MH370: Hunt Resumes For Plane's Black Box

The hunt for missing flight MH370 has resumed as authorities race to identify further signals which could point to the location of the plane's black box recorder.

The search operation is seeking to determine the black box's exact resting place in the southern Indian Ocean before the device's beacons fade.

The Australian defence vessel Ocean Shield will today carry out "focused sweeps" of the search area with a towed pinger locator in an attempt to pick up more signals.

Today's operation covers an area of 15,982 square miles, some 1,450 miles northwest of Perth.

A message for family members seen in Kuala Lumpur

Nine military aircraft, one civil plane and 14 ships will assist in the search, according to the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC).

"Today, Australian defence vessel Ocean Shield continues more focused sweeps with the towed pinger locator to try and locate further signals related to the aircraft's black boxes," JACC said.

"This work continues in an effort to narrow the underwater search area for when the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle is deployed."

Ocean Shield has already picked up four signals linked to aircraft black boxes, with the first two revealed to be consistent with signals from aircraft flight recorders.

The beacons on the plane's flight data and cockpit voice recorders only have a normal battery lifespan of around 30 days.

The renewed search comes after Australia's prime minister said searchers were "very confident" that signals detected in the Indian Ocean are from the plane's black box.

A relative beside a banner dedicated to passengers at Lido Hotel in Beijing

Tony Abbott told reporters during a visit to China that authorities have "very much narrowed down the search area".

"We are very confident that the signals that we are detecting are from the black box," he said.

"Nevertheless, we're getting into the stage where the signal from what we are very confident is the black box is starting to fade.

"We are hoping to get as much information as we can before the signal finally expires."

The Malaysia Airlines plane went missing on March 8 with 239 people on board.

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Kate and William Wow The Crowds In Cambridge

By Jonathan Samuels, Australia Correspondent

Cambridge, New Zealand, has a population of about 18,000 people and 15,000 of them turned out to cheer and wave at the Duke and Duchess who share their town's title.

Amid sunshine and showers William and Kate, dressed in an emerald green dress, greeted fans after paying their respects at a memorial to the town's war dead.

Kate later confessed to one well-wisher that her green Erdem outfit was a "bit bright" for William.

During a walkabout Kate's eyes lit up when she spotted a baby boy in the crowd. He responded with a prolonged yawn, much to the amusement of his family and the laughing Duchess.

The couple are on a 19-day tour which will also take them to Australia

Also in the crowd was Pam McCaroll, who had brought with her a small statuette of Kate cradling Prince George as a newborn baby.

She said: "She said to me 'where did you get that!' and I told her I collected memorabilia. She laughed and I shook her hand."

Kate's solo engagement took her to a children's hospice

Earlier the couple went their separate ways, the Duke to an aeronautical company and the Duchess to a children's hospice, Rainbow Place in Hamilton.

As well as caring for terminally sick children the centre also offers help to youngsters who are grieving for a parent or have a parent with a serious illness.

Sat at a tiny table, Kate had a play tea party with six-year-old Bailey Rupe, whose mother has breast cancer.

She asked the little girl: "Are you having tea? Can I sit with you? How is mummy doing?

Prince George has some growing to do before he can take his gift for a spin

"Do you find it difficult sometimes? Yes, I'm sure you do, but you're a very brave little girl."

Bailey said afterwards: "I was excited to meet a real princess and it made me feel like a princess for the day too."

One cheeky youngster asked Kate if even royalty have to eat their vegetables.

"Yes I do. I have to eat all my vegetables and so does George," she replied.

She later joined William in opening a new velodrome in Cambridge.

After meeting members of New Zealand's sporting elite including world and Olympic champions in cycling, rowing and canoeing, the couple were presented with a gift for their son.

Prince George has been given a mini bike, complete with helmet and Lycra cycling shirt with his name on the back.

John Struthers, 76, founder of the bike firm Avanti, made the presentation and said about the royal couple: "They are very, very thrilled, he was really appreciative of it.

"It gives two-year-olds independence and freedom to take their first big step in life. She was looking forward to the time when George will be able to ride it."

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Pope Asks For Forgiveness For Abuse Scandal

Pope Francis has asked for forgiveness for the damage done by Roman Catholic priests who abused children.

According to Vatican Radio, the Pope told members of a children's rights group he felt "compelled... to personally ask for forgiveness for the damage they have done for having sexually abused children".

He said that members of the clergy who had molested young children were "quite a few in number".

The Pope said: "The Church is aware of this damage."

He added: "It is personal, moral damage carried out by men of the Church and we will not take one step backward with regards to how we will deal with this problem and the sanctions that must be imposed.

"On the contrary, I think we must be even stronger. You don't play around with the lives of children."

The Vatican says the Church has begun enforcing prevention and detection measures to eradicate abuse, however the success of these measures is said to vary widely between countries.

Thousands of abuse claims, dating back decades, have come to light in recent years.

The Church's handling of the allegations has been a subject of controversy with frequent reports of cases being covered up.

Pope Francis has also faced personal criticism for not taking a tough enough stand on the issue.

In February a UN committee released the findings of a month-long investigation into clerics "involved in the abuse of tens of thousands of children worldwide".

It raised concerns that sexual abusers were moved from parish to parish or across borders and that there was a "code of silence" among the clergy.

The UN committee urged the Holy See to share information on all cases of abuse, amid reports the Vatican had declined to provide any data relating to the scandal.

The Pope's predecessor Benedict XVI also issued an apology for abuses.

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World Cup: Riots As Favela Cleared In Rio

Heavily-armed police have stormed a favela in Rio de Janeiro to oust squatters who are occupying buildings just two months before the the World Cup.

At least seven people were injured as officers dragged them from an abandoned building and shacks surrounding it just steps from Rio's iconic Maracana stadium - the venue for the tournament's final.

Some residents fought with police, throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails and setting parts of the building and vehicles on fire.

Violent protests later erupted in surrounding neighbourhoods where a police car, buses and trucks were torched, and banks and supermarkets looted.

Squatters square up to riot police preparing to evict them

It comes after Brazil stepped up security efforts in the city where tens of thousands of football fans will watch seven matches.

In the last few weeks, thousands of government police and troops have been sent into the favelas - sprawling slums that have grown up on Rio's fringes.

Authorities in Brazil have been determined to bring down the city's high crime rate ahead of the football competition but there has been criticism of their heavy-handed approach.

The latest operation started at dawn on Friday when more than 1,600 police arrived at the building brandishing an eviction order from the its owner, a telephone company.

A woman cries as she has to leave home

Cranes and tractors were used to demolish wooden huts built around the building - many still full of belongings residents had no time to pack.

Hundreds of desperate and angry residents and neighbours poured into the street protesting about the loss of their homes.

Scuffles broke out and dozens of furious youths threw stones and bottles at police, who responded with tear gas and rubber bullets.

Most of the residents dispersed quickly, but about a hundred protesters resisted police orders to leave the building for several hours.

A line of riot police prepare to take part in the eviction of the squatters

Brazilian newspaper O Globo also reported that suspected drug traffickers from neighbouring favelas fired guns at the police.

Media reports said 19 had been injured, of whom 12 were police.

In all, police said 22 people were arrested, including 10 who did not live in the favela but participated in the later destruction.

The shantytown emerged on March 31 when about 5,000 people who were homeless or tired of paying high rents in other slums decided to commandeer the building, which had been empty for years.

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Chloe Campbell Found Alive After 42 Hours

A three-year-old girl who vanished from her bed overnight has been found alive and well.

Police feared Chloe Campbell had been snatched from her home in Childers, Queensland, after her father realised she was missing on Thursday morning.

But police say they discovered her "quite randomly" at the local showground at around 1am local time on Saturday. She was reunited with her parents and taken to a nearby hospital to undergo checks.

Hours after making an emotional appeal for information, the girl's mother, Tammy O'Donnell, described her joy at being reunited with her daughter.

She said: "There is no other word to really describe how I am feeling. Just overjoyed.

A major hunt got under way after Chloe Campbell went missing

"I ran into the room... I didn't care if she woke up or not. And then I just lay on the bed with her and gave her cuddles for a while."

Inspector Kevin Guthridge told Australian broadcaster ABC: "It's one of those dreams that came true... the greatest possible outcome for everyone."

But behind the joy is a mystery over where the girl has been and with whom.

Police won't say whether Chloe was wearing the same clothes as when she disappeared. 

They also continued to roam the area with sniffer dogs after she was found.

Chloe was last seen sleeping in the living room of her family home with her two older sisters on Wednesday evening. 

Her father, Garth Campbell, said Chloe had vanished along with her sleeping bag and stuffed, blue toy dog.

He had said a window was open and that there was an adult-sized footprint on the family's car outside.

"I don't think there's any possible way she's wandered off," he said.

"She wouldn't leave the yard by herself."

He added that the family would normally have closed the windows at night, but that one of the latches must have failed to lock properly.

"That's why we are blaming ourselves," he said.

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Falklands 'Show Of Force' Angers Argentina

Britain has been accused of planning a "show of force" in the Falkland Islands as it prepares for military exercises next week.

The diplomatic clash has seen the British ambassador in Buenos Aires summoned by Argentina's Deputy Foreign Minister Eduardo Zuain in protest.

The exercises are due to take place between April 14 and April 27.

A spokesman for the Embassy of Argentina in London said: "This action falls within a pattern already denounced by President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner on April 2, consisting of provocations and hostile acts towards Argentina from an extra-continental nuclear power.

"Deputy Foreign Minister Eduardo Zuain has summoned the British ambassador in Buenos Aires to hand him a letter of protest in view of this new show of military force in the South Atlantic, a zone of peace.

"This action is a new example of UK's disregard for United Nations resolutions, which call on both parties to resume negotiations over sovereignty and refrain from introducing unilateral modifications in the situation as long as the dispute persists."

The military exercises are the latest in a series of diplomatic disputes since President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner took power in Argentina.

In December, Britain accused Argentina of "bullying tactics" over its threat to punish oil firms operating off the Falklands Islands with heavy fines and other penalties.

In a referendum last year, Islanders voted by 1,513 votes to three in favour of remaining British.

Prime Minister David Cameron said at the time that the referendum result "could not have sent a clearer message".

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Pakistan Baby Attempted Murder Charge Dropped

Charges of attempted murder against a nine-month-old boy in Pakistan for allegedly throwing rocks at gas workers have been thrown out by a judge.

Musa Khan appeared in court in the city of Lahore, sitting on his grandfather's lap and drinking from a bottle of milk.

Police had accused the youngster and other members of his family of attacking officers, bailiffs, and gas company staff when they arrived to disconnect supplies of households who had not paid their bills.

However, the boy's grandfather, Muhammad Yassen, said: "He does not even know how to pick up his milk bottle properly. How can he stone the police?"

Speaking at the hearing, defence lawyer Irfan Sadiq said: "Police told the court that the nomination of Musa in the case of attacking police and gas company officials was a human error and Musa is not required."

The baby's grandfather and his three sons are still charged.

Pictures taken at an earlier court hearing of Musa screaming as he was being fingerprinted provoked a public outcry and prompted calls for an inquiry.

Critics claimed it exposed the "incompetence" of the police force.

The charges against Musa were in contradiction with Pakistan's minimum age of criminal responsibility, which is 12 except for terrorism cases.

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Christie's To Auction Dazzling Blue Diamond

The world's largest flawless fancy vivid blue diamond is expected to fetch up to £15m when it goes on sale at Christie's next month.

Christie's New York has proudly displayed 'The Blue', the magnificent 13.22 carat diamond which will headline the upcoming sale in Geneva.

Experts predict it will fetch an eyebrow-raising sale price of between $21m (£12.5m) and $25m (£15m).

Rahul Kadakia, Head of Jewellery for Christie's Americas & Switzerland, said: "To have a stone that weighs 13 carats is near impossible.

"The stone is internally and externally bereft of any imperfections... in simple terms, it's the best blue diamond in the world."

Blue diamonds are extremely rare and make up less than two per cent of the world's diamond production. 

Like most blue diamonds, 'The Blue' is thought to have been mined in South Africa. 

Christie's would not reveal the owner of the jewel, but said it had been in the owner's possession for a long time.

The auction house said the owner approached them after seeing several coloured diamonds fetch record prices in recent sales.

'The Blue' and 'The Ocean Dream' are set to steal the show next month

In November Sotheby's auction house sold a plum-sized diamond, known as the Pink Star, for a record £51.7m.

A month earlier Sotheby's sold a "flawless" white diamond for a record £19m.

'The Blue' will be auctioned at the Geneva Magnificent Jewels Sale on May 14 alongside the 'The Ocean Dream' diamond.

According to Christie's 'The Ocean Dream' is the largest fancy vivid blue-green diamond in the world. At 5.5 carat, it is expected to fetch between £4.5m and £6m.

Also on sale is the exotic 'The Rajah' diamond, which is thought to have purchased from India by Tiffany & Co in the 19th Century. It is estimated to sell for between £1.8m and £3m.

Christie's has said it hopes the sale will raise in excess of £60m.

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Ukraine: Gunmen Storm Two Security Buildings

Kiev Faces 'Difficult Decisions' Over Protests

Updated: 11:04pm UK, Thursday 10 April 2014

By Katie Stallard, Moscow Correspondent, in Donetsk

Support for the protests in Donetsk, Ukraine, depends largely on the question you ask.

This may seem like a blindingly obvious point, but the immediate demands are not quite what they seemed.

The self-appointed People's Council of Deputies, in session inside the occupied administration building, told Sky News they want a referendum on the region's sovereignty, not on joining Russia.

The council's leader insisted they have had no official contact with the Russian government so far, although they have just voted unanimously to create a foreign affairs committee, to make exactly that possible.

And he did go on to say Russian peacekeeping troops could help to secure a referendum here.

Another deputy told us joining Russia would be "like coming home", but it would not be on the ballot paper.

Outside, we were surrounded by a crowd of people, demanding to know which channel we were working for (there are deep suspicions here about Western media, and even more so Ukrainian TV).

Satisfied that we were from the Moscow bureau, and that our producer and cameraman are Russian and therefore apparently not susceptible to 'Western lies', they started showing us their passports - to prove that they are Ukrainian, not hired Russian stooges as has been claimed.

Many feel passionately about what is happening here, but by no means all dream of joining Russia.

Over and over they told us they want sovereignty and federalisation - they see Russia as potential guarantors, and protection from the fascists and extremists they believe control the government in Kiev.

Forced to choose, one woman told us, between Russia and the EU, she would of course vote for Russia, but she would prefer an autonomous region in Eastern Ukraine.

In the city centre, away from the protests around the administration building and the watchful eyes of the "self-defence" volunteers patrolling outside, we spoke to a variety of people to try to gauge opinion.

Of 20 people asked, all but one supported federalisation. Support for joining Russia is less emphatic, but still preferable to the majority over the new government in Kiev.

The Kremlin strategists seem to have assessed the mood astutely - protesters shown on state-controlled TV channels in Russia are being described as "supporters of federalism" now, not separatists or pro-Russian.

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has talked several times about the appetite for federalism in Ukraine.

Of course, an autonomous, sovereign eastern Ukraine, would also be open to overtures from Moscow, and likely easily persuaded to remain within its sphere of influence.

If that region went on to join the Russian Federation in time, so be it, but if at least then would not move towards the EU, that would still be a form of victory for the Kremlin.

It's a precarious situation for the government in Kiev and there are difficult decisions ahead.

Crack down on the protests in the east and risk galvanising a broader uprising against an administration many already associate with extremists and fascists, and give Russia the pretext it needs to show Russian lives are in danger and it must act to protect them.

Accede to demands for a referendum and risk losing the east, and the country's economic backbone, to Russia's influence, and perhaps ultimately to Russia itself.

Refuse to recognise any referendum that does take place (not a successful tactic in Crimea) or hope that turnout is too low to validate it, or the self-appointed people's councils are unable to organise it - none of which are really much of a plan.

Meanwhile Russia's military continues to mass on the border - nothing for the US or Ukraine to worry about, they insisted earlier this week, which will have reassured no-one.

The protests here are not huge, but the emotions that sparked them run deep, and it is difficult to see an easy way out.

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Interrogation Pokes Holes In Pistorius Defence

By Emma Hurd, Sky Correspondent, in Pretoria

After a weekend of respite, Oscar Pistorius will return to the witness box on Monday to face more questions under cross-examination in his murder trial.

His account of the shooting that left his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead has already been challenged in three days of tough interrogation.

This has exposed some of the weaknesses in his defence and posed questions that could prove crucial to judge Thokozile Masipa's eventual verdict.

:: Where was Reeva?

The crucial issue of why the athlete failed to realise his girlfriend was not in the bed when he went with his gun to investigate a noise coming from the bathroom was the focus of many of prosecutor Gerrie Nel's questions.

Oscar Pistorius said he had spoken to Reeva Steenkamp in the bedroom and asked her to call the police when he heard what he thought was an intruder.

Gerrie Nel has appeared incredulous at some of Pistorius' evidence

He said he was "fixated on the noise" and did not think it was strange that she had not replied.

Mr Nel insisted that it was "unreasonable" to believe that, given that Ms Steenkamp was in the toilet, she would not have shouted out to the runner who had been screaming "at intruders" just metres away.

The prosecution also pressed the athlete on whether he had heard Ms Steenkamp screaming when he fired shots into the toilet door.

The runner said he was sure she had not screamed but was forced to admit that he might not have heard her because of the sound of the shots.

:: Did he intend to shoot?

The issue of intent is vital in a murder trial and the prosecution has attempted to show Oscar Pistorius shot to kill that night - whoever he thought he was firing at.

The athlete insisted he "fired out of fear" after hearing a noise from the toilet. His said he did not have time to think and that it was "a mistake".

The prosecution repeatedly stressed that Pistorius approached the toilet with his gun held out and the safety catch off ready to shoot, even "wanting to shoot".

He knew someone might be in the small, enclosed space of the toilet, Mr Nel claimed, and the shooting was a deliberate act.

:: Why did he go towards the threat?

Another difficult moment for Oscar Pistorius came when Gerrie Nel asked him why he went towards the danger of the noise in the bathroom.

The athlete could not explain why - if he thought there was an intruder - he had not taken Reeva Steenkamp and escaped out into the safety of the rest of the house through the bedroom door.

Pistorius admitted he had to walk right past the exit from the bedroom to get to the bathroom.

"It is my personality not to run away," he insisted, while re-iterating that he wanted to protect Ms Steenkamp.

The prosecution has declared his whole defence "a lie".

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