be mcconaughey's last. he says if there's a season two, whoent be in it. thanks for spending your saturday smart with us on "your money." have a great weekend. "cnn newsroom" starts right now. \s hello, everyone. i'm fredricka whitfield. the top stories we're following in the "cnn newsroom." rescue crews are scouring the south china sea right now looking for any signs of malaysia airlines flight 370 after the jetliner vanished about 26 hours ago. this is new video of the search operations. the biggest clue to the plane's whereabouts. traces of oil in waters over the search area spotted by a vietnamese aircraft. officials say the oil slicks are between six and nine miles long. the bol eing 777 took off from

malaysia headed to beijing with 239 people onboard most chinese nationals. at least three americans are among the passengers and there is some confusion surrounding the identities of two european passengers. malaysia airlines says there is one austrian and one italian passenger onboard the missing jet, but austria and italy deny that saying the citizens in question had their passports stolen. saying this, "we are aware of the reporting on the two lost, stolen passports. no nexus to terrorism yet, although that's by no means definitive. we're still tracking." that coming from a u.s. intelligence official. meantime, the passenger's families are getting increasingly worried and frustrated. andrew stevens is joining us now from beijing where relatives of the 154 chinese nationals onboard are gathering at a hotel complex. so andrew, what are officials

telling the family members right now? >> well, they really can't tell them too much at this stage, fredricka, because we just don't know exactly what the facts are. what happened to that plane. as you say, the loved once of the families and friends of the people onboard that flight have gathered in a hotel in beijing and malaysian airlines itself, gave a press conference at a separate hotel a short while ago and said they were doing everything in their power now to care for those people who had loved ones aboard that flight. now, we don't know at this stage when we are going to get some firm evidence about exactly what happened at that -- in mh 370. we do know that that plane disappeared from radar, disappeared from air traffic control just two hours in to the flight. it would have been at grcruisin

level, described as the safest part of the flight and sud think was a very, very instantaneous event by the looks of it that cut all communications. there's been no warning, no mayday sent out. so family are left not knowing anything. you can imagine just how heartbreaking and just how difficult it must be for these families to cope with what can only be at this stage 26 hours after the event, what is likely to be very, very bad news. there is a sea search continuing in the early hours. it's now 3:30 in the morning here in beijing. the air search will resume at first light. there's a team coming down, a salvage and diving team coming down from beijing to an island nearby, and they will head off at first light as well via boat to look around the oil slicks and see what they can see. there's nothing to firmly link the two, the oil slicks with the plane at this stage, but certainly it is a very ominous

sign. >> all right. andrew stevens, thank you so much in beijing. all right. it would appear two passengers on that missing malaysian airliner were using stolen passports. passengers believed to be from austria and italy were reportedly traveling on passports stolen years ago. joining me now, an analyst. this means we really don't have many real clarity on the people who may have used these passports to get onboard, but give me and idea how potentially alarming, concerning this is to you, that there might have been someone who could get on a plane by way of using a passport that's been lost or stolen? >> fredricka, you're right, it is alarming. but in addition to just the passports, they would require a visa. if you have european passports, or even a u.s. passport, you need a visa to enter china. you need a visa to get a boarding pass along with your passport.

evidence that you've got a valid visa to go with the travel document, in order to even get the boarding pass and ever board that aircraft. that's something that the government of china is going to have to reveal, the issuance of their visa, where did that occur? was that in a particular embassy or consulate around the world, that the visa was issued? and that would have meant they would have had those two passports in their hands, and they would have been in a position to make an inquiry with the various databases, such as interpol, to determine if those passports were stolen's so that adds to the mystery. seven passengers apparently booked code share flight, that flight was a code share with china southern airlines, and of the seven passengers, the two stolen passports were being used by two of the passengers. so that adds a new dimension to trying to do investigation in china as to how the visas were issued, and where they were issued. >> and how helpful might any kind of surveillance video be?

perhaps at kuala lumpur and these passengers boarded, or went through security? >> it will be very helpful. you do have 250 people getting on the aircraft. so it may be difficult to match each person, and unfortunately, because the plane crashed, you know, if were you doing this investigation, and all the passengers can sitting in detention somewhere to be interviewed it would be easier to match the videos with the clothing that they were wearing and their face, but in this particular case, you don't have that. so that's going to be difficult as well to match up which passengers use those two passports. >> you were mentioning to me earlier, this is just -- this is just as much a paramount concern as it is trying to locate the plane, and all of these things are going to be investigated simultaneously? >> well, that's true. if it turns out that the plane had some catastrophic failure that was entirely mechanical, and had nothing to do with these two passengers, then this whole issue of trying to determine, i

mean it raises other issues about identification and travel documents, but it may not be related to the issues that are central to the cause of that plane to go down. >> all right. tom fuentes, thank you so much. our own richard quest recently met some members of the missing crew while doing a report for cnn international, and earlier today he described that experience, and revealed what he learned during that interview. >> yeah, two or three weeks ago we were filming on malaysian airlines, in the cockpit, for cnn business traveler, this has all been authorized and properly regulated and there was a safety check captain with us as well, and it was apparently the same copilot, and we believe maybe the same captain that was onboard the aircraft. these are the pictures of landing the aircraft at, we flying down from hong kong to kuala lumpur, and it is one of

those very strange coincidences. >> you know, this flight disappeared just about one-third of a way into the six-hour flight. technically. what's happening at that point, and what might cause a problem? i've heard this might have been asked the safest part of the flight? >> there's no question. this plane was, the fwraz iphran the cruise. flying about 36,000 fleet according to various logs. maybe drifting up slowly as it was burning off fuel, but that's -- but this was -- the plane would have been on autopilot. both the pilots would have been doing regular check calls, en route checks, to the various air traffic controllers. in this case we believe it was already under the control of ho chi minh traffic area, and you know, this is the one point of flight where you don't expect anything to happen. it's not takeoff. it's not landing. the plane was proceeding in an orderly direction. >> all right.

richard quest there. she leads europe's strongest economy. we'll tell you why germany's angela merkel could play a pivotal role in diffusing the crisis in ukraine. don't forget to set your clocks ahead tonight before bedtime. daylight saving time begins at two a.m., and we will be right back. [ femawho are we?r ] we are the thinkers. the job jugglers. the up all-nighters. and the ones who turn ideas into action. we've made our passions our life's work. we strive for the moments where we can say, "i did it!" ♪ we are entrepreneurs who started it all... with a signature. legalzoom has helped start over 1 million businesses, turning dreamers into business owners. and we're here to help start yours. that would be my daughter -- hi dad. she's a dietitian. and back when i wasn't eating right, she got me drinking boost. it's got a great taste,

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president obama made a series of key calls to world leaders today on the situation in ukraine. he spoke to several european leaders including the presidents of the ball tick countries. secretary of state john kerry got on the phone issuing a warning to russia's foreign minister saying any further military escalation or steps to annex crimea would close any available space on diplomacy. those discussions coming as a

standoff over crimea is heating up. pro-russian protesters gathered in one city in crimea in support of crimea joining russia. near it by, protesters also demonstrated against russia demanding troops get out of crimea, and an unmarked convoy of about 70 military vehicles was spotted on a road leading through crimea's capital city today. crimean officials say it's believed to be carrying russian soldiers. and russia's president continues to defy the u.s. and europe by using military force in ukraine. one country president putin may not be able to anchor too much is germany. some believe angela merkel might emerge as the key figure in this crisis. brian todd explains why. >> reporter: it's no secret president obama's strained relationship with vladimir putin isn't helping in this crisis. but who can solve it? it may be the stoic daughter of a pastor, germany's chancellor,

angela merkel. >> vladimir putin knows from experience with ms. merkel the last enemy he wants right now in europe is germany. >> reporter: he has huge, exports technology and cars to russia, but analysts say what makes merkel so crucial in this crisis is that she has something that obama doesn't. a personal connection with russia's president. >> they have a lot of connectivity, because putin speaks very fluent german and angela merkel herself speaks russian. >> reporter: she grew up in east germany under the communist system dominated by the soviets. putin served in east germany. merkel and putin are not friends but she has a realistic picture of the russian leader and by all accounts has shown him a certain savvy and toughness that he respects. several years ago, putin brought large dog to a meeting with merkel. apparently wanting to test her, knowing she has a fear of dogs. she was terrified says one

analyst but didn't flinch. kept negotiating with putin more than an hour. >> she did not blink because she understands the russian mind-set. she knows that the russians and in this case vladimir putin wanted to play russian chess with her, which means, the person who blinks the first has lost. >> merkel's relationship with president obama recently became strained with reports the nsa tapped her cell phone, but analysts say it's her credibility with both the white house and the kremlin that making the difference. >> i think she's probably more willing to take into account, to listen to what russian concerns are, and to try and dissuade the russians from thinking that everyone else is ganging up against them. >> reporter: and merkel has her own stake in this, because of those economic ties, germany could be among the biggest losers if this cold war-style standoff gets worst. that's why she doesn't want to kick putin out of the g-8. brian todd, cnn, washington. and back here at home, the

conservative political action conference wrapping up tonight. a big highlight will be the presidential straw poll results. they are closely watched, and a fun early gauge sometimes of some of the names popular with activists. last year rand paul narrowly one. the year before that, mitt romney won. stay with cnn for this year's results and analysis of what it could mean for 2016 as soon as we have those results. and the mother who drove her minivan in to the ocean with her kids inside makes her first court appearance. what she said, next.

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new developments in the crisis in ukraine. secretary of state john ker hi a critical phone call today with russia's foreign minister. erin mcpike is live at the white house. what was said? >> reporter: as you mentioned, secretary john kerry did call russian foreign minister sergey lavrov. they've spoken quite a bit in the last week. he wants to facilitate direct talks between russia and ukraine. something they've been calling for. i want to read you a part of the readout from the call. secretary of state kerry made clear continued provocation in k crimea to russian or ukraine would close any available space for diplomacy. that is important, fred, because i want to also point out just yesterday we reported on another conversation between lavrov and kerry where lavrov said if the united states moves forward with sanctions against russia that would boomerang back and hit the united states. they said these talks will

continue, but, and obviously we know that president obama has been speaking to foreign leaders as well today, but this was another important conversation between lavrov and kerry. >> all right. erin mcpike, thanks so much at the white house. and new developments involving the case of a pregnant mother accused of trying to kill her children by driving her minivan in to the ocean with them inside. earlier a judge in daytona beach, florida, set ebony wilkinson's bond at $1.2 million, charged with three tempts of first-degree murder. police wilkinson might be mentally ill. she face as maximum of 30 years in prison if convicted. the controversy surrounding allegations of sex assault in the military intensified this week. an obama administration official tells cnn the army's top sex crimes prosecutor is being investigated over allegations that he groped a female lawyer. our pamela brown has more. >> reporter: he was a top army

prosecutor, tanked the with protecting victims of sex crimes, training and managing a team of 23 victims prosecutors in fort bell, virginia. now the lieutenant concern is embroiled in a sex scandal of his own. according to an administration official he has been place under crim nah investigation for misconduct. a female says he groped her at a hotel room in at all things a sex assault conference. he joins the ranks other high-pro file military leaders in trouble for inappropriate sexual contact, including this man for sending a crude e-mail. >> there was an e-mail in march of 2011 by a brigadier general after meeting with a congresswoman in which he apologized for e-mailing it late, because he had mast per baited three times over the past two hours after meeting with the congresswoman. >> reporter: another brigadier general, jeffrey sin claire shs

pleaded guilty to some charges but not to the more serious charges. >> reporter: on second day, center stage on the hill after senator kearse ton gillibrand lost her hard-fought battle for thousand there's handled. her bill fell five votes short but she vows to continue her fight. >> the victims are not reporting the cases because they don't trust the chain of command. one issue that must be addressed. >> reporter: the bill pleased the pennell brass who strongly opposed the bill. meantime, our attempts to reach morris were unsuccessful and the army told barbara starr they removed him from his position as soon as they heard of the allegations. fred? >> thank you. cookie cutting, a whole new

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at least for your dishes. cascade. beyond clean and shine every time. the 21st south guy southwest festival is under way in austin, texas pap way to preview the technology of tomorrow, and what's catching the eye of many is being able to print your food. cnn's laurie segall is there and joins us laurie, last year you were showing 3d pictures and making shoes and stuff like that. food? why would i want to do that? >> who wouldn't want a 3d oreo? there's a nash can do that. it uses print technology to print out different creams. you press make a cookie, and two minutes later an actual oreo comes out.

if tasted very much like a good oreo. the idea, have these conversations about technology and what's next. i spoke to the vpality oreo and asked about the future of 3d when it comes to food. listen to what he said. >> how does this translate to other types of food? to we one day 3d tacos? >> everything from chocolate to candy. that's already being done right now. it's not so much just about the technology, although it's a breakthrough. it's about how to you understand what consumers want and deliver those customized experiences. >> fredricka, i'm waiting for the 3d printer in my home to print out my own oreos. sound really cool. and i should mention we're doing live from chaotic moon, essentially an office full of mad scientists. i mean, these guys are creating such cool technology. if you look behind me there's a drone behind me that has the ability to stun someone. they actually did a demo yesterday. we're going to have that for you

tomorrow, but it's about, you know, looking at these prototypes and having these conversations about technology and saying, hey, this is here. this is, austin is right now full of entrepreneurs showing what's next and what other conversations we are going to have in the future. read? >> all right. and then a conversation that is going to happen tomorrow involves ed snowden. he is the man who leaked u.s. intelligence, and in what way is he speaking? and what is he expected to say? >> you know, this is a big deal, because it's the first time edward snowden has really talked to an audience full of tech folks since the nsa revelations. julian assange spoke today. i've been coming here years. the one thing that's different, there's a conversation about privacy, about government overstepping. a lot of folks are here in the tech room that obviously have their concerns. so, you know, snowden will be taking live q&a. it will be interesting to see what he has to say and a big dheel he's actually addressing pretty much and audience full of

aunt pentrepreneurs and the peo building the technology of tomorrow. >> fascinating approach. laurie austin, thank you very mu much. it's 3:00 p.m. eastern, welcome to the "cnn newsroom." i'm fredricka whitfield. officials in vietnam believe a search plane found a significant clue to the mysterious disappearance of that malaysia flight 370. the boeing 777 disappeared not long after takeoff from kuala lumpur malaysia more than 26 hours ago headed to beijing with 239 people onboard. traces of oil have been spotted in areas over the search area. the slicks between six and nine miles long, found about 90 miles south of vietnam's tochu islands. the passe