PARIS (AP) — Interpol knew about stolen passports that two passengers used to board an ill-fated Malaysia Airlines flight bound for China, but no country checked the police agency's vast database on stolen documents beforehand, it said Sunday. Interpol said it hopes authorities will "learn from the tragedy."

Pro-Russian activists attacked supporters of Kiev's new leaders with clubs and whips as thousands rallied across Ukraine in rival demonstrations Sunday, while Russian President Vladimir Putin dug in his heels in the escalating standoff with the West. German Chancellor Angela Merkel delivered a strong rebuke to the Russian strongman, telling him a planned Crimea referendum on joining the Russian Federation was "illegal" and bemoaning the lack of progress on creating an international diplomatic group to try to resolve the crisis. In phone conversations with Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron, Putin in turn accused Ukraine's new leaders of failing to rein in "ultra-nationalist and radical forces". He also defied Western condemnation of the March 16 referendum, saying the pro-Russian authorities in Crimea organising the vote were legitimate and acting "based on international law".