08/03/2014 BBC Weekend News

An airliner vanishes over the South China Sea. 239 people are feared

dead. Malaysia Airlines 777 disappeared suddenly without sending

a distress signal. Worried relatives wait for news and officials say that

two passengers were travelling under false identities. Investigators say

they are considering all possibilities as to the columns.

Also tonight, dozens of international observers are blocked

from entering Crimea in a tense stand-off with pro-Russian forces.

Did he win it?! A surprise gold for Britain tonight in the 60 metre

final of the World Indoor Championships.

Good evening. 239 passengers and crew are feared dead after a plane

vanished over the South China Sea rotting in an extensive air and sea

search. The plane disappeared without sending a distress signal.

It has emerged that two passengers on board the plane were using false

identities. Investigators say they are looking at all possibilities.

The Malaysia Airlines jet was travelling between Kuala Lumpur and

Beijing when it disappeared two hours into the journey. It was

flying south of the man at the time. Jonathan head's report from Kuala

Lumpur contains some flash photography.

Our after our they trickled in. Family members of those on board

flight Mohammad Javad MH370. Hoping to hear something about the fate of

the aircraft. But there was nothing anyone could tell them. From the

Nam, the closest country to where the last contact was made,

helicopters and planes have been scanning the South China Sea. At one

point, they thought they'd spotted an oil slick. But couldn't be sure.

This was the aircraft that's gone missing. A Boeing 777, a workhorse

of the airline industry with an impeccable safety record. The fact

that such a safe lane operated via a reputable airline could simply

disappear has baffled aviation experts. With no clues left by the

pilots and no wreckage found, in the vast expanse of see where the plane

disappeared, it is a mystery that could take a very long time to

solve. More than 24 hours after it vanished, it must be assumed that

something catastrophic happened to flight 370. News that two of the

passengers may have been travelling on stolen European passports could

offer a clue, but what kind is still just guesswork. Malaysia's Prime

Minister arrived at the airports to offer his support to the families

and to ask for help. TRANSLATION: The U.S. Navy has agreed to deploy

the aircraft to help us with our search and rescue mission. We have

been combing the area around the last reported court notes of the

plane. Neighbouring Singapore is also providing a plane. But they

have a lot of sea to cover. And little information to guide them.

Jonathan head, BBC News, Kuala Lumpur.

So how could an airliner suddenly disappeared from radar screens with

no apparent warning? This report from Simon Clementson.

All Asia airlines -- the Malaysia Airlines plane is not the first to

disappear without trace even if it is highly unusual. In 2009, and Air

France Airbus jet also vanished from radar screens. Wreckage from the

aircraft was eventually found in the Atlantic. But the causes of the

crash remains a mystery until voice and data recorders were retrieved

years later. The final report said that human error was partly to

blame. Today's aeroplanes are incredibly reliable and you do not

get some sudden structural failure in flight. It just does not happen.

It will not happen. Boeing describes its 777 model as a superstar. First

flown in 1995, more than 1000 have no rolled off the production line.

It can travel for 16 hours nonstop and experts point to its impressive

safety record. With one fatal crash in more than 5 million flights.

Three people were killed when a sea wall was struck in San Francisco

although the investigation has so far found no mechanical failure. The

only other incident of note came when a jet landed short of a runway

at Heathrow, but none of the passengers were seriously injured.

It could take investigators months, if not years to determine exactly

what happened to the Malaysia Airlines flight. Aviation experts

believe whatever happened was quick and let the pilots no time to place

a distress call. International observers have been

turned away from Crimea for the third day running. Warning shots

were fired as they approached a checkpoint guarded by pro-Russian

forces. They said they had no authorisation to enter. The interim

government in TF has insisted the team must be allowed in. Christian

Fraser sent this report from Sebastopol. Three times they have

tried to cross into Crimea and three times his international observers

have been turned back. As they approach the barriers, they were

told there were warning shots fired into the air. None of the 50

observers were hurt but it serves as another example of Russia's

impatience with any outside interference. And that goes for the

foreign media, too. Last night, as we sat and watched an assault on a

Ukrainian missile base, there were journalists who were attacked.

One of them was this man, who writes for a website in Moscow. I said,

stop hitting me, I am Russian. He said, I am Russian too.

The flags at the checkpoint suggest Crimea is already Russia. And it is

starting to feel that way. A vast number of troops were moving in

convoy today, in trucks without plates towards the town were heavily

armed gunmen had overrun this army recruitment centre. We had just

driven up to the gates of this recruitment centre and we have seen

again Russian trucks. We have seen a regular soldiers armed with assault

rifles and as we tried to park up, a man in plainclothes came towards us

within a pistol. We decided to come away. A team of Ukrainian activists

who went to the same site were caught out. They shot at the tyres.

It seems incongruous that amid the menace that we witness today, people

of Sebastopol were out buying flowers. Celebrating International

Women's Day. This is the picture that Russia wants you to see. The

rest of it, they are willing to share. -- they are unwilling.

The chief secretary to the secretary, Danny Alexander,

separating the personal tax allowance to ?12,500 would be a key

demand of the Liberal Democrats in any coalition negotiations after the

next election. He was speaking at the Lib Dem spring conference from

where our Political Correspondent, Vicky Jung, reports.

Shame on you! Demonstrating against government cuts, the unions say that

people are worse off because of changes to benefits. But the Lib

Dems insist they are putting money back in the pockets of workers. From

next month, most will be able to earn ?10,000 before paying any

income tax. The party is desperate to earn the credit. This tax break

was fought for by the little Democrat but resisted by the

Conservatives. People know it is being delivered by the Liberal

Democrats. With a budget approaching, there could be more

treats to hand out. A further rise in the personal allowances on the

cards. To staff that this chocolate shop think it will make a

difference? With the increase in the cost of living, I do not think it

will make that much of a difference. In terms of everything else that is

going on, especially energy prices, they do not know if the consumer

will feel a direct impact. Fantastic. As I said, a little bit

extra for me, even if it is pounds, it will add up and it will be

great. Looking to the future, the Lib Dem Leader has more ambitious

plans. Nick Clegg says that lifting the income tax threshold to ?12,500

will be a top priority if there are coalition talks after the next

election. With money so tight, there has been very little in the way of

giveaways to voters. There is no surprise that there has been a huge

battle within the coalition for ownership of this tax-cutting

policy. Both the Lib Dems and the Tories want voters to thank them for

the few extra pounds in their pockets.

A man and a woman from Blackpool have appeared in court charged in

connection with the death of a 2-year-old girl. Harry Jones and

Michelle King, were remanded in custody, accused of causing or

allowing the death of Sophie Jones, who died on Tuesday. Toxicology

tests confirm that the toddler had swallowed methadone.

The Labour leader, Ed Miliband, has told the BBC that if his party wins

the next election, he will bring in a new law making it illegal to abuse

or discriminate against members of the Armed Forces full stop Mr

Miliband has been visiting troops in Afghanistan. Ian Watson was with him

and has sent this report. The Afghan National Army and

training. By the end of the year, they will have taken over,

operations from British forces. But his last visit -- at his last visit,

the Prime Minister said the troops had published his vision of bringing

basic security to the country. Today, Ed Miliband deliberately

emphasised the challenges that lie ahead. The military part of our

operation year is coming to an end. But the job is not yet done. There

are still -- there is still further to go. In practice, his policy is

allied closely to the coalition's. More training to security forces,

more money for economic and social development. But he also came here

to announce what he thought would be a tonic to the troops. Ed Miliband

is giving the troops a taste of what a Labour government would do on

their behalf. He says he would imposed strict penalties on anyone

who abuses members of the Armed Forces. This will make up any part

of Labour's first Queens speech. But why should this be a priority? This

is part of fulfilling the military covenant. A greater priority than

policies on education? I'm sure we will have policies on education as

well. Ed Miliband says that security has

improved in Afghanistan but senior military sources have expressed

fears for the future funding of the Afghan army, once British boots are

no longer on the ground. Senior ministers have confirmed that

they are discussing plans to make nonpayment of the television licence

fee a civil offence rather than a criminal one. More than 180,000

people appeared before the courts in 2012 accused of not having a licence

which currently costs ?145.50 a year. Many of those were fined.

Around 70 were sent to prison. With all the sport, here's Lizzie

Greenwood Hughes at the BBC Sport Centre.

Good evening. Great Britain has a new sprinting star. After Richard

Kilty was the shock winner of the six metres final at the world indoor

athletics Championships in Roland. Chances are, you will not have heard

of this man. Britain's Richard Kilty. The 24-year-old was not even

meant to be yet the world indoor athletics Championships but called

as Elektra placement. He shocked the world. Kilty gets a flying start. He

might just about get it! Goal for Great Britain! Gold for Kilty. Now

that is a shock. It is amazing. I could not a dream date. I was new

one I was a kid I have something special. To become the World

Champion, it is crazy. Will Britain win a bronze medal, to? Tiffany

Porter takes the third spot in the women's six meter hurdles. But this

tape belonged to a man from Stockton on Tees. The Teeside tornado, they

call him. Jade Etherington has one great

Britain's first Winter Paralympic medal on snow for 20 years. The

visually impaired skier took silver in the downhill along with her

guide, Caroline Powell. The pair communicate via headset. Arsenal

will be on tomorrow's FA Cup semifinal draw after beating Everton

4-1 today. Olivier Giroud scored twice at the Emirates after coming

on Isy Suttie Jude. The remaining 3/4-final matches take place

tomorrow. Batch of the day follows this

programme so if you do not want to know today's Premier League scores,

you know what to do. Chelsea's lead at the top of the

table is now seven points Chelsea's lead at the top of the

table is now following a 4-0 win over Tottenham. Elsewhere, wins for

Manchester United, Cardiff and Southampton.

And it is the penultimate weekend of rugby union's Six Nations. Our great

for Scotland, beating 19-17 by France, and an emotional farewell in

Dublin for the world's most capped player as Ireland overcame Italy

46-7. Brian O'Driscoll, of his own. His

record-breaking test cap will be the last he will in Ireland. Six minutes

in, his pass put Jonny Sexton in to score his side's first try against

Italy. The Italians scored a try of their own before the old master

again played assistant, putting in Andrew Trimble to restore Ireland's

control. Cian Healy bundled over another before the man they called

bod inspired his side one more time with one more pass. His part in

Jonny Sexton's try was his last act in an Ireland shirt on all Irish

soil. The man of the moment fittingly finished as man of the

match. Ireland play France next and they will have watched with some

interest what happened to the French when Scotland's Stuart Hall gained a

kick at them. Somehow no one grounded it until Hogg himself did.

The Scots were one point ahead with two minutes remaining and then they

allowed John Mark Dusan a penalty to win it. Cool from him and cruel on

Scotland. And that is it from all of us here.

A very good night. Bye-bye. High pressure is still on course to

keep the bulk of the UK dry next week but we are not there yet. As

the night goes on, gusty winds in Scotland will ease. A bitter drizzly

across the western side of Wales. The bulk of England and Wales will

stay clear and breezy. The breeze will stop the temperatures going

down too far and a few spots kitting close to freezing. Frost free for

most of us. Into tomorrow and you will notice a the contrast between

the cloudy, damp weather across Scotland and Northern Ireland. Rain

in Northern Ireland more persistent as the afternoon goes on. Sunny

skies in England and Wales, largely. In the far north west of Wales, some

drizzle. A contrast in temperatures. Cloudy and damp with warm sunshine.

A bit more sunshine today. Some places may get to 18. It will mock

look or feel much like Marge is -- it will not look or feel much like

March. Sunday evening, we will see rain across Scotland with hill snow

for time. The front bringing that will move south on Monday morning.

Not much rain left. More cloud, cooler in south-east England. The

full effects of the high from Tuesday onwards. By day, pleasantly

warm sunshine. At night, it will be cold and frosty. Gardeners,