Ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych accused the CIA of orchestrating the new Ukrainian government’s armed response to an emboldening pro-Russian insurgency in an interview with Russian state television Sunday. There has been no independent corroboration of Yanukovych’s accusations.

Partial results released Sunday confirm a tight race in Afghanistan’s presidential elections. After 10 percent of the votes counted, Abdullah Abdullah leads with 41.9 percent of the vote. Former World Bank official Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai is in second with 36.6 percent. Both candidates promise to sign a security pact with the United States that was rejected by President Hamid Karzai. (Read story here.)

In what was a marked departure from tradition, Pope Francis ignored his prepared speech and improvised remarks for a packed St. Peter’s square on Palm Sunday. The Pope also hopped down off the popemobile to pose for pictures with young people.

In a trial that has attracted global attention, former South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius faced tough cross-examination from prosecutor Gerrie Nel last , who aimed to poke holes in Pistorius’ claim that he shot Reeva Steenkamp accidentally. Pistorius, who was the first double-amputee to compete in the Olympics, could face life in prison if convicted of murder. (Read story here.)

Contact Tyler Kieslich at [email protected].