Windows Phone 8.1 Rumors: Microsoft Build and Nokia press conferences this week (Updated)

Now that the Windows Phone 8 GDR3 update has opened up phablets to Microsoft's OS, what's next? Well, the GDR3 (General Distribution Release 3) update contains the final tweaks to Windows Phone 8. The new software will be known as Windows Phone 8.1, and we're expecting its announcement in the next few days at Microsoft's BUILD conference. Here's everything we know about the next version of Windows Phone so far. (And here are some features we hope it will have.)

Updated on 03-31-2014 by Andy and Jeff: Added new information to all sections, including news on Windows Phone 8.1′s final release date, the hardware on which it will debut, new features inside, and two new, leaked videos. We also elaborated on Nokia's plans at the show.

Debut at BUILD, possible launch in April

Microsoft hasn't confirmed when we'll see the official launch of Windows Phone 8.1, but most rumors and speculation point to it being revealed during the annual Build conference. Microsoft has scheduled Build 2014 for April 2, so we're getting very close to finding out all the details. 

During Build 2013, then CEO Steve Ballmer spent almost no time at all talking about Windows Phone. Version 8.1 should change all that this time around when newly minted CEO Satya Nadella takes the stage.

According to the most recent reports, Microsoft has finished the software, and it has been sent out to hardware companies for testing. A launch date of April 23 – for new hardware with the software installed – has been tentatively suggested, but not confirmed, while developers may get access to the new version on April 8.

Nokia has something up its sleeve

Nokia is fresh off the release of the awesome Lumia Icon on Verizon, caused a stir at Mobile World Congress when it debuted three Android phones, and now it has an event planned for BUILD on April 2. We think Nokia will have a new device (or more) to show off the latest version of Windows Phone or Windows RT, but we aren't certain about anything. There's even a chance we could see a Nokia Windows watch of some kind.

There is a small chance that the event could detail how Microsoft plans to use the Nokia brand going forward now that it owns Nokia's phone business, but it depends how far along the merger approvals are and if such information is shareable yet.

This is all Nokia will say about its BUILD announcement: "What makes 2014 so special is the exciting Microsoft and Nokia partnership, and boy, have we got some treats lined up for you."

Meet Cortana, Microsoft's Siri

Cortana could be one of the major new features of Windows Phone 8.1. Cortana is a name taken from the AI (artificially intelligent) character featured in the Halo games, but she may be the voice of Microsoft's Siri challenger. According to early leaks, the virtual assistant will respond to voice commands to provide details on the weather, your calendar entries, and navigational duties.

Cortana may spread beyond Windows Phone in the future, becoming a part of Windows on PCs and the Xbox. An iPhone version, perhaps incorporated into a new Bing app, has also been rumored, but there's some bad news for international Windows Phone fans: Cortana may be limited to U.S. phones for the first months.

We've yet to hear anything about specific features or commands, but we're told Bing will play a big part in Cortana's ability to learn and react to natural voice commands. This means we may have to say "Bing tell me" rather than "Cortana tell me," especially as it's still not clear if Microsoft will heed the petition to retain the popular (and trademarked up) Cortana name. Right now, it's just an internal codename.

Quick actions and notifications are coming!

If Cortana reminds you of Siri and Google Now, then Action Center will remind you of Android's Notification Center. Apparently, it will be a drawer pulled down from the top of the screen where you'll find various system settings including toggles for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Keep going, and notifications will come streaming through. 

A leaked presentation slide said apps in Windows Phone 8.1 will "intelligently manage notifications." In a subsequent leak, it was revealed some notifications would automatically be sent to the Action Center, and not appear as an actionable notification, cutting down on the amount of noise. Those which do appear should have embedded options, such as answering Skype calls directly, or replying to an SMS without opening the app.

A video showing Windows Phone 8.1 running on what could be the Lumia 630 has been leaked. The brief tour of the phone shows a device which shares a similar design to the Android-based Nokia X family. It's not the best video we've seen, but it does show the Action Center in, um, action, plus new categories and tabs inside the Windows Phone Store.

SD card app installs, transparent Tiles, and other new features

Thanks to an extensive leak on Reddit, where a user claimed to have an early version of Windows Phone 8.1, we know about several other fun features. Although the discussion was primarily from a development point of view, it was revealed a new Music app would be included, and SkyDrive had been rebranded OneDrive (And OneDrive is already official).

Also in Windows Phone 8.1 will be the option to install apps on an SD card, rather than side-loaded to the phone itself. A further leak has indicated Windows Phone may recognize the card you have installed, and if it matches certain requirements, the option to move installed apps over to it will be provided.

One change which could make a difference to Windows Phone's usability is that the new Back button doesn't quit an app anymore, but keeps it paused in the background. Like Windows 8, a swipe down the screen will close an app. A few apps will get an overhaul; Internet Explorer, YouTube, and the standard camera app were all specifically mentioned in the leak.

Windows Phone is already a good-looking operating system, and version 8.1 won't mess around with the formula too much. One alteration which will turn heads is the transparent Tile option. Certain tiles on your home screen become opaque, revealing the lockscreen wallpaper underneath. With the right wallpaper, it can look great. You can also see it in the video below, complete with a very cool scrolling effect when you slide the menu up and down.

At Mobile World Congress, a few more details on Windows Phone 8.1 were teased. The big news is a relaxation of the rule to force manufacturers to use a hardware key for the camera's shutter release. This is important, as Android-based devices can be adapted for Windows Phone more easily. Microsoft will also introduce the option to add dual-SIM support, increasing Windows Phone's appeal in developing markets.

Some other, smaller changes visible in early Windows Phone 8.1 builds include separate volume controls for media, alerts and apps, a battery percentage meter, and a battery monitor to track which apps or services are eating up your standby time. A VPN option may be added, along with an unusual setting to divert incoming SMS to an alternative app. The camera app may get a visual overhaul, while a dedicated Podcast app may be added.

A screenshot supposedly showing a Windows Phone implementation of a Swype-like keyboard has made an appearance, but isn't mentioned in any other leaks, leaving us questioning its accuracy.

Windows Phone 8.1 may merge with Windows RT

Microsoft may be about to make life easier for app developers. A leaked slide indicates Microsoft will offer a "Shared Solution" to devs using Visual Studio to create apps, so they can be submitted to both the Windows and Windows Phone Store at the same time. A second slide shows developers can select buttons, boxes and other design elements – totaling 80 percent – which work across both platforms.

Bringing the struggling tablet OS into line with Windows Phone would make good sense, and follows the same course as Apple and Google have taken with Android.

Rumored phones with Windows Phone 8.1 installed

Despite rumors suggesting Nokia would feature Windows Phone 8.1 at Mobile World Congress, the company dedicated its time to the Nokia X range of phones. Since then, Nokia has announced it will be showing something during Build 2014, but it may only be the rumored Lumia 630.

This is also likely to be the first dual-SIM device running Windows Phone. We were expecting to see the Lumia 530 and Lumia 930 announced, but this is now in doubt. Slightly better news is the same source indicates the Windows Phone 8.1 update will be sent out to Windows Phone 8 devices during early May. We're sure the new Lumia Icon will be in-line to get the update.

Samsung may make a return to the Windows Phone family soon, and the leaked Huron smartphone could be its first with the new OS installed. If rumors are correct, it may end up being called the Ativ SE and only be available connected to Verizon. A leaked image of the phone shows the network's branding attached to a Galaxy S4-like device. 

We've also heard talk Microsoft has persuaded Sony to produce a Windows Phone device. If so, Windows Phone 8.1 may come pre-installed. Additionally, it's a relatively safe bet to assume current Windows Phone partners such as HTC, ZTE, and Huawei will be preparing new devices, too.

Microsoft has also added Lenovo to the roster of companies interested in building Windows Phone hardware, and re-confirmed both LG and Samsung are onboard. However, we've heard this before, and neither have fully embraced Windows Phone.

Leaked WP 8.1 video

WinBeta claims to have an early copy of Windows Phone 8.1 and made a YouTube video showing it. We've embedded it below.

Will my old Windows Phone receive the update?

Remember the Windows Phone 7 debacle? Microsoft decided it couldn't (wouldn't?) update older hardware to Windows Phone 8, and annoyed fans with the lukewarm Windows Phone 7.8 instead? We don't think history will repeat itself. In an interview with Computerworld at CES 2014, a Microsoft rep said all Windows Phone 8 hardware will be compatible with version 8.1. The quote comes from Greg Sullivan, Microsoft's Director of PR, who added "We won't run out of head space on Windows Phone 8 any time soon."

If you're wondering when it'll arrive on your phone, don't expect a firm answer any time soon. While the OS may be with manufacturers for testing, it will still have to be sent to networks before finally making it on to your phone, and this can be a lengthy process. One source says the rollout will begin in early May.

We'll add any new Windows Phone 8.1-related rumors to this article as they come. Otherwise, we must wait for MWC and for Build in April for any official news.
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Galaxy S5 has ‘best smartphone display’ on the market, according to analysis firm

Display-analyzing firm DisplayMate has been taking a very close look at the screen on the soon-to-launch Galaxy S5 smartphone, and its findings are sure to have Samsung executives cracking a smile as wide as the device is long.

For most regular folk, display analysis extends to little more than popping down to the local phone store, looking at the screen for a couple of seconds and then offering a carefully considered evaluation like "sharp, ain't it." DisplayMate, on the other hand, carries out a battery of exhaustive tests to determine a device's performance in a huge variety of areas, some of which you never knew existed. In its 7,000-word analysis – yes, seven thousand – of the S5′s display, it concluded it's pretty much the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Best ever

"Based on our extensive lab tests and measurements, the Galaxy S5 is the best performing smartphone display that we have ever tested," DisplayMate president Raymond Soneira wrote in his report.

The Galaxy S5′s 5.1-inch 1080×1920 (432 ppi) Super Amoled display is, according to DisplayMate, a "major improvement" over the S4's display "in almost every single test and measurement category."

It added that it was particularly impressed that the Korean tech giant has been "systematically and significantly improving its OLED display performance with every single Galaxy generation since 2010," with the S5 continuing the "rapid and impressive" improvement.

Highest, lowest, smallest….

And the gushing praise doesn't end there. Soneira said Samsung had concentrated on improving all elements of the display, scoring it a bunch of accolades in his highly detailed analysis, including that of highest brightness of all the smartphones he's ever tested, the lowest reflectance, highest color accuracy, highest contrast rating in ambient light, and smallest brightness variation with viewing angle.

As if that wasn't enough, the device's Cinema Mode, Soneira wrote, has "the most accurate colors for any smartphone or tablet display that we have ever measured," enabling it to produce "beautiful" picture quality.

The comprehensive critique utters barely a bad word about Samsung's flagship phone, though if you go through it with a fine-tooth comb you'll discover that in Cinema Mode the contrast and color saturation are "slightly" too high. But only slightly. Samsung can live with that.

Soneira describes his eyes as "experienced and hyper-critical," so whether the average Joe with his average peepers will notice the improvements is anyone's guess. Anyway, you'll be able to find out for yourself soon as the handset lands in stores on April 11.
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Olympus Stylus SH-1 keeps its 24x zoom steady by employing an advanced 5-axis system

Borrowing the design of its PEN E-P5 cousin (which itself was modeled after the PEN F from the 1960s), the new Stylus SH-1 from Olympus is the "world's first compact with mechanical 5-axis stabilization," the company says. Using the same image stabilization system as more advanced Olympus cameras (like the OM-D and PEN series) gives the slim SH-1 improved steadiness, especially when the lens is zoomed out all the way.

As for that lens, it is a long 24x optical zoom (25-600mm), with an aperture range of f/3.0-8.7 (wide) and f/6.9-20 (tele). Like the newly announced TG-3, the SH-1 has a 16-megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor (1/2.3-inch) and the latest image processor, Olympus' TruePic VII. ISO range is between 125-6,400, interval shooting of 99 shots, and, at full resolution, a burst mode of 11.5 frames per second (fps). Build wise, the camera has aluminum alloy controls and detailed craftsmanship throughout; the camera weighs 9.5 ounces. A 3-inch touchscreen is on the back, but it does not tilt and it's only rated at 460k dots.

The highlight feature, of course, is that 5-axis IS. It works with both stills and video, and Olympus says it works great for shooting in low light. Olympus says that with a 24x zoom, any sort of shake will blur an image. So, having a 5-axis system is beneficial. When we reviewed the OM-D EM-1, the camera produced clear photos with minimal blur, which we attributed to the 5-axis system in that camera. Granted, it's also a more sophisticated device than the SH-1, so it'll be interesting to see how well it actually performs in a compact. The SH-1 also has hybrid image stabilization, which uses electronic IS to increase the steadiness when shooting video.

The SH-1 captures Full HD 1080 video at 60p. There's an Advanced Movie Mode that records in high speed at 240 fps (120 fps in 720p). There's a time-lapse mode (five hour video compressed down to 20 seconds), and you can take stills while shooting video.

With built-in Wi-Fi, you can pair the SH-1 with an iOS or Android smartphone for remote operation and wireless transfers/uploads. There's no near-field communication (NFC), but Olympus uses a QR code system, which you scan with your smartphone, for quick and painless pairing. We've used Olympus' Wi-Fi implementation many times, and it works well.

Available in May, the SH-1 will list for $400. Like the E-P5 it mimics, the SH-1 comes in black, white, or silver.
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Woman busted after gloating on Facebook about passing breathalyzer test

Detailed by Detroit's WDIV recently, 22-year-old Colleen Cudney thought it would be an absolutely brilliant idea to update her Facebook page with a status update about passing a breathalyzer test after drinking on St. Patrick's Day. Of course, Cudney was being forced to take the breathalyzer test since she was on probation for a 2012 drunk driving conviction in Michigan. Typical of that type of probation, Cudney isn't allowed to drink alcohol and is required to submit to alcohol testing at random intervals.

Described in the grammatically challenged Facebook post, Cudney wrote "Buzz killer for me, I had to breatalyze (sic) this morning and I drank yesterday but I passed thank god lol my dumbass."

After Cudney's original breathalyzer test, a Westland police officer spotted her Facebook post and immediately informed the probation office. At this point, the office called Cudney to schedule a urine test. That test would have able to definitely tell if Cudney had consumed any alcohol during the 80 hours prior to the test.

Obviously not interested in taking a test that she would fail, Cudney immediately hung up the phone. Of course, the act of hanging up the phone was a violation according to the probation office. While Cudney would have been free of probation completely in just a few weeks, she now faces up to 93 days in jail for violating her probation as well as an additional period of probation when she's released. Cudney has an April 1 court date to discuss the violation. 

Of course, this isn't the first time that bragging on Facebook has landed someone in jail. During February 2014, a Texas man was arrested shortly after taunting authorities with a "Catch Me If You Can" Facebook post. A similar arrest occurred during July 2013 when a 27-year-old woman bragged about her stolen items on the local police department Facebook page.
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Apple, Samsung return to court, Kayaker goes over waterfall, crazy Kickstarter projects

Discover
Ultrakam for iPhone, CBS over the Net, Typo case banned.

iTunes Festival, Secret App at SxSW, Snowden's South-By Hangout.

Apple plans to build iMacs in America, YouTube launches simpler homepage.

Aros Smart Air Conditioner, Pocket-size Gym, 3D Printed Car Chassis.

Police Tech, Defiance Review, Office on iOS and Android

Facebook's drones, McLaren 650s, Dish hops with Disney.

EA SPORTS 2014 FIFA World Cup - Gameplay Trailer.mp4

US Gov't seizes more domains, Facebook accused of spying on all users.

BMW 328i M Sport

Google's Terminator glasses, Verizon doubles data, Nikon's D800 sets records.

Google Fiber, Self Building Furniture, the Navy's Laser.

FBI spills Apple device IDs, Valve jumps into gaming hardware.

Golfsense Swing Analyzer
3D printed LP record, Xbox One hoax, Smartphone controled paper airplane

iRadio to launch soon? Asus Trio unveiled, Atari burial site

Hackers Hijack Siri, Guns limited on Facebook, T-Mobile users flee from Blackberry.

Unlocking smartphones becomes illegal, France demands Twitter expose racists.

Today on BEN Latest News: Apple and Samsung suit up for another go around in patent court, cameras roll as a kayaker goes over huge waterfall, and it's a mystery why these Kickstarter campaigns get little or no funding. Well, not really.
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OkCupid urges Firefox users to ditch Mozilla over hiring of CEO with anti-gay past

CBoth Mozilla and its newly minted CEO Brendan Eich have already taken quite a bit of heat over the firm's decision to hire Eich after it was revealed that the JavaScript inventor donated money in support of the Proposition 8 campaign in California in 2008. Proposition 8 sought to recognize marriage between men and women as the only form of legal marriage.

Since Eich's appointment, three members of Mozilla's board have resigned in protest, and now online dating site OkCupid has given its two cents on the matter, urging users to switch to a browser other than Firefox when using their service.

When using Firefox, if you navigate to the OkCupid homepage, you'll be greeted a message that includes the following:

"Mozilla's new CEO, Brendan Eich, is an opponent of equal rights for gay couples. We would therefore prefer that our users not use Mozilla software to access OkCupid.

Politics is normally not the business of a website, and we all know there's a lot more wrong with the world than misguided CEOs. So you might wonder why we're asserting ourselves today. This is why: we've devoted the last ten years to bringing people—all people—together. If individuals like Mr. Eich had their way, then roughly 8% of the relationships we've worked so hard to bring about would be illegal. Equality for gay relationships is personally important to many of us here at OkCupid. But it's professionally important to the entire company. OkCupid is for creating love. Those who seek to deny love and instead enforce misery, shame, and frustration are our enemies, and we wish them nothing but failure."

Below the message are links to the pages for three alternative browsers: Internet Explorer, Opera and Google Chrome. At the very bottom of the page is another link that will let you continue on to use the rest of the site.

Amid the controversy, Eich has defended himself, releasing an official statement in which he said "words alone will not change anything. I can only ask for your support to have the time to "show, not tell"; and in the meantime express my sorrow at having caused pain."

It'll be interesting to see if any other firms throw Mozilla under the bus over their hiring of Eich, and how Mozilla reacts to the backlash.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.
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LIVE: Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich and Barcelona 1-1 Atletico Madrid

In summary
Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich (19:45 BST)

Vidic for Utd, Schweinsteiger levels
Bayern won trophy last season

Barcelona 1-1 Atletico Madrid (19:45 BST)

Open Get involved
All times stated are British Summer Time (BST)

21:25
Scottish Premiership
Inverness CT 1-1 Motherwell - 18-year-old Ryan Christie, son of Inverness legend Charlie Christie, drills a shot into the bottom corner to give the home side the equaliser and keep their slim hopes of Europe alive.

Infostrada Sports: (external) Vidic scored his 3rd CL goal, while Schweinsteiger scored 3 CL goals in a single season for the first time.

21:22
CLOSE! Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
How has that not gone in? Arjen Robben to Franck Ribery, who beats Rio Ferdinand to the ball and then cuts it first-time right across the goalmouth. Mario Mandzukic should have a tap-in but he just didn't anticipate Ribery reaching that!

United nine minutes away from a draw.
Join the debate at #bbcfootball
Dylan Swann: (external) Game made for Moyes, small team vs big. Set up to not concede and try to snatch it. Did it for years at Everton. Utd's Future.

Benjamin Taylor: (external) That goal shows why having a proper centre forward is still 100% a better option than having a false nine.

Luke: (external) Worrying thing is that Hodgson will take every English player on the field tonight to Brazil. Not one good enough.

21:21
Barcelona 1-1 Atletico Madrid
Spanish football writer Andy West at Camp Nou: "All of a sudden, it feels like a cup tie. Barca are in full flow and the crowd have belatedly woken up. Iniesta is making it all happen, producing a slide-rule pass for Neymar's goal and forcing Courtois into one of his routinely brilliant saves. Barca pushing hard, more goals on the cards now."

Sam, London: Valencia very lucky not to get sent off, very late tackle.

David: Valencia should be off for that. Straight red card.

Ben, Leeds: Ashley Young for Alex Buttner is not the substitution of a Champions League team...

21:19
CLOSE! Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
Marouane Fellaini is left as a spectator again as Mario Gotze kills a pass with a deft touch, and then tees up Arjen Robben. It's on the run, 12 yards out, central - and he drags a shot wide. Big, big chance...

21:18
Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
Into the last 15 minutes. There are more goals in this - just look at United' current back four for a start...

21:18
BBC Radio 5 live
Don't forget that BBC Radio 5 live will be discussing all matters Champions League after full-time tonight. Robbie Savage is particularly keen to know what you make of United's chances after the first leg. You can get in touch by calling 0500 909693.

21:17
SUBSTITUTION Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
The injured left-back Alexander Buttner limps off, with Ashley Young coming on. That means changes for United, with Phil Jones at left-back and Antonio Valencia at right-back. Young is on the right in a more advanced position.

Bayern make a more straightforward change, with Toni Kroos and Mario Gotze on.

Johnny, London: What was Fellaini doing for the goal? He's been the worst player on the pitch by a long way tonight. Not good enough for this level.

Anon: Man Utd possible Champions League winners and then Bayern started trying...

Ruben, Aberdeen: Poor tracking from Fellaini, he's been good off the ball but his struggle at MUFC continues.

21:15
GOAL Barcelona 1-1 Atletico Madrid - Neymar (71 mins)
Barca are back in business! Andres Iniesta plays a magnificent through-pass with the outside of his right boot, it's inch perfect and cuts out three defenders, allowing Neymar to sweep in powerfully across the keeper.

21:14
Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
Oooof - Antonio Valencia is a lucky boy. He catches Jerome Boateng late, they both slide in for the ball, but he catches him. He was booked in the first half but gets away with that one.

21:15
Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
Spanish football writer Andy West at Camp Nou: "So how do Barca respond? Tata Martino's default setting is to replace Cesc Fabregas, however well or badly he or other players are performing, and he's done it again tonight to bring on a more attacking player in the form of Alexis Sanchez. That means a change of shape, with Neymar coming over to the left wing, Alexis on the right and Iniesta dropping deeper into midfield."

Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
McNulty at Old Trafford.
"Bayern Munich have been passing the ball around all night - and yet that crucial equaliser came from a cross knocked by the big striker Mario Mandzukic into the path of Bastian Schweinsteiger. Old school."

21:12
Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
There are still 20 minutes to go at Old Trafford. Antonio Valencia and Alex Buttner have both gone down with what looks like cramp. United don't have any defenders on the bench...

Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich
Old Trafford
"What an absolutely brilliant finish by Bastian Schweinsteiger. Great great play by Bayern Munich, his run wasn't tracked by Marouane Fellaini, and if you are in the team to be the defensive midfielder you have to do better than that, especially when he is offering nothing in attack."

21:10
Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich

Nemanja Vidic's opener put Manchester United ahead - but the best thing about it is another first-class face from Phil Jones...

21:08
GOAL Man Utd 1-1 Bayern Munich - Bastian Schweinsteiger (67 mins)
Class goal. Bayern do land a punch as Bastian Schweinsteiger lashes in an equaliser. Arjen Robben carries the ball forward before freeign Rafinha on the overlap, his cross reaches substitute Mario Mandzukic, and he picks out Schweinsteiger with a fine header. The ball is a difficult one to strike, on the bounce, but the German midfielder caresses the ball into the top corner with his left foot.

21:07
Man Utd 1-0 Bayern Munich
It's backs to the wall time now again for Manchester United, they sit in and take the punishment, like Balboa v Creed. Unlike Creed though, Bayern are not landing the punches.

Gary Lineker on Twitter: Moyes has got this spot on tonight.

Championship latest Wigan 2-1 Leicester.

Alan Young - Former Leicester striker at the DW Stadium.

"Bad defending from Leicester and it's another free header at the near post, this time for Rob Kiernan. The first goal was exactly the same. The Foxes' back four were irreplaceable at one time this season, tonight, I'm afraid they've let their keeper down."

Football League update
There are goals in the Football League as well where Reza Ghoochannejhad has put Charlton 1-0 up away to troubled Leeds. The Addicks have won two of their last four to move out of the relegation zone.

Wigan have edged back in front against leaders Leicester with Rob Kiernan's first senior goal for the club putting them 2-1 up.

In League One, Billy Knott has levelled for Port Vale at home to Crawley Town.

21:04
SUBSTITUTION Man Utd 1-0 Bayern Munich
Bayern have lacked a focal point and here comes a big Croatian one. Mario Mandzukic is on, Thomas Muller is off. Half an hour left, Nemanja Vidic the difference.

Barcelona 0-1 Atletico Madrid
Spanish football writer Andy West at Camp Nou: "Wow wow wowwhat a strike from Diego! The view from the press box was right behind that shot and you could see the ball wobbling in the air before drifting late into the top corner. Should Pinto have saved it inside his near post? He appeared to get fingertips to it but the ball was travelling at such speed it would be harsh to attach blame. Simply a wonderful hit by the Diego that nobody expected to score."

Man Utd 1-0 Bayern Munich

"Huge roars around Old Trafford after Nemanja Vidic's goal. Bayern Munich, for all that possession, have not created many chances and suddenly there is real belief here."
Julian: What odds on Moyes winning the tournament and snatching a Champions League place away from Everton?

Tom, Manchester: I reckon Vidic will bow out his United career by winning the Champs League similar to Drogba at Chelsea!

JB: This looks like the Vidic and Ferdinand of 2008. Iron Shield in defence and a Vidic goal we haven't seen in a while. Brilliant.
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LIVE: Man Utd v Bayern Munich

Live reporting

In summary
Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 BST)
Ryan Giggs start for Man Utd
Bayern won trophy last season
Man Utd up to 6/1 to win with bookies
Barcelona v Atletico Madrid (19:45 BST)

Open Get involved
All times stated are British Summer Time (BST)

18:48
Team news Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 BST)

Rio Ferdinand comes into the Manchester United defence with Phil Jones shuffling to replace right-back Rafael who pulled his hamstring in the 4-1 win over Aston Villa. There is no space for Shinji Kagawa in a revamped midfield which sees Antonio Valencia, Michael Carrick and Ryan Giggs come into the side. Danny Welbeck starts up front off Wayne Rooney.

Bayern Munich make eight changes from the weakened side that drew 3-3 with Hoffenheim in the wake of their title triumph. Franck Ribery, Rafinha and Bastian Schweinsteiger survive and are joined by the likes of Manuel Neuer, Arjen Robben, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller and David Alaba in a near-full strength line-up. Midfielder Thiago Alcantara is missing however after tearing knee ligaments last time out.

Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 BST)
BBC Sport Chief Football Writer Phil McNulty at Old Trafford
"Manchester United manager David Moyes places great faith in the old guard of Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand in central defence while Phil Jones and Alexander Buttner are on the flanks. Can Bayern exploit that ageing pair or will their experience help United to keep Pep Guardiola's outstanding Bundlesliga champions and Champions League holders at bay?"

Join the debate at #bbcfootball
Chris Fleming: (external) Expecting Bayern to get at least 3 tonight. Also hope that a such a win will make us Arsenal fans feel slightly better!

Muhammad Yousaf: (external) Quite possibly the last Champions League night for another 15 months at least at the Theatre of Dreams.

Stephen: (external) Can't see United winning tonight ... Or losing ... Or drawing .... Mainly because I'm nowhere near a TV.

18:42
Pep at Old Trafford? Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 GMT)

After such contrasting seasons, Manchester United fans may be forgiven for wondering how different life would have been had Sir Alex Ferguson chosen Pep instead of Dave.

Unlikely? Well, not according to the man himself. Guardiola joked yesterday that he might have been offered the Manchester United job but missed out because of his limited English.

"Maybe I didn't understand if I received an offer or not," said the 43-year-old Guardiola.

"My English is not so good and when Sir Alex spoke quickly I didn't understand him."

The former Spain midfielder met Ferguson in New York while on a 12-month sabbatical after leaving Barcelona at the end of the 2011-12 season.

"He invited me to a super restaurant," Guardiola said. "It was a friendly dinner, like always. He was so gentle and we spent a very good time together."

Sounds like a cracking first date. Sir Alex just didn't seal the deal...

Anon, via text: Reckon United will scrape a draw, leaving the fans ridiculously over-optimistic for the 2nd leg.

Sean, London: United aren't going to out-muscle or out-pass Bayern, so they should focus on what creativity they have got. Young and Valencia out wide, with Rooney, Januzaj and Kagawa all floating in the midfield hole behind Hernandez.

Kev, Glasgow: To win, United need: 1. Januzaj to start. 2. Rio not to start or come on as a sub. 3. A whole lot of luck!

Sean, Kev - David Moyes didn't get your texts...

18:39
Why are Bayern so good? Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 GMT)
So why are Bayern so good?

Bayern had won 19 league games in a row - a Bundesliga record - before last weekend's draw with Hoffenheim and are now unbeaten in a record 53 Bundesliga games.

Pep Guardiola has not made many changes to Jupp Heynckes' side this season but one notable switch has seen captain Philipp Lahm move into midfield. And he added Thiago and Mario Gotze to an already stellar midfield. We shall find out which XI he has selected for tonight's test soon enough...
Join the debate at #bbcfootball
We asked for your three-point guide to success and the texts and tweets have been flying in.

Paul Hirsch: (external) Close Ribery down like we did with Ronaldo last year. Start Welbeck & Valencia for pace. Get Carrick on form. #nevergiveup. And 3 tips for Bayern; Concentrate attacks on the flanks, isolate Rooney, watch out for Giggsy's passing.

J O Grady: (external)United need to 1. Disrupt Bayern's possession 2. Counter attack quickly between the defensive lines 3. Take ANY chances.

David Smith: (external) Giggs, Rooney, and De Gea hold the key. Those 3 perform well, we stand a good chance of coming away with a positive result.

18:36
Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 GMT)
But all may not be lost for Manchester United - who are not "underdogs" for the quarter-final, according to player-coach Ryan Giggs.

The 40-year-old, who starts again tonight, also insists United can win the competition. And he was speaking before April Fool's Day began...

The Welshman added: "We are Manchester United, and at Old Trafford we have had so many great nights."

18:35
Team News Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 BST)
Ryan Giggs - so impressive against Olympiakos in the last round - is in from the start as United make five changes from the team which beat Aston Villa 4-1.

United XI: De Gea, Jones, Ferdinand, Vidic, Bttner, Valencia, Carrick, Fellaini, Giggs, Rooney, Welbeck
Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 GMT)

BBC Sport chief football writer Phil McNulty at Old Trafford:
"Bayern Munich's fans are already starting to gather in one sun-bathed corner of Old Trafford on a perfect night for this Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United. The holders are attempting to become the first club to retain the Champions League and are firm favourites to progress.

"United have taken some chastening punishment from Liverpool and Manchester City at Old Trafford recently, but what an opportunity for manager David Moyes and his players to show they can still produce some of the old authority when it matters."

18:31
Team News Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 BST)

Bayern Munich make eight changes from the team which drew 3-3 with Hoffenheim.

Bayern XI: Neuer; Rafinha, Boateng, Martinez, Alaba; Robben, Lahm, Schweinsteiger, Kroos, Muller, Ribery

Manchester United: (external) We're expecting a great atmosphere at OT tonight - these @FCBayernEN fans have been warming up en route.

#MUFCBAYERN
Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 GMT)

BBC Radio 5 live summariser Robbie Savage at Old Trafford

"I think Manchester United have to be at 100% with a fully fit squad and they have not got that. Bayern also need to have an off day and they don't have many of those. I think it will be Phil Jones at right back, Alexander Buttner left back and with the pace of Bayern, they will destroy United.

"David Moyes has to make sure the team he picks is the right one. The team he played against Manchester City I thought was tactically wrong. He needs to go with pace because Bayern's centre-backs are weak to pace. Moyes needs to get it tactically spot on, otherwise it could be two or three for Bayern."

18:26
The last eight
A quick reminder of which teams have made it this far. Here is a rundown of the last eight of the Champions League:

Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 GMT)

Barcelona v Atletico Madrid (19:45 GMT)

Paris St-Germain v Chelsea (Wednesday)

Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund (Wednesday)
18:23

Barcelona v Atletico Madrid (19:45 BST)

Just a point separates leaders Atletico Madrid from Barcelona at the top of La Liga, and they get a chance to knock each other off their stride as both sides seek a Spanish and European double tonight.

Argentine coaches Gerado Martino and Diego Simeone have overseen three low-scoring draws between the teams this season, but the Atletico coach may be more anxious after top scorer Diego Costa pulled out of training on Monday with a knee injury.

League One and Two preview
Top play bottom in League One where victory for leaders Wolves at struggling Stevenage would move Kenny Jackett's side 13 points clear of third-placed Leyton Orient.

Sheffield United will be looking to regain momentum after their 10-match winning run came to an end with only one victory in their last four. The Blades can do Wolves a favour by beating second-placed Brentford at Bramall Lane. Port Vale travel to Crawley and Coventry welcome Bradford in the other two matches at League One tonight.

In League Two, Bury and Bristol Rovers meet at the JD Stadium where a win for either would go a long way to securing their Football League status for another season.

Championship preview
We do have some domestic action too this evening. After a 10-year absence, Championship leaders Leicester's return to the Premier League is almost assured. The Foxes saw off nearest challengers Burnley at the weekend and will move nine points clear at the top if they can overcome Wigan at the DW Stadium.

Elsewhere, Brighton's hopes of making the play-offs have been stalled by three successive defeats, but victory over Blackburn at Ewood Park would put them within one point of the top six.

At the opposite end of the table, Charlton have climbed out of the relegation zone with two wins in their last four and will hope to make further upward progress away to Leeds.
18:16
Stevenage may not be Manchester Nick. But you can park the car directly opposite Stevenage's ground. For free.
Text us on 81111
Nick from Leeds, via text: Going to Stevenage Vs Wolves tonight, feels like it's Man U Vs Bayern in terms of competition. The town centre isn't much like Manchester, though.

Mick, a Man Utd fan, via text: The first BBQ of 2014, sadly I think my steak will last longer than Manchester United's Champions League aspirations!!

Kabir, via text: If I'm honest, I quite believe a United win is possible today. 2-1.
18:14
What we're all about Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 GMT)
In his programme notes, Manchester United boss David Moyes says: "These are the nights that Manchester United are all about and have been for many years.

"They are what Sir Matt Busby had in mind when he first took United into Europe, with two huge clubs going head-to-head.

"Over two legs we believe we can progress, but none of us are under any illusions as to how big a task awaits."
GET INVOLVED

You see a skint bookmaker about as often as you see a skinny butcher - and with good reason. They know their onions.

Or their meats. Or their odds.

Manchester United have been priced at around 6/1 to win tonight - the biggest odds they have ever been with some some bookmakers to win a game at Old Trafford. That is the size of the task facing David Moyes and co.

But we are in search of some optimism.

How can United win this tie? What do they need to do? Who needs to play - and where?

Give me your three-point guide to success and who knows, the boys themselves may even read it in the changing rooms...

Fire away on text to 81111 (UK Only), tweet us at #bbcfootball (external), or drop us a line on the Facebook page. (external)
18:08
Pep, Pep, Pep Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 GMT)

Pep Guardiola, on the other hand, had found life with Bayern pretty straightforward.

He lost his first game in charge against Borussia Dortmund but only Manchester City have repeated that feat again this term.

Bayern have 78 points from 28 games - winning the title last Tuesday night while United were humbled again by rivals Manchester City.

Pep's record reads like this:

Won: 37

Drawn: Five

Lost: Two

18:03
Moyes, Moyes, Moyes Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 GMT)
Replacing Sir Alex Ferguson was always going to be tough. Very tough.

But even David Moyes has admitted that he has found this season much harder than he ever anticipated.

So far it's been a painful year for Moyes at Old Trafford. United are seventh in the Premier League with 54 points from 32 games and Moyes' record in all competitions reads like this:

Won: 26

Drawn: Eight

Lost: 13

18:00
Rookies of the year? Man Utd v Bayern Munich (19:45 BST)

Last summer, two footballing giants took the difficult step of replacing hugely successful managers.

In Munich, Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes bowed out after a staggeringly brilliant campaign which saw him deliver the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League trophies.

Across the pond in Manchester, United lost an even bigger part of their history as Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down at the end of a 26-year reign which delivered 38 trophies.

The two clubs' succession strategies could hardly be more different. Bayern went and landed Pep Guardiola, the man behind Barcelona's European domination, while United appointed Everton boss David Moyes.

Almost 12 months on, 'new' boys Moyes and Guardiola face off tonight in the last eight of the Champions League. It's fair to say they've had, er, contrasting records in the job so far. Who will come out on top?
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Spy for Israel could be released by Passover

Jonathan Pollard, the former U.S. intelligence agent who was convicted of spying for Israel, could be released before the Jewish holiday of Passover as part of efforts to save Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations, an Israeli official involved in the talks told CNN.

Various suggestions for deals for Pollard's release have been floated over the years but have not materialized. Passover starts on April 14.

Talk of Pollard's possible release came as Secretary of State John Kerry traveled to Israel on Monday to try to mediate a dispute between Israel and the Palestinians over the release of Palestinian prisoners. Kerry was in Belgium on Tuesday but will go back to Israel on Wednesday and also visit Ramallah, West Bank, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

No decisions have been made about Pollard's release, which sources familiar with the talks have cautioned is far from certain and would need to be approved by President Barack Obama. Pollard's possible release was being discussed as part of a broader agreement that has not been finalized.

In exchange for the release, the sources have said that Israel would have to make significant concessions to the Palestinians, which could include a settlement freeze, the release of additional prisoners beyond the current group in dispute, and an agreement to continue peace negotiations beyond the end-of-April deadline.

Pollard was convicted in 1987 of spying for Israel and is serving a life sentence in the United States. His imprisonment has been a source of tension between the United States and Israel.

Parameters

The Israeli official said the parameters of a deal still emerging include negotiations with the Palestinians continuing into 2015, and an agreement that during that time, Palestinians would refrain from taking their case to international bodies.

However, Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian lawmaker who met Monday with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss Kerry's efforts, said the Palestinian leadership believes the Israelis are making claims of an "emerging deal" to create an impression that a breakthrough is imminent so that when it falls apart, it can be blamed on the Palestinians.

Barghouti doubted the notion that the Palestinians were on the verge of signing a deal and said Abbas is increasingly convinced that Israel is not interested in any process that would lead to Palestinian statehood.

According to the Israeli official, though, a fourth Palestinian prisoner release would go ahead and would include Israeli Arabs, the official added. An additional 400 Palestinian prisoners would be released. Israel would determine those to be released, and they would not have blood on their hands, the official added.

Regarding settlements, there would not be a total freeze, but "Israel will act with great restraint," he said.

But in what one nongovermental organization's director called "a blow to the American efforts in trying to achieve an agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians," Israel pushed forward Tuesday with tenders for new settlement construction in Gilo, in East Jerusalem.

"Israel today re-announced pushed tenders for 708 new settlement units in Gilo that were originally published in November," said Hagit Ofran, director of Peace Now, an Israeli NGO that monitors Israel's settlement construction in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The Israeli official said Jerusalem would not be included in the provision calling for no tenders for new housing in the West Bank, although work would proceed on tenders already issued, the official said. The halt on new tenders refers to housing only. Construction of other infrastructure, such as roads and hospitals, he said, would continue.

Asked about the talks and a possible release, Asher Mivzari, a spokesman for The Free Jonathan Pollard Committee, said the committee was not "reacting to the news."

"Their message all along has been that Jonathan Pollard should have been freed a long time ago and this should be an outcome of justice in the American legal system," he said.

Separately, a spokesman for Cabinet Minister Uri Ariel confirmed he had said he was against the release of "murderers" in exchange for Pollard.

Parole consideration

Israel has in the past tried to link Pollard's release to peace negotiations. Current and former U.S. officials and experts have suggested the United States government might tie his release to a comprehensive peace deal between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Pollard is up for parole consideration in November 2015, and the United States is running out of time to use his possible release for leverage with Israel.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said on Monday that it is a "complicated issue" and declined to "get into details" about the negotiations.

"And with regards to Mr. Pollard, he is a person who was convicted of espionage and is serving his sentence, and I don't have any update on his situation," Carney said.

But the fact the United States is apparently willing to discuss his release before even a framework agreement has been reached between the parties shows the extraordinary efforts Washington is making to salvage the troubled negotiations.

When asked whether Pollard was a topic in Kerry's talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Psaki stuck to the White House line and said she had no updates on his status.

Talks hit a snag

The peace negotiations, which began in July, have hit a snag over whether Israel will agree to release more than two dozen prisoners, including 14 Arab Israelis whom Israel considers terrorists. They were scheduled to be freed on March 29, and now Palestinian negotiators are threatening to end the negotiations over the delay.

Israel has already released three groups of prisoners, most of whom have served lengthy prison terms for attacks on Israelis. But this final release is especially contentious because it includes convicted murderers. Netanyahu has said he would seek approval for any further releases with his Cabinet, which has been critical of the previous releases.

Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon told CNN he will resign if Israel goes ahead with the prisoner release, and other Likud Party members in the Cabinet, along with members of the HaBayit HaYahudi Party, which has 12 members in the Knesset, could join him, creating a political crisis.

Netanyahu has also said he would not release any more prisoners if Abbas did not agree to continue negotiations and to stop threatening to seek recognition

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Asiana says pilot error factor in U.S. crash

NYT: Asiana blames software for SFO crash

South Korea's Asiana Airlines admitted Tuesday that pilot error was partly to blame for the crash of Asiana Flight 214 in San Francisco last July, in which three people were killed.

Lee Hyomin, a spokeswoman for Asiana Airlines, said the pilot was not solely responsible for the crash but "could have failed to respond quickly" to factors including problems with the aircraft's auto throttle system.

The auto throttle problem was compounded by inadequate warning systems to alert the flight crew when the plane's airspeed fell too low, she said.

The spokeswoman also cited the "flight crew's failure to execute a timely go-around when the conditions required it by the company's procedures."

Another contributing factor was "air traffic control instructions and procedures that led to an excessive pilot workload during a high-energy final approach," she said.

As well as the three who died, scores of passengers were injured when the Boeing 777 struck the seawall at San Francisco International Airport and tumbled down the runway.

In January, Asiana filed a lawsuit against Boeing alleging that some equipment on the plane was improperly installed or defective, resulting in inadequate warnings for the pilots about low airspeed.

U.S. investigators have also looked at what part an airport navigation system that was out of service while runway improvements were made may have played in the crash.

Flight 214's pilot, Capt. Lee Kang Kuk, told the National Transportation Safety Board last year that he found it "very stressful, very difficult" to land without the glideslope indicator that helps pilots determine whether the plane is too high or too low during approach.

In February, the U.S. Department of Transportation fined Asiana Airlines $500,000 for failing properly to assist families affected by the crash.
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MH370: China rules out 11 locations

Chinese ships check and rule out 11 locations in the southern Indian Ocean where suspicious objects had been spotted.
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Sources call MH370 turn a 'criminal act'

A government source says they consider the sharp turn of Flight 370 a "criminal act" committed by someone on board.
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New last words from missing MH370

Another turn around for Malaysian authorities saying the new last words from MH370 are now, "Goodnight, Malaysian 370."
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Malaysia Flight 370: High-tech search tools

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 said good night, then drifted off over the darkened seas, somehow bypassing that vast spiderweb of modern technology that catches every move of worldwide aviation. Yet now, high technology seems the only way of tracking down where on Earth the plane ended up.

Let's presume the plane did go down in the Indian Ocean, thousands of feet deep with churning currents and treacherous weather. Here are some devices that might help searchers find signs of the plane.

TPL: Towed pinger locator

One of the most helpful devices planes carry is what's known as the pinger, a "sound" transmitted from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder that can be heard from 2 nautical miles away.

"Think of your cell phone ringer. If you lose your cell phone you can call it and you hear your phone ringing, so you narrow down your search," said Phoenix International manager Paul Nelson. Phoenix International, an American company, owns the TPL-25 system, which dives 20,000 feet below the surface of the ocean for hours and miles at a time.

The U.S. Navy has sent a towed pinger locator, or TPL, to drag behind a ship. The TPL moves at 1 to 5 knots and can recognize the flight recorder's ping up to 20,000 feet below the surface. But it has limitations. The batteries powering the ping will only last 30 to 45 days, and can be drowned out by weather or noise or silt.

In 2009, the Phoenix TPL-25, in conjunction with technology from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, searched for a ping from Air France Flight 447, which crashed hundreds of miles off the coast of Brazil in 2009. That search didn't find the plane, but two years later, searchers found the flight data recorder and the bulk of the wreckage using an autonomous underwater vehicle, or AUV.

AUV: Autonomous underwater vehicles

AUVs are normally used in the oil and gas industry to conduct deepwater oilfield surveys. But when the pinger of the data recorder is dead, the AUV can narrow the search area of a crash site by mapping the ocean floor.

"The smaller ones are only going to go down to about 5,000 feet. The next class is a much more expensive, much larger device. It's 15 by 25 feet because it adds a lot of battery capability and a lot of hydraulic capability," said David Soucie, an analyst who said modern technology has greatly improved the search for answers in a flight crash investigation.

One of the most sophisticated AUVs owned by Phoenix International was activated and flown to Perth, Australia, to help with the search for Flight 370. The device is yellow, 17.2 feet long and has an in-air weight of 1,600 pounds. It can be lowered 20,000 feet below the water surface and travels 2 to 4.5 knots for about 20 hours at a time, using side-scan sonar to create a map of the seafloor. The rapidly moving probe is also equipped with a still camera.

"They have their own control system so they talk to it with an acoustic modem. It's hard to get sound through the water," said Jami Cheramie of C&C Technology, whose AUV has been called in to search for plane debris in the past. "We will see waterfalls. A picture will scroll and you will see the seafloor be painted in front of you."

AUVs are unmanned, so they can be programmed like robots to "mow the lawn," Cheramie said. They use a grid style pattern to create an image of the deep sea. Sensors around the body of the device help it avoid obstacles that would endanger a diver.

AUVs played an instrumental role in finding the downed Air France flight, the plane wreckage of Italian fashion designer Vittorio Missoni off the coast of Venezuela, and the HMS Ark Royal, a ship sunk by a German U-81 submarine in World War II. The AUV provided black and white images of the wreckage site.

Once wreckage is found and confirmed, the next step is recovering key parts, like the data recorders.

ROV: Remotely operating vehicle

The multimillion-dollar remotely operated vehicle provides the "gotcha" moment that all searches are working toward. But investigators need more than just eyes on the wreckage site, they need to get their hands on the data recorders. An ROV helped retrieve pieces of the most famous shipwreck in history, the British passenger liner Titanic.

ROVs are tethered to a ship, lowered by remote control thousands of feet to the ocean floor by a cable and maneuvered by pilots sitting in a control room. The daily rate for an ROV is in the $150,000 range.

Helix Canyon Offshore gave CNN an exclusive look at its Triton XLS ROV aboard the Olympic Triton off the coast of Scotland. The Triton XLS is equipped with cameras that provide a live feed to the control room. It has arms and jaws that can be controlled by a joystick.

"Not a problem at all for an ROV to pick it up, put it in a basket and recover it back to the vessel," said ROV superintendent Martin Stitt.

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MH370: New last words from cockpit

What were the final words from MH370?

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - After more than three weeks, the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has come down to this: a lot of floating rubbish, hundreds of heartbroken relatives and, now, quibbling over words that everyone acknowledges offer no clues into what happened to the doomed plane.

Malaysian authorities on Tuesday released the transcript of radio chatter between air traffic controllers and the plane in the hour or so before it vanished while flying from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing on March 8 with 239 people on board.

And while the transcript offers no clues about the plane's mysterious disappearance, one glaring discrepancy has highlighted criticisms of how Malaysian officials have handled the investigation.

Read the cockpit transcript

The transcript shows the last voice transmission from the doomed plane was "Good night Malaysian three-seven-zero," not the "All right, good night" transmission authorities had previously used.

That authorities had given such an incorrect version earlier this month and allowed it to stand uncorrected for weeks undermines confidence in the investigation, air accident investigation experts told CNN.

"High criticism is in order at this point," said Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general for the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Malaysian officials have defended their work. Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein recently said, "History will judge us well."

But Michael Goldfarb, a former chief of staff at the Federal Aviation Administration, said people following the investigation "haven't had a straight, clear word that we can have a lot of fidelity in."

"We have the tragedy of the crash, we have the tragedy of an investigation gone awry and then we have questions about where we go from here," he said.

Search 'could drag on'

And where we go from here is a very big question.

After refocusing their search on Friday to a new patch of Indian Ocean hundreds of miles from where they had been looking, authorities still have yet to find anything definitively linked to Flight 370.

Ten aircraft and nine ships crisscrossed a 46,000-square-mile (120,000-square-kilometer) search zone on Tuesday. As of late Tuesday night, Australian search coordinators had not announced any significant results.

With so many planes in the skies over the search zone, Australia sent an airborne air traffic control plane to guard against accidents.

Australian officials have vowed to keep up the search off their west coast, a search the head of the country's new Joint Agency Coordination Centre warned could take time.

"It's not something that's necessarily going to be resolved in the next two weeks, for example," retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston told reporters Tuesday.

The plane disappeared over the waters between Malaysia and Vietnam, after signing off with Malaysian controllers but before checking in with their counterparts in Vietnam.

Authorities don't know what happened on board after that, but radar and satellite data show the plane turned off course and flew back across Malaysia before turning south over the Indian Ocean.

Based on sophisticated analysis of satellite data, investigators believe it went down in the southern Indian Ocean, but can't pinpoint a precise location.

Source: Plane's turn considered 'criminal act'

A Malaysian government source told CNN on Monday that the airliner's turn off course is being considered a "criminal act," either by one of the pilots or someone else on board.

In a background briefing given to CNN, Malaysian investigators said they believed the plane was "flown by someone with good flying knowledge of the aircraft."

A senior Malaysian government official last week told CNN law enforcement analyst Tom Fuentes that authorities have found nothing in days of investigating the two pilots that leads them to any motive, be it political, suicidal or extremist.

More help on the way

An Australian ship carrying U.S. Navy search gear was on the way to the search zone. The ship is carrying a pinger locator designed to listen for the locator beacons attached to the plane's flight data recorder, as well as a submersible capable of scanning the ocean floor for wreckage.

The equipment won't be of any use, however, until searchers are able to find wreckage from the plane to help narrow the search zone.

That's because neither the pinger locator nor the submersible is capable of quickly scanning the enormous area being searched.

Under favorable sea conditions, the pingers can be heard 2 nautical miles away. But high seas, background noise, wreckage or silt can all make pingers harder to detect.

It will take the ship, the Ocean Shield, two more days just to get to the search zone, leaving precious little time to locate the plane's flight data recorders before the batteries on its locator beacon run out.

The batteries are designed to last 30 days. The plane has now been missing for 25.

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Sweet mother Mercy Aigbe And Don Jazzy Celebrate Moms

Like mother, like daughter
Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe is a very pretty lady; and that is a fact but we can now see where she got her delectable looks.

Her mother is a stunner herself and even at her age, she can compete favourably with younger women.

On Sunday, 30 March, 2014, as the world celebrated Mother's Day, Mercy also celebrated her lovely mom and without being told, she takes after the mother.

Music producer and entertainment entrepreneur, Michael Collins, Don Jazzy, also posted an old picture of himself and his mother.

The mothers look good, aren't they?


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Wedding Bells! Nollywood Actress Uche Nnanna Set To Wed

The Nollywood actress Uche Nnanna who had her traditional marriage last year is set for her white wedding.

Uche Nnanna is set to officially walk down the aisle with her hubby. In an interview with a media house Uche announced that she will be walking down the aisle on April 21st which is on Easter Monday, The event will hold at Port Harcourt.

She had her traditional marriage on September 28th 2013.

We wish her a very happy home and congratulations in advance.
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15 Interesting April Fool's Day Tweets

"Imagine if a girl says come Fuck me and you showed up at her Place. She comes into the Room with her brother saying #Aprilfool WTF!!!"

 
April Fool's Day is perhaps one of the silliest days of the year because it is the only day when we are allowed to make 'fools' of people 'fools' with practical jokes.

Around the world people play pranks on others – often planning several days ahead to get the ace joke.

There is something really interesting about the day that one cannot help, but wonder how this day ever came into existence.

Anyway, I went on Twitter and saw some funny tweets about the 'foolish' day.

"Imagine if a girl says come Fuck me and you showed up at her Place. She comes into the Room with her brother saying #Aprilfool WTF!!!" ~ Raphael ‏@RaphNewton

I fit break pesin head if dem do me did one! *In Basketmouth's voice* "That is what causes rape"

 "Every year, April 1st reminds me just how damn gullible I am #AprilFool" ~ Beast ‏@MaestroBunny

Not only you bro! Mr Bean and me too!

"I have 13 women pregnant at the same time. In 12 different states right now. Wow. #AprilFool" ~ The People's Champ! ‏@DINOWELLS

Damn! Only a real fool will believe you. Even 2face wasn't that good.

"I just don't do #AprilFool day, it's like another day to me. If someone attempts to fool me, they're either getting yelled at or hit" ~ Cazzaly ‏@aczzaly7

I hope you had fun hitting people – but I wonder if you'd hit John Cena if he punked you.

I shaved my balls and then bedazzled them so they could be the smallest disco balls in the world. #AprilFool that's what I am." ~ Willis Turner ‏@willisturner1

I hope you used a power saw to shave and super glue to get the stones on.

"Told my dad his going to be a grandfather got him with that #AprilFoolsDay #AprilFool hahha he flipped." ~ IG:LADYLEXI2108 ‏@LADYLEXI21

Thank God your papa no kill you sharpally!

I was on Facebook and found this rather dubious looking post about the history of April Fool's Day:

THE HISTORY OF APRIL FOOLS' DAY......

"The 1st of April came to be called FOOL'S DAY after Steve April. He was born on April 1, 1579 to a wealthy American family. He owned 105 businesses in his lifetime but he remained poor. He lost his family's fortune to fraudsters. Everyone started calling him Father of Fools. He used to believe all kinds of fake stories like the one you're reading now. Enjoy your day Friends!"

Come on, how can this be true!

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6 Sex Mistakes Women Make

Mistakes, Sex, Marriage

This is another Tuesday, another day to tango on SexVille, and today, we take a look at the mistakes women make in their sex lives. Today, I present to you another female sex-pert in the person of Vivian Etema and I am sure you will enjoy her. Here we go!

Ladies, we have to be honest here: when our sex life becomes a little dull, we tend to have a mental catalogue of all the ways our partner isn't quite measuring up. Guys tend to get a bad rap when it comes to understanding women's bodies and what turns us on, making them easy targets in the blame game when sexual satisfaction starts to wane. And sure, they make their fair share of bedroom errors. But as the saying goes, it takes two to tango. As it turns out, top sex and relationship experts say that women make plenty of sex mistakes of their own. Here's what I have come to realize as the 6 most common mistakes women make in the bedroom and what you can do to get the satisfaction you so rightly deserve.

1. Not Initiating Sex With Your Partner

Many of us worry about lady-like behavior. We don't want to appear pushy or come on too strong for fear of being labeled aggressive and this is one of the greatest mistakes we make when it comes to sex. Most guys feel like they are always the initiator and that sets up disequilibrium on the passion scale in the relationship. Generally, men want to be pursued by their partners just as much as women do. Holding onto outdated ideas about sex roles also inhibits satisfaction with our sexual relationships. If you are one of those who think women are less interested in sex, then you are wrong because women who are as interested in sex as men. Show your interest by taking the first step from time to time. Your partner will likely appreciate it, and you may find a new level of satisfaction in taking responsibility for your sexual experience.

2. Worrying About What You Look Like

Thinking about how you look during sex stops you from enjoying yourself and this ruins your chances of achieving an orgasm. Don't think about the fat on your belly or the makeup on your face, rather, concentrate on the pleasure of the act. You must give yourself permission to have an orgasm. Men want their wives to abandon themselves in sex play, and that's not likely if you are anxious about your physical concerns. In truth, some men don't notice half the things women are obsess about anyway. Men are much more attracted to women who show signs of health and youth and fertility. Rather than worry about the shape of your waist and hips, worry about your energy level and enthusiasm and interest in him.

3. Assuming Sex Is Casual for a Man

This is another old fashioned way of thinking that inhibits women's ability to enjoy sex as much as they would want to. They tend to believe that women are not sexual or that sex is just sex to men. For some men, sex is a very important act, so don't minimize it. Both men and women find sexual intimacy in the context of a committed relationship to be more satisfying. Numerous research studies make it very clear that the people who have the best quality and most frequent sex are married couples. That says a lot about the inadequacies of 'casual sex.' Never assume that your man is not romantic as this could also prevent you from enjoying sex.

4. Believing He's Always Up for Sex

Sure, most teenage boys are ready and willing, just about any time you ask, but that is not true for men. The pressures of everyday life - family, work, bills - can zap a man's libido. This comes as a big surprise to many women, and often, his lack of interest in sex is something we take personally. It comes as such a shock to women that you just don't believe the reaction many women have when their partner says they aren't in the mood for sex. They know themselves that they are not always interested in sex but they still love the man. But when they discover he doesn't want to have sex, they think, 'he doesn't love me,' 'he is seeing another woman,' and such thoughts but I can tell you it is not totally true. He may not just want to have sex at that time and that does not mean he is 'cutting any show' outside.

5. Not Giving Him Guidance

Talking very directly about sex, what we like and don't like, can make us feel uncomfortable, even with a partner we've been with for a long time and otherwise feel close to, but it's the only way to achieve a satisfying sexual relationship. A woman must take responsibility for her sexual encounter because no man can bring a woman to orgasm if she doesn't take responsibility for her sexual experience. Even the best lover can't know what she needs without her letting him know. The good news is that men very much want to please women, so if you can tell them in a way that doesn't kill their ego, they will appreciate it.

6. Getting Upset When He Suggest Something New

This is very true of some women I have had the opportunity of counselling. After a couple has been together for a while, it is natural to want to spice things up with a little variety. Just because your man wants to try something new doesn't mean he's unhappy with you or your sex life. In short, don't take it personally. Though I am not insinuating that you should ever feel obligated to do something they don't want to do in the personal and intimate area of sexuality. But if your man asks you about trying something that's outside of your morals, make it clear that it's off limits for you and explain why. Of course, do this in a loving way as best you can. If it is something that is not really a moral issue for you but you still don't want to, again explain why. But on the whole, you should try it out first and if you are not comfortable with it, you should let him know lovingly.
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FACTS 101 Bras Cause Your Breasts To Sag!

Practically everyone knows that breasts sag with age and use (hic) such that older women and women with children tend to have 'saggier' breasts than younger women who have not given suck to a child.

It is common to see women wear bras 2 sizes below theirs which now presses the suffocating breasts to the chest like butter-spread because they think bras can help hold breasts in place and slow sagging, or shape, them.

But a 15-Year study concludes that wearing a bra – especially those tight pincers – does more harm than good for the breasts.

According to Professor Jean-Denis Rouillon, a sports science expert from the University of Besançon, France bras do nothing to reduce back pain and only weaken the muscles that hold up the breasts, resulting in greater breast sagging.

"Medically, physiologically, anatomically - breasts gain no benefit from being denied gravity. On the contrary, they get saggier with a bra," Professor Rouillon as quoted in a Medical News Today's website.

Rouillon's research involved 330 women in over 15 years, and found that over bras didn't do anything they were purported to do for your breasts— worsening the back pain they were supposed to help alleviate back pain, and they didn't prevent breast tissue from sagging.

He also found out that bra-less women developed firmer breasts and saw their stretch marks fade. Oh yeah?!

That is not all: Rouillon found that women who never wore bras had nipples on average seven millimetres higher in relation to their shoulders each year than regular bra users.

An associate clinical professor of plastic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center gave further insight.

"The tension caused by not wearing a bra may increase collagen growth, making breasts higher," he says.

Now, what happens to those bras?

I don't want to imagine!

Anyway Rouillon advices that some women should not throw their bras away immediately - especially as older women (45 years or more) would get no benefit from going without bras.
From BEN Latest News: www.benlatestnews.com
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Master Baker D’banj Set For Koko Bread

Respect the man of business.

After the successful launch of Koko Garri, Nigerian international singer and entrepreneur, Dapo Oyebanjo, the one known as D'banj or Koko Master, is making plans to launch his own brand of bread called Koko Bread.

The 'Entertainer' crooner who has not rested on his oars by delving into various sectors of businesses, especially agriculture, is joining in the campaign to boost youth empowerment and create jobs for teeming jobless Nigerians.

D'banj who spoke on the topic, "Do Africa, It Pays", at the 'One Africa' campaign in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, in line with the African Union Declaration of 2014 as the year of agriculture and food security, made it clear that his Koko Holdings would start the production of cassava bread to support the government's effort to lure youths into agriculture.

«I want to tell the youths that a farmer can wear a Rolex wristwatch and drive a Bentley.

«I want the youths to see that I have already started. Please my dear youths, we can do it.

«We should take a cue from Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote. He made his money partly through agriculture, not oil.

«I will also be producing Koko Bread made from cassava just to practically support government's drive to bring youths into agriculture.

The 'Fall in Love' singer is also into cocoa farming, having acquired a large plantation in Ghana as well as being into several forms of commercial agricultural ventures.
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Caring Nicki Minaj Grants 5year Old Cancer Victim’s Dying Wish

Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it!

Nicki Minaj visits 5year old cancer patient who wished she wore her pink wig

Washington Wizards star John Wall with Miya [March 7]

A 5 year old Nicki Minaj fan in Washington DC, suffering from Lymphoma, had wished to meet the pop star and get one of her pink wigs on her head before she ever dies. Well her dreams came true when Nicki gave her a surprise visit this weekend

5 year old Damiyah 'Miyah' Telemaque Nelson was diagnosed with 3B Burkitts Lymphoma [cancer] and had a special wish to meet Nicki someday. First of all she got her first celebrity visit from Washington Wizards star John Wall who posted an Instagram video with her and her wish earlier this month.

What's up Nicki! My buddy Miyah has cancer. Come on Nicki, help us out. Help Miyah get one of those pink wigs!

 Reports say within an hour the hiphop star replied with the caption:

"Hi Miyah!!!! Let's see what we can come up with for a pretty little princess. ;). 

Well, this weekend little Miyah was rolled up in the arms of her music icon plus she got a special Nicki Minaj pink wig on!

We want to believe that's one of the sweetest memories she'll take 'home'. What do you think of Nicki's gesture? Please share your thoughts.

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Morning Teaser Do You Support Abortion In Any Form?

Right or wrong?

Abortion has been described as a deliberate termination of a human life, no matter the stage of the conception.

Some religious bodies see abortion as murder but as much as many abhor it, others believe that there are circumstances that abortion turns out to be the only option.

Right or wrong, we still need to take an holistic view of abortion.

So on Morning Teaser today, we ask: do you support abortion, however manner it is undertaken?
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