McDonald's Closes Restaurants In Crimea

By Michelle Clifford, Senior News Correspondent

McDonald's has announced the closure of its restaurants in Crimea, prompting fears of a backlash as a prominent Moscow politician called for all the US fast-food chain's outlets in Russia to be shut.

Russia's actions in Crimea, which Ukraine and the West condemn, has worried companies with assets in the Black Sea peninsula as it is unclear how the change may impact their business.

While McDonald's did not mention the political situation in its statement, its decision to leave the region is a further sign of the rift in Western-Russian relations.

The company said simply: "Due to operational reasons beyond our control, McDonald's has taken the decision to temporarily close our three restaurants in Simferopol, Sevastopol and Yalta."

The Crimean outlets are not franchises, but owned and operated by McDonald's itself.

Earlier this week Geneva-based Universal Postal Deutsche Post announced that it was no longer accepting letters bound for Crimea as it could no longer guarantee delivery to the region.

A Russian tank near Simferopol in Crimea

Economic relations between Russia and Ukraine have deteriorated rapidly since Russia annexed Crimea last month in response to the ousting of Russian-backed president Viktor Yanukovych.

Russia raised the price it charges Ukraine for gas on this week - piling pressure on its neighbour as it teeters on the brink of bankruptcy.

McDonald's said it would try to relocate staff

Moscow has frequently used energy as a political weapon in dealing with its neighbours, and European customers are now concerned Russia might again cut off deliveries.

Ukraine this week temporarily banned seven Russian food companies from selling some of their products on Ukrainian territory.

McDonald's said it hoped to resume work as soon as possible but said it would help relocate staff to work in mainland Ukraine - a sign it did not expect its Crimean businesses to reopen in the near future.

The company's decision was welcomed by the deputy speaker of the Russian parliament, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, known for his anti-Western rhetoric, who demanded that McDonald's pull its business out of Russia entirely.

"It would be good if they closed here too ... If they disappeared for good. Pepsi-Cola would be next," he said, adding that his party would organise pickets at McDonald's restaurants across the country.

McDonald's, which currently operates more than 400 restaurants in Russia, was the first international fast-food chain to tap the Russian market when it opened in Moscow's Pushkin Square before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

That branch had the highest sales and served the most customers of any McDonald's outlet in 2012.

Mighty Taco has banned Vladimir Putin from its western New York outlets

A Russian backlash against McDonald's products would have a significant impact on company profits.

McDonald's sees Russia as one of its top seven major markets outside the United States and Canada. And many Russian food suppliers could face financial hardship if their biggest market is interrupted long term.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo, New York-based Mighty Taco has banned Mr Putin from all of its 23 locations in western New York.

The Mexican food chain made the announcement on social media, saying the Russian leader will be "welcomed back" at Mighty Taco when he stops acting like a bully and "picking on people".

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Serial Killer Is Executed Amid Drug Debate

A serial killer who could have committed as many as 70 murders across the US has been put to death.

Tommy Lynn Sells' execution in Texas took place amid a growing debate over where the state gets its lethal injection drugs.

The 49-year-old was convicted of capital murder in 2000 for the death of Kaylene Harris and slashing of her 10-year-old friend, Krystal Surles, who survived and helped police find Sells.

The girls were attacked on New Year's Eve 1999 as they slept in the home of Kaylene's family in Del Rio, about 150 miles (240km) west of San Antonio.

The Harris family had befriended Sells at a community church.

Court records show Sells claimed to have committed as many as 70 killings across the US, including young girls.

In 2003, Sells was indicted but never tried for the slaying of 13-year-old Stephanie Mahaney in Missouri.

He also pleaded guilty to capital murder in the 1999 death of nine-year-old Mary Bea Perez, who was strangled during an outdoor festival in Texas.

Sells was the first inmate to be injected with a dose of newly replenished pentobarbital that Texas prison officials obtained to replace an expired supply of the powerful sedative.

He was pronounced dead at 6.27pm local time (12.27am UK Time), 13 minutes after being given the pentobarbital.

Sells' lawyers had sought more information from Texas authorities about the supplier of the new drug stock.

They argued they needed to know the name of the pharmacy in order to verify the drug's quality and protect Sells from unconstitutional pain and suffering.

State prison officials maintained the pharmacy must be kept secret to protect it from threats of violence.

The Supreme Court had declined to halt the execution.

Questions about the source of execution drugs have arisen in several states in recent months as numerous drug makers - particularly in Europe, where opposition to capital punishment is strongest - have refused to sell their products if they will be used in executions.

Some states have used untested new drug cocktails. In some cases this has led to accusations of cruelty as the inmates suffered for several minutes before dying.

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Schumacher Showing 'Moments Of Awakening'

Formula One ace Michael Schumacher is showing "moments of consciousness and awakening," according to his agent.

The 45-year-old has been in an induced coma since suffering a serious head injury in a skiing accident in the French Alps resort of Meribel in December.

"Michael is making progress on his way. He shows moments of consciousness and awakening," Sabine Kehm said.

"We are on his side during his long and difficult fight, together with the team of the hospital in Grenoble, and we keep remaining confident."

Earlier this week, Ms Kehm told German newspaper Bild: "There are signs that give us encouragement."

The paper also quoted her as denying reports Schumacher's family are building a special medical facility to help care for him at their home.

Schumacher was reportedly travelling at speeds of up to 60mph when the accident happened, and is thought to have been saved by his skiing helmet, which split on impact.

The racing legend's chief doctor said last week that it was unlikely he would ever fully recover from the accident.

Doctor Gary Hartstein wrote on his blog: "As time goes on, it becomes less and less likely that Michael will emerge to any significant extent."

Schumacher left motor racing last year after a disappointing three-year comeback following an earlier retirement from Ferrari at the end of 2006.

Sky's F1 reporter Craig Slater, reporting from Bahrain where the grand prix event is due to take place this weekend, said: "This is a significant step forward it seems though it does fly in the face of recent reports about the state of his health.

"This is a positive step though far from any insurance he is going to make a full recovery.

"Doctors had told the Schumacher family that only a miracle could save him but the news has been greeted with a great deal of enthusiasm and brightened everyone's mood.

"I've spoken to representatives from Schumacher's team at Ferrari; from the lowliest mechanic upwards, they're delighted with the news."

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Missing Plane: Malaysia 'Concealing Information'

The Malaysian government has been deliberately concealing information about missing flight MH370, the country's main opposition leader has claimed.

In an interview with Sky News, Anwar Ibrahim cast doubt on official accounts coming from the authorities in his country and accused ministers of a "betrayal of trust" over their handling of the investigation.

Anwar's comments came as Australian authorities launched the underwater phase of the search - but they admitted time is running out to detect pings from the plane's black box recorder.

Anwar said the MH370 investigation has been "clearly suspect"

Veteran politician Anwar said it was "not only unacceptable but not possible, not feasible" that the plane had not been sighted by the sophisticated Marconi radar system immediately after it changed course.

He claimed the radar would have instantly detected the jet as it travelled east to west across "at least four" Malaysian provinces.

He told Sky: "There is no reason as to why they are not able to detect the flight movement.

Zaharie Ahmad Shah was the MH370 pilot

"If you can allow this to happen, then it is a betrayal of the people's trust. You cannot rely on an incompetent ministry to decide on our own security.

"They will have to explain. If they can't, they will have to tell us why this vital piece of information has been concealed from the general public and international community."

He added: "The system is opaque in the sense that they are used to a very compliant media, compliant judiciary, which will only question at the behest of the ruling establishment.

"When the information is available why not cooperate with international authorities and release it?"

Anwar, who personally knew MH370 pilot Zaharie Ahmad Shah, has called for an international committee to take over the Malaysian-led operation, saying "the integrity of the whole nation is at stake".

He indicated it was even possible that there was "complicity by authorities on the ground" in what happened to the plane and the 239 people on board.

A Malaysian government spokesman responded to Anwar's comments, saying: "Anwar has made numerous unfounded allegations criticising Malaysia.

"Instead of trying to exploit the MH370 tragedy to score political points, it would be constructive if he could support the government as it coordinates the multinational search operation for MH370."

Anwar was sentenced to five years in jail just hours before MH370 took off after his acquittal on sodomy charges was overturned.

He is currently on bail and claims the charges against him are a political smear.

Attention has been focused on pilot Mr Zaharie's link to Anwar, with allegations he may have hijacked his own plane in response to the politician's sentencing.

But Mr Zaharie's friends and family have rejected the reports that he was deeply upset by the Anwar case or that he was a political fanatic. 

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott have pledge that no effort would be spared to give the families of those on board the answers they need.

Mr Razak met with Mr Abbott at an airbase near Perth

The two countries are heading multinational efforts in the Indian Ocean in the hunt for debris to solve the mystery of the jet, which vanished on March 8.

Mr Razak, whose government has been harshly criticised by some victims' families for giving sometimes conflicting information about the flight and for the slow pace of the investigation, described the search as a "gargantuan task".

But he insisted there would be no let up for the sake of the victims' families.

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Underwater Plane Search 'Is Desperate Move'

The latest underwater phase of the hunt for missing flight MH370 is a "desperate move" with limited chance of success, experts have claimed.

Marine salvage and radar experts laid out the scale of the challenge facing search teams, after Australian Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston announced plans to use black box pinger locators deep in the southern Indian Ocean.

Speaking on Sky News, radar expert Professor David Stupples said the pinger locators would be able to cover just 150 square miles a day, in an overall search area of around 87,000 square miles.

A pinger locator can detect signals from the flight recorder

Marine salvage expert John Noble told Sky's Ian Woods the latest phase suggested authorities were getting "desperate" in their search for the plane.

He said: "It's a desperate last-minute move because they know the pinger is going to run out within the next few days and if they don't give it a go now they'll never find it using these techniques."

As the extensive search wears on, Malaysia's opposition leader has accused the government of deliberately concealing information about the missing plane.

A pinger locator being towed by Australia's Ocean Shield vessel

In an interview with Sky News, Anwar Ibrahim, who personally knew the pilot of the missing plane, cast doubt on official accounts coming from Malaysian authorities.

The hunt for wreckage is relying on the plane's black box recorders emitting pings that can be detected by equipment on board the ships.

But the battery-powered recorders stop transmitting about 30 days after a crash.

With the clock ticking down since MH370 went missing on March 8, Mr Houston acknowledged time is running out for search crews.

He said: "The locater beacon will last about a month before it ceases its transmissions - so we're now getting pretty close to the time when it might expire."  

Locating the data recorders and wreckage after the devices stop working is possible, but incredibly difficult.

The area the ships are searching was chosen based on hourly satellite pings the aircraft gave off after it vanished from radar on its route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.

That information, combined with data on the estimated speed and performance of the aircraft, had led them to that specific part of the ocean, Mr Houston said.

Ships with helicopters on board have been helping with the search

Because the US Navy's pinger locator can pick up black box signals up to a depth of 6,100m (20,000ft), it should be able to hear the devices even if they are lying in the deepest part of the search zone - about 5,800m (19,000 ft) below the surface - if it gets within range of the black boxes.

Royal Navy submarine HMS Tireless is assisting with the search and has powerful equipment that could detect a black box at up to 10 miles away - but it can only operate to a depth of around 400m.

Finding floating wreckage is key to narrowing the search area, as officials can then use data on ocean currents to try and backtrack to the spot where the Boeing 777 entered the water - and where the data recorders may be.

For relatives of passengers on flight MH370, the agonising wait goes on

Despite weeks of fruitless searching, Mr Houston said he hadn't given up hope something would be found.

"I think there's still a great possibility of finding something on the surface," he said. "There's lots of things in aircraft that float."

The search area has shifted each day, as the investigative team continues to analyse available radar and satellite data while factoring in where any debris may have drifted due to ocean currents and weather.

Although Australia is coordinating the ocean search, the investigation into the plane's disappearance ultimately remains Malaysia's responsibility.

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British Man's Body Found On Spanish Beach

A British man believed to have been kidnapped by men posing as police officers in Spain has been found dead.

Francis Brennan, 25, from Anfield, fled to Spain ahead of a sentencing date last October for an assault he committed in the Thames Valley area in 2012.

Police say his body was found on a beach in the La Zenia area of Alicante on Saturday.

Spanish authorities are investigating Brennan's death and his family and girlfriend have been informed.

Brennan was last seen in Alicante on January 24. He was in his friend's car when it was stopped, and Brennan was detained by several men who claimed to be police officers.

Mr Brennan was found dead in Alicante

Brennan's parents, Carl and Janet, realised he had been kidnapped when Spanish authorities told them he had not been arrested. 

At the time of his kidnapping they said: "This has come as an awful shock to us as Francis is our only son and we can still remember him as a fun-loving child who was football-mad in a football-mad family who loved nothing more than playing out with his friends."

They said they had pleaded with their son not to leave the country, but he did not listen.

"He told us not to worry and that he would be home after Christmas," they said.

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David Cameron Repeats Backing For TV Debates

David Cameron has reiterated he is in favour of having television debates before the next election in 2015.

The Prime Minister told Sky News he continued to support the idea he agreed to before the last General Election in 2010.

"I think they're very useful," he said. "What I've said is that I think last time they rather overtook and swallowed up the rest of the campaign.

"So let's look at maybe - now we've got fixed-term parliaments - starting a bit earlier.

"But our teams will get into talks and we should get on with that in the autumn."

David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Gordon Brown during the Sky News debate

Labour leader Ed Miliband and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg have both said they will take part.

Mr Cameron has previously indicated UKIP leader Nigel Farage - whose party is in third place in the polls ahead of the Lib Dems - should not take part.

Three separate debates were broadcast by Sky News, the BBC and ITV before polling day four years ago.

Mr Clegg enjoyed an unparalleled surge in support after debating Mr Cameron and the then Labour leader Gordon Brown for the first time.

One poll had him as the most popular party leader since Winston Churchill.

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Yellowstone Bison Spark Volcano Eruption Fears

Rangers have been forced to say there is no evidence Yellowstone's supervolcano is about to blow, after a YouTube video of a herd of bison dashing through the park sparked fears of an imminent eruption.

The video, filmed by Leo Leckie, who has been visiting Yellowstone for two decades, led to speculation the herd had sensed volcanic activity beneath the park's caldera.

Nearly 150,000 people have watched the video since it was posted.

The internet rumours gathered pace when a 4.8-magnitude earthquake - the largest to hit the area in more than 30 years - was recorded weeks after the video was shot.

But Al Nash, a spokesman for Yellowstone National Park, said: "We have heard about some pretty wild rumours - including one concerning the animals.

Thousands of bison live in Yellowstone National Park

"We do have bison, elk and other animals that have moved outside the park recently, but they're doing that because we're in the depths of winter and food is a little hard to find in places.

"At this time of year, they tend to migrate to lower elevations where they think there might be something to eat that's easier to get at.

"When the snow melts off and things start to green up, those very same animals will walk right back into the park."

According to the US Geological Service (USGS), there has been an uplift in earthquake activity around Yellowstone's caldera.

The supervolcano last exploded into life 70,000 years ago and an eruption is likely to deposit huge quantities of ash across much of the country.

Scientists have noticed a recent increase in seismic activity. Pic: USGS

Yellowstone lies in the middle of the North American plate - one of several which make the so-called 'ring of fire', which stretches around the Pacific Ocean.

There are fears recent tremors in Chile and Los Angeles, California, both of which lie on the horseshoe-shaped boundary, could be a precursor for the huge earthquake scientists have long been predicting.

However, Mr Nash said there were "no signs" tectonic activity was about to cause Yellowstone's volcano to erupt.

"We see between 1,000 and 3,000 earthquakes a year in Yellowstone and most of them are so small no one ever feels them," he said.

"We've had this recent earthquake near the Norris geyser basin, but there were no injuries or damage and ... it's just part of the geology of Yellowstone."

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Sir Bruce Admits TV's Strictly 'A Strain'

Sir Bruce Forsyth has told Sky News he feels it is the "right time" to step down as presenter of the BBC TV series Strictly Come Dancing, admitting the live shows had been a "strain".

But the 86-year-old entertainer, who fronted the popular Saturday night programme for a decade, insisted he was not retiring, with plans for a documentary about his late friend Sammy Davis Jnr, and a series of one-man shows.

He will also still work on pre-recorded Strictly shows for Christmas and Children In Need as well as one-off BBC specials.

Sir Bruce's future on the show has been the subject of speculation in recent months, having scaled back on his work schedule, including stepping down from the weekly results programme.

Sir Bruce with his Strictly co-star Tess Daly

The veteran star, whose career as a performer spans more than 70 years, said: "I just feel it's the right time. I am leaving at the very top.

"It's a bit of a strain - live television. It's a pressure doing it live.

"I am certainly not retiring. It's not a goodbye from being in show business."

The bookies favourite to replace him and take up the reins as the new host is ballroom dancer Anton Du Beke. Other front-runners include Vernon Kay and Claudia Winkleman.

But Sir Bruce joked: "The obvious replacement for me is Boris Johnson (the Mayor of London). I think he would do a great job."

BBC1 controller Charlotte Moore said: "Sir Bruce Forsyth is one of the great showbiz legends of our time and Strictly's success is due in vast amounts to him.

"I am so pleased he will continue to be part of the Strictly family and promise viewers that we haven't seen the last of him on BBC1."

The veteran entertainer received his knighthood from the Queen in 2011

Only last week at an awards ceremony, Sir Bruce, who has just returned from Puerto Rico, said no decision had been made about his future on the show.

He said: "When I calm down a bit I will then think about it and will see what's in the melting pot."

Sir Bruce started in show business aged just 14, with a song, dance, and accordion act called Boy Bruce, the Mighty Atom.

He rose to fame through the 1950s series Sunday Night at the London Palladium, going on to present series such as The Generation Game, Play Your Cards Right, The Price Is Right and You Bet!.

He earned a new generation of fans when he returned to the screen to front Strictly back in 2004.

He was knighted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2011.

The entertainer is also known for his memorable catchphrases including "Nice to see you, to see you nice"; "Good game, good game!" and "Didn't he do well?".

Strictly Come Dancing will return in the autumn. The last series was won by model Abbey Clancy and also featured TV presenter Susanna Reid and singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

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PM Accused Of 'Misleading Public' Over Miller

David Cameron has been accused of "misleading the public" over the Maria Miller expenses scandal.

In an interview with Sky News, the Prime Minister said that independent members on Parliament's Standards Committee - and not MPs - had made the "casting vote" on how the Culture Secretary should be dealt with after an expenses investigation.

He said that MPs had not been allowed to "police themselves" after it emerged that the committee, which is made up of cross party politicians alongside lay members, had downgraded the amount Mrs Miller should be asked to repay.

However, it is clear from the rules governing the committee that independent committee members do not get a vote on how MPs are dealt with.

Maria Miller issued a brief apology on Thursday

Labour MP John Mann, who initially reported Mrs Miller to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, said: "This is the man who said he wanted to clean up politics. Clearly he doesn't understand the system of self regulation and has mislead the public.

"He should write a letter to Maria Miller to inform her she is leaving the Cabinet."

Downing Street admitted the Prime Minister had made a mistake in suggesting lay members had made the decision on Mrs Miller's treatment.

Mrs Miller has kept her job after issuing a 32-second apology on Thursday for over-claiming thousands on a second home and her poor attitude to the sleaze watchdog's expenses investigation.

Labour MP John Mann: claim is misleading

She was asked to repay just £5,800 in expenses she had wrongly claimed for a second home after the 10-member standards committee overruled the standards commissioner's findings that she should pay back £45,000.

Speaking during a visit to Devon, Mr Cameron said: "MPs aren't policing themselves, we have now got a committee that has independent members on and effectively they had the casting vote and what this committee has decided - and it's not my decision it's the committee's decision - they decided that Maria Miller had not done what she was accused of doing.

"They cleared her of that, they found that she had made mistakes that she herself admitted to and actually helped to discover so they asked her to repay money, which she has done, and they asked her for an apology, which she has made."

When asked if he had treated her differently because she was a woman, he said: "I am not treating Maria Miller any differently from anyone else in the Cabinet."

The Labour MP Thomas Docherty has now written to the Metropolitan Police asking it to investigate Mrs Miller's expenses claims.

Mr Cameron's comments came after his spin chief Craig Oliver was forced to deny attempting to quash the story about Mrs Miller's expenses by threatening a newspaper editor.

She has always denied using her oversight of the reforms to press regulation suggested in the Leveson report in a bid to threaten The Daily Telegraph into backing off the story.

Craig Oliver has called the claims 'entirely false'

However, the newspaper's former editor Tony Gallagher has said that not only did Mrs Miller's special adviser threaten a reporter but the Prime Minister's official spokesman also phoned him.

Mr Gallagher told Radio 4's Today Programme: "I then got a third call from [the Downing Street communications director] Craig Oliver, pointing out that she's looking at Leveson and the call is badly timed."

The Daily Telegraph first raised the issue of the involvement of Mr Oliver in December 2012, at the height of the growing scandal surrounding the Tory MP for Basingstoke's expenses.

However, on Friday Mr Oliver responded saying: "It is entirely false to suggest that I tried to threaten him with Leveson in any way.

"The conversation I had with him was about the inappropriate door-stepping of an elderly man (Maria Miller's father)."

Mrs Miller was reported to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards by Mr Mann in December 2012 over concerns she had improperly claimed around £90,000 on a southwest London property between 2005 and 2009.

On Thursday a standards committee report cleared Mrs Miller of wrongly claiming, ruling she was entitled to the allowance on the Wimbledon second home she sold in February for a £1.2m profit.

She was told to repay £5,800 she said were as a result of changes to her mortgage payments caused by falling interest rates, which she had not reflected in her claims.

She was also told to apologise to the House of Commons for her attitude to the investigation, which the report had concluded was unhelpful.

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Max Clifford: Talent Singer Gives Evidence

By Nick Pisa, Sky News Reporter

A talent show winner has told a court that publicist Max Clifford was not in Spain when it is alleged he met a teenage girl who claimed he indecently assaulted her.

Tom Waite, a singer who won the TV talent show New Faces in 1973, said that Clifford carried out PR for him and arranged for him to visit a Spanish holiday resort.

Waite said he arrived at the complex in June 1977 and left two weeks later and the PR guru was there at the same time.

The dates are significant, as one of his alleged victims has told a court she met Clifford in Spain during a family holiday at Pontinental in Torremolinos in late August.

She claimed that on her return to Britain she saw the publicist several times and he went on to indecently assault her in his car.

Mr Waite told Southwark Crown Court he remembered visiting the Spanish resort, arriving on June 24, on an Airtours flight from Gatwick and leaving two weeks later.

He said: "Max was there with his family" but he couldn't remember if the publicist arrived before or after him.

Mr Waite said he did not meet the alleged victim or her family, but he remembered Clifford being "hailed a hero" for rescuing a drowning child.

Clifford's barrister Richard Horwell QC, asked Mr Waite about his client and he said: "I've got no problems with Max's integrity or anything else. I just know him as a very nice guy."

When asked by Mr Horwell if he had ever seen Clifford do anything inappropriate with women Mr Waite said: "No.

"Max accompanied me to a couple of shows at the Lakeside Country Club. He had a young lady with him, a stunning young lady.

"I've never seen him put a hand on her back or give her a peck on the cheek."

Under cross-examination Mr Waite confirmed that he'd had a "general discussion" with Clifford after the publicist was arrested in December 2012.

But he reacted angrily when the prosecution suggested he had altered his version of events to protect Clifford.

Under cross-examination from Tom Little it emerged Mr Waite had initially told police in January last year when they came to question him, he had gone to Spain solely with Clifford during June-July 1977.

But he later recalled Clifford had been with his wife and daughter as well.

Mr Waite, 64, said:"Look, Max was a nice guy. I don't owe him anything. I have a daughter, there is no way I'd lie for someone."

Mr Waite again confirmed he had called Clifford to speak with him after the allegations emerged, but simply to say he was "shocked and devastated" by what he had heard.

Mr Waite said he visited Torremolinos again between August 12,1977, and August 21-22, leaving briefly to spend a few days at another resort.

He remembered it was the time that Elvis Presley died (August 16, 1977) and he had called Clifford in London to find out if it was true.

Mr Waite told the court: "He was in his office and answered."

He said he had also called Clifford on August 26, 1977, to find out his work commitments and the publicist had picked up.

Clifford, 70, from Hersham, Surrey, denies eleven counts of indecent assault between 1966 and 1984 on seven girls and women.

The trial continues.

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Six Possible Answers To Missing Plane Mystery

The mystery of what made flight MH370 crash thousands of miles off route in the middle of the southern Indian Ocean has filled news websites and TV bulletins for the past three weeks.

But despite the huge interest and speculation, are we any nearer to finding out what happened to the doomed Boeing 777 now than when it vanished from radar on March 8?

What we do know is both the plane's transponder and Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), an in-flight digital system that helps track planes after they have gone out of radar coverage, were disabled or stopped working less than an hour into the flight.

The Malaysia Airlines jet carrying 239 people then flew west for at least five hours before crashing somewhere in the Indian Ocean.

Six theories remain for why the plane disappeared - cabin depressurisation, toxic fumes, fire, a hijacking, a pilot murder-suicide or simultaneous failures.

The homes of the two pilots have been searched by police

A panel of experts - including pilots, airline bosses, manufacturers and regulators - met in central London on Tuesday and tried to throw light on the mystery.

The event, organised by the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), came up with this analysis:

1. The aircraft depressurised, but continued to fly

This would explain the initial change in altitude and heading, as well as subsequent lack of communication, but not why the ACARS and transponder were turned off.

The transponder can be turned off from the cockpit and is done routinely when an aircraft lands.

Turning off the ACARS is more complicated, though, and would need someone with systems knowledge going into the aircraft's avionics bay - but this should have been prevented if security was adequate.

If the plane was depressurised, it would continue to fly automatically until the fuel ran out.

The effect on passengers would vary depending on the altitude. If the aircraft was above 35,000ft, it would take about one minute before everyone was incapacitated.

Oxygen masks should have descended automatically which would work for around 15 minutes.

The flight crew could have lasted longer using their oxygen masks, depending on whether they used pure oxygen or an oxygen mix.

SUMMARY: Possible.

The transcript reveals the last words of one of the pilots to ATC

2. The aircraft was overcome by toxic fumes

The pilots should have been able to send out a distress call and, again, it does not explain why the ACARS and transponder were turned off.

SUMMARY: Unlikely.

3. There was an onboard fire which damaged the communications systems

This would explain the lack of communication, but it is unlikely the aircraft would have then continued to fly as long as it did if the fire continued to burn.

The aircraft's communication systems could have also been disabled by power failure or sabotage.

Birdstrike is possible, but is unlikely to have caused such damage.

SUMMARY: Unlikely.

A pinger locator is being carried to the search area by ADV Ocean Shield

4. The aircraft was hijacked

The aircraft was not flown to another destination, nor was it used as a weapon for a suicide terrorist attack.

If it was an individual hijacker, then no one person or motive has been established and, if it was a group, no organisation has claimed responsibility.

SUMMARY: Possible.

5. The aircraft was deliberately diverted by the pilot/co-pilot

No reason for this has been identified. If it was a suicide attempt then why did the aircraft continue to fly for so long?

Another question is why there were no mobile phone calls or texts from passengers or cabin crew, given the in-flight entertainment (IFE) map would have shown the aircraft going off course.

One explanation is the IFE system was turned off.

The second is most passengers were asleep or did not realise anything was wrong until it was too late to do anything. If they tried to phone later, the aircraft would have been in a remote area over the ocean where there was no signal.

The third is passengers and cabin crew may have been incapacitated in some way, such as by hypoxia due to cabin depressurisation.

SUMMARY: Possible.

Despite a massive air and sea search, no debris from the jet has been found

6. Simultaneous failures

One technical expert pointed out that for every plausible scenario, there is at least one contradictory statement.

"If it was hypoxia, then who turned the aircraft?" he asked.

"If it was a fire, then how did it continue flying? If it was the flight crew, then why did the cabin crew not intervene?"

He suggested that, perhaps, more than one scenario occurred simultaneously - such as a wiring fire and depressurisation.

OVERALL SUMMARY: Until more evidence is found, nothing can be proved.

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Gibraltar: Spain Envoy Summoned Over 'Incursion'

Britain has summoned the Spanish ambassador after Spain sent a ship into Gibraltar's waters in a move that has reignited tensions over the territory.

In what is being seen as a clearly inflammatory move Spain sent a state research vessel accompanied by a police boat to the waters off the British territory on Tuesday.

Europe Minister David Lidington said the activities of the vessels were both "unlawful" and some of the manoeuvres made by the Guardia Civil boat were dangerous.

He vowed to take "whatever action necessary" to safeguard the interests of Gibraltar.

A Spanish ship refused to leave Gibraltar's waters in November

The Spanish Ambassador Federico Trillo was summoned to the Foreign Office on Wednesday to explain the "serious incursion".

It is the fourth time he has been publicly summoned by Britain over Gibraltar since December 2011, when the current Spanish Government took office.

Sky's Diplomatic Editor Tim Marshall said the move by the Spanish suggested they had "fully intended to provoke the British."

He added: "This is not to say who is right and who is wrong in law. The British are extraordinarily confident that in law these are British territorial waters and the Spanish have got no rights there. In that they are supported by most of the European Union."

Mr Lidington said: "Not only were the actions of the survey vessel unlawful, but it was accompanied by a Spanish Guardia Civil vessel whose dangerous manoeuvring presented a significant safety concern on the waters.

Travellers faced lengthy queues at the Gibraltar border in the summer

"I strongly condemn this provocative incursion and urge the Spanish government to ensure that it is not repeated. Her Majesty's Government will continue to take whatever action we consider necessary to uphold British sovereignty and the interests of Gibraltar, its people, its security and economy."

The Prime Minister's spokesman said: "(We) raise very clearly our concerns with the Spanish government. We will continue to do that if we need to. We would strongly urge the Spanish authorities to desist."

It is the latest incident in a long-running row between Spain and the British territory.

In November Mr Trillo was summoned after a Spanish ship refused to leave Gibraltar's waters for 20 hours.

In the summer Spain tightened up its checks on travellers crossing the border to Gibraltar leading to delays of several hours following a diplomatic row over an artificial reef built by Gibraltar provoking anger from Spanish fisherman.

David Cameron asked the European Commission to investigate claiming the checks were "politically motivated" and potentially in breach of EU law on free movement of people.

However, the commission said the checks were not unlawful and ordered the UK and Spain to work together.

In August Spanish mayor Francisco Perez Trigueros provoked anger in Gibraltar after posting a mock-up picture of Spain invading The Rock on Facebook.

Spain lays claim to Gibraltar, which has a population of just 30,000 and was ceded to Britain 300 years ago.

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Arrest After Man Stabbed 102 Times In Essex

Police investigating the murder of a "very vulnerable" man who was stabbed 102 times have made an arrest.

James Attfield, 33, died in a park in Colchester, Essex, in what has been described as a "senseless and frenzied" attack.

The victim, known as Jim to his family, had 102 separate wounds on his arms, hands, back, neck and head, police revealed.

Mr Attfield, from East Bay, Colchester, was treated at the scene by paramedics in Castle Park on Saturday morning but died from his injuries.

He was a father-of-five, who had not been in contact with his children since he was severely hurt when he was struck by a car four years ago.

His mother, Julie Finch, described her son as a "bit of a loner" who was "in the process of rebuilding his life" when he died.

At a press conference, she said he suffered a severe brain injury in the road traffic accident.

"The effects of which left him with a weakness to the left side of his body which in turn affected his balance.

Mr Attfield on CCTV in a pub in the hours before his death

"His speech was also slightly affected and he suffered short term memory loss and these things obviously made him very vulnerable.

"Jim was very aware of his disabilities and avoided crowded places and situations where he could get injured again."

She added: "Jim was well liked and polite - everyone always had a good word to say about him.

"This to me seems a senseless and frenzied attack on a gentle, vulnerable young man."

Officers say a 38-year-old man from Colchester is being held in connection with the death.

CCTV capturing Mr Attfield's last known movements was released by detectives on Monday appealing to the public for help in finding out who attacked him and why.

It shows Mr Attfield at the River Lodge pub in Middleborough, Colchester. He left the pub at 10.09pm, leaving behind most of his drink, which his family says was unusual for him.

Police said they do not know where he went between leaving the pub and being found injured in Castle Park at 5.45am on Saturday.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Werrett urged members of the public to contact police if they have any information about Mr Attfield's wherabouts or "anything they may have seen or heard in the Castle Park area" early on Saturday morning.

"This is very much a fast moving and on-going investigation which really needs information from the public."

More follows...

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Air Pollution: 10 Things You Need To Know

By Martin Jefferies, Sky News Online

People with lung and heart problems have been warned to avoid strenuous activity as air quality falls to its lowest possible level across parts of the country. We look at what is behind the increase in air pollution and ask just how serious the problem is.

:: What is causing air quality to drop?

The poor air quality levels sweeping across much of England and Wales are caused by a combination of dust blown in from the Sahara desert and harmful emissions from both the UK and Europe.

Light winds have allowed this cocktail of natural and man-made pollutants to linger in the skies above the country.

:: What is in the air?

As well as dust and sand particles from the Sahara desert, traffic pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide (NO2), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter - combined with the ozone created when sunlight reacts with NO2 and VOCs - cause air quality to worsen.

Although these pollutants can cause air pollution close to where they are emitted, they can also travel long distances, with emissions from mainland Europe adding to the current problems in southeast England.

The dust falls to the ground when it rains, leaving a fine residue on car windscreens and other outdoor surfaces. 

Vehicles and industry are the biggest contributors to air pollution

:: What are the health implications?

Air pollution can cause runny eyes and noses, as well as coughs and sore throats, but the effects can be more serious among the very young, the elderly and those with existing lung or heart problems.

Dr Keith Prowse, former chairman of the British Lung Foundation and an honorary medical adviser, told Sky News: "People with asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) should make sure they have their reliever inhalers with them, and those who use preventer inhalers may have been told to double their dose.

"The best advice is not to go out when pollution levels are high and not to take part in strenuous exercise."

Face masks are a common sight in many parts of the world

:: Will people need to start wearing face masks?

Worsening air pollution in places like China has made face masks a must-have accessory for many people.

However, Dr Carol Cooper, a London GP, said: "A good piece of advice is not to bother. They're not generally very effective and wearing one can actually make breathing more difficult.

"Wearing a face mask in somewhere like southeast Asia is more of a cultural thing than a medical one."

Dust from thousands of miles away in Africa is adding to the problems

:: How does sand from the Sahara end up in the UK?

"There are currently strong dust storms across the Sahara and because the winds in the upper atmosphere are blowing in a southerly direction, this is sending the dust and sand particles over western Europe and into the atmosphere over England and Wales," Sky News weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar said.

"The reason we've seen the orange deposits is because of recent rainfall. Any rain clears the dust from the upper atmosphere, bringing it down to lower levels, and as the water evaporates it leaves behind the orange dust.

Airports are not expecting the Saharan dust to cause significant problems

:: Is the dust likely to cause any disruption to flights?

Many air passengers will remember the chaos caused by the volcanic ash cloud generated by the eruption of Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull in 2010.

Flights were grounded across the UK and Europe amid fears dust could cause engine damage.

However, a spokesman for Nats, the British air traffic control service, said it was "not aware" of any likely disruption to flights, while a British Airways official added: "We are not expecting our customers to be affected in any way."

London and the South East are among the areas worst affected

:: How is air pollution measured?

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) measures air quality on a scale of one to 10, with each number given a different colour to visualise the extent of pollution on a map of the country.

London and the South East, including East Anglia, Essex and Kent, are currently coloured purple, indicating "very high" levels of air pollution, whereas the North, Scotland and Northern Ireland appear green, suggesting levels are much lower.

Beijing, in China, has battled with smog for many years

:: How does air pollution in London compare to other countries?

London appears way down a World Health Organisation (WHO) list of the most-polluted cities in the world, with similar pollution levels to other major cities such as Budapest and Dusseldorf.

The capital is around 13 times less polluted than the city with the worst air quality - Ahwan in southwestern Iran - and has air seven times cleaner than that of Delhi, although it lags behind places such as Munich, Tokyo and Canberra.

Pollution is measured by the average number of tiny particles in the air per cubic metre.

Smog descends on Christmas shoppers in London's Regent Street in 1962

:: Has air quality not been improving in the UK?

There has been a marked improvement in urban air quality over the last two decades.

In 1993, air pollution was at moderate or higher levels for roughly one day in every six. Using the same methodology, that figure is now around one in every 36.

There has been a huge drop in the amount of carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide in the air, but although pollution at the roadside has shown signs of long-term improvement, it has remained relatively stable since 1998.

In February, the European Commission launched legal proceedings against the UK over claims it is years late reaching agreed EU standards.

Smog hangs over many of central London's most famous landmarks

It says levels of toxic gas nitrogen dioxide remain "excessive" and are contributing to respiratory problems and premature deaths.

:: How long is this latest bout of air pollution like to last?

Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend, helped by outbreaks of rain in the West that will effectively wash away dust and other contaminants from the atmosphere.

However, Ghaffar said: "Rain is only a brief relief from the dust in the atmosphere. A change in wind direction is needed to stop the flow of particles blowing through and from Thursday, that is what we can expect."

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Eleventh-Hour Bid To Halt Student Deportation

Lawyers have lodged papers to try and get an emergency injunction to block the deportation of Mauritian student Yashika Bageerathi.

The 19-year-old is due to be removed at 9pm, but her legal team want more time to take her case to the Court of Appeal.

She is being driven from Yarl's Wood immigration centre in Bedfordshire to Heathrow airport for an Air Mauritius flight.

A spokesman for Miss Bageerathi's school, Oasis Academy Hadley, in Enfield, north London said she was "very distressed and worried".

The school spokesman said: "She is on her way in the van but I really hope we can keep her here.

"We're encouraging everyone to tweet Air Mauritius and to phone them to stop this."

Ms Bageerathi has already received two last-minute reprieves from deportation after airlines apparently refused to fly her home.

The campaign to keep her in the UK has drawn more than 175,000 signatures to an e-petition in support of the promising maths student who is due to sit A-level exams. 

Campaigners are angry that the 19-year-old is being separated from her mother, who is facing deportation at a later date.

Both their asylum cases - claiming they are fleeing a violent relative - have failed.

James Brokenshire, the immigration minister, told MPs he would intervene only in "exceptional" cases - and this one did not fall into that category.

He told MPs that her case had been through the proper legal process and resulted in a Home Office decision that she does not need protection from violence or persecution.

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Smog Shrouds Cities As Desert Sand Blasts UK

Air quality is expected to plummet to its lowest possible level in parts of the UK today, as the country continues to feel the effects of desert sandstorms.

The elderly, people with lung problems and adults with heart conditions have been told to avoid strenuous physical activity, as plumes of dust blown in from the Sahara and deposited by rain send air pollution soaring.

London and the South East, including parts of East Anglia, Kent and Essex, are expected to be worst hit.

However, high pollution levels are expected to spread across much of England and Wales during the course of the day.

The bright red colour shows the dust heading towards the UK

A spokesman for the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the effects will be felt anywhere south of a line stretching from Merseyside to The Wash.

It will be the second day in a row the country has been hit by heightened smog levels.

On Tuesday, Defra recorded "high" to "very high" air pollution levels across East Anglia, parts of southeast England and around the Humber.

The agency spokesman told Sky News: "The high level of air pollution this week is due to a combination of local emissions, light winds, pollution from the continent and dust blown over from the Sahara."

Speckles of 'Sahara dust' on a car windscreen in London

Many in the country have woken up over the last few days to see a thin level of red sand coating cars and streets.

However, unlike the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud of 2010, which caused airports across Europe to shut down amid fears dust could cause engine damage, air traffic controllers said they were "not aware" of any likely disruption to flights.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: "A large amount of sand and dust was swept up by storm winds in the desert, around 2,000 miles away in northwest Africa.

"The airborne particles were blown north to the UK, where they combined with our warm air and were deposited during showers."

Forecaster Paul Hutcheon added: "We usually see this happen several times a year when big dust storms in the Sahara coincide with southerly winds to bring that dust here.

"More dust rain is possible during showers expected later this week."

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), air pollution is the world's most serious environmental health risk.

It found pollution, ranging from cooking fires to car fumes, was linked to seven million deaths in 2012 - roughly one in eight.

Rising smog levels are linked to dust blown from the Sahara

The biggest pollution-related killers were heart disease, stroke, pulmonary disease and lung cancer, the WHO said.

England is not the only place to be hit by increased smog levels recently.

Last month, Paris imposed a day-long driving ban after pollution particles in the air exceeded safe levels for five straight days.

Air quality is expected to return to higher levels by the weekend.

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Clegg V Farage EU Debate: Live Updates

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5:50pm UK, Wednesday 02 April 2014

Clegg and Farage no-holds-barred: round two

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Malaysia Plane Probe Focuses On Crew And Pilots

Full Transcript Of Last Contact With MH370

Updated: 12:36pm UK, Tuesday 01 April 2014

A transcript of the final conversations between the control tower and Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has been released.

MAS 370 (Kuala Lumpur to Beijing)

PILOT-ATC RADIOTELEPHONY TRANSCRIPT

Departure from KLIA: 8 March 2014

ATC DELIVERY

12:25:53 MAS 370 Delivery MAS 370 Good Morning

12:26:02 ATC MAS 370 Standby and Malaysia Six is cleared to Frankfurt via AGOSA Alpha Departure six thousand feet squawk two one zero six

12:26:19 ATC ... MAS 370 request level

12:26:21 MAS 370 MAS 370 we are ready requesting flight level three five zero to Beijing

12:26:39 ATC MAS 370 is cleared to Beijing via PIBOS A Departure Six Thousand Feet squawk two one five seven

12:26:45 MAS 370 Beijing PIBOS A Six Thousand Squawk two one five seven, MAS 370 Thank You

12:26:53 ATC MAS 370 Welcome over to ground

12:26:55 MAS 370 Good Day

LUMPUR GROUND

12:27:27 MAS 370 Ground MAS370 Good morning Charlie One Requesting push and start

12:27:34 ATC MAS370 Lumpur Ground Morning Push back and start approved Runway 32 Right Exit via Sierra 4.

12:27:40 MAS 370 Push back and start approved 32 Right Exit via Sierra 4 POB 239 Mike Romeo Oscar

12:27:45 ATC Copied

12:32:13 MAS 370 MAS377 request taxi.

12:32:26 ATC MAS37..... (garbled) ... standard route. Hold short Bravo

12:32:30 MAS 370 Ground, MAS370. You are unreadable. Say again.

12:32:38 ATC MAS370 taxi to holding point Alfa 11 Runway 32 Right via standard route. Hold short of Bravo.

12:32:42 MAS 370 Alfa 11 Standard route Hold short Bravo MAS370.

12:35:53 ATC MAS 370 Tower

12:36:19 ATC (garbled) ... Tower ... (garbled)

MAS 370 1188 MAS370 Thank you

LUMPUR TOWER

12:36:30 MAS 370 Tower MAS370 Morning

12:36:38 ATC MAS370 good morning. Lumpur Tower. Holding point..[garbled]..10 32 Right

12:36:50 MAS 370 Alfa 10 MAS370

12:38:43 ATC 370 line up 32 Right Alfa 10. MAS 370 Line up 32 Right Alfa 10 MAS370.

12:40:38 ATC 370 32 Right Cleared for take-off. Good night.

MAS 370 32 Right Cleared for take-off MAS370. Thank you Bye.

LUMPUR APPROACH

12:42:05 MAS 370 Departure Malaysian Three Seven Zero

12:42:10 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero selamat pagi identified. Climb flight level one eight zero cancel SID turn right direct to IGARI

12:42:48 MAS 370 Okay level one eight zero direct IGARI Malaysian one err Three Seven Zero

12:42:52 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero contact Lumpur Radar One Three Two Six good night MAS 370 Night One Three Two Six Malaysian Three Seven Zero

LUMPUR RADAR (AREA)

12:46:51 MAS 370 Lumpur Control Malaysian Three Seven Zero

12:46:51 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero Lumpur radar Good Morning climb flight level two five zero

12:46:54 MAS370 Morning level two five zero Malaysian Three Seven Zero

12:50:06 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero climb flight level three five zero

12:50:09 MAS370 Flight level three five zero Malaysian Three Seven Zero

01:01:14 MAS370 Malaysian Three Seven Zero maintaining level three five zero

01:01:19 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero

01:07:55 MAS370 Malaysian...Three Seven Zero maintaining level three five zero

01:08:00 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero

01:19:24 ATC Malaysian Three Seven Zero contact Ho Chi Minh 120 decimal 9 Good Night

01:19:29 MAS370 Good Night Malaysian Three Seven Zero

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Clegg And Farage In Second TV Europe Clash

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

EU foreign policy on Ukraine and Syria - and Vladimir Putin - are likely to dominate when Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage clash tonight in their second televised debate.

UKIP leader Nigel Farage has said he is expecting Mr Clegg to "have a go" at him about the Russian president after blows traded earlier this week.

Mr Farage picked out the Russian president when asked who he most admired in an interview for GQ by the former Labour spin-doctor Alastair Campbell.

"As an operator, but not as a human being, I would say Putin," he said.

"The way he played the whole Syria thing. Brilliant. Not that I approve of him politically."

Mr Clegg hit back describing the comment as "utterly grotesque". He said Mr Putin had been the "chief sponsor and protector of one of the most brutal dictators on the face of the planet, President Assad".

But the Prime Minister will not even be watching the proceedings and, according to his official spokesman, will "catch the highlights as part of the news bulletins tonight."

He said: "The Deputy Prime Minister wanted to debate the approach to the EU with Mr Farage. He is perfectly entitled to.

Polls suggested Mr Farage won the pair's first debate

"The Prime Minister has set out his approach very clearly and he is interested in making the case for his own approach to the EU."

A UKIP source said it seemed the Lib Dems wanted to focus Wednesday's debate on the issue.

"We are ready for a row about foreign policy," he said. "We think most people agree with Nigel on this one. Clegg, Hague, Miliband, Cameron have been behaving like a bunch of sanctimonious students."

A Lib Dem poster takes a swipe at the absence of Labour and the Tories

Mr Farage is likely to argue that the British public are fed up of being dragged into conflicts with no pressing national interest. He has accused UK leaders of "destabilising" countries such as Ukraine and Syria.

Meanwhile, the Lib Dems are keen to focus on the fact that the Conservative and Labour leaders have chosen not to take part in the debate.

The party has released a poster overnight that describes Mr Clegg as the only leader "standing up for British jobs" - and slams Ed Miliband and David Cameron as "missing in action".

Although the immediate polls following last week's debate suggested Mr Farage had won overall, both leaders saw a boost.

The Lib Dems want to use the debates to help them win pro-European votes off both the Conservatives and Labour.

A senior Lib Dem source said: "Although we are low in the polls, being able to move one or 2% of people might make a big difference to this. It is exposure and it is an important debate."

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