Maldives residents saw "low flying plane"of the moring of disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines flight
Local reports surfacing out of the Maldives are suggesting residents of the island archepelago witnessed a low-flying jetliner in the early-morning hours on March 8th, the same day Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared.
A local news website is reporting residents of a remote island in the chain reported seeing a white aircraft with red stripes on it flying unusually low toward the southern tip of the Maldives around 6:15am local time.
The time being reported would coincide to around the time it would have taken for the missing Malaysia Airlines jet to make it from its last reported position over Malaysia to the Maldives.
So far investigators have yet to confirm these reports.
Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 disappeared shortly after takeoff on March 8th with 239-passangers and crew on-board, 154-of whom are Chinese.
Investigators have since determined the flight was deliberatly diverted after the plane's transponders were shut off.
China launches direct trading between yuan and New Zealand Dollar
The Chinese government is moving to allow direct trading between the yuan and the New Zealand dollar.
The announcement has been made by Premier Li Keqiang following a meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key here in Beijing.
Direct currency trading is being launched on the inter-bank foreign exchange market starting today.
The New Zealand dollar has become the 10th foreign currency that can be directly traded against the yuan here in China.
China reports two more human H7N9 cases
Two more cases of the H7N9 strain of bird flu are being reported here in China.
One of the new cases is a 75-year old woman from the city of Chenzhou in Hunan.
The other is a 73-year old man from Shenzhen, who is in critical condition.
At the same time, a group of people in the same district in Shenzhen are also under observation, after a 5-year old girl from Hong Kong developed symptoms after staying with her family there.
There have been over 120-cases of H7N9 reported here in China so far this year.
At least 36 of them have died.
Estonia proposes EU arms embargo against Russia; Ukranian soldier killed
The Baltic state of Estonia is calling on the European Union to step up its sanctions against Russia, suggesting an arms embargo should be the next step forward.
Estonia's foreign minister has told local media the idea of an arms embargo has been discussed briefly.
However, Urmas Paet says no final decision among EU members has been made.
The discussion of an arms embargo follows an initial round of sanctions imposed on 21-individuals from Russia and Crimea following Sunday's referendum, which has seen voters in Crimea vote nearly 97-percent in-favor of seceeding from Ukraine.
The discussion surrounding new sanctions comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin officially signed a new decree to absorb the Crimean region into the Russian Federation.
UN investigators said violence in Syria "no signs of subsiding"
The latest United Nations report is suggesting there are no signs of the the violence subsiding in Syria.
The analysis is based on an investigation by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry of Syria.
Based on hundreds of interviews and evidence collected between mid-July and January of this year, the group has told the UN Human Rights Commission that civilians are repeatedly victims of acts of terrorism.
The report suggests bombings targeting civilians by non-state armed groups have caused extensive damage and casualties across Syria.
The analysis also contends the fighting has become fragmented and localized, with the emergence of multiple frontlines involving different parties with shifting priorities.
The report also suggests these groups, both pro and anti-government factions, have no fear of being held accountable for their actions.
It recommends countries which have influence on both sides need to take the lead in bringing both sides to the negotiating table.
Kyrgyz gov't resigns after ruling coalition collapses
The ruling coalition government in Kyrgyzstan has collapsed.
This follows the withdrawl of a junior coalition partner, who has been accusing the country's prime minister of corruption.
The "Ata-Meken" or "Fatherland" Party says Prime Minister Omurbek Babnov has exhausted his moral authority to hold the position.
Babnov has been accused of accepting a 1.5-million US dollar racehorse in exchange for granting a Turkish company a construction contract.
Babnov has denied the claims.
He and his cabinet will remain in control of the Kyrgyz government until new elections are held.
The break-up of the coalition government is the latest political setback in China's neighbor to the west following the uprising in 2010 which led to the ouster of then-President Kurmanbek Bakiyev.
That uprising also led to more power being divested to the Kyrgyz parliament.
Chechen warlord Umarov dead: report
New reports are suggesting a leading Chechen terrorist has been killed.
The Chechen authorities in southern Russia say Islamic militant Doku Umarov has been killed in a special operation.
A video by a man puroporting to be Umarov's successor has also been released on the internet.
However, Russia's anti-terrorism committee has yet to confirm Umarov's death.
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