on thursday, barack obama urged vladimir putin to again except the terms of the diplomatic solution to the standoff. before the conversation, obama announced the first sanctions against russia since the start of the crisis. visas blocked. from across the atlantic, president obama sent the strongest message since the sayingf the crisis attempts to destabilize ukraine would not go unpunished. >> executive order authorizes sanctions on in today's -- those violating the sovereignty of ukraine or stealing assets of the ukrainian people. the state department has put in place restrictions on the travel of certain individuals and officials. >> the sanctions are targeted at russians and ukrainians responsible for a russian push into the crimean peninsula. it is not clear whose names appear on the blacklist. the white house has already said sanctions will not apply to russian president vladimir putin. the state department said further sanctions were an option if russia fails to play ball. >> the announcement today and the signing of executive order provided authority to put a range of sanctions

president barack obama has urged russian president vladimir putin to resolve the situation diplomatically. the leaders talked for an hour by phone. putin said his country is following international law. white house officials reported that obama said russia's actions violate ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. obama told putin the u.s. will impose sanctions, including visa restrictions on russian officials. obama called for direct talks between the governments of ukraine and russia. he also urged putin to agree to troigsal monitors in ukraine. officials in moscow say putin told obama that russia's actions are in line with international law and with the wishes of regional authorities. putin said ukraine's interim government lacks legitimacy. the officials quote putin as saying that russia/u.s. relations play a significant role in maintaining global stability and security and the relationship must not be marred by individual issues. they say the two leaders reaffirm that their foreign ministers will stay in close contact. >>> european union leaders decided to add an emergency me

president barack obama has urged the russian president vladimir putin to issue a diplomatic resolutionmoscow does not want ties between the u.s. and russia to be damaged by the crisis, but putin and the white house are still far apart on the issue. jim maceda joins us from moscow. jim, the political talking is being ratcheted up after the hour-long conversation. one can't escape, though, the fact that we're going to have a referendum in the crimea which surely pushes this into a new phase. and one wonders how everyone is going to react to that. >> exactly. it is a new phase. you're talking about a crimean parliament now that effectively voted to secede from ukraine. in ten days' time, there's going to be a referendum. and the russian parliament said today if the crimeans decide in that referendum to become part of russia, the duma, the russian parliament will not resist that or object to that in any way. so that conversation between obama and putin came at the end of an extremely, busy, difficult day. and obama apparently spoke with putin. he initiated the call. they spoke for about an

barack obama says the vote would violate international la. >> russia's president vladimir putin says his phone call with president obama highlighted the difference. the u.s. leader urgedtin to withdraw the troops much the international criminal court is expected to deliver its verdict in a short while in the trial of a former congolese leader. jermain katanga is charged with war crimes. >> more on the crisis in ukraine. international monitors arrived in the crimea region. there are reports of a tax against local media. al jazeera's correspondent reports. >> today freedom of expression in crimea depends on who you are and where you are. in the regional capital protesters against russia's military preps were chased away by men who call themselves the defense force, the same group who targeted media outlets, and black sea television had the plug pulled. it's available on satellite and the web. >> there has been problems while filming. we had to film without logos, every day people called them self-defenders. the television channel has close links to the new government. here and crimea the pro-moscow administration is openly defiant of crimea. that may be the cause of pro

president has urged russia to pull out troops from the ukrainian border. vladimir putin and barack obama held their first direct contact since the u.s. and europe imposed sanctions against moscow over the annexation of crimea. a journalist is among five people that have been killed as egyptian police fought with anti-coup protesters. a journalist was shot dead whilst covering the violence. >> iraq's government has launched a media campaign to accompany a media offensive against an armed group known as the i.s.i.l. it's seen as the most dangerous of all the fighter groups at war with the government, which is trying to create a secure deposit for upcoming elections. imran khan reports from baghdad. >> the government in iran has declared war. it's being fought on two fronts. one of militarily, and one through the media. these tv spots paid for by the government and created by state television single out the group as an enemy of the state and highlight the operations against them. it's not just television, huge billboards got to the streets of baghdad. during the height of iraq's violence, w

president obama spoke with vladimir putin today for 90 minutes urging putin to pull troops back in the peninsula. putin telling barack the troops are necessary due to threats on russians living in crimea. the parliament giving russia the authority to send groups in. >>> road crews clearing up a pileup near denver over a two-mile stretch of highway. road conditions deteriorated when a heavy band of snow moved in. one person was killed and 30 others injured. >>> in california residents watching rain-saturated foot hills. hundreds have been evaluated there. now back to huckabee. for your latest headlines, log online fox news.com. >>> this weekend hollywood's biggest names are going to gather for the academy awards. so we sent correspondent ryan reese to the red carpet for a preview. what's going on in hollywood? >> there's electricity in the air as celebritities and political assembled. >> what are political figures do there? >> they're here for movies like frozen, a documentary about the obamacare website. >> i enjoyed the movie "gravity." i wonder if you think that movie will win any of the awards this time? >> i was