Here's an item from our news desk:
The speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament has proposed the creation of a Russian "Silicon Valley" on the Moscow-annexed peninsula of Crimea.
Federation Council speaker Valentina Matviyenko said at a session devoted to Russia's regions that the project could be implemented "taking into account the business experience of Russia's regions."
Matviyenko said "it is necessary" to work on the creation of some kind of a Crimean Silicon Valley that would house "facilities producing microelectronic and communication devices" similar to the area in California that headquarters most of the world's major technology companies.
Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine one year ago after deploying Russian troops across the peninsula and conducting a referendum that has been condemned around the world as a violation of Ukrainian and international law.
In 2009, Russia announced plans to build the Skolkovo Innovation Center near Moscow as Russia's future Silicon Valley.
Then-President Dmitry Medvedev said at the time the site would be a highly modern complex created to encourage science and technology companies.
(TASS, Interfax)
Belarusians Mark 'Freedom Day' By Supporting Ukraine
MINSK -- At least 1,000 Belarusian activists have marched in the country's capital, Minsk, to mark the anniversary of the short-lived Belarusian Popular Republic, which existed in 1919.
Known as Freedom Day, participants in the annual event on March 25 held large white-red-white flags banned by government officials because of their association with Belarus's democratic opposition.
Marchers also sang Belarusian and Ukrainian songs, expressing support for Kyiv's efforts to stop Russian-backed separatists who control some parts of eastern Ukraine.
Some demonstrators held Ukrainian flags and posters saying "The Hague Tribunal for Putin!" and chanted "Putin is a fascist."
Minsk city authorities had disallowed the march in previous years when the procession ended with numerous arrests and trials.
There was no official comment on why the march was allowed to take place this year.
Minsk authorities only asked the march organizers to pay about a $1,000 fee and police urged participants not to cover their faces with scarves.
More on the dramatic arrests today in Kyiv, via our newsroom:
Ukraine Police Detain Top Official At Televised Government Session
And cue the video: