Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Monday 17 Mar 2014

1. EU IMPOSES CRIMEA SANCTIONS AFTER VOTE

The EU has has agreed to impose travel bans and asset freezes on 21 officials from Russia and Ukraine after a Moscow-backed referendum in Crimea, deemed illegal by the EU and US, returned a landslide in favour of leaving Ukraine. The officials have not beeb named but are believed to have played a key role in the referendum.

Ukraine rekindles Nato aspirations, angering Russia

2. MALAYSIA JET: CO-PILOT GAVE LAST MESSAGE

The last message from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was spoken by the co-pilot, Fariq Abdul Hamid, say investigators and it came shortly after a communications system had been turned off and just before the plane disappeared from radar screens. It has raised the possibility the crew were involved in the plane's disappearance.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

MH370: mysterious 89kg load ‘added to cargo flight list after take-off’

3. HS2 CHAIRMAN: SPEED UP NORTH LINK

Sir David Higgins, chairman of the HS2 rail project, has advised the government to accelerate the second phase, sending the line north from Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester by 2027, instead of the current target date of 2033. He also criticised the planned new link between Euston and St Pancras in London.

HS2 contracts worth £6.6bn awarded

4. PISTORIUS TRIAL HEARS OF GUN ORDER

The trial of Oscar Pistorius, accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, has been told that he had guns worth a total of £2,700 on order when she was shot at his home in Pretoria. The Paralympian cancelled the order after her death. As part of the deal he had filled out a form explaining when he thought it was legal to use a firearm against an intruder.

Oscar Pistorius out of legal options as request to appeal rejected

5. FIVE UK FAMILIES RICHER THAN MILLIONS

The combined wealth of the five richest families in the UK is greater than that of the poorest 12.6 million people in the country - one fifth of Britons - research by Oxfam suggests. The charity found that the richest 0.1% of the population has had its income grow nearly four times faster than that of the poorest 90%.

UK's five richest families 'worth more than poorest 20%'

6. EARTHQUAKE JOLTS LOS ANGELES

Los Angeles was jolted awake by a 4.4 magnitude earthquake this morning, but there have been no reports of major damage or injuries. The quake struck at around 6.25am around five miles below the city. It was the strongest earthquake in Los Angeles since the aftershocks from the 1994 Northridge quake, a government scientist said.

7. L'WREN SCOTT FOUND DEAD IN NEW YORK

L'Wren Scott, the fashion designer and girlfriend of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger has been found dead in her apartment in New York. The 47-year-old had reportedly hanged herself and was discovered by her personal assistant. Jagger's spokesman said he was "completely shocked and devastated".

8. SCIENTISTS MAKE BIG BANG BREAKTHROUGH

Scientists have discovered new evidence that supports the 'Big Bang Theory' of the creation of the universe. Researchers at Harvard believe they have discovered 'primordial gravitational waves' - ripples that spread out through space fractions of a second after the Big Bang. The findings need to be confirmed but have been hailed as "spectacular".

9. 'FAT LADY' DICKSON WRIGHT DIES AT 66

TV chef Clarissa Dickson Wright, one of the Two Fat Ladies, has died at the age of 66. Dickson Wright originally trained as a lawyer and became the youngest woman to be called to the bar but after the death of her parents she became an alcoholic. After bankruptcy and rehab Dickson Wright embarked on a career in cookery and teamed up with Jennifer Paterson in 1994 .

Five things you didn't know about Clarissa Dickson Wright

10. HOT TICKET: DARK SOULS GAME RETURNS

The sequel to supernatural role-playing action video game Dark Souls has been released in the UK. In Dark Souls II, players return to the nightmarish realm of Drangleic as an undead character who must search for a cure for their curse while battling demons. "Extraordinary," says the Guardian.

Dark Souls II – reviews of 'gripping' video game sequel