Pistorius 'In Love' With Reeva: Exclusive

Reeva Steenkamp: The Girl Behind The Name

Updated: 2:00pm UK, Friday 28 February 2014

Reeva Steenkamp was born in the South African city of Cape Town in August 1983, to horse trainer Barry Steenkamp and his second wife, June.

The family later moved to Port Elizabeth where she and her siblings grew up.

She attended St Dominic's Priory High School and, at the age of 15, entered a beauty competition organised through her local newspaper where she was spotted by the paper's then beauty editor, Barbara Robertson

"She was 15, and a young 15," Ms Robertson told Sky News.

"There was nothing sophisticated about her. She was sweet, down to earth, earthy ... just one of those girls who had the 'it' factor ... a little bit (of an) early Kate Moss."

While friends speak of an ultimate desire to marry and have a family, the young woman always expected to enjoy a career of her own.

She took a law degree in case her modelling career did not work out.

But the modelling side took off and the gauche, unsophisticated girl from Port Elizabeth moved on to Johannesburg to seek her success.

Originally a brunette, Steenkamp dyed her hair blonde and soon after broke into the glossy world of magazine modelling.

She made the cover of FHM but, said Ms Robertson, the model remained true to herself.

"The front pages made out she was this brazen blonde with boobs hanging out," she said in an interview with The Guardian.

"She was more than a model. She was Reeva. She had studied law at university. I don't think she was seeking bright lights and fame and fortune.

"She was spreading her wings. If she got noticed, what's wrong with that? It doesn't make her a celeb-seducer."

While she continued modelling and was popular on South Africa's A-list circuit, Steenkamp's legal ambitions appeared to resurface.

The future looked bright as she applied to the Bar in 2011, hoping to qualify as a legal advocate by 2013.

Her TV career also looked promising, with a part in a reality TV show Tropika Island of Treasure that looked likely to lead to further opportunities in her professional life.

In November 2012, she began going out with Oscar Pistorius and the couple were said to be deeply in love.

Three months later, Reeva Steenkamp was dead.

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Obama Warns Russia Against Crimea Invasion

US President Barack Obama has warned Moscow that any military intervention in Ukraine would be "deeply destabilising", as Kiev claims Russian troops have invaded.

He said: "The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine.

"We are now deeply concerned by reports of military movements taken by the Russian Federation inside of Ukraine."

US officials say Mr Obama may cancel plans to attend the G8 summit in June if it is proved that Russia has sent troops into Crimea.

Men claiming to be members of a local militia at a checkpoint

Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to host the economic meeting in Sochi, the site of the recent Winter Olympics.

The administration official said the US was in discussions about the summit with European partners, adding that it was difficult to see how leaders would attend if Russia had forces in Crimea.

The US has also warned that discussions on deepening trade ties with Moscow may be halted in response to any Russian aggression.

Mr Obama's warnings come after Ukraine's Acting President appealed to Russia to stop "naked aggression" in the Crimean peninsula amid claims from Kiev 2,000 Russian troops have invaded.

Oleksandr Turchynov said: "I personally appeal to President Putin to immediately stop military provocation and to withdraw from the Autonomous Republic of Crimea ... It's a naked aggression against Ukraine."

After unrest in Kiev, tensions have shifted to the Crimea region

Speaking after a private meeting at the United Nations, Ukraine's ambassador to the UN, Yuriy Sergeyev, said there was an "external presence" in Crimea "encouraging separatism".

He added he had told the council about "unspecified and armed forces of the Russian Federation on the territory of Ukraine".

US officials have told Fox News they see "evidence of air and maritime movement into and out of Crimea by Russian forces".

When asked about the claims, Russia's envoy to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, said Moscow was complying with agreements with Ukraine.

Russia denies being behind the seizure of the airports

The pro-Russian prime minister of Crimea Sergei Aksenov, has appealed to Russia for help in keeping the peace there, and claimed control of all military, police and other security services in the region.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague will visit the country on Sunday and hold talks with Ukraine's new leaders.

Earlier on Friday, armed forces seized two airports in the region, but Moscow denies being behind the takeovers.

Ukrainian security sources claim they have regained control of Simferopol and Sevastopol airports amid earlier reports Russian forces tried to seize them.

Armed men were seen patrolling the perimeter at Simferopol, a civilian airport, and there were also reports Russian forces were blocking Sevastopol's military airport.

Despite the claims from Kiev, a military source quoted by the Interfax news agency said the armed men at Sevastopol had extended their control by taking over the runway.

Ukraine's State Border Guard Service said about 30 Russian marines from the country's Black Sea Fleet had taken up position outside the coast guard base in Sevastopol.

Moscow has said armoured vehicles were moving around Crimea for "security reasons".

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Crimea: Armed Men Seize Parliament Building

Armed men have seized the regional government building and parliament in Crimea, according to Russian news agency Interfax.

It said local Tatar leader Refat Chubarov had written on Facebook: "I have been told that the buildings of parliament and the council of ministers have been occupied by armed men in uniforms that do not bear any recognisable insignia.

"They have not yet made any demands."

The parliament building has been seized in Simferopol

Crimea is an autonomous republic in the south of Ukraine, around 500 miles from the capital Kiev.

While it is not immediately clear who is in control of the buildings, the Russian flag is flying over both buildings.

The men occupying the buildings are wearing black and orange ribbons - a Russian symbol of victory in World War Two.

They have also put up signs saying: "Crimea is Russian".

Around 100 police officers are said to be gathered in front of the parliament building.

The doors appear to have been blocked by wooden crates.

A witness reported hearing gunfire during the night.

The Russian flag is flying over the parliament

On Wednesday there was a confrontation between pro-Russia separatists and ethnic Tatars, who support Ukraine's new leaders, in Simferopol, where the parliament building is located.

Sky's Alex Rossi says there is an enormous amount of anxiety in Crimea, amid signs of separatism.

The region, where the majority of the population are Russian speakers, has strong ties to Moscow.

Russia has questioned the legitimacy of the new Ukrainian authorities, and has pledged to defend the rights of its "compatriots".

It would react "uncompromisingly" if these were violated, the foreign ministry said in a statement. 

President Vladimir Putin has put the military on alert for major exercises, and announced measures to tighten security at the headquarters of Russia's Black Sea Fleet in Crimea.

It came as Russia confirmed it will take part in talks on an International Monetary Fund (IMF) financial package for Ukraine, where the economic situation continues to worsen after months of unrest.

Debt-hit Ukraine has said it needs $35bn (£21bn) over the next two years to avoid bankruptcy.

Barricades have been erected by the gunmen

The European Commission says Russia should be included in efforts to provide financial assistance.

"All I can say is that we will take part in discussions (at the IMF), there is no talk of standing aside," said Andrei Bokarev, head of the finance ministry's international relations department.

Ukraine has also seen continuous devaluation of its currency amid the political upheaval, which led to President Viktor Yanukovych being toppled.

He is now a fugitive, wanted in connection with the deaths of around 100 people during the recent violence.

Ukraine's new government is expected to be formally approved by parliament on Thursday, and faces the hugely complex task of restoring stability in the country.

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RBS Confirms £8.2bn Loss And New Revival Plan

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has reported its biggest loss since the year it was bailed out by the taxpayer, of £8.2bn for 2013, and announced plans to help restore customer trust.

The loss figure included its previously-announced provisions for mistakes of the past, which continue to haunt RBS and the rest of the UK banking industry in the wake of the financial crisis.

Ross McEwan, the RBS chief executive, said the loss was "sobering" and "huge" - and promised reform would turn around not only its financial fortunes but also its treatment of the customer.

Ross McEwan is restructuting RBS

The bank confirmed new cost savings of £5bn over the next four years - reported earlier by Sky News - with its focus shifting back to the UK and further away from investment banking.

It was its investment arm that accounted for most of its bonus pool for 2013, which had shrunk by 15% to £576m, though the scene was set for further reductions in later years as RBS said it would concentrate on serving personal and business customers.

The bank also announced it was lifting its proportion of UK assets to 80% of its business from 60% under pressure from the Government, which still holds a stake of over 80% in the lender, to concentrate on supporting the UK's economic recovery.

Mr McEwan said his revival plan would make the bank "smaller, simpler and smarter," shrinking from seven divisions to three.

He has not put a figure on the potential number of job losses his plans would entail.

The overhaul of its service and products for retail customers will see the Group outlaw different product rates for branch and online customers from mid-March.

Among its other pledges were bans on teaser rates for any product and an end to 0% balance transfers for credit cards.

The revival plan is designed to help get the bank into a position where it could return to private hands - likely to be some years away.

Following confirmation of the loss and bonus figures the deputy prime minister Nick Clegg told Sky News that RBS was a "loss-making bank" on a "life support system funded by the general public."

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Lee Rigby's Killers Could Die Behind Bars

By Tom Parmenter, Sky News Correspondent

The men who murdered soldier Lee Rigby will learn later if they are to spend the rest of their lives in prison.

Michael Adebolajo, 28, and Michael Adebowale, 22, are due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey at 2pm for the gruesome killing outside Woolwich barracks in southeast London.

In May last year the pair ran the fusilier down in a car, leapt out and then began a sustained and frenzied attack on the motionless body of the solider.

During the trial the jury was told "Michael Adebolajo made a serious and almost successful attempt to decapitate him".

Adebolajo argued in court he was a "soldier of Allah" acting as part of a wider conflict between the West and the Islamic world.

Growing up in and around London, Adebolajo and Adebowale had both been involved in gang crime, drugs and then, at different times, converted to Islam.

Adebolajo travelled to Kenya in 2010 hoping to get to Somalia, but was detained by the authorities and deported back to Britain.

Authorities are looking to see if the murder could have been prevented

He was being tracked by the UK security services and had resisted efforts to try to persuade him to work with intelligence agents.

The jury at the murder trial were unanimous in their guilty verdicts over the murder, but cleared Adebolajo and Adebowale of attempting to murder a police officer in the aftermath of the attack.

Dramatic footage was played in court showing how Adebolajo sprinted at armed officers with a knife held aloft - with such an immediate threat an officer opened fire from the back seat and Adebolajo fell just yards from the police team.

The trial ended on December 19, but sentencing was delayed until a ruling at the Court of Appeal over the validity of whole life tariffs where prisoners expect to die in prison.

Last week a ruling backed the legality of the whole life tariff and it is understood to be one of the options open to the judge when he passes sentence on Adebolajo and Adebowale this afternoon. 

An Intelligence and Security Committee in Westminster is also examining whether any opportunities to prevent the murder were missed by the authorities.

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NHS Staff Should Be Trained To Spot Abuse

Doctors and nurses should be trained to spot the signs of domestic abuse, according to new guidance.

An estimated two million people experience domestic abuse in England and Wales every year - and experts believe these figures are likely to underestimate the problem.

One in three women and almost one in five men will experience it at some point in their lives.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) wants a wider understanding in health and social care to help victims.

Doctors and nurses - who come into contact with victims - are being asked to be more aware of the signs of abuse and how to deal with it.

Professor Mike Kelly, director of the centre for public health at Nice, said: "Everyone in society needs to understand both the extent of the problem and the damage it causes.

"It can affect anyone - particularly women and children - but also men, regardless of age, geographical location, income, relationship type, family set-up or ethnic origin.

"It causes significant short and long-term health problems, not only for the victim but for those around them, and can lead to criminal and civil sanctions."

The measures include ensuring people who use services are given maximum privacy - for example by arranging reception areas so people cannot be overheard.

Gene Feder, professor of primary health care at the University of Bristol and chair of the group which developed the Nice guidance, said: "We need to wake up to the high prevalence of domestic abuse and its impact on our patients.

"The doctors and nurses in general practice need training: to ask safely about abuse, about how to respond effectively, and about how to help by encouraging patients to go to local specialist domestic violence services."

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