Missing Plane: Grief And Anger Among Families

By Jonathan Samuels, in Beijing

The revelation that "deliberate action" diverted flight MH370 has only increased the anxiety of families gathered at a hotel near Beijing airport.

Relatives of passengers from the missing jet watched a big screen, listening intently as the Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak spoke. Nearly two thirds of the passengers on board the Boeing 777 were Chinese.

Crammed into the ballroom of the Lido Hotel I saw some clung onto each other for comfort. I also witnessed one young man shaking uncontrollably throughout.

Amongst them the mother of student Lin Annan. She did not want to give me her name but with tears streaming down her face she said: "There's something I really want to say to my son. I love you.  All of us love you."

The 27-year-old was returning home from studying.

"Most of all I'm hoping for a miracle to bring everybody back safely. All of them," his mother added.

You would imagine the potential of foul play would make her full of anger. Incredibly that is not the case. She told me: "We raised our child to be someone useful to our family, to society, and the world. I think we shouldn't react with hatred or revenge."

As the news conference ended the blank screen was met with blank faces. "What does it all mean?" they said to each other.

Wang Le's mother was on the plane. The well-educated 27-year-old's is engaged to a journalist. Now they find themselves at the heart of a story she would normally be reporting on.

He showed me the last message his mother, Zhang Chi, sent him before take-off. "Can we meet up when I get back to Beijing?" she wrote.

"She is a good mother," he said. "We have good relationship, like friends, we talk about everything."

A massive search is taking place for the missing plane

Instead of planning his marriage, he's now comforting his father.

"Every evening I have dinner with my father. Now it's only us in our house. He talks about my mother, and sometimes he cries. He tells stories I've not heard before. He talks about my mum everyday".

Conspiracy theories have inevitably emerged, and some in the hotel openly suggested foul play.

Wen Wancheng's son was on board the jet, and he said afterwards: "I feel (Malaysia Airlines) had a role to play in this incident." He called the disappearance "a conspiracy … from the beginning".

Malaysia Airlines representatives held a two-hour meeting with relatives earlier on Saturday, and speaking afterwards several said they remain frustrated with the lack of definite information.

One woman said: "I'm very disappointed in all of them," a reference to both the airline and the Chinese and Malaysian governments. "They haven't told us anything. I'm anxious. Extremely anxious."

The possibility of a hijack scenario gives the relatives the slightest glimmer of hope. But it also means they remain in agonising limbo.

And added to that, the revelation someone on board was probably responsible for their pain.

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Missing Plane: Hijack 'Increasingly Likely'

Aviation security experts have told Sky News there is increasing evidence to suggest the missing Malaysia Airlines plane carrying 239 people was hijacked.

Malaysian authorities have not ruled out such a scenario, although the country's prime minister refused to be drawn on the matter earlier when he confirmed the plane had been deliberately diverted and its communications cut.

The Boeing 777-200 was heading from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing last Saturday when it disappeared around 40 minutes into its flight.

Critically, flight MH370 vanished in a so-called 'dead space' area when Malaysian air traffic controllers handed over control to their Vietnamese counterparts.

John Lindsay, former head of air safety at British Airways, said this would have been the "ideal" time to take over the aircraft "because it would give a period of time when no one was aware of what the aircraft was doing".

He said this and the disabling of the plane's transponders - which transmit data on a plane's location to air traffic controllers - suggest it was well-planned.

"It seems to be more than just a strong coincidence that the loss of contact with the aircraft happened at the point of hand-over," he told Sky News.

"(Also) there's a lot of (communication) equipment on there, most of which operates automatically, and to disable particularly the ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) it would need some preparation and forethought.

"It's quite doable, but it's not something the pilots would have been trained to do, whereas the air traffic control transponder is something that is routinely switched on and off as required.

Prayers are said for the missing passengers at Kuala Lumper airport

"But the ACARS are a different matter as are the sat coms. These things would have required some preparation and forethought about how they were going to be accomplished and when they were going to be accomplished."

He said it was "inconceivable" that someone in the passenger cabin would know the critical point at which the aircraft was being handed over to Vietnamese control.

This suggests either the collusion of the crew or someone in the flight deck when hand-over occurred.

Former BA pilot Alastair Rosenschein told Sky News it is "looking more likely" that the plane was hijacked.

"What is puzzling is the fact that the ACARS and the transponder appear to have been disabled or switched off or become unworkable at separate times," he said.

A huge sea and air search is continuing for the plane

"It rather suggests that was a deliberate action."

Final satellite communication came more than six-and-a-half hours after the plane vanished from civilian radar.

Aviation security expert Philip Baum said the possibility of pilot suicide is now decreasing "because you would have expected a suicide pilot to simply crash the aircraft not carry on flying".

"So it now looks like we're dealing with a terrorist situation or with the actions of a deranged individual or an asylum seeker," he said.

Previous theories about why the plane vanished included a sudden mid-air explosion, catastrophic equipment or structural failure, or a crash into the South China Sea.

If a plane if hijacked, crew are trained to be compliant and do whatever they can to safeguard the plane and passengers.

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Gove Says Number Of PM's Etonians 'Ridiculous'

Education Secretary Michael Gove has criticised the "ridiculous" numbers of Old Etonians in David Cameron's inner circle.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Mr Gove said such a "preposterous" concentration of individuals from the same privileged background at the top of government was unique among developed countries.

Labour said his comments showed the Conservatives were "out of touch" with the concerns of ordinary people in Britain.

Old Etonians around the Prime Minister - himself a former Eton pupil - include his chief of staff, Ed Llewellyn; the head of his policy unit, Jo Johnson; the minister for government policy, Oliver Letwin; and Chancellor George Osborne's chief economic adviser, Rupert Harrison.

The Prime Minister at a Cabinet meeting last year

Mr Gove compared them to the cabinet of Eton-educated Tory prime minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, the Marquess of Salisbury, who was accused of nepotism and cronyism.

"At the beginning of the 20th century, the Conservative cabinet was called Hotel Cecil," he said.

"The phrase 'Bob's your uncle' came about and all the rest of it. It is preposterous.

"It doesn't make me feel personally uncomfortable because I like each of the individuals concerned, but it's ridiculous. I don't know where you can find some such similar situation in a developed economy."

Mr Cameron's inner circle was compared to that of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil (R)

Mr Gove, who went to a fee-paying school in Scotland, said the concentration of Old Etonians at the top of the Conservative Party was due to the fact that "more boys from Eton go to Oxford and Cambridge than boys eligible for free school meals".

But shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Ashworth said it was a "reflection of the Conservative Party" under Mr Cameron.

"It's up to David Cameron who he puts into top jobs, and the fact is that the Prime Minister has chosen to surround himself with people just like himself," he said.

"He's leading a Government that's completely out of touch.

"That's why his decisions have helped a privileged few rather than hard-working families, with tax cuts for people earning over £150,000 while wages are down an average £1,600 a year."

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WWII 'Kissing Sailor' Glenn McDuffie Dies

The US man renowned for claiming he was the "kissing sailor" in an iconic World War Two-era image has died aged 86.

Glenn McDuffie's daughter Glenda Bell said he died in a nursing home in Dallas, Texas on March 9.

Mr McDuffie had long claimed to be the US sailor in the famous image taken by a Life magazine photographer during V-J Day celebrations on August 14, 1945.

The image, which shows the soldier passionately kissing a nurse in New York's Times Square, has come to represent the moment victory was declared over Japan.

Mr McDuffie, who would have been 18 at the time, said he acted on an impulse after he was told Japan had surrendered.

He said: "I was so happy. I ran out in the street ... And then I saw that nurse 

"She saw me hollering and with a big smile on my face. ... I just went right to her and kissed her."

He added : "We never spoke a word.

"Afterward, I just went on the subway across the street and went to Brooklyn."

His claim was shrouded in controversy for many years, with several men claiming to be the "kissing soldier".

The mystery was made harder to crack by the fact photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt did not ask the names of the kissing couple at the time.

It was just six years ago that Mr McDuffie's identity was verified following intensive tests carried out by Houston Police Department forensic artist Lois Gibson.

Ms Gibson, who is in the 2005 Guinness Book of World Records for helping police identify more suspects than any other forensic artist, said she took around 100 pictures of the then-80-year-old navy veteran using a pillow to pose as he did in the photograph.

She said she was able to identify him by to matching his muscles, ears and other features to the young soldier in the original image.

Ms Gibson said: "I was absolutely positive ... It was perfect."

With Ms Gibson's backing Mr McDuffie won instant notoriety and began touring the United States, going to air shows, fundraisers and parties.

Ms Gibson said he would often be asked to pose for replica photographs.

"He would make money and kiss women," she said.

"He had the most glamorous life of any 80-year-old."

Mr McDuffie is survived by a daughter and two grandchildren.

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EuroMillions Brit Winner Stakes £107.9m Claim

The British ticket-holder who scooped £107.9m on the EuroMillions draw has come forward to claim their winnings.

It was the only ticket to hit the jackpot, making the lucky holder the fourth biggest UK winner in the history of the National Lottery.

Friday's winning numbers were 06, 24, 25, 27 and 30, while the lucky stars were 05 and 9.

Subject to the winner's details being confirmed, the life-changing windfall could be paid out once the banks open on Monday.

The ticket-holder, who has not been identified, can then decide whether or not to go public.

A National Lottery spokesman said: "We're delighted Friday's ticket-holder has come forward to claim this amazing prize.

"This massive win ranks fourth biggest on the National Lottery Rich list and is the first EuroMillions jackpot to be won here in the UK so far this year."

It is not known at the moment where the winning ticket was bought, or whether it was won by an individual or syndicate.

This information will only be disclosed if the ticket-holder goes public.

Top of the National Lottery Rich List are Colin and Chris Weir, who won a £161m EuroMillions jackpot in July 2011.

The Scottish husband and wife said they were "tickled pink" by their winnings and reportedly bought a fleet of cars for friends, as well as a mansion.

The second largest jackpot of almost £150m was claimed by Adrian and Gillian Bayford, from Suffolk, in August 2012.

At the time, Mr Bayford said he would carry on running his music shop in Haverhill. Mrs Bayford, a children's ward healthcare assistant, said she would treat herself to her dream car, an Audi Q7.

However just 15 months after their win, the couple announced they were divorcing following the "irretrievable" breakdown of their marriage.

The third biggest jackpot of £113m was claimed in October 2010, but the lucky ticket-holder decided not to go public.

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Anger Over New Strip-Search Diplomat Charges

India has expressed anger over the US Justice Department's decision to re-indict one of its diplomats on visa fraud charges and allegations she lied about how much she paid her housekeeper.

Government spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said India was "disappointed" the US had obtained a second indictment against former New York deputy consul-general, Devyani Khobragade.

Mr Akbaruddin said: "Any measures consequent to this decision in the US will unfortunately impact upon efforts on both sides to build the India-US strategic partnership, to which both sides are committed."

The new charges threaten to re-ignite a bitter row between the US and India, triggered by her arrest in New York last December.

Indian authorities were angered by reports Dr Khobragade was handcuffed and strip-searched by US police.

The diplomat's case prompted fierce protests in India

India demanded an apology, saying it was "shocked and appalled" by her treatment.

It responded with a number of diplomatic reprisals, including the expulsion of a US diplomat.

Dr Khobragade's case was thrown out by a US judge just two days ago, on the grounds she had full diplomatic immunity.

But prosecutors, who dispute her immunity, levelled identical charges against her on Friday.

Dr Khobragade is accused of paying her maid below the US minimum wage

They accuse her of providing false information to obtain a visa for her housekeeper and coaching her to lie to US embassy officials.

The indictment says she forced her maid to sign one contract which complied with US minimum wage law, and another which stipulated she should be paid an annual wage of just $6,876, (£4,130).

It also accuses Dr Khobragade of forcing her housekeeper to work at least 100 hours a week, often when sick and without time off.

Dr Khobragade, who has now returned to India, maintains her innocence.

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'Deliberate Action' Diverted Missing Plane

Missing Jet: Timeline Of Key Events

Updated: 2:41pm UK, Saturday 15 March 2014

A summary of the developments surrounding the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Saturday, March 8

:: The Boeing 777, with 239 people on board, loses contact with air traffic control north of Malaysia around 1.20am, some 40 minutes after taking off from Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing.

:: Vietnam says the plane went missing near its airspace.

It launches a search operation which expands into a huge international hunt in the South China Sea, involving dozens of ships and aircraft from countries including the US and Japan.

:: Tearful relatives of the 153 Chinese passengers criticise Malaysia Airlines over a lack of information.

:: Vietnamese planes spot two large oil slicks near the aircraft's last known location, but it proves a false alarm.

:: It also emerges two passengers were travelling on stolen EU passports, fuelling speculation of a terrorist attack.

Sunday, March 9

:: Malaysia said it was investigating a possible terror link to the jet's disappearance and the US sent FBI agents to assist in the investigation.

:: Malaysia raises the first of several suggestions that the plane may have veered radically off-course.

:: The air force chief said it may have turned back towards the country's capital for no apparent reason.

:: A Vietnamese plane spots possible debris off southwest Vietnam - but this is also a false alarm.

Monday, March 10

:: Authorities double the search radius to 100 nautical miles around the point where MH370 disappeared from radar.

:: China criticises Malaysia, saying it needs to speed up the investigation.

:: Malaysia sends ships to investigate a sighting of a possible life raft, but a Vietnamese vessel that gets there first finds only flotsam.

:: Chemical analysis by Malaysia finds no link between oil slicks found at sea and the missing plane.

Tuesday, March 11

:: The search area now includes land on the Malaysian peninsula itself, the waters off its west coast, and an area to the north of Indonesia's Sumatra island, all far removed from the flight's scheduled route.

:: Authorities identify the two men with stolen passports as young Iranians who are believed to be illegal immigrants - not terrorists.

Wednesday, March 12

:: Malaysia expands the search zone to include the Malacca Strait off the country's west coast and the Andaman Sea north of Indonesia, hundreds of miles away.

:: Malaysia's air force chief says an unidentified object was detected on military radar north of the Malacca Strait early on Saturday - less than an hour after the plane lost contact - but says it is still being investigated.

:: At a news conference, Malaysian officials deny the search is in disarray after China says conflicting information about its course is "pretty chaotic".

:: It emerges US regulators warned months ago of a problem with "cracking and corrosion" of the fuselage skin under the satellite antenna on Boeing 777s that could lead to a mid-air break-up.

:: But the manufacturer later confirms that the warning did not apply to the missing plane, which had a different kind of antenna.

Thursday, March 13

:: Malaysia dismisses a report in the Wall Street Journal which said US investigators suspect the plane flew on for four hours after its last known contact, based on data sent from its engines.

:: Authorities in Kuala Lumpur also say that Chinese satellite images of suspected debris in the South China Sea are yet another false lead.

:: India steps up its search, sending three ships and three aircraft to the remote Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Friday, March 14

:: The hunt spreads west to the Indian Ocean after the White House cites unspecified "new information" that the jet may have flown on after losing contact.

:: Malaysia declines to comment on US reports that the plane's communication system continued to "ping" a satellite for hours after it disappeared, suggesting it may have travelled a huge distance.

Saturday, March 15

:: Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak says the last-known movements of the missing airliner were consistent with the deliberate actions of someone on board.

:: He also revealed the last contact with the plane was with a satellite at 8.11am last Saturday which means it could have been flying for more than six hours longer than first thought.

:: The PM confirmed Malaysian air force defence radar picked up traces of the plane turning back westward, crossing over Peninsular Malaysia into the northern stretches of the Strait of Malacca.

:: The search area is expanded to two air corridors - a northern one stretching as far as Turkmenistan and Thailand - and one which goes as far as Indonesia and the southern Indian Ocean.

:: Mr Najib says search efforts in the South China Sea, where the plane first lost contact, had ended.

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Bomb Attack On Belfast Police Land Rover

Officers in Northern Ireland have escaped serious injury in a bomb attack on a police Land Rover.

A passing car was badly damaged in the blast outside the City Cemetery in West Belfast. 

Four people inside the car - including three children aged 16, 13 and 11 - were treated for shock, but there were no serious injuries.

It was originally reported that the bomb was thrown at the police vehicle.

But the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) now say the bomb was left in the area and detonated by a command wire.

Debris from the explosion. pic: Press Pix / Samuel Severn

The blast blew a chunk of masonry out of a wall at the cemetery, which is at the junction of Falls Road and Whiterock Road and is one of Belfast's oldest public cemeteries.

Superintendent Barbara Gray said: "This was not only a deliberate attempt to kill police officers, but was an attack on the community of West Belfast, and it is only through good fortune that no-one, either police or civilian was seriously injured or killed."

Officers were urged to tighten security after another bomb was found under a car a few miles away, at Blacks Road, not far from Woodbourne police station.

It fell from the vehicle and failed to explode, and even though the target has not been identified, the PSNI has not ruled out the possibility it was meant for one of their officers.

Dissident republicans have been blamed for planting the explosives in what appears to have been a deliberate attempt to embarrass Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson.

Mr Robinson and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness are in Washington to meet senior members of the Obama administration as part of St Patrick's Day celebrations.

Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers said: "This attack is a blatant disregard not just for lives of police officers but also for safety of whole community in west Belfast.

"It should be condemned by all right-thinking people."

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Pilot's House Raided As Questions Mount

Confirmation by the Malaysian authorities that the missing airliner was deliberately diverted has refocused attention on the pilots.

Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah and his First Officer Fariq Abdul Hamid are among the few who would have been in a position to tamper with equipment on MH370.

Experts say that the Boeing 777's transponder would have had to be turned off, which would have required technical knowledge.

Malaysia's prime minister said the jet's communications had been deliberately disabled by "someone on the plane".

Pilots Fariq Abdul Hamid and Zaharie Ahmad Shah

Shortly after he spoke on Saturday morning, it was revealed that police in Malaysia had searched the home of Mr Shah.

Sky News' Niall Paterson said police were expected to be searching the home of the co-pilot too.

Hijacking has also not been ruled out, but the country's prime minister refused to be drawn on the matter, saying instead authorities were "refocusing their investigation into the crew and passengers on board."

Reports emerged last week that Mr Hamid, 27, had entertained two women in the cockpit during a flight between the Thai island of Phuket and Malay capital Kuala Lumpur in 2011.

Australian woman Jonti Roos alleged that Mr Hamid and another pilot had talked to her and a friend, smoked and posed for photos in a clear violation of aviation rules.

Mr Hamid has about 2,800 hours of flying experience and has worked for Malaysia Airlines since 2007.

Malaysian Airlines said it was shocked by the claims about Mr Hamid's conduct.

The house of Fariq Abdul Hamid on Saturday

Neighbor Ayop Jantan told the Associated Press that he had heard that Mr Hamid was engaged and planning his wedding

Police were seen outside the home of Captain Shah on Saturday - a gated community in the town of Shah Alam, just outside of Kuala Lumpur. No officers were seen outside the home of Mr Hamid.

Captain Shah, 53, joined Malaysian Airline in 1981 and was known as an avid flying buff who had clocked more than 18,000 flying hours.

Fariq Abdul Hamid with Jonti Roos and a friend

The grandfather is said to have enjoyed flying miniature planes on his days off and had created a series of "community service" YouTube videos with handy hints to help cut bills.

He was also a certified flight simulator examiner and had sufficient knowledge to know how to build a simulator of his own.

Several days ago, the Malaysians were forced to deny raiding the pilots' homes, when suggestions that the place could have been deliberately diverted first emerged.

Despite that, police said on Friday they were looking at their psychological background, their family life and connections.

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Ukraine Accuses Russia Of 'Military Invasion'

Ukrainian authorities have accused Russia of carrying out a "military invasion" after reportedly deploying troops outside of Crimea.

It is claimed 80 soldiers have landed on Arbatskaya Strelka, supported by four helicopter gunships and three armoured personnel carriers.

The move is being seen as significant as the strip of land, although close to Crimea, actually falls outside the troubled southern region of Ukraine and would signal an extension of Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine.

Russian forces apparently tried to enter Arbatsyka Strelka

It had initially been reported Ukrainian forces had repelled an attempt by Russian forces to enter the area, which is about 70 miles long and runs parallel to the east of Crimea.

In the latest statement, the Ukrainian foreign ministry is demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops, and reserves the right to use all measures stop the "military invasion" by Russia.

Thousands of anti-war protesters have gathered in central Moscow

Tensions are running high ahead of Sunday's controversial referendum on whether Crimea should break away from Ukraine.

Earlier, two people were shot dead in clashes between pro-Kiev and pro-Moscow activists in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

Ukraine's interim interior minister said the two men, aged 20 and 31, were killed and several others wounded during the late-night gun battle.

Ukrainian soldiers pictured taking part in a miiltary drill

Arsen Avakov claimed around 30 people "from both sides" were arrested, and he accused Russian activists of provoking the clashes.

Ukraine has accused "Kremlin agents" of stoking violence in Russian-speaking cities and urged people not to be goaded into fighting back they could be used by Moscow as a precursor for further incursions.

Speakers at the pro-Putin rally denounced Ukrainian "fascists"

The unrest has escalated in the Russian-speaking east of the country since Moscow's military invention in Ukraine's Crimean peninsula following the ousting of Kremlin ally, President Viktor Yanukoych last month.

The referendum on Crimea joining the Russian Federation further ratcheted up the tensions.

Russia has vetoed a Western-backed resolution at the UN condemning the Crimea referendum but China abstained, isolating Moscow further on the crisis.

The UK's ambassador to the UN Mark Lyall Grant responded by accusing Russia of "military adventurism".

Ukraine's east has seen regular clashes between rival groups in recent days

He said: "This resolution was designed to prevent further escalation of the crisis in Ukraine.

"It was about sending a clear signal that holding a referendum in Crimea would take us further away from a diplomatic solution.

"The resounding message from today's vote is that Russia stands isolated in this Council, and in the international community."

A day ahead of the planned referendum in Crimea, tens of thousands of people took to the streets of Moscow to protest against Russian intervention.

Protesters, waving Ukrainian flags, called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw troops from Crimea.

Mr Lavrov and Mr Kerry could find no common ground on the Crimean vote

An estimated 15,000 people staged a rival rally nearby in support of Mr Putin.

The clashes in Kharkiv were the second to turn fatal this week, after one person was killed and at least 17 wounded in the eastern city of Donetsk on Thursday.

Friday's gun battle reportedly broke out after pro-Russian activists attempted to storm the headquarters of a Ukrainian nationalist group.

Russian state news agency Itar Tass said the shots were fired from the offices of the far-right group, Right Sector.

Ballots are already being counted ahead of Sunday's referendum

It said the nationalists later surrendered.

The Russian Foreign Ministry's special representative for human rights, Konstantin Dolgov, responded to the fatalities by calling on Ukraine to outlaw all ultra-nationalist groups.

Using the Russian spelling of Kharkiv, Mr Dolgov wrote on Twitter: "Arresting neo-fascists in Kharkov should mark the beginning of large-scale activities to neutralise and punish the extremists who are getting out of hand."

Russian media is increasingly referring to nationalist groups such as Right Sector to illustrate an apparent fascist threat to Russians in eastern Ukraine.

Moscow justified last week's military occupation of Crimea by saying it wished to protect ethnic Russians and  has not ruled out moving its troops further afield to protect its compatriots.

America and the European Union have warned Russia of sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans unless the vote is called off.

Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has said such measures would be a "counter-productive instrument".

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