the second. How equal would that be?

    58
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    Mute Luke D
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    Apr 6th 2015, 10:16 PM

    An article about sexist ads that doesn’t have any involving sexism against men. Considering how men are portrayed in ads that’s pretty sexist.

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    Mute Wayne Kerr
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    Apr 6th 2015, 10:21 PM

    Ok Catherine, you go first. I’ll time ya!

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    Mute Buy Bring The Money
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:05 AM

    Men didn’t carry a heavy living thing inside them for 9 months, with the last few months being strenuous so I doubt men deserve 6 months off because their wife popped one out. Any excuse for weeks off I guess.

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    Mute Philip Cooper
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:15 PM

    All of the ads are rectangular, which is blatantly anti-circle.

    Shame on you the journal.

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    Mute China Photo Daily
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:53 PM

    The Tayto park radio ad where the husband is depicted as a child? Typical of many modern ads that show men as buffoons, especially popular in Ireland

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    Mute Derek Mahon
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    Apr 6th 2015, 11:38 PM

    Or the Travel comparison site, can’t remember the exact name, where the ad depicts the man as a monkey-like eejit while the ‘genius’ woman discovers that he could’ve just used their site.

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    Mute kevin connolly
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:33 PM

    I just showed this to the wife as I was handing her a beer. I then went back to letting her rest her stiletto on my throat. Send help now please…

    238
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    Mute John O'Neill
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:28 PM

    After reading this I want, shoes, beer and wimen… in that order…

    52
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    Mute Keelan O'neill
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:25 PM

    Is it my turn this week lads? Right here I go:

    “What about the Diet Coke ad?”

    134
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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:30 PM

    What about it?

    28
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    Mute Ryan Anth
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:37 PM

    or every Abercrombie & Fitch ad that shows every inch of the male models body other than right before his dick (as low down his V as it can possibly get while the shorts are still staying on – without trunks underneath I might add) and just above his knees…not a peep about that..whos job is literally to intimidate non goodlooking people from crossing the door haha never hear about that…nope… .because it’s OK for guys to be sexual, that’s the ironic message feminists (who are there to supposedly empower and free women) send us – just not for women.

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    Mute MGrey
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:40 PM

    1000s of ads exploiting the female body lads; time to suck it up.

    63
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    Mute Áine Foley
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    Apr 7th 2015, 4:28 AM

    **or every Abercrombie & Fitch ad that shows every inch of the male models body other than right before his dick**

    You don’t have to keep staring at them for hours, in fairness.

    16
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    Mute dearg doom
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    Apr 7th 2015, 11:44 AM

    We don’t like the Diet Coke ads. They’re embarassing!

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    Mute Ben Dawkins
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:09 PM

    Where can we get a bottle of that vodka?

    96
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    Mute Trish Ryan
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:28 PM

    the burnt beer ad is funny!sorry bra burners!

    67
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    Mute little jim
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:02 PM

    And he’s being so kind to her, just can’t win sometimes.

    32
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    Mute Ryan Anth
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:29 PM

    (Could not post this the first time…odd…will try again)
    Ok..as always with these things I’m going to risk getting my head torn off by putting forth the controversial opinion – so here goes …..on the two group sex implied ads…

    The women don’t look distressed at all they look like they’re having a great time – so maybe they’re just messing around OR maybe they’re beautiful people who just wanna get it on with some group s–x ….that does happen among the beautiful people sometimes shocking as that may be to some…and if they want to….so?
    The real sexism here is suggesting that any woman who is in any way sexually adventurous must be a w__re who should get back to being a ‘correct’ socially acceptable lady who conforms to societies expectations – hardly a statement of burning feminist freedom is it? In both ads the sexism is on the person saying it’s gang rape or wrong, clearly projecting their own morality onto someone else and saying anyone who does not conform to what they would do could not POSSIBLY be doing it willingly.

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    Mute Glen
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:12 PM

    Good old divide and conquer tactics.

    44
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    Mute Antrim/Kurdistan
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:14 PM

    Can’t disagree with any of them to be honest

    33
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    Mute Dave barrett
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:35 PM

    Jesus lads . When they let the women out of the snug and into the bar we were fecked.

    32
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    Mute Niamh Dempsey
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:51 PM

    Tut tut back to your man cave lol

    16
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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    Apr 6th 2015, 8:02 PM

    Thats sexist because its a gender specific cave .

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    Mute Niamh Dempsey
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    Apr 6th 2015, 8:35 PM

    So is snug in context of which you referred to it touché !!,

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    Mute Dave barrett
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    Apr 6th 2015, 9:47 PM

    Ugh ugh ugh

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    Mute Dave barrett
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    Apr 6th 2015, 9:48 PM

    Hey. It’s my cave. I’m fussy who I drag in there.

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    Mute Niamh Dempsey
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:07 PM

    Shocking but you just have to open any fashion magazine, weekend supplement of newspaper, x factor (if you can sing leave clothes on shouldn’t need any distractions) or music video etc to see how sexist and sexualised women are depicted. It’s women’s fault too for allowing this. But it’s more society pressure in general. Extreme sexist photos in these adverts confirms sad albeit unoriginal adage that sex sells.

    27
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    Mute Bert McCann
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:53 PM

    What about those 2 stupid ads for Tayto. 1 showing the bloke’s bulge and the other showing the girls knickers through her tights…come on, if that isn’t sexist (and completely juvenile) I don’t know what is. I can’t believe Tayto get away with that one.

    25
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    Mute Jimmy Jim-Jim
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    Apr 6th 2015, 6:26 PM

    Identity politics, because sometimes the rest of the world isn’t Balkanised enough.

    24
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    Mute Deco James Connolly
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    Apr 6th 2015, 7:13 PM

    More revisionist guilt tripping, women have every opportunity that men do today but many of them choose to waste their education protesting against imaginary boogey men instead of studying .

    21
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