Malaysia Airlines Plane Has 'Superb' Record

The safety record of the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200, which is feared to have crashed near Vietnam with 239 people on board, is "superb", an aviation expert has told Sky News.

However, David Learmount said the aircraft's sudden disappearance without sending out a distress signal had echoes of the Air France Airbus A330 that crashed into the South Atlantic in 2009, killing all 228 passengers.

The loss of the plane would be the worst involving the Boeing 777-200 since it entered service 19 years ago, although it would be the second fatal accident involving the aircraft in less than a year.

An Asiana Airlines Boeing 777-200ER crash-landed in San Francisco in July 2013, killing three passengers and injuring more than 180.

Despite this, Mr Learmount said the plane's safety record was "absolutely superb".

"Aviation safety now is quite extraordinarily good," he said. "It's far better than it was 20-30 years ago - I mean massively better.

The same type of aircraft crashed less than a year ago in San Francisco

"That's why things like this are so surprising. They just should not happen any longer.

"The likelihood of this having been something catastrophic having happened to the aeroplane, just forget it. It wasn't that. Catastrophic things do not happen to modern aeroplanes. They just don't."

Mr Learmount added: "The extraordinary thing is that this aircraft has gone missing without the pilot saying a single word.

"The aircraft would have been at cruising height which is nice and high, which if anything goes wrong gives the pilots plenty of time to talk to people. So why didn't they?"

There was no suggestion that a bomb had exploded on board, Mr Learmount said.

Pointing to the loss mid-Atlantic of the Air France flight, he added: "It happened just like this one.

Wreckage from the Air France flight in 2009 is recovered from the Atlantic

"The pilots didn't say anything but they could have done, as they had been in touch with air traffic control not long before the aircraft went missing. The aircraft just went down into the sea.

"We knew that there was a minor glitch on board the aeroplane, but it was very minor and only lasted for less than a minute, but it confused the pilot to such an extent that they never regained their composure.

"The reason why this is a possibility is that this Malaysian disappearance happened at the same time of day, about 1 or 2am local time, when people are at their lowest level of mental and physical capability."

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Malaysia Airlines Plane 'Crashes In Vietnam'

Nearly 240 people are feared dead after air force jets spotted two large oil slicks where a passenger plane reportedly crashed into the sea off Vietnam.

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

The two slicks - both between 10 miles (16km) and 12 miles (19km) long - were seen by two military jets off the south coast of Vietnam.

A photo of the missing plane - seen taking off in Paris in 2011

A Vietnamese government statement said they were consistent with the kind of spills caused by fuel from a crashed airliner.

"Two of our aircraft sighted two oil slicks...running parallel, around 500 metres apart from each other," Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan told state-run VTV.

Rescue boats are being sent to the area from the nearby island of Phu Quoc to look for survivors.

Earlier, the country's state media quoted a navy official as saying Flight MH370 crashed near Tho Chu island at around 2.40am local time.

An information screen at Kuala Lumpur International Airport

The US Navy is helping teams from Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore search the vast waters in the Gulf of Thailand, between Malaysia and Vietnam.

Malaysia's Transport Minister Seri Hishammuddin said he was "looking at all possibilities" including a potential terror attack.

Distraught relatives and friends wait at Beijing International Airport

Malaysia Airlines said in a statement: "The families of all passengers on board MH370 are being informed.  

"At this stage, our search and rescue teams from Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam have failed to find evidence of any wreckage."

The plane, carrying 239 people, disappeared from radar at 1.30am (5.30pm UK time) about 85 miles (135km) north of the Malaysian city of Kuala Terengganu.

The plane is said to have crashed near Tho Chu island, in southern Vietnam

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

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

Malcolm Moore, the Daily Telegraph's Beijing Correspondent, said the relatives have been taken by bus to a hotel in the centre of Beijing.

He told Sky News: "There has been no official confirmation (about what has happened), but it's looking increasingly grim."

Family members have complained of a lack of information

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

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

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

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

Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang has urged Malaysia to "quickly and vigorously push search and rescue work" for the missing plane, state news agency Xinhua said.

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

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

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

Relatives of those on board await news at Beijing airport

"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 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.

Aviation expert David Learmount told Sky News the Boeing 777-200's safety record is "absolutely superb".

He said the plane would have been travelling at cruising height (around 35,000ft) and even if both engines had failed, it would have given the pilots plenty of time to make a distress call.

A Boeing 777 crash landed in San Francisco

The "simple solution" would be to presume there was a bomb on board, "but there's no suggestion of that," he said.

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

There has been one fatal accident involving a Boeing 777 since the jet entered service in 1995.

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

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

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Ukraine 'Will Not Give Up Crimea To Russia'

Putin Loses An Ally But Gains A Territory

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

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Crimea could prove to be a slippery slope. 

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

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TV Licence Dodgers May Not Be Prosecuted

Pressure Grows Over TV Licence Prosecutions

Updated: 1:18pm UK, Saturday 08 March 2014

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

What crime led to 180,000 people being hauled in front of magistrates in 2012, resulted in 70 prison sentences and accounted for one in nine of all cases heard by the courts?

OK, OK, I know you've read the news story and realise the answer is failure to pay a television licence fee.

Magistrates have long objected to being asked to deliver criminal records to these offenders, who tend to be poor, are often older and about two-thirds of whom are women.

They think it is an over-reaction and a waste of court time.

Instead, they want to divert cases to the civil system, along with parking offences or failure to pay your gas bill.

So could their argument be gathering steam in Parliament?

An amendment calling for the change by Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen is gathering support from across the political divide with a variety of motivations.

Some object to the "poll tax" nature of the fee - a £145.50 levy on the rich and poor is clearly regressive.

Others feel that criminal sanctions including prison are simply not the right response, particularly given the vulnerability of those it affects.

Then there is the idea of easing pressure on courts and prisons appeals across the political system.

And finally, there are those who simply detest the BBC.

The corporation itself would be uneasy about the change because of fears it would reduce the incentive to pay.

Even a 1% rise in evasion would cost £35m, which the Beeb tells us is equivalent to 10 local radio stations (or, to put a different spin on it, 11 Jeremy Clarksons).

What is notable about this story is that Chris Grayling, the Justice Secretary, has called Mr Bridgen's intervention "really interesting".

He says Maria Miller, the Culture Secretary, agrees and both departments will be doing some "serious work on the proposal".

In reality, any such change would be discussed as part of BBC Charter renewal.

The next round is due to be completed by the end of 2016, with talks starting around 18 months beforehand.

That means the middle of next year - probably not until after the General Election.

The magistrates, it seems, will have to wait.

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Ukraine: Russian Troops Fire Warning Shots

Ukraine Protests: Timeline Of Events

Updated: 10:13am UK, Tuesday 04 March 2014

Protesters in Ukraine have staged three months of demonstrations at the decision to reject an EU deal in favour of closer ties with Russia. Here are the key events:

:: November 2013 - Ukrainian authorities suspend talks on an Associated Agreement with the EU in favour of closer economic ties with Russia. The decision prompts pro-European opposition groups to call for protests.

:: December 1, 2013 - A crowd of up to 500,000 gathers on Independence Squaure in Kiev, setting up a camp and building barricades.

:: December 11, 2013 - Security forces move against protesters in Kiev but are forced back.

:: December 17, 2013 - President Viktor Yanukovych travels to Moscow where he secures a $15bn (£9bn) bailout deal and a huge price cut for Russian gas.

:: January 19, 2014 - Dozens are injured in clashes between police and protesters in the capital after 200,000 defy new restrictions on demonstrations.

:: January 22, 2014 - Police smash barricades in central Kiev. Protesters respond by hurling rocks and firebombs.

:: January 25, 2014 - Yanukovych offers opposition leaders Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vitali Klitschko entry to the government, but they decline.

:: January 28, 2014 - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigns, parliament scraps the anti-protest laws.

:: January 29, 2014 - Parliament passes an amnesty bill, but the opposition rejects its conditions.

:: February 2, 2014 - Yatsenyuk and Klitschko call for international mediation and Western financial aid in Kiev.

:: February 4, 2014 - Klitschko calls for an "end to the dictatorship" during a heated parliament session.

:: February 5, 2014 - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and top US envoy to Europe Victoria Nuland visit Kiev.

:: February 7, 2014 - Yanukovych meets his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

:: February 9, 2014 - 70,000 protesters gather on Independence Square.

:: February 10, 2014 - The EU stops short of any immediate threat of sanctions.

:: February 14, 2014 - All 234 protesters who have been arrested since December are released, but charges against them remain in place.

:: February 16, 2014 - Protesters evacuate Kiev city hall after occupying the building since December 1. A day later, protesters are granted amnesty.

:: February 17, 2014 - Moscow says it will release $2bn (£1.2bn) from a vital aid package to Ukraine "this week".

:: February 18, 2014 - At least 25 people are killed in the bloodiest day of clashes in nearly three months of protests. Riot police encircle Independence Square, where thousands of protesters remain after a deadline set by security forces.

:: February 19, 2014 - Ukraine's president announces a truce with the opposition.

:: February 20, 2014 - More than 50 people are killed in more clashes between riot police and protesters.

:: February 21, 2014 - President Yanukovych agrees to form a coalition government, hold early presidential elections and make constitutional changes to limit his powers. Mr Yanukovych leaves Kiev.

:: February 22, 2014 - Parliament votes to remove Mr Yanukovych and hold new elections. Yulia Tymoshenko is freed and addresses a huge crowd in Independence Square.

:: February 23, 2014 - Presidential powers are assigned to the Ukraine parliament's new speaker, Oleksandr Turchinov. Pro-Russian protests begin in Crimea, where Russia has a major naval base.

:: February 24, 2014 - Ukraine's interim government draws up an arrest warrant for Mr Yanukovych.

:: February 27, 2014 - Masked gunmen seize regional parliament and government buildings in Crimea. Mr Yanukovych is granted refuge in Russia.

:: February 28, 2014 - Ukraine says Russian troops have taken up positions around strategic locations on the Crimean peninsula. Mr Turchynov says he has put armed forces on full readiness.

:: March 1, 2014 - Russian troops take control of Crimea.

:: March 2, 2014 - Ukraine appeals for international help. The US says it believes Russia has more than 6,000 troops in Crimea. Preparations for June's G8 summit in Russia are suspended.

:: March 3, 2014 - Troops take control of a ferry terminal in Kerch. The Ukrainian military says it was given a deadline of 3am on March 4 to surrender or face a "full assault". Russia denies issuing the ultimatum. The US suspends all military engagements with Russia.

:: March 4, 2014 - Russian military exercises on the Ukraine border end. Russian troops fire warning shots at Ukraine servicemen outside Belbek airbase in Crimea.

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Girl Found In Grave: Cause Of Death Revealed

A teenager found dead in a freshly disturbed grave died from "pressure to the neck", police have said.

The body of 17-year-old Jayden Parkinson was discovered in the Great Western Cemetery in Didcot, Oxfordshire, in December.

Her ex-boyfriend Ben Blakeley, 22, has been charged with murder and perverting the course of justice.

Toxicology tests were ordered after an initial post-mortem examination was inconclusive.

Jayden was last spotted alive on CCTV

"Those results have now been received and Thames Valley Police can confirm that the cause of death is consistent with pressure to the neck," a police spokesman said.

The Oxford teen was last seen leaving Didcot railway station on December 3.

Police were led to the graveyard by "significant" information. Some 100 officers searched for her body.

Blakeley, of Christchurch Road in Reading, is due to appear at Oxford Crown Court for a plea hearing on March 17.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with perverting the course of justice by allegedly helping to dispose of Jayden's body and other evidence.

A third person, a 48-year-old woman from Didcot, was also arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and has been bailed.

Meanwhile, the Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating whether Thames Valley Police's response to Jayden's was "appropriate and proportionate in the circumstances".

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Pistorius Trial: Reeva 'Couldn't Have Screamed'

Oscar Pistorius' defence team says claims by a neighbour that she heard a woman's screams after Reeva Steenkamp was shot will be thrown into doubt by expert evidence.

Neighbour Michelle Burger, who says she heard Ms Steenkamp being killed by Pistorius, was being grilled by the athlete's defence team for a second day.

Oscar Pistorius shot dead his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

She told the packed courtroom in South Africa's administrative capital Pretoria she heard a woman screaming as shots were being fired in Pistorius' residence.

But Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux said: "We will debate the sequence of the bullets. We will have experts state that there was serious brain damage after the shot to the head, that it would not have been possible for her to scream at all."

Pistorius chats with his legal team during a break

Ms Burger replied: "As I said yesterday, I heard her voice just after the last shot. It could have been that it was as the last shot was fired."

The prosecution later said that had the head shot been the final shot, Ms Steenkamp could have screamed until then.

Pistorius looks on from the dock as the case unfolds

Mr Roux opened Tuesday's questioning by saying he wanted to focus on two aspects of Ms Burger, her "credibility and reliability".

Mr Roux has repeatedly attempted to establish this morning that Ms Burger had already decided she did not believe Pistorius' account of the evening - that he believed there was an intruder in his home - when she gave her evidence contradicting his story.

The world's media is watching the case closely

She is the prosecution's key witness, as her account of hearing a woman's screams suggests Pistorius would have known that it was his girlfriend rather than an intruder when he fired.

A tense exchange between Mr Roux and Ms Burger came to a climax when he said he had asked her the same question eight times.

Pistorius' family are in the public gallery

"I'm going to be really slow this time," he said. "You heard at the bail application that it was put on behalf of Mr Pistorius that Reeva did not scream that night, is that correct?"

After giving an unclear answer, Judge Thokozile Masipa insisted that she had to give a clear answer. Eventually, the witness admitted she had heard about Pistorius' claims.

The Pretoria home of Pistorius pictured after the shooting

Mr Roux said: "You've watched Sky News, you've watched other channels, and you've got retrospective knowledge and you take that knowledge and you come and give evidence today as if it's the knowledge of that fateful evening."

Later, her husband Charl Peter Johnson took to the witness stand.

Pistorius turns to chat to his uncle

He said: "We were under the impression that they were being held up in their house.

"I lay in bed thinking of how I can improve the security around my house. I fell asleep at about 4am.

The Paralympic athlete looks down at his notes

"When I woke up I started measuring around the house. I went to work early around 6am and I remembered surfing on the web for security gates for costs."

Earlier, the trial was temporarily delayed after an image of the witness was used by a South African news organisation.

The trial is being televised, but witnesses can choose not to appear on camera.

Ms Burger did not want to be filmed or pictured, and the case was temporarily adjourned just before 8am after Judge Masipa was alerted to an image of the witness that had appeared in local media.

The judge said she viewed the error as "serious" and ordered an investigation.

The double-amputee is accused of the premeditated murder of Ms Steenkamp last Valentine's Day after a jealous row, illegal possession of ammunition and two additional counts relating to shooting a gun in public in two separate incidents before the killing.

The 27-year-old, who is known as the Blade Runner, denies all the charges against him. He claims he shot his girlfriend by mistake at his home after mistaking her for an intruder.

The trial, large parts of which can be broadcast live after a landmark ruling, is scheduled to last for three weeks and will hear from more than 100 witnesses.

South Africa does not have a jury system. Instead, Judge Masipa will decide his fate.

If Pistorius is found guilty he could be jailed for at least 25 years.

More follows...

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

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Putin: Russia Can Use 'All Means' In Ukraine

Ukraine Protests: Timeline Of Events

Updated: 10:13am UK, Tuesday 04 March 2014

Protesters in Ukraine have staged three months of demonstrations at the decision to reject an EU deal in favour of closer ties with Russia. Here are the key events:

:: November 2013 - Ukrainian authorities suspend talks on an Associated Agreement with the EU in favour of closer economic ties with Russia. The decision prompts pro-European opposition groups to call for protests.

:: December 1, 2013 - A crowd of up to 500,000 gathers on Independence Squaure in Kiev, setting up a camp and building barricades.

:: December 11, 2013 - Security forces move against protesters in Kiev but are forced back.

:: December 17, 2013 - President Viktor Yanukovych travels to Moscow where he secures a $15bn (£9bn) bailout deal and a huge price cut for Russian gas.

:: January 19, 2014 - Dozens are injured in clashes between police and protesters in the capital after 200,000 defy new restrictions on demonstrations.

:: January 22, 2014 - Police smash barricades in central Kiev. Protesters respond by hurling rocks and firebombs.

:: January 25, 2014 - Yanukovych offers opposition leaders Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vitali Klitschko entry to the government, but they decline.

:: January 28, 2014 - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigns, parliament scraps the anti-protest laws.

:: January 29, 2014 - Parliament passes an amnesty bill, but the opposition rejects its conditions.

:: February 2, 2014 - Yatsenyuk and Klitschko call for international mediation and Western financial aid in Kiev.

:: February 4, 2014 - Klitschko calls for an "end to the dictatorship" during a heated parliament session.

:: February 5, 2014 - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and top US envoy to Europe Victoria Nuland visit Kiev.

:: February 7, 2014 - Yanukovych meets his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

:: February 9, 2014 - 70,000 protesters gather on Independence Square.

:: February 10, 2014 - The EU stops short of any immediate threat of sanctions.

:: February 14, 2014 - All 234 protesters who have been arrested since December are released, but charges against them remain in place.

:: February 16, 2014 - Protesters evacuate Kiev city hall after occupying the building since December 1. A day later, protesters are granted amnesty.

:: February 17, 2014 - Moscow says it will release $2bn (£1.2bn) from a vital aid package to Ukraine "this week".

:: February 18, 2014 - At least 25 people are killed in the bloodiest day of clashes in nearly three months of protests. Riot police encircle Independence Square, where thousands of protesters remain after a deadline set by security forces.

:: February 19, 2014 - Ukraine's president announces a truce with the opposition.

:: February 20, 2014 - More than 50 people are killed in more clashes between riot police and protesters.

:: February 21, 2014 - President Yanukovych agrees to form a coalition government, hold early presidential elections and make constitutional changes to limit his powers. Mr Yanukovych leaves Kiev.

:: February 22, 2014 - Parliament votes to remove Mr Yanukovych and hold new elections. Yulia Tymoshenko is freed and addresses a huge crowd in Independence Square.

:: February 23, 2014 - Presidential powers are assigned to the Ukraine parliament's new speaker, Oleksandr Turchinov. Pro-Russian protests begin in Crimea, where Russia has a major naval base.

:: February 24, 2014 - Ukraine's interim government draws up an arrest warrant for Mr Yanukovych.

:: February 27, 2014 - Masked gunmen seize regional parliament and government buildings in Crimea. Mr Yanukovych is granted refuge in Russia.

:: February 28, 2014 - Ukraine says Russian troops have taken up positions around strategic locations on the Crimean peninsula. Mr Turchynov says he has put armed forces on full readiness.

:: March 1, 2014 - Russian troops take control of Crimea.

:: March 2, 2014 - Ukraine appeals for international help. The US says it believes Russia has more than 6,000 troops in Crimea. Preparations for June's G8 summit in Russia are suspended.

:: March 3, 2014 - Troops take control of a ferry terminal in Kerch. The Ukrainian military says it was given a deadline of 3am on March 4 to surrender or face a "full assault". Russia denies issuing the ultimatum. The US suspends all military engagements with Russia.

:: March 4, 2014 - Russian military exercises on the Ukraine border end. Russian troops fire warning shots at Ukraine servicemen outside Belbek airbase in Crimea.

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Russia And China 'In Agreement' Over Ukraine

Ukraine Protests: Timeline Of Events

Updated: 11:46am UK, Monday 03 March 2014

Protesters in Ukraine have staged three months of demonstrations at the decision to reject an EU deal in favour of closer ties with Russia. Here are the key events:

:: November 2013 - Ukrainian authorities suspend talks on an Associated Agreement with the EU in favour of closer economic ties with Russia. The decision prompts pro-European opposition groups to call for protests.

:: December 1, 2013 - A crowd of up to 500,000 gathers on Independence Squaure in Kiev, setting up a camp and building barricades.

:: December 11, 2013 - Security forces move against protesters in Kiev but are forced back.

:: December 17, 2013 - President Viktor Yanukovych travels to Moscow where he secures a $15bn (£9bn) bailout deal and a huge price cut for Russian gas.

:: January 19, 2014 - Dozens are injured in clashes between police and protesters in the capital after 200,000 defy new restrictions on demonstrations.

:: January 22, 2014 - Police smash barricades in central Kiev. Protesters respond by hurling rocks and firebombs.

:: January 25, 2014 - Yanukovych offers opposition leaders Arseniy Yatsenyuk and Vitali Klitschko entry to the government, but they decline.

:: January 28, 2014 - Prime Minister Mykola Azarov resigns, parliament scraps the anti-protest laws.

:: January 29, 2014 - Parliament passes an amnesty bill, but the opposition rejects its conditions.

:: February 2, 2014 - Yatsenyuk and Klitschko call for international mediation and Western financial aid in Kiev.

:: February 4, 2014 - Klitschko calls for an "end to the dictatorship" during a heated parliament session.

:: February 5, 2014 - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and top US envoy to Europe Victoria Nuland visit Kiev.

:: February 7, 2014 - Yanukovych meets his ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

:: February 9, 2014 - 70,000 protesters gather on Independence Square.

:: February 10, 2014 - The EU stops short of any immediate threat of sanctions.

:: February 14, 2014 - All 234 protesters who have been arrested since December are released, but charges against them remain in place.

:: February 16, 2014 - Protesters evacuate Kiev city hall after occupying the building since December 1. A day later, protesters are granted amnesty.

:: February 17, 2014 - Moscow says it will release $2bn (£1.2bn) from a vital aid package to Ukraine "this week".

:: February 18, 2014 - At least 25 people are killed in the bloodiest day of clashes in nearly three months of protests. Riot police encircle Independence Square, where thousands of protesters remain after a deadline set by security forces.

:: February 19, 2014 - Ukraine's president announces a truce with the opposition.

:: February 20, 2014 - More than 50 people are killed in more clashes between riot police and protesters.

:: February 21, 2014 - President Yanukovych agrees to form a coalition government, hold early presidential elections and make constitutional changes to limit his powers. Mr Yanukovych leaves Kiev.

:: February 22, 2014 - Parliament votes to remove Mr Yanukovych and hold new elections. Yulia Tymoshenko is freed and addresses a huge crowd in Independence Square.

:: February 23, 2014 - Presidential powers are assigned to the Ukraine parliament's new speaker, Oleksandr Turchinov. Pro-Russian protests begin in Crimea, where Russia has a major naval base.

:: February 24, 2014 - Ukraine's interim government draws up an arrest warrant for Mr Yanukovych.

:: February 27, 2014 - Masked gunmen seize regional parliament and government buildings in Crimea. Mr Yanukovych is granted refuge in Russia.

:: February 28, 2014 - Ukraine says Russian troops have taken up positions around strategic locations on the Crimean peninsula. Mr Turchynov says he has put armed forces on full readiness.

:: March 1, 2014 - Russian troops take control of Crimea.

:: March 2, 2014 - Ukraine appeals for international help. The US says it believes Russia has more than 6,000 troops in Crimea. Preparations for June's G8 summit in Russia are suspended.

:: March 3, 2014 - Troops take control of a ferry terminal in Kerch.

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Computer Coding Skills For Children 'Crucial'

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs and Education Editor

A generation of British schoolchildren risks being left behind in an analogue world unless they learn computer programming skills, a group of some of the UK's leading digital entrepreneurs warn today.

Writing on the Sky News website, figures including Baroness Martha Lane Fox, co-founder of Lastminute.com, and Ian Livingstone CBE, whose company created Tomb Raider, say young people could miss out on jobs if they are not taught skills like coding.

"Employers, entrepreneurs and government are aware how important the digital world will be in the future and we have to have a workforce with the right skills. It is vital that the UK is not left behind because we don't have the right talent who understand problem solving and are digitally literate," they write in an open letter.

"To ensure the next generation doesn't miss out on the potential this digital world will bring and the ability for them to succeed in it, we need to teach them about the fundamentals that underpin it."

The warning comes as the Hour of Code campaign is launched the UK, an initiative encouraging everyone to spend one hour learning how to write code.

It is part of a series of projects which will also see code taught in schools for the first time, following changes to the national curriculum from September.

Education Secretary Michael Gove has encouraged children to learn code

Computer science will be taught in all schools for the first time - and at one school in central London where classes are already under way, pupils voiced their enthusiasm.

"I think this should be taught everywhere," said Arb, a Year 9 pupil at Westminster City School. "It will enrich children, it will inspire them to go into coding and software production.

"It's more fun than actually playing [computer games], it's fantastic," Arb added. "You play the game but you don't actually appreciate how much time is put into making it. Now you realise that just making a simple game like this is incredible."

But one tech entrepreneur warned that root and branch reforms of the education system were needed if young people are really to be equipped with the right skills in a changing world.

"There is a massive skills shortage of digital savvy teachers - it's an unfortunate reality of the internet revolution moving a lot faster than anyone would imagine," said the enterpreneur, who wanted to remain anonymous. "I'm supportive of the Hour of Code and the changes to the curriculum, but we are still taking baby steps."

The Government said its changes to the curriculum would give children the right start.

Education Minister Elizabeth Truss said: "It is vital our children have the skills they need to succeed in the modern-day world which is why we are scrapping the old curriculum and replacing it with a forward-thinking programme that will teach them how to make computers work for them.

"From September every student will be learning code in the classroom so the Hour of Code is a great way for young people to learn about this exciting new skill and get a head-start for the new school year."

As people of all ages are encouraged to learn code this week, Ian Livingstone said he believed the UK could become a world leader if coding skills were more widespread.

"I would argue that we are the most creative nation in the world - if you look at our music, our fashion, our film, our design, our architecture, our advertising, and of course our games," said Mr Livingstone. " But we have to release digital creativity, and by learning how to code we can do that."

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Missing Megan Roberts: Body Of Woman Found

Police looking for a female student who went missing in York six weeks ago have taken the body of a woman from a river.

Megan Roberts, who studied at York St John University, disappeared during a night out with friends in January.

Police believe Miss Roberts, from Wetherby, became separated from friends while drunk and fell into the Ouse near Lendal Bridge.

A pedestrian reported the sighting of a woman's body on Sunday afternoon near the Ship Inn pub in the village of Acaster Malbis, five miles south of York.

Police have not confirmed that the body is that of Miss Roberts

The 20-year-old's family has been told of the discovery.

A police spokesman said: "Formal identification has not yet been completed, therefore we cannot confirm the identity of the deceased at this stage. The family of Megan Roberts have been informed of the discovery."

Miss Roberts was last seen on CCTV on the corner of Rougier Street and Lendal Bridge at about 2.20am on January 23.

A week later her mother, Jackie Roberts, explained the disappearance of her "beautiful daughter" as "a tragic run of events with no one to blame".

Police had searched the Ouse using sonar equipment but had no success.

A Facebook page, Help Find Megan Roberts, was set up to aid the search and attracted 8,535 followers.

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Oscar Neighbour Heard 'Bloodcurdling Screams'

A neighbour of Oscar Pistorius has told how she heard screams and four gunshots on the night the star killed Reeva Steenkamp.

Michell Burger - the first witness at the athlete's murder trial - told the court how she woke up at 3am to the sound of "terrible screams" and called security.

She told the court: "(Reeva Steenkamp) screamed terribly and she yelled for help. Then I also heard a man screaming for help. Three times he yelled for help.

"Just after her screams, I heard four shots. It was very traumatic for me. You could hear that it was bloodcurdling screams."

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

Pistorius' lawyer Barry Roux suggested to her she had heard the sound of Pistorius hitting the toilet door with a cricket bat after the shooting, rather than the actual shots.

When pressed by Mr Roux whether the shots could have been fired before she woke up, she insisted she had heard gunshots.

During a tense exchange, Mr Roux asked for details about the screams she heard between gunshots, and why details in her court testimony did not appear in her witness statement.

He asked: "Was there continuous screaming?"

Pistorious' lawyer Barry Roux

She replied: "The screaming, it went very fast. I didn't expect that that evening."

Mr Roux said sharply: "What is it that you say to me by mentioning that?"

Ms Burger replied: "I didn't sit there with a stopwatch and take down the timing of each shot, or write when she shouted.

"What I can say is that there were four gunshots, and I heard her petrified screaming."

Pistorius' home pictured after the shooting

Mr Roux said: "You are not sure and what you are now doing is adapting, you're speculating, you're trying to close all the gaps."

Ms Burger said she saw aerial shots on Sky News which showed how close her house was to Pistorius' home. Until then she knew the athlete lived nearby, but not exactly where.

Speaking during the lunch break Sky's Alex Crawford, who is in court, said: "When the trial got under way the first witness was absolutely gripping, very compelling testimony."

The trial started with Pistorius, wearing a dark suit and tie, pleading not guilty to murder and a series of firearms charges.

Pistorius walks past Ms Steenkamp's mother (second from right)

For much of the opening statement by defence counsel Kenny Oldwage, Pistorius had his eyes closed and occasionally sighed.

Since then he has fixed his gaze on his neighbour, who is giving evidence as the trial's first witness.

Mr Oldwage told the court how Pistorius thought an intruder was in his bathroom when he shot Ms Steenkamp. He also said Pistorius denied an allegation the pair had argued before the shooting.

Questions over the investigation into the shooting were also raised, as he said the crime scene had been "contaminated and tampered with". State prosecutor Gerrie Nel denied there had been any tampering.

Large parts of the trial are being televised

Pistorius' defence also said that claims the athlete wanted to kill Ms Steenkamp "couldn't be further from the truth".

Earlier, there was disruption in court as a woman known only as Anna Marie, who has attempted to intervene in previous hearings, turned up at court and was surrounded and asked to leave.

Crawford said the woman told reporters she knew Pistorius' mother, and wanted to see the judge. She also claimed to be the ex-wife of the surgeon who amputated Pistorius' legs as a baby.

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

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

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

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

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

The High Court in Pretoria where the trial is taking place

Ms Steenkamp's mother June - who is sitting on the same bench as members of the Pistorius family - is in court for the first time. Earlier she had said she wanted to look Pistorius in the eyes during the trial.

She glared at the star as he walked into court.

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

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

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

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

More follows...

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

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Ukraine: Gangs 'Smuggle Weapons Into Crimea'

We travelled by road from the Ukrainian capital Kiev to Crimea in the far south.

The journey takes you through endless farmland, ploughed fields of the famous black earth and soviet monuments to the fallen of the Second World War.

As we approached the border we were stopped at a checkpoint by unidentified armed men in combat fatigues.

At first they tried to grab our camera, but Sky News' Moscow bureau cameraman, Vadim Nechaev, managed to talk them around.

They searched our car and wanted to take our body armour - we could see several of the guards already sporting 'press' flak jackets, new press helmets in hand.

Our team is usually based in Russia and our foreign ministry accreditation seemed to help - eventually they were persuaded to allow us in and they decided they wanted to show us their side of the story instead.

Katie Stallard was stopped at the border

They describe themselves as 'peaceful citizens' - local volunteers providing security against what they claim is a coup being perpetrated by 'fascists and thugs'.

"I'm from Sevastopol I'm a peaceful citizen, I'm a pensioner," one guard told us.

"I'm just making sure that everything is in order here at the entrance to Crimea, that no-one is smuggling anything that could turn our Crimea into another Maidan (Kiev's Independence Square)."

They took us to see a stockpile of weapons they claim they have seized from cars on the way into Crimea.

They showed us shotguns, hunting rifles, axes, and ammunition, along with a photo they say shows a sniper in army fatigues.

Evidence, they insist of armed gangs from Kiev.

Some of the weapons seized by the militia

A masked man told us: "I am asking you please look at this. I think these barbarians and Nazis, these nationalists, were trying and are still trying to turn our Slavic world into hell."

As we were filming we saw a man and woman being forced out of their car at gunpoint - the guards claimed they had found rifles.

The woman was crying, the man was handcuffed.

It is not clear what they planned to do with them.

Some of the guards were Cossacks from Kuban in southern Russia.

They told us they had come to help their countrymen fight against fascists and thugs.

"This is the land of our ancestors," their leader told us, "who spilled their blood in the Second World War."

"Now the fascists are on the rise again and we are here to show that it's not going to work."

They were flying the Russian flag from the checkpoint and we saw an empty Russian army truck leave their camp, but they insisted they were not acting on orders from Moscow.

They said the Kremlin should send troops to help them fight, to defend Russian citizens' rights.

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Russia Stands With Putin Over Ukraine Gamble

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Pistorius Case Will Hinge On Forensic Evidence

Forensic evidence will play a major part in the murder trial of paralympian Oscar Pistorius which begins tomorrow and will be broadcast live around the world.

The double-amputee athlete has always insisted he and model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp had had a quiet night in together at his house, a closely guarded compound in Pretoria.

He claims he got up in the early hours to bring in a fan from the balcony. But when he went back into the bedroom again, in the pitch dark, he says he heard a noise.

Believed there was an intruder in the house, he says he grabbed a 9mm pistol that he kept under his bed that he kept for security purposes and ran down the passageway leading to the bathroom, without his prosthetic legs on.

The bloody bathroom where Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp

There he fired four shots into the toilet door, which was closed. He insists it was only when he went back into the bedroom and realised his girlfriend was not in bed that it dawned on him it was her in the toilet.

Pictures inside the house show a trail of blood from the bathroom as the paralympian carried Ms Steenkamp downstairs after shouting for help, with flecks of blood on the wall, on the sofa downstairs and on the landing.

The case is likely to hinge on forensic evidence, with specialists for both the defence and prosecution trying to glean everything they can from the site of the shooting.

Ballistics expert JC de Klerk speaks to Sky's Alex Crawford

Ballistics expert JC de Klerk has told Sky News how every shot fired will have left a trail.

"The trajectory of bullets through the door will give an indication of where the firearm must have been held," he said.

Forensic experts say every drop of blood can help show what happened, and whether Ms Steenkamp was sitting, standing or moving at the time she was shot.

Pistorius insists he was "deeply in love" with Ms Steenkamp, who he had been dating for just a few months.

Pistorius says he loved Ms Steenkamp

When the world's best-known paralympian appeared at Pretoria Magistrates' Court during a bail application hearing, he said when he realised his mistake he did everything to save his lover, battering the toilet door with a cricket bat to get to her.

During the trial, science and forensics will help build a picture of what happened, and it will be down to a judge to decide whether the death of Ms Steenkamp was a tragic accident or murder.

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

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Ukraine Accuses Russia Of Declaring War

Ukraine's leader has accused Russia of declaring war on his country and warned the nation was on the "brink of disaster".

Appealing to the international community for help Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said: "This is the red alert, this is not a threat, this is actually a declaration of war to my country."

Ukraine has mobilised its military and called up all its reserves after Russia gave the go-ahead to send more troops into the country, in what has become the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.

Unidentified gunmen have surrounded a Ukrainian military base in Crimea

It came amid warnings the deepening crisis is just "a pace away from catastrophe", where the smallest act could take it "over the edge".

Nato's Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has called on Russia to de-escalate tensions.

"What Russia is doing now in Ukraine violates the principles of the United Nations charter. It threatens peace and security in Europe," he said.

In response to the military action in Ukraine, Britain and France have pulled out of preparations for a summit of world leaders in the Russian resort of Sochi in June.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague, who is visiting the Ukrainian capital Kiev, said: "Our response is diplomatic and peaceful."

He said he was very concerned about escalating tensions.

Russian forces have taken over the Ukraine's southeast Crimea region where Moscow has a naval base, and more troops are on their way, prompting accusations of a "military invasion".

Despite mounting international condemnation, Russian President Vladimir Putin insists he has the right to protect Russian citizens and interests in Ukraine.

Foreign Secretary William Hague is concerned about escalating tensions

US president Barack Obama warned Mr Putin during a 90-minute phone call that Russia had flouted international law and urged him to withdraw forces.

In a sign of how fast-moving and volatile the crisis has become, it is reported hundreds of unidentified gunmen have surrounded a Ukraine military base, preventing soldiers form leaving.

The convoy blockading the site near the region's capital Simferopol includes at least 17 military vehicles, which have Russian registration plates.

Speaking about the Ukraine, former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown, who served in the special forces, told Sky's Murnaghan programme: "I think we are a pace away from catastrophe at the moment.

"It would require one foolish act, I don't know, a trigger happy Russian soldier, a Ukrainian guard who acts aggressively at one of these institutions that has been taken over by Russia or Russian supporters.

"A foolish act now could tip us over the edge.

"The one thing that is absolutely essential now is that the West speaks with a single voice."

"The smallest tremor, the smallest act now could take us over the edge."

This was echoed by Sir Tony Brenton, the former British ambassador to Russia, who told Murnaghan: "It only requires one person to make a mistake for things to go very badly wrong."

Former Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind also warned of the dangers posed by the deepening crisis.

He told Dermot Murnaghan: "There is no doubt this is probably the most serious crisis since the Cold War.

"This has to be a defining moment in the West's relationship with Russia.

"There are very serious implications for the whole of Europe."

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.

More follows...

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