>> this is al jazeera. >> hello and welcome to this al jazeera news hour, i'm david forfeit. the course of the next 60 minutes, russia denies issuing an attack order to ukraine and crimea. other than parts of eastern ukraine. >> and i'm felicity barr, more on the ukraine situation,

including eu leaders, calling for russia to deescalates or face targeted measures. -- deescalate or face targeted measures. >> events are moving rapidly within the last 30 minutes we've had a denial from thrawz i russt has given a ultimatum to ukraine. that's what ukrainian officials have said, surrounding bases in crimea, standoffs for days to come. the u.s. is turning up the heat on russia, considering targeted measures against the kremlin if it fails to deescalate the ukraine crisis. earlier on mo monday the british foreign minister william haig

warns of consequences and costs if it doesn't change course. sergey lavrov insisting that his country has a duty to protect ethnic russians in ukraine. donetske, is the home of viktor yanukovych. rory challenge in moscow. let's go to tim friend who is in the ukrainian capital of kiev. this suggesting that russians, the ukrainian defense ministry now being denied from russia. what's the story from where you are tim? >> reporter: well i think everyone has an agenda obviously with this crisis in crimea.

and of course, to a certain extent it is in the ukrainians' interest to keep reports of russian aggression or alleged aggression or forthcoming aggression high on the agenda. now, it pa may well frof to be e in the -- prove to be true in the coming hours that russia is going to carry out some kind of ultimatum or fulfill some kind of deadline for ukrainian troops have have been -- who have been surrounded in crimea by pro-russian forces, in their barracks, on their ships, may make good this reported threat which was coming from sources certified the defense ministry here, may make good that, and actually fulfill their plan. but, as you say, it's been

denied at the moment by russia. now, at the moment, we can just watch and wait. and report what both sides are saying. so it is a very tense situation. and obviously, russia, as well, wants to keep the needle going, if that's the right way to describe it. keep the pressure on ukraine. keep them uncertain about which way this might go. because it's to their advantage to create this air of uncertainty about where crimea might eventually end up. in whose sphere of influence, russia or the new administration here in kiev. >> it is as you say a matter of conjecture whether the ultimatum was issued or whether it wasn't. what is undenial is what is happening in certain --

undeniable, is the russian movement creating some sort of momentum, and the home town of yanukovych, donetske, a big effort there. >> it's part of ukraine but it's an autonomous republic and it has a pro-russian, russian speaking majority there. not everyone of course but a considerable one. but in the east, where it's close to the russian border of course there's also big support for moscow and donetske is a potential flash point. local government-building there because they don't like what's happening here in kiev, where there was a revolution if you like, former president yanukovych was deposed. and there is now what russia regards as an illegitimate

administration. it says it came about through an unfair process. yanukovych, as much as he might have been disliked by people here, pro-european mostly, was elected. and this is not the way to proceed. which is why, what's prompted all this aggression, political aggression, on the ground from moscow. >> tim, we'll leave it at that for now. thank you very much indeed. rory challenge, this dhanl any any -- this denial, what was being suggested out of kiev? qus. >> reporter: well, the official line and i'll quote it is, it's utter nonsense, complete nonsense, didn't happen. that's what the russian defense

ministry is saying through the news agency, interfax. there was no such threat made to the ukrainian navy. they are being adamant about that, this is the usual slander that the russian forces are having to put up with, in the ukraine at the moment in crimea. and it's essentially they won't be provoked into butting heads. it's a rather strange way of putting it, but that's what was coming out from the defense ministry. there were some words earlier from the foreign ministry too, i'll read those out because they pertain to this as well. the black sea fleet units are not interfering in ukrainian internal events, preventing possible attacks on our compatriots, from extremists and radicals are the sole purpose of all troop movement.

it's often said that truth is the first casualty of war. but it seems like truth dies in this situation, and there's a number of different scenarios about what's going on here. maybe the ukraine yants decided making up -- ukrainians decided that making threats up by the russians, maybe there was a threat by the russians and they are now denying it, if nothing happens it makes the ukrainians look like fools or maybe there was something that was going on below the helpful of the sort of mainstream higher es echelon channels, that was not backed up by people higher up the food chain. >> indeed in fact it was supposedly the commander of the black sea fleet who had said this. therefore the denial from on high. and the kremlin is to be

believed in the sense that they would know for sure whether, in fact it was a senior man rather than somebody way down the ranks. nevertheless what cannot be denied rory is away katherine ashton the foreign affairs minister had said about possible sanctions. unless she pointed out, russia goes back to the status quo, recognizing what has happened in ukraine is legitimate. members of those black sea troops have been going beyond the boundaries that were set before them, in fact there have been overflights by russian air craft. what is likely to be moscow's take on that? >> well, i think moscow is weighing up cost-benefit false decisions here. it is trying to work out exactly away it can get away with, what the west is tbk to do, going to do, what the possible sanctions might be, and work out is it

worth it? do we get more out of this than we are going to lose? and it is possible that, say, if the western nations, the g-8 nations pulled out in sochi and they threw russia out of the g-8 that that would be a considerable hit that russian made take, one that russia might be willing to take if it makes a serious gain in crimea and benefit on vladimir putin on the domestic front, polls surge and that sort of thing, that is considered to be worth it. very difficult to know what is going on in the minds of vladimir putin, his foreign ministers and so forth. >> we'll be back to you in a little bit later, rory challenge reporting from moscow. i was mentioning there the remarks by katherine ashton, the

european union's foreign spokesperson. what's happening there, during the call for russia to back off on crimea, with that felicity barr. >> union leaders have called onn russia to deescalate, bylateral relations would lessen. joins us from there live simon mcgregor wood. we know there's going to be another meeting off the back of it and the threat of sanctions. >> that's right. as you heard, from katherine ashton herself a short while

ago, predictably strong language and condemnation of russia's actions over the weekend in crimea. a strong warning, again the use of this word deescalation, a demand that russia pulls back the forces that is committed to their permanent places of stationing. and then, in a sense, a rather vague, or else. and by that she means the possibility of sanctions. as far as i understand, thursday's meeting which is heads of state, this was just foreign ministers today, will in large part discuss, depending what happens between thousand and then of course because things are so fast-moving on the ground, aren't they? the heads of state will meet and discuss in greater detail what those sanctions might be. and the timetable for possible implementation, assuming there isn't the deescalation between now and then. >> in the absence of deescalating sets by russia, the

eu will decide what the consequences will be for bilateral relations between the european union and russia. we talked about the potential of suspending bilateral tawsms, these-- talks, these are part of the agenda. >> the u.s. is in fact saying, it will put sanctions against russia in place and is preparing that right now. the u.s. has a broad range of options available. that according to the u.s. state department coming to us in the last few minutes that the u.s. is preparing sanctions against russia right now. simon in brussels, covering it from the european direction, europe has a lot of business to do with russia. >> i think it is, i think it is easier because the feeling in europe is that it's okay for john kerry to talk tough on the

talk shows, over the weekend, no disrespect meant, but russia is closer to us. on the psychological level. it's worth $400 billion a year in trade for the eu. you have the ongoing basis of energy supplies from russia, gas in particular. the germans take a third of their total gas supply from the russians. it's a very much more involved relationship, and it's one i think that the europeans are conscious of not pulling the plug on, unless they really have to. so i think that might account for why it appears, at least, in terms of the pace of this sanctions process, that the europeans are moving in a slightly slower gear. >> simon from brussels with the latest from there, thanks so much.

there are conflicting reports whether the u.s. has issued that ultimat ultimatum to surrender. black sea fleet including an attack submarine and three war ships are based at the at the port of sevastopol. wife,000 russian soldiers to be in the city. last weekend president pient sent in 6,000 more sol -- putin sent in 6,000 more soldiers. balaclava and sevastopol, control of the affairs in the town of katha. , chatham house, think tank, thanks for being with us one more time james. confusion as to whether that

ultimatum has been issued or not. >> i suspect the confusion is deliberate. there have been mixed messages from russia from the time this all started going back to november. it is a standard tactic to fill out what the -- to figure out what the intentions of an opponent are and what his strength is. there is no point in second-guessing. we will see. >> what about the response though of those forces in crimea? clearly obviously completely in demand according to russia's military might. >> on sunday the ukrainian -- the new ukrainian leadership finally stated very clearly, this is an act of war by russia. it is an act of aggression. it is in violation of the most fundamental agreements and they mobilize the country. they mobilized reservists. so this has changed things on the ground a bit and might be putting some pressure on ugh

russian military -- on russian military advisors so none of them are moved to the ukrainian mainland. sinking ukrainian ships would be an even bigger escalation. so this might be a part of what is occurring here. but at the same time, it's absolutely clear that ukrainian forces will not fire first. no one in kiev will order them to fire first. they know what the situation is. the russians have delivered the ultimatum. the ball is in the russian court. >> therefore hanging on in there waiting to see what russia does but hoping for backup from the wider world or are they feeling that they're pretty much on their own? >> they're not hanging in there. they're learning very quickly that they still have a lot to learn. this new government, does not consist of people who are

experienced in defense and security matters. a lot of their first appointments in the defense and security sector were not wise appointments. now that is starting to change. it's starting to change quite quickly but perhaps not quickly enough. nevertheless, if they do not get the sense that the entire west including the eu tha has throwns full weight behind them, there will be profound demoralization, not only in the new authorities but in the new ukraine and there might be more radicalization as well. that is another dynamic which risks becoming very worrying indeed. >> appreciate your analysis. thanks indeed. >> thanks a lot. >> a little later in this hour. >> in crimea where these women want the russian military out.

>> we'll have robin's report coming up a little bit later. let's take a look at some of the tensions being felt by people in the crimea, the russian speakers there all see it very differently to the way the ukrainians and western leaders do. because primarily, crimea was russian territory and the majority of people there identify themselves as russian. in fedozia in crimea. >> they arrived and blocked access to the faithful base in eastern crimea. inside the ukrainian service men have so far refused to surrender. residents of the village have turned up to lend their support to the russians who are surrounding the base. the russian soldiers are leaving it up to the people to convince the ukrainians inside to switch sides. >> translator: the soldiers pledged to be loyal to ukraine and to the real government

chosen by the ukrainians. not yet sanuk and his people, if they put their guns down and join the crimean people we will protect them and be grateful to them. i hope they make the right choice. >> feel betrayed by the new pro-western government in kiev. america, we will not let you through, they shout. while kiev accuses the russians of invading crimea, for the russian ethnic majority who live here they are save yors. saviors. the soldiers don't talk much but one tells me was deployed from russia two days ago and doesn't know how long he'll be here. there may be an answer to that at the border that separates the crimean peninsula and ukraine's mainland where the soldiers are

building an encampment. we were prevented from filming but a commander agreed to talk to us. he won't give his name but identified himself as a cossack from southern russia. >> translator: russians didn't come here to invade. we will go back, they will determine their status that will be legitimate in front of all the countries of the world. >> the vote is set for march 30th. distancing themselves from a country they felt they never truly belonged to. >> translator: we will never become one nation with the western part of ukraine. because we have different men mentalities. their heroes are not ours. >> while the international community fears a further escalation, many here feel the russian soldiers presence is

necessary while they continue their quest for greater autonomy from ukraine. al jazeera in crimea. former spokesman for the russian president vladimir putin, he tells us that russia doesn't want to annex crimea. >> russia wants 60% by the way of ukrainian citizens, they are under the pressure of terrorist groups which is connected with a so-called government in now, because legal, absolutely. and russia suggested political solution. democratic government, democratic meaning coalition government which should include a representative of the parliamentary parties or ukrainian parliament.

secondly, democratic elections, what means elections which will decree from the pressure of political events now terrorizing their political opponent. of course russia doesn't want to be in conflict with international community but same time russia conceive that nobody want to accept political solution. all the responsibility or violence is on the -- those people who don't want political compromise but who only want to use violence. russian so-called invasion to ukrainian politics just caused millions of ukrainian citizens ask russian support, ask russia to protect their from terror. >> and you can keep up to date with all the news on ukraine at

aljazeera.com, background to the headline stories there, some blogs and of course opinion pieces as well as the very latest news on this very fast-moving story. all right time in the news hour to give us a round up of some of the other world news headlines. a splinter group of the pakistan taliban says it carried out a suicide team in pakistan's capitol. assault on district court in the heart of islamabad. more from islamabad. >> islamabad hasn't seen violence like this in years. two men wearing explosive vests stormed the complex and started shooting. they then blew themselves up. this man caught in the cross fire said he barely made it out

alive. >> translator: i was in the chamber when they ran in. the judge was shot in the neck. i'm pretty sure he did not survive. >> reporter: it's through that door that the attackers stormed this courthouse killing so many people and injuring many more. but this is the heart of the capitol. and these groups, these armed groups which are determined to continue to fight the state, their message is clear: they can attack at any time, anywhere. >> translator: the pakistani taliban immediately distanced itself from the attack. it also said it wasn't responsible for a separate remote control blast on the afghan border earlier monday which celwhich killed two soldi. the attack on this court complex pay prove the pakistani taliban is so fractured as a group that

it can't control those it's affiliated with. making it unlikely that any future deal will put an end to any talks like this. al jazeera, islamabad. >> fighting for control of the strategically important industrial district of aleppo. united nations says that a truce has been broken in the drup of yamuk. for and against the assad government. the u.n. has been forced to stop delivering food to that area. the south african olympian oscar pistorius, trial is expected to haas three weeks. osama bin laden son-in-law is going on trial in new york.

suliman ab ghait is the highest ranking al qaeda member to be prosecuted in a u.s. civilian court. okay, coming up here on the news hour. >> 12 years a slave! >> first of the academy awards a film by a black director wins best picture. all the action both on and off the pitch in a dramatic bad tempered madrid darby.

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union threatening to force sanctions on russia. reporreuters is also reporting t u.s. is threatening sanctions. a look at this report from tim friend who is in kiev. >> this is the moment that kiev had been dreading. reports of an ultimatum for its troops to surrender. they fear russia could now be edging trdz its end game in crimea. complete -- towards its end game in crimea. ukraine's military personnel have been stuck in their bases there surrounded by pro-pro-russian forces. now reports claim they must leave or face a possible storming of their installations. earlier in kiev the british foreign secretary visited independence square before going into talks with the government. the question facing ukraine and the west: how to get russia to

pull its troops out of crimea. for now they are counting on political and economic pressure. >> russia should be in no doubt about this. this is something we take very seriously, we have to take very seriously. because if this is -- if this becomes the normal way of behaving in the world of intruding upon and violating the absorbent of neighbors well then clearly that would be an even bigger crisis. >> a quick question for the prime minister please. you have described a military invasion of part of ukraine's territory. are you satisfied you are getting enough support? >> we try to resolve this crisis using all the diplomatic and political tools. >> have you given up crimea? >> crimea is a territory of ukraine. and despite the presence of russian military, despite the

fact that russian military supports an illegal government we will tackle this problem. >> the russian foreign minister has reportedly not been taking calls from journalists but he was taking calls on monday. >> translator: this is a question of defending our citizens and compatriots and assuring human rights and the right to life. those that are interpreting as a threat to sovereignty, has polarized ukrainian society. >> the next important visitor expected in kiev is the u.s. secretary of state. he will be looking for a way out of confrontation between u.s. and russia since the end of the cold war. tim friend, al jazeera, kiev. >> it was from the state department that we heard that

the u.s. is, quote, preparing sanctions. joining me live from washington, d.c, it was a pretty short statement. what is behind it shia? >> i do want to put that in context. that was a statement from a conference call from the state department to the press. we're snowed in, in washington today. let's take that out of context. it was a restatement from over the weekend from john kerry and others that sanctions are amongst the options being considered by the u.s. john kerry on sunday very keen to stress that any sort of sanctions would be taken in conjunction with european and international partners multilaterally. saying we are considering these things. you saw pictures of john kerry, they said suddenly, the press should come to this event, maybe we would get something a bit

stronger. john kerry spoke more about wine than he did of ukraine. we're very used to that phrase, as a threat to military action. administrative officials say we don't mean military intervention, we're talking about asset freezes, visa freezes, in conjunction with our european ahighs and elsewhere. >> clarifying the situation out of washington, d.c, appreciate that very much. okay back to london. let's get more from felicity on the underlying ethnic divisions which have so far marked ukraine's conflict in the crimea. >> well, while crimea has changed hands a number of times in the last 200 years, russia has been the dominant power. as a result, the region realms

ethnically divided. 27% as ukrainian and 12% as crimean tartar. main 44, half of their population died. they returned to the soviet union as a minority and it's been constant tension between crimean tartars. >> this has been the largest criticism of the takeover since it began last friday. most of these women are crimean tartars, a well educated minority horrified by the situation. >> i'm afraid and i see people, i see the people in their eyes, we can't feel that we are safe. >> the edge of town may be a safer place to agitate.

pro-russian supporters gather every day in the city center. this is a very clear sign that not everybody in crimea thinks that this has been some kind of a liberation. in fact, this sign sums it up perfectly. it says putin, my children are afraid of your defenders. >> the defenders that russia has sent now surround the military bases in the ethnically based town. russian troops are there to defend ukraine's russian speaking population. for those trapped inside it's not that simple. zarima is tartar, her daughter-in-law is russian and her grandson is a ukrainian recruit. >> translator: who are they defending us from? who is being forbidden to speak

russian? i'm a russian speaker and i'm ethnic tartar. >> i met a group of tartar men preparing to patrol their neighborhood. this is a time of deep insecurity. >> translator: we organized ourselves as crimean tartars so no one can come here and cause trouble. >> history in crimea has not been kind to tartars. robin forester walker, al jazeera, crimea. >> the london respondent for the crimean newspaper. thanks for coming in. how much dispute has occurred before this current crisis escalated? >> i would say that crimea was an interesting example of a former soviet union territory where there were attentions but there was no conflict. because if you see unlike some

russian regions for example caucasus where we had wars, conflicts and very series problems with terrorism, and interethnic conflicts, in crimea until now there was no serious confrontation between different ethnic or religious groups. i think that's why, one of the reasons why tartar, crimean tartar populations were quite loyal to the ukrainian government in crimea because they were in a safe place, they were homing for their life to become better -- they were hoping for their life to become better and there were real opportunities. of course now when we have soldiers on that territory. >> given that and given that the crisis is escalating, what the rest of the world is wondering might happen, this is no longer a safe place, particularly the tartars if they feel that the russians are taking control and their influence is being wiped out, are they looking to move

perhaps into ukraine proper? good i know already from the communications, with my friends and because of my professional connections with ukraine, i know that already people are moving. people are moving from the places where they think there could be danger coming up, people moving to different places, according to what they think is safe or not safe. imagine, for example, in crimea if you are a family of ukrainian service men. their boys are more or less protected, they are behind walls, they have their weapons. but think about, for example, their families. they are in towns. they are exposed. and for example i saw reports about the ukrainian navy commander that defected earlier. there were reports for example that his family was basically in danger. and that was probably one of the

reasons that -- for his actions. we cannot seclude that people will be -- we cannot exclude that people will be moving, people will move. >> thank you so much for coming in, thank you. well, that's the latest information from me for moment. let's take it back to doha now and rejoin david. >> felicity thank you so much indeed. crisis fully on that, the u.n. hats also been one of the many conflicts which has been dominating discussions at the 25th human rights discussion in geneva. the u.n. secretary-general ban ki-moon is speaking there. >> human rights cancel in geneva

is a u.s. effort to table a resolution pressing the government of sri lanka, into alleged war crimes and atrocities committed as tens of thousands of civilians lost their lives in the final days of civil war there in 2009. they will also be a focus on conflicts and human rights crises around the world from the central african republic to he myanmar and iran and of course syria. here is what ban ki-moon had to say. >> in syria all parties have created violations of human rights of of imaginable scope and character. those estates that are members of both the human rights council and the security council have a special duty to end this bloody war and ensure robust accountability. the besieging of communities,

death by starvation and indiscriminate use of barrel bombs and other weapons of terror are unacceptable. those committing such acts are on notice: this council and the world are watching. >> but as much as ban ki-moon have wanted on opening day to concentrate his attentions on syria, his focus was directed elsewhere and that's because, also speaking was russian prime minister sergey lavrov. the defense of human rights workers in crimea. both countries in which so-called extremists were trying to influence events. well, ban ki-moon the general

called for calm -- secretary-general, that efforts in crimea will not help the efforts elsewhere including the likes of syria. >> jonah hall reporting there. contradicters have a field day in south africa.

>> antigovernment protesters in thailand have retreated to a park in central bangkok. the opposition insists that doesn't mean its fight is over. and that it's now looking to the court to help remove the prime minister from office. reporting from bangkok. >> bangkok is no longer shut down. opening roads to traffic but not opening the way to political reconciliation. the opposition decided to dismantle rally sites, weeks of treat protests against care taker prime minister yingluck shinshintshinawatra. people have been killed. >> the opposition says its goal hasn't changed.

people here want thailand's political system unwound. caretaker prime minister from office, opposition leaders are now relying on intervention by the courts to do just that. >> only part of this government's problem, the government's created a lot of other problems, like for example, the problem with the rice farmers, facing an investigation on her involvement with the corruption. >> yingluck has been prevented from working from her office. she spent the last week from her political stronghold in the north of the country to rally her supporters. but there are those who believe the powerful institutions are not on her side and have put their weight behind the protest movement. >> he had a group of those

behind him, the military, with higher up than victory. >> there is still no winner in this political battle. yingluck's political supporters say they will not let her government collapse without a fight. without military intervention that in fact will result in more intervention. >> australia's cricketers are in control of the third and final test. clearing overnight of 494 plus 7, doing the damage on day 3, michigan 'em johnson and three wicwickets. for 287. with a follow-on not in force, the aussies, 25 rounds of just

17 balls, australia will resume their innings on day 4 with a 254-run lead. >> asia cup. after they beat afghanistan by 129. helped sri lanka post 243 from 6, a you might remember beat host bangladesh two weeks ago. this time though bowled out for 124 runs. in just a month after stepping down as england coafn andy coacy flowers. leveled their series 1-1 to the west indies. three wick et cetera and 31

balls to spare one day captain to the winning four. the deciding patch takes place on wednesday. let's turn our attention to football, and real madrid is just now one point, barcelona won in elmaria. >> real madrid had won their last eight matches, against vicente calderon. s coached furious at the goal, leading ben zema was off side. sergio ramos, in the box, no penalty was given. just before the half hour mark, leveled, pope with the finish. and the home side, with leads

going into half time, captain gangabby fernandez, leader, dieo lolopez. it was christiano vernales first goal, seven minutes remaining he netted real's equalizer. 2-2 the final score. real are now unbeaten in their last 28 matches. but their lee heed at the top of the table is now just one point. barcelona beat real maria 4-1. a free kick put barce in the lap. equalling cesar's home record. al maria reduced the deficit,

two other goals came from two of their stalwarts late in the second half. defender car carlos pulo, richad barth al jazeera. >> it was a thrilling final round at the honda classic in florida where the title was decided in a four man playoff. tiger woods began seven shows behind, but he was forced to withdraw with a back injury. double bogey, four-over 74, missed the eagle putt, for the final hole of the outright win. henley, only second pag victory. >> it was a rush to be out there, playing with rory.

i've never played or bean part of the crowd so big. it was just an amazing feeling. i feel like i kind of got them going and it was so much fun. i hope i can have a bunch more sundays just hike that in my career. >> i didn't -- like that in my career. >> i didn't play well enough to deserve the tournament. just wasn't in control. my golf ball coming down the stretch. but you know still had a chance to win the tournament, didn't quite do it, and just had an awkward distance from my second in the playoff and a couple of awkward lies, couldn't make birdie but it's been a decent week. >> 2-0 to beat the vancouver canuck et cetera. in the heritagcanucks.

>> second period of the clashed into the boards. go-ahead goal for the senators, it's their first win in three games. nascar driver kevin harvick, american dominated the sprint cup race. he led 224 of the 312 lapse on his way to the win. driver danica patrick who crashed a week ago was involved in a multi-car pileup, finishing in 36th place. cricket leading the sports coverage, aljazeera.com/sports. >> thank you very much. an unflinching portrayal of slavery in the united states has made history, at the academy

awards. rob reynolds sent us this report from the red carpet in hollywood. in and the oscar goes to 12 years a slave! >> a searing story of slavery and brutality in the 19th century american south won top honors on oscar night. 12 years a slave was directed by british director steve mcconvene. alfonso caron won best director. riding the coat tails of the best picture award, lupita nyong'o won as best supporting actor. nyong'o is a newcomer to hollywood. the 31-year-old kenyan actress appeared in only a handful of roles while still attending yale university. >> thank you so much for putting me in this position. this has been the joy of my

life! >> to almost no one's surprise, the best actor award went to matthew mcconaughey, for his role as a roughneck texan, battling aids. mcconaughey lost nearly 20 key lows to authenticate his role. >> whatever it is we look up to, whatever we look forward to, to whoever we are chasing, to that i say all right, all right, all right. >> cate blanchett's role of a dludded socialite, in woody allen's blue jasmine earned her the best actress award.

jared leto. won best supporting actor. >> to all the dreamers out there around the world watching this tonight, as you struggle to make your dreams happen, to live the impossible, we're thinking of you tonight. >> this year's oscar winners came to grips with some very serious subject matter. slavery, aids, transgender issues and the exploitation of women. it is perhaps the sign of the times that frothy entertainment is very much out and serious drama is in. rob reynolds, al jazeera, hollywood. >> the host ellen degeneres created a selfie, she tweetedit and will be tweeted almost 2

million time which apparently is somewhat of a record. bye-bye for now.

>> welcome to al jazeera america. i'm del walters. these are the stories we're following for you. an ultimatum in ukraine. russia telling ukrainian naval forces in the crimea to surrender. >> we absolutely need to see a deescalation of the situation. >> all of this on a day that the international community are cramming being to respond to -- are scrambling to russia's occupation. olympian oscar pistorius