Of ukraine. Confrontationest between moscow and the west since the cold war, Russian Troops have seized the crimean section of ukraine a week after the ouster of ukraines prorussian Prime Minister. But more of ukraine falter Russian Forces . We will speak with the a professor Timothy Snyder and former cia analyst ray mcgovern. And then xl dissent. Hundreds of young people came here from all over the country, 42 states committed show president obama that keystone xl is not ok and not in our national interest. Nearly 400 students and other young people are arrested after they chained themselves to the gates of the white house, calling on president obama to reject the keystone xl tar sands pipeline. A love that in more coming up. All of that and more coming out. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Russian troops have seized part of ukraines Crimean Peninsula in what has become moscows biggest confrontation with the west since the cold war. The troops took action after russias parliament the president Vladimir Putin a green light to protect russian interest following the ouster of ukraines prorussian Prime Minister viktor yanukovich. Earlier today, Russian Troops seized the ukraine coast guard. Ase in the crimean city on sunday, the new head of ukraines navy affected to russia. The United States and other nations say theyre suspending preparations for this years g8 summit in sochi, russia. John kerry said the u. S. Could impose sanctions to condemn putins actions. Russia will lose, the russian people will lose. You will lose all of the glow that came out of the olympics. A sochit going to have g8. You may not even remain in the g8 if this continues. He may find himself with asset freezes on russian business, American Business may pull back. There may be of further tumble money. Moscows main stock index tumbled 9 . We will have more on ukraine after the headlines. Nearly 400 opponents of the Keystone Xl Oil pipeline were arrested sunday in front of the white house, marking what could be the largest youth sit in on the environment in a generation. We are here to march to the white house and form one of the largest accessible disobedience for climate ever. Hundreds of young people all came here from all over the country, 42 states, to show president obama the keystone xl is not ok and not in our national interest. Than 80nts for more colleges rallied at Georgetown University and then marched to the white house were some unfurled a black tarp and laid on the sidewalk to create a human oil spill. Hundreds locked themselves to the white house fence before being arrested. President obama is expected to make a decision on whether to approve the keystone xl pipeline in the coming months. More on the protest and the pipeline later in the broadcast. The venezuelan president is facing a new round of protests against his government. Despite the carnival holiday, thousands of opposition protesters marched and then clashed with Police Sunday in the capital caracas. At least 70 people have died in bed as well as worst unrest for a decade. At least 17 people have died in venezuela. Blast were killed by bomb saturday including children who are watching a soccer game. At least 51 more died when gunmen attacked a nearby village in nigeria. In china, group of people armed with knives attacked a crowded Railway Station in the onthwestern city of kunming saturday, killing at least 29 people and wounding 143. The government blamed the attack on muslim leader separatist and police have begun rounding up uighers for questioning. A Radio Station owner in afghanistan who airs ads paid for by the u. S. Special forces says those same forces raided his station, beat him, and threatened to kill him on thursday before releasing him the next day without charge. He told the New York Times that the u. S. Troops, who hooded him and damaged his equipment, appeared to be unaware his station is largely supported by progovernment ads paid for by which have ads earned him Death Threats from the taliban. U. S. Forces of the operation was afghanlead, but afghan officials said it are unaware of it and local police said he did not hear about the rate until it was underway. Theident karzai criticized u. S. Led occupation in an interview with the washington post. He said the war was waged to serve u. S. Interests and that afghans died in a war thats not hours. Despite pressure from obama, karzai has so far refused to sign a deal to keep u. S. Troops in afghanistan beyond this year. A former guantanamo prisoner who spent three years in u. S. Custody without charge or trial has been ordered to remain in detention in britain following his arrest on terrorism charges related to the conflict in syria. Moazzam begg appeared in the london court saturday while hundreds of supporters rallied in his home city of birmingham. Begg, who heads the prisoner Advocacy Group cage, says he has been harassed by authorities for investing investigating british complicity in torture. You can go to democracynow. Org to see our interview with moazzam begg over the years. In pakistan, the latest attack on a Polio Vaccination Team killed at least 13 people on saturday in northwest pakistan. The provincial governor condemned the killings. Martyrs had not come here to attack anyones house or to carry out any such activity. They had come here to administer lifesaving drugs to our children to prevent this disability polio among our people. But they have been brutally killed, which is not the tradition of this region. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but the taliban has previously targeted Health Workers after it was revealed the cia used a Fake Vaccination Program to help locate osama bin laden. Hours after the attack, the Pakistani Taliban and a monthlong ceasefire. Talks between the taliban and the government broke down last month. Osama bin ladens soninlaw goes on trial today here in new york city. Is chargedu ghaith with urging the killing of americans after the september 11 attacks. He is the highestranking member of al qaeda to stand trial in the United States following the 9 11 attacks. A member of the cuban five is back in cuba after more than 15 years in prison in the United States. Hisas deported friday after release from prison. He spoke after arriving home. The intense emotions i have felt in the last day and a half since setting foot on this dear lan are indescribable. Not even the most creative of imaginations could have prepared me for what i have been living since stepping off the stairs of the airplane that brought me to the homeland. The cuban five were arrested in 1998 and later convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage. They say there were not spying on the United States, but trying to monitor violent rightwing cuban exile groups. Fernando gonzalez is the second member to be freed will stop three others remain in prison. For our extended interview with the first to be freed, who is now in cuba, you can go to democracynow. Org. In florida, africanamerican woman sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing what she says was a warning shot into a wall to her abusive husband is now facing triple her original sentence. A reset alexanders case generated National Outrage and comparisons to george zimmerman, who was acquitted for shooting Trayvon Martin dead. Appeals Court Ordered a new trial over faulty jury instructions, florida prosecutors say they will now try to put her behind bars for 60 years at her july trial, which would essentially amount to a life sentence for the 33yearold mother of three. Federal regulators have taken a step toward blocking what would be north americas largest open pit mine. The Environmental Protection agency says it is initiating a process to protect alaskas bristol bay from the potentially irreversible impacts of the pebble gold and copper mine. In january, an epa report, project could threaten the salmon population and the livelihoods of alaska natives. Idaho governor cl butch otter has signed a socalled ag gag law, making idaho the seventh state to criminalize the act of filming without permission in farming facilities. The ban comes after an undercover activist in idaho fieldworkers stomping on cows, beating, dragging, and even sexually abusing them at a dairy farm. The Los Angeles City council has voted unanimously to advance a ban on fracking in the city. The motion passed on friday instructs the citys attorney to draft new rules that will impose a moratorium on fracking intel environment protections are in place. Los angeles would be the first oilproducing city in california to impose a ban on fracking. The powerful proisrael group aipac is holding its annual conference in washington, d. C. Protesters led by codepink added outside the Convention Hall sunday to protest israels treatment of palestinians and call for peace and diplomacy with iran. This is codepinks medea benjamin. For the American People. The American People want diplomacy to work. The American People dont want war. The American People look at iraq and say, oh aipac was one of those groups that pushed us into that war. How did that war turnout . President obama is due to meet with Benjamin Netanyahu at the white house today. The meeting comes as israel faces condemnation over the killing of palestinians in the occupied territories. Over the weekend, israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian Woman in the gaza strip. The military says it fired on a group of people who did not heed calls to retrieve from the border. Relatives said the the victim was mentally ill. Last week, Amnesty International accused is really forces of killing dozens of civilians in possible war crimes in the west bank. On the same day, troops shot and killed a man who had barricaded himself in his west bank home. In south africa, only that an paralytic runner Oscar Pistorius has gone on trial for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp last valentines day. The story is pleaded not guilty earlier today at his trial, which is being broadcast on its own tv channel. He says he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder. Academy annual awards were presented sunday night in los angeles. 12 years a slave won for best picture, marking the first time the top honor has gone to a film by black director steve mcqueen. Lupita nyongo, who plays the film, whenman in the best supporting actress, becoming the first kenyan to win an oscar. So much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone elses. So i want to salute the spirit of patsy for her guidance and, solomon, thank you for telling the story and your own. When i look down at this golden statue, mayor remind me mayor remind me, that no matter what where youre from, your dreams are valid. Matthew mcconaughey won for best actor and jared leto for best supporting actor for the roles in dallas buyers club. 20 feet from stardom about backup dancers won for best documentary. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Russia is found to keep its troops in the ukrainian region of crimea in what has become moscows biggest confrontation with the west since the cold war. Russian troops seized part of the crimea peninsula without firing a shot as the parliament and moscow gay president Vladimir Putin a green light saturday to proceed to protect russian interests following the ouster of ukraines prorussian Prime Minister the two yanukovich. Crimea houses a major Russian Naval base and is the only ukrainian region that has an ethnic russian majority. It was a russian territory until it was transferred to ukraine in 1954 during the soviet europe. Ukraines new Prime Minister yatseniuk said putin had effectively declared war on his country. Is not the threat, this is actually the declaration of war on my country. And we urge president putin to and tock his military stick to the International Obligation and Bilateral Agreements that were signed between ukraine and russia. Earlier today, Russian Troops seized a ukraine Coast Guard Base in the crimean city of balaklava. On sunday, the new head of ukraines debuted affected russia. Concern is growing that more Eastern Ukraine could soon fall to russians. Putin sent troops into crimea in defiance of president obama. We are not deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by the Russian Federation inside of ukraine. Russia has a historic relation with ukraine. But any violation of ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply disable icing, which is destabilizing, which is not in the interest of ukraine, russia, or europe. It would represent a profound interference in matters that must be determined by the ukrainian people will stop it would be a clear violation of russias commitment to respect the independence and sovereignty, and borders of ukraine and of International Laws. The Obama Administration is still debating on how to respond to the russian troop movement. In an initial step, the United States and others g7 nations said there are suspending preparations for this years g8 summit in russia due to take place in sochi in june. John kerry said the u. S. Is considering placing sanctions on russia and kicking russia out of the g8. Ukraines envoy to the United Nations said kiev they ask for International Military support of russias military actions expands. To talk more about the crisis in ukraine, were joined by two guests. Timothy snyder is back with us, professor of history at yell university. Author of, bloodlands europe between hitler and stalin. Piece for the new york review propanda. Austria. Ning us from joining us from washington, d. C. Its rate mcgovern, former senior cia analyst. His later duties included preparing the president s daily brief and chairing National Intelligence. He is now on the steering a veteran Steering Group of veterans intelligence professionals for sanity. His recent article is called, ukraine one regime change too many . Lets start with professor snyder. Can you explain what has happened until this point. Revolution in counterrevolution, ukraine is governed by probably the most financially corrupt regime in the history of the world, which by the end of its rule was not only physically depressing, but finally killing his citizens as they attempted to exert pressure by way of exercising their right to speech and assembly. This president left after an agreement according to which president ial elections were going to be called, leading to a change of power or power shifted in ukraine from the streets to the parliament where it resides now. The constitution in ukraine has been changed so ukraine has now become instead of a super president ial authoritarian regime of part of entry democracy and election seven called for this coming may. What happened immediately after that was entirely unprovoked Russian Military intervention on part of ukrainian territory. The goal seems to be twofold. First, defensive from putins point of view to prevent the sort of thing from happening again in russia. If you can create the image of chaos in ukraine and they do have a way of creating such images ashley need to make russians believe what is happening in you train ukraine is unattractive. The longterm goal is to show what european civilization means. Putin and advisors and Russian Press amended clear have made a clear it is part of decadent european civilization. By decadence they meet rejection of christianity, advocacy of the right of ethnic minorities. They make this clear this is what they oppose. Of course, these issues are not central to ukrainians themselves. Campaigningans are campin for is the rule of law. Forceswhat about moving into crimea . How significant is this . Well, it is probably the worst thing that is happening europe since the yugoslav wars. It is a desperately dangerous thing to do. For one thing, it is a violation of all conceivable International Law and standards. Including the one which russia has it is a violation of the 1994 agreement between ukraine, russia, u. S. , the nine a kingdom according to which the united kingdom, it according to which they gave up its Nuclear Weapons, sealed up silos, and planted daisies on top of them. What this president shows among other things is if you give up your Nuclear Weapons, youre inviting of invasion from n