Malaysia Airlines Plane 'Loses Contact'

Malaysia Airlines says flight MH370 carrying 239 people bound for Beijing "has lost contact" with air traffic control.

The state-owned carrier said the Boeing 777-200 disappeared this morning at 2.40am local time.

It left Kuala Lumpur just after midnight and was due to arrive in Beijing at 6.30am local time.

Malaysia Airlines said the flight was carrying 227 passengers (including two children) and 12 crew members, from 13 different countries.

Relatives and friends at Beijing International Airport wait for news

They include 153 Chinese nationals, 38 Malaysians, 12 Indonesians, seven Australians, four Americans, two New Zealanders, two Ukrainians, two Canadians, one Russian, one Austrian, one Italian, one Taiwanese and one Dutch citizen.

The carrier said it was working with the authorities who have activated their search and rescue teams to locate the aircraft.

It is also contacting the next-of-kin of the passengers and crew.

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

The plane was on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing

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

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

Citing a local Vietnamese media report, the agency said a Vietnamese search and rescue official reported that signals have been detected from the plane from about 120 miles (220km) southwest of Vietnam's southernmost coastal province of Ca Mau.

It said there had not been any reports received yet about any aircraft that has crashed.

Flight MH370 at the top of Beijing airport's information board

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a statement: "This news has made us all very worried.

"We hope every one of the passengers is safe. We are doing all we can to get more details."

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

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

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

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

:: 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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Obama Hails West's 'Unified' Stance On Crimea

Putin Loses An Ally But Gains A Territory

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

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crimea could prove to be a slippery slope. 

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

:: 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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Race Issue In Shadows During Pistorius Case

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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Pistorius Sobs As Reeva's Death Is Described

Oscar Pistorius has broken down in court as a neighbour described the moments he tried to save his mortally wounded girlfriend.

Prosecution witness Johan Stipp went to Pistorius' home after hearing shots fired on the night Reeva Steenkamp was killed.

The radiologist said: "I got inside and there was a lady lying on her back.

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

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

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

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead on Valentine's Day

"She had no pulse in her neck, she had no peripheral pulse, she had no breathing movements that she made," he said.

"She was clenching down on Oscar's fingers as he was trying to open her airway.

"I tried to do a jaw lift manoeuvre, to try to open the airway, but it was very difficult with the clenching down.

Pistorius' sister Aimee speaks to a member of Ms Steenkamp's family

"All during that time, there wasn't any signs of life that I could see.

"I opened her right eyelid. The pupil was fixed dilated, and the cornea was milky - in other words, it was already drying out.

"So to me it was obvious she was mortally wounded.

Pistorius' defence lawyer Barry Roux has been aggressive in his questioning

"I looked at the rest of her body and I noted she had a wound in her right thigh, also a wound in the right upper arm.

"During that time … Oscar was crying all the time. He prayed to God to 'please let her live, she must not die'.

"He said at one stage while he was praying 'he will dedicate his life and her life to God if she would just only live and not die that night'."

Pistorius wrote notes during the hearing on a pad of paper

He added that Pistorius looked "sincere": "He was crying, there were tears on his face. He was actively trying to assist her."

Sky's Alex Crawford, who was in court, said Pistorius was openly sobbing as the evidence was given.

Earlier, Pistorius' defence team said it would have been "impossible" for neighbours to hear screams on the night Ms Steenkamp died.

The high-profile case is being televised around the world

Lawyer Barry Roux said neighbour Charl Peter Johnson's claim that he heard gunshots followed by a woman screaming was incorrect.

"At the time you heard the deceased, she was in a locked bathroom," said Mr Roux.

"You cannot hear it inside your house ... Even standing on the balcony, it would have been impossible to hear the screams."

Pistorius' Pretoria mansion pictured after the shooting

Mr Johnson was giving evidence for a third day.

Both Mr Johnson and his wife Michelle Burger insist they heard a woman's screams during the shooting.

The issue of the sound of a woman screaming is a key point for the prosecution. The claims by neighbours that they heard the screams suggest Pistorius would have known it was Ms Steenkamp, rather than an intruder, as he fired.

Pistorius looks down at the floor in the court dock

Mr Johnson also claims he heard five or six shots on the night of the killing.

But Mr Roux pointed out that in his initial notes he wrote that he "did not count the number of shots fired".

Mr Roux said: "Three hours later you changed this paragraph, and you corrected little things.

"That is a sign that you revisited that note and amended it."

He also suggested Mr Johnson had given evidence to fit with his wife's account of the evening.

The world's media is in Pretoria to cover the high-profile case

Mr Johnson said he and his wife had spoken after the incident about what had happened, but that he did not hear her give evidence or speak to her about what she said in court.

Mr Roux said: "Your interpretation today is a designed one, it's to incriminate."

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

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

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

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

Judge Thokozile Masipa will decide whether Pistorius is guilty

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Ukraine: Russia Faces Pressure Amid Clashes

Crimea Voices: 'Kiev Government Is Joke'

Updated: 2:41pm UK, Wednesday 05 March 2014

People in Simferopol, Crimea, give Sky News their opinion on the crisis that has seen Russian forces deployed in the region.

:: Yelena Blinova, 75, Pensioner

"I was born in Russia but have lived in Crimea for 42 years.

"We don't want democracy here that came with bullets, we can determine our future by ourselves.

"I believe what has taken place in Kiev is a coup. We are asking Putin to prevent the same from happening here, otherwise they will poison our water supplies, they will gas us.

"We want to have independence and then we will decide what we'll do."

:: Oleg Krivoruchenko, 58, Blacksmith

"I am part of the people's patrol and we are here to make sure there is order on the streets.

"We assembled 11 groups of 100 men - we are patrolling streets, and will be doing this until things calm down.

"There is not tension on the streets of Simferopol.

"We don't know who the armed soldiers are and I don't mind them because they are helping to keep the situation calm.

"I, personally, don't want Crimea to join either Russia or the European Union. I was born here and I want Crimea to be able to run itself."

:: Igor Kornienko, 22 and Sasha Maruk, 22, Students

"They are saying the situation here is tense but we've been cycling around town all this time and it is absolutely fine.

"We've been watching events in Kiev and we are angry that on television they are talking only about the protesters that were killed but not the soldiers.

"This is not fair. The new government in Kiev is a joke. They just assembled some people who have no experience.

"Many people here are hoping we will be in Russia soon, but we have the referendum first.

"What we like about Russia is that life is not crazy like it is here, and Putin is a good leader, but we are not yet sure we would want to become part of it."

:: Vitaly Zagrudniy, 33

"What I care about is the economy. Crimea has everything it needs to be independent from Kiev - we have gas, oil and fertile land.

"But Kiev exports everything we have and does not give us enough back.

"My mother has worked for the state railway for for 35 years and now gets a pension of £75. Similar pensions in Kiev are higher.

"I used to work as a security guard but when I asked to be paid for the last three months they fired me. This is not fair.

"Russia is so close and Crimea's economy depends on Russian tourism and it is more stable too, that's why we would be better off to become a part of it."

Boris Tatorin, 27, Translator

"I really don't like what is happening here. How would you feel if menacing armed men appeared outside your house and told you there are here to protect you?

"I also don't like that we have foreign flags on our official buildings.

"If we signed the EU agreement we could travel to the EU without visas and many people would have liked that.

"I feel Ukrainian and I would never want to be under the Russian rule.

"Troops need to go back to their bases, they are peaceful now, but what will happen if they get different orders?

"I am hoping there will be negotiations and troops will pull out soon."

:: 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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Gaddafi Son Saadi Extradited To Libya By Niger

Muammar Gaddafi's son Saadi has arrived in Tripoli after being extradited by Niger, the Libyan government says.

Libya had been seeking the extradition of Saadi, who had fled to the southern neighbour country after the toppling of his father in a Nato-backed uprising in 2011.

"The Libyan government received today Saadi Gaddafi and he arrived in Tripoli," the cabinet of Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said in a statement.

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Oscar Pistorius Murder Trial Enters Second Day

Oscar Pistorius Trial: Defence On The Attack

Updated: 4:26am UK, Tuesday 04 March 2014

By Emma Hurd, Sky Correspondent

Two things are already clear from the opening stages of Oscar Pistorius' murder trial: the athlete intends to play a full role in his defence; and his lawyers plan to pursue an aggressive approach as they try to keep him out of jail.

In his bail hearing last February, Pistorius struggled to compose himself, frequently breaking down in tears as he sat shaking in court.

This time he has appeared calm and focused, and from the start of the case he has been busy taking notes.

Several times he has handed slips of paper to his legal team, participating in every stage. The athlete, famed for his determination on the track, seems to have brought some of that steel to his trial.

He and his lawyers have had a year to prepare and there is little doubt the Paralympic athlete has been key to the discussions about strategy. 

He certainly knew what to expect when he hired Advocate Barry Roux to lead his defence: a bruiser of an attorney, famed for his ability to win cases and rattle witnesses on the stand.

He lived up to that reputation as he launched his cross-examination of the prosecution's first witness.

Michell Burger, a neighbour of the athlete, had told the court how she was awoken by screaming on the night Pistorius shot dead Reeva Steenkamp. 

She described the woman's cries as "blood-curdling" and said she also heard a man shouting for help.

She also spoke of her horror at hearing four gunshots being fired.

Mr Roux, well aware that this was damaging evidence - contradicting Pistorius' defence that he thought Ms Steenkamp was asleep in bed and he was shooting at an intruder - went on the offensive.

The questions were fired fast to try to unsettle the witness; she was accused of being confused and even asked to vouch for the honesty of her husband who had heard more than four shots.

Mr Roux claimed the woman's voice she heard could have been Pistorius and that the shots were the sound of the athlete using a cricket bat to break down the bathroom door after realising he had shot Ms Steenkamp by mistake.

It was a fiery exchange, with Ms Burger sticking to her account, but Mr Roux might have introduced just a hint of doubt where before there was none.

We can expect more of this, Pistorius sharply focused on his freedom, as Barry Roux spars with the renowned and tenacious lead prosecutor, Gerrie Nel.

There is no jury for the two men to sway, just one judge, Thokozile Masipa, who will ultimately decide what really happened to the 29-year-old Ms Steenkamp that night and, with it, Pistorius' fate.

:: Sky News' live coverage of the trial is under way, and a special highlights programme will be broadcast every weekday 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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Oscar Pistorius Defence Team On The Attack

Two things are already clear from the opening stages of Oscar Pistorius' murder trial: the athlete intends to play a full role in his defence; and his lawyers plan to pursue an aggressive approach as they try to keep him out of jail.

In his bail hearing last February, Pistorius struggled to compose himself, frequently breaking down in tears as he sat shaking in court.

This time he has appeared calm and focused, and from the start of the case he has been busy taking notes.

Pistorius says he mistook Reeva Steenkamp for a burglar

Several times he has handed slips of paper to his legal team, participating in every stage. The athlete, famed for his determination on the track, seems to have brought some of that steel to his trial.

He and his lawyers have had a year to prepare and there is little doubt the Paralympic athlete has been key to the discussions about strategy. 

He certainly knew what to expect when he hired Advocate Barry Roux to lead his defence: a bruiser of an attorney, famed for his ability to win cases and rattle witnesses on the stand.

He lived up to that reputation as he launched his cross-examination of the prosecution's first witness.

Barry Roux is famed for his ability to win cases

Michell Burger, a neighbour of the athlete, had told the court how she was awoken by screaming on the night Pistorius shot dead Reeva Steenkamp. 

She described the woman's cries as "blood-curdling" and said she also heard a man shouting for help.

She also spoke of her horror at hearing four gunshots being fired.

Pistorius leaves court after the first day of the trial

Mr Roux, well aware that this was damaging evidence - contradicting Pistorius' defence that he thought Ms Steenkamp was asleep in bed and he was shooting at an intruder - went on the offensive.

The questions were fired fast to try to unsettle the witness; she was accused of being confused and even asked to vouch for the honesty of her husband who had heard more than four shots.

Mr Roux claimed the woman's voice she heard could have been Pistorius and that the shots were the sound of the athlete using a cricket bat to break down the bathroom door after realising he had shot Ms Steenkamp by mistake.

It was a fiery exchange, with Ms Burger sticking to her account, but Mr Roux might have introduced just a hint of doubt where before there was none.

We can expect more of this, Pistorius sharply focused on his freedom, as Barry Roux spars with the renowned and tenacious lead prosecutor, Gerrie Nel.

There is no jury for the two men to sway, just one judge, Thokozile Masipa, who will ultimately decide what really happened to the 29-year-old Ms Steenkamp that night and, with it, Pistorius' fate.

:: Sky News' live coverage of the trial is under way, and a special highlights programme will be broadcast every weekday 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 Defection Reflects Escalating Rift

By Katie Stallard, in Sevastopol, Crimea

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

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

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

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

He was only appointed 24 hours ago.

A Russian warship enters the Crimean port of Sevastopol on Sunday

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

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

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

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

They might not be so sure of this now.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Both sides are equally entrenched.

:: 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 Condemned By G7 Over Crimea

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

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

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

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

Denis Berezovsky announces his defection before TV cameras

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

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

Russian servicemen outside a Ukrainian military unit in Perevalnoye

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

:: 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 Crisis: Russia Vows To 'Protect Interests'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Russian helicopter gunships have also been seen in Ukrainian airspace.

Russian soldiers are guarding buildings in Crimea

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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China Train Station Mass Stabbing: 29 Dead

By Mark Stone, China Correspondent

At least 29 people have been killed and more than 130 wounded in a mass stabbing at a Chinese railway station.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Police have sealed off the area around the station

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

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

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

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

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

Police shot some of the attackers, say reports

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

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

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

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