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Ukraine: Russia Warns US Over More Sanctions

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 19 April 2014 | 20.18

The US has warned Russia it will face further sanctions if pro-Russia militia in eastern Ukraine do not disarm, as the Kremlin admits reinforcement troops have been sent to the border.

Barack Obama said the US could take further economic and diplomatic action against Moscow if an international agreement to calm tensions in Ukraine is not implemented.

Russia, Ukraine, the US and the European Union agreed on Thursday to a series of steps to "de-escalate" the crisis in Ukraine.

But many of the groups that took over government buildings in a bid to declare independence in eastern Ukraine have yet to leave, saying they will only do so if Ukraine's government steps down too.

US Secretary of State John Kerry told Russian foreign secretary Sergei Lavrov late on Friday that the "the next few days would be a pivotal period".

The EU has also indicated it will meet to discuss further sanctions if Russia does not act to make the militias disarm.

But earlier, the Kremlin had indicated Russia was not going to be bossed around, issuing a veiled threat.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian television: "Our Western colleagues are trying to push responsibility towards our side. But it must be underlined: it is a collective responsibility."

"We have troops in different regions, and there are troops close to the Ukrainian border.

"Some are based there, others have been sent as reinforcements due to the situation in Ukraine," he added.

John Kerry talks with Sergei Lavrov at the start of a bilateral meeting in Geneva

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

Despite the deteriorating of relations, Russian president Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that he welcomed the appointment of the new Nato head Jens Stoltenberg.

He added that there was "nothing that would hinder a normalisation and normal cooperation" with the West.

In a further sign Moscow is determined not to retreat from its position, Putin said he would award medals to Russians who served during the seizure of Crimea.

In a televised Q&A on Thursday, he admitted for the first time that Russian troops had taken part in the annexation of the peninsula.

The White House said it was watching Moscow to see if it adhered to what had been agreed in Geneva.

Pro-Russians are occupying public buildings in 10 eastern Ukrainian cities and have been told to leave in the next few days or face consequences.

Kiev had previously declared the separatists as terrorists and sent troops to remove them, but had been unable to.

The separatists want a referendum on union with Russia, similar to the one held in Crimea that ultimately led to its annexation by Russia.

Sky's Katie Stallard, in Donetsk, said there was no sign of anyone there acting on the deal reached in Geneva.

She added: "None of those at the talks directly represented those on the ground, particularly those occupying the buildings."

Meanwhile, Europe's Baltic states are in talks to set up their own Russian-language television channel in a bid to counter the deluge of propaganda aimed at their ethnic Russian populations by Moscow-backed media.

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South Korea Ferry Disaster Captain's Apology

The captain of a ferry that capsized off the coast of South Korea leaving more than 200 children dead or missing has apologised to the families of the victims.

In a televised address with his head bowed, Lee Joon-Seok said he had delayed the order to abandon the Sewol because he thought the sea was too cold and that the passengers, mostly children, would "drift away".

South Korea's coast guard found another three bodies on Saturday morning, bringing the confirmed death toll to 32. More than 270 passengers in total are still missing.

A member from the South Korean Navy's SSU dives into the sea off Jindo

Divers trying to find the missing have seen more bodies inside the submerged vessel but have been unable to reach them.

The discoveries of the bodies came as it emerged the third mate steering the ferry at the time of the accident was navigating the waters for the first time.

Senior prosecutor Yang Jung-jin told reporters that the officer, a 25-year-old woman, was steering the ship as it passed through an area with lots of islands clustered close together and fast currents.

South Korean diver rests in the water during the rescue operation of the capsized passenger ship "Sewol", in the sea off Jindo

Divers say they have seen bodies through the windows of the sunken ship

Mr Yang said that another mate usually took controls through the area but, because heavy fog caused a departure delay, the third mate was steering.

The 69-year-old captain, described as an industry veteran by the ship's owners and an "expert" by others, was arrested on suspicion of negligence and abandoning people in need.

Investigators are looking into whether Lee's evacuation order came too late to save lives. Two crew members have also been arrested for failing in their duty to assist passengers.

Oh Yong-Seok, a helmsman on the ferry, said when the crew sent a distress call, the ship was already listing more than five degrees.

A family member of a missing passenger who was on the South Korean ferry "Sewol" which sank at sea cries as she waits for news from a rescue team, at a port in Jindo

A family member of a passenger waits for news from rescue teams in Jindo

About half an hour later, Lee finally gave the order for the passengers to abandon ship, according to Mr Oh.

Investigations are also focusing on whether problems with cargo stowage and structural defects of the vessel might have led to the ship capsizing.

Addressing journalists, Lee said: "I am sorry to the people of South Korea for causing a disturbance and I bow my head in apology to the families of the victims.

"I gave instructions regarding the route, then I briefly went to the bedroom and then it happened.

"At the time, the current was very strong, temperature of the ocean water was cold, and I thought that if people left the ferry without (proper) judgement, if they were not wearing a life jacket, and even if they were, they would drift away and face many other difficulties.

"The rescue boats had not arrived yet, nor were there any civilian fishing ships or other boats nearby at that time. There was a mistake on my behalf as well but the steering (gear of the ship) turned further than it was supposed to."

Lee was speaking as divers searching for some 200 missing people say they looked through a window of the ship and saw three bodies inside the sunken vessel but were unable to retrieve them.

No sounds have been heard from the hull which has now disappeared under the water. Rescuers say hopes of finding survivors are fading.

The number of passengers confirmed dead currently stands at 28.

Some 325 passengers were students from Danwon High School near Seoul.

They were on a school trip making a 13-hour journey to the holiday island of Jeju.

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Missing Plane Search 'Could Take 5 to 7 Days'

By Nick Martin, News Correspondent, in Perth

Australian officials supervising the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight have said that an underwater search for the black box recorder based on "pings" possibly from the device could be completed in five to seven days.

It comes as search teams say the submarine currently scanning the ocean floor remains "the best lead" in finding the plane.

The US Navy-operated Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) has now covered an area of 82 square miles (133 sq km) and has completed six missions.

But its sonar scanners have detected nothing, Sky News understands.

Handout of crew aboard the Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield moving the U.S. Navy?s Bluefin-21 into position for deployment, in the southern Indian Ocean to look for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370

The Bluefin-21 submersible has already carried out six descents

After nearly six weeks without any sign of the plane, the current underwater search has been narrowed to a circular 6.2-mile (10km) area around the location where one of the pings thought to come from the missing flight's black box was detected earlier this month.

The submersible is likely to take up to a week to cover the refined search area.

The Bluefin-21 has now started its seventh descent to the bottom of the Indian Ocean.

It takes two hours for the unmanned submersible to travel more than 4,500m to the seabed where it spends 16 hours at a time using sonar scanners to map the ocean floor. Data is then downloaded at the surface.

Chinese MSA vessel Hai Xin 01 is seen from a RNZAF P-3K2 Orion aircraft in the southern Indian Ocean, as the search continues for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370

The Chinese ship Hai Xin 01 conducts a search in the southern Indian Ocean

No sign of the plane has been picked up, said search officials based in Perth, Australia.

"Overnight, Bluefin-21 AUV completed mission six in the underwater search area. Data from the sixth mission is currently under analysis. No contacts of interest have been found to date," said an official.

"This is the best lead we have in the search for missing flight MH370."

Hishammuddin Hussein, acting Malaysia Transport Minister, told a news conference on Saturday: "The immediate search area that the Bluefin-21 is scouring should be completed within the next week.

"All efforts will be intensified in the next few days in regards to the search."

The underwater hunt is complicated by the depth of the largely unexplored sea floor. The US Navy's unmanned sub has already gone beyond its recommended limit of 4,500 meters (15,000 feet).

Malaysia flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8 bound for Beijing. But an hour into the flight it disappeared from radar. There were 239 people on board, mostly Chinese citizens.

Some families of those on board refuse to believe the aircraft crashed into the sea and have instead denounced the search effort as a cover-up.

Up to 11 military aircraft and 12 ships are assisting the search over the long Easter bank holiday weekend. The total search area is 31,000 square miles (50,200 sq km), across three areas.

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Rob Ford: Crack-Using Mayor Launches Campaign

Supporters of embattled Toronto mayor Rob Ford queued up to get their hands a 'bobble headed' doll of their hero as he launched his bid for re-election.

The politician, who admitted smoking crack cocaine last year, acknowledged he had had "rocky moments" but vowed to fight harder than ever at his inaugural campaign rally.

Ford is seeking re-election on October 27 despite widespread coverage that many believe made him and his city an international embarrassment.

He told those attending the rally: "There's been some rocky moments over the past year. I have experienced how none of us can go through life without making mistakes.

"And when they occur, we learn a lot about ourselves. Humility, the kindness of people and the spirit of second chances."

Ford's bobble-head dolls were launched in November and sold out

The errant mayor shot to fame in November 2013 when Toronto police said they had obtained a copy of a video which appeared to show him inhaling the highly addictive drug.

He refused to resign and, in the weeks after, story after story emerged exposing him for behaviour that many felt was inappropriate for the mayor of such a large city.

He was filmed knocking over a female councillor, ticketed for jaywalking, captured on video slurring his words and accused of paying for an attack on his brother-in-law.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford supporter Daniel Boone poses for a picture

Despite the exposés, Ford remains popular among a core of voters in his home suburb of Etobicoke.

His promises to slash spending, cut taxes and end what he called "the war on the car" have gained him a loyal following.

Nodding bobble-head lookalikes of the mayor were first put on sale last November, according to the Toronto Star, at 20 Canadian dollars each (£12), with proceeds going to a charity.

His previous batch of 300 of the figures sold out within minutes and immediately began popping up on eBay for as much as 15 times their purchase price.

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford supporters sit on a fire truck

At the rally, a range of other merchandise was on sale, including bumper stickers, badges, t-shirts and foam fingers.

Since he became famous, a number of American and international comedians have mocked the mayor.

But, according to the Star, he had rebuffed all attempts to force him from office and has continued his drive to take on what he describes as "abuse of taxpayers' money".

The Star said the latest opinion poll, taken on Monday, put left-wing candidate Olivia Chow at the head of the field with 34% of support, Ford with 27% and former opposition leader John Tory with 24%.

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Vice-Principal Rescued From Ferry Found Hanged

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 18 April 2014 | 20.18

S Korea Ferry: Final Contact From Doomed Vessel

Updated: 11:59am UK, Friday 18 April 2014

A transcript of communications between the stricken Sewol ferry and the coastguard has lifted the lid on the final minutes before the order was given to abandon ship.

The conversations show panic setting in on board the vessel, with officers asking for help to "please come quickly" as it began to tilt to the left, three hours from its destination of Jeju Island.

The transcript also appears to back up claims that the evacuation order may have come too late for some passengers as officers said the ship was tilting so much it was "impossible to move" to check on them.

The communication, which begins with the first distress call made by the ferry on Wednesday morning, has been translated by The Associated Press.

It reads:

8.55am

Sewol: Harbour affairs Jeju, do you have reception of The Sewol?

Jeju Vessel Traffic Services Centre (VTS): Yes, Sewol, this is harbour affairs Jeju.

Sewol: Please notify the coastguard. Our ship is in danger. It's listing right now.

8.56am

Jeju VTS: Where's your ship? Yes, got it. We will notify the coastguard.

Sewol: This ship has listed a lot. Can't move. Please come quickly. We're next to Byeongpung Island.

Jeju VTS: Yes, we got it.

8.58am

Jeju VTS: Sewol, this is harbour affairs Jeju. Do you have reception? Sewol, harbour affairs Jeju.

8.59am

Sewol: Harbour affairs Jeju, this is Sewol.

Jeju VTS: Sewol, this is harbour affairs Jeju. Channel 21, please.

9.00am

Jeju VTS: Sewol, this is harbour affairs Jeju.

Sewol: Jeju, Sewol here.

Jeju VTS: What's the current situation?

Sewol: Currently the body of the ship has listed to the left. The containers have listed as well.

Jeju VTS: OK. Any damage of the human life?

Sewol: It's impossible to check right now. The body of the ship has tilted, and it's impossible to move.

Jeju VTS: Yes, OK. Please wear life jackets and prepare as the people might have to abandon ship.

Sewol: It's hard for people to move.

Jeju VTS: Yes, got it.

9.05am

Sewol: Harbour affairs Jeju, do you have reception of Sewol?

Jeju VTS: Yes, this is harbour affairs Jeju, Sewol.

Sewol: What's going on with the coastguard?

Jeju VTS: Yes, we have notified the coastguard. Currently we are calling Jindo VTS and Wando VTS. Please hold for a moment.

After this, Jeju VTS notified other ships and Wando VTS.

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Ukraine Separatists Stay Put Despite Deal

Pro-Russian insurgents occupying government buildings in eastern Ukraine say they will only leave them if the interim government in Kiev resigns.

Denis Pushilin, a figurehead of the self-appointed Donetsk People's Republic, said that the insurgents do not recognise the Ukrainian government as legitimate.

Ukraine and Russia agreed on Thursday to take tentative steps toward calming tensions along their shared border after more than a month of bloodshed.

But Mr Pushilin said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov "did not sign anything for us, he signed on behalf of the Russian Federation".

He said that because the deal specifies that all illegally-seized buildings should be vacated the interim government in Kiev, which replaced democratically-elected President Viktor Yanukovich, is occupying public buildings illegally.

Acting Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told the parliament that a law offering amnesty to all those willing to lay down their arms and leave the occupied government buildings had been drafted.

Sky's Katie Stallard, in Donetsk on Friday morning, said there was no sign of anyone there acting on the deal reached in Geneva at talks attended by the US, Russia, the European Union and Ukraine.

She added: "None of those at the talks directly represented those on the ground, particularly those occupying the buildings."

In Slavyansk, a city that has become a flashpoint in the crisis after men with Kalashnikovs took control last weekend, leaders of the pro-Russian gunmen held a meeting on how to respond to the agreement inside one of the seized buildings.

On the street, there was little change. In front of the Slavyansk mayor's office, men armed with Kalashnikovs peered over sandbags which had been piled higher overnight.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

Separatists remained in control of the city's main streets, searching cars at checkpoints around the city.

"Are we going to leave the buildings so that they can come and arrest us? I don't think so," said a man guarding the road to the security office, another building the separatists seized, who identified himself as Alexei.

In the capital, Kiev, people on Independence Square, which was the centre of protests that eventually toppled President Viktor Yanukovich, said the barricades would not come down until the May 25 presidential election.

"The people gave their word to stay until the presidential elections so that nobody will be able to rig the result. Then after the election we'll go of our own accord," said 56-year-old Viktor Palamaryuk from the western town of Chernivtsi.

US President Barack Obama said: "I don't think we can be sure of anything at this point. There is the possibility, the prospect, that diplomacy may de-escalate the situation."

He warned that the West stood ready to impose further sanctions on Russia if no progress was made in defusing the crisis.

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Korea Ferry: Transcript Of Last Communications

'Mum, I Love You': Texts Sent As Ferry Sank

Updated: 6:31pm UK, Thursday 17 April 2014

Teenagers on the stricken South Korean ferry sent heartbreaking messages to their families as it capsized and sank.

Mobile phone footage and messages from passengers suggest they were advised to stay where they were as they vessel listed severely to one side.

But the advice may have effectively sealed the fates of many of those on board, making escape impossible as the ferry sank into the icy depths.

One 18-year-old student messaged his mother on the KakaoTalk messaging app at 9.27am (1.27am UK time) - shortly after the ferry sent its first distress call.

He wrote: "Mum, I'm sending this because I might not be able to say it later. I love you."

Seven minutes later his mother - unaware of the trouble the vessel was in - replied: "Why? ... I thought you don't check your KakaoTalk messages.

"Me too son... I love you."

There are reports that the young man involved may be one of the lucky 179 survivors rescued before the ship capsized and went under the water.

Another student sent a series of messages to friends in a theatre club just after 9am.

He wrote: "Hey really seriously.

"Love you all for real.

"Looks like we really are gonna die.

"No really the ship's tilting.

"You guys really.

"If I've wronged any of you. Forgive me."

A female passenger, also 18, messaged her father at around 10am as the ship started to sink.

She wrote: "Dad don't worry too much. I am wearing a life vest and am with other girls."

A few minutes later, as the situation deteriorated, she added: "I can't. It's too tilted. Can't move ... it's more dangerous if I move."

Her distraught father wrote back, urging her to try to get out, but it was already too late.

"Dad, I can't. The ship is too tilted. The hallway is crowded with so many people," she responded in a final message.

At 9.23am a 16-year-old called Kim Woong-Ki texted his older brother saying: "Brother, I'm riding a ship to Jeju Island and the ship hit something and it can't move."

After he was asked how bad the damage was, he said: "I don't know about that, since I'm inside. I don't have good coverage and just now the Coast Guards arrived."

The teenager's brother replied: "The rescue will arrive soon. Don't panic. Be calm and strong. You just need to move quickly as instructed. When you have coverage contact me again."

An icon on the brother's phone shows that his last message was not read and Kim was listed among almost 290 unaccounted for.

Some parents managed a last, traumatic phone call with their children as they tried to escape.

"He told me the ship was tilted over and he couldn't see anything," one mother recalled of a panicked conversation with her student son.

"He said 'I haven't put on the life jacket yet', and then the phone went dead," the mother told the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper.

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Ferry Disaster: Sewol Captain Faces Arrest

Prosecutors have asked a court to issue an arrest warrant for the captain of the South Korean ferry which sank leaving 25 dead and hundreds missing.

Two other crew members are also being sought after the court appeal on Friday. No charges have been specified.

It comes as it emerged captain Lee Joon-Seok was not at the helm of the ship when it capsized, according to investigators.

The third officer was understood to be piloting the ship when the tragedy occurred, an investigating prosecutor told a news conference, and the captain may not have been on the bridge.

Family members of missing passengers who were on a South Korean ferry which capsized on Wednesday, wait for news of their family at a gym in Jindo

Family members of missing passengers wait for news at a gym in Jindo

The investigator said: "He may have been off the bridge... and the person at the helm at the time was the third officer.

"The captain was not in command when the accident took place."

Investigators are also looking at whether the third officer ordered the vessel to make an abrupt turn, which caused it to tilt severely and take on water, according to prosecutor Park Jae-Eok.

It has also been revealed the 68-year-old delayed evacuation for half an hour after the distress signal was sent, suggesting more lives could have been saved had he acted sooner.

A crane arrives at the scene

Oh Yong-Seok, a helmsman on the ferry with 10 years of shipping experience, said when the crew gathered on the bridge and sent a distress call, the ship was already listing more than five degrees - the critical angle at which a vessel can be brought back to even keel.

About half an hour after passengers were told to stay where they were, Mr Lee finally gave the order to abandon ship, according to Mr Oh. He added he was unsure in the confusion on the bridge if the order was relayed to the passengers.

Several survivors have said they did not hear any evacuation orders.

By the time the order was given, it was impossible for crew members to move to passengers' rooms to help them because the ship was tilted at an impossibly acute angle, he said.

It has been suggested the evacuation delay also prevented lifeboats from being deployed in time.

Lee Joon-Seok was not at the helm when the ship began listing

The confirmed death toll from the sinking of the Sewol is 25, but that number is expected to rise sharply with about 270 people still missing. Officials have so far confirmed only 179 survivors.

Some 325 of the passengers were students from Danwon High School near Seoul.

Of the 29 crew members, 20 people including Mr Lee survived.

After the tragedy, he made a brief, videotaped appearance, although his face was hidden by a grey hoodie.

He said: "I am really sorry and deeply ashamed. I don't know what to say."

Family members of passengers onboard the capsized South Korean ferry Sewol cry during a Buddhist ritual in Jindo

Anxious relatives take part in a Buddhist ritual

Divers are working in shifts to try get into the upturned ship to pump oxygen into the vessel to help any survivors, but their attempts are being hampered by strong currents and freezing temperatures.

The 146-metre (480ft) ship had left Incheon on the northwestern coast of South Korea on Tuesday for the overnight journey to the southern resort island of Jeju.

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MH370: Oil Slick Is Not From Missing Plane

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 17 April 2014 | 20.18

An oil slick found in the Indian Ocean did not come from the missing Malaysian passenger plane, preliminary analysis has found.

Two litres of oil were found by Australian vessel Ocean Shield in the area where four "pings", possibly from the missing plane's black box recorder, were detected last week.

They were immediately taken for tests to determine whether they could be a clue to the location of flight MH370, which vanished while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

The plane was carrying 239 people, most of them Chinese nationals, when it disappeared.

The search area for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 on April 17

A map showing the position of Ocean Shield

Sky News correspondent Nick Martin, in Perth, Australia, said: "The discovery of an oil slick near to the search area was one of the 'promising leads' authorities spoke of.

"If analysis had shown it to be engine oil from the plane it would have been the first real, tangible sign of missing MH370.

"This is yet another investigative avenue closed.

"Malaysia Airlines had flown a sample of the engine oil it uses in its 777 fleet to Perth to compare it with that of the material discovered in the Indian Ocean."

The search for the missing plane has lasted for weeks

Meanwhile, officials have denied reports efforts to find the plane are winding down, and say the search will continue over the weekend.

The unmanned submarine Bluefin-21, currently tasked with mapping the ocean floor for wreckage, completed its first full mission overnight.

The submersible spent 16 hours on the ocean floor and has mapped a total area of 90 sq km, according to a spokesman for the Joint Air Coordination Centre (JACC) in Perth, western Australia.

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Tanks Doing Stunts Mask Fear In Ukraine

We arrived in Slavyansk to find an armoured personnel carrier (APC) performing stunts outside the mayor's office in the centre of town, to cheers and applause from the crowd.

The lead vehicle was flying a Russian flag, another: "Donbass self-defence."

At first they were greeted as heroes.

A couple of hundred people gathered to watch, many bringing their children with them, posing for photos in front of tanks and APCs.

Some had brought flowers, which they laid on the vehicles, while others shook the men's hands and said "well done".

But not everyone here supports what is happening here.

Several people approached us to make it clear that these men do not speak for all of the residents of Slavyansk.

One man told us he was sad to see the military hardware.

"Nobody wants this," he said.

Another woman, pushing a baby in a pram, said they were afraid to walk around with the children.

An armed personnel carrier in Slavyansk

"They say they are peaceful, but we can't see any peace here," she said.

One of the APCs is parked around 20 metres from a children's playground.

There are masked men, carrying loaded automatic weapons, within sight of the children's swings.

But families are still coming to the playground, and life seems to be going on as normal, all around.

You have to negotiate two checkpoints to get into the town.

But once you get into the centre, people are still going to work, going to the shops, taking their children to school.

It does not feel like a town under siege.

But the situation is precariously poised.

As we filmed, a report came through on the activists' radios of a sniper near the outskirts of town.

They piled onto one of the APCs and roared off towards it - hardly the behaviour of professional soldiers - and clearly enjoying the attention.

But the Ukrainian Army position is 25 miles outside the town and it would not take much here to spark a very dangerous confrontation.

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Oscar Pistorius Murder Trial Evidence 'Wrong'

Oscar Pistorius was "wrong" in his version of events about what happened on the night he shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, the prosecution has claimed.

During cross-examination by lawyer Gerrie Nel, forensic expert Roger Dixon appeared to contradict what the athlete told the court about the position of a magazine rack in the bathroom.

In a graphic photograph showing a pool of Ms Steenkamp's blood around the toilet bowl, the witness, whose expertise was heavily criticised by Mr Nel during questioning on Wednesday, pointed out a rectangular-shaped mark.

Oscar Pistorius Is Tried For The Murder Of His Girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Mr Nel, who grilled Pistorius for five days, is quizzing a forensic expert

He said this shows the magazine rack was in the position it appeared in in a police photograph, something Pistorius rejects.

Mr Nel told Mr Dixon: "Remember when I asked whether the accused's version was correct? You have now showed us the accused's version was wrong."

The claim was made on the 25th day of Pistorius' trial - the last before a two-week break for the Easter holidays.

As Mr Nel continued his attempt to identify inaccuracies in the defence case, Mr Dixon admitted he did not measure the angles of any specific bullet holes in the bathroom door.

As the witness held up one of Pistorius' prosthetic legs, he also revealed he did not check whether varnish from the door the athlete kicked down to reach his girlfriend could have come from contact with other doors in the house.

Mr Dixon was previously branded "irresponsible" by Mr Nel, who accused him of addressing the court without having properly read a post-mortem report about Ms Steenkamp's death.

Pistorius covered his ears as the court heard about Ms Steenkamp's injuries

Pistorius, 27, admits shooting his partner but denies a charge of premeditated murder, claiming he mistook her for an intruder.

The athlete lowered his head and clasped his hands around his ears as further details about Ms Steenkamp's injuries were read to the court.

Mr Dixon said the shock of the first bullet fired through the bathroom door may have caused her to twist and fall.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead at Pistorius' home on Valentine's Day last year

He told the court a further bullet hit Ms Steenkamp's head as she slumped to the floor, hitting her back on the magazine rack as she did so.

On Wednesday, Mr Dixon said a bullet that struck the model's arm caused such serious damage it was like "an instant amputation".

The day began with a stark warning from Judge Thokozile Masipa to people watching the case in an adjoining 'overspill' room, who she said clamber over benches and "cheer, boo and do what they like".

Put your questions on the Oscar Pistorius trial to Sky's Martin Brunt

"Something disturbing has come to my attention," she said.

As well as premeditated murder, Pistorius, who won two gold medals at the Paralympic Games in London in 2012, denies two further counts related to shooting a gun in public on separate occasions prior to the killing.

The trial is scheduled to resume on May 5.

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Ukraine Detains '10 Russian Security Agents'

Ukraine's security service has reportedly detained 10 Russian citizens with intelligence backgrounds, as Vladimir Putin accused Kiev of plunging the country into an "abyss".

The crisis appeared to deepen as talks between Ukraine, Russia, the US and the European Union got under way in Switzerland.

At the Geneva summit, US Secretary of State John Kerry was meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia and EU foreign chief Catherine Ashton.

Russia wants Ukraine to adopt a new constitution which would devolve some powers to eastern Ukraine and Russian-speaking people there.

The US, EU and Ukraine are looking at the diplomatic gathering as an opportunity to de-escalate the crisis, warning Russia that if it does not, it faces the threat of co-ordinated trade and economic sanctions.

Meanwhile, Mr Putin's annual televised phone-in with the nation got under way during which he rejected the presence of Russian forces in eastern Ukraine as "nonsense", and welcomed the diplomatic efforts to defuse the situation "through dialogue, not force".

However, he admitted for the first time the presence of Russian forces in Crimea - before and during the referendum to join Russia.

U.S. Secretary of State Kerry shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at a bilateral meeting in Geneva

John Kerry with Sergei Lavrov in Geneva

He said: "Our goal was to ensure the conditions for a free vote ... behind the local defence forces were our soldiers. They acted correctly, but decisively and professionally. We had to protect people from possible use of weapons."

And he did not rule out sending troops across the border again, saying he hoped he would not have to.

Mr Putin also raised the issue of gas supply and gave Ukraine a month to pay the $2.2bn (£1.3bn) Moscow claims Kiev owes for gas supplies before it demanded upfront payments.

There was also a surprise question in English on surveillance from Edward Snowden, the whistleblower and former CIA operative who has been granted asylum in Russia.

Armed men in military fatigues stand guard outside the regional state building seized by pro-Russian separatists in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk.

Armed men stand guard outside a building occupied by pro-Russia militia

Earlier, Barack Obama warned his counterpart: "Mr Putin's decisions are not just bad for Ukraine, over the long term they're going to be bad for Russia.

"Each time Russia takes these kinds of steps that are designed to destabilise Ukraine and violate their sovereignty, there are going to be consequences."

Mr Obama added: "They are not interested in any kind of military confrontation with us, understanding that our conventional forces are significantly superior to the Russians."

US President Barack Obama has threatened Russia with further sanctions

In recent days tensions have increased with pro-Russian separatists stepping up activities in the east of Ukraine.

The well-armed militias have seized armoured vehicles and weapons from Ukrainian forces and occupied a number of government buildings in towns and cities.

It has also been reported three pro-Russian separatists had been shot dead at a Black Sea military base.

The circumstances of the shooting overnight, at a base of the Ukrainian National Guard in Mariupol, are not yet known.

In a post on Facebook, interior minister Arsen Avakov said: "According to preliminary data, three attackers were killed, 13 wounded and 63 detained."

He said the separatists had thrown Molotov cocktails and other incendiary devices during the clashes.

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William And Kate Touch Down For Oz Trip

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 16 April 2014 | 20.18

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are in Australia with their son George for the second part of their Antipodean tour.

The royal couple touched down on Australian soil to whoops of delight from waiting crowds.

Many of them had been waiting hours to see the family arrive, with a teenage girl and her mother saying they had come especially from Lebanon "to see Kate, George and, of course, William".

The visit comes as a newly published poll shows the royals are increasingly popular among Australians, with support for a republic in Australia dropping to its lowest level in more than two decades.

The Duchess carried a wriggling baby George down the steps of the aircraft and then handed him over to his father so she could accept a bouquet of flowers.

The couple travelled on to Sydney for the start of their 10-day tour, as crowds of people 10 deep surged forward to greet the royals on their arrival at the iconic landmark on the harbour.

One well-wisher, Ailsa Martin from the Bondi area, had been queuing from the early hours.

Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, arrive with their son Prince George at Sydney Airport

George was carried out of the plane by his mother

"We've been waiting for this moment for such a long time. I can't believe they are here at last. Kate even arrived in yellow for Australia."

Australia has seen a resurgence in support for the royal family in recent times, especially among younger generations.

Adam Scott from North Sydney said: "The rest of the world thinks we are against the monarchy. But really we want it as much as places like New Zealand."

In a speech at the reception, William said he and his wife had been looking forward to the visit for a long time.

He reminded his audience of the special place Australia had in the heart of his grandmother, the Queen.

He said: "Her Majesty spoke recently of how, since her first visit here 60 years ago, she has been privileged to witness Australia's growing economy and flowering self-confidence.

"For Catherine, Harry and me, born in the early 80s, we've never known anything else - Australia and Australians have always been for us a beacon of confidence, creativity in the arts and sporting ability."

The Duke And Duchess Of Cambridge Tour Australia And New Zealand - Day 10

Crowds turned out to greet the increasingly popular royal family

The proud father could not resist mentioning his firstborn, saying: "I don't think I could finish these brief words to you without mentioning one other family member, George, who is now busy forging his own link with Australia.

"Catherine and I were very grateful for the many kind messages and gifts from across the country that we received when George was born."

The eight-month-old prince is expected to make an appearance on Sunday when his parents take him to Taronga zoo in Sydney, where an enclosure housing bilbys - a rabbit-like marsupial - will be named after him.

William joked: "I suspect George's first word might be 'bilby' - only because koala is harder to say. We really look forward to our time here together as a family."

The Duke and Duchess left the Opera House to screams and shouts as the "Kate effect" took hold.

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Digging For The Truth Over Russia And Ukraine

Trying to separate fact from fiction is part of a journalist's job, but in Moscow you have to learn to treat some reports with a large dose of scepticism.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Russian state news channel Rossiya 24 reported that between four and 11 people had been killed when Ukrainian government forces recaptured control of an airfield in Kramatorsk, which had earlier been controlled by pro-Russian protesters.

Other Russian news agencies reported several deaths.

It seemed as if it might be a watershed moment, likely to trigger a military response from the Kremlin which has pledged to protect ethnic Russians.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing deep concern and saying events were developing into a "worst case scenario."

But later reports filed by international news organisations such as Reuters and the Associated Press revealed a much less serious incident.

True, Ukrainian soldiers had arrived at the scene and took some verbal abuse from protesters.

Warning shots may have been fired and an officer had his hat knocked off in scuffles.

Tension remains and it is always a worrying development when a country's military confronts its own citizens.

But it still seems some way short of the civil war that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Ukraine was on the brink of.

Armed men stand near armoured personnel carriers in Slaviansk

Armed men stand near armoured personnel carriers in Slavyansk

Equally, those who suggest that everyone who has manned a barricade or occupied a government office in eastern Ukraine is either a Russian agent or cajoled by the Kremlin is also exaggerating.

Yes, there appear to be many examples of men taking charge who display some form of military training, but recent video footage of people forcing a Ukrainian tank to turn around suggests they were angry locals rather than crack troops.

When the West cries too loudly about Russian influence it can drown out the genuine voices of those Ukrainians in the East who don't like the western-leaning interim government in Kiev.

The Russian media ridicules the EU and the US for lauding the civil protests which forced elected President Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country, and yet the same governments condemn Russian-speaking Ukrainians supporters for being angry about what they view as an illegitimate coup.

The truth is out there, and the UN has published a version of it, which found claims of attacks on ethnic Russians had been deliberately exaggerated to justify Russian intervention in Crimea last month.

A woman takes pictures of armed men, wearing black and orange ribbons of St. George - a symbol widely associated with pro-Russian protests in Ukraine

A woman takes a picture of potentially pro-Russian soldiers

The UN Human Rights report said assaults were not widespread and that reports of nationalist extremists "coming armed to persecute ethnic Russians in Crimea were systematically used to create a climate of fear and insecurity that reflected on support to integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation".

The Russian foreign ministry said the UN report was "one-sided, politicised and not objective", adding: "One gets the impression that the report was fabricated to correspond with conclusions formed in advance."

The annexation of Crimea was popular in Russia because it returned a territory which was historically Russian, but which was ceded to Ukraine during the Soviet era when Moscow still retained overall control.

But there appears to be little appetite among ordinary Russians for trying to seize chunks of eastern Ukraine, even if many of those who live there speak Russian.

Lisa Zelaney, a student at Moscow State University, told Sky News she had friends in Ukraine and, although she supported Crimea returning to Russian control, the current situation was different, and she was dubious about Russian media reports.

Armed men drive military vehicles outside Kramatorsk

"When you hear people say, 'Yes, we want Russian people to get here and help us get rid of this government, that we don't like it,' that's not usually the truth.

"I think we should leave this country alone and let them themselves decide what they need."

Pensioner Vladimir Pantileymonovich told us: "By no means should Russia interfere in the eastern Ukraine situation. It's their own business."

And Dina Boulatova added: "We should definitely not get into it, otherwise there will be huge problems for Russia. The two sides there should take a step towards each other."

But another man was more sympathetic to Kremlin policy.

Ukrainian soldiers walk in the field near pro-Russia protesters near Kramatorsk

Ukrainian soldiers clash in a field with pro-Russian protesters

Elizarov Leonid Mikhailovich said: "For me personally everything is very clear. The majority of the population expressed their opinion. They said what they wanted and how they wanted it.

"The methods that the Kiev authorities are using now are horrible. They were elected in a barbarous way.

"I think the majority in Ukraine understand this government does not have a future.

"I may not support Putin or like him but on this issue I completely support him. Russia is strong enough now to support its people."

As for criticism of a foreign government meddling in the affairs of another, the Russian media reported on evidence to confirm their suspicions the interim government in Kiev came to power as the result of an American-backed coup.

The confirmation by the White House that CIA director John Brennan was a visitor to Kiev at the weekend fuelled Moscow suspicions of the agency's involvement in supporting the Maidan protesters.

The White House said his arrival in Ukraine was simply part of a wider European tour.

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Ukraine: Nato Bolsters Forces In Eastern Europe

Digging For The Truth Over Russia And Ukraine

Updated: 11:52am UK, Wednesday 16 April 2014

By Ian Woods, Sky News Senior Correspondent