BREXIT UPDATE: Boris Johnson for Prime Minister

It is impossible to doubt that, if the referendum were to be held again today, the knife-edge “Leave” majority would be reversed and “Remain” would win handsomely. Brexiteers in their thousands would reverse their choice, appalled by the unimagined magnitude of the economic catastrophe brought down upon us by Cameron’s folly—recklessly playing Russian Roulette with the country’s long-term future in the interests (as he himself admitted) of short term political appeasement within his own party.

It is said that to call a second referendum would be undemocratic. I argued in these pages that to call a referendum in the first place violated the principles of representative democracy. We are a parliamentary democracy, not a mob-rule plebiscite democracy (yob-rule, one might say, in the light of Nigel Farage’s oafish grin). No Prime Minister would invoke “democracy” in calling a referendum to bring back hanging and flogging. So why hand over a much more momentous and complex decision to a populace whose level of sophistication may be judged from the number who googled “What is the EU?” the day after voting to leave it?

NOTHING IS PERMANENT: Britain votes to leave EU in historic divorce, pressure on PM Cameron to resign

Britain has voted to leave the European Union, results from Thursday's landmark referendum showed, an outcome that sets the country on an uncertain path and deals the largest setback to European efforts to forge greater unity since World War Two.

World financial markets dived as nearly complete results showed a 51.8/48.2 percent split for leaving. Sterling suffered its biggest one-day fall of more than 10 percent against the dollar, hitting a 31-year low on market fears the decision will hit investment in the world's 5th largest economy.

The vote will initiate at least two years of messy divorce proceedings with the EU, raise questions over London's role as a global financial capital and put huge pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron to resign, though he pledged during the campaign to stay on whatever the result.

NATO Secretary-General warns Moscow against further intervention in Ukraine

NATO Secretary-General has warned Russia that further intervention in Ukraine would be a “historic mistake” with grave consequences.

Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Moscow must pull back troops it has massed on the Ukrainian border. On Tuesday, Ukraine regained control of one of the government buildings occupied by pro-Russian activists in the east of the country.

US rejects Crimea vote

US rejects Crimea vote held under 'threats of violence and intimidation' by Russian military

White House says it rejects referendum in Crimean region of Ukraine says Russia's actions 'dangerous and destabilizing'

Referendum: 93% Crimeans overwhelmingly vote to join Russia

Crimeans have voted overwhelmingly to join Russia, with Russian news agency RIA saying exit polls indicate 93 percent voted in favour of the move.

As Russian flags fluttered in the breeze and retirees grew weepy at the thought of reuniting with Russia, residents of Ukraine's Crimea region held a secession vote Sunday. 

The United States and Europe condemned the referendum as illegal, while Ukraine's new government called it a "circus" directed at gunpoint by Moscow.

Crimea War: Obama Read To Confront Putin, Preempt Any Spread To Nearby Countries

U.S President Barack Obama’s meeting with Ukraine’s prime minister on Wednesday raises the stakes in his attempt to confront Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambitions in Crimea and preempt any spread to nearby countries.

Obama, who welcomed Ukraine’s interim prime minister to the White House and pledged to “stand with Ukraine” in its dispute with Russia.

U.S. President warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that the international community “will be forced to apply costs” if Russia does not remove its troops from Crimea.

Ukraine crisis: Crimea peninsula turns to Russia

Ukraine's government appealed for Western help on Tuesday to stop Moscow annexing Crimea but the Black Sea peninsula, overrun by Russian troops, seemed fixed on a course that could formalise rule from Moscow within days.

With their own troops in Crimea effectively prisoners in their bases, the new authorities in Kiev painted a sorry picture of the military bequeathed them by the pro-Moscow president overthrown two weeks ago. They announced the raising of a new National Guard to be drawn from volunteers among veterans.

Tensions as Ukrainian Government detains Pro-Russian protesters in Donetsk

There were tense scenes in Ukraine's eastern city of Donetsk as  several dozen pro-Russia protesters were detained during a police operation to  clear demonstrators from the regional administration centre.

The building had been occupied by pro-Russian protesters since Wednesday evening and was taken over by police on Thursday.

Protesters in the ethnic Russian  stronghold demanded a referendum for greater autonomy in the region. Some called for union with Russia. 

"We are all Russians, we are  slavic. We want to live in a big, strong country, not in the divided thumb of
one arm," one local resident said. [AP]

ALJAZEERA

"We want to live peacefully in Russia" - Crimea Russians

Crimea referendum on joining Russia to be held March 16

 About 50 people on Thursday morning rallied outside the local parliament in Simferopol, Crimea's capital, waving Russian and Crimean flags.

The posters they held was one that said "Russia, defend us from genocide." "We are tired of revolutions, maidans and conflicts and we want to live peacefully in Russia," said one of the bystanders, Igor Urbansky, 35. "Only Russia can give us a peaceful life."