Oscar Pistorius: Lawyers Prepare For Showdown

Two very different versions of what happened in the moments before Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp died have already been heard in court.

The athlete stands trial on Monday accused of her murder in a case that will make South African history as the first to be broadcast live for millions around the world to follow.

He denies the charge, claiming he mistook Ms Steenkamp for a burglar when he shot her in the early hours of Valentine's Day, 2013.

The prosecution says Pistorius, 26, fired his gun four times into the door of a bathroom, knowing his girlfriend was inside after an argument.

Reeva Steenkamp was 'unarmed and defenceless', according to the prosecution

It is alleged she locked herself in the room after fleeing down a seven-metre passage from the bedroom at the runner's luxury home in Pretoria.

According to details outlined at previous hearings, the prosecution argues Pistorius followed her with his 9mm pistol, first putting on his prosthetic legs.

It is claimed he shot his gun four times through the door, killing an "unarmed and defenceless" woman, before the door was broken open from the outside.

The prosecution has rejected claims of mistaken identity - that Pistorius believed the person inside the bathroom was a burglar.

The defence, meanwhile, has alleged the defendant had "no intention" of killing Ms Steenkamp and was bereft at her death.

According to this version of events, Pistorius heard a noise in the early hours and thought an intruder had come through a bathroom window and was hiding there.

Defence lawyers claim he felt vulnerable and shouted for the intruder to get out and for Ms Steenkamp to call police.

It was dark and Pistorius thought Ms Steenkamp was lying on her bed, not that she was in the bathroom, lawyers have argued.

Pistorius speaks with his lawyer Kenny Oldwage at an earlier hearing

They claim Pistorius hobbled to the bathroom on his stumps and fired his gun - a 9mm pistol he kept under his bed because he had received death threats.

After the shooting, they said, he returned to his bed and saw Ms Steenkamp was not there.

It is alleged he shouted for help, broke open a door with a cricket bat and found she was alive before carrying her downstairs.

Pistorius wanted to protect Ms Steenkamp, not kill her, his lawyers claim.

Pistorius said he wanted to protect Ms Steenkamp, not kill her

The court battle will pit the wits of two of South Africa's leading lawyers and is expected to hear from 100 witnesses.

Pistorius has hired Kenny Oldwage, famous for helping acquit the man accused of killing Nelson Mandela's great-granddaughter Zenani in a drink-driving car crash.

He has also hired Barry Roux, known in court for his scarlet ties.

The trial will be one of South Africa's biggest ever legal showdowns, with Pistorius' team going up against veteran prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

Reeva Steenkamp's parents June and Barry. Pic: Channel 5

The judge will be Thokozile Matilda Masipa, a former crime reporter who became only the second black woman to be appointed to the high court in 1988.

The trial, which takes place in Pretoria, will have no jurors, since trial by jury was abolished in South Africa under apartheid in 1969.

Ms Steenkamp's mother, June, has indicated she will attend the trial.

However, her father, Barry, is expected to be at home, recovering from a near-fatal stroke, which his brother said happened while reading a newspaper report about the trial.

A layout of Pistorius' house in Pretoria, South Africa

Cameras will be able to "obtain a video and audio recording of the permitted portions" of the trial.

However, they will not be able to film the Olympic champion, defence witnesses or anyone else who objects to being on camera.

The mandatory sentence for someone convicted of premeditated murder in South Africa is life with a minimum of 25 years in prison.

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

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Pistorius 'In Love' With Reeva: Exclusive

Reeva Steenkamp: The Girl Behind The Name

Updated: 2:00pm UK, Friday 28 February 2014

Reeva Steenkamp was born in the South African city of Cape Town in August 1983, to horse trainer Barry Steenkamp and his second wife, June.

The family later moved to Port Elizabeth where she and her siblings grew up.

She attended St Dominic's Priory High School and, at the age of 15, entered a beauty competition organised through her local newspaper where she was spotted by the paper's then beauty editor, Barbara Robertson

"She was 15, and a young 15," Ms Robertson told Sky News.

"There was nothing sophisticated about her. She was sweet, down to earth, earthy ... just one of those girls who had the 'it' factor ... a little bit (of an) early Kate Moss."

While friends speak of an ultimate desire to marry and have a family, the young woman always expected to enjoy a career of her own.

She took a law degree in case her modelling career did not work out.

But the modelling side took off and the gauche, unsophisticated girl from Port Elizabeth moved on to Johannesburg to seek her success.

Originally a brunette, Steenkamp dyed her hair blonde and soon after broke into the glossy world of magazine modelling.

She made the cover of FHM but, said Ms Robertson, the model remained true to herself.

"The front pages made out she was this brazen blonde with boobs hanging out," she said in an interview with The Guardian.

"She was more than a model. She was Reeva. She had studied law at university. I don't think she was seeking bright lights and fame and fortune.

"She was spreading her wings. If she got noticed, what's wrong with that? It doesn't make her a celeb-seducer."

While she continued modelling and was popular on South Africa's A-list circuit, Steenkamp's legal ambitions appeared to resurface.

The future looked bright as she applied to the Bar in 2011, hoping to qualify as a legal advocate by 2013.

Her TV career also looked promising, with a part in a reality TV show Tropika Island of Treasure that looked likely to lead to further opportunities in her professional life.

In November 2012, she began going out with Oscar Pistorius and the couple were said to be deeply in love.

Three months later, Reeva Steenkamp was dead.

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

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Russia Shows Its Muscle As Crimea Breaks Away

Whatever the government in Ukraine says or does, events on the ground suggest that Crimea has already for all intents and purposes broken away; certainly Kiev's orders no longer stretch as far as this region.

Unidentified gunmen have taken over the parliament and the region's main airports in the space of 24 hours.

They would not answer when I questioned them and asked if they had been sent by Moscow.

In many ways it did not matter - their appearance pretty much gave the game away.

They carried Kalashnikovs, they spoke Russian and their combat fatigues looked suspiciously like Russian issue - albeit without insignia.

The way they moved and patrolled the airports suggested too that this was no dad's army but a well-trained unit doing a professional job.

At times as they stomped up and down ostentatiously it seemed as though they were there just for the cameras.

It was perhaps a signal from the Kremlin that it could put its men on the ground whenever it wanted and there was nothing anyone else could do.

It was a projection of power and reach.

Elsewhere images were captured of Russian helicopters flying into the airport at Sevastopol: yet another direct challenge to the authority of the government in Kiev.

The acting interior minister called the action an invasion and an occupation.

Moscow denies that it has violated Ukrainian sovereignty - officially at least it says it respects its neighbour's borders.

But the pro-European government setting itself up in Kiev is seen as a threat by Moscow.

Ukraine has always been viewed by the Russian ruling elite as part of its sphere of influence.

Moscow may have lost the Western part of Ukraine (for now?) but you can bet it will not allow the same thing to happen in the south and the eastern parts of the country.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Newborn Baby Rescued After Rough Seas Hit Boat

A newborn baby was among 100 migrants who had to be rescued after their boat was caught in rough seas near Sicily.

The Italian Navy and coastguard intercepted the vessel off the coast of Lampedusa because of its precarious position and lack of life jackets.

The baby was treated by medical workers as a precaution but was said to be in good health.

Among the group were 23 women and 46 children, and the passengers were said to be of sub-Saharan origin.

In a separate operation, the Italian coastguard said it had rescued 12 Tunisian migrants whose dinghy had gone adrift near the island of Pantelleria.

The alarm had been raised by a relative of one of the passengers.

Two pregnant women were said to be among the group, who were then taken to port in Pantelleria.

The '"challenging" rescue operation had been slowed down by the darkness and lack of precise information about the migrants' location.

Last October, hundreds of people died after a boat carrying African asylum seekers caught fire and sank off Lampedusa.

It was one of the worst Mediterranean refugee disasters.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Ukraine: Russia Approves Military Action

Russian President Vladimir Putin has got the go-ahead from parliament to use the country's military in Ukraine in a marked escalation of the crisis.

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

Mr Putin said the use of the armed forces was needed in the southeastern region to protect its majority ethnic Russian population, and personnel of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which is based there.

Russian soldiers are guarding buildings in Crimea it has been confirmed

In response, Ukraine's Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov has called an emergency meeting of security chiefs.

Meanwhile, pro-Russian demonstrations were held in major cities in the east and south of the country, which remain loyal to Moscow, where supporters of the new Ukrainian government in Kiev were beaten up.

Tensions continue to rise amid reports that Russian and Ukrainian troops are trying to gain control of key sites in Crimea.

The autonomous republic 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.

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

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.

But there were claims by Russia that gunmen from Kiev had been sent overnight 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".

Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "As a result of the treacherous provocation, there are wounded.

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

"With decisive actions by self-defence groups, the attempt to seize the interior ministry building was averted.

"This confirms the desire of prominent political circles in Kiev to destabilise the peninsula."

The pro-Moscow Prime Minister of Crimea, Sergei Aksenov, has appealed to Russia for help in keeping the peace there.

He has confirmed service personnel from Russia's Black Sea Fleet, which is based in Sevastopol, were guarding key buildings.

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

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

And in a further ratcheting up of pressure on Ukraine, Russia said it saw "no reason" to extend a previously agreed gas discount due to unpaid debts.

To add to Ukraine's financial woes, the country's finance minister said it is unlikely to receive financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund before April due to the continuing turmoil.

US President Barack Obama has warned Moscow that any military intervention in Ukraine would be "deeply destabilising".

British Foreign Secretary William Hague says he has spoken to his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov calling for a de-escalation in Crimea, and respect for Ukraine sovereignty.

People march through the Crimean city of Simferopol waving Russian flags

France and Germany have also raised concerns over developments in Ukraine.

Ukraine's Prime Minister said his country would not be drawn into a military conflict by Russian "provocations", and appealed to Moscow to halt military movements in the region.

Arseny Yatseniuk said: "It is unacceptable when armoured Russian military vehicles are out in the centre of Ukrainian towns."

Mr Obama has called on Russia to respect the independence and territory of Ukraine.

"Any violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply destabilising," he said.

"The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine."

Mr Hague will visit the country on Sunday and hold talks with Ukraine's new leaders.

Crimea has become a flashpoint for tensions between Russia and Ukraine after the overthrow of President Viktor Yanukovych, a Moscow ally, following months of protests which escalated into deadly violence.

Ukraine's population is divided in loyalties between Russia and the West, with much of western Ukraine advocating closer ties with the European Union while 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.

More follows...

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Pistorius At Gun Range: Exclusive Pictures

Oscar Pistorius Trial: Case Background

Updated: 12:49pm UK, Friday 28 February 2014

Two very different versions of what happened in the moments before Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp died have already been heard in court.

The athlete stands trial on Monday accused of her murder in a case that will make South African history as the first to be broadcast live for millions around the world to follow.

He denies the charge, claiming he mistook Ms Steenkamp for a burglar when he shot her in the early hours of Valentine's Day, 2013.

The prosecution says Pistorius, 26, fired his gun four times into the door of a bathroom, knowing his girlfriend was inside after an argument.

It is alleged she locked herself in the room after fleeing down a seven-metre passage from the bedroom at the runner's luxury home in Pretoria.

According to details outlined at previous hearings, the prosecution argues Pistorius followed her with his 9mm pistol, first putting on his prosthetic legs.

It is claimed he shot his gun four times through the door, killing an "unarmed and defenceless" woman, before the door was broken open from the outside.

The prosecution has rejected claims of mistaken identity - that Pistorius believed the person inside the bathroom was a burglar.

The defence, meanwhile, has alleged the defendant had "no intention" of killing Ms Steenkamp and was bereft at her death.

According to this version of events, Pistorius heard a noise in the early hours and thought an intruder had come through a bathroom window and was hiding there.

Defence lawyers claim he felt vulnerable and shouted for the intruder to get out and for Ms Steenkamp to call police.

It was dark and Pistorius thought Ms Steenkamp was lying on her bed, not that she was in the bathroom, lawyers have argued.

They claim Pistorius hobbled to the bathroom on his stumps and fired his gun - a 9mm pistol he kept under his bed because he had received death threats.

After the shooting, they said, he returned to his bed and saw Ms Steenkamp was not there.

It is alleged he shouted for help, broke open a door with a cricket bat and found she was alive before carrying her downstairs.

Pistorius wanted to protect Ms Steenkamp, not kill her, his lawyers claim.

The court battle will pit the wits of two of South Africa's leading lawyers and is expected to hear from 100 witnesses.

Pistorius has hired Kenny Oldwage, famous for helping acquit the man accused of killing Nelson Mandela's great-granddaughter Zenani in a drink-driving car crash.

He has also hired Barry Roux, known in court for his scarlet ties.

The trial will be one of South Africa's biggest ever legal showdowns, with Pistorius' team going up against veteran prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

The judge will be Thokozile Matilda Masipa, a former crime reporter who became only the second black woman to be appointed to the high court in 1988.

The trial, which takes place in Pretoria, will have no jurors, since trial by jury was abolished in South Africa under apartheid in 1969.

Ms Steenkamp's mother, June, has indicated she will attend the trial.

However, her father, Barry, is expected to be at home, recovering from a near-fatal stroke, which his brother said happened while reading a newspaper report about the trial.

Cameras will be able to "obtain a video and audio recording of the permitted portions" of the trial.

However, they will not be able to film the Olympic champion, defence witnesses or anyone else who objects to being on camera.

The mandatory sentence for someone convicted of premeditated murder in South Africa is life with a minimum of 25 years in prison.

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

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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'Boiler Room Fraud' Smashed In Police Raids

Suspected fraudsters who led extravagant lifestyles like Leonardo DiCaprio's character in hit film The Wolf Of Wall Street by conning victims out of millions of pounds have been targeted in an international clampdown.

Police swooped in a series of raids stretching from London and Barcelona to the US and Serbia in a move to smash the so-called boiler room fraud, where investors are duped into buying worthless or non-existent shares.

A total of 110 alleged fraudsters were held in what was one of the biggest anti-fraud operations ever staged.

To date, 850 British victims, many of them pensioners and one of whom killed themselves after being defrauded, have been identified.

They lost a total of around £15m - ranging from between £2,000 and £500,000 per person - but police believe this figure is only "the tip of the iceberg" and suspect thousands more people may have been duped.

A suspect's lavish home in Marbella, Spain. Pic: City of London Police

The operation, which was two years in the making, saw 40 officers from City of London Police join 300 of their Spanish counterparts from the Policia Nacional to target a number of organised crime gangs.

It aimed to take out criminal kingpins, as well as scores of conmen who work for them, including lawyers, money launderers and financiers.

The alleged fraudsters spent their ill-gotten gains on sports cars, designer watches, drugs and prostitutes.

One of the suspects was believed to have been paying £40,000 per month to rent an apartment.

An Aston Martin and Ferrari were among the cars seized by police, along with various watches and £500,000 in cash.

One suspect wrapped watches around his slippers

The raids took place earlier this week, but can only now be revealed after a reporting ban was lifted by a Spanish judge.

Speaking near the site of one of the searches in Barcelona on Tuesday, City of London Police Commander Steve Head said: "You see real victims in real communities whose lives have been devastated. Savings that they thought they could rely on in their old age have gone in a heartbeat."

He added: "These people have no conscience in terms of what they do to people's lives. This is not at all a victimless crime. We've seen lives that have been utterly devastated.

"We have dismantled an international network of fraudsters. Make no mistake, this will make a difference to the ability of fraudsters to operate at this level.

"This network has been dismantled, hopefully we have sent a message to those who think that it's an easy crime that it doesn't matter where you are, we will come after you."

Expensive cars including a Ferrari and an Aston Martin were confiscated

In total, the international team executed 35 warrants on offices from where the fraud is said to have been run, as well as the alleged criminals' luxury homes.

The operation closed down 14 boiler rooms in Spain, two in the UK and one in Serbia.

As well as the fraud, the gangs were also allegedly involved in drug dealing, money laundering and gun crime.

Most of the suspects targeted are British and a main group is expected to be extradited back to the UK to face trial.

Commissioner Jose Luis Andre Vega from the Spanish national police, said: "This sort of crime knows no frontiers or boundaries. It's important to investigate this sort of organised crime on an international level."

Of the 110 arrests, there were 84 in Spain, 20 in the UK, two in the United States and four in Serbia, with most of the suspects arrested on suspicion of money laundering and fraud offences.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Oscar Pistorius: Lawyers Prepare For Showdown

Two very different versions of what happened in the moments before Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp died have already been heard in court.

The athlete stands trial on Monday accused of her murder in a case that will make South African history as the first to be broadcast live for millions around the world to follow.

He denies the charge, claiming he mistook Ms Steenkamp for a burglar when he shot her in the early hours of Valentine's Day, 2013.

The prosecution says Pistorius, 26, fired his gun four times into the door of a bathroom, knowing his girlfriend was inside after an argument.

Reeva Steenkamp was 'unarmed and defenceless', according to the prosecution

It is alleged she locked herself in the room after fleeing down a seven-metre passage from the bedroom at the runner's luxury home in Pretoria.

According to details outlined at previous hearings, the prosecution argues Pistorius followed her with his 9mm pistol, first putting on his prosthetic legs.

It is claimed he shot his gun four times through the door, killing an "unarmed and defenceless" woman, before the door was broken open from the outside.

The prosecution has rejected claims of mistaken identity - that Pistorius believed the person inside the bathroom was a burglar.

The defence, meanwhile, has alleged the defendant had "no intention" of killing Ms Steenkamp and was bereft at her death.

According to this version of events, Pistorius heard a noise in the early hours and thought an intruder had come through a bathroom window and was hiding there.

Defence lawyers claim he felt vulnerable and shouted for the intruder to get out and for Ms Steenkamp to call police.

It was dark and Pistorius thought Ms Steenkamp was lying on her bed, not that she was in the bathroom, lawyers have argued.

Pistorius speaks with his lawyer Kenny Oldwage at an earlier hearing

They claim Pistorius hobbled to the bathroom on his stumps and fired his gun - a 9mm pistol he kept under his bed because he had received death threats.

After the shooting, they said, he returned to his bed and saw Ms Steenkamp was not there.

It is alleged he shouted for help, broke open a door with a cricket bat and found she was alive before carrying her downstairs.

Pistorius wanted to protect Ms Steenkamp, not kill her, his lawyers claim.

Pistorius said he wanted to protect Ms Steenkamp, not kill her

The court battle will pit the wits of two of South Africa's leading lawyers and is expected to hear from 100 witnesses.

Pistorius has hired Kenny Oldwage, famous for helping acquit the man accused of killing Nelson Mandela's great-granddaughter Zenani in a drink-driving car crash.

He has also hired Barry Roux, known in court for his scarlet ties.

The trial will be one of South Africa's biggest ever legal showdowns, with Pistorius' team going up against veteran prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

Reeva Steenkamp's parents June and Barry. Pic: Channel 5

The judge will be Thokozile Matilda Masipa, a former crime reporter who became only the second black woman to be appointed to the high court in 1988.

The trial, which takes place in Pretoria, will have no jurors, since trial by jury was abolished in South Africa under apartheid in 1969.

Ms Steenkamp's mother, June, has indicated she will attend the trial.

However, her father, Barry, is expected to be at home, recovering from a near-fatal stroke, which his brother said happened while reading a newspaper report about the trial.

A layout of Pistorius' house in Pretoria, South Africa

Cameras will be able to "obtain a video and audio recording of the permitted portions" of the trial.

However, they will not be able to film the Olympic champion, defence witnesses or anyone else who objects to being on camera.

The mandatory sentence for someone convicted of premeditated murder in South Africa is life with a minimum of 25 years in prison.

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

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Reeva Steenkamp: The Girl Behind The Name

Reeva Steenkamp was born in the South African city of Cape Town in August 1983, to horse trainer Barry Steenkamp and his second wife, June.

The family later moved to Port Elizabeth where she and her siblings grew up.

Reeva Steenkamp (right) as a child in Port Elizabeth

She attended St Dominic's Priory High School and, at the age of 15, entered a beauty competition organised through her local newspaper where she was spotted by the paper's then beauty editor, Barbara Robertson

She was described as 'down to earth' as a child

"She was 15, and a young 15," Ms Robertson told Sky News.

"There was nothing sophisticated about her. She was sweet, down to earth, earthy ... just one of those girls who had the 'it' factor ... a little bit (of an) early Kate Moss."

While friends speak of an ultimate desire to marry and have a family, the young woman always expected to enjoy a career of her own.

She took a law degree in case her modelling career did not work out.

But the modelling side took off and the gauche, unsophisticated girl from Port Elizabeth moved on to Johannesburg to seek her success.

Originally a brunette, Steenkamp dyed her hair blonde and soon after broke into the glossy world of magazine modelling.

She made the cover of FHM but, said Ms Robertson, the model remained true to herself.

Steenkamp moved to Johannesburg six years before her death. Pic: The Herald

"The front pages made out she was this brazen blonde with boobs hanging out," she said in an interview with The Guardian.

"She was more than a model. She was Reeva. She had studied law at university. I don't think she was seeking bright lights and fame and fortune.

"She was spreading her wings. If she got noticed, what's wrong with that? It doesn't make her a celeb-seducer."

While she continued modelling and was popular on South Africa's A-list circuit, Steenkamp's legal ambitions appeared to resurface.

The future looked bright as she applied to the Bar in 2011, hoping to qualify as a legal advocate by 2013.

Her TV career also looked promising, with a part in a reality TV show Tropika Island of Treasure that looked likely to lead to further opportunities in her professional life.

The model was soon noticed, being picked for the cover of FHM

In November 2012, she began going out with Oscar Pistorius and the couple were said to be deeply in love.

Three months later, Reeva Steenkamp was dead.

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

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Ukraine's Ousted President Vows To Fight On

Defiant Viktor Yanukovych has appeared in public for the first time since he was ousted as Ukraine's president and vowed to fight on.

Speaking at a televised press conference in Rostov-on-Don, in Russia, Mr Yanukovych said he was forced out of the country by a minority of "pro-fascist thugs".

He said he would return to govern the country once he receives "international safety guarantees". 

An armed man is seen patrolling outside an airport in the Crimea region

He blamed the "irresponsible policies" of the West for the crisis in the country and apologised "to the Ukrainian people" for not having had more strength.

He made his statement as Ukraine security sources said they had regained control of two airports amid claims Russian forces tried to seize them.

Earlier, Ukraine's interior minister Arsen Avakov accused Russian forces of staging an "armed invasion" in Crimea, something Russia has firmly denied.

Map shows the peninsular of Crimea

Commenting on the reports Mr Yanukovych said the Crimea standoff was a natural reaction to a "bandit-like" takeover.

Mr Yanukovych added that he had spoken to Russian president Vladimir Putin by phone after arriving in Russia but wouldn't ask for military assistance.

The accusations against Russia came after armed men were seen patrolling the perimeter at the Simferopol airport.

There were also reports that Russian forces were blocking an airport in Sevastopol.

More than 10 Russian military helicopters have also flown from Russia into Ukrainian airspace over the Crimea region, the Ukrainian border guard service said.

Protesters raise a Russian flag in Crimea

However, Ukraine's security authorities have said they had regained control of the two airports.

"There was an attempt to seize the airports, but we have localised those attempts," Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council chief Andriy Parubiy said.

"The airports are now controlled by Ukrainian law enforcement authorities."

The accusations come a day after dozens of pro-Moscow gunmen seized government buildings in the Crimean capital of Simferopol.

An armed man at the airport in Simferopol

These included the regional parliament, which subsequently voted to hold a referendum on May 25 to expand the region's autonomy from Kiev.

France, Germany and Poland said that they were "very worried" by events in Crimea.

The countries urged all parties to refrain from any action endangering Ukraine's territorial integrity.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's acting president Oleksandr Turchynov has dismissed the head of the country's armed forces.

Admiral Yuriy Ilyin had been appointed at the height of protests against President Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted last Saturday.

No reason was given for his dismissal in a brief statement on the presidential website.

It has also emerged that Swiss prosecutors have launched a money-laundering probe against Mr Yanukovych and his son Aleksander.

Austria has also frozen the bank accounts of Mr Yanukovych.

Ukraine will ask Russia to extradite the ousted president, the general prosecutor's office said this morning.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.

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Polar Vortex Sends US Into Deep Freeze Again

Weatherman's Woe As US Polar Vortex Returns

Updated: 1:20pm UK, Wednesday 26 February 2014

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent

People in Minneapolis have woken to sub-zero temperatures for 49 days this winter.

Local weatherman Ian Leonard has run out of ways of telling them what is on its way.

"How do I make it entertaining?" he asks, only half in jest.

Imagine his predicament. It is not exactly fair, but someone has to take the blame for the worst winter the state of Minnesota has seen in decades.

"People hate me right now," he said. "You go into a coffee shop, they give you a sideways glance. It's a tough place to be."

Minnesotans are tough, known for their forbearance in a state that plunges them into the freezer in winter and the sauna in summer.

They are used to being asked by other Americans why they live here.

But Mr Leonard sayd this winter, "they're asking themselves, why do we live here?"

On the streets of a residential suburb, we found Letitia de-icing her car in just a pair of jeans and a shirt. 

"This is one of the coldest years this is really cold," she said. "It keeps getting colder."

Snow drifts four or five feet deep line deserted streets. People hurry from their homes to their cars, warned more than a few minutes outside exposes them to the risk of frostbite.

Temperatures this cold have not been seen here since the early 1980s, but even then they did not start as early as they did this winter or last as long.

The polar vortex - an area of rotating very cold air above the North Pole, kept there normally by a belt of high winds - is being blamed again. 

This year, the belt has loosened, letting slip polar air as far south as Alabama.

As many as 180 million Americans are expected to be affected as the polar vortex strikes again this week.

The freak weather has killed people and brought traffic chaos, power cuts and astronomical heating bills.

It will not make people like Mr Leonard any more popular, but weather experts like him say there is no sign of any let up. 

The polar vortex is here to say. For now at least.

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'Italian Job' Rescue Saves Man In China

Rescuers saved a man from a truck hanging off a bridge in scenes reminiscent of The Italian Job.

The driver died after crashing into a viaduct wall in southwest China - but emergency crews were able to rescue another man as the vehicle teetered on the edge of a 20-metre drop.

They used steel wires and a crane to hoist him from the cabin, where he had become trapped when the truck veered off road.

The cabin was crushed in the accident

The entire rescue was captured on film.

Chen Keqi, squadron head of a highway rescue team covering Guiyang City, said: "At the time when our rescuers tied steel wires onto the roof, the truck shook a little - very dangerous.

"The truck damaged in this accident could have broken up at any time."

The crash happened just after 8am in Guiyang City

One third of the truck was hanging off the bridge and the rescue was mounted in the knowledge it could plunge at any time.

Yang Yongjin, head of the rescue team, said: "It was possible to fall from the 20-metre-high bridge amid the operation, so we had to take the driver's life into consideration."

The man escaped with injuries to his feet and legs.

Michael Caine in The Italian Job

The famous ending to the original film version of The Italian Job saw Charlie Croker - played by Michael Caine - and his gang escape from a bus as it wobbled precariously on a cliff edge.

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Adidas Shelves Racy Brazil World Cup T-Shirts

Adidas has agreed to stop selling a line of World Cup T-shirts after officials in Brazil claimed they encouraged "sexual tourism".

The raunchy range included a top with the caption "Lookin' to Score" alongside the word "Brazil" and an image of Sugar Loaf mountain.

Another carried an "I Heart Brazil" imagine - but the heart was replaced by a woman wearing a thong.

Adidas are a major sponsor of Brazil 2014 and will supply the balls.

They have said the T-shirts were limited edition and available only in the US.

"Adidas always pays close attention to the opinion of its consumers and partners," the company said in a statement.

"Therefore, it is announcing that these products will not be sold anymore."

The T-shirts are no longer available on Adidas's website.

Brazil's tourism board said their government was "vehemently" against anything that "links Brazil's image to sex appeal" and was working hard to repress "sexual tourism".

"We want to make it very clear to our main commercial partners in tourism that Brazil does not tolerate this type of crime in its territory," said Flavio Dino, president of the tourism board Embratur.

"This campaign goes against what Brazil defends.

"Our effort is to promote Brazil for its natural and cultural attributes. An initiative like this one ignores and disrespects the message the government is trying to get across."

The campaign against sexual tourism will see videos warning football fans against paying for sex with children during the World Cup played on Brazil-bound flights from England.

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Rat Bite Death: Boy's Family Sue Pet Shop

The family of a 10-year-old boy who died after he was bitten by an infected rat are suing the pet store which they claim sold them the rodent.

Aidan Pankey, from San Diego, California, died less than three weeks after his grandma purchased the pet as a mate for his female rat.

He woke up in severe pain during the night with a fever and stomach problems, and was pale, lethargic and could barely walk, according to the lawsuit.

The youngster was taken to hospital but died hours later from a condition called streptobacillus moniliformis infection, commonly known as rat bite fever.

John Gomez, the attorney for Aidan's family, said: "He was a bright, energetic, friendly, happy kid ... who had this idea in his young head that his female rat would get married."

A spokesman for Petco, the retailer which allegedly sold the diseased rat, said it was "deeply saddened by the Pankey family's tragic loss" and was investigating the claims.

"The health and safety of people and pets is always a top priority, and we take the family's concerns very seriously," he added.

According to the lawsuit, the rat, called Alex, appeared safe.

However, the boy's parents, Andrew Pankey and Vanessa Sauer, claim Petco should have known about its health and failed to adequately test for the disease.

They say negligence led to Aidan's death, which they claim caused emotional and economic hardship, and allege the retailer did not display adequate warnings about the potential risks, especially for children.

The family's attorney, John Gomez, said the lawsuit was "a means to ensure this doesn't happen again".

"They want tighter controls," he added.

Rat bite fever is a rare disease that is contracted from bites or scratches from rodents such as rats, mice and gerbils.

It can also be picked up from handling an infected animal or by consuming contaminated food or drink.

The disease is not spread from person to person and is normally treatable using antibiotics.

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Ukraine Tensions Rise Amid Crimea Clashes

Pro-Russia separatists and supporters of Ukraine's new leaders have come head to head outside Crimea's regional parliament before a key debate.

Around 2,000 people, many of them ethnic Tatars who are the indigenous group on the Black Sea peninsula, gathered outside the parliament building in Sevastopol in support of the 'Euro-Maidan' movement which ousted President Viktor Yanukovich.

Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov

Meanwhile, several hundred pro-Russia demonstrators chanted their loyalty to Moscow and denounced the "bandits" who had seized power in Ukrainian capital Kiev.

Isolated skirmishes could be seen among the crowds and there were reports of missiles being hurled, but police appeared to be holding the two sides apart as the emergency session took place inside the parliament to discuss the crisis.

Sky News' Alex Rossi, in Sevastopol, said: "A group of Russian supporters tried to storm the parliament, which is in session at the moment, but the police do seem to have things pretty much contained."

Crimea was gifted to Ukraine in 1954 in the Soviet-era by then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. With a part of Russia's Black Sea fleet based in the port of Sevastopol, it remains the only region of Ukraine where ethnic Russians dominate in numbers.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western Russia.

"In accordance with an order from the president of the Russian Federation, forces of the Western Military District were put on alert at 1400 (10am UK time) today," Interfax quoted Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying.

Members of Ukraine's Berkut riot police unit

Russia's foreign minister said the "nationalist and neo-fascist" sentiment in western Ukraine must be "decisively condemned".

Sergei Lavrov's warning came as Ukraine's acting interior minister said he had disbanded the elite Berkut riot police that protesters blamed for scores of deaths in last week's clashes.

Mr Lavrov made his call to democracy watchdog the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which he also said should condemn attempts by nationalists to ban the Russian language in Ukraine.

"Lavrov called on the OSCE to decisively condemn the rise of nationalist and neo-fascist sentiment in the west of the country, (to condemn) calls to ban the Russian language, to turn the Russian-speaking population into 'non-citizens' and to restrict freedom of expression," his ministry said in a statement.

References to fascism are evocative of the Cold War period, when authorities in the East routinely described the West as fascist.

Those who died in the Kiev clashes are being mourned

It came as Ukraine's acting interior minister, Arsen Avakov, announced the end of the riot police unit involved in violence that left almost 100 people dead last week.

"The Berkut is no more," he wrote on his Facebook account.

"I have signed Decree No 144, dated February 25, 2014 on the dissolution of the Berkut special police units of civil defence."

Britain and the US had earlier sought to ease tensions, saying Ukraine should not be a battleground between East and West.

Foreign Secretary William Hague, after talks with his American counterpart John Kerry, backed Ukraine's territorial integrity amid fears that the nation could be torn apart following the protests that ousted pro-Moscow president Viktor Yanukovych.

"This is a country that needs financial assistance from many sources, including from Russia," Mr Hague said.              

"It's not about pulling them away from Russia. It's about enabling them to make their own choices."

Mr Kerry said: "This is not a zero-sum game, it is not a West versus East.

"This is about the people of Ukraine and Ukrainians making their choice about their future."

His comments echoed those previously made by Mr Lavrov, who had said: "We confirmed our principled position of non-intervention in Ukraine's internal affairs.

"We are interested in Ukraine being part of the European family, in all senses of the word. It is dangerous and counterproductive to force Ukraine into a choice."

Meanwhile, former president Mr Yanukovych has been missing since Friday when he fled Kiev. He is wanted by police in the country on charges of mass murder.

His offices and other buildings in Ukraine, including the national bank, are being searched as part of an investigation into his actions.

Hundreds of mourners have been gathering in the centre of Kiev where flowers and other tributes have been left in honour of those who died.

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Oscar Pistorius Trial To Be Shown On Television

The trial of Oscar Pistorius over the Valentine's Day killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp will be partially televised, but his testimony will not be shown.

The double amputee, known as the Blade Runner, is accused of killing Ms Steenkamp in a shooting at his home in Pretoria, South Africa, last February.

In his ruling on Tuesday, Judge Dunstan Mlambo said cameras would be able to "obtain a video and audio recording of the permitted portions" - the opening arguments, prosecution witnesses, closing arguments, the verdict and sentencing.

However, cameras will not be able to film the 26-year-old Olympic champion, defence witnesses or anyone else who objects to being on camera.

A live audio broadcast of the trial, which begins on Monday and is set to hear from more than 100 witnesses, will be permitted throughout.

Sky's Special Correspondent Alex Crawford said the decision was being hailed as "groundbreaking" by the South African media.

The judge is "making sure everyone, whoever you are, rich or poor, famous or completely anonymous, can listen and watch this trial and see justice is done", she said.

Pistorius denies committing murder and says he shot the model and reality TV star by mistake, thinking she was an intruder.

The 29-year-old was found lying on the bathroom floor after being shot four times.

Pistorius standing in the dock at an earlier hearing

On the first anniversary of her death, the athlete said he was "consumed with sorrow" over what had happened.

The mandatory sentence for someone convicted of premeditated murder in South Africa is life with a minimum of 25 years in prison.

The case will be heard at Pretoria's High Court.

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 dead at Pistorius' home in February 2013

Pistorius also faces charges of illegal possession of ammunition and two additional gun-related charges.

He has remained free on bail and has been able to compete before the court case, but Pistorius has turned down invitations to take part in major international athletics events.

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

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Ukraine: Russia Warns Of 'Dangerous' Dilemma

Yanukovych Survived One Revolution But Not Two

Updated: 11:00pm UK, Monday 24 February 2014

Former President Viktor Yanukovych built a reputation as a political street fighter throughout his career.

While he may have survived one revolution, the second has dealt him the final blow.

Mr Yanukovych's dramatic ousting is in many ways a fitting end to a career littered with controversy.

Long plagued by allegations of corruption and a love of luxury, the former president was said to have mastered the art of political survival.

Mr Yanukovych was first deposed after winning a presidential vote in 2004, only to be re-elected six years later. 

His rise to power was equally meteoric.

Hailing from Ukraine's industrial Donetsk region, Mr Yanukovych has previously said his childhood was mired by poverty.

Orphaned at the age of two and raised by his grandmother, he has recalled running around the streets barefooted. 

He fell in with a local street gang in the late 1960s and was convicted of robbery in 1967 and assault in 1970. He served prison sentences for both crimes, although his criminal record has since been inexplicably cleared.

The former leader cut his teeth in politics in his native Donetsk in the 1990s. He served as governor of Donetsk Oblast from 1997 until 2002, when he was appointed prime minister.

His first run at the presidency was in 2004.

He "won" the election, only to be promptly deposed following mass protests, which bore startling similarities to those which would follow 10 years later.

Allegations of fraud and voter intimidation in the second-round ballot promoted the occupation of Kiev's Independence Square, or Maidan, where protesters have returned recent months.

The movement, known as the Orange Revolution, forced the Ukrainian Supreme Court to order a re-run of the vote. 

Mr Yanukovych lost to his Western-backed opponent Viktor Yushchenko, but managed to retain leadership of his Party of the Regions.

He was not out of favour for long, and was again appointed prime minister in 2006.

Four years later, his campaign for Ukraine's top job proved more successful and he defeated Orange Revolution leader and long-time opponent Yulia Tymoshenko by 3.48% of the vote.

Shortly afterwards Ms Tymoshenko was imprisoned for abuse of power; a move which many suggest was orchestrated by Mr Yanukovych.

The Tymoshenko case and successive allegations of corruption earned him considerable criticism from opponents and western leaders during his time in office. 

But it was his decision to pull out of a long-awaited free trade deal with the European Union which sparked the mass protests which led to his downfall. 

The former president is now in hiding, with an arrest warrant out against him.

He stands accused of "mass murder" over the death of dozens of protesters.

Nevertheless, in a move typical of his political career, Mr Yanukovych is yet to formally admit defeat, denouncing the revolution against him as a political "coup".

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US Pair Brave Ukraine To Adopt Four Children

Money Talks In Battle For Control Of Ukraine

Updated: 11:21am UK, Monday 24 February 2014

By Tim Marshall, Diplomatic Editor

Money talks and the EU, the US, and Russia are all shouting.

Having overthrown the government of Viktor Yanukovych, the new powers in Kiev are not about to receive the $15bn bailout Moscow had offered to keep Ukraine leaning eastwards.

President Putin might also decide that the 30% discount he gave Ukraine for Russian gas last year might have been a little generous.

The new Ukrainian Speaker of Parliament may have made him think it was way too generous with a statement about "returning to the path of European integration".

With Ukraine's economy on the brink of default and its foreign reserves draining away, the EU has re-entered the game.

The deal probably being put on the table is for up to $20bn in return for Kiev signing the trade deal it rejected late last year.

Hence the arrival of the EU foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton.

The Americans made sure they are noticed by sending along Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt to meet the new government, have his photo taken, and issue a statement that the US will be pressing the IMF to make emergency loans.

Ukraine's debt is $73bn and it needs to pay $12bn of that this year.

The Russians are not out of the game. They would have taken Friday's EU-brokered deal which left Yanukovych in power for the rest of the year, but now they must fall back on Plan B.

Assuming Plan B does not involve military manoeuvres (still unclear) then they can now still offer some funds in order to keep influence on Kiev, and shore up the pro-Russian support in  parts of eastern and southern Ukraine.

The senior figure in the new government is the newly released from jail Yulia Tymoshenko.

She may have been imprisoned by the Yanukovych government, but it was on charges of improperly overseeing the original Russia/Ukraine gas deal when she was Prime Minister.

She has cordial relations with President Putin whereas Yanukovych is reportedly held in disdain by the Russian strongman.

The Ukrainian economy is weak. Corruption and misrule, involving members of successive governments has meant that while its neighbours to the west, who escaped the Soviet Union 20 years ago, have become more prosperous, it has lagged behind.

Per capita economic output is about $7,300, next door in Poland it is $22,000.

Ukraine has an educated population of 46 million people and the potential to become a far more prosperous country.

Those who believe its future is linked to closer ties with the EU believe they are on the right track, those who look to the Russian and Kazakhstan markets disagree. 

Down in the Russian-speaking Crimea a few town halls area are already flying Russian flags, although this is localized and not an official decision at regional level.

All talk of economic development would be meaningless if wide-scale violence breaks out and the country is dismembered.

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Venezuela Protests Escalate As Barricades Set Up

Protesters have put up barricades and burned tyres in cities across Venezuela as weeks of protests that have left at least 14 dead rumble on.

Some of the worst demonstrations since the unrest against President Nicolas Maduro began three weeks ago saw riot police use tear gas to break up crowds in San Cristobal, near the Colombian border.

The latest reported death involved a student who fell from a rooftop terrace onto the street below as police were breaking up a crowd. 

"Maduro we are going for you" reads the graffiti behind these protesters

Tear gas was also used to disperse around 50 protesters in the capital, Caracas, after they blocked streets in the district of Chacao.

Those taking to the streets are angry about shortages of basic goods and high inflation.

Mr Maduro, who succeeded Hugo Chavez following his death from cancer, has said what is happening in the oil-rich country is a US-inspired coup attempt to "justify foreign intervention".

Speaking at a rally of motorcycle-riding supporters on Monday, Mr Maduro said the blockades had prevented sick people from getting to the hospital.

Bikers at a rally in support of President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas

He also told reporters that a "mercenary from the Middle East" had been arrested in Aragua state for allegedly plotting to set off car bombs.

State governor Tareck El Aissami wrote on Twitter that the suspect, identified in US media reports as Florida businessman Jayssam Mokded Mokded, was held in Maracay with an armed car and carrying US and Colombian communications equipment.

Forty-five people remain under arrest following the protests and in a rare public split among Mr Maduro's ranks, a party governor called for the release of all imprisoned protesters.

Bikers and students blocking a street were involved in clashes

Jose Gregorio Vielma Mora, the governor of the western state of Tachira, said the government's use of the military was a "grave error" and an "unacceptable excess".

Meanwhile, a meeting of local and state officials went ahead without the main opposition figure, Henrique Capriles.

The opposition candidate in the last two presidential elections said: "I am not going to make Nicolas Maduro look good ... That is what they want, that I go there as if the country was absolutely normal."

Mr Maduro has called for a "national peace conference" to be held on Wednesday, featuring "all social, political, union and religious groups".

The National Assembly will be asked to form a Truth Commission to investigate the protests, he added.

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Bitcoin Turmoil After Mt Gox Exchange 'Theft'

The Bitcoin exchange industry has moved to reassure holders of the virtual currency amid reports 6% of Bitcoins in circulation, worth roughly $375m (£225m), have been stolen.

The once-mighty Mt Gox exchange reportedly lost them in a cyber attack, with an apparent internal document suggesting more than 740,000 Bitcoins are missing.

The Mt Gox website is currently offline with trading suspended and withdrawals have been frozen.

The Tokyo-based exchange has not commented on the claims but its chief, Mark Karpeles, quit the board of the Bitcoin Foundation - an advocate for the virtual currency - on the eve of the shutdown.

He has not been seen in public since and his whereabouts remain unknown but in an email to the news agency Reuters he purportedly said: "We should have an official announcement ready soon-ish.

"We are currently at a turning point for the business. I can't tell much more for now as this also involves other parties."

Some 740,000 Bitcoins are reportedly missing from the exchange

The firm's Tokyo office is said by witnesses to be largely bare while a handful of angry investors are camped outside demanding news of their money and questioning whether the business remains solvent.

One of them, Bitcoin trader Kolin Burgess, said he had picketed the building since February 14 after flying in from London, hoping to get back $320,000 he had tied up in Bitcoins with Mt Gox.

"I may have lost all of my money. It hasn't shaken my trust in Bitcoin, but it has shaken my trust in Bitcoin exchanges."

The fate of his holding is unclear as Bitcoins are traded in an unregulated, decentralised marketplace.

But news of Mt Gox's apparent collapse prompted six other Bitcoin exchanges to release a joint statement distancing themselves from Mt Gox - insisting it should not be considered a reflection of the value of Bitcoin or the digital currency industry.

It said: "This tragic violation of the trust of users of Mt Gox was the result of one company's actions.

"As with any new industry, there are certain bad actors that need to be weeded out, and that is what we are seeing today.

"Mt Gox has confirmed its issues in private discussions with other members of the Bitcoin community.

"There are hundreds of trustworthy and responsible companies involved in Bitcoin.

"These companies will continue to build the future of money by making Bitcoin more secure and easy to use for consumers and merchants."

The signatories - Coinbase, Kraken, Bitstamp, BTC China, Blockchain and Circle - released their statement two days after the reported cyber attack on Mt Gox.

Bitcoin's value - which has fluctuated wildly in recent times - fell 20% amid the shutdown at Mt Gox and is about two thirds below its peak of $1,100 at just above $410.

At its height, analsyts say Mt. Gox accounted for 80% of Bitcoin trading but its dominance started to slip a year ago as rumours circulated about the strength of its security protocols.

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