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Pair Admit Burying Parents' Bodies In Garden

Written By Unknown on Sabtu, 22 Maret 2014 | 00.48

By David Crabtree, Midlands Correspondent

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

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

They admitted obstructing a coroner in the execution of his duty by burying the bodies of William and Patricia Wycherley sometime between May 2 and May 10 in 1998.

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

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

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

Judge Mrs Justice Thirlwall remanded the Edwards in custody.

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

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Missing Plane: Expert Rules Out Fire Theory

A safety expert has ruled out fire as a cause for the disappearance of the missing Malaysia Airlines plane after it emerged lithium ion batteries were being carried in its hold.

Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, chief executive of the airline, revealed the batteries - which have posed safety concerns after causing fires on board Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft - were in the cargo hold.

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

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

The burnt auxiliary power unit battery, removed from an ANA Boeing Co 787 Dreamliner plane which made an emergency landing, is seen next to an undamaged one

Dreamliner aircraft were grounded in 2013 after fires caused by batteries

One of the theories behind the plane's disappearance has focused on a fire breaking out and causing the pilots to become incapacitated.

But David Learmount, operations and safety editor of Flightglobal, said the pilots would have alerted air traffic control if a fire broke out onboard.

He told Sky News Online: "The problem if you have a lot of them (batteries) and they start reacting with each other is that they cause an enormous amount of heat and that causes fire.

"The pilots would be immediately aware because of detectors and fires in the hold can be very dangerous because you can't get into it from the aircraft.

"They would be turning for the nearest airport as fast as possible and telling air traffic control - fire on any aircraft is absolutely terrifying for everyone.

"This aircraft has not come down because of fire. The idea that a pilot would keep a fire quiet is absolutely unthinkable."

Mr Learmount said the theory that the aircraft was deliberately turned off course by someone who knew what they were doing was the most plausible explanation for its disappearance.

Malaysian authorities have said the plane turned west and travelled back over the Malay Peninsula and out into the Indian Ocean after it vanished from radar during its flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

The last contact with the Boeing 777 was heard from the cockpit, when a person thought to be the co-pilot said "all right, good night" to Malaysian air traffic control at 1.19am.

An international search team scoured areas of the southern Indian Ocean on Friday for sign of objects spotted by a satellite which could potentially be debris.

On Wednesday, pilot Fikri Zambi told Sky News that a fire in the cabin of the aircraft could have incapacitated both pilots.

He said the pair could have changed course to find the nearest airport, but were overcome by smoke before they were able to land.

Airlines grounded their Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleets for three months last year after fires caused by lithium ion batteries. The batteries were subsequently redesigned.

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'Miracle' Baby Born As Mum Dies In Bike Crash

A "miracle" baby has survived after being born during a motorcycle crash that killed his mum and dad.

One officer who was at the scene in Xiamen City, southeast China, said he spotted the baby lying five metres away from the body of his mum.

"The baby moved his legs and arms and cried out. We immediately rescued the new born baby," said Lyu Yiwen, of Xiamen Haicang Traffic Police Brigade.

China Miracle Baby Born As Mum Dies In Bike Crash

The baby was spotted five metres away from the body of his mum

"The vehicle incident made us feel life is fragile, but the new born baby touched us with the miracle and the greatness of life. So, we are all in awe of this new born life."

A hospital spokesman said the baby, which weighs 9lb 2oz (4.2kg), is in a stable condition.

But he added: "At the current time, the baby is suffering from intracranial hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage and brachial plexus injury.

He is in a stable condition but doctors are still concerned

"After consultation, we think the baby is also suffering from lung contusion which can be life-threatening. We must keep a close watch on him."

The pregnant woman and her husband were instantly killed when their motorcycle collided with a truck.

They were on their way to hospital after the mother began feeling abdominal pains on Tuesday morning.

The driver of the truck has been detained by the police.

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Malaysian Plane: Hope And Activity In Perth

Pearce Air Force base, just to the north of the western Australian city of Perth, has become the centre of activity and of hope in the search for the missing Malaysian airliner.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) base, which is usually used only for flight training, is now hosting highly sophisticated P3 Orion surveillance planes and their crews.

Three P3 Orions have flown up from their base in South Australia to spearhead the new focus in the search for flight MH370.

The search for the missing Malaysian airplane continues

Orion pilot Russell Adams briefs reporters after a search

A long-range Bombardier Global Express jet, usually used as an executive private plane, has also been brought in to assist the search.

A fifth plane, the US Navy's brand new P8 Poseidon, has joined the search from its base in Okinawa, Japan, and is flying its own sorties from Perth International Airport.

The first RAAF P3 Orion left Pearce at about 9.15am. The journey to the search area deep in the southern Indian Ocean is 1,500 miles. It is closer to Antarctica than it is to Australia.

Possible Malaysian Airliner Debris Found In Indian Ocean

The planes typically spend 10 hours in the air during each search

The second P3 Orion departed two hours later at 11.15am. Fifteen minutes later, the Bombardier jet departed, and the third P3 followed at 12.45pm.

For the ground crew, whose usual daily task is coordinating the movements of small trainer aircraft, it is a busy time.

In the searing heat, we spot the first of the P3 planes on the horizon. It is making its final approach back into Pearce after 10 hours in the air. Eight of those hours were spent travelling and just two searching.

A P3 Orion search and rescue plane returns to Pearce base

As the pilot walks towards us for a few words, it's clear he is tired but upbeat. For the whole flight crew, the work is long and tiring. As well as operating sophisticated search equipment on the planes, they are using their eyes, too.

Their radar picked up nothing on Thursday and so they have spent much of Friday flying low; at times just 50 metres above the water.

That sort of piloting is hard. It's also tough for the crews to keep their eyes focused on the water for so many hours. We discovered that much after seven hours on a search with the Royal Malaysian Air Force last week. Even small ripples in the water look like objects.

The aircraft are equipped with the world's most advanced search technology

Add to that the fact that the search zone is in one of the most remote corners of the planet. It is an ocean where currents are strong, the waves are rough and the waters are among the deepest in the world.

There is a media circus here, too. Tents are lined up next to each other, the Australian networks, who made it here first, have the plumb spots. Next to them is the Sky News spot, the BBC and then the three main American networks.

CCTV, China's main TV network, also has a big presence here. Most of those on board the missing plane are Chinese.

The sorties cease as night falls. The difficult work resumes at first light.

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'Columbine' Terror Trial Shown Petrol Bomb Video

A teenager armed himself with guns and explosives and planned a Columbine massacre on his old school, the Old Bailey has heard.

A shaky video was shown to the jury of Michael Piggin lighting a rag stuffed inside a bottle of flammable liquid and then throwing it down an alley.

Piggin 'seen with the petrol bomb'

The Molotov cocktail explodes leaving flames on the ground and up a brick wall.

Piggin, who was 17 when arrested but can now be named after turning 18, is accused of plotting a terror attack on staff and pupils at his former school in Loughborough, Leicestershire.

He identified Loughborough Mosque, a local cinema, Loughborough University and council offices as targets, it is alleged.

A second video was shown to the court of Piggin writing anti-Muslim graffiti on a wall.

In it, he spray-paints "No More Mosques!" in large black letters.

The Molotov cocktail exploded in an alley

Piggin, who has Asperger's syndrome, denies a charge of possessing items for the purpose, preparation and instigation of an act of terrorism.

They include partially-assembled petrol and pipe bombs, partially-constructed improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a stab proof vest and gas mask, air rifles, pistols, ammunition and a notebook containing information about making explosives.

He also denies possessing a document or record containing information likely to be useful for a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

Piggin and two other teenagers, who cannot be named, have already pleaded guilty to possessing petrol bombs and component parts of pipe bombs for the use of explosive devices, the jury was told.

Piggin has also admitted possessing the component parts for improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the court heard.

Twelve students and one teacher were killed in the Columbine high school massacre in Colorado in 1999.

The trial continues.

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Fifa To Investigate Qatar Corruption Claims

By Paul Kelso, Sports Correspondent

Fifa's ethics committee is to examine fresh allegations of corruption against two former vice-presidents of world football's governing body.

Earlier this week the Daily Telegraph alleged that Jack Warner, once one of the most influential and notorious figures at Fifa, received $1.2m from a company controlled by Mohamed Bin Hammam, a Fifa vice-president and a senior figure in Qatar's bid for the 2022 World Cup.

No explanation for the payments has been offered, but the newspaper alleged that an invoice for the payments was issued within days of Qatar winning the right to host the 2022 tournament in December 2010. The money was finally paid in July 2011.

Jack Warner left Fifa amid a corruption scandal in 2011

There have been numerous allegations of corruption against the Qatar 2022 bid, all of which it has denied. The tiny Emirate won a secret ballot of Fifa's executive committee, defeating bids from the USA, Australia, Japan and Korea.

In a statement released on Friday Fifa's chief investigator Michael Garcia said he was aware of allegations against Mr Warner and Mr Bin Hammam.

In a statement read to a media conference in Zurich by a Fifa official, Mr Garcia said: "The ethics committee is aware in the published article, and as with any allegation of misconduct, the ethics committee will take whatever action is considered appropriate."

Fifa president Sepp Blatter refused to comment on the allegation until Mr Garcia's investigation is completed.

Mohamed bin Hammam, president of the Asian Football Federation, puts on his glasses at a lunch event in Ypacarai

Mohamed Bin Hammam was a senior figure in Qatar's 2022 World Cup bid

"I am happy that now we have an independent committee for ethics, it is a matter for the committee, I am not going to make any comments, please understand, as long as this file is open."

Mr Garcia has been examining the conduct of the 2018 and 2022 bid processes for more than a year and it remains unclear when he will report.

He visited Zurich unannounced this week and interviewed the 13 current members of the executive committee who took part in the 2010 election.

Mr Blatter also said he would visit Qatar before the Brazil World Cup this summer to seek reassurances on the issue of workers' rights.

Doha has been heavily criticised for the number of deaths among migrant construction workers, and Fifa is under pressure to secure assurances that World Cup venues will be built in safer conditions.

Mr Blatter also dismissed calls for the 2018 World Cup to be stripped from Russia following its annexation of the Crimea.

Former culture secretary Andy Burnham is among those who has said it should be considered as retaliation for Russia's actions.

Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko, also a Fifa executive committee member, gave a progress report to his colleagues on Friday, and Mr Blatter said there was no chance of it being removed.

"The World Cup has been voted to Russia and we are going forward with that work," he said.

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Veiled Acid Attacker Sentenced To 12 Years

By Siobhan Robbins, Sky News Reporter

A woman who threw acid in the face of her friend, leaving her scarred for life, has been sentenced to 12 years in jail.

Mary Konye, 22, cried as the sentence was handed down at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

Her victim Naomi Oni has had skin grafts to cover the severe burns and has been left with scars on her face, legs, chest, stomach and arms.

The 22-year-old Victoria's Secret shop assistant was almost blinded in one eye, lost an eyelid, her eyelashes and hair following the attack on December 30, 2012, in Dagenham, East London.

Mary Konye dressed in a veil to carry out an attack on her friend.

In a statement read out in court, Naomi Oni said she felt "violated" by the attack, which left her feeling like killing herself.

Before the attack, she told the court, she was a "confident" young woman with a job she enjoyed.

"All this changed that day I was struck with acid and my life was turned upside down," she said.

She described every day now as "a battle to get by".

"I'm going to have these scars as a reminder forever ... my injuries are due to the carefully planned acts of an evil, wicked person," Ms Oni added.

Konye disguised herself in a Muslim veil and followed Naomi Oni home from work before attacking her.

No clear motive has ever been discovered but it is believed the pair fell out in April 2011 after Ms Oni allegedly accused Konye of texting her boyfriend and called her an "ugly monster".

On sentencing Konye, Judge David Radford said Konye had shown no remorse for the "deliberate and wicked act".

Naomi Oni had to receive months of treatment for her injuries.

Judge Radford said: "This careful, premeditated criminality was planned against a person who reasonably believed you were a true friend.

"Her friendship had been so wilfully betrayed by you," he said, adding the attack had "ruined" Ms Oni's life.

Following the assault Konye pretended to offer her former friend support, texting her in hospital.

Although it is thought Konye could have planned the attack for two years, she later suggested Ms Oni had devised the whole thing to get "fame and fortune".

The attack is believed to have been a copycat version of the one suffered by model and TV presenter Katie Piper, who was badly scarred and left blind in one eye in an assault arranged by her ex-boyfriend, Daniel Lynch, in 2008.

Previously, Ms Oni had told the court that Konye knew the impact the attack had on her after they watched a TV documentary about it.

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Missing Malaysian Jet: Debris 'May Have Sunk'

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

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

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

HMS Echo is heading towards the region

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

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

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

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

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

RAAF AP-3C Orion pilot Adams speaks to the press in Perth upon his return

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

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

"It may have slipped to the bottom."

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

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

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

Malaysia's Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein at today's briefing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Muslims perform a prayer for passengers at a mosque in Putrajaya, Malaysia

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

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

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

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

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

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

A message board of support at a shopping centre in Damansara, Malaysia

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

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

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

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

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

Relatives of those on board wait for news at a hotel in Beijing

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

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

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

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

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

Satellite images show objects which may be debris from the plane

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

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

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

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

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John Terry's Father Cleared Over 'Racist Row'

Footballer John Terry's father has been cleared of headbutting an Asian man and racially abusing him in a dispute over a cigarette outside a pub.

The 59-year-old was found not guilty of carrying out a racially-aggravated common assault by jurors at the Old Bailey.

The Chelsea captain's father was also cleared of one count of racially-aggravated fear or provocation of violence.

It followed a five-day trial, during which he was accused of calling Amarjit Talafair, a railway customer services worker, a "******* Paki" outside the Windsor pub near Fenchurch Street station on March 22 last year.

Mr Talafair conceded he was not hurt because he was able to dodge Terry's alleged headbutt and admitted calling the defendant a "fat bald prick" during the confrontation.

Terry admitted calling Mr Talafair a "****** tight prick", but denied headbutting him or racially abusing him.

He told the jury: "I just said '**** off, go back downstairs', things like that. It wasn't no racist stuff."

His co-accused, former schoolboy boxing champion Stephen Niland, 36, from Romford, Essex, and Moldova-born Tudor Musteata, 47, from Greenwich, south east London, were also found not guilty of racially-aggravated fear or provocation of violence.

Terry, from Grays, Essex, said he was "relieved" afterwards.

"It's been a hard year for all of us. We all felt it was nothing, really. It was stupid," he said.

"I'm just going home and I'm going to phone John up," he added.

Jurors were told Terry received a 24-month conditional discharge for common assault in 2005 and a suspended prison sentence for an offence of supplying class A drugs in 2010.

Two months after his arrest last March, Terry admitted racially abusing another man and was fined £200 for calling him a "******* Irish prick" at Barking rail station, the court heard.

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Putin Signs Crimea Annexation As Russia Warned

Vladimir Putin has completed legislation for taking control of Crimea, as David Cameron warned Russia it faces international isolation and tighter sanctions over the move.

As the Russian President signed the final annexation document in a Kremlin ceremony broadcast live on state television, Mr Cameron and other EU leaders imposed sanctions on 12 more people to punish Moscow for its takeover of the Ukrainian territory.

The EU also agreed to step up moves to reduce the bloc's reliance on Russian energy.

Mr Cameron said EU members needed to do more to develop their own reserves, as well as their ability to use gas from overseas producers, including the US.

The Prime Minister said: "Our message to Russia is clear: choose the path to diplomacy and de-escalation or face increasing isolation and tighter and tighter sanctions.

"It was very important that the European democracies represented here should send a strong and united message that Russia should face further consequences, and that is what we have done.

"We have subjected 12 more individuals to travel bans and asset freezes, bringing the total to 33. We have cancelled the EU-Russia summit, agreed not to hold bilateral summits and we'll block Russian membership of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the International Energy Agency.

Russia was accused by Ukraine of invading Crimea during recent unrest

"We have agreed to rapidly implement economic, trade and financial restrictions on occupied Crimea. We will only accept Crimean goods in the EU if they come from the Ukraine and not Russia."

Mr Cameron also refused to rule out further sanctions against several oligarchs, including Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.

Beyond punishing Russia, the EU leaders also showed backing for Ukraine by signing an agreement which aligns the new administration in Kiev more firmly with Europe.

The measures come a day after the US decided to slap sanctions on Mr Putin's inner circle of money men and security officials.

US President Barack Obama said 20 individuals linked to the Russian government and a bank supporting those individuals would be targeted.

Moscow immediately responded by banning nine US officials and politicians from entering Russia. It has yet to take retaliatory action against the EU.

But on Friday morning, Mr Putin mocked planned Western sanctions against his country over its annexation of Crimea.

He was reported to have claimed he will open a bank account at a sanction-hit bank and joked he will steer clear of allies on a list of people facing sanctions as they are "compromising us."

And Ukrainian troops begin leaving their military bases in the Crimean peninsula. The truce between the two countries has now expired.

The Russian takeover of the Black Sea peninsula has been largely bloodless, though one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and two others wounded in a shooting earlier this week.

But Ukraine's Acting President has vowed that the country will never accept Russia's seizure of Crimea.

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Pro-Russian Forces Seize Ukrainian Navy HQ

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 20 Maret 2014 | 00.27

Pro-Moscow forces have stormed the Ukrainian navy's headquarters in the Black Sea port of Sevastopol and raised the Russian flag in an apparently peaceful takeover.

Witnesses said several hundred members of Crimea's self-defence militia and armed men, thought to be Russian troops, forced their way on to the base and raised three Russian flags over the building.

Despite initial conflicting reports, the takeover appeared to be tense but peaceful.

"This morning they stormed the compound. They cut the gates open, but I heard no shooting," said Oleksander Balanyuk, a captain in the navy.

In Sevastopol, a Reuters witness saw around a dozen Ukrainian servicemen, unarmed and in civilian clothes, walk out of the base unarmed some 90 minutes after the pro-Russia forces entered.

Armed men, believed to be Russian servicemen, stand guard by the entrance to the naval headquarters in Sevastopol

Armed troops - believed to be Russian servicemen - guard the naval base

Interfax Ukraine reported the commander of the Ukrainian navy, Admiral Sergei Haiduk, was among those who left and was driven away by officers from Russia's FSB intelligence service.

Russia's Itar-Tass news agency reported that Alexander Vitko, commander of Russia's Black Sea Fleet which is also based in Sevastopol, had been involved in talks at the headquarters.

Joe Biden's mission to Eastern Europe aimed to reassure US allies

Tensions in the region remained high after troops stormed an army base in Simferopol on Tuesday, killing one soldier.

It comes days after Crimea voted in a referendum to break away from Ukraine and join Russia.

President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty to annex the peninsula to Russia, and other states in the region looked warily at the escalating crisis.

Issuing a warning to Moscow, US Vice President Joe Biden said, during a trip to Lithuania, that the US will respond to any aggression against its Nato allies.

"Russia cannot escape the fact that the world is changing and rejecting outright their behaviour," Mr Biden said, after meeting the leaders of Lithuania and Latvia.

The Baltic states, unlike Ukraine, are Nato members.

Ukraine's interim prime minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has ordered the first deputy prime minister and acting defence minister to fly to Crimea "resolve the situation".

But Crimea's prime minister Sergei Aksyonov has barred the Ukrainian ministers from entering his territory.

A Ukrainian serviceman leaves the naval headquarters in Sevastopol

Ukrainians leaving the base were cheered by people waving Russian flags

Sky News Foreign Affairs Editor Sam Kiley said: "This is an example of the sort of incident that could trigger something much more dangerous."

Meanwhile, a US guided-missile destroyer the USS Truxtun started a one-day military exercise in the Black Sea with the Bulgarian and Romanian navy and the Russian military launched large-scale aviation exercises in western regions.

And Germany's Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he had urged his Russian counterpart in a phone call that an OSCE mission to Ukraine - which has previously been barred from entering Crimea - must be mandated within 24 hours.

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Madeleine Police Appeal Over Abuse Suspect

Police searching for Madeleine McCann have launched a search for a man who abused children in holiday homes in Portugal.

Officers from Operation Grange have identified a series of 12 crimes between 2004 and 2010 where a male intruder entered villas occupied by UK families on holiday in the Western Algarve.

In four of these incidents - between 2004 and 2006 - the man sexually assaulted five white girls, aged between seven and 10, while in their beds.

Madeleine disappeared in 2007

The cases are not identical but there are enough similarities for police to believe finding this suspect could be key.

In most cases it was low season, there were no signs of forced entry, nothing was taken and the intruder appeared between 2am and 5am.

A three-year-old Madeleine vanished in May 2007 from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz while her parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, dined at a nearby tapas restaurant with friends

Of the 12 offences at the centre of the new lead, four were in Carvoeiro, six in the Vale da Parra and two in Praia da Luz.

On one occasion, the man assaulted two girls in the same villa.

A distinctive burgundy long-sleeve top worn by the suspect

DCI Andy Redwood, the senior investigating officer, said the suspect had an "unhealthy interest in young white female children".

"We need to establish the identity of this man," he added.

"These offences are very serious and no one has been charged in connection with them. We also need to eliminate this man from our enquiries and ascertain whether these offences are linked to Madeleine's disappearance.

"If you have been a victim of a similar crime please come forward, even if you reported the incident to police in Portugal, or anywhere else. Please do not assume we have been made aware of it.

"While some of these offences have been in the public domain before, following our appeal in October three more were reported to us as a direct result of that appeal. One of those reports we believe is the first in the potential series."

Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley in Leicestershire

Police believe the suspect may have been in the villas for some time before being disturbed by parents or a child waking up - and he remained calm even when interrupted.

The noise of a bin collection lorry was heard nearby on two occasions.

The suspect is described as having tanned skin with short, dark, unkempt hair.

Witnesses say he spoke English with a foreign accent and his voice has been described as slow, or possibly slurred.

On two occasions, in Vale de Parra and Praia da Gale, he was wearing a distinctive burgundy long-sleeve top with a white circle on the back.

Sometimes he was bare chested, displaying what several witnesses describe as a pot belly.

Three victims talked of a noticeable odour.

Portuguese police closed their inquiry into Madeleine's disappearance in 2008 but Scotland Yard opened a new review of the evidence in 2011.

Praia da Luz, where Madeleine was taken

Police are still hunting a man seen carrying a girl fitting Madeleine's description on the night of her disappearance.

DCI Redwood added: "Our appeal last year was very successful and we had over 5,000 calls which generated new information for us and which we continue to investigate.

"We still need to establish the identity of a man seen by three witnesses, carrying a child fitting Madeleine's description towards the beach or town areas at about 10pm on the night Madeleine disappeared.

"The witnesses have described the man in the e-fits as being white, aged in his 30s, with short brown hair, of medium build, medium height and clean shaven.

"The Metropolitan Police Service continues to offer a reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the person(s) responsible for the abduction of Madeleine McCann from Praia da Luz, Portugal on 3 May 2007."

Anyone with information should call 0800 0961011 - or +44 207 1580 126 for non-UK residents.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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New Â£1 Coin Is 'Most Secure In The World'

The Chancellor has used his Budget to introduce a major change for the nation's pockets - a new pound coin to be introduced in 2017.

The high-tech coin will have the same shape as the 12-sided threepenny bit and will be the hardest in the world for criminals to copy, the Government said.

"After 30 years loyal service, the time is right to retire the current £1 coin, and replace it with the most secure coin in the world," a Treasury spokesman said.

"With advances in technology making high value coins like the £1 ever more vulnerable to counterfeiters, it's vital that we keep several paces ahead of the criminals to maintain the integrity of our currency.

"We are particularly pleased that the coin will take a giant leap into the future, using cutting-edge British technology, while at the same time paying a fitting tribute to past in the 12-sided design of the iconic threepenny bit."

The threepenny bit went out of service in 1971

Currently, 3% of the current pound coins are fake, meaning a total of more than £45m in circulation are forgeries, according to the Treasury.

Several features of the new £1 coin should make it harder to fake, including its shape and its construction from two differently-coloured metals.

It will be similarly coloured to the gold and silver euro and the £2 coin.

The historic three pence piece, fondly known as the threepenny bit, was in circulation from 1937 until decimalisation in 1971 and was in the first group of coins to feature a portrait of Queen Elizabeth.

British Currency: Two pound coins on ten pound banknotes, close-up

The new coin is similar to the £2 coin in colour

As with all coins now, the Queen's face will be on the heads side of the new coin, but there is to be a public competition to decide the design for the tails side.

The design, which will be roughly the same size of the existing £1 coin, means vending machines and parking meters will have to be overhauled.

But it already has the backing of the Automatic Vending Association, which said the cost for adapting existing machines would be "minimal".

Kelvin Reynolds, of the British Parking Association, added: "Parking operators have long expressed concerns about a rise in counterfeit £1 coins and the inconvenience this causes to motorists when coins are rejected by parking payment machines and the losses incurred as a result."

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Pistorius Trial: 'Reeva Tried To Protect Herself'

A police ballistics expert has revealed how Reeva Steenkamp covered her head to protect herself in a toilet cubicle as her boyfriend Oscar Pistorius opened fire.

Captain Christian Mangena was giving evidence on day 13 of the Paralympian's murder trial, which has now been adjourned until next week.

The initial bullet was the first of four fired by the double-amputee athlete.

Capt Mangena told the court in Pretoria that Ms Steenkamp fell back onto a magazine holder in the toilet after being hit by the first bullet.

The second bullet that was fired through the wooden door missed, he said, before ricocheting off a wall and bruising her back.

"Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius awaits the start of court proceedings.

Pistorius awaits the start of day 13

However, Ms Steenkamp, 29, was hit by the third and fourth bullets - in the arm and the head.

Capt Mangena said she was crossing both hands over her head to protect herself when the third and fourth bullets struck.

One of those bullets went through Ms Steenkamp's left hand before penetrating her skull.

The policeman said he couldn't determine the order of the last two shots but revealed they left Ms Steenkamp slumped with her head on the toilet seat.

"She ended up with her head on top of the toilet seat, and the lower part of her body on the rack," Capt Mangena said.

The ballistics expert also concluded that Pistorius was "likely" to have been on his stumps when he fired the shots and was "firing from a distance greater than 60 centimetres" but no more than three metres.

Capt Mangena claimed the type of bullets in Pistorius' gun were designed to cause maximum damage and were often used for self-defence.

"It hits the target, it opens up, it creates six talons, and these talons are sharp," he said. "It cuts through the organs of a human being."

The victim's mother, June Steenkamp, was once again in court hearing the evidence relating to her daughter's death.

Captain Christian Mangena giving evidence

In response to Capt Mangena's evidence, defence lawyer Barry Roux argued that the state was coming up with versions to "constitute premeditated murder".

Mr Roux said the defence's own ballistics experts would challenge evidence regarding the sequence of shots.

He also revealed how defence experts recovered a bullet and fragments from the toilet bowl that police missed.

The court then heard from Colonel Ian Van Der Nest, a blood spatter expert from the Forensic Science Laboratory in Pretoria.

He said Ms Steenkamp's long hair and short pants were soaked in blood.

Pistorius stands beside his sister Aimee during court proceedings

Col Van Der Nest told the court there was no evidence of "blunt force" inflicted by hitting or beating.

Pistorius, who won two gold medals at the Paralympics in London in 2012, is charged with premeditated murder.

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

The athlete denies the charges and says he shot Ms Steenkamp in error after mistaking her for an intruder.

The trial has now been adjourned until Monday, when the state will begin calling its final four or five witnesses.

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Missing Plane: Could A Fire Explain Mystery?

Both pilots on the missing Malaysia Airlines plane may have been incapacitated by a fire in the cabin, an expert has told Sky News.

The theory, which has been gathering pace within the aviation industry over recent days, suggests the tracking equipment was disabled to prevent a fire getting worse.

Experts say it would mean the pair had changed course in a bid to find an airport where they could land stricken the aircraft - but were overcome by smoke.

While officials investigating the mystery have not commented on the theory, if true, it would make the two men in control of flight MH370 heroes rather than the suspects they have become.

Pilot Fikri Zambi told Sky News: "Let's say you have an electrical problem inside the wiring and you have smoke in the cabin.

"If it is anything to do with the wiring from the transponder or ACARS that's causing the smoke, then we have to pull out the circuit breakers to make it stop."

Pilots Fariq Abdul Hamid and Zaharie Ahmad Shah may be heroes not suspects

He said the next thing the pilots would do is attempt to get the plane to the nearest airport, which would mean turning left and back to the peninsula.

Experts say the jet could have kept heading southwest because the crew were rendered unconscious by the smoke.

Under such circumstances, if the plane remained in auto-pilot mode, it would continue flying south over the vast Indian Ocean until it ran out of fuel or was overcome by the flames.

Missing: Flight MH270 Live Special At 6.30pm

Another pilot, Chris Goodfellow, a Canadian with 20 years' flying experience, also put forward the theory of a cabin fire in a piece he posted online.

He suggested Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah was a "smart pilot" who "just didn't have the time" to land at an airport within a reasonable distance before he was overcome by smoke from the fire.

A contributor to the Professional Pilots Rumour Network forum, under the username Aerobat77, wrote: "For me, (either this) or a similar event happened. No James Bond secret landing on a desert strip."

Others on the forum said suggestions the flight inexplicably climbed to 45,000ft - 10,000ft above its cruising altitude - could also be consistent with attempts to put out a fire.

The search operation covers massive swathes of land and sea

A number of other theories have also been put forward since flight MH370 vanished.

Hijack

Among the more common theories in circulation is the idea that the aircraft was hijacked, either by a member of the crew or one of the passengers.

This gained weight when authorities revealed tracking and communications devices had been turned off deliberately.

However, the lack of any contact or demands from supposed hijackers indicates otherwise and experts say it would be almost impossible to land on an airstrip undetected.

Theft

Similar arguments are made in response to the theory that the Boeing 777 has been stolen by persons unknown, who would use it for a terror attack or simply sell the parts.

Experts also say serial numbers on all the aircrafts components would make it very difficult to sell any.

It is also pointed out that it would be much easier for terrorists to steal one of the thousands of business jets and cargo planes that take to the skies every day and which would attract far less attention.

Flight MH370 hid below another plane

Keith Ledgerwood, who describes himself as a "hobby pilot and aviation enthusiast" said the plane may have flown "in the shadow" of Singapore Airlines flight 68 to avoid detection on its way over India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Experts say such a manoeuvre would have roused suspicion from the Singapore Airlines pilots and that the theory does not explain how MH370 eventually peeled off and landed without anyone noticing.

Pilot suicide

Despite previous air crash investigations concluding they were the result of pilot suicide, this possibility has received relatively little coverage in this case,

The efforts to disable tracking and communication systems would appear unnecessary under such circumstances and no notes have been found during searches of the pilots' home.

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Budget 2014: The Key Points You Need To Know

The Chancellor George Osborne has delivered his fifth budget. Here are the key points.

Savings

:: Tax-free ISAs to be boosted to £15,000 per year from July. Junior ISAs up to £4,000 a year.

:: Stocks and shares ISAs can be tranferred to new single ISA scheme.

:: Premium Bonds cap lifted from £30,000 to £40,000 in June, and to £50,000 next year.

:: 10p rate of tax for savers to be abolished.

:: Zero tax band to cover £5,000 of savings.

Reliefs

:: Alcohol escalator to be scrapped for all alcohol duties, instead a rise with inflation.

:: Scottish whisky duty to be frozen as it is "a huge British success story".

:: Cut of 1p in duty per pint of beer.

:: Export finance lending interest rate to be cut by a third and lending doubled to £3bn.

:: From 2015, all long haul air passenger flights carry same, lower, band B tax rate.

:: Right to Build scheme for builders of their own homes including £150m of finance to support it.

:: New £200m fund for councils "to bid for" to fix potholes across Britain.

:: Additional £140m help for flood damage.

:: September's fuel duty rise will not be brought in.

Taxes

:: Duty on fixed-odds betting terminals to rise to 25%.

:: Horse race betting levy to be extended to bookmakers based offshore.

:: Bingo duty will be halved to 10% "to protect jobs and protect communities".

:: Tobacco duty to remain at 2% above inflation and escalator will not be stopped.

:: Increased disclosed tax avoidance schemes scrutiny for the wealthy.

:: City fines over Libor rate-rigging to continue going to military charities and emergency service charities.

:: From midnight anyone buying home over £500,000 through corporate entity to pay 15% stamp duty to "avoid abuse".

:: "We will expand the tax on residential properties worth over £2m to those worth more than £500,000."

:: Private jets, previously not taxed, will see tax levied on flights.

Income Tax

:: Personal tax allowance rises to £10,500 next year, giving average saving of £800.

:: 40p tax rate threshold to rise from £41,450 to £41,865 from next month and then up by further 1% to £42,285 next year.

:: Transferable tax allowance for married couples rising to £1,050.

Pensions

:: All retirees on defined contribution pensions to be offered free, impartial, face-to-face advice.

:: No need for pensioners to buy annuities if they do not wish to.

:: Removal of all remaining tax restrictions on how pensioners have access to their pension pots.

:: Income requirement for flexible draw-down from £20,000 to £12,000, raised cap draw-down limit from 120% to 150%.

:: Lump sum small pot level lifted five-fold to £10,000.

:: Almost doubling total pension savings as a lump sum to £30,000.

:: £20m to be spent in next two years working with consumer groups over pension advice.

:: New Pensioner Bond paying market leading rates, issued by National Savings and Investments, open to everyone aged 65 or over. Available from January next year.

Spending and Welfare

:: Foreign aid to be 0.7% of national income.

:: Public sector spending reduction to reach £1bn by 2015-16.

:: A permanent cap on welfare, excluding state pension, set at £119bn in 2015-16, rising in line with forecast inflation to £127bn in 2018-19.

Growth

:: Independent OBR growth forecast revised upwards to 2.7%, up from 2.4% in Autumn Statement.

:: Growth next year is also revised up to 2.3%, then 2.6% in 2016 and 2017, with growth expected to return to long-term trend of 2.5% in 2018.

:: 1.5 million new jobs forecast in next five years.

Borrowing

:: Deficit this year of 6.6% reduced to 5.5% next year, then expected to be 4.2%, 2.4% and finally 0.8% in 2017-18. Following year forecast surplus of 0.2%.

:: Expect to borrow £108bn this year, £12bn less than forecast last year. No borrowing from 2018-19.

:: OBR forecasts public debt to be 74.5% of GDP this year; 77.3% next year; peaking at 78.7% in 2015-16 - lower than the 80% previously forecast - before falling to 78.3% in 2016-17, then falling to 76.5% and then 74.2% in 2018-19.

:: The new £1 coin to thwart forgery and "In honour of our Queen".

Jobs

:: Support for more than 100,000 new apprenticeships.

:: New Alan Turing Institute for computing "big data" to boost Britain's IT prowess.

Business

:: New allowance for ultra high pressure, high temperature oil field for North Sea oil and gas.

:: Tax relief of up to 25% for touring theatrical productions.

:: VAT relief on fuel for air ambulances and inshore rescue boat services across Britain, and a new air ambulance for London.

:: Accept recommendation to move collection of Class 2 NICs into self-assessment, abolishing for 5 million people "this wholly unnecessary bureaucracy".

:: Corporation tax - high street stores will get £1,000 off their rates, and businesses the £2,000 Employment Allowance.

:: From next year, corporation tax to drop from 21% to 20% and under-21s taken out of the jobs tax.

:: Business rates discounts and enhanced capital allowances will be extended for another three years.

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Pension Firms 'Lose Billions' After Speech

Britain's financial service providers have lost billions in value after the Chancellor delivered his Budget for 'savers and pensioners', Sky News has calculated.

By mid-afternoon an estimated £4.5bn had been wiped off the value of the top five UK pension companies listed on the blue chip FTSE 100 index.

The investor exodus occurred after George Osborne announced that defined contribution pension holders are to be offered free, impartial and face-to-face advice.

Mr Osborne added in his speech that pensioners must no longer buy annuities if they do not want to.

Annuities provide a fixed income but cannot be transferred between providers.

Legal & General saw £1.8bn wiped from its market value after shares were 14% down in mid-afternoon trades.

Resolution, which traded at almost 10% down for a while, then dipped to 15% down - equal to losing £800m.

Aviva lost an estimated £900m, Standard Life around £350m and Prudential saw £800m wiped due to negative trades.

Meanwhile, independent financial adviser Hargreaves Lansdown saw its share price up 7.5%.

The annuities market has come under scrutiny in recent month, amid calls for widespread reform.

Aviva chief executive recently told Sky's Jeff Randall Live that the industry did need a shake-up.

The Chancellor also said remaining tax restrictions on pensioners accessing their funds would also be removed.

He added that £20m would be spent within two years working with consumer groups and industry on the pension advice structure.

George Bull, senior tax partner at Baker Tilly said: "For people with defined contribution pension plans, the Budget ushers in the biggest changes seen in the last 25 years.

"From 2015/16 pensioners are to be given greater control of their pension pots.

"Rather than being discouraged from withdrawing money early with a punitive tax charge of 55%, they will be encouraged to do so while paying their personal tax rate.

"'Trust the people' says the Chancellor, and it's clear he does as the increase in the tax yield from people taking their savings early is projected to be £3bn over the next four years."

Bookmakers William Hill and Ladbrokes were also bruised by the Budget, after Mr Osborne said fixed-odds betting terminal duty would rise to 25%.

The machines, many of which are located in high street betting shops, have spread rapidly in the last decade and have been a huge windfall for bookmakers.

Deloitte indirect tax partner Barney Horn said it would cost operators around £80m a year and added: "It will increase operating costs and could lead to further consolidation in the market.

"Online gambling operators are unlikely to be able to pass on the costs to consumers, but could be forced to cut back on marketing and player promotions."

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Train Announcer Warns Of 'Gypsies And Thieves'

An investigation has been launched after a train announcer told passengers to "be aware of pickpockets and Gypsies" before disembarking at a station.

London Midland said it was looking into the warning, which was made over the train's speaker system as it pulled into Telford Central in Telford, Shropshire.

Recorded by a passenger on his mobile phone, the announcement was met with loud cheers and laughter from people travelling on the train, including a number of fans of football club Wolverhampton Wanderers, last Saturday.

As the train pulls up at the station in Shropshire the announcement can be heard over the train's public address system: "Telford Central - please be aware of pickpockets and Gypsies".

London Midland said they had not received any complaints about the incident on the 17.25 Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury service, but that an inquiry was under way.

"We are deeply sorry to anyone who was offended by the announcement," a spokeswoman said.

"We do not tolerate comments of this nature being made by anyone on a London Midland train, and a full internal investigation is being carried out."

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Missing Malaysia Jet: Chaos At News Conference

A news conference on the missing Malaysia Airlines plane has descended into chaos after two relatives of passengers attempted to stage a protest.

The pair were forcibly removed from Malaysian authorities' daily briefing to journalists when they tried to unfurl a banner.

Both women, thought to be related to Chinese passengers, were led away and shut in another room before being taken out of the hotel, with one being knocked over in the confusion.

While being escorted out of the hotel near Kuala Lumpur Airport, one of the women said: "We don't know how long we'll be waiting.

Chinese family members of a missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 passenger are escorted away from the media outside the media conference area at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Family members are led away by authorities

"It's been 12 days, my loved one ... I don't know where my loved one is ... it's been 12 days, where is my son? Why are you not giving me any answers?"

The other woman, who was wearing a face mask, said: "They have followed us, taken care of us very well.

"However, we don't need to be looked after, we need to know the truth. We need to know where the plane is, we don't need someone to look after us everyday."

Chinese family members of missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 passenger, are escorted away from the media outside the media conference area at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur International Airport

The woman told reporters 'we need to know where the plane is'

Sky News presenter Kay Burley was caught up in the melee as the two women were taken away.

She said: "People were being pushed, shoved, physically forced out of the way. The women were taken up an escalator and into another room."

Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein later ordered an inquiry into the incident.

In the news conference, Mr Hishammuddin said authorities had received more radar data, but that they were not permitted to reveal other countries' information.

He said reports from the Maldives that a "low-flying jumbo jet" had been spotted on the day the plane went missing had turned out to be false.

A Chinese family member of a missing Malaysia Airlines MH370 passenger is escorted away from the media outside the media conference area at a hotel near Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Authorities did not say why they would not allow the women to speak

But he revealed that analysis of the flight simulator belonging to pilot Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah had shown some data had been deleted.

He said investigations into the 239 people on board the plane continued, but stressed that they were all innocent until proven otherwise.

"We have received passengers' background checks from all countries apart from Ukraine and Russia," Mr Hishammuddin said.

"So far no information of significance on any passengers has been found."

The search for missing flight MH370 continues

A huge search operation, involving more than 20 countries, continues

It comes after Thailand's military revealed its radar may have picked up flight MH370 heading back towards Kuala Lumpur just eight minutes after it lost contact with air traffic controllers.

They say they tracked the signal as the missing jet turned towards Butterworth and the Strait of Malacca, before it disappeared from their screens.

It took off from Kuala Lumpur at 12:40am on March 8 and its transponder, which allows air traffic controllers to identify and track it, ceased communicating at 1:20am.

The plane slipped off Malaysian civilian radar screens at 1:30am but continued to appear on its military radars until 2:15am before disappearing entirely.

Thailand's failure to quickly pass on possible information about the plane raises questions about the degree to which some countries are sharing their defence data.

When asked why it took so long to release the information, a spokesman said it raised no alarms because the signal was not heading toward Thailand and never entered Thai airspace.

Investigators will check Malaysian military radar data against the Thai data to see if they can narrow the search area.

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Budget 2014: 'For Makers, Doers And Savers'

Budget 2014: Key Points At A Glance

Updated: 2:27pm UK, Wednesday 19 March 2014