The referendum on independence in Crimea was conducted in strict accordance with democratic principles and the international law, President Vladimir Putin told the Federal Assembly, as he was welcomed by a standing ovation. Putin stressed that the results of the referendum, in which more than 82 percent of Crimean residents came to polling stations and more than 96 percent of those voted for rejoining... 

Slavic Union head Dmitry Demushkin takes part in the Russian March in Moscow. Dmitry Dyomushkin has been found guilty of organizing a “criminal organization” after it was established that his group, the Slavic Union was renamed and continued to operate despite a legal ban. A district communist magistrate court in Moscow sentenced the nationalist to a fine that should be then be lifted due... 

Senior officials from Kuwait’s foreign and interior ministries have ended a twoday visit to Brussels after discussions and meetings with EU officials that focused on lifting of Schengen visa for Kuwaiti citizens. Ambassador Walid Alkhobaizi, director of Europe department at Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry, told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) and Kuwait TV that they were tasked by the First Deputy Prime Minister... 

Crimea has declared independence from Ukraine and formally applied to join Russia, following a referendum in which Crimeans overwhelmingly voted in favor of joining the Russian Federation. The Crimean Supreme Council passed the decree on Monday after all the 85 lawmakers present in the 100-seat assembly voted in support of seceding from Ukraine. “The Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of... 

Ukraine’s interim Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk Ukraine’s interim prime minister says the country will likely sign a long-awaited political accord with the European Union next week. Arseniy Yatsenyuk made the announcement on Wednesday, after talks with US President Barack Obama at the White House. “I’m sure that next week Ukraine is to sign the political part of the association agreement... 

Over 95 percent of voters in the Crimean referendum have answered ‘yes’ to the autonomous republic joining Russia and less than 5 percent of the vote participants want the region to remain part of Ukraine, according to preliminary results. With over 75 percent of the votes already counted, preliminary result show that 95.7 percent of voters said ‘yes’ to the reunion of the republic... 

The EU threatens the abolition of its trade agreement with the US, and other deals, if blanket surveillance by the NSA on EU citizens doesn’t stop. MEPs announced a resolution that wraps up a six-month inquiry into America’s violation of data privacy. Edward Snowden became one of the pillars of this resolution, following an invitation from the European Parliament to provide testimony for the inquiry.... 

For what appears to be the first time in history doctors were able to use 3D printing technology during a facial reconstruction surgery to help a British man who survived a motorcycle accident but walked away traumatized and disfigured. Stephen Power of Cardiff, Wales was hospitalized for four months after he endured multiple injuries in a 2012 accident. He was wearing a helmet at the time of the... 

Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader Ed Miliband. Britain’s opposition Labour Party leader has pledged to hold a vote on the country’s membership of the European Union only if more powers are transferred to Brussels. On Tuesday, Ed Miliband said he would announce his strategy regarding the vote in detail during a speech on Wednesday. “I am announcing that the next Labour... 

Russia is ready to retaliate with counter sanctions against the EU and US if they go ahead with economic measures against Russia over tension in Crimea, the Russian Economic Ministry has said. “We hope that there will only be targeted political sanctions, and not a broad package affecting economic trade,” Deputy Economic Development Minister Aleksey Likhachev said. “Our sanctions will be,... 

Grainy footage apparently shows Russian tanks on the way to the Donetsk region border. Ukraine warned last night that 80,000 Russian troops were massing on its borders and could invade – as world leaders told Vladimir Putin to back off. A senior security chief in Kiev said Moscow could launch a full-scale invasion and Russian troops would be in the Ukrainian capital within ‘two or three hours’... 

In a confidence-building step, Russia’s Defense Ministry has given permission for a surveillance flight by Ukraine over Russian territory near the border between the countries. Kiev had claimed Moscow was building up its military presence there. “The Ukrainians have asked for an unscheduled observation flight over our territory,” Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters in Moscow. Russia... 

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has said that it will deploy Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) reconnaissance planes in Poland and Romania to monitor the spiraling crisis in Ukraine. A NATO spokesman said the alliance gave the go-ahead on Monday for the reconnaissance flights following a recommendation from US Air Force General Philip Breedlove, who is NATO’s Supreme... 

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin has called on the UN Security Council to launch an investigation into all events that led to the “forcible change of power” in Ukraine. Speaking in a news program on the Russian television on Saturday, Churkin said it is necessary to thoroughly probe the recent developments in Ukraine, including the use of snipers. “All events … must... 

Artists impression of gas cloud G2 falling onto Sag A* As gas cloud G2 speeds towards Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole at our galaxy’s center, astronomers are getting ready to have some of their questions answered. At least the devouring, expected in March-April, promises to be a spectacular view. As Sagittarius A* is located almost 26,000 light years away from the Earth, the collision itself...