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more than three days ago with 239 people on board.
• The airline says the pilots did not send any distress signals, suggesting a sudden and possibly catastrophic incident. Speculation has ranged widely about possible causes, including pilot error, plane malfunction, hijacking and terrorism.
• News that two of the passengers were traveling with stolen passports immediately fueled speculation of foul play. However, Malaysian police chief Khalid Abu Bakar told a news conference Tuesday that investigators had determined one was a 19-year-old Iranian, Pouria Nourmohammadi Mehrdad, who was planning to enter Germany to seek asylum.
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• KIEV, Ukraine (AP) -- Ukraine's acting president has called for the formation of a national guard and for the mobilization of reserves and volunteers into the country's armed forces in order to counter Russian military aggression.
• Oleksandr Turchynov on Tuesday asked the national parliament to approve a decision to turn the country's Interior Ministry troops into a National Guard whose aim "is to defend the country and citizens against any criminals, against external and internal aggression."
• Turchynov said that the mobilization will cover those who have previously served in the army as well as volunteers.
• Russian forces have strengthened their control over Ukraine's Crimea region in the run-up to a contentious referendum set for Sunday on whether to split off and become part of Russia.
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• TOKYO (AP) -- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to boost rebuilding efforts as the country marked the third anniversary Tuesday of a devastating earthquake and tsunami that left nearly 19,000 people dead, destroyed coastal communities and triggered a nuclear crisis.
• Japan has struggled to rebuild towns and villages and to clean up radiation from the meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. Reconstruction plans are finally taking shape, but shortages of skilled workers and materials are delaying

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