Obama Hails West's 'Unified' Stance On Crimea

Putin Loses An Ally But Gains A Territory

Updated: 2:19pm UK, Friday 07 March 2014

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

Vladimir Putin can sit back and enjoy the show in Sochi after a very satisfactory week.

In between the Winter Olympics and Paralympics, he has lost an ally but gained a territory, and he has no plans to give it back no matter how loudly other world leaders protest.

The Russian President is in a strong position and he knows it. 

On March 16, there will be a referendum in Crimea which will almost certainly produce an overwhelming vote in favour of a union in Russia. 

It will give a semblance of legitimacy to a land grab orchestrated by the Kremlin, but carried out by a military force that the Russians claim they don't control. 

The territory, which was gifted to Ukraine in 1954 by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, will be returned to Moscow rule. 

Crimea continued to be governed by Moscow until 1991 when the Soviet Union broke apart, and has always retained a strong ethnic Russian identity.

The interim Ukrainian government protests that the referendum is unconstitutional and that any secession has to be approved by the country as a whole. 

But Mr Putin points out that the crisis began with an "unconstitutional coup d'etat" which removed the elected Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, so those in Kiev are hardly playing by the rulebook. 

Mr Putin is still giving his former neighbour Mr Yanukovych refuge, but knows that he is a spent political force.

Another lengthy telephone conversation between Mr Putin and President Obama merely demonstrated the gulf between them.

The US may have gone further than the EU in coming up with a package of economic sanctions, but it does not appear to have had any impact on Mr Putin. 

On the contrary, he is already trying to move on. 

The Kremlin's version of the conversation quoted President Putin stressing the "paramount importance of Russian-US relations for ensuring stability and security in the world".

"These relations should not be sacrificed due to disagreements on individual international issues even if they are very significant," he is also quoted as saying.

In other words, let's agree to differ on Ukraine, with no hard feelings.

The West fears that if it accepts what appears to be a fait accompli in Crimea, it could encourage the Kremlin to encourage a similar breakaway in other Russian-dominated areas of Eastern Ukraine such as Donetsk. 

Crimea could prove to be a slippery slope. 

As he watches the Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Mr Putin can award himself a gold medal for boldness - and for keeping a straight face as he told the world that the military forces in Crimea had nothing to do with him.

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Pistorius: Public Opinion And Evidence Collide

Pistorius 'Fired Gun In Car And Cheated On Ex'

Updated: 7:55pm UK, Friday 07 March 2014

An ex-girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius wept as she told the court how the athlete cheated on her with Reeva Steenkamp.

It was also confirmed on Friday that the Paralympian would take the stand during the trial.

Samantha Taylor told how Pistorius once shot a bullet through a car sunroof, and on another occasion waved his weapon at a vehicle which he thought was following him.

:: Sky News' live coverage of the trial is under way, and a special highlights programme will be broadcast every weekday at 9.30pm.

Proceedings were halted twice as Ms Taylor had to compose herself during a drama-packed morning at the Pretoria court.

The evidence was heard shortly before a Pistorius family spokesperson confirmed for the first time that the athlete will, at some point, give evidence at the trial.

In another development, a security guard at the star's estate said Pistorius told him that "everything is fine" shortly after shots were reported.

"Mr Pistorius said to me 'security, everything is fine'," Pieter Baba told the court on Friday afternoon.

"That's when I realised that Mr Pistorius was crying," he added.

Earlier, Ms Taylor told how Pistorius nearly always carried a gun and recalled one night when she was awoken by the athlete who feared an intruder in the house.

The court was told how Pistorius grabbed his gun, got out of bed and went to investigate.

Ms Taylor also described occasions when Pistorius screamed at her "out of anger" and said he was often on his mobile phone when they were in bed together.

She described another time when the athlete became angry when police stopped a car he was travelling in.

The court heard that about 15 minutes after being stopped he fired his gun out of the sunroof - to "irritate the police", laughing after doing so.

He had earlier joked with the driver of the car about shooting "a robot" - South African slang for a traffic light. 

On another occasion Pistorius was followed by a white Mercedes car, the court heard.

Ms Taylor said that Pistorius leapt out of his car as he approached the security gates of his home and waved his gun at the car, which drove off. 

The court was told how Ms Taylor normally spent four nights a week at Pistorius' home. 

She wept, and the court was adjourned twice, as she said how "upset" she was about the couple's break-up and the fact that she had been cheated on.

Earlier, radiologist Johan Stipp finished giving his evidence and was questioned by defence lawyer Barry Roux.

He had described on Thursday how Pistorius knelt at Ms Steenkamp's side and struggled in vain to help her breathe by holding two fingers in her clenched mouth.

Mr Stipp said he went to Pistorius' home after hearing shots fired on the night Ms Steenkamp was killed and found "a lady lying on her back".

"I also noticed a man kneeling on her side, on the left side. I remember the first thing he said when I got there was 'I shot her, I thought she was an intruder. I shot her,'" Mr Stipp told the court.

He said he did not recognise Pistorius, and described how he tried in vain to resuscitate Ms Steenkamp.

He said Pistorius was "crying all the time" and praying that she would not die.

On top of the premeditated murder allegation, Pistorius faces a charge of illegally possessing ammunition and two further counts related to shooting a gun in public in two separate incidents before the killing.

He denies all the charges against him and maintains he shot Ms Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder.

The athlete could face 25 years in jail if he is found guilty by Judge Thokozile Masipa. South Africa does not have trials by jury.

The trial has been adjourned until Monday.

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Malaysia Airlines Plane 'Loses Contact'

A Malaysia Airlines plane with 239 people on board has crashed into the sea after losing contact with air traffic control 12 hours ago, say reports.

The Boeing 777-200 was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it vanished around two hours into the flight.

Vietnamese state media quoted a navy official as saying Flight MH370 crashed near Tho Chu island, off Vietnam's south coast, at around 2.40am local time.

All ships in the local area have been sent to the scene to look for survivors.

Distraught relatives and friends wait at Beijing International Airport

However, Malaysia's Transport Minister told reporters: "There is no information on any wreckage, but we are looking at all possibilities."

Journalist Leo Lewis, at Beijing airport, told Sky News families were waiting anxiously for news of their relatives.

He said there were "scenes of considerable distress" and "increasing irritation" because of a lack of information about their fate.

The plane left Kuala Lumpur at 12.41am local time and was due to arrive in Beijing at 6.30am local time.

The plane was on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing

Malaysia Airlines said the flight was carrying 227 passengers, including two infants, and 12 crew members.

They were from 14 countries - 152 plus one baby from China, 38 from Malaysia, 12 from Indonesia, seven from Australia, three plus one baby from the US, three from France, two from New Zealand, two from Ukraine, two from Canada, one from Russia, one from Italy, one from Taiwan, one from Netherlands, and one from Austria.

The aircraft was piloted by Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, a 53-year-old Malaysian with a total of 18,365 flying hours. He joined the company in 1981.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected passengers and crew and their family members," Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said in a statement.

Flight MH370 marked in red on Beijing airport's information board

The airline said it would provide "regular updates" on the situation and has set up the phone line +603 7884 1234 for concerned members of the public.

China's state news agency reported that the plane lost communication over Vietnam with air traffic control in the Ho Chi Minh area and that radar contact also was lost.

China has dispatched two maritime rescue ships to the South China Sea to help in the search and rescue work.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said: "This news has made us all very worried. We hope every one of the passengers is safe."

Malcolm Moore, the Daily Telegraph's Beijing Correspondent, told Sky News: "There has been some smog in Beijing this morning.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has voiced his "extreme" worries

"But I don't think visibility would have been a problem, and there were no major storms on the flight path when the plane disappeared."

Malaysia Airlines has 15 Boeing 777-200 jets in its fleet of about 100 planes.

If the plane is found to have crashed, the loss would mark the second fatal accident involving a Boeing 777 in less than a year, after an unblemished safety record since the jet entered service in 1995.

Last summer, an Asiana Airlines Boeing 777 crash landed in San Francisco, killing three passengers.

Boeing said it was aware of reports that the Malaysia Airlines plane has gone missing and was monitoring the situation, but had no further comment.

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Ukraine Defection Reflects Escalating Rift

By Katie Stallard, in Sevastopol, Crimea

The head of Ukraine's navy is a traitor or a patriot, depending which side you believe.

Kiev says Rear Admiral Denis Berezovsky has been fired and is suspected of treason - "for refusing to fight Russians and surrendering the Sevastopol HQ".

Russian TV showed him swearing an oath of allegiance to the new pro-Russian leader of Crimea, and promising to protect citizens' lives.

Mr Berezovsky pledged to "strictly obey the orders of the supreme commander of the autonomous republic of Crimea" and "defend the lives and freedom" of Crimea's people.

He was only appointed 24 hours ago.

A Russian warship enters the Crimean port of Sevastopol on Sunday

New Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyanov appeared alongside him, announcing that he had given orders to Ukrainian naval forces on the peninsula to ignore orders from the "self-proclaimed" government in Kiev.

He said they would now be known as the "Navy of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea".

The immediate question is how this filters down through the ranks - whether other units, ships and officers will follow suit.

The national government claimed earlier that 10 Ukrainian navy ships were in Sevastopol bay, and were still loyal to Kiev and armed.

They might not be so sure of this now.

Ukraine's navy is less than a tenth of the size of Russia's. It was never going to be the decisive factor, but what happened on Sunday was symbolic - and a propaganda coup for the Kremlin.

Thousands attend a rally on Sunday in Kiev's Independence Square

Parallel to the troop movements and the strategic positioning, there is an ongoing battle for the moral high ground.

There are two competing narratives about what is happening here - and both sides claim passionately they are right.

The national unity government and protesters in Independence Square in Kiev say there has been a revolution, that a corrupt, autocratic regime has been overthrown, in short that 'the people' have won.

Russia and its supporters in Crimea insist fascists have seized power, that the country has descended into lawlessness and chaos, and the Kremlin is only acting to protect citizens' lives.

Both sides are equally entrenched.

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Ukraine: Russia And China 'In Agreement'

The G7 nations have condemned Russia's intrusion into Ukraine and suspended preparations for the planned G8 summit in Sochi this June.

As a tense stand-off continues between Russian and Ukrainian forces on the borders of Crimea, the group of countries urged Moscow to hold talks with Kiev.

"We, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States and the President of the European Council and President of the European Commission, join together today to condemn the Russian Federation's clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," the G7 said in a statement.

"We have decided for the time being to suspend our participation in activities associated with the preparation of the scheduled G8 Summit in Sochi in June."

Denis Berezovsky announces his defection before TV cameras

It comes after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed Ukraine with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Monday, and claimed their views coincided on the situation there, according to a ministry statement.

Hundreds of suspected Russian troops have surrounded a Ukraine military base near Crimea's capital Simferopol, preventing soldiers from going in or out.

Russian servicemen outside a Ukrainian military unit in Perevalnoye

The convoy blockading the site includes at least 17 military vehicles, which have Russian number plates.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk indicated his country was mobilising for war following the move, saying in English: "This is not a threat: this is actually the declaration of war to my country."

Mr Yatseniuk heads a pro-Western government that took power in the former Soviet republic when its Moscow-backed president, Viktor Yanukovych, was ousted last week.

Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama spoke on Sunday evening and agreed Russia's actions were "completely unacceptable" - and that it would face "significant costs" if it did not change course on Ukraine.

The US announced Secretary of State John Kerry would visit Kiev on Tuesday to show "strong support for Ukrainian sovereignty".

Meanwhile, Ukraine launched a treason case against its new navy chief after he switched allegiance to the pro-Russian Crimea region.

Rear Admiral Denis Berezovsky was appointed head of Ukraine's navy on Saturday and the Kiev government was still claiming its Black Sea fleet remained loyal on Sunday afternoon.

Appearing before cameras in Sevastopol alongside Sergiy Aksyonov, the pro-Russian prime minister of Crimea's regional parliament, he said he had ordered Ukrainian naval forces there to disregard orders from "self-proclaimed" authorities in Kiev.

Despite the strong language employed by the US, a series of public statements and private conversations with reporters made it abundantly clear that Washington wanted to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to pull back without any armed confrontation.

"Right now, I think we are focused on political, diplomatic and economic options," a senior US official told reporters.

An anti-war rally in the Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odessa

"Frankly our goal is to uphold the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, not to have a military escalation."

Mr Kerry had previously accused Russia of an "incredible act of aggression", saying: "You just don't in the 21st century behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on a completely trumped-up pretext."

He spoke of "very serious repercussions" for Moscow and said G8 nations and some other countries are "prepared to go to the hilt to isolate Russia" with an array of options available.

He listed visa bans, asset freezes, trade isolation, and investment changes as possible steps, although analysts said US economic sanctions would have little impact unless EU countries - with which Russia has deeper trade ties - followed suit.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague was in Kiev on Monday ahead of a news conference in the Ukraine capital. Mr Hague announced the UK had withdrawn from preparatory talks ahead of the G8 summit on Sunday.

It came after Mr Putin secured permission from his parliament on Saturday to use military force to protect Russian citizens in Ukraine and told Mr Obama he had the right to defend Russian interests and nationals, spurning Western pleas not to intervene.

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Oscar Pistorius At Court For Murder Trial

Oscar Pistorius has arrived at court for the first day of his murder trial, a year after he shot girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Wearing a dark suit and tie, the athlete was surrounded by photographers and journalists as he made his way through the court lobby.

In a landmark ruling, large parts of the case will be broadcast live by three remote-controlled cameras in court, but testimony given by Pistorius can not be shown.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead at Pistorius' home in February 2013

The South African judge who made the decision said he had weighed up arguments for a fair trial from the Pistorius camp with principles of open justice and freedom of expression.

The trial, which will hear from more than 100 witnesses, is scheduled to run for three weeks but could go on for longer, Hurd says.

The South African legal system does not have trials by a jury, so a judge will preside over proceedings and ultimately pronounce Pistorius innocent or guilty.

Ms Steenkamp was shot by Pistorius at his home in Pretoria

The 27-year-old double amputee faces charges of murder, illegal possession of ammunition and two additional counts relating to shooting a gun in public in two separate incidents before shooting Ms Steenkamp at his home in Pretoria.

Ms Steenkamp's mother June is in court for the first time. She says she wants to look Pistorius in the eyes during the trial.

He stands accused of fatally shooting the 29-year-old model and reality TV star four times through a toilet door intentionally following a jealous row and then lying extensively about it.

The High Court in Pretoria where the trial is taking place

Pistorius acknowledges he killed Ms Steenkamp but denies murder and says he shot her after mistaking her for an intruder.

Pistorius says he was terrified at the mistaken belief that there was a dangerous intruder in his home about to hurt him and the woman he loved dearly - but he had to intervene.

If found guilty of premeditated murder, the Paralympic and Olympic athlete could be jailed for at least 25 years.

More follows...

:: Sky News will have live coverage of the trial from today, with a special highlights programme every weekday at 9.30pm.

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Russia Stands With Putin Over Ukraine Gamble

President Vladimir Putin asked his parliament for permission to use Russian troops in Ukraine, but the result was never in doubt.

His senate voted unanimously in favour with almost palpable glee, applauding themselves as they did.

Where much of the international community sees a leader dangerously poised on the verge of annexing Crimea, his supporters see much to like.

The case that Mr Putin is making is one that resonates well in Russia: that he is being forced to act to protect the lives of Russian citizens, compatriots, and Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

In other words, that he is defending Russian national interests and lives.

That much of the rest of the world considers those interests to be part of the sovereign territory of Ukraine is not necessarily a problem for Russia.

In Moscow, the state propaganda machine is already in overdrive, dismissing Oleksandr Turchynov as the "self-imposed president" and dismissing the mass protest movement as extremists and armed gangs.

Mr Putin has made his case and he will likely stick to it: that a legitimately-elected president has been overthrown and Russian citizens are under threat.

Mr Putin is ignoring international opinion to defend Russia's interests

And there are ever-increasing numbers of them to protect. An estimated 143,000 Ukrainians have been issued with Russian passports in the last two weeks, including members of the Berkut riot police.

The old Kremlin tactic of passport politics seems to be alive and flourishing in Ukraine.

The next 24 hours will see the inevitable volley of stern diplomatic warnings and rhetoric from all sides, but Moscow will be scrutinising all those words for any real threat of action, and so far there is not much to fear.

One commentator characterised US President Barack Obama's latest statement on Ukraine as: "Stop, or I'll say stop again."

The US has now paused preparations for this summer's Russian-hosted G8 summit.

Mr Putin does not respond to threats of condemnation. He has never sought approval, just respect.

He wants Russia to be seen as a great superpower once again, and himself as its strongman president.

If that means playing the bad cop in the West and weathering a diplomatic storm, he probably will not lose much sleep.

For Russia, this is about more than just the loss of Ukraine joining the EU. It's about Europe, Nato - the old Cold War bogeyman of the West - advancing right up to the Russian border, and Moscow does not like that at all.

Mr Putin wants to defend his sphere of influence and the national interest. They count for much more in the Kremlin than whether Mr Obama does or does not come to Sochi for G8.

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China Train Station Mass Stabbing: 33 Dead

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent

At least 33 people have been killed and more than 130 wounded in a mass stabbing at a Chinese railway station.

According to Chinese state media, the "organised and premeditated" attack at Kunming train station in the country's southwestern Yunnan province was carried out by separatists from the volatile Xinjiang province in the far west.

Reports from the city suggest a group of people armed with knives entered the train station at about 9pm local time on Saturday and attacked travellers with knives indiscriminately.

Photos on Chinese social media show horrific scenes with blooded bodies and luggage strewn across the station concourse.

One local resident, Yang Haifei, told China's Xinhua news agency he was attacked and sustained injuries on his chest and back.

Mr Yang said he was buying a ticket when he saw a group of people, most dressed in black, rush into the station and start their attack.

"I saw a person come straight at me with a long knife and I ran away with everyone," he said.

Police have sealed off the area around the station

Unconfirmed reports suggest police shot and killed some of the attackers and detained others.

Chinese police are not routinely armed which may explain why the perpetrators were able to attack so many people before being stopped.

According to eyewitness reports seen by Sky News, there is tension across Kunming amid concern that further attacks may be planned at other locations in the city.

Train stations in Chinese cities are vast and usually extremely busy.

The Kunming city government said the attack was orchestrated by ethnic separatists from Xinjiang, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Police shot some of the attackers, say reports

Extreme elements of the Muslim population who live there have carried out attacks in the past - most recently in Beijing's Tiananmen Square last year.

The Uighur Muslim population in Xinjiang believe their freedoms, culture and religion are being eroded and severely restricted by the Chinese authorities.

Xinjiang, 2,500 miles to the north of Saturday's attack, has experienced repeated outbreaks of violence but the Chinese authorities have largely managed to contain the violence.

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Ukraine Crisis: Russia Vows To 'Protect Interests'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the United States that he retains the right to protect Russia's interests in east Ukraine and Crimea as tensions escalate.

Mr Putin issued the stark warning in a 90-minute phone call with US President Barack Obama, in which the two leaders disagreed over the deepening crisis.

A statement from the Kremlin said unrest in Ukraine posted "a real threat to the lives and health of Russian citizens and the many compatriots who are currently on Ukrainian territory".

"Russia retains the right to protect its interests and the Russian-speaking population of those areas," the statement added.

Mr Obama was on the phone with Mr Putin for 90 minutes

During the call, Mr Obama accused Russia of a "clear violation of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity", and expressed his "deep concern" over Russia's actions.

The White House said: "The United States calls on Russia to de-escalate tensions by withdrawing its forces back to bases in Crimea and to refrain from any interference elsewhere in Ukraine."

The Kremlin has been accused of sending 6,000 troops into Crimea, despite calls from the US and Britain for Moscow to back off.

Ukraine's Acting President Oleksander Turchynov has ordered his country's army to be placed on high combat alert.

A soldier stands next to a sign that says: 'Crimea Russia'

Two Russian anti-submarine warships have also appeared off the Crimea coast, violating an agreement on Moscow's lease of a naval base, Interfax news agency reported.

The two vessels, part of Russia's Baltic Fleet, have reportedly been sighted in a bay at Sevastopol, where Moscow's Black Sea Fleet has a base.

Sky's Dominic Waghorn said Mr Obama and Mr Putin appear to be in disagreement over what should be done to de-escalate the crisis.

"The phone call didn't go very well, it seems. We have each leader, it looks like, lecturing each other," he said.

Russia claims gunmen from Kiev tried to seize Crimea's interior ministry

"The problem clearly here is that Barack Obama may regard Vladimir Putin as a throwback to the Cold War who has ended up somehow running Russia in 2014.

"The two leaders have no real way, on a personal level at least, of working it out and resolving this crisis."

In response to Russia's aggression, the US has already announced it will suspend participation in preparatory meetings for the G8 summit in Sochi in June.

European foreign ministers are also due to hold emergency talks in Brussels on Monday.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was "deeply concerned" by the situation and the decision of the Russian parliament to authorise military action.

"This action is a potentially grave threat to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We condemn any act of aggression against Ukraine," he said.

After unrest in Kiev, tensions have shifted to the Crimea region

Mr Hague is due to visit the country today and hold talks with Ukraine's new leaders.

Pro-Russia demonstrations have been held in major cities in the east and south of Ukraine, where supporters of the new Ukrainian government in Kiev have been beaten up.

The autonomous republic of Crimea has a prime minister loyal to Moscow, but the government in Kiev has vowed to maintain the country's territorial integrity.

Reports suggest that Russian troops are trying to occupy an anti-aircraft missile base and have taken control of airports on the peninsular.

Ukraine's border guard service said about 300 armed men were attempting to seize its main headquarters in the port city of Sevastopol.

Russian helicopter gunships have also been seen in Ukrainian airspace.

Russian soldiers are guarding buildings in Crimea

But there were claims by Russia that gunmen from Kiev had been sent to seize the offices of Crimea's interior ministry.

There was grainy footage of an unidentified armed group breaking into a building, with smoke rising and reports that people had been "wounded".

In what appears to be an orchestrated move, a referendum on whether residents in Crimea want greater independence from Ukraine has been brought forward by two months to March 30.

Russia's Lower House of Parliament, the Duma, has called on Mr Putin "to take measures to stabilise the situation in Crimea".

Ukraine's population is divided in loyalties between Russia and the West.

Much of western Ukraine advocating closer ties with the European Union. However, the eastern and southern regions look to Russia for support.

Crimea has 2.3 million inhabitants, most of whom identify themselves as ethnic Russians and speak Russian.

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