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Missing Plane: Cockpit Conversations Revealed

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 22 Maret 2014 | 20.48

A transcript of the final conversations between the crew of flight MH370 and air traffic control has been revealed two weeks after the aircraft vanished from radar.

The transcript, between the co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid and the control tower, includes conversations as the aircraft was taxiing at Kuala Lumpur airport up until the final exchange with Malaysian air traffic control at 1.19am.

It also includes a repeated message about the aircraft's altitude at the same time as the plane's Acars signalling technology sent its last transmission before it was apparently disabled.

Transcripts of pilot conversations on missing Malaysia Airlines plane Excerpts from the cockpit conversations

At 1.01am it reads: "MH370 remaining in flight altitude 350 (35,000ft)."

Six minutes later, the co-pilot said: "MH370 remaining in flight altitude 350."

The final conversation in the documents, published in The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mirror, was at 1.19am as the plane left Malaysian airspace, and reads: "All right, good night."

Missing Flight MH370

But former pilot Alastair Rosenschein told Sky News too much could be read into the repetition of the plane's altitude.

He said: "You make a radio call confirming your altitude and then a few minutes later you think 'gosh did I make that call?', you don't know, the easiest thing is to make it again.

"So no it's not suspicious, at least I don't see it as suspicious.

Family members of passengers onboard Malaysia Airlines MH370 shout to protest against the lack of new information after a routine briefing by Malaysia in Beijing Relatives of missing passengers shout for answers in Beijing on Saturday

"If he wanted to hijack the aircraft then this was an ideal spot because it lies between Malay air space and Vietnamese air space. So you've got that handover - the Malaysians are no longer interested in the aircraft because it's left them, they've handed it over, and the Vietnamese don't yet expect a call.

"Quite frankly if you wanted to take an aircraft and didn't want anyone to know, you wouldn't have done it on a Beijing flight - you're covered by radar the whole way.

"You would have done it on a flight from Kuala Lumpur say to London where you've got plenty of fuel."

Peter Marosszeky, an aviation expert at the University of New South Wales in Australia, added: "I've sat through many thousands of flights myself and it's not something that would really strike me as unusual.

Malaysia airlines promo

"Without being able to hear the inflection in the pilots' voices, it's very difficult to determine whether anything said is truly noteworthy.

"I'd love to hear the actual voice level of communication to see if there's any level of anxiety that might have been driving the pilot to say what he did."

It comes after the search for debris spotted on satellite in the south Indian Ocean resumed on Saturday for a third day.

Six aircraft took off from Perth to search seas around 1,550 miles southwest of the city after two large objects were spotted earlier this week.

More aircraft and shipping is expected to join the operation over the next few days.


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Dozens Burn To Death In Pakistan Bus Crash

Dozens of people have died after two buses smuggling illegal Iranian gasoline were engulfed in a fireball in a crash in southwest Pakistan.

Passengers burnt to death inside the vehicles because sealed windows and hydraulic doors meant they were unable to escape from the wreckage.

The first bus, which was bound for Karachi, hit a truck coming in the opposite direction head-on, the two vehicles were then hit by a second bus and another truck.

The police chief of Baluchistan province, Ahmed Nawaz, said both buses had been smuggling fuel and were also carrying diesel-filled canisters.

Pakistan bus crash The scene of the crash

He said 25 people, including women and children, died at the scene, while 10 more victims died on the way to hospital. Some 20 people were being treated for severe burns at hospital in Karachi.

Senior administration official Amir Sultan said the dead bodies were "beyond recognition".

He said: "These passenger buses travelling between Baluchistan and Karachi have automatic hydraulic doors and their windows are sealed because the buses are air-conditioned, so most of the passengers were trapped inside."

It is common practise for inter-city buses in the province, which borders Iran, to smuggle fuel, according to a bus driver who works on the Quetta-Karachi route.

Pakistan bus crash Fire ripped through the buses

Mohammad Hasan Lehri said: "It is routine, we are compelled to do this even though it is illegal and dangerous."

He claimed thousands of people were involved in the fuel trade and said a number then split the profits, suggesting even policemen were getting their share.

The accident happened near Gadani, which is 370 miles south of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province.

Pakistan has one of the world's worst records for fatal traffic accidents, blamed on poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving.


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Missing Plane: Clues As Cyclone Threatens Search

The Chinese government has said it has located a large object in the sea after viewing satellite imagery.

During a news conference in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein was handed a piece of paper containing details of the apparent discovery.

The object is thought to be 42ft long (13m) and 74ft wide (22.5m) and was spotted somewhere in the southern search corridor in the Indian Ocean.

220314 PLANE satellite image chinese object 1 China's image was taken on March 18, two days after Australia's below Satellite imagery provided to AMSA of objects that may be possible debris of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370

China said the object was captured by its high-definition earth observation satellite, Gaofen-1, and ships have been dispatched to the area.

The image was taken on March 18, two days after an Australian satellite located objects in the water. The China image shows the object is around 75 miles south of where it was pinpointed by the Australian images.

The Chinese location is just to the south of the patch of ocean being combed south and west of Australia.

Missing Flight MH370

During Saturday's search operation a civil aircraft reported sighting a number of small objects with the naked eye, including a wooden pallet, with a radius of three miles, according to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

A Royal New Zealand Air Force P3 Orion dropped a marker buoy to track the movement of the material and a merchant ship in the area has been relocated to try to identify the objects.

Family members of passengers onboard Malaysia Airlines MH370 shout to protest against the lack of new information after a routine briefing by Malaysia in Beijing Relatives react angrily during a meeting with Malaysian officials in Beijng

But bad weather could affect the operation after a cyclone warning was declared for Tropical Cyclone Gillian, which is forecast to move into the southern search corridor.

Mr Hussein said: "Very strong winds and rough seas are expected there today.

Tropical cyclone hitting Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclone Gillian is expected to hit the Indian Ocean on Saturday

"In the area where possible objects were identified by Australian authorities, there are strong currents and rough seas. Generally, conditions in the southern corridor are very challenging."

Countries in the north search corridor, which includes China, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Laos, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, said there had been no sightings of the aircraft on their radar.

It comes after angry scenes at a meeting in Beijing when Malaysian officials attempted to leave without answering questions on the search operation from relatives of the missing passengers.

Malaysia airlines promo

One shouted: "You can't go. You can't leave here. We are here waiting for you 14 days. We want to know what happened, what the reality is."

Another said: "We don't even know if our family members are alive or dead. We should never let them treat us like this!"

Speaking at Peking University during a week-long visit to China, US First Lady Michelle Obama said the US was committed to offering as many resources to the search as possible.

She said: "Please know that we are keeping all of the families and loved ones of those on this flight in our thoughts and in our prayers at this very difficult time."

The plane disappeared on its way from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing two weeks ago with 239 people on board, the majority of them from China.

Authorities face a race against time to locate the plane's black box voice and data recorder, which transmits an electronic signal only for 30 days before running out of battery power.

After that it will be much harder to locate the piece of equipment that is likely to hold the key to solving the mystery of what happened to the plane.

On Saturday, India said it had found no evidence the missing jet flew through its airspace after checking its radar records.


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Ukraine Base Prepares For 'Russian Attack'

Ukrainian forces surrounded by Russian troops at a base in Crimea are preparing to use their weapons, reports Sky's Stuart Ramsay.

The commanding officer at the Belbek base says he is expecting an attack after a Russian deadline to hand over the base expired at 12.30 GMT.

Chief  Correspondent Ramsay, outside the airbase, said an "air defence weapon" was being loaded and the men had been told to stand their ground and not surrender the facility.

"He (the commander) said he expects his men to go to the positions they have been designated," said Ramsay. "He said he expects the attack to come through the various gateways.

"He said that as the Russians approach they are to shout to them that they are armed, fire in the air; and if that doesn't stop it they are to engage. He said it was their destiny."

Ramsay said that the Ukrainians were "massively outnumbered and outgunned" by the Russians outside the base.

He added that it marked a new phase as other bases in the Crimea had been taken by so-called Russian 'self defence units' without much resistance.

At the Kremlin on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed legislation incorporating Crimea into Russia and hailed it as a "remarkable event".

More follows...


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Flight MH370: Latest Developments At A Glance

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 21 Maret 2014 | 20.48

The search for possible debris of missing flight MH370 off the coast of Australia has entered its second day.

This is what we know:

:: Australian Maritime Safety Authority search operation concludes for the day without any sightings.

:: Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said objects spotted on satellite images in Indian Ocean may now have "sunk to the bottom". 

:: Malaysia Airlines chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya confirms lithium ion batteries were in hold of missing plane, but insists they are "approved" and not "dangerous goods".

:: Hishammuddin Hussein, acting minister of transport, said UK has offered list of assets to aid in search.

:: Three-hour meeting held with relatives of passengers on Thursday.

:: Five aircraft in total involved in search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

:: Three Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P3 Orions, a civil Gulfstream jet and a US Navy P8 Poseidon aircraft are being used.

:: Due to the distance to and from the target area, the aircraft involved have approximately two hours of search time.

:: One merchant vessel is currently in the search area.

:: A second merchant vessel is due to arrive tonight.

:: At least seven Chinese ships are heading to the region but could take days to arrive.


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Putin Mocks Sanctions For Russians Over Crimea

Faces Caught In The Middle Of US-Russia Spat

Updated: 8:45pm UK, Thursday 20 March 2014

The fresh wave of US sanctions against Russia include banning some of the country's richest and most influential businessmen - and President Vladimir Putin's closest friends - from entering America.

Among the individuals targeted with and travel bans and freezing of US assets are billionaire brothers Arkady and Boris Rotenberg.

The co-owners of SMP Bank and SGM Group, a major supplier of construction services to Russian gas giant Gazprom, were judo sparring partners with Mr Putin.

The pair - friends of Mr Putin since childhood - also made billions in Sochi Olympics-related contracts.

Financier Yuri Kovalchuk, the largest shareholder of Bank Rossiya, is a personal banker for senior Russian officials - including, reportedly, Mr Putin. He is another close friend - and a neighbour - of the president.

They have known each other since the early 1990s when Mr Kovalchuk was deputy mayor of St Petersburg.

The bank - also on the hit list - serves some of the country's wealthiest officials and controls two big insurance firms - Sogas and SK Transneft.

High-level Kremlin officials including Mr Putin's chief of staff Sergei Ivanov and deputy chief of staff Alexei Gromov are also targeted, as well as Vladimir Yakunin, chairman of the board of the Russian state-owned company Russian Railways and a close confidant of the president.

Gennady Timchenko, a prominent businessman and owner of the private investment group, Volga Group, which specialises in investments in energy, transport and infrastructure assets is also named by the US.

President Putin's spokesman said some of the names on the list caused "nothing but extreme bewilderment" - and Russia immediately responded with its own list of sanctions on American officials.

These included Obama aides Caroline Atkinson (deputy assistant and deputy national security adviser for international economics), Daniel Pfeiffer (senior adviser and assistant ), and Benjamin Rhodes (assistant and deputy national security adviser for strategic communications and speechwriting), as well as senators Mary Landrieu, John McCain and Daniel Coats.

Mr McCain, the former Republican presidential candidate, and Mr Putin have long been engaged in a bitter personal feud.

During their last war of words in September 2013, the US senator accused Mr Putin of corruption, repression and self-serving rule in an opinion piece for a Russian website in response to a letter Mr Putin wrote in The New York Times, urging America not to use military force in Syria.

In an opinion piece headlined "Russians Deserve Better Than Putin", Mr McCain also accused the president of being "a friend to tyrants and an enemy to the oppressed" for siding with Syria's President Bashar al Assad.

Back in December 2011, Mr Putin let his views be known on Mr McCain after the US politician tweeted "Dear Vlad, The #ArabSpring is coming to a neighbourhood near you" at a time of huge protests across Moscow.

When pressed about the tweet during a televised phone-in, the Russian president hit back, calling the senator "nuts".

"Mr McCain fought in Vietnam. I think he has enough blood of peaceful citizens on his hands. It must be impossible for him to live without these disgusting scenes anymore," he said.

Mr Putin added: "Mr McCain was captured and they kept him not just in prison, but in a pit for several years. Anyone [in his place] would go nuts."

Earlier this month, Speaker of the House John Boehner, also on the Russian list, called Mr Putin a "thug" over its actions in Crimea, according to The Enquirer.

The Republican told the Cincinnati newspaper it was "time to stand up to Putin", adding: "At what point do you say enough is enough? We are at that point."

He, and Senators Landrieu, McCain and Coats hailed their inclusion on the Russian list as a "badge of honour", while the White House refused to comment.


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Missing Malaysian Jet: Debris 'May Have Sunk'

A search for two large objects that may be from the missing Malaysia Airlines jet has concluded for the day without any sight of flight MH370.

Friday's operation involved five aircraft, including three RAAF Orions, and a US Navy P8 Poseidon which scoured a remote area in the southern Indian Ocean of 8,800 sq miles (23,000 sq km).

An Australian P3 Orion search plane arrived back at base in Perth after failing to find any evidence of debris from the missing aircraft.

HMS Echo HMS Echo is heading towards the region

On his return to Perth, flight lieutenant Russell Adams told waiting reporters that conditions were perfect but there was no sign of any wreckage.

"We had really good weather compared to yesterday, better than 10km visibility and there was no rain in the area," he said.

"Unfortunately the conditions back here precluded us from staying on station as long as we'd like, however there are other aircraft out there still searching.

"We've got a lot of hope. Hopefully we'll find something soon."

RAAF AP-3C Orion pilot Adams speaks to the press upon his return from a search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 over the Indian Ocean, at RAAF Base Pearce north of Perth RAAF AP-3C Orion pilot Adams speaks to the press in Perth upon his return

But Australian deputy prime minister Warren Truss admitted the objects spotted on satellite images in the remote southern Indian Ocean may have sunk.

"Something that was floating on the sea that long ago may no longer be floating," he told reporters in Perth.

"It may have slipped to the bottom."

At a news conference in Kualar Lumpur the Malaysian authorities said they were using every possible search and rescue asset in the world to help them find the missing aircraft.

Britain's HMS Echo is on its way and David Cameron told his Malaysian counterpart that Britain stands ready to help with whatever specialist support they can offer.

Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein listens to reporter's questions about the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, at Kuala Lumpur International Airport Malaysia's Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein at today's briefing

"The UK has remained in close touch with Malaysian authorities since the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 on 8th March," said a government spokesman.

"The PM called PM Najib on Tuesday to offer any additional support to the AAIB assistance already in place.

"Following that, we have been in close contact with the Malaysians and have offered an additional package of support.

"We are also in close contact with the Australians and today we have confirmed that HMS Echo is already heading towards the southern Indian Ocean."

Missing Flight MH370 Promo

It was also revealed the plane could have been carrying lithium-ion batteries in the cargo hold.

The flammable batteries can pose a safety concern and are required to undergo stricter testing than other types of battery.

In Boeing's 787 Dreamliner's first year of service, some four aircraft experienced problems stemming from its lithium-ion batteries.

But Malaysia Airline's chief executive, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, told Sky's Kay Burley the batteries were an approved item and were not classed as dangerous goods.

Muslims perform a special prayer for passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 at the Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin mosque in Putrajaya Muslims perform a prayer for passengers at a mosque in Putrajaya, Malaysia

"We carry some lithium ion batteries but they are approved and not declared as dangerous goods," he said.

"Airlines do this all the time; these goods have been flown many times."

Meanwhile, Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the country was doing everything it could to find the suspected debris and to keep the families of the passengers informed of the progress.

"We owe it to the families, the friends and the loved ones of the nearly 240 people on board flight MH370 to do everything we can to resolve what is as yet an extraordinary riddle," he told a news conference.

"Because of the understandable state of anxiety they're in, we also owe it to them to give them information as soon as we get it to hand.

A woman writes on the message board in support of the passengers and family members of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, at a shopping mall in Damansara near Kuala Lumpur A message board of support at a shopping centre in Damansara, Malaysia

"We have five aircraft searching the area. We're looking for a visual that was picked up on satellite imagery and as soon as we have additional information we'll make it available."

A Norwegian merchant ship - the first vessel to reach the vicinity - has been using searchlights through the night to try to locate the objects.

They were spotted by a satellite last Sunday and could potentially be debris from flight MH370, one of which is thought to be 24 metres in length and the other about five metres.

The sightings have been deemed "credible" and a "potentially important development" by authorities - as the search for the passenger plane enters its 14th day.

Relatives of passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 react as they wait for news at a hotel in Beijing Relatives of those on board wait for news at a hotel in Beijing

Australian naval vessel HMAS Success, which is capable of retrieving debris, is also en route to the search area but is some days away.

There has been no trace of the aircraft since it vanished from radar a short distance into a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

Wider searches, including of a northern corridor from northern Thailand to Kazakhstan, are set to continue until investigators are certain they have located the plane. Some 18 ships and 29 aircraft are taking part.

Those areas were targeted after faint electronic "pings" picked up by one commercial satellite suggested flight MH370 flew on for at least six hours after it disappeared from air traffic control screens.

Satellite imagery provided to AMSA of objects that may be possible debris of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Satellite images show objects which may be debris from the plane

Willie Walsh, chief executive of the International Airlines Group, said he was baffled by the disappearance of the aircraft.

"My deepest sympathies to everybody associated with this, it must be truly awful for the families and friends of the passengers and crew," he told Sky's Jeff Randall Live.

"I'm baffled; I must have heard twenty, thirty, maybe even forty theories on what has happened and quite honestly, we just don't know.

"I've been in this industry 35 years and I've never seen anything like this. I'm confident that with the technology today and the fact accident investigation has progressed significantly, we will ultimately find out."


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Pair Admit Burying Parents' Bodies In Garden

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

A couple have admitted burying the women's parents in the back garden of their home nearly 16 years ago.

Susan Edwards, 55, and her husband Christopher Edwards, 57, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday and pleaded guilty to two charges.

They admitted obstructing a coroner in the execution of his duty by burying the bodies of of William and Patricia Wycherley sometime between May 2 and May 10 in 1988.

They also admitted a further charge of theft of a credit balance from a bank account between May 4, 1998, and October 31, 2013.

At a previous hearing they denied murdering Mr and Mrs Wycherley, who disappeared 16 years ago.

Police discovered the remains in the garden of their Mansfield home in October last year. Post-mortem examinations revealed that they had both been shot.

Judge Mrs Justice Thirlwall remanded both in custody.

Their trial begins on June 4 and is expected to last up to four weeks.

More follows...


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Plane Search: Objects May Be Flight 370 Debris

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 20 Maret 2014 | 20.48

A major search has taken place in the southern Indian Ocean for two large objects that may be from the missing Malaysia Airlines jet.

Four planes scoured an area of 8,800 sq miles (23,000 sq km) in an operation hampered by bad weather.

It lasted until last light and is set to resume on Friday morning.

The objects were spotted by a satellite last Sunday and could potentially be debris from flight MH370.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said they were a "reasonable size", with one around 24 metres in length and the other around five metres.

:: Live Updates: Search For Possible Debris

Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion aircraft looks for Malaysian plane Two Australian Orion surveillance planes have been looking for the objects

But rain and cloud limited the visibility for the search crews, which were unable to locate the objects.

The country's prime minister Tony Abbott described the satellite sighting, around 1,550 miles (2,500km) southwest of Perth, or four hours by plane - as "credible" and a "potentially important development".

Malaysia's transport minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, called it a "credible lead".

Satellite imagery provided to AMSA of objects that may be possible debris of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 Satellite images of the two objects

The objects were spotted in the far south of the southern air corridor that investigators have been scouring over the last few days, along with a corridor further north.

Satellite images, which show the two objects floating on or just under the surface, were taken on March 16 but it has taken time to analyse the pictures, and the objects would have moved since then.

However, more satellites are being redirected in the hope of getting higher resolution pictures.

Australia Air Force briefing on search for objects in Indian Ocean Australian pilots are briefed on the search

Two Royal Australian Air Force Orion aircraft, a New Zealand Orion and a US Navy Poseidon aircraft have been involved in the search.

"The task of locating these objects will be extremely difficult and it may turn out they are not related to search for MH370," Mr Abbott warned.

"Pings", or satellite signals, from a number of large objects were believed to have been picked up by a US spotter plane.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott briefs MPs Mr Abbott tells MPs about the sighting of two potential objects from MH370

A Norwegian merchant ship has arrived in the vicinity, and the Australian naval vessel HMAS Success, which is capable of retrieving debris, is some days away.

A British naval survey ship, HMS Echo, is also heading to the region.

The wider searches, including a northern corridor from northern Thailand to Kazakhstan, will go on until investigators are certain they have located the plane. Some 18 ships and 29 aircraft are taking part.

John Young, from the AMSA, cautioned the objects could be seaborne debris along a shipping route where containers can fall off cargo vessels, but the larger object is longer than a container.

missing plane A US Navy Poseidon is also involved in the search

The depth of the ocean in the latest search area is around 5,000 metres - twice as deep as the area of Atlantic Ocean where the Air France plane was found after crashing in 2009.

The search for the missing Boeing 777, which had 239 people on board, has been focused on the two corridors, one of which extends towards the southern reaches of the Indian Ocean.

Military planes from Australia, the US and New Zealand have been scouring the vast area, which was halved in size to 118,000 sq miles (305,000 sq km) on Wednesday.

There has been no trace of the aircraft since it vanished from radar a short distance into a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing 12 days ago.

Missing Flight MH370

In Beijing, relatives of many of the 154 Chinese passengers waited anxiously for news from an AMSA news conference.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels, who is with the families, said: "They look exhausted. Most have slowly returned to their rooms to await developments from Australia."

Investigators believe two vital pieces of communication equipment were intentionally switched off and the aircraft deliberately diverted, potentially taking it thousands of miles off course.

missing plane HMAS Success is heading to the area but is some days away

Satellite data suggests the plane flew for at least seven hours after it was turned back across Malaysia towards the Strait of Malacca.

Investigators are considering a number of theories about what happened to the aircraft, including hijacking, sabotage and terrorism.

However, background checks on all foreign passengers apart from three from Ukraine and Russia have yielded "no information of significance", Mr Hishammuddin said.

One theory that has gathered pace among aviation experts in recent days is that a fire in the cabin of flight MH370 may explain the mystery.

Pilot Fikri Zambi said the crew may have disabled tracking devices in response to a blaze and turned back towards the nearest airport, before being incapacitated by smoke.

The aircraft would then continue flying in auto-pilot mode, until it succumbed to the flames or ran out of fuel.


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Flight MH370: Latest Developments At A Glance

The search for missing flight MH370 has taken a dramatic turn with possible debris spotted by a satellite.

This is what we know:

:: Possible debris from missing flight MH370 seen in the southern Indian Ocean 1,550 miles southwest of Perth.

:: The objects were of "reasonable size", with one about 24 metres in length and the other about five metres long.

:: Satellite images of the objects were dated March 16 and the debris will have moved since then.

:: Four long-range surveillance planes have been sent to search the area where the objects were spotted.

Missing Plane MH370 Australia Search Teams The objects were spotted by a satellite

:: They are two Royal Australian Air Force Orions, a New Zealand Orion and a US Navy Poseidon aircraft.

:: One of the Australian planes has been unable to locate the objects, and cloud and rain have limited the visibility.

:: John Young of Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the objects "are relatively indistinct on the imagery ... but those who are experts indicate they are credible sightings."

:: Mr Young added: "The indication to me is of objects that are a reasonable size and probably awash with water, moving up and down over the surface."

:: A Norwegian merchant ship has arrived at the site to help with the operation.

:: The depth of the ocean in the latest search area is around 5,000 metres - twice as deep as where the Air France plane was found in the Atlantic Ocean.

:: The area is in the far south of the southern air corridor - one of two massive zones investigators have been focusing on.

:: The Australian naval vessel HMAS Success, which is capable of retrieving any debris, is some days away.


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Missing Plane Probe 'May Provide No Answers'

By Greg Milam, US Correspondent

One of the world's top air crash investigators has said finding a possible human cause for the disappearance of flight MH370 may be the only way of solving the mystery.

Thomas Anthony, a former security chief with the Federal Aviation Administration, told Sky News finding the aircraft, which disappeared nearly a fortnight ago with 239 people on board, is vital to solving many of the unanswered questions.

It comes after an American scientist who found the wreckage of an Air France plane, which crashed in 2009, claimed investigators may "never find out what happened".

"If the aircraft breaks, the technical investigation will likely disclose the causes," Mr Anthony said.

But he warned: "If the human breaks, the technical investigation may actually provide no answers to what caused the accident, incident or crash."

A woman writes a message on a board dedicated to passengers onboard the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 and their family members A message board in Kuala Lumpur

His comments come as the FBI is brought in to help analyse files deleted from a flight simulator belonging to Malaysia Airlines pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah.

Records of simulations were deleted on February 3, although investigators insist Mr Zaharie is innocent until proven guilty.

Mr Anthony, director of the world renowned Aviation Security and Safety Programme at the University of Southern California (USC), criticised officials for failing to speak with a "single investigative voice".

Brazilian Navy sailors pick a piece of debris from Air France flight AF447 out of the Atlantic Ocean Air France flight AF447 crashed in 2009, killing all 228 people on board

He also said he believes Malaysian authorities failed to prepare for a major air disaster.

As news of a possible sighting of debris was announced, the US also offered to help in any way it can.

Officials from both the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are in Malaysia to assist with the investigation.

Most air accident investigators will at some point turn to the USC's crash lab.

Sky News was given access to its vast warehouse in eastern Los Angeles, where the wreckage of numerous aircraft is stored.

Flight MH370 Flight MH370 vanished on March 8 on its way to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur

Project specialist Daniel Scalese said: "The answers are all here. It does look like a bunch of twisted wreckage but the answers are all here if you know where to look and what to look for."

The USC team said aviation has benefited from the public attention on air disasters as safety continues to improve.

They point to figures showing only 0.4 of every one million flights result in a crash.

Generally, they claim, a chain of five or six factors lead to an accident and discovering just one of those can lead to huge advances.

Mr Anthony said: "We don't have to wait for the final analysis to learn some lessons."

The investigation into the disappearance of flight MH370 is looking at a number of theories, including hijacking, sabotage and terrorism, as well as a fault with the plane, such as a fire in the cockpit.

Authorities believe someone on board intentionally switched off two vital pieces of communication equipment and deliberately diverted the aircraft.

Satellite data suggests the plane flew for at least seven hours after it was turned back across Malaysia towards the Strait of Malacca.


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Single Punch Killer To Have Sentence Reviewed

A man who killed an Asperger's sufferer with a single punch has had his sentence referred to the Court of Appeal for being "unduly lenient".

Lewis Gill, 20, was sentenced to four and a half years in jail for manslaughter after knocking Andrew Young to the floor in Bournemouth last November.

The sentence was widely criticised and Attorney General Dominic Grieve has now sent the case to the Court of Appeal.

CCTV images of the assault show Mr Young challenging a cyclist who was riding on the pavement.

Gill, an acquaintance of the cyclist, arrives at the scene and watches the discussion before lunging at the 40-year-old.

He then walks away, glancing back momentarily at his victim lying on the street.

The attack occurred outside Tesco Metro in Charminster Road, Bournemouth.

Mr Young sustained a serious head injury and died later at a hospital in Southampton.

More follows ...


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EuroMillions: Neil Trotter Wins £107.9m Prize

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 18 Maret 2014 | 20.48

The Top 20 National Lottery Rich List

Updated: 1:45pm UK, Tuesday 18 March 2014

The latest lottery winner has scooped almost £108m, putting him fourth on the rich list. The others are:

  1.      12 July       2011     £161,653,000.00                 Colin & Chris Weir

  2.      10 August  2012     £148,656,000                      Gillian & Adrian Bayford  

  3.        8 October 2010    £113,019,926.00                  No publicity  

  4.       14 March   2014    £107,932,603.20                  Neil Trotter

  5.        7 October 2011    £101,203,600.70                  Dave & Angela Dawes      

  6.      14 May 2010          £84,451,320.60                    No publicity  

  7.      28 May 2013          £81,381,673.30                    No publicity 

  8.      12 Feb 2010          £56,008,113.20                    Nigel Page   

  9.     24 Feb 2012           £46,432,285.20                    No publicity      

10.       6 Nov 2009           £45,570,835.50                    Les & Sam Scadding

            6 Nov 2009           £45,570,835.50 x 7              Lucky Seven syndicate 

11.       7 Feb 2012           £45,160,170.50                   Cassey Carrington  & Matt Topham

12.      20 Jan 2012          £40,627,241                        Gareth & Catherine Bull  

13.       6 Mar 2010           £39,754,555.00                  No publicity   

14.     16 March 2012       £38,034,639.70 x 12           Corby Stars  

15.       7 Sept 2012         £37,827,314.60                   No publicity  

16.      10 Aug 2007         £35,425,411.80                   Angela Kelly 

17.        9 July 2013         £28,847,237                        No publicity 

18.       26 Nov 2013        £26,863,588.20                   No publicity  

19.       31 Aug 2007        £26,533,767.50                   No publicity 

20.       15 Jan 2010         £26,151,124.20 x 4             Sturt Family  


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Putin: West 'Has Crossed A Line On Crimea'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has received a standing ovation in parliament after defending Crimea's breakaway vote to join Moscow.

To regular applause during a televised address to the nation, he pointed out that 82% of Crimea's residents turned out for Sunday's referendum, and more than 96% of them voted to join Russia.

He said the vote was "quite convincing" and was held "in full accordance with democratic procedures and international legal norms".

Crimea Recognised As Sovereign State By Putin A Russian military personnel carrier in Simferopol, Crimea

"The (Crimean) issue has a vital importance, a historic importance for all of us," he said.

Mr Putin said he did not want to "carve up" Ukraine, but said the West had "crossed a line" with its behaviour over the former Soviet country.

Staff watch a speech by Russian President Putin at a pizza restaurant in Simferopol Staff at a pizza restaurant in Crimea's Simferopol watch Mr Putin's speech

"They are trying to drive us into a corner," he told a joint session of parliament in Moscow.

His speech came as he signed a treaty making Crimea officially part of Russia, and coincided with a mass rally, celebrating ties between Russia and Crimea, in Red Square.

Ukraine map Mr Putin said Crimea is of 'vital importance' to Russia

Mr Putin also thanked Ukraine's soldiers for "not staining themselves in blood in Crimea".

He said the peninsula's future was decided without a shot being fired because it was "practically impossible to fight the will of people."

Crimea Recognised As Sovereign State By Putin People queue to withdraw money from a bank in Crimea

Western leaders say Crimea's vote was illegal and have refused to recognise its decision to join Russia.

The EU and US have imposed travel bans and asset freezes on senior Moscow officials, and British Prime Minister David Cameron said "there will be further consequences" if Russia takes further action to destabilise Ukraine.

After Mr Putin spoke, British Foreign Secretary William Hague tweeted: "Preparatory work is now underway for a third tier of sanctions, including economic and trade measures."

Joe Biden arrives in Poland Joe Biden arrives in Poland for a two-day mission in the region

US Vice President Joe Biden has arrived in Poland on a trip designed to show US resolve against Russia's actions.

His two-day mission in Eastern Europe is aimed at reassuring allies that Washington understands their anxieties about Ukraine and will protect them if needed.

Russian President Putin addresses the Federal Assembly at the Kremlin in Moscow After the speech, Mr Putin signed a treaty making Crimea part of Russia

Meanwhile, one of Ukraine's top politicians told Sky News his country is ready to fight if Russian soldiers cross the border from Crimea into mainland Ukraine.

Members of a "Maidan" self-defense battalion take part in a training at a Ukrainian Interior Ministry base near Kiev Members of a Ukrainian self-defence force train near Kiev

Serhiy Taruta, governor of the eastern city of Donetsk, warned: "We're going to have a war. Our people will take up arms and they will protect our country."

Under the Russian treaty, Crimea will ditch Ukraine's currency, the Hryvnia, and adopt the Rouble next month.

It is also due to move time zones - adopting Moscow time, which is two hours ahead of Kiev - on March 30.

The peninsula is also offering Crimean soldiers the chance to join the Russian army.

More follows...


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Missing Plane: China Satellites Scan For MH370

Missing Malaysia Plane: What We Know So Far

Updated: 12:39pm UK, Tuesday 18 March 2014

Mystery surrounds the fate of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, even as more information emerges about the sequence of events that led to its disappearance 11 days ago.

THE FLIGHT (Malaysian time is eight hours ahead of UK time).

What we do know:

Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, with 239 people on board, took off from Kuala Lumpur at 12.41am (local time) on Saturday, March 8 heading north to Beijing.

At 1.07am, the plane sent its last ACARS transmission which provides engine maintenance data to the ground.

The ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) was then deliberately switched off by someone on the jet up to half an hour after that.

The last words from the Boeing 777 were heard from the cockpit, where a person, believed to have been the co-pilot, said "All right, good night" to Malaysian air traffic control at 1.19am.

At 1.21am the jet, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, dropped off air traffic control screens after its transponder - which responds to civilian radar - was turned off on purpose by a person on board.

The plane, which was north of Malaysia and flying towards Thailand, was then deliberately diverted from its planned route as it is turned sharply to the west.

At 2.15am, the flight was picked up by Malaysian military radar south of Phuket island in the Strait of Malacca, hundreds of miles west of its last known location.

At 8.11am - nearly seven hours after the plane was first thought to have gone missing - a satellite high above the Indian Ocean received the last signal from the aircraft.

The final "handshake" communication put the jet somewhere in one of two flight corridors.

One is a northern arc stretching from northern Thailand to Kazakhstan, the other is a southern one from Indonesia to the vast southern Indian Ocean.

What we do not know:

Who deliberately switched off the plane's two crucial communication systems - ACARS and the transponder?

Was the co-pilot under duress when he made the last verbal contact with air traffic control?

Where exactly was the plane when it sent its last signal at 8.11am?

Did the plane crash or did it land safely? One Malaysian official said the aircraft could have been on the ground when it sent its final signal.

THE SEARCH

What we know:

Some 26 countries have been looking for flight MH370, using at least 43 ships and 58 aircraft.

The nations helping in the hunt were Malaysia, Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, China, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkmenistan, the UAE, UK, US, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Search teams are concentrating on the northern and southern flight corridors.

It is a massive area of 2.24 million square miles - which is about the size of Australia.

The northern search corridor includes countries with busy airspace that likely would have noticed an unidentified aircraft in their territory.

China, India and Pakistan are among the nations that say they have seen no sign of the plane.

Australia is leading the search efforts in the southern Indian Ocean.

It has sent two AP-3C Orion aircraft, one of which is searching north and west of the Cocos Islands. Two more search aircraft were being deployed.

The search area has dramatically expanded. It was previously in the South China Sea and around India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but these operations have now been halted or suspended.

What we do not know:

There has been speculation that the plane could have flown as low as 5,000ft using "terrain masking" to try to avoid radar.

Malaysian authorities have rejected these claims.

Of course, the main issue is that the exact location of the jet is still unknown.

THE SUSPICIONS

The investigation is focusing on the possibility the jet was deliberately diverted by the pilots or someone on board with considerable flying experience.

Police seized a flight simulator from the captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah's home on Saturday and also searched co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid's home.

Authorities said no suicide notes were found at either property.

Mr Zaharie, 57, was an active supporter of Malaysia's opposition, whose leader Anwar Ibrahim was convicted of sodomy - illegal in Muslim Malaysia - just hours before MH370 took off.

But those who knew Mr Zaharie rejected media reports he was deeply upset by the Anwar case.

Mr Fariq, 27, had his reputation called into question by a South African woman who accused him of inviting her to join him in the cockpit during a flight in 2011, in breach of security rules.

Malaysia Airlines said it was "shocked" by the reported security violation, but could not verify her claims.

Investigators are checking the backgrounds of all 227 passengers and 12 crew members, as well as the ground crew, to see if links to terrorists, personal problems or psychological issues could be factors.

Authorities are considering if the two pilots were involved in the disappearance, were they working together or alone, or with one or more of the passengers or crew?

Did they fly the plane under duress or of their own free will?

Did one or more of the passengers manage to break into the cockpit or use the threat of violence to gain entry and then seize the plane?

And what possible motive could there be for diverting the jet?

Officials have not commented on reports that police were investigating a passenger who had aviation experience.

Mohd Khairul Amri Selamat said on social media sites he was a flight engineer working for a Swiss-based private jet charter company.

The 29-year-old's apparent experience means he would have a knowledge of in-flight computer systems and be able to carry out repairs.

And all the time the plane is not found, the anguish for the passengers' families goes on.


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Pistorius Trial: Objects Moved At Scene

A police photographer has admitted some objects were moved when photographing the aftermath of Reeva Steenkamp's killing.

Bennie Van Staden told the court he had moved a gym bag in Pistorius' bedroom but did not know who shifted around objects including flip flops, a fan and TV remote control.

Pictures of the room taken two days apart were shown, with the defence claiming they showed a "great disturbance" in the scene

Gun Mr Van Staden says he may have moved the mat under the gun

Mr Van Staden also said he may have moved a bathmat while photographing a handgun after pictures showed the weapon in different positions.

However, when asked by the prosecution "on the 14th, did you change the scene?" he answered "no".

The photographer also admitted someone had moved the cricket bat Pistorius apparently used to beat down the bathroom door to get at his model girlfriend.

But under prosecution questioning he later agreed it had shifted just "millimetres".

Pistorius bedside photo The defence claimed objects were also moved around in Pistorius' bedroom

In a twelfth day of evidence in South Africa, the defence tried to portray a disorganised crime scene and suggested a second officer was taking photos of the bathroom area at the same time.

Mr Roux showed time-stamped photos on the court monitor and said police ballistics officer Lt. Col Motha was also working in the bathroom passage.

Mr Van Staden denied he and his colleague were in the same area and said "as far as I can remember" he was alone.

However, the witness appeared surprised when a close-up of one of his photos taken outside of the bathroom appeared to show someone else inside the room.

Pistorius Promo

The photographer was also questioned about a watch believed to have been stolen from a display box at Pistorius' house while police were on the scene.

He said his photos showed the watch, worth up to £6,000, disappeared sometime between 6.01am and 1.20pm on the day of the killing.

The trial previously heard that Col Schoombie van Rensburg had demanded pictures of the watches because they "looked expensive".

Tuesday's proceedings began about an hour and a half late after the photographer had trouble finding the pictures the court had requested.

Pistorius, 27, is charged with the premeditated murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot dead at Pistorius' home on Valentine's Day last year.

Pistorius says he thought she was an intruder and killed her by mistake.

He is also accused of illegally possessing ammunition, as well as two further counts related to shooting a gun in public in two separate incidents before the killing.

Because there are no jury trials in South Africa, his fate will be decided by a judge, working with two assessors.

More follows...


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Pilot's Family: 'Please Come Home, We Miss You'

Written By Unknown on Senin, 17 Maret 2014 | 20.49

The family of the missing Malaysia Airlines pilot have posted an online tribute asking him to come home.

Family snaps of Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah are set to music on the YouTube video, with comments about the pilot they call "Ari".

"Please come home, we miss you," a message on the video said.

Family photos of Malaysia Airlines pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah A family photo of Captain Zaharie posted in the YouTube video

The 53-year-old, who was at the controls of the passenger jet that vanished on March 8, is also described as "loving, reflective, generous, cool, sporting, intelligent, supportive, the list goes on and on..."

Mr Zaharie and his first officer, Fariq Abdul Hamid, have come under increased scrutiny since investigators revealed MH370's tracking devices were deliberately switched off during the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Missing Flight MH370

But little has emerged to implicate either man.

Peter Chong, a friend of Mr Zaharie's, has told Sky News he cannot believe the pilot had anything to do with the aircraft's disappearance.

"He is a very caring person who enjoys life and enjoys flying. He is a very professional pilot," Mr Chong said.

Media has focused of Mr Zaharie's membership of an opposition party headed by veteran politician Anwar Ibrahim, who was convicted of sodomy - a crime in Malaysia - hours before MH370 took off.

But those who knew Mr Zaharie rejected the reports that he was deeply upset by the Anwar case.

Malaysia airline pilots house A flight simulator has been removed from Mr Zaharie's home

"The claim that he is a (political) fanatic doesn't deserve a response," said Mr Chong, who met the pilot at a local political meeting.

Sivarasa Rasiah, an opposition member of parliament for the Kuala Lumpur suburb where Mr Zaharie lives, remembers the pilot's volunteer work on his campaign.

"He was one of hundreds, if not a thousand, who volunteered to campaign in the May (2013) elections and he did not know Anwar personally," said Mr Sivarasa.

At a news conference on Monday morning, officials said investigators have not found any suicide notes in their searches of the two men's homes.

They also said the last person who spoke to air-traffic control before the plane disappeared is believed to have been Mr Hamid.

Fariq Abdul Hamid seen walking through airport security Mr Hamid is patted down by a member of security staff. Pic: YouTube

Leaked CCTV footage has also emerged appearing to show the two men calmly passing through security shortly before boarding the aircraft.

The video, which was uploaded to YouTube, shows them walking through a body scanner and being briefly frisked by security staff before collecting their luggage from the conveyor belt of an X-ray machine.

With much of the focus on the two men, it was revealed at the weekend that they had not requested to fly together and that a flight simulator found at Mr Zaharie's house was under investigation.

Fariq Abdul Hamid & Zaharie Ahmad Shah Mr Hamid (L) and Mr Zaharie's backgrounds are being investigated

Mr Hamid, 27, only recently graduated to the cockpit of the Boeing 777, while Mr Zaharie had more than 18,000 hours of flying experience.

Those who knew the younger pilot have described the son of a top state civil servant as mild-mannered.

He is said to have a bright piloting future and is engaged to an Air Asia pilot who he met in flight school nine years ago.

Mr Hamid had his reputation called into question last week by a woman who accused him of letting her join him in the cockpit for a flight in 2011, in breach of security rules.

Malaysia Airlines said it was "shocked" by the reported violation, but could not verify the claims.


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Ukraine Calls Up Troops After Crimea Vote

Ukraine's parliament has approved a partial mobilisation of troops following Crimea's referendum supporting a union with Russia.

It said 20,000 reserve troops were being called up, plus 20,000 more from the newly-formed National Guard.

Crimea's regional assembly has already formally applied to join Russia and announced the nationalisation of all Ukrainian state property, including the disbanding of military bases.

"The republic of Crimea appeals to the United Nations and to all countries of the world to recognise it as an independent state," read a document by the Crimean assembly on Monday.

Crimea celebrations Thousands turned out in Simferopol and Sevastopol to celebrate the vote

Ukraine opposition leader Vitali Klitschko claimed the country stands on the verge of a humanitarian crisis, with the danger of ethnic cleansing of Crimea's Tatar minority.

It comes as the EU and the US agreed travel bans and asset freezes on a group of Russians and Ukrainians involved in the ongoing crisis.

Nearly 97% of those who voted in Crimea said they wanted to break away from Ukraine but Western powers have called the referendum illegal and a "sham".

Ukraine, Russia and Crimea

As ministers met in Brussels, Foreign Secretary William Hague warned of "long term costs and consequences for Russia".

America has restated its rejection of the referendum, branding Russia's actions "dangerous and destabilising" and saying the vote "would never be recognised".

Russian President Vladimir Putin insists the vote is legal and is set to address the issue at the Russian parliament on Tuesday.

Ukraine crisis The Ukraine crisis has led to a Cold War-style stand-off

Crimea wasted no time following the landslide vote - officials are expected to fly to Moscow on Monday and the rouble has been introduced as a second official currency.

It also wants Ukrainian military outposts in the region disbanded, but the Kiev government said they are staying put.

"Those (troops) who want to live here? No problem. Those who want to swear allegiance we will examine," said Crimea's assembly chief Volodymyr Konstantynov.

Sky News' Nick Martin, at an army base near Crimean capital Simferopol, said it was a tense time for the solders and their families.

"There are many Ukrainian soldiers inside, pretty much surrounded by Russian soldiers - no one really knows how this will work."

People celebrate as they wait for the announcement of preliminary results of today's referendum on Lenin Square in the Crimean capital of Simferopol Lenin Square was full of patriotism towards Russia

He said many practical questions also hung over Crimea, such as the payment of salaries and social security, and the supply of gas and electricity.

But, for the crowds who turned out in Simferopol on Sunday night, such questions were for another day.

Thousands of people waving Russian flags filled Lenin Square as patriotic songs boomed out and fireworks lit up the sky.

Lucia Prokorovna, 60, carrying a giant Russian flag said: "We're free of the occupation. Ukraine was attached to Crimea like a sack of potatoes."

The intervention of Russian forces in Crimea followed the ousting of Kremlin ally Viktor Yanukovych last month.

- The vote has been condemned as illegal by many governments in the West

The president fled the Ukrainian capital Kiev after days of anti-government clashes that left scores of police and protesters dead.

Moscow justified the occupation of Crimea, saying it wanted to protect the majority ethnic Russian population.

The referendum also came against a backdrop of unrest in the divided eastern Ukraine, which has seen pro-Russian demonstrations turn violent.

Kiev has accused "Kremlin agents" of trying to stoke violence in other cities, such as Donetsk.

Sky News' Michelle Clifford, in Kiev, said there is a real fear in the country that Russia could now move its troops further into Ukraine.

The government has urged people not to be provoked into retaliating because clashes could be used by Moscow as an excuse for further interventions.


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