SEVASTOPOL, Crimea (AP) — Every morning, Sergei Kislov takes the bus to the rundown outskirts of this port city for the methadone doses that keep him off heroin without suffering withdrawal. Now that Russia has taken over Crimea, the trips are about to end.

"For a month and a half I won't be able to sit or sleep or eat," Kislov said. "It's a serious physical breakdown."

Across the Black Sea peninsula, some 800 heroin addicts and other needle-drug users take part in methadone programs — seen as an important part of efforts to curb HIV infections by taking the patients away from hypodermic needles that can spread the AIDS-causing virus.

But Russia, which annexed Crimea in mid-March following a referendum held in the wake of Ukraine's political upheavals, bans methadone, claiming most supplies end up on the criminal market. The ban could undermine years of efforts to reduce the spread of AIDS in Crimea; some 12,000 of the region's 2 million people are HIV-positive, a 2012 UNICEF survey found.

After years of rapid growth in the infection rate, the Ukrainian Health Ministry reported the first decline in 2012.

Many have attributed that decline to methadone therapy. According to the International HIV/AIDS Alliance of Ukraine, which helps fund many local projects with money from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, drug injectors accounted for 62 percent of new HIV infections in Ukraine in 2002. By 2013, that number was down to 33 percent.

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In this photo taken Tuesday, April 1, 2014, Anton, a patient of treatment for drug addiction, poses …

"HIV is an illness that often sweeps up those people who aren't socially secure," said Denis Troshin, who runs the local NGO, Harbor-Plus, which helps coordinate methadone therapy for 130 of Sevastopol's recovering addicts. "Many of them were put in the (medical) records at some point, but then they disappear for many years and by the time they show up at the hospital again they're nearly dead. Our goal is to find them, convince them to come to the doctor and not miss their treatment."

In Russia, which recommends that addicts quit cold turkey, HIV is spreading rapidly. According to the Russian Federal AIDS Center, the number of people registered as infected increased by nearly 11 percent in 2013.

While methadone doesn't have the same euphoric effect as heroin, it weans addicts off the drug by blocking the pain, aches and chills of withdrawal. In preparation, Kislov has already started reducing his daily intake of methadone by about 10 milligrams each week.

Although he voted enthusiastically for Crimea to join Russia, he didn't expect the methadone program to end so quickly.

"It is happening at such a pace that it's going to be a massacre here," he said. "They're abandoning 130 people and forcing them to fend for themselves, even if that means we'll end up stealing again and going to jail."

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In this photo taken Tuesday, April 1, 2014, Sergei, a patient of treatment for drug addiction, poses …

Patients say that since the program started here five years ago, local doctors had been nothing but supportive of the therapy. They reassured recovering addicts ahead of the referendum that the program would be extended at least until the end of the year.

That attitude changed on March 20, when the director of Russia's Federal Drug Service, Viktor Ivanov, announced that the program would be banned in Crimea.

"As it turns out, the lives of the people participating in this program are less important than politicking," said Troshin. "It's as if (the doctors) are saying: 'We're doing everything according to how Russian law is even before it's implemented ... We're so zealous that we're closing (the program) right now and we don't care about the 130 families who will be affected.'"

Troshin says the group has sent letters to both local and national politicians. But even if the group gets permission from local authorities to extend the program, the Ukrainian health minister told local news agencies Monday that Ukraine would not be sending any more methadone to Crimea, and recommended that any addicts there move to mainland Ukraine if they wanted to continue their treatment.

For Alexander Kolesnikov, a 40-year-old who has now been in the group for four years, moving to Ukraine isn't a possibility. He's proud of being from Sevastopol and has an aging, diabetic mother to care for.

But while the two went proudly to the polls on March 16 to vote for joining Russia, they are now dreading how a return to life without methadone might affect them.

"One half of my mother's heart is for Russia — for example, she will get a higher pension and she'll have a better standard of living," he said. "But the other half of her heart supports me, and she doesn't want to see me in that state ever again."

Related video

An even darker effect of Russia's Crimea move

Moscow's ban on a critical drug that hundreds have relied on could set back years of health efforts.
'It's going to be a massacre'

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — North Korea on Friday accused the United States of being "hell-bent on regime change" and warned that any maneuvers with that intention will be viewed as a "red line" that will result in countermeasures.

Pyongyang's deputy U.N. ambassador Ri Tong Il also repeated that his government "made it very clear we will carry out a new form of nuclear test" but refused to elaborate, saying only that "I recommend you to wait and see what it is."

His comments came at North Korea's second press conference at the United Nations in two weeks, a surprising rate for the reclusive Communist regime.

Ri blamed the U.S. for aggravating tensions on the Korean Peninsula by continuing "very dangerous" military drills with South Korea, by pursuing action in the U.N. Security Council against his country's recent ballistic missile launches and by going after Pyongyang's human rights performance.

Ri also accused the U.S. of blocking a resumption of six-party talks on its nuclear program by settling preconditions and said Washington's primary goal is to maintain tensions and prevent denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

A U.S. diplomat who was not authorized to comment publicly later responded: "We have long made clear - in close consultation with our allies - that we are open to improved relations with the DPRK if it is willing to take clear actions to live up to its international obligations and commitments."

MORE EXECUTIONS IN NORTH KOREAPlay video

North Korea walked away from the six-party nuclear disarmament talks in 2009 over disagreements on how to verify steps the North was meant to take to end its nuclear programs. The U.S. and its allies are demanding that the North demonstrate its sincerity in ending its drive to acquire nuclear weapons.

Since pulling out of the six-party talks, the North has conducted a long-range rocket test, its second-ever nuclear test, and most recently short-range rockets launches.

Using the initials of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the country's official name, Ri said, "The DPRK has been making strenuous, hard efforts, very generous, toward easing the tensions on the Korean Peninsula, but ignoring all this generous position of the DPRK and its proposals, the U.S. went ahead with opening the joint military drills, very aggressive nature, and they're now expanding in a crazy manner the scale of this exercise."

He also rejected as "illegal" a Security Council statement last week that condemned North Korea's test-firing of two medium-range ballistic missiles as violations of council resolutions.

The deputy ambassador did not answer questions on detained American Kenneth Bae or on his country's drone program, which it has been promoting recently. South Korean experts this week claimed that two small, camera-equipped drones had been flown across the border by the North, calling them crude and decidedly low-tech. Both drones crashed in South Korea.

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Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer contributed.

Watch video


North Korea's damning claim against the U.S.

Pyongyang says that America is "hell bent on regime change" in the country and issues a stern warning to Washington.
A 'red line'

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The European Union will continue to work with Russia and Ukraine to reduce tensions between the two countries but will keep sanctions as an option, the EU foreign policy chief said Saturday.

Catherine Ashton said "work is ongoing" to ensure the 28-nation bloc is prepared to take measures against Russia if that becomes necessary, and stressed the "need to persuade Russia to de-escalate the situation."

Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in March following a referendum called just two weeks after Russian forces had overtaken the Ukrainian region. Ukraine and the West have rejected the vote and the annexation.

The Ukraine crisis dominated the two-day informal talks in Athens among EU foreign ministers. Speaking just before the meeting got under way Friday, British Foreign Secretary William Hague urged EU partners to develop possible stricter sanctions against Russia should they become necessary. The EU has imposed sanctions against individuals.

The EU will continue to consult with Moscow and Washington on planned economic agreements with Ukraine and Moldova, Ashton added.

"The agreement with Ukraine would have a positive impact on the Russian economy. We will continue to engage Russia," and the U.S., she said.

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Greece's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign minister Evangelos Venizelos stands at the entrance o …

Despite talks of a unified EU front towards Russia on Ukraine, there were different emphases in approach, from the harder stance of countries such as the U.K. and Sweden, to countries such as Greece, which believe sanctions can't be used in isolation to solve the Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Greek Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos, who was hosting the meeting, stressed that "sanctions are not an end in themselves ... the issue is de-escalation that will lead to a definitive and working solution."

Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt stressed the need for resolve on the issue of respecting international law.

"I think it is very clear that Russia has changed in the past two years," he said. "They intend to be an Orthodox bastion against the West. They (engage in) very aggressive propaganda, sort of the muscular East versus the decadent West."

Referring to a public rally last month in which Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke in front of a banner reading "Crimea is in my heart" Bildt said, "We have to wonder, what else is in his heart?"

Besides Ukraine, the foreign ministers also discussed Syria's civil war, Saturday's elections in Afghanistan and the situation in North Africa, including Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

EU working to end Ukraine-Russia crisis

The 28-nation bloc's foreign policy chief says the organization is continuing to attempt to diffuse tensions over Crimea.
Open to sanctions

By Mirwais Harooni and Jessica Donati

KABUL/KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Afghanistan's presidential election closed on Saturday amid relief that attacks by Taliban fighters were fewer than feared for a vote that will bring the first-ever democratic transfer of power in a country plagued by conflict for decades.

It will take six weeks for results to come in from across Afghanistan's rugged terrain and a final result to be declared in the race to succeed President Hamid Karzai.

This could be the beginning of a potentially dangerous period for Afghanistan at a time when the war-ravaged country desperately needs a leader to stem rising violence as foreign troops prepare to leave.

"Today we proved to the world that this is a people driven country," Karzai, wearing his trademark green robe and a lambskin hat, told his nation in televised remarks.

"On behalf of the people, I thank the security forces, election commission and people who exercised democracy and ... turned another page in the glorious history of Afghanistan."

One of the eight candidates will have to score over 50 percent of the vote to avoid a run-off with his nearest rival.

Thankfully, the Taliban threat to wreck the vote through bombings and assassination failed to materialize, and violent incidents were on a far smaller scale than feared.

Voting underway in Afghan electionPlay video

Turnout was seven million out of 12 million eligible voters, or about 58 percent, according to preliminary estimates, election commission chief Ahmad Yousuf Nuristani told reporters.

That was well above the 4.5 million who voted at the last election in 2009 which was marred by widespread fraud.

"I am here to vote and I am not afraid of any attacks," said Haji Ramazan as he stood in line at a polling station in rain-drenched Kabul. "This is my right, and no one can stop me."

The United States could point to the advance of democracy in one of the world's most violent countries as a success as it prepares to withdraw the bulk of its troops this year.

It has spent $90 billion on aid and security training since helping Afghan forces to topple a strict Islamist Taliban regime in 2001, but U.S. support for Afghanistan's fight against the Taliban has faded.

When the last election was held, the Obama administration had viewed Afghanistan as the "good war" - unlike Iraq - ordering a 'surge' of over 60,000 additional soldiers to be deployed.

Yet as U.S. troops get ready to go home, the Taliban threat and uncertainty over neighbor Pakistan's intentions leave the worry that Afghanistan could enter a fresh cycle of violence, and once again become a haven for groups like al Qaeda.

Afghans head to the pollsPlay video

During Saturday's election, there were dozens of reports of minor roadside bombs, attacks on polling stations, police and voters. In the eastern province of Kunar alone, two voters died and 14 were wounded, while 14 Taliban militants were killed.

Interior Minister Umer Daudzai said nine policemen, seven soldiers, 89 Taliban fighters were killed in the past 24 hours across the country, adding that four civilians were also killed.

Dozens died in a spate of attacks in the preceding weeks. A veteran Associated Press photographer was killed and a senior correspondent of the same news agency was wounded on Friday when a policeman opened fire on the two women in the east as they reported on preparations for the poll.

KABUL SEALED OFF

Most people had expected the election to be better run than the chaotic 2009 vote that handed Karzai a second term.

The constitution barred Karzai from seeking another term. But, after 12 years in power, he is widely expected to retain influence through politicians loyal to him.

Former foreign ministers Abdullah Abdullah and Zalmay Rassoul, and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani were regarded as the favorites to succeed Karzai.

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A policeman stands guard outside a polling station in Kabul as Afghans wanting to vote queue outside …

More than 350,000 Afghan troops were deployed, guarding against attacks on polling stations and voters. The capital, Kabul, was sealed off by rings of roadblocks and checkpoints.

In the city of Kandahar, cradle of the Taliban insurgency, the mood was tense. Vehicles were not allowed to move on the roads and checkpoints were set up at every intersection.

Hamida, a 20-year-old teacher working at a Kandahar polling station, said more than a dozen women turned up in the first two hours of voting and added that she expected more to come despite the threat of an attack by the Taliban.

"We are trying not to think about it," she said, only her honey-brown eyes visible through her black niqab.

Raising questions about the legitimacy of the vote even before it began, the election commission announced that at least 10 percent of polling stations were expected to be shut due to security threats, and most foreign observers left Afghanistan in the wake of a deadly attack on a hotel in Kabul last month.

In some areas of the country voters complained that polling stations had run out of ballot papers. The interior ministry said six officials - including an intelligence agent - were detained for trying to rig the vote, and elsewhere several people were arrested for trying to use fake voter cards.

RISK OF DELAY

If there is no outright winner, the two frontrunners would go into a run-off on May 28, spinning out the process into the holy month of Ramadan when life slows to a crawl.

A long delay would leave little time to complete a pact between Kabul and Washington to keep up to 10,000 U.S. troops in the country beyond 2014.

Karzai has rejected the pact, but the three frontrunners have pledged to sign it. Without the pact, far weaker Afghan forces would be left on their own to fight the Taliban.

The election is a landmark after 13 years of struggle that has killed at least 16,000 Afghan civilians and thousands more soldiers. Nearly 3,500 members of the U.S.-led coalition force have died since deployment in the country over a decade ago.

Karzai's relations with the United States became increasingly strained as Afghan casualties mounted. He also voiced frustration with Washington over a lack of pressure on Pakistan to do more to stop the Taliban based in the borderlands.

Although his departure marks a turning point, none of his would-be successors would bring radical change, diplomats say.

"Whether the election will be the great transformative event that everybody expects is, I think, delusional." Sarah Chayes, a South Asia expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace told a media briefing on the eve of the vote.

(Additional reporting by Hamid Shalizi in KABUL and Sarwar Amani in KANDAHAR; Writing by John Chalmers and Maria Golovnina; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

BERLIN (AP) — After concluding that global warming almost certainly is man-made and poses a grave threat to humanity, the U.N.-sponsored expert panel on climate change is moving on to the next phase: what to do about it.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, will meet next week in Berlin to chart ways in which the world can curb the greenhouse gas emissions that scientists say are overheating the planet.

It is also trying to give estimates on what it would cost.

In the third report of a landmark climate assessment, the IPCC is expected to say that to keep warming in check, the world needs a major shift in investments from fossil fuels — the principal source of man-made carbon emissions — to renewable energy.

"Underlying this report is a lot of technical analysis of the different solutions, for example wind energy, solar, better energy efficiency and what is the cost of that," said Jake Schmidt, international climate policy director at the National Resources Defense Council, a Washington-based environmental group. "And there will also be some discussions of how deep global cuts are needed to put us onto these different climate trajectories."

A leaked draft of the report sent to governments in December suggests that in order to keep global temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 F) by the end of the century — the stated goal of international climate talks — emissions need to fall by 40-70 percent by 2050.

Satellite Launched to Monitor Climate ChangePlay video

Investments in fossil fuels such as oil and coal would have to drop by $30 billion a year, while spending on renewables would have to go up by $147 billion annually, according to the draft.

That message is likely to face opposition from the fossil fuel industry and countries that depend on it.

Earlier this week, Exxon Mobile said the world's climate policies are "highly unlikely" to stop it from selling fossil fuels far into the future.

That contrasted with a message from U.N. climate chief Christiana Figueres, who told oil and gas industry officials in London on Thursday that three-quarters of the fossil fuel reserves still in the ground needs to stay there for the world to achieve the 2-degree target.

"We must look past the next quarter, past the end of the decade, into the second half of the century by which time the global economy must be carbon neutral," Figueres said.

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FILE - In this Nov. 19, 2008 file photo Roberto Chudzinski checks solar modules on the roof of the S …

The alternative plan to mitigate climate change would involve coming up with new ways to scrub carbon out of the atmosphere or prevent too much sunlight from being trapped in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases.

Known as geoengineering, ideas floated from time to time include dropping tons of iron into the ocean to make carbon-munching algae bloom or putting an umbrella in space to shield us from the sun.

Many scientists and campaigners believe such ideas are unlikely to work.

"My own scientific point of view is that it's too dangerous," said Bill Hare, lead author of the IPCC's 2007 report on mitigation. "It's got to be assessed though. You can't just ignore it."

Opponents say possible disastrous side effects from geoengineering could include a change in the monsoon pattern or a widening of the ozone hole that could threaten the lives of millions.

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FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2013 file photo cows are standing in front of the latest coal-fired power st …

Observers will be watching for how much attention the IPCC gives to the issue when they wrangle over the wording of the final report next week in Berlin. The draft mentions it only briefly.

The two previous reports in the IPCC's first comprehensive assessment of climate since 2007 said it's 95-percent certain that climate change is man-made and highlighted the damage it is projected to inflict on economies, crops and human health.

The latest report also focuses on the costs associated with keeping warming below 2 degrees C. The draft projects consumption losses of 1-4 percent by 2030. That number is highly uncertain, though, and may be changed or deleted altogether in Berlin.

Another controversial part of the report is the one dealing with who should pay for efforts to curb climate change — an issue that's at the heart of U.N. negotiations on a new global climate agreement, set to be adopted by 2015. Poor and middle-income countries say they need more help from rich countries to switch to low-carbon energy sources.

The IPCC, which is a scientific body, tries to steer clear of politics, but notes that mitigation could involve financial transfers "in the order of hundreds of billions of dollars per year before mid-century."

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FILE - In this Dec. 6, 2010 file photo a wind turbine is pictured in the in front of a steaming coal …

By most measures, the West, which underwent industrialization earlier, has historically pumped more carbon into the atmosphere than newly emerging economies such as China, which has the world's highest carbon emissions.

"The main bone of contention will be how the cost is factored and how it's shared across the world," said Schmidt, of the National Resources Defense Council. "We're making decisions now that are building out our potential carbon infrastructure for decades. You can turn some of that off but there's a cost and implication for society in the future."

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Online:

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: http://www.ipcc.ch

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Frank Jordans can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/wirereporter

Climate-change panel to identify solutions

Concluding that climate change is man-made, a U.N. group of experts will now discuss what to do about it.
Cost estimates, too