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Plane Sent Signals 'Hours After Contact Lost'

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 15 Maret 2014 | 10.52

Missing Plane 'Flown Towards Andaman Islands'

Updated: 2:34pm UK, Friday 14 March 2014

Radar-tracking evidence showed the missing Malaysia Airlines plane was deliberately flown towards India's Andaman Islands, it has been reported.

Malaysia's acting transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein has confirmed the search had been expanded into the Indian Ocean - on the opposite side of Malaysia from where contact with the jet was lost nearly a week ago.

He also said there was evidence of a plane turning back, but it may not have been the missing flight.

It comes as sources familiar with the investigation told Reuters the plane was flown hundreds of miles off course towards the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a chain of isles in the Andaman Sea, which is part of Indian Ocean.

"What we can say is we are looking at sabotage, with hijack still on the cards," a Malaysian police source told Reuters.

After scouring the seas around the Andaman Islands, India has also started searching hundreds of small, uninhabited islands in the region.

Only 37 of the 572 islands in the atoll are inhabited. Most are Indian territory, but a small number in the north belong to Burma.

It comes as Chinese researchers reportedly detected an "earthquake wave" in the ocean between Malaysia and Vietnam around an hour-and-a -half after the plane last made contact.

"The seafloor event could have been caused by the plane possibly plunging into the sea," the scientists told China's state news agency Xinhua.

In his news conference, Mr Hishammuddin refused to address media reports, citing unidentified US officials, that the plane, which was carrying 239 people, had flown for hours after vanishing from civilian radar.

The US reports were based on information that the plane's communication system continued to "ping" a satellite for up to four hours after it disappeared.

The possibility that the plane flew long after its last confirmed contact opens the possibility that one of the pilots, or someone with flying experience, wanted to hijack the plane for some later purpose, kidnap the passengers or commit suicide by plunging the aircraft into the sea.

But Mr Hishammuddin said: "We do not want to be drawn into specific remarks that unnamed officials have reportedly made in the media".

He also read out a statement from engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce, dismissing reports that data showed the plane flew for hours after it lost contact.

Mr Hishammuddin said Malaysia was asking for radar data from India and other neighbouring countries to see if they can trace it flying northwest.

He also said the hunt was expanding further afield, not because of any new information about the plane's flight, but because the aircraft has not yet been found. 

"A normal investigation becomes narrower with time. But this is not a normal investigation. In this case, the information we have forces us to look further and further afield," he said.

White House spokesman Jay Carney earlier preempted Mr Hishammuddin's announcement, saying: "It's my understanding that based on some new information that's not necessarily conclusive - but new information - an additional search area may be opened in the Indian Ocean." 

The US Navy 7th Fleet said it was moving its ships, the USS Kidd and the USS Pinckney, towards the Indian Ocean.

Much of the early search for the Boeing 777 has been focused east of Malaysia in the South China Sea, where the Beijing-bound plane last made contact about an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur.

Vietnam, which has been heavily involved in the search from the start, has downgraded its hunt in the South China Sea from emergency to regular.

Ships and planes have also been searching the Strait of Malacca, west of Malaysia, because of a blip on Malaysian military radar suggested the jet might have turned in that direction.

Aviation experts have baulked at the possibility of the missing jet flying on for hours undetected in the region, which is a hotbed of bitter territorial disputes and therefore subject to round-the clock surveillance by the competing parties.

Flying from the point where radar contact was lost in South China Sea to the Indian Ocean would have taken the plane through airspace monitored by Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indonesian and Indian military radar.

"How did it get past all of that?" said Gerry Soejatman, an independent aviation analyst based in Jakarta.

Neil Hansford, chairman of leading Australian airline consultancy Strategic Aviation Solutions, said: "An aircraft, without any transponders on, going over the top of anybody's airspace would have become a military incident and somebody would have done something."


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Ukraine Crisis Talks Fail To Reach Deal

Tensions between Russia and the West over Ukraine continue after lengthy talks aimed at defusing the stand-off ended without agreement.

After discussions lasting more than five hours, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow would respect the outcome of a controversial breakaway vote in Crimea, which Western powers have branded "illegitimate".

And US Secretary of State John Kerry said Russia's approval of the referendum result would amount to "a backdoor annexation of Crimea".

US and Russia hold talks over Ukraine crisis The Russian Foreign Ministry issued this picture of Mr Kerry and Mr Lavrov

America and the European Union have warned Russia of sanctions including asset freezes and travel bans unless a planned vote on the southern region joining Russia is called off.

But Mr Lavrov said such measures would be a "counter-productive instrument".

Russian forces moved to seize Crimea within days of Ukraine's pro-Kremlin president Viktor Yanukovych being forced from office, after three months of demonstrations against a decision to ditch closer ties with the European Union in favour of Russia.

Crimea is home to Russia's Black Sea fleet and the majority of the population are ethnic Russians.

But it has fuelled claims the referendum is being "conducted under the barrel of a gun".

Mr Lavrov compared the situation in Crimea to Britain's action in the Falklands.

He said: "Are there precedents in international law? There are precedents of course.

An armed man, believed to be Russian serviceman, stands guard outside a Ukrainian military base A soldier, believed to be Russian, on guard at a Ukrainian military base

"Everybody understands that Crimea for Russia is something really important, what it means for Russia.

"It means immeasurably more for Russia than the Falklands means for the United Kingdom or Comoros for France."

Speaking through an interpreter, Mr Lavrov told a news conference: "We have to respect the results of this referendum."

He also rejected Western calls for the creation of an international contact group on the Ukraine to resolve the crisis.

Mr Lavrov insisted Moscow had "no plans of military intrusion into eastern Ukraine" following clashes which left at least one person dead.

Crime referendum A billboard urging people to vote in the referendum on the future of Crimea

But Mr Kerry told journalists the referendum was "illegitimate" and flew in the face of international law.

He said: "Neither we nor the international community will recognise the results of this referendum."

Mr Kerry said no "threats" were being made to Russia about sanctions but there were "consequences for the choices" it makes.

He also stressed the US recognised Moscow had "legitimate interests" in Crimea, which needed to be addressed.

But he said: "We believe that a decision to move forward by Russia to ratify the vote officially within the Duma would in fact be a back-door annexation of Crimea.

"It would be against international law and, frankly, fly in the face of every legitimate effort to try to reach out to Russia and others to say there is a different way to protect the interests of Crimeans, to protect Russia's interests and to respect the integrity of Ukraine and the sovereignty of Ukraine."

London Ukraine talks John Kerry met William Hague and David Cameron at Downing Street

Foreign Secretary William Hague, who had earlier acknowledged it would be "formidably difficult" for Mr Kerry and Mr Lavrov to make progress, called for a "firm and united" response from the European Union.

He described the failure of the talks as "deeply disappointing" and condemned Russia's decision to support Sunday's "illegal, unconstitutional and illegitimate" referendum - which is widely expected to deliver an overwhelming vote to break away from Ukraine.

"The United Kingdom is strongly of the view that there must be a firm and united response from the European Union at the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on Monday, and that the time has come for tougher restrictive measures to be adopted as previously agreed by EU nations," he said.

"The door remains open for diplomacy and dialogue and we urge the Russian government to take action to lower tensions and enter into direct talks with the Ukrainian government.

"But we are clear that the flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine cannot go unchallenged, and we stand with the Ukrainian people in their right to choose their future free of intimidation and interference."

EU foreign ministers will meet in Brussels on Monday to discuss sanctions, and it is understood ambassadors are meeting in secret session where a list is being drawn up of individuals who could be targeted by measures.


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Ukraine: Yanukovych Says He Remains President

Written By Unknown on Rabu, 12 Maret 2014 | 10.52

Ukraine: 'Intimidation' Ahead Of Crimea Vote

Updated: 9:25am UK, Tuesday 11 March 2014

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent, in Simferopol

Men dressed in police uniforms are said to have snatched and torn passports belonging to pro-Ukrainians amid allegations of voter intimidation in Crimea.

The Mayor of the Crimean capital, Simferopol, has told Sky News gangs of men have reportedly demanded documents from anyone suspected of intending to vote against Crimea becoming part of Russia in a referendum on March 16.

One man, who did not want to be named, said he was approached by policemen who demanded to see his passport.

He told Sky News: "On the way to work, I was stopped by two policemen.

"They asked see my documents. I showed them a copy of my passport and they wanted me to go to the police station. I refused. They don't want us to vote in this referendum.

"In my district, I saw groups of men, some dressed in uniforms, going from house to house checking passports. Some were torn up."

Anyone wanting to vote in the referendum will have to show their passports as proof of identification and any attempt to sway the outcome will be seen by both sides as hugely controversial.

Hundreds of people called the local administrative offices in Simferopol complaining of harassment, said Deputy Mayor Glazkov i'Lya.

"The situation is that some people approached our citizens.

"They were asked to show their documents, then they just took them and ran away. Some passports were torn. Some people said the men were wearing police uniforms.

"This is provocation. It's not a joke. They think they can stop the referendum then they're wrong. The referendum will go ahead."

The Crimean Tatar leader Refat Chubarov said he would be pushing to boycott Sunday's referendum, claiming the Kremlin will "rig the vote".

"The result has already been decided by Moscow."

The allegations come on a day of continued tensions in Crimea.

Armed men moved into a Ukrainian naval post in Backchisaray and fired shots into the air, according to a Ukrainian defence minister.

Vladislav Seleznyov said on Facebook that 10 "unidentified armed men" drove into the compound in two minibuses and demanded 10 trucks from Ukrainian personnel.

Thirty-six volunteer soldiers in the region swore an oath of allegiance in front of Crimea's pro-Russian Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov, pledging to "defend the people of Crimea".

UDAR party leader Vitaly Klitschko was pelted with eggs and apples by Pro-Russia demonstrators at a rally in Kharkiv.

Pro-Russian forces have taken over military installations across Crimea in under a week, although Moscow has denied the uniformed units are theirs - a claim ridiculed by Ukraine and the West.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Crimea Airport Seized By Pro-Russian Forces

Ukrainians In Their Own Words

Updated: 3:20am UK, Sunday 09 March 2014

Three citizens of Ukraine write for Sky News about the sense of dread gripping ordinary people as their country slides towards conflict with its powerful neighbour.

:: Marina's story

"The course of life is the same in the capital of Ukraine. People go to work, visit cafes, cinemas and shopping centres. Public transport operates as normal. No special precautions need to be taken while on the streets.

"But there is a growing feeling that something is going to happen. Politics has become a part of daily life in Ukraine.  People discuss the latest news everywhere - in the streets, on public transport, in cafes, at home and at work. 

"Having lived through these past months, people have hardly had any time to realise what changes had taken place in the country. Hardly any time to mourn over people who perished on streets of Kiev.   

"At present we check news hourly. Everyone shares news, reposts important messages on social platforms, and leaves comments on news sites.

"Ukrainian men of all ages in Kiev and other cities and towns of their own free will are registering at military enlistment offices. The number is more than enough.

"We are facing an information war. The amount of misinformation, misinterpretation of events and barefaced lies from the Russian mass media is staggering and detrimental as the result.

"The news is presented in the most twisted way. It is so unbelievable that it becomes a farce. Ukrainians speak to their family and friends in Russia to try to explain what is really going on in Ukraine.

"Some months ago we thought that our worst enemy on the way to better life and a more prosperous country was the corrupted and vicious president and his environment - but it turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg.

"It has been about two weeks since it became known that Russian troops stepped on Crimean soil right after the transitional Ukrainian government was formed.

"It was almost impossible to get rid of the corrupt government, but such a great unity of people, speaking both Russian and Ukrainian from different regions of Ukraine got together and did it.

"It is obvious that Russia has its own interest in Ukraine with Crimea being the pretext. The goal is to destabilise our country, bring chaos and civil unrest and eventually prove to the world that Ukraine is incapable to hold its sovereignty."

:: Nastya's story

"I come from the eastern part of Ukraine, from a city called Sumy, which is 60km from the border with Russia.

"I speak both Russian and Ukrainian, and consider them both my native languages. Never in my life was I humiliated or abused because of speaking Russian. 

"We are used to being bilingual and 99% of the people I personally know support European values, no matter which language they speak.

"The issue of languages and nationalities is just a thing to manipulate us with during the election campaign and sadly now, to draw us into a terrible war which no one needs.

"Both of my grandfathers took part in the Second World War, fighting against German fascists. 

"They are probably turning in their graves because the people they were fighting with shoulder to shoulder against fascists, are now invading our beautiful land and calling us fascists for simply loving our country.

"It's like a bad divorce, when you don't recognise the person you've been living with all you life.

"This situation seems surreal. Germany is trying to convince Russia not to attack Ukraine. It's like a bad dream.

"It's like a bug in the system which prevents it from functioning correctly. It is beyond our understanding and our system of values.

"We are all very scared, too. For our children, our families, our future. We are praying to God to save Ukraine and our people. To make the people who make horrible decisions to come to their senses.

"We are asking the world to help us, because if the evil isn't stopped now, it will be next to impossible to stop it from spreading all over the world."

:: Ivan's story

"Right now the situation in Kiev has certainly cooled off and the main focus is on Crimea.

"During Maidan protests we were advised to avoid Maidan (Independence Square) and the centre of Kiev. Particularly the areas around the centre were very dangerous.

"There were a lot of reports of people just disappearing or being beaten up by 'Berkut' special forces. Former government forces showed their true attitude towards citizens.

"Thugs hired by the former government, people dressed in sports wear that were noticeably well-trained. We call them 'titushki'. Their purpose was to frighten, bully, or simply beat up the peaceful population of the city.

"They walked through police barriers without even a single question asked, while members of the public were not permitted in and did not get any answers as to why that was even allowed.

"As to the pro-Russian mood in the east of the country, people are very proud over there and do not like to be told what to do.

"Through lies and by playing on their feelings (many have families and relatives in Russia) they were duped into believing that Maidan protestors are fascist thugs who will take away their right to speak Russian, which is complete and utter rubbish.

"True, there are people who support partnership with Russia, but what they certainly do not support is Russia's military intervention. They hate the fact that Putin decided that we aren't capable of solving our own problems.

"The majority of people have changed their mindset and want our country to embrace other values, different to the values of a post Soviet bloc country.

"And that makes Putin go mad. He lost his grip on us - his puppet is no longer our president and, believe me, no one in southeast Ukraine or in Crimea is crying crocodile tears over him.

"I can assure you that people from both sides agree that Yanukovich is corrupt, incompetent and, frankly speaking, stupid."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Ukraine Crisis: 'Shots Fired By Russian Troops'

Written By Unknown on Selasa, 11 Maret 2014 | 10.52

Ukrainians In Their Own Words

Updated: 3:20am UK, Sunday 09 March 2014

Three citizens of Ukraine write for Sky News about the sense of dread gripping ordinary people as their country slides towards conflict with its powerful neighbour.

:: Marina's story

"The course of life is the same in the capital of Ukraine. People go to work, visit cafes, cinemas and shopping centres. Public transport operates as normal. No special precautions need to be taken while on the streets.

"But there is a growing feeling that something is going to happen. Politics has become a part of daily life in Ukraine.  People discuss the latest news everywhere - in the streets, on public transport, in cafes, at home and at work. 

"Having lived through these past months, people have hardly had any time to realise what changes had taken place in the country. Hardly any time to mourn over people who perished on streets of Kiev.   

"At present we check news hourly. Everyone shares news, reposts important messages on social platforms, and leaves comments on news sites.

"Ukrainian men of all ages in Kiev and other cities and towns of their own free will are registering at military enlistment offices. The number is more than enough.

"We are facing an information war. The amount of misinformation, misinterpretation of events and barefaced lies from the Russian mass media is staggering and detrimental as the result.

"The news is presented in the most twisted way. It is so unbelievable that it becomes a farce. Ukrainians speak to their family and friends in Russia to try to explain what is really going on in Ukraine.

"Some months ago we thought that our worst enemy on the way to better life and a more prosperous country was the corrupted and vicious president and his environment - but it turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg.

"It has been about two weeks since it became known that Russian troops stepped on Crimean soil right after the transitional Ukrainian government was formed.

"It was almost impossible to get rid of the corrupt government, but such a great unity of people, speaking both Russian and Ukrainian from different regions of Ukraine got together and did it.

"It is obvious that Russia has its own interest in Ukraine with Crimea being the pretext. The goal is to destabilise our country, bring chaos and civil unrest and eventually prove to the world that Ukraine is incapable to hold its sovereignty."

:: Nastya's story

"I come from the eastern part of Ukraine, from a city called Sumy, which is 60km from the border with Russia.

"I speak both Russian and Ukrainian, and consider them both my native languages. Never in my life was I humiliated or abused because of speaking Russian. 

"We are used to being bilingual and 99% of the people I personally know support European values, no matter which language they speak.

"The issue of languages and nationalities is just a thing to manipulate us with during the election campaign and sadly now, to draw us into a terrible war which no one needs.

"Both of my grandfathers took part in the Second World War, fighting against German fascists. 

"They are probably turning in their graves because the people they were fighting with shoulder to shoulder against fascists, are now invading our beautiful land and calling us fascists for simply loving our country.

"It's like a bad divorce, when you don't recognise the person you've been living with all you life.

"This situation seems surreal. Germany is trying to convince Russia not to attack Ukraine. It's like a bad dream.

"It's like a bug in the system which prevents it from functioning correctly. It is beyond our understanding and our system of values.

"We are all very scared, too. For our children, our families, our future. We are praying to God to save Ukraine and our people. To make the people who make horrible decisions to come to their senses.

"We are asking the world to help us, because if the evil isn't stopped now, it will be next to impossible to stop it from spreading all over the world."

:: Ivan's story

"Right now the situation in Kiev has certainly cooled off and the main focus is on Crimea.

"During Maidan protests we were advised to avoid Maidan (Independence Square) and the centre of Kiev. Particularly the areas around the centre were very dangerous.

"There were a lot of reports of people just disappearing or being beaten up by 'Berkut' special forces. Former government forces showed their true attitude towards citizens.

"Thugs hired by the former government, people dressed in sports wear that were noticeably well-trained. We call them 'titushki'. Their purpose was to frighten, bully, or simply beat up the peaceful population of the city.

"They walked through police barriers without even a single question asked, while members of the public were not permitted in and did not get any answers as to why that was even allowed.

"As to the pro-Russian mood in the east of the country, people are very proud over there and do not like to be told what to do.

"Through lies and by playing on their feelings (many have families and relatives in Russia) they were duped into believing that Maidan protestors are fascist thugs who will take away their right to speak Russian, which is complete and utter rubbish.

"True, there are people who support partnership with Russia, but what they certainly do not support is Russia's military intervention. They hate the fact that Putin decided that we aren't capable of solving our own problems.

"The majority of people have changed their mindset and want our country to embrace other values, different to the values of a post Soviet bloc country.

"And that makes Putin go mad. He lost his grip on us - his puppet is no longer our president and, believe me, no one in southeast Ukraine or in Crimea is crying crocodile tears over him.

"I can assure you that people from both sides agree that Yanukovich is corrupt, incompetent and, frankly speaking, stupid."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Ukraine: Nato Planes To Monitor Russian Military

Crimea Crisis: A Ukrainian Voice From Kiev

Updated: 1:48pm UK, Monday 10 March 2014

We Ukrainians are shocked at the blatant and cynical lies Russian President Vladimir Putin and his propaganda war machine are spouting.

In terms of the legitimacy of our government - it is an interim government, and on May 25 a new president will be elected by the will of Ukrainian citizens. The future president will appoint ministers.

The corrupt, criminal regime could not be tolerated any more.

It was not some fascist coup that removed President Viktor Yanukovych.

It was a pan-Ukrainian uprising carried out by students, farmers, teachers, blue- and white-collar workers, entrepreneurs, pensioners, medics, war veterans and even pupils.

Activists came from all corners of Ukraine, including eastern and southern Ukraine and Crimea.

Our former president was and still is Mr Putin's puppet.

He acted in Russian interests and was preparing Ukraine for a "soft invasion".

He continued the contract for a Russian fleet in Crimea, ravaged our military forces and brought a halt to our military industry.

One of Mr Putin's biggest lies is his claim neo-fascists are running amok, looting and killing everyone.

I have walked through the streets of Kiev many times, including the central districts late in the evening and I am yet to see one of Mr Putin's fictitious balaclava-clad thugs robbing somebody or starting a fire or trying to kill a pro-Russian supporter.

The irony is Kiev has a lion's share of Russian-speaking residents.

The Russian Government is intentionally using the terms "Russian speaker", "ethnic Russian" and "Russian citizen" to confuse the situation.

There are only a handful of Russian citizens in Ukraine - some 17% of Ukrainian citizens (including Crimea) are ethnic Russians and almost half of the country speak Russian. That is the legacy of three-and-a-half centuries of a co-existence of two peoples.

But if half of Ukraine speaks Russian it doesn't mean they want to be under Russian rule. On the contrary, the majority in eastern Ukraine are strongly against annexing to the Russian Federation.

The very principle of "protecting Russian speakers" is a very crooked one.

Maybe Ukraine should invade Moscow because there are up to two million ethnic Ukrainians living there?

Maybe Mexico should annex California since there are lot of Mexican living there, or France should invade Canada due to Quebec tensions?

While the crisis continues, Ukrainians try to go about their daily lives and it is business as usual for most.

People go to work in the morning, pay their taxes, public services function normally, shops and banks are open (near Maidan Square in Kiev as well), bills are paid and so on.

Couples go on walks in the evenings. Cinemas and theatres are visited as usual. Some people may think about stocking food, but supermarkets are full of food, there is absolutely no panic-buying.

Nevertheless, the psychological impact of the crisis on people is evident - and there remains a tension in the air following last month's revolution.

Everybody talks about looming war. There's no panic, but the anxiety is everywhere.

Men contemplate the possibility of being called to active duty, while women cry when they think of their sons, husbands and brothers going to war.

Our morale is high. We are a strong freedom-loving and valorous people. We are determined to defend ourselves.

Recent events have shown cameras are a more powerful weapon in the 21st century than Kalashnikovs.

Russia is using every trick in the book to provoke Ukraine and to justify military aggression.

In southern and eastern regions (and in Crimea itself) there are thousands of Russian and Russian-hired agent-provocateurs - thugs to stir up tension and give the impression that those regions are eager to be under Russian control.

There are also a lot of actors: one day you see them as indigenous Kharkiv citizens protesting against the repression of Russian-speaking people, and the next, you see them in Odessa where they are local women telling of the Ukrainian persecution of Russians.

There are also lots of transported Russian Cossacks in Crimea that are extremely aggressive.

These so-called Cossacks have nothing to do with real Ukrainian Cossacks and are Mr Putin's "Einsatzgruppe".

We saw them in action when they whipped members of Russian protest group Pussy Riot in Sochi.

In addition, Serbian Chetniks have joined these Russian Cossacks to patrol Crimea.

These young boys and men without insignia have been sent by their blood-thirsty government intentionally as cannon fodder to be killed by Ukrainian militaries.

But Ukraine is a very peaceful country and hasn't fallen for this provocation.

These unmarked soldiers have told locals that they were woken up in the middle of the night, had their IDs and mobile phones taken away and transported to Crimea. Even their own parents are not aware of where their sons are.

We Ukrainians do hope the US and Europe will help us militarily if all-out war breaks out.

We will fight till our last breath, but Russia is too powerful. We will not win without the West's help.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Malaysia Airlines: Suspected Fragments Found

Written By Unknown on Senin, 10 Maret 2014 | 10.52

Suspected fragments from the missing Malaysia Airlines plane carrying 239 people have been found off Vietnam.

The Vietnamese navy said objects, one thought to be an aircraft door, were spotted by a rescue plane off the country's south coast.

Security services are investigating whether the Boeing 777-200 was destroyed in a terror attack.

Malaysia Airlines suspected fragments Floating debris spotted by a search and rescue team

Interpol said at least two passports used on the flight were stolen and it is "examining additional suspect passports".

The international police agency said it was of "great concern" that passengers were able to board the plane using stolen passports, and no checks were made against its database.

Flight MH370 disappeared two days ago off Vietnam's south coast.

Malaysia Airlines plane stolen passports Two passengers used passports stolen from Christian Kozel and Luigi Maraldi

The search area has been widened after radar data indicated the plane may have turned back.

Officials investigating the plane's disappearance suspect it may have disintegrated at 35,000ft, according to Reuters.

A source involve in the probe said: "The fact that we are unable to find any debris so far appears to indicate that the aircraft is likely to have disintegrated at around 35,000 feet."  

Malaysia Airline plane prayers at Kuala Lumpur Prayers are said at Kuala Lumpur airport for the missing passengers

The source said that if the aircraft had plunged into the sea and broken up on impact, search teams would have expected to find a concentrated pattern of debris.

The FBI and Boeing have joined the investigation after it was revealed four passengers may have been travelling on false passports.

Malaysia's defence and transport minister Hishamuddin Hussein told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur: "All the four names are with me."

print-out showing a passenger boarded plane on stolen passport Details of the tickets bought using the stolen passports A digital representation showing passenger boarded plane on stolen passport

Asked whether he believes the plane was hijacked, he would only say: "We are looking at all possibilities."

It emerged on Saturday that two men boarded the plane using stolen European passports.

They bought their tickets together and paid for them in Thai baht, Sky News has learned, and were due to fly on to Europe from Beijing.

Malaysia Airlines plane map of search sites The circles show the two areas the search is focusing on

The plane was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it vanished around two hours into the flight.

The plane disappeared from radar at 1.30am (5.30pm UK time) on Friday, about 85 miles (135km) north of the Malaysian city of Kuala Terengganu.

OIL SLICKS IN VIETNAM The two oil slicks seen off Vietnam

A huge search involving 22 aircraft and 40 ships is continuing in the vast waters of the Gulf of Thailand, between Vietnam and Malaysia.

It concentrated around the Vietnamese island resort of Phu Quoc after Vietnamese air force jets spotted two huge oil slicks.

The parallel slicks - both between 10 miles (16km) and 12 miles (19km) long and 500 metres apart - were consistent with the kind of spills caused by fuel from a crashed airliner, a Vietnamese government statement said.

Missing Malaysia Airlines plane A photo of the missing plane, seen taking off in Paris in 2011

The search has now widened to the sea off Malacca, on the west coast of Malaysia, after radar data indicated the plane may have turned back before disappearing.

US federal safety officials said a team of experts are heading to Asia to help in the investigation.

The team includes accident investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board, as well as technical experts from the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing.

Earlier today, Malaysia's Civil Aviation chief Azaharudin Abdul Rahman said search teams have not found any debris from the plane.

Indian sand artist Patnaik applies final touches to a sand art sculpture he created wishing for the well being of the passengers of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, on beach in Puri, in the eastern Indian state of Odisha India: A sand artist's sculpture wishing for the passengers' well being

He said no other aircraft in the Malaysia Airlines fleet would be grounded and indicated there were "no abnormalities" in the data received from the flight.

Two-thirds of the jet's passengers were from China. The rest were from elsewhere in Asia, North America and Europe.

The plane's disappearance is especially mysterious because it happened when the plane was at cruising altitude, not during the more dangerous phases of take-off or landing.

Officials are examining CCTV footage of passengers boarding the plane.

The Director General of Malaysia's Civil Aviation, Dato Azharuddin Abdul Rahman Malaysia's Civil Aviation chief says no wreckage has yet been found

One of the passengers was listed as a 37-year-old Italian called Luigi Maraldi but he has contacted his parents to say he was not on the airliner.

He had his passport stolen in Thailand several months ago, leaving questions over who used his passport to board the plane and whether that has anything to do with the airliner's disappearance.

Another passenger used a passport belonging to Austrian citizen Christian Kozel, whose passport was stolen in Thailand two years ago.

He is listed as one of the passengers although he has been confirmed as safe and well by authorities.

Relatives are still waiting anxiously at Beijing airport for news of their loved ones.

Tech firm Freescale Semiconductor said 20 of its staff were on the plane.

In a statement it said: "Twelve are from Malaysia and eight are from China. The entire Freescale Semiconductor community is deeply saddened by this news."

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Aircraft Passengers' Families Demand Answers

Chinese families whose relatives were on a missing jet hope to travel to Kuala Lumpur to get more information about what happened.

An upset relative of a passenger of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 approaches an official at a hotel in Putrajaya Some relatives have been upset at the lack of information from the airline

The group of 50 want Malaysia Airlines to pay for their flights but the company has said they will not do so until they know what happened to the aircraft.

The Boeing 777 travelling from the city to Beijing lost contact with the ground early on Saturday morning (local time) off Vietnam's south coast without the pilots sending a distress signal.

Some debris which could be from the plane has been spotted from the air as a major international search continues.

Indian sand artist Patnaik applies final touches to a sand art sculpture he created wishing for the well being of the passengers of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, on beach in Puri, in the eastern Indian state of Odisha A sandsculpture in India wishing for the well being of the passengers

A representative of the families has compiled a statement signed by the families which made three demands from the authorities.

First, requesting Malaysia Airlines "to publicise the truth about the event by 1700 Beijing time (0900GMT)".

Second, urging the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to pay more attention to the case and help solve it.

Third, asking the Chinese government "to assign its officials to coordinate with the family members of the passengers of the missing flight and take unified action in negotiating with the Malaysian side."

Arni Marlina shows picture of family member onboard missing Malaysia Airlines flight, at a hotel in Putrajaya A relative's picture of her stepbrother and his wife who were on the flight

But other relatives do not want to go to Malaysia.

"Of course I am not going to get a passport; what for? To go to Malaysia to do what? To stare at the sea?" shouted Wang Aihua, the mother of Cheng Xudong, who was on the Malaysian Airplane.

A Malaysia Airlines spokesman has said the families should "expect the worst" as the search operation continued in the Gulf of Thailand, between Vietnam and Malaysia.

A relative of a passenger of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 cries as she walks past journalists in Beijing Tearful families in Beijing have been told to expect the worst

There were 239 people on board the flight. The passengers were mostly from China and Malaysia, with a handful from America, Australia, India, France, Indonesia, Ukraine and other countries.

"I can only pray for a miracle," said Daniel Liau, a colleague of acclaimed Chinese calligrapher Meng Gaosheng, who was on the flight with 18 other artists, six family members and four staff.

"I feel very sad. Even though I knew them for a short time, they have become my friends," Liau added.

For Australian grandparents Robert Lawton, 58, and his wife, Catherine, 54, the routine takeoff of flight MH-370 was the beginning of another adventure.

A relative of a passenger of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 talks on a mobile phone as journalists attempt to interview her in Beijing Some families have asked for more support from Beijing

"They mentioned in passing they were going on another big trip and they were really excited," one of their neighbours told ABC Australia.

Sharing their adventure was another 50-something Australian couple, Rodney and Mary Burrows. Neighbour Don Stokes said the trip was to be the beginning of the "next step in their life."

Also on board were teenage sweethearts Hadrien Wattrelos, 17, and Zhao Yan, 18, students at a French school in Beijing who were returning from a two-week holiday with Hadrien's mother and younger sister.

Under Zhao's Facebook picture of her and Hadrien he had commented: "Je t'aime," followed by a heart, and she had "liked" his comment.

While expecting the worst, colleagues of 50-year-old Indian passenger Chandrika Sharma were still optimistic.

"There must still be hope," said a colleague, before adding: "She was friendly and very loveable, very industrious and astute. We will miss her."

For 24-year-old Firman Chandra Siregar from Indonesia, the flight was a new chapter. In Beijing, he was about to begin a new contract with an oil company.

Tearful relatives and neighbours gathered at his family's home, praying or watching news of the search operation, while at the same time realising there is little hope of him being round alive.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Ukraine 'Will Not Give Up Crimea To Russia'

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 09 Maret 2014 | 10.52

Ukraine's acting foreign minister has said the country "will not give up Crimea to anyone", amid continued tensions in region.

Andrii Deshchytsia spoke to Sky News and insisted Crimea, which was given to Ukraine by the Soviet Union in 1954, "is and will be Ukrainian territory".

His intervention came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said his country was open to an "honest, equal" dialogue over the crisis.

Uniformed Russian forces have surrounded Ukrainian bases since taking control of the peninsula last week, although Mr Lavrov denied Moscow has any direct role.

Ukraine crisis

On the Crimea regional border, Ukrainian guards claimed one of their observation planes had come under fire while on patrol, but there were no injuries.

Foreign observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe have also been turned away from the region after warning shots were fired as they approached.

A source in the monitoring mission said "probably three shots" were fired as a convoy approached a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian forces, but added the shots did not seem to have been directed at them.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama discussed the latest developments in the crisis with David Cameron and also called French President Francois Hollande and Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi to talk about Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin attends the opening ceremony of the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi Russia's President Vladimir Putin at the Paralympic Games in Sochi

The US President praised the European Union and the United States for the "unified position" over the military incursion.

Speaking in a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Mr Obama said European leaders "agreed on the need for Russia to pull back its forces".

A White House spokesman said the two leaders had "grave concerns" over Russia's intervention and discussed the need for dialogue between Moscow and Kiev.

The President also held conference calls about Ukraine with the leaders of Lithuania, Latvia,and Estonia.

However, Mr Lavrov used a news conference to repeat Russian attacks on the current interim government.

Ukraine, Russia and Crimea

"(It) isn't independent," he said. "It depends, to our great regret, on radical nationalists who have seized power with arms."

Nationalist groups are using "intimidation and terror" to control Ukraine, he added.

Mr Lavrov earlier labelled planned US sanctions on those Washington holds responsible for the intervention as "hasty and reckless steps" which could harm relations between the two countries.

"Sanctions ... would inevitably hit the United States like a boomerang," a statement issued by Russia's foreign ministry said.

The measures include bans on travel to America and the freezing of US assets, although a US official has said Russian President Vladimir Putin was not on the list of those to be sanctioned.

Russian forces now have complete control of Crimea, although Moscow claims the only troops it has there are the 11,000 based in Sevastopol - a claim ridiculed by the West.

More than 30,000 Russian troops are estimated to be in the disputed region, which will hold a referendum on becoming part of Russia on March 16.

Late on Friday, around 20 pro-Russian militants stormed a Ukrainian missile defence airbase in Sevastopol in two transporter trucks and entered into negotiations with the commander of the airbase.

Around 100 Ukrainian troops are understood to be stationed at the base, where the tense stand-off was eventually resolved.

The crisis in Ukraine was sparked when the deposed former President Viktor Yanukovych rejected a European Union trade deal for closer ties with Russia.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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Venezuela: 'Empty Pot' Protesters Hit Streets

Protesters pushed back riot police as thousands of people armed with cooking pots took to the streets of Caracas to demonstrate against Venezuela's government.

The protest, which fell on International Women's Day, consisted mostly of female demonstrators who noisily clanged their cookware to show their discontent over shortages of basic goods and insecurity they say has become a part of daily life.

"There is nothing, nothing, nothing," read a placard carried by one protester fed up with stores that habitually run out of provisions, despite Venezuela's vast oil wealth.

Venezuela empty pots protest Thousands of angry protesters confronted the lines of riot police

By midday, more than 2,000 demonstrators had assembled in the capital Caracas, with many more expected.

The rally was called by the country's most prominent opposition leader, two-time presidential election runner-up Henrique Capriles, who lost to Maduro by a whisker in April 2013 elections.

For more than a month, demonstrators have complained about chronic shortages of food staples like bread, sugar, milk and butter.

Venezuela empty pots protest Protesters, many of them women, banged pots to show their discontent

Venezuelans are also seething over rampant violent crime, and the arrests of protesters.

At least 20 people have now died since protests first erupted, giving Maduro his biggest test since succeeding late leader Hugo Chavez almost a year ago.

:: Watch Sky News live on television, on Sky channel 501, Virgin Media channel 602, Freeview channel 82 and Freesat channel 202.


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