Ukraine votes for new National Guard

Ukraine's parliament has voted to create a 60,000-strong National Guard to bolster the country's defences. The vote came ahead of Sunday's referendum in Crimea, now controlled by pro-Russian forces, on whether citizens want to join Russia. President Vladimir Putin insists Russia is not to blame for the crisis. But Germany's Angela Merkel says Moscow faces "massive" political and economic damage if it refuses to change course. The US has also threatened action. Russia was exploiting the weakness of neighbouring Ukraine, rather than acting as a partner for stability, the German chancellor said on Thursday, adding that there was no military solution to the crisis, according to BBC.