Cressida And Harry Spotted At We Day Event

By Harriet Hadfield, Sky News Reporter

Prince Harry's girlfriend Cressida Bonas has been spotted at one of his official engagements, as he urged young people to help others.

Speaking to 12,000 students from 400 schools at the We Day event at Wembley Arena in London, Prince Harry described voluntary work as the "coolest thing in the world".

He was seen sitting alongside Ms Bonas at the venue, as a host of acts took to the stage.

Prince Harry speaks on stage at the event at London's Wembley Arena

It is thought to be the first time she has attended one of his official appointments.

During his 10-minute speech, Prince Harry said: "The internet is now part of our everyday lives and social media has changed the way we communicate.

"What this means is that our generation, although I am nearly 30, has the greatest opportunity of any in our history to effect change on a global scale."

Cressida Bonas joins friends as she dances in the crowd

Pop stars Ellie Goulding and Jennifer Lawrence both performed as part of the event, which was organised by the charity Free The Children.

Malala Yousafzai, the schoolgirl who was shot by the Taliban in Pakistan in 2012, also appeared on stage.

"Your most powerful tool, your most powerful weapon is your voice," she said.

The We Day format is already popular in the US and Canada, where events have been held since 2007.

Ms Yousafzai told young people their voice is their 'most powerful weapon'

Its goal is to "empower a generation to shift the world from 'me' to 'we', through how we act, how we give, the choices we make".

Entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, who helped organise the event with his daughter Holly, told Sky News: "We are very lucky, everybody wants to get into a position to be able to make a difference and if you get into that position you've got to make a difference so we are very fortunate."

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Girl 'Bitten 100 Times' In Horrific Dog Attack

A seven-year-old girl is in a critical condition after she was mauled by four Staffordshire Bull Terrier-cross dogs.

Sakurako Uehara was bitten around 100 times all over her body and face.

Her family was visiting New Zealand from Japan when the dogs, owned by a family friend, attacked.

Doctors at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital believe the youngster was conscious during the ordeal, which also crushed some of her bones.

At a news conference on Friday, surgeon Zac Moaveni said the girl's condition after the attack was "horrific".

"I don't think any of us were prepared for what we were going to see," he said.

"Any one of those (bites) would make you wince ... it's not just the bite with a dog, it's the crush and the force that's behind it.

The girl was attacked in the town of Murupara on North Island

"It's a very different injury than, say, a stab wound or a cat bite."

He added: "You can't always immediately tell which tissue is going to survive and which tissue is not going to survive.

"That's why it takes a number of operations before we even start to work out what we are dealing with."

Dr David Galler, from the hospital's intensive care unit, said the wounds were "grossly contaminated" and described them as the worst bite injuries he had ever seen.

Sakurako is expected to need repeated plastic and reconstructive surgery until she reaches adulthood.

The dogs have been put down and police are considering whether to bring charges over the attack, which took place on Murupara on North Island.

There has been no comment on why the animals attacked but police said they were registered and adults were around at the time.

In a written statement, the girl's family said Sakurako was their only daughter.

"We don't know what to expect in the coming weeks and months," they said.

"We have a long journey ahead. We simply wish to take things one day at a time.

"We are grateful for all the various offers of support. Many people want to know how they can help. Please just keep Sakurako in your prayers."

An appeal for the family has already raised more than 100,000 New Zealand dollars (£51,000) and the Japanese Society of New Zealand is also giving them support.

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Man Sues Casino After $500k Loss 'While Drunk'

A businessman who lost $500,000 (£298,000) in 17 hours of gambling at a Las Vegas casino is trying to get his money back by claiming he was too drunk to play.

Mark Johnston is suing the Downtown Grand for loaning him money and allowing him to play while he was intoxicated.

Nevada law bars casinos from allowing visibly drunk guests to continue to lay bets.

Mr Johnston's lawsuit says he was so drunk he could not remember the episode after waking up in his hotel room.

"I believed that they were just trying to take advantage of a player," Mr Johnston told CBS.

"If you're intoxicated, you're not allowed to gamble, they're supposed to stop you."

The 52-year-old arrived drunk at the casino and was plied with free alcoholic drinks while he gambled, according to the suit filed on February 18 in Nevada state court for Clark County.

The document described his mental state while gambling as a "blackout period".

The marathon session is said to have started on the night of January 30 and ran into the next afternoon at the casino in downtown Las Vegas, a few miles from The Strip.

Mr Johnston played pai gow and blackjack and was served about 20 drinks, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit stated: "Mr Johnston, an experienced gambler, was dropping chips on the floor, confusing chip colours and slurring his speech badly, and he was unable to read his cards or set his hands properly."

Mr Johnston is a self-made millionaire who previously owned a number of car dealerships and was involved in real estate development, according to his lawyer.

The lawsuit accuses the casino of negligence, reckless endangerment, fraud and other wrongdoing.

A Grand spokeswoman has said the company does not comment on pending litigation.

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James Bulger's Mother Suffers Twitter Abuse

The mother of toddler James Bulger has been subjected to vile abuse about her son's murder on Twitter.

Denise Fergus received a series of offensive tweets to her account on Thursday evening.

The messages were written in the form of poetry from an account with the username @SirJVenables, which has since been disabled.

Merseyside Police said it was investigating the offensive tweets.

Twitter users reacted in fury at the offensive messages

On her own Twitter account, Mrs Fergus wrote: "Here we go again, I'm not interested... #TickTock."

But other users of the microblogging site have reacted with fury at the posts.

Gingio wrote: "I hope @MerseyPolice/@metpoliceuk or someone in Police are doing something to find sicko behind @SirJVenables. Vile isn't strong enough."

James Bulger was murdered in February 1993

FlutterbyLpool added: "Sure somebody from @MerseyPolice will be investigating this sick individual. Words fail me. @SirJVenables."

James Bulger was just two years old when he was abducted from the Strand shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside, in February 1993.

Then schoolboys Jon Venables and Robert Thompson were convicted of his murder and given life sentences in November 1993.

The account from which the messages were sent has been disabled

In June 2001, they were both released and given new identities.

Venables was jailed again in 2010 for downloading images of child abuse.

He was given a second new identity and released last year.

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Pistorius 'Fired Gun In Car And Cheated On Ex'

Pistorius Trial: Evidence Summary

Updated: 1:26pm UK, Friday 07 March 2014

A summary of the evidence heard in the first two days of the Oscar Pistorius murder trial.

Day Five

Prosecution witness Samantha Taylor, ex-girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius, broke down in court as she told how the athlete cheated on her with Reeva Steenkamp.

Miss Taylor also told the court how Pistorius once fired a gun out of the sunroof of a car after being stopped by police.

The star's ex-lover described how Pistorius would sometimes "scream at her" and often carried a gun with him.

The court was told how Pistorius once woke Ms Taylor fearing there was an intruder in the house and got up to investigate with his gun.

Security guard Pieter Baba described the moment he saw a distressed Pistorius carrying Reeva down the stairs.

The guard said that Pistorius assured him everything "is fine" after shots were reported. 

More evidence from Ms Taylor suggested that Pistorius once feared he was being followed and waved his gun at the suspect car until it drove off near his home.

Day Four

Prosecution witness Dr Johan Stipp told the court how he went to Oscar Pistorius' residence after hearing shots fired on the night Reeva Steenkamp was killed.

He said he saw Ms Steenkamp lying on her back and Pistorius by her side, frantically trying to resuscitate her.

It was clear Ms Steenkamp was mortally wounded, he said, and Pistorius was crying and praying that she'd survive. During his evidence, Pistorius broke down in the dock, sobbing as he held his head in his hands.

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

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

"You cannot hear it inside your house," he said. "At any distance, she was in a locked bathroom."

Mr Johnson also claimed to have 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".

Day Three

Mr Johnson's evidence continued, and he was repeatedly challenged by Mr Roux who at one point said: "You are saying all the evidence that your wife gave us yesterday."

Mr Johnson replied that it was not unusual for two people to use the same words when describing an incident.

He mentioned some notes that he'd taken after the shooting, which are on his laptop and iPad. He was asked to end his evidence for the day and come back the next day, so the defence team had the opportunity to view his notes.

Pistorius' friend Kevin Lerena was then called, who described an incident in January last year in which Pistorius allegedly discharged a firearm by mistake while eating with friends in a restaurant.

He said the athlete then asked his friend Darren Fresco to take the blame.

The owner of the restaurant, Jason Loupis, and his wife Maria, later confirmed the incident after taking the stand.

Mrs Loupis said there was a child nearby when Pistorius' gun went off in the restaurant.

Day Two

The evidence of Ms Burger continued.

Defence lawyer Barry Roux said her evidence had been influenced by media coverage of the shooting, but she denied this.

Mr Roux said that evidence later in the trial would show that Ms Steenkamp would not have been able to scream after the final shot hit her in the head.

Ms Burger stood by her initial statement that she heard Ms Steenkamp after the final shot.

Another neighbour then took the stand for a short time, before Ms Burger's husband gave his evidence.

He told how he thought Pistorius and Ms Steenkamp were being held up in their house and said he looked at additional security measures for his own home the next day.

He backed up his wife's evidence, saying he heard screams after the final shot.

Day One

The first witness, university lecturer Michelle Burger, took the stand.

She says she woke on the night of the killing to the sound of gunshots and a woman screaming.

She described hearing "bloodcurdling screams" and four shots.

She is a key witness for the prosecution, as her evidence would appear to contradict Pistorius' claims that he thought he was shooting at an intruder.

The defence argued she is unreliable due to alleged discrepancies between her police statement and court testimony.

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Turkey Scrambles Jets After Russian Flyover

Turkey has scrambled jets after Russian surveillance plane flew along Turkey's Black Sea Coast, shortly after a US destroyer deployed in the area.

The report comes amid heightened tension over the crisis in Ukraine.

The USS Truxtun passed the Dardanelles strait earlier today on its way to the Black Sea, amid reports that Russia has now 30,000 troops in Crimea.

The US Navy said in a statement that the Truxtun would conduct training with Romanian and Bulgarian naval forces.

An F-15 jet fighter

"While in the Black Sea, the ship will conduct a port visit and routine, previously planned exercises with allies and partners in the region," it said.

Crimea is home to Russia's Black Sea military base in Sevastopol.

The Obama administration has taken steps to support the defences of US allies in Europe.

The Pentagon sent six US F-15 fighter jets in Lithuania to bolster air patrols over the Baltics.

The fighter jets and 60 US military personnel landed at Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania, adding to the four F-15s and 150 troops already there to do the air patrol mission.

The warship, which has a crew of about 300 sailors, is part of an aircraft carrier strike group that deployed from the US in mid-February.

"This type of ship is one of the mainstays of the US navy, pretty advanced, relatively recent," said defence analyst Francis Tusa.

Troops believed to be Russian in Crimea

Mr Tusa said that while military training exercises are routine, on this occasion the US appeared to make sure "people were aware that this was happening" to raise its profile.

"It's almost perfect," he told Sky News.

"You can both make the Russians aware the ship is going into the Black Sea - but it's a pre-planned deployment, so you're not flooding the area with a fleet.

"It's best of both worlds."

President Barack Obama is stepping up the pressure.

He ordered sanctions on people responsible for Moscow's military intervention in the Crimean peninsula, including travel bans and freezing of their US assets.

He also said a referendum by the region to join Russia would violate international law.

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Counter-Terror Cop Moved After Lawrence Report

Police counter-terrorism Commander Richard Walton has been temporarily removed from his post following after a report into the original Stephen Lawrence murder investigation.

The Ellison report revealed an undercover officer, known only as N81, had been planted among supporters of the Lawrence family at the time of the Macpherson inquiry into racism in the Metropolitan Police.

In 1988, Mr Walton, who was then an acting detective inspector working on Scotland Yard's Lawrence review team, responsible for making submissions to the judicial inquiry, met N81, the report found.

Sir Paul Condon was Met Police Commissioner from 1993 to 2000

Commander Walton will now be moved from SO15 to a non-operational role, Scotland Yard said on Friday.

Earlier, former Met Police Commissioner Sir Paul Condon has said he did not know about the undercover officer.

Lord Condon said that he had neither authorised nor encouraged an officer to be used to get information about the parents of the murdered London teenager.

In a statement, Lord Condon, who was commissioner of the force at the time of Mr Lawrence's murder in 1993, added that he did not even know it had been done.

Stephen Lawrence wanted to be an architect

The "spy in the camp" fed back information about the Lawrence family to the upper levels of the Metropolitan Police, the report by the barrister Mark Ellison QC concluded.

Lord Condon said: "I confirm and restate the comments I made in the House of Lords last month. That at no stage did I ever authorise, or encourage, or know about any action by any undercover officer in relation to Mr and Mrs Lawrence or their friends or supporters or the Macpherson Inquiry hearings.

"Had I known I would have stopped this action immediately as inappropriate."

The publication of the report triggered a full public inquiry into the actions of the Special Demonstration Squad (SDS), a now-defunct wing of special branch, amid fears some convictions may be unsafe as a result of their unorthodox work.

The Macpherson Report, which was published in 1998, concluded the police investigation into the murder of the 18-year-old at a bus stop in south London was hampered by institutionalised racism within the Met.

Speaking during a visit to Bedford on Friday, David Cameron said the revelations in the report had been "shocking" and said he agreed with the Home Secretary that there should be a full independent inquiry.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe

He said: "It should not have taken this long and the Lawrence family have suffered far too much.

"But this will get to the truth and will help us to make sure that we have the very best in terms of British policing which is what this country deserves."

David Norris and Gary Dobson were finally convicted of and jailed for Mr Lawrence's murder in 2012.

The teenager's mother, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, described the report as the "final nail in the coffin".

She said: "You can't trust them. Still to this day. Trust and confidence in the Met is going to go right down.

"People look at the Met Police as a good example of what everyone else should be doing across the world. Once this goes out now ... they can't be trusted."

The present Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the report was "devastating" for the force and described it as "one of the worst days that I have seen as a police officer".

He said: "I cannot rewrite history and the events of the past but I do have a responsibility to ensure the trust and the confidence of the people of London in the Met now and in the future.

"This will need a considered response to meet head-on the concerns that have been expressed in yesterday's report."

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Ukraine: Putin Does Not Want New Cold War

Vladimir Putin has said he hopes there will be no new Cold War, as reports suggested there were now more than 30,000 troops in Ukraine's disputed Crimea peninsular.

The estimate is nearly twice the previous figure given by Ukraine's new government in Kiev.

A spokesman for Serhiy Astakhov, head of the Ukrainian border guards, told Reuters the figure included both troops that had arrived over the last week and Russia's Black Sea Fleet, based in the Crimean port city of Sevastopol.

Mr Putin's spokesman said despite the deep differences with the West over Ukraine, the Russian President hoped a common ground could be found and there would be no new Cold War.

"There still remains hope ... that some points of agreement can be found as a result of dialogue - which our partners, thank God, have not yet rejected," state-run RIA news agency quoted Dmitry Peskov as saying.

Russian forces outside a military base in Simferopol, Crimea

"I believe that it (a new Cold War) has not started and I would like to believe it will not start," he added.

Moscow's forces now have complete control of Crimea, but the only troops Russia claims it has there are the 11,000 in Sevastopol - a claim ridiculed by the West.

The soldiers that have occupied key positions across the region and surrounded Ukrainian troops in their bases wear no badges on their uniforms, but drive vehicles with Russian military number plates.

Defence analyst Francis Tusa told Sky News: "Most of them seem to be in the most recent-issued Russian camouflage uniforms.

Ukraine protester Oksana Prots outside Downing Street in London

"They all look well-trained - they just don't look like a ragtag militia that's grown up out of nowhere claiming to protect homes.

"The weapons look very well looked after. They may not be wearing unit badges, but they look like regular, well-trained forces.

"I think it's very difficult to deny the impression they give."

Mr Putin has denied he is "orchestrating events" in Crimea and said he is simply responding to a request for help.

Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Paralymic Games in Sochi

He spoke out after Moscow was warned it faces further sanctions if it fails to pull its forces out of Ukraine, as the gravest post-Cold War stand-off between the West and Russia continues.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said if the first round of sanctions did not work, the West would consider targeting businesses and individuals close to Mr Putin.

In response, Russia said it would "not accept the language of sanctions and threats" and would respond if sanctions were imposed.

Overnight, US President Barack Obama spoke to Mr Putin on the phone for an hour, trying to convince him to accept the terms of a potential diplomatic solution to the Ukraine crisis.

After the call, the Russian leader said the two sides were still far apart.

It came as Crimea's parliament voted to join Russia, and announced they would be holding a referendum in nine days.

The move has sparked a dramatic escalation in the crisis - and was immediately condemned by Mr Obama - and Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, who called it an "illegal decision" by Crimean authorities.

Pro-Russians gather outside a military base in Crimea

In Russia, the Upper House of Parliament said Crimea had the right to hold a referendum on its future status.

Former Kremlin spin doctor Gleb Pavlovsky said there was now a greater danger of shots being fired in Crimea.

He said: "Russia is encouraging the action of local forces. We are at a very dangerous point, and it threatens to push a political crisis in the direction of a military situation."

Meanwhile, Ukraine's Paralympic chief Valeriy Sushkevich said his 23-strong team would compete in the Winter Paralympics in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Mykhaylo Tkachenko of Ukraine bears the flag at 2014 Sochi Paralympic Games

But he said they would pull out of the Games if Russian forces invaded mainland Ukraine.

Only biathlete Mykhaylo Tkachenko, bearing the Ukraine national flag, attended the opening ceremony

Mr Obama has ordered sanctions on those responsible for Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine, including bans on travel to America and freezing of their US assets - although a US official said Mr Putin was not on the list of those to be sanctioned.

In a statement released by the Kremlin early on Friday, Mr Putin said Kiev's new authorities had imposed "absolutely illegitimate decisions on the eastern, southeastern and Crimea regions".

"Russia cannot ignore calls for help in this matter and it acts accordingly, in full compliance with the international law," he said.

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Elena Baltacha Diagnosed With Liver Cancer

Former British tennis number one Elena Baltacha has revealed she has been diagnosed with cancer of the liver.

In a statement posted on Twitter, she said: "I have recently been diagnosed with cancer of the liver. I'm currently undergoing treatment and fighting this illness with everything I have."

The statement added that Baltacha and her husband Nino thanked everyone for their support.

Baltacha broke into the world top 50 in 2010, and has enjoyed victories over a number of top players including Li Na and Francesca Schiavone.

Elena and her husband Nino Severino thanked everyone for their support

The 30-year-old reached the third round of the Australian Open on two occasions as well as the same stage of Wimbledon, in 2002, and was also a regular in Britain's Fed Cup team.

But having struggled for form and fitness in recent years, she retired last year  to open a tennis academy.

Judy Murray, Captain of the Aegon GB Fed Cup Team said: "Obviously this is a tough time for Bally, Nino and her family but she is a such a determined, upbeat person and everyone around her is staying positive as well.

"I know she'll be really grateful for all the support that she's getting." 

How she broke the news on Twitter

Baltacha was diagnosed at the age of 19 with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a chronic liver condition which compromises the immune system.

Messages of support for the Lithuania-born star swiftly appeared on social media with British Tennis (@BritishTennis) tweeting: We are all behind you Elena, and we send you our best wishes.

Former leading British player Andrew Castle (@AndrewCastle63) said: Passing on love and best wishes to Elena Baltacha for a speedy recovery. Shocked by this news. 

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Toddler 'May Have Died Drinking Methadone'

A two-year-old girl who died after suffering a cardiac arrest may have ingested methadone, according to police.

Sophie Jones was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital from a house in Jameson Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, on Tuesday night but later died.

A post-mortem examination has failed to ascertain the cause of death and toxicology tests have now been ordered.

Officers believe Sophie may have ingested methadone, which was then removed from the house either shortly before or just after paramedics arrived.

Sophie Jones suffered a cardiac arrest in a house in Blackpool

They are also investigating whether the little girl had ingested alcohol.

Detective Superintendent Paul Withers, of Lancashire Police, said: "I will not leave a stone unturned to identify and ascertain how Sophie died.

"We're all very very determined to find some justice for Sophie and to try and identify why this beautiful two-year-old child, little girl, is now dead.

Det Supt Paul Withers says the methadone may have been removed

"As a result of our enquiries I believe that a substance was removed from the address on Jameson Street either shortly before paramedics arrived or after, and I believe that substance to be methadone.

"Methadone is green in colour and in this instance may not necessarily be in a clearly identified medicine bottle."

Detectives have been granted more time to question a 29-year-old woman and a 41-year-old man. They are being held on suspicion of manslaughter and attempting the pervert the course of justice.

A 65-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man were also arrested, but later released.

:: Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Ukraine: Russian Forces Take Over Naval Base

Ukraine: Sanctions On Russia Would Be Effective

Updated: 8:31pm UK, Tuesday 04 March 2014

By Ed Conway, Economics Editor

There is an assumption out there - one reflected in the briefing document inadvertently flashed to photographers by an official outside Downing Street - that economic sanctions on Russia would not be worthwhile.

The rationale has two strands: first, that any bar on trade and finance with Russia would end up being worse for Britain than for Russia, and second, that Russia, with its experience of illicit financial flows would be able to circumvent the sanctions anyway.

Both of these arguments are bogus. There is reason to believe that sanctions on Russia would be more effective now than at any time in recent years.

In order to understand why, one must first of all examine the economic linkages between the UK and Russia.

This is no mean feat as much of the cash flow between the two countries is thought to be illicit, and therefore flies beneath the radar.

But with the use of one or two big numbers, one can, at the very least get an idea.

The first thing to remember here that when one talks about economic sanctions, there are two main elements: first, bars on trade and second, bars on financial flows.

The impact of the trade barriers are relatively predictable, because we have a far better idea of how many goods pass between our two countries.

According to the Pink Book, the definitive annual ONS survey of trade flows, Russia is a relatively important trade partner for Britain - the 12th biggest destination for UK goods exports and the 25th biggest destination for services exports.

It is the 14th biggest source of UK goods imports and the 29th biggest source of UK services imports, which puts it behind Cyprus and a touch ahead of Austria.

In other words, in trade terms, Russia is no minnow, but neither is it as essential a trade partner as the US, Germany or France.

The interesting bit comes when one considers the flow of cash between the two countries.

Let's focus first of all on Russian cash heading into the UK. Pinning down just how much there is tricky.

We know that a lot of money has escaped from Russia in the past few years. The central bank quoted a figure of $56bn (£33bn) of outflows in 2012 alone, two-thirds of which it believes may be illicit.

Parsing International Monetary Figures to try to get a sense of outflows, the total between 2005 and 2013 is a touch more conservative at about $103bn (£62bn).

Either way, these are big numbers, and reflect cash that has simply left the country for other shores.

There is no definitive measure of how much of this flow has come into the UK, but based on the country's international investment position - a measure of how many assets Russians hold in the UK (and vice versa) - the answer is likely to be, an awful lot.

According to the latest numbers, a quarter of the Russian banking sector's entire foreign assets are in the UK. The total ($27.6bn) is greater than is in any other country worldwide.

The flow in the other direction is equally important.

According to figures Sky News has analysed from the Russian central bank, Britain has, in recent years, become the biggest provider of loans to Russian businesses.

Now, to some extent, both this and the previous numbers are a reflection of the fact that London is the world's premier centre of finance; much of this cash will originate in other countries and simply flow through the UK.

Nonetheless, this underlines that Russia has been highly reliant on flows of money through the UK in recent years and remains so today.

In other words, were there to be financial sanctions on the country, they would have more impact if levied by the UK than by any other country in the world.

The flipside, of course, is that would also represent a significant financial blow for the City which, on the basis of these numbers, has become quite reliant on Russian business as well.

But the evidence above underlines that far from having little impact, a ban on financial links with Moscow would make an enormous difference.

This impression is reinforced when one recalls that Cyprus, which used to provide the bulk of finance to Russia, is much less likely to be able to given it is still yet to remove the capital controls it imposed during its euro crisis last year.

In other words, while there may well be alternative sources of finance for Russian businesses, they may not be big and liquid enough to replace the City of London.

Finally, it so happens that this is a moment of particular vulnerability for the Russian economy. The past couple of years have been tepid in terms of economic growth. The central bank's decision to raise interest rates by a full 1.5% this week comes at about the worst possible time.

The collapse in the stock market on Monday is a further signal of financial stress. Though there are perpetual fears that the country might turn off the gas pipelines into Europe, it's worth remembering that this is something the country has never fully gone ahead with - not during the previous Ukraine crises, not even during the dying days of the Cold War.

What's remarkable, actually, is how little Russia's gas production levels have changed over the past quarter of a century. And there's a good reason for this: it is deeply reliant on that gas revenue.

All of which makes President Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine even more of a gamble. The country is extremely sensitive to sanctions - both financial (primarily London) and trade (primarily those countries which consume lots of Russian gas, such as Germany, Ukraine and Turkey).

Beneath the bluster, Mr Putin will be hoping desperately that the G7 governments remain too wary to impose them at all.

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'Flame-Thrower' Used To Attack Blakelock Unit

A flame-thrower was used by rioters who attacked Pc Keith Blakelock's unit during the first Tottenham riots, a court has heard.

PC Alan Tappy said "shiny knives" and a "flame-type thrower" were seen during the 1985 disturbances as bricks, bottles and petrol bombs rained down on officers.

The claim was made in a statement given just days after the attack which was read out at the Old Bailey, where Nicky Jacobs, 45, is on trial accused of murdering PC Blakelock.

The riots, on the night of October 6, 1985, saw a group of officers trying to protect firefighters coming under attack by a mob of around 150 youths on the Broadwater Farm estate.

PC Blakelock was stabbed to death

PC Tappy said that as officers tried to escape, he spotted a "bundle on the grass" which the mob was "stabbing and clubbing".

Describing the aftermath he said: "Keith was lying face-down and I thought he was dead.

"We grabbed hold of Keith's shoulders and made an attempt to move him but couldn't. I remember one side of his neck had a wound, a gaping wound."

PC Tappy said his colleague was still alive as the unit tried to drag him to safety.

Giving evidence, one of the firefighters who came under attack said the noise made by the mob was "equivalent to someone scoring a goal at a football match".

Assistant divisional officer Trevor Stratford told the jury he was assisted by PC Blakelock as they tried to make their escape.

As they made their way out of the building where firefighters had been tackling a fire, they were blocked by protesters with their faces covered.

He said: "This is a living memory for me. The first thing that came to mind was 'they are going to cut us off' because of the numbers involved."

PC Blakelock's uniform showing holes made by the knife used to murder him

He said that at one point he turned and saw that PC Blakelock had fallen to the ground.

He told the court he wanted to go back but then witnessed how the police officer was "enveloped" by a group of eight or nine rioters.

He said he then saw around 20 to 25 people stabbing and kicking the officer.

"They were pushing each other out of the way to get into the centre of the group."

Asked if he could remember any weapons being used, he said he saw "what appeared to be something like a sword".

As the crowd began to disperse back into the building he said he ran back to where Pc Blakelock had fallen.

He and another police officer managed to drag the wounded officer away.

"I was conscious of him having a knife embedded up to the handle underneath his ear and injuries to his neck," he said.

He said he tried to give the wounded man first aid, but added "it was like trying to do cardiac compression on a pillow, there was no bone structure there and so I shouted for an ambulance".

Jacobs denies murder.

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Ukraine: Russia 'Wants To Prevent Bloodshed'

Moscow has said it will do "everything to prevent bloodshed" in Ukraine, despite reports of confrontations between forces loyal to Kiev and pro-Russian armed groups.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov struck the conciliatory tone before he was due to meet face-to-face with US Secretary of State John Kerry for the first time since the stalemate began.

Speaking at a news briefing with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo in Madrid, he said it was important for Russia to continue talks with Nato and EU leaders.

Mr Lavrov also said Moscow would like to see a de-escalation in tensions, sparked by Russian intervention in Ukraine's Crimea region.

But he added that "nobody has the right to be angry with Russia".

Sky's Andrew Wilson, in Perevalnoe, Ukraine, said Mr Lavrov is an "experienced, old hand at this" and "is mapping out a slightly clearer position than we've seen from Mr Putin."

Mr Lavrov answers journalists' questions in Madrid

In Russia, President Vladimir Putin told his cabinet he did not want the tensions to detract from economic co-operation with Moscow's "traditional partners".

British Prime Minister David Cameron warned there would be "costs and consequences" for Russia if it did nothing to ease the crisis in Ukraine.

He told Prime Minister's Questions the situation should not be a "tug of war" between Russia and the West.

Troops, believed to be Russian soldiers, march outside a Ukrainian base

Donald MacLaren, a former British ambassador to Georgia, told Sky News the West needs to "reshape its relationship" with Russia.

He said: "The lessons the Russians have learned from that (recent negotiations) is we cannot only stay where we wanted to be, but go beyond that, and still be welcome in Western and global institutions - very bad negotiation."

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the EU was ready to provide 11bn euros (£9.2bn) of financial support to Ukraine over the next couple of years.

US Secretary of State John Kerry in Kiev with Ukraine's leaders

The EU also said it could vote on Russian sanctions on Thursday if there is no de-escalation in the stand-off before then.

Mr Putin has previously said any Western sanctions against Moscow would be counter-productive.

America has already threatened sanctions, with a senior US official saying Washington is ready to impose them in days rather than weeks.

Mr Kerry and Mr Lavrov are due to meet in Paris this afternoon to discuss the ongoing tensions.

Earlier, US President Barack Obama spoke to German Chancellor Angela Merkel about a plan to end the stalemate.

Troops in Belbek relax after a stand-off with the Russian military

Under the proposal, Russia would pull back its forces in Crimea to their bases in the peninsula and limit troop numbers to a Ukraine-agreed maximum of 11,000.

However, Mr Lavrov said that pro-Russian armed groups operating in Crimea were "self-defence" forces who do not answer to Moscow.

He added that Russian naval personnel in the region were in their normal positions.

A senior American official has said the plan would also see international monitors allowed in to ensure the human rights of ethnic Russians are protected.

People watch the latest news on a TV screen at Independence square, Kiev

Seen as an effort to offer Mr Putin a way out of the crisis without losing face, the plan would pave the way for direct talks between Moscow and the new Ukraine government with the potential for some international mediation.

The proposal would also see planned elections in Ukraine this May go ahead.

But Mr Obama sounded a cautious note when commenting on the crisis at a fundraiser on Tuesday night.

"We may be able to de-escalate over the next several days and weeks," he said. "It's a serious situation and we are spending a lot of time on it."

The US official added that Mr Obama had made clear to Ms Merkel that he would not attend a G8 summit scheduled for June in Sochi, Russia, if the situation in Ukraine had not changed.

Preparatory meetings about the summit have already been suspended.

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Teenager Who Sued Parents Loses Court Case

A New Jersey judge has denied the request of a teenager who sued her parents to get financial support.

The judge cautioned that Rachel Canning's attempt could lead to a "potentially slippery slope" of claims by teenagers against their parents.

Ms Canning, a high school senior, claimed that her parents had kicked her out of home around the time she turned 18 in October, and had refused to pay for her education even though she had been accepted by several universities.

She sought immediate relief in the form of $650 (£390) in weekly child support and the payment of the remainder of her tuition at Morris Catholic High School, as well as attorney's fees.

Rachel Canning is a cheerleader and high school senior

Her father insisted she left voluntarily because she refused to abide by reasonable household rules, such as observing a curfew and doing chores.

State Superior Court Judge Peter Bogaard denied Ms Canning's motion.

However, he ordered the parties to return to court on April 22 , when they will present evidence and testimony on the over-arching question of whether the Cannings are obligated to financially support their daughter.

Mr Bogaard sounded sceptical of some of the claims in the lawsuit, saying it could lead to teens "thumbing their noses" at their parents, leaving home and then asking for financial support.

"Are we going to open the gates for 12-year-olds to sue for an Xbox? For 13-year-olds to sue for an iPhone?" he asked.

"We should be mindful of a potentially slippery slope."

Ms Canning was dressed in her school uniform as she attended the hearing, as several friends were in the gallery.

She has said that her parents are abusive, contributed to an eating disorder she developed and pushed her to get a basketball scholarship.

The Cannings say they were supportive, helped their daughter through the eating disorder and paid for her to go to a private school where she would not get as much playing time in basketball as she would have at a public school.

Ms Canning has been living at a friend's home, and the court appearance was the first time she had seen her parents in four months, reports said.

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Meat And Cheese 'As Bad For You As Smoking'

A high-protein diet during middle age could make you almost twice as likely to die early and four times more likely to die of cancer, a study has suggested.

Researchers from the University of Southern Carolina found those between the age of 50 and 65 who ate large amounts of protein were 74% more likely to die of any cause within the study period.

They also found those with a diet rich in animal proteins were four times more likely to die of cancer than someone with a low-protein diet - a mortality risk factor comparable to smoking - and several times more likely to die of diabetes.

But the study, which tracked 6,318 adults over the age of 50 for almost 20 years, goes on to suggest a moderate protein intake could be good for those over the age of 65.

Those behind the research, published in journal Cell Metabolism, said protein controls the growth hormone IGF-I, which has been linked to cancer.

Corresponding author Professor Valter Longo said: "Almost everyone is going to have a cancer cell or pre-cancer cell in them at some point. The question is: Does it progress?"

"Turns out one of the major factors in determining if it does is protein intake."

Co-author Eileen Crimmins said IGF-I levels fell dramatically after the age of 65, so a healthy diet at one age may be damaging at another.

"The research shows that a low-protein diet in middle age is useful for preventing cancer and overall mortality, through a process that involves regulating IGF-I and possibly insulin levels," she said.

"However, we also propose that at older ages, it may be important to avoid a low-protein diet to allow the maintenance of healthy weight and protection from frailty."

The researchers added that plant-based proteins, such as those from beans, did not seem to have the same mortality effects as animal proteins.

They said cancer and death rates also seemed not to be affected by carbohydrate or fat consumption, suggesting animal protein was the main factor.

Dietician and nutritionist Nicole Berberian told Sky News the conclusions were based on an observational study, which she said could not establish cause and effect.

"This is an observational study, so from that you can never tell whether protein was the cause of the increase in cancer," she said.

"It could be anything. It could be a lifestyle factor in those people they observed, it could be just a random chance."

She added that the study did not identify what types of proteins those being observed were eating, and said some forms - such as processed meat - had already been linked to cancer.

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Intoxicated Teen Killer's Arrest Video Released

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

A gun-wielding teenage boy who was high on a cocktail of drink and drugs when he shot an 18-year-old dead has been jailed for at least 24 years.

In a rare move at the sentencing hearing in Adelaide, Australia, the judge allowed Liam Humbles to be named, as well as allowing shocking video taken at the time of his arrest to be released.

The disturbing police video shows the shirtless Humbles face down on the bonnet of a police car, barely coherent as he answers questions from an officer.

A second video shows the teenager in a police interview room staring at the floor as a police officer reads to him the reasons for his arrest and the charges being put to him

Humbles had previously been found guilty of murdering Lewis McPherson, 18, and the attempted murder of Liam Trewartha and James Lamont.

The friends were walking to a party on December 31, 2012, when they came across Humbles, a 17-year-old acquaintance, who fired shots at them.

Humbles then fired a shot at a passing car.

As Justice Michael David sentenced Humbles there were gasps form the public gallery and friends and family of the dead teenager hugged each other.

Mr McPherson was about to start university and his father previously told the court of their last contact when he sent a text saying: "Hi mate, please stay safe tonight, love dad".

At Humbles' sentencing hearing, Mr Lamont stared at the killer in the dock, telling him he had no idea of the misery and grief he had caused.

"No one else in this room knows this besides you and me - Lewis never judged you for anything you did," he said.

"He would often tell me you would some day be good to this earth."

The judge said psychological reports had shown Humbles had expressed little remorse for his actions.

He added: "This was an appalling, wanton crime. Disastrous as it was, it could have been even worse and three, perhaps four people could have been killed that evening."

Speaking outside court, the dead victim's father Mark McPherson said: "I feel for her (the killer's mother) but not for him ... I will never forgive him.

"His lack of contrition is disturbing and hurtful ... I just don't know what goes on in his head."

The court heard Humbles regularly used alcohol and cannabis and slept on various friends' sofas after being kicked out of the family home 10 months before the shooting.

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Clinton Heckled During Northern Ireland Speech

The former US president Bill Clinton has been heckled over Iraq during a speech in Northern Ireland.

Speaking about the ongoing peace process, Mr Clinton was interrupted as he spoke about how the world had been "good to some" in recent years but "rough to others and it's been rough on you the past few years".

A man from the crowd was heard to shout: "What about the Iraqis?"

As he continued his heckling, Mr Clinton responded with: "You wanna give this speech?"

The 67-year-old statesman added: "The Iraqi problem is that they don't have an inclusive government either and if they did, if they followed your lead, they would've been in better shape."

Mr Clinton was on a one-day visit that will culminate with him opening a new leadership institute at Queen's University in Belfast that has been named after him.

The steadfast supporter of the peace process in Northern Ireland was also due to meet with First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness to discuss current challenges.

His visit comes after the political crisis triggered by the collapse of the trial of the Hyde Park bombing suspect John Downey last week.

Mr Robinson threatened to resign after it was disclosed in court that Mr Downey had wrongly been sent a letter by Northern Ireland police saying he would not be arrested, despite a Metropolitan Police arrest warrant for the attack.

It transpired that 187 letters had been sent to "on-the-run" Republican paramilitaries effectively giving them immunity from arrest and therefore prosecution.

Mr Robinson claimed he had been "kept in the dark" over a secret deal between Sinn Fein and the British Government which led to the letters being sent.

He withdrew his resignation threat when David Cameron agreed to his call for an independent review.

Mr Clinton began his day by crossing a symbolic peace bridge linking the divided communities in Londonderry accompanied by the former SDLP leader and Nobel Laureate John Hume.

Mr Hume, who has known the former president for 22 years, said: "Pat and I are delighted that Bill Clinton is here in Derry, a town and its people transformed by peace and which we are all so proud of."

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Oscar Pistorius 'Fired Gun In Restaurant'

Oscar Pistorius injured a professional boxer by firing a gun in a restaurant then asked his friend to take the blame, a court has heard.

Cruiserweight fighter Kevin Lerena, giving evidence at his friend's murder trial, said he and several others were dining with the Paralympic star in Johannesburg on January 13 last year.

Mr Lerena said he saw Pistorius' friend Darren Fresco pass a gun to him under the table, shortly before a shot went off.

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He said: "There was blood on my toe. I went to the bathroom. I was shocked.

"Oscar apologised. I remember that I was in shock. I've never been in a confined area where a gunshot has gone off by accident.

"(Pistorius) told Fresco: 'Tell them it was you, I don't want any more media hype around me.'"

Cruiserweight boxer Kevin Lerena gave evidence on camera

Mr Lerena is the first witness to agree to appearing on camera while giving evidence.

He told prosecutor Gerrie Nel that when Mr Fresco handed the gun to Pistorius, he said it was "one up", a term meaning there is one bullet in the chamber.

He said Pistorius removed a bullet from the chamber, and in the "next moment" there was a shot.

The athlete arrived at the Pretoria court flanked by his cousins

Restaurant manager Jason Loupis said he was working that night and heard a bang but "hoped it was a balloon".

"I went over to the table and asked them what had happened," he said. "They all looked at me and I asked them again: 'Guys, seriously what is going on?'

"Fresco then said that the gun had fallen out of his pants. It was serious. Someone could have got hurt."

Pistorius, carrying a briefcase, enters the dock for the third day

Mr Loupis' wife Maria told the court a child was sitting at a nearby table.

Earlier, evidence given by one of the prosecution's key witnesses was repeatedly challenged by Pistorius' defence team during a tense cross-examination.

Charl Peter Johnson's claim that he heard a woman screaming after the final gunshot on the night Reeva Steenkamp was killed was criticised by Barry Roux, because it did not appear in his initial witness statement.

The athlete removed his jacket after entering court

Mr Roux said: "In your evidence you described the woman screaming. You said you could hear the fear. What is significant is that in your wife's (Michelle Burger) testimony, she said she could hear the woman's intense fear in her screams. Yet this is not in your statement.

"When you gave evidence yesterday, it was not stated in your statement but you now speak about the scream after the last shot.

"I think you don't know what you are saying. You are saying all the evidence that your wife gave us yesterday."

Pistorius' sister Aimee looks on during day three of the case

But Mr Johnson said: "I don't think it is strange that we used the same words."

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.

At one point, as Mr Roux became increasingly exasperated during his questioning, he turned around and glanced at Pistorius and told Mr Johnson: "A man's life is at stake here."

Pistorius leans over the dock to talk to members of his legal team

Pistorius showed no emotion as he - surrounded by his cousins - entered the court in South Africa's administrative capital at the start of the day.

There were shouts and whistles from onlookers as he made his way through the crowd towards the court's entrance.

Mr Johnson started his evidence by saying his phone number had been read out in court on Tuesday, and he had received phone calls from members of the public as a result.

Pistorius is pictured outside court after the third day of the trial

He said: "I feel that my privacy has been compromised."

He said one caller left a voicemail message saying: "Why are you lying in court? You know Oscar didn't kill Reeva. It's not cool."

He will return to court on Thursday to continue giving evidence. In the meantime the defence will pore over notes he revealed that he made about the night of the killing.

Pistorius faces four charges: the premeditated murder of Ms Steenkamp, the illegal possession of ammunition and two further counts related to shooting a gun in public in two separate incidents before the killing.

Pistorius says he mistakenly thought Ms Steenkamp was an intruder

The athlete, known as Blade Runner, denies all of the charges, including the allegation he deliberately killed his girlfriend after a jealous row.

He maintains he shot Ms Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder.

The trial is scheduled to last for three weeks and will hear from more than 100 witnesses.

If he is found guilty Pistorius could be jailed for at least 25 years. His fate will be decided by Judge Thokozile Masipa because South Africa does not have a jury system.

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Asteroid To Fly Between Earth And Moon

By Joe Tidy, Sky News Reporter

Scientists say a 30m-wide (100ft) asteroid will pass between the moon and Earth later, providing spectacular views for anyone with a good telescope.

The space rock called 2014 DX110 is the length of three double-decker buses and will come within 214,745 miles (346,599km) of the planet at around 9pm UK time.

It will be moving at 33,000mph (53,108kph).

Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been monitoring its flight and classifies it as one of a number of Apollo-class asteroids, which cross the Earth's orbit.

The Chelyabinsk asteroid which exploded over the Russian region last year was also Apollo-class.

It will be travelling at 33,000mph (artist impression of an asteroid)

Professor Tim O'Brien, from the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Observatory, said: "There is an incredibly tiny chance of 2014 DX110 getting closer to Earth but everything indicates that it's nothing to worry about.

"This asteroid was only spotted last month and we now know there are many more like it that are, as yet, undetected.

"The Chelyabinsk meteor event was a reminder of the damage these things can do so it's important to keep monitoring and looking for them.

"On a comforting note though, it's good to remember that there are many more smaller, and harmless objects, than large ones out there."

Scientists say the rock will be too faint to see with the naked eye but should be visible with a reasonably sized telescope.

Astronomers will also need to work out exactly where it will cross the night sky, so more experienced stargazers might have a better chance of spotting it.

The Virtual Telescope Project and Slooh will be sharing real-time images in a live, online event.

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'Sex For Taxi Fares' Banned In Hartlepool

By Gerard Tubb, North of England Correspondent

Taxi drivers in Hartlepool have been told not to accept sexual favours from customers who are unable to pay their fare.

After a driver lost his taxi licence for having sex in his car, cabbies say the warning from the council has lifted the lid on a problem they face on a regular basis.

"I've taxied for 40 years and there's always sexual favours on offer," Jim Carter, 68, told Sky News as he queued on the taxi rank outside the council offices.

"A woman said to me one night 'Do you think the two of us could fit in a single bed? I haven't got enough money.' I told her to get out of the car."

In a town long used to being the butt of jokes for hanging a shipwrecked monkey during the Napoleonic wars because they thought it was a French spy, female taxi passengers are unfazed.

Christine Short, 52, said she knows for a fact that taxi fares can be negotiated.

"I have known friends do it," she admitted.

"It's been ongoing for years, and if the drivers think they can get away with it, then so be it."

Hartlepool Council says it expects the highest possible standards from taxi drivers.

"We have written to all taxi drivers in the town to inform them that we will not tolerate such behaviour and any sexual contact with a passenger is likely to result in their licence being revoked," a spokesman said.

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