Children Treated For Drug And Alcohol Abuse

Children as young as four are being referred to specialist drug and alcohol treatment services in the UK, an investigation has revealed.

Hundreds of youngsters have been flagged as being at risk of becoming addicts or have even started abusing alcohol and substances themselves, leading charities to call for improved education in schools.

Freedom of Information requests sent to all councils in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland reveal children as young as four have been referred to specialists in South Ayrshire.

Eight year olds have been flagged up to services in Waltham Forest and East Ayrshire, while Herefordshire, Liverpool, Oxfordshire, Rutland, the Scottish Borders and West Berkshire have all seen nine year olds referred.

Bury, Calderdale, Halton, Hull, Monmouthshire and Rochdale councils have referred 10 year olds.

The figures were uncovered by the Press Association.

A referral can either mean the child is vulnerable to drug and alcohol misuse through exposure from a parent or relative, or could have started abusing them on their own.

The most common reason for children to come into contact with drugs and alcohol is through their parents, according to experts.

Preventative work is key to heading off the problem among youngsters, they say.

A third of those referred for treatment had problems with alcohol

According to the most recent statistics from Public Health England, 366 children aged 12 or under were referred for treatment in 2012/13, compared with 433 in 2011/12.

More than half of under-13s - 59% - received treatment for cannabis misuse.

A third were treated for alcohol misuse, with a small number abusing solvents.

Andrew Brown, director of programmes at the charity Mentor UK, which seeks to protect children from drug and alcohol misuse, said it was "vital" education surrounding alcohol and drugs is improved.

Evidence suggests the "norm" of having one or two lessons on the subject a year is not sufficient, he added.

One of the Government's official drug advisers, Professor Simon Gibbons, recently said more needed to be done on drugs education in primary and middle schools.

By law, schools must cover the harmful effects of drugs on behaviour and health as part of the national science curriculum.

A new curriculum being introduced in September states that pupils in year six - those aged 10 and 11 - must learn to "recognise the impact of diet, exercise and drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies function".

Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) lessons remain non-compulsory, although the Department for Education recommends schools schedule time for them and use the lessons to expand the knowledge pupils get in science lessons.

A Government spokeswoman said: "Both the old and the new curriculum are clear that all pupils should be taught about how drugs and other substances can be harmful to the human body.

"The science curriculum also covers how drugs can affect people's health and lifestyle.

"Teachers are also free to use their professional judgement to address any specific issues that meet the needs of their pupils through PSHE."

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By-Election Battle: Farage May Fight For Seat

Will Farage Step In After Mercer Resignation?

Updated: 12:15am UK, Wednesday 30 April 2014

By Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent

When the 13 MPs on the Standards Committee squeezed into tiny Committee Room 13 in the Commons to decide Patrick Mercer's fate, I'm told the Labour MP Tom Clarke proposed that he should be expelled.

But he could not get a seconder and the majority of the committee backed a six-month ban, which is the same as the House of Lords handed out to some peers caught up in a similar cash-for-questions sting.

But Mercer didn't bother to wait for publication of the committee's report, but swiftly announced his resignation as an MP, triggering a by-election in which Nigel Farage is considering throwing his trademark fedora in the ring.

When I spoke to Mercer at about 6pm, he said he hadn't heard either officially or unofficially what the Standards Committee was going to recommend. But then events then moved quickly.

Within the next hour he did hear. And at 7.15pm he marched in the military style of the Army officer he used to be on to the green outside Parliament and put his hands up.

"As an ex-soldier I believe that when I have got something wrong you have got to fess up and get on with it," he barked.

"No point in shilly-shallying and trying to avoid it. What's happened has happened and I'm ashamed of it."

The Conservatives responded by declaring: "We agree that Patrick Mercer needs to stand down and that there should there be a by-election so the people of Newark can have a new MP."

Really? A by-election in Newark in the summer, shortly after UKIP's expected surge in the European elections on May 22, is David Cameron's worst nightmare.

Yes, Patrick Mercer's majority as the Tory candidate in 2010 was a healthy 16,000 and, yes, UKIP polled just under 2,000.

But times have changed. The YouGov poll in The Sunday Times a couple of days ago showed UKIP on 31% in the European elections, Labour 28%, the Tories just 19% and the LibDems 9%

So if Nigel Farage does stand, it would be at a time when his party is likely to be on a roll, having topped the poll in the Euros or coming close to doing so, and when Tory morale is at rock bottom and David Cameron's party possibly in meltdown.

On the morning after the Eastleigh by-election, in which UKIP came within 1,700 votes of defeating the LibDems, I asked Farage why he hadn't stood himself and whether he would stand in another by-election before 2015.

His answer, which he has often repeated, was that he was concentrating all his efforts on the Euro-elections and he wouldn't consider standing in a Westminster by-election until after May 2014.

Well, Newark will be after May 22. And the timing perhaps couldn't be better for him. But there are risks. If he stood and lost he would be badly damaged. So it's a gamble for him.

Margaret Thatcher used to accuse her political opponents of being "frit", an old Lincolnshire word meaning frightened.

If Farage doesn't stand in Newark, the Conservatives and Labour will accuse him of being "frit".

He says he's tempted. But if he dithers, he'll also be accused of "shilly-shallying", to use Patrick Mercer's colourful phrase.

A by-election triggered by a sleaze scandal is a potential disaster for the party defending the seat and a gift to an opposition party, particularly an "anti-politics" party like UKIP.

In 2009, when the left-wing Labour MP Ian Gibson got into trouble over his expenses, he quit and caused a by-election in his Norwich North constituency which was won by the Tories' Chloe Smith.

So if the Tory MPs on the Standards Committee thought they were helping to avoid a by-election by snubbing Tom Clarke's proposal to expel Patrick Mercer from the Commons, they were badly mistaken.

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Half Of Cancer Sufferers Live Another Decade

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

More than half of all newly-diagnosed cancer patients now live for at least another decade, a landmark study has shown.

An analysis of more than seven million patients by Cancer Research UK reveals 10-year survival rates have jumped from just a quarter since 1971 as diagnostic techniques and treatments have improved.

The charity has set out an "ambitious" strategy to raise 10-year survival still further, to 75% over the next 20 years.

Dr Harpal Kumar, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, said: "Up to now the metric (for success) has been five-year survival.

"But with the progress that's been made over the last few decades we think it's time to shift the narrative and thinking about 10-year survival.

"That's what patients would aspire to and it's now realistic to talk about it."

Dr Harpal Kumar says we have come "a long way" when it comes to cancer

Women with breast cancer now have a 78% chance of surviving at least a decade, compared to only 40% some 40 years ago.

Ten-year survival rates for men with testicular cancer have jumped from 69% to 98% over the same period.

But the charity said the outlook for some patients remains bleak, with just 1% of those with pancreatic cancer surviving 10 years.

It will step up research on the cancer - as well as lung, oesophageal and brain cancer - to improve the prognosis.

Professor Michel Coleman, head of Cancer Research UK's Cancer Survival Group at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: "We want to see people with every type of cancer get the same chances of living a long life.

"This won't be easy, but the progress reported here over the last 40 years shows we're moving in the right direction."

Laurel Johnson was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer

The charity said survival could be improved by diagnosing cancer earlier, targeting effective new smart drugs at patients most likely to benefit, and reducing the proportion of adults who smoke from 20% to below 5%.

Laurel Johnson, 56, was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2006 after suffering a persistent sore throat.

"The chemo literally knocked me off my feet," she said.

"I had to be fed through a tube because I couldn't swallow and I struggled to walk because the therapy left me so weak.

"But the treatment worked. It's thanks to research that I am here today."

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Teacher Stabbing: Pupil Remains In Custody

School Pupils Caught With Weapons

Updated: 12:07am UK, Wednesday 23 April 2014

By Afua Hirsch, Social Affairs and Education Editor

Almost 1,000 pupils were caught with weapons including guns, axes and a meat cleaver in schools in the last three years, a Sky News investigation has found.

New figures show 981 children have had weapons confiscated on school premises since 2011.

They include at least 80 primary school children, the youngest of whom was an eight-year-old caught with a knife.

Some 36 pupils were found with an assortment of guns, including two hand guns, seven air-powered weapons and 27 BB guns.

Of those found with weapons, 329 caught with items including an axe, a cut-throat razor and a stun gun were charged with a criminal offence.

One 18-year-old, who is taking part in a young offender's programme in London, said: "I carried a weapon ... but only because of the environment I was in.

"My generation is a bit wild ... so it's a normal thing to carry a weapon because you know everyone else is. It's making it fair, basically."

Campaigners warned the scale of the problem is likely to be much worse, as 21 of the UK's 52 police forces did not supply figures requested under the Freedom of Information Act.

Data from West Midlands Police, which alone recovered weapons from 538 people during the same period, was not included because it also accounts for colleges and universities.

The figures raise questions about whether schools and the Government have failed to tackle the problem.

Jayne Walmsley, whose son Luke was murdered at a Lincolnshire school in 2003 aged 14, said: "Something is happening to the society we live in.

"We need to think and educate these kids. It's got to stop. We've got to do something about it."

Patrick Regan, CEO of charity XLP, which was founded in response to a school stabbing, added: "There's a culture of fear that needs to be broken down."

The Government said it had given teachers powers to take action if they suspect a pupil has brought a weapon into school.

"Teachers can now search pupils without consent, confiscate prohibited items and use force to remove disruptive pupils from the classroom when necessary," a spokesman for the Department for Education said.

"We've also given heads the final say on expulsions by removing the right of appeal panels to put pupils back in the classroom."

However, Chris Douglas, a youth worker with St Giles Trust, which engages with young people caught up in crime, warned the use of weapons is a growing problem.

"We're not hearing about stabbings because they're becoming more common," he said.

Last year, a study by UCL and charity Kids Company found half the young people working with the organisation had seen someone shot or stabbed in their community in the past year.

In 2009, the then-Government announced new measures to curb the problem of weapons in schools after a spate of attacks against children.

There were plans to introduce airport-style metal detectors as part of a violent crime action plan.

But campaigners are concerned the issue has disappeared from public discourse, leaving children vulnerable.

"Sometimes it's a bit like banging your head on a brick wall," Mrs Walmsley said.

"Schools won't admit to the problem because all they want is more pupils for more money."

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Dozen Killed As Tornadoes Strike Central US

Twelve people have been killed in central America after a powerful storm system saw tornadoes rip through Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Arkansas Emergency Management official Brandon Morris told Sky News the death toll from a large tornado which ripped through the state stands at 11 people.

The tornado formed outside Little Rock and travelled north-east for 30 miles, carving a destructive path.

Television footage from the scene showed badly-damaged buildings and cars.

An earlier tornado in the town of Quapaw, in Oklahoma, also left one person dead and at least six people injured.

Joe Dan Morgan from Ottawa County Emergency Management said there was heavy damage in the town.

"Looks like about half of (the) town got extensive damage as well as the fire department," he said.

Six people were treated for injuries at the Baptist Regional Health Center, said hospital spokeswoman Kristie Wallace.

Authorities said earlier that two people were killed in Quapaw.

More follows...

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Sheffield Fire: Three Children Among Five Dead

Five people, including three young children, have died in a house fire in Sharrow, Sheffield, firefighters say.

Two women are believed to have died alongside the children when the blaze broke out in Wake Road, shortly after midnight.

A South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue spokesman said: "An investigation has commenced, involving police and fire officers, to establish the cause of the fire."

Wake Road is about one mile from the centre of Sheffield

Sky's North of England bureau chief Mike McCarthy said Wake Road had been sealed off while investigations continued.

"A 999 call was made at 12.15am and an operation involved an aerial ladder to reach an upper floor.

"Sadly two adults females and three children are known to have died." 

Four fire engines were called to the scene, as well as police and ambulance services.

More follows...

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South Korean PM Resigns Over Ferry Disaster

South Korea's Prime Minister has resigned over the government's handling of the ferry disaster that has left more than 300 people dead or missing.

Chung Hong-won said: "As I saw grieving families suffering with the pain of losing their loved ones and the sadness and resentment of the public, I thought I should take all responsibility as prime minister.

"There have been so many varieties of irregularities that have continued in every corner of our society and practices that have gone wrong.

"I hope these deep-rooted evils get corrected this time and this kind of accident never happens again."

A total of 115 passengers remain missing after the Sewol ferry sank on a trip from the port on Incheon to the holiday island of Jeju on April 16.

More than 100 passengers remain missing

The death toll stands at 187.

The resignation has to be accepted by President Park Geun-hye.

Executive power largely rests with the president, so Mr Chung's offer appears to be largely symbolic.

Mr Chung was booed and had a water bottle thrown at him when he visited distraught parents the day after the tragedy.

There has been anger at the slow pace of the recovery mission and the frequent changes in information provided by the government.

A relative of one of those on board cries as she waits for news

There have also been several reports in the South Korean media of bodies going to the wrong families, with the error sometimes being identified only after remains had been taken to a funeral home.

A total of 325 out of the 476 people on board were high school students. Around 250 are either confirmed or presumed dead.

The children on board were told to stay put in their cabins while they waited for further orders.

Divers are continuing to search for bodies believed to be trapped in the sunken vessel, but poor weather conditions and a powerful swell are complicating efforts.

Despite waves of up to nine feet (three metres) and near gale-force winds, 93 divers are trying to get into the ferry.

Search teams are battling harsh conditions in the hunt for bodies

A coastguard spokesman said: "The situation is very difficult due to the weather, but we are continuing search efforts, using the occasional calmer periods."

Around a quarter of the bodies recovered have been found in waters outside the vessel, and there are fears some of those who are missing might have drifted from the wreck.

On Saturday four more crew members were arrested.

All 15 members of the crew are in custody and face charges ranging from criminal negligence to abandoning passengers.

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Helicopter Crash: Five UK Service Members Die

Five military personnel killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan were UK service members, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.

They died when their Lynx aircraft crashed during a routine flight in Kandahar province in the south on Saturday.

Prime Minister David Cameron said today his "heart goes out to the families and friends of those killed in this terrible tragedy".

Three of the servicemen killed were from the Army Air Corps, based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, the MoD said.

One was a Royal Air Force serviceman also based at RAF Odiham.

One was a member of the Army Reserve from 3 Military Intelligence Battalion, based in London.

Next of kin of all five servicemen have been informed.

The aircraft went down in the Takhta Pul district of Kandahar

Mr Cameron said: "Every British fatality is a source of deep sadness. This latest incident, which has cost the lives of five UK service personnel, brings home to us all once again how our armed forces continue to put their lives on the line to help the people of Afghanistan.

"I cannot pay high enough tribute to each and every one of them for the job that they do and the sacrifices that they make."

Major General Richard Felton, Commander Joint Helicopter Command, said: "It is with great sadness that we must confirm that five UK service personnel have been killed in this incident which, at this early stage, would appear to have been a tragic accident.

"Events like this, whilst mercifully rare, remind us of the risks our personnel face in their work in Afghanistan as we approach the conclusion of the combat mission later this year."

Kandahar provincial police spokesman Zia Durrani said the helicopter went down in the Takhta Pul district of Kandahar province, around 30 miles from the Pakistan border - and that it was not attacked by militants.

Lynx helicopters are deployed for a wide variety of operations

"It was doing military exercises and crashed as a result of technical fault," he said.

The helicopter involved was a Westland Lynx, an aircraft with a range of uses including transport and resupply.

Defence analyst Paul Beaver said: "It is difficult to speculate on what has happened. It could be weather related, it could be dust or it could have been trying to avoid birds, for example, or it could be some kind of mechanical failure.

"There is a whole range of possible causes."

The deaths bring the total number of UK service personnel to have been killed in Afghanistan to 453.

It is thought to be the third deadliest incident involving British forces in the war and the worst air disaster since September 2006, when 14 service personnel were killed in a Nimrod surveillance aircraft which exploded mid-air.

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South Korea Ferry: All 15 Crew In Custody

A prosecutor investigating the South Korean ferry sinking says all 15 crew members involved in the ship's navigation are now in custody after four more were arrested.

Yang Jung-jin, of the joint investigation team, said two helmsmen and two members of the steering crew were detained this morning.

Eleven other crew members, including the captain, were previously arrested.

All the crew are accused of negligence and of failing to help passengers in need as the ferry sank on April 16.

The captain initially told passengers to stay in their rooms and took half an hour to issue an evacuation order, by which time the ship was tilting too severely for many people to get out.

Meanwhile, officials said divers searching the submerged hull of the ferry found 48 bodies in a room designed to take 38.

Barack Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-Hye bow their heads

At least 35 rooms of the ferry's 111 rooms have been searched so far.

More than 80% of the 302 dead and missing are students from a single high school from the town of Ansan, south of Seoul.

The government has admitted some bodies had been misidentified and announced changes to prevent such mistakes from happening again.

There have been several reports in the South Korean media this week of bodies going to the wrong families, with the error sometimes being identified only after remains had been taken to a funeral home.

An "action plan" released by a government-wide emergency task force acknowledged that there had "been cases where the victims were wrongly transferred".

Divers have recovered 183 bodies so far, but 119 people remain missing feared dead in the dark rooms of the submerged vessel.

A woman at a memorial outside Danwon High School in Ansan

The ferry was on its way from the mainland to the resort island of Jeju when it went down.

President Barack Obama, who has been in South Korea as part of a state visit, offered his condolences for those who had lost their lives.

He presented President Park Geun-hye with an American flag that flew over the White House the day the ship sank.

He said: "So many were young students with their entire lives ahead of them. I can only imagine what the parents are going through at this point, the incredible heartache."

Accepting the flag, Ms Park drew a parallel between the way Americans pulled together after the 9/11 attacks and the resilience of South Koreans following one of the worst maritime disasters in their country's history.

"The Korean people draw great strength from your kindness," she said.

Prosecutors have raided and seized documents at the Korean Register of Shipping and the Korea Shipping Association, which regulates and oversees departures and arrivals of domestic passenger ships.

On Friday night, people in Ansan, where most of the victims came from, gathered to remember those who had died at a candle-lit vigil.

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Paedophile Teacher 'One Of The Worst Predators'

Child Predator: Husband And 'Popular Teacher'

Updated: 11:44am UK, Thursday 24 April 2014

The serial child predator at the centre of an FBI investigation had a wife and two adult children and was a popular teacher among his students, officials have said.

William James Vahey travelled the world for four decades before his suicide in a Minnesota motel last March.

While teaching, he also served as coach on various school sports teams.

The FBI said he was a "popular and highly respected teacher".

"He had access to children because of his position of trust," said FBI special agent Patrick Fransen.

"He created a system that gave him the opportunity and the means to molest children."

The FBI says he may have carried out child molestation on an unprecedented scale, often drugging his victims.

Vahey told investigators he suffered molestation as a child and went on to prey on boys.

The New York native graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, according to a resume cited by the FBI.

He received a master's degree in curriculum development from Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont.

At the time of his death, he was 64, approximately 6ft (182cm) tall, and weighed about 190 pounds (86kg).

He was teaching ninth-grade world history and geography at the American Nicaraguan School in Managua.

Vahey maintained two residences, one in London, where he had taught at an elite school, and another on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the FBI said.

In 1969, Vahey was arrested in California on six counts of child molestation.

He pled guilty to one count of child molestation and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, followed by five years' probation.

The conviction required Vahey to register with California's sex offender registry for the rest of his life.

However, Vahey eluded that requirement.

Officials said he had not renewed his registration as a sex offender since 1970. He went on to pursue his teaching career in Nicaragua, the UK, Venezuela, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Iran, Spain, and Lebanon.

His victims are believed to be multinational as many of those schools were attended by the children of American diplomats or military personnel stationed overseas.

Vahey coached boys on middle school, varsity boys' basketball, softball, flag football, and soccer, among other things.

He also served as activities director, student council adviser, cooking club adviser and forensics adviser. 

He often accompanied students on cultural studies or sports trips, the FBI said.

Vahey killed himself two days after agents in Houston sought a warrant to search a computer thumb drive belonging to him.

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Paedophile Abused Up To 60 Pupils at School

Child Predator: Husband And 'Popular Teacher'

Updated: 11:44am UK, Thursday 24 April 2014

The serial child predator at the centre of an FBI investigation had a wife and two adult children and was a popular teacher among his students, officials have said.

William James Vahey travelled the world for four decades before his suicide in a Minnesota motel last March.

While teaching, he also served as coach on various school sports teams.

The FBI said he was a "popular and highly respected teacher".

"He had access to children because of his position of trust," said FBI special agent Patrick Fransen.

"He created a system that gave him the opportunity and the means to molest children."

The FBI says he may have carried out child molestation on an unprecedented scale, often drugging his victims.

Vahey told investigators he suffered molestation as a child and went on to prey on boys.

The New York native graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Arts in political science, according to a resume cited by the FBI.

He received a master's degree in curriculum development from Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont.

At the time of his death, he was 64, approximately 6ft (182cm) tall, and weighed about 190 pounds (86kg).

He was teaching ninth-grade world history and geography at the American Nicaraguan School in Managua.

Vahey maintained two residences, one in London, where he had taught at an elite school, and another on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the FBI said.

In 1969, Vahey was arrested in California on six counts of child molestation.

He pled guilty to one count of child molestation and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, followed by five years' probation.

The conviction required Vahey to register with California's sex offender registry for the rest of his life.

However, Vahey eluded that requirement.

Officials said he had not renewed his registration as a sex offender since 1970. He went on to pursue his teaching career in Nicaragua, the UK, Venezuela, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Greece, Iran, Spain, and Lebanon.

His victims are believed to be multinational as many of those schools were attended by the children of American diplomats or military personnel stationed overseas.

Vahey coached boys on middle school, varsity boys' basketball, softball, flag football, and soccer, among other things.

He also served as activities director, student council adviser, cooking club adviser and forensics adviser. 

He often accompanied students on cultural studies or sports trips, the FBI said.

Vahey killed himself two days after agents in Houston sought a warrant to search a computer thumb drive belonging to him.

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US Accuses Russia Of Ukraine 'Deception'

US Secretary of State John Kerry has accused Russia of "deception" and "destabilisation" in Ukraine and hinted at imposing more sanctions.

Speaking at the State Department in Washington, Mr Kerry warned Moscow time was running out for it to change course.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia face a choice," he said in unusually blunt language.

"If Russia chooses the path of de-escalation ... all of us will welcome it. But if Russia does not, the world will make sure that the costs for Russia will only grow."

Mr Kerry added this would be a "grave" and "expensive mistake".

A woman bandages the head of an injured pro-Russian activist in Mariupol

He also said the Kremlin has not honoured an agreement aimed at defusing the crisis, echoing earlier comments by President Barack Obama.

The Geneva accord between Russia, Ukraine, the US and EU compelled armed groups to put down their weapons and vacate official buildings.

The US says Moscow is stoking unrest and separatist sentiment in the east of Ukraine after its annexation of Crimea.

Russia accuses Washington of encouraging a pro-Western government to adopt anti-Russian policies.

Pro-Russian separatists fill sand bags at a checkpoint in Slavyansk

The crisis in Ukraine is becoming increasingly more violent as separatists take control of public buildings and roads. The government has launched a campaign to remove them.

On Thursday, Ukraine's interior ministry said up to five "terrorists" had been killed during an operation to clear checkpoints in the eastern town of Slavyansk.

Russia announced military exercises involving ground and air forces near its border with Ukraine in response to the operation.

Mr Putin has said there will be "consequences" if Kiev has used its army against the activists.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has warned the crisis is threatening to "spin out of control" and urged all sides to "refrain from violence".

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FBI Probes Abuse Teacher's London School Link

British detectives are helping an international investigation into a suspected child predator whose 90 known victims may include boys at an elite London school.

William James Vahey, 64, killed himself in a Minnesota motel room on March 21 - two days after FBI agents filed for a warrant to search a computer thumb drive containing child abuse images featuring at least 90 children aged from 12-14.

The victims appeared to be drugged and unconscious in the images dating back to 2008 - although FBI agents believe Vahey may have abused children on an unprecedented scale during a teaching career spanning more than 40 years and at least 10 countries.

In 2008 the history and geography teacher was working in Venezuela before moving to London, where he taught pupils aged 11-16 at the £25,000-a-year Southbank International School from 2009-2013.

The thumb drive was handed to the US Embassy by one of Vahey's co-workers at the American Nicaraguan School in Managua after it was discovered by one of his domestic staff, who first raised the alarm.

In a statement on its website the FBI said: "When confronted about the images by a school administrator, Vahey confessed that he was molested as a child and had preyed on boys his entire life, giving them sleeping pills prior to the molestation."

The FBI is appealing for public help to identify potential victims, who appear to have been abused during overnight field trips led by the US citizen.

Vahey taught at Southbank International School in London for four years

Parents have been showing "considerable concern" after receiving confirmation that Vahey took part in several field trips while working in London, the Southbank International School reportedly confirmed.

The school's chair of governors and former chief inspector of schools Chris Woodhead told the Guardian criminal records bureau checks had been carried out and the school was "deeply, deeply shocked" by the FBI's announcement.

The newspaper said the school is planning to either hold a meeting or write to parents within 24 hours about the crisis, while families are also to be offered psychological counselling.

The FBI said Vahey was jailed for child molestation in California in 1969, but the conviction does not appear to have shown up when checked by schools.

FBI Special Agent Patrick Fransen said some of the alleged victims may not know they were abused.

He said: "He created a system that gave him the opportunity and the means to molest children.

"The manner in which he committed these acts - while the boys were unconscious - may have inhibited them from knowing what happened, making it impossible for them to come forward at the time."

He added: "I've never seen another case where an individual may have molested this many children over such a long period of time."

A Met Police spokesman said: "Officers from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Investigation Team are assessing and evaluating intelligence passed to the MPS by US authorities, and actively seeking any evidence whilst working with partner agencies to ensure that potential victims are supported."

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Women Urged To Stop Britons Fighting In Syria

A sharp rise in the number of people being arrested for travelling to Syria has prompted a new campaign.

Female loved ones of those thinking of heading to the war-torn state are being encouraged to stop the men leaving.

Scotland Yard revealed that 40 Syria-related arrests were made in the first three months of this year, up from 25 in the whole of 2013.

The campaign comes after several Britons are thought to have died in Syria in the last few months.

Bashar al Assad's government is fighting a civil war against a group of Western-backed rebels and also an al Qaeda-linked extremist group.

Around 400 Britons are believed to have gone to Syria over the last two years to train in camps or take part in the fighting, with an estimated 20 having died.

Senior National Co-ordinator Counter-Terrorism Helen Ball, said: "We are increasingly concerned about the numbers of young people who have or are intending to travel to Syria to join the conflict.

"We want to ensure that people, particularly women, who are concerned about their loved ones are given enough information about what they can do to prevent this from happening.

"We want to increase their confidence in the police and partners to encourage them to come forward so that we can intervene and help.

"This is not about criminalising people, it is about preventing tragedies."

Around 400 Britons are thought to have travelled to Syria to train or fight

Workers from the Prevent Counter-terrorism Scheme, the Charity Commission and other groups are meeting at Scotland Yard for the campaign launch.

Other events are also being held across the country and leaflets highlighting the risks of going to the Middle Eastern state will be handed out at ports.

Although it is not illegal to travel to Syria, it is forbidden in that country to cross its borders without a valid visa.

It may also be illegal in the UK to join in or seek out military activity in Syria which could be regarded as supporting terrorists.

Police in the UK have advised those who want to support humanitarian efforts in Syria to donate to charities instead of going there.

Five days ago, the father of a British teenager killed in Syria said he was "scared" for his two other sons who are fighting there.

Abdullah Deghayes, 18, from Brighton, is believed to have died in Kassab, in Latakia province, earlier this month after leaving the UK in January.

His father Abubaker, who learned of his son's death via Facebook, said his two other sons, Jaffar, 16, and 20-year-old Amer had also travelled to Syria, and pleaded for them to return.

Another of those who died in the last few months was a British man suspected of carrying out a suicide attack.

Other Britons, including orthopaedic surgeon Dr Abbas Khan, have died after going to help with humanitarian relief.

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Keeping Moyes 'A Bigger Gamble Than Hiring Him'

David Moyes has lost the faith of Manchester United's owners the Glazer family, and with it his job, because sticking with him represents a bigger gamble than hiring him in the first place.

Moyes was hired, exclusively on the advice of his compatriot Sir Alex Ferguson, with what now looks like negligent haste. The Glazer family chose to ignore the claims of other candidates, including Jose Mourinho, to give Ferguson's protege a six-year contract.

If that was a risk it was as a calculated one. Moyes' 10 years at Everton did not yield a trophy but they did merit respect, and a chance to prove he could step up to the very highest level.

The answer, after nine months and two transfer windows, is a resounding "no".

Malcolm Glazer appears to have lost patience with Moyes

Moyes is a fine manager and a decent man but he seemed overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge. Where once he was certain he second-guessed. Having run Everton in his own image, at United he could not escape his predecessor's shadow.

It left the Glazers with an even bigger decision than the one they faced last summer.

It is beyond question that United's squad needs a fundamental overhaul. It is a £150m project that will set the foundations for the next three-to-five years.

So the question for Old Trafford's Floridian absentee landlords was whether to trust it to a man struggling with the demands of the job, amid growing hostility from some players and colleagues.

There have been reports of poor relations with legends Giggs and Scholes

Friction with senior figures including Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, and disaffection from players such as Danny Welbeck offered them little comfort, and humiliating defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City chipped away at Moyes' credibility.

Despite this the Glazers were still looking hard for evidence that he could be trusted with the club's future on and off the field. They appear to have found none.

There is simply too much risk for owners who need success to drive the commercial performance that pays the interest on the loans with which they bought the club. Ferguson guaranteed that. The only guarantee with Moyes is uncertainty.

So after nine years of stability under Sir Alex, the Glazers are searching for their second manager in nine months. They can ill-afford to get it wrong again. Expect the new man to have Champions League experience and an international profile.

Ferguson chose Moyes - but that appears to have been a mistake

The new coach will also mark a new era.

When Ferguson recommended Moyes he was promoting a principle as well as a pal. In his fellow Glasgwegian he saw a man who would maintain the values he instilled, the commitment to the long-term and developing their own talent.

That idea of United as a special club, one that does not panic, sack its manager and buy its way out of trouble, may die with Moyes' departure.

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Moyes To Be Sacked After Owners Lose Patience

Keeping Moyes 'A Bigger Gamble Than Hiring Him'

Updated: 6:12am UK, Tuesday 22 April 2014

By Paul Kelso, Sky News Sports Correspondent

David Moyes has lost the faith of Manchester United's owners the Glazer family, and with it his job, because sticking with him represents a bigger gamble than hiring him in the first place.

Moyes was hired, exclusively on the advice of his compatriot Sir Alex Ferguson, with what now looks like negligent haste. The Glazer family chose to ignore the claims of other candidates, including Jose Mourinho, to give Ferguson's protege a six-year contract.

If that was a risk it was as a calculated one. Moyes' 10 years at Everton did not yield a trophy but they did merit respect, and a chance to prove he could step up to the very highest level.

The answer, after nine months and two transfer windows, is a resounding "no".

Moyes is a fine manager and a decent man but he seemed overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge. Where once he was certain he second-guessed. Having run Everton in his own image, at United he could not escape his predecessor's shadow.

It left the Glazers with an even bigger decision than the one they faced last summer.

It is beyond question that United's squad needs a fundamental overhaul. It is a £150m project that will set the foundations for the next three-to-five years.

So the question for Old Trafford's Floridian absentee landlords was whether to trust it to a man struggling with the demands of the job, amid growing hostility from some players and colleagues.

Friction with senior figures including Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, and disaffection from players such as Danny Welbeck offered them little comfort, and humiliating defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City chipped away at Moyes' credibility.

Despite this the Glazers were still looking hard for evidence that he could be trusted with the club's future on and off the field. They appear to have found none.

There is simply too much risk for owners who need success to drive the commercial performance that pays the interest on the loans with which they bought the club. Ferguson guaranteed that. The only guarantee with Moyes is uncertainty.

So after nine years of stability under Sir Alex, the Glazers are searching for their second manager in nine months. They can ill-afford to get it wrong again. Expect the new man to have Champions League experience and an international profile.

The new coach will also mark a new era.

When Ferguson recommended Moyes he was promoting a principle as well as a pal. In his fellow Glasgwegian he saw a man who would maintain the values he instilled, the commitment to the long-term and developing their own talent.

That idea of United as a special club, one that does not panic, sack its manager and buy its way out of trouble, may die with Moyes' departure.

12.28 | 0 komentar | Read More

South Korea Ferry Captain Slammed By President

Timeline Of Doomed Ferry's Journey

Updated: 8:49am UK, Sunday 20 April 2014

The Sewol ferry sank in the East China Sea less than three hours after the first distress call was made to land.

Here is a timeline of the ship's voyage from Incheon:

April 15, 9pm

The Sewol leaves port in Incheon at around 9pm with 475 people and 150 vehicles on board, heading for Jeju Island.

April 16, 8.55am

First contact between vessel and land is made, with officer telling Jeju Vessel Traffic Services Centre (VTS) "our ship is in danger".

Survivors say passengers were told to remain in cabins.

April 16, 9am

Officer tells Jeju VTS ship is listing to the left and adds "it's impossible to move". Coastguard tells vessel to "wear life jackets and prepare as the people might have to abandon ship".

April 16, 9.05am

Other vessels notified as ferry continues to tilt to the side.

April 16, 9.30am

The coastguard, helicopters and other ships begin to arrive at the scene and rescue passengers who have escaped from the ferry.

April 16, 10am

Rescuers start to search for people in the overturned hull of the Sewol.

April 16, 11.20am

The ferry sinks in the East China Sea.

April 17

Text messages from people on board the ferry reveal passengers were ordered to remain in their seats and cabins as ship began listing.

Crew member Oh Yong-Seok reveals the captain waited 30 minutes before ordering the evacuation as officers tried to stabilise the vessel. By that time, the crew were unable to reach passengers because the ship was titled at such an acute angle.

April 18

Investigators reveal the ship's captain, Lee Joon-Seok, was not at the helm when the Sewol began to list. They are also examining why the ship's third mate ordered an abrupt turn around three hours before the vessel was due to arrive at Jeju Island.

Mr Lee, along with two more of the ship's crew, are arrested.

Vice-principal of Danwon High School, Kang Min-Kyu, is found dead on Jindo island. In a note found in his wallet, he described his rescue as "too painful while 200 remain unaccounted for".

April 19

Mr Lee issues a public apology for causing a "disturbance" and says he delayed the evacuation of the ferry because he thought the sea water was too cold.

Investigators reveal the third mate was steering the ship in difficult waters for the first time and in foggy conditions.

Divers trying to gain access to the ferry describe seeing bodies through its windows as the death toll officially climbs above 30.

April 20

Angry relatives clash with police on Jindo island over the speed of the recovery operation.

Divers break windows on the ferry to get inside the vessel and find more bodies, with the death toll confirmed above 50.

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Leeds Firefighters Tackle Industrial Blaze

Firefighters are tackling a huge blaze at a building in Leeds used for storing chemicals that lit up the sky and sent plumes of thick black smoke across the city.

Witnesses reported hearing loud bangs as the inferno engulfed the Tradepak industrial site in the early hours.

Fifteen fire engines are at the scene of the blaze in Albion Way, which spread to a neighbouring building.

Emergency services initially warned there was a risk of toxic smoke due to to "potentially hazardous chemicals" on the site.

But they later said that residents in the city centre should keep windows and doors closed "as a precaution" until smoke from the fire clears.

Witnesses posted photos of the blaze on Twitter

West Yorkshire Police said: "Emergency services are currently attending a large-scale fire at Albion Way in Leeds. 

"Police were called at about 2.34am this morning to respond to the incident, which is taking place at a business on the site. A number of fire engines are currently attending."   

The Armley Gyratory Road had been closed due to the large amounts of smoke from the fire, but has now re-opened.

More follows...

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Cameron-Appointed Quango Chief Resigns

By Sophy Ridge, Political Correspondent

A businessman appointed by David Cameron to head a £60bn quango has resigned after it was revealed he was declared bankrupt.

Tony Caplin was in charge of the Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) which provides loans to infrastructure projects.

Under anti-sleaze rules, anyone on a public body must inform ministers if they are made bankrupt.

A Government spokesman said: "Tony Caplin was appointed to a number of public bodies by the Labour party. He was re-appointed to the PWLB by the Prime Minister.

"He should have declared he was bankrupt. This has been pointed out to him and as a result he has resigned."

According to the Mail on Sunday, Mr Caplin was a friend of the Chancellor, George Osborne, who is a former chairman of the same City firm where Mr Cameron's father was a partner.

He previously worked for the Conservatives as their Chief Operating Officer, but Tory sources have emphasised he no longer has a role in the party. He has also left his post on the Medical Research Council.

The Labour MP and Chairman of the Public Account Committee, Margaret Hodge, told the Mail on Sunday: "This raises serious questions which should be investigated."

Conservative MP Douglas Carswell told the newspaper: "This proves the need for MPs to be given the right to interview public appointments instead of letting ministers hand them out to whoever they choose."

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South Korean Ferry Families Clash With Police

Distraught relatives of hundreds of missing passengers on board the sunken South Korean ferry have clashed with police as the official death toll rises.

Up to 100 relatives gathered near a bridge linking the southwestern port city of Jindo to the mainland and tried to march across to take their protest to the capital, Seoul.

But police formed two lines to prevent the pushing and shoving relatives reaching the bridge.

"The government is the killer," some of the relatives shouted, as they pushed against the police barricade.

An angry relative at the police barricade

"We want an answer from the person in charge about why orders are not going through and nothing is being done," Lee Woon-Geun, father of missing passenger Lee Jung-in, 17, said.

"They are clearly lying and kicking the responsibility to others."

Divers have recovered more bodies inside the South Korean sunken ferry, pushing the confirmed death toll to 50, officials say.

The discovery came after divers gained access to the inside of the ferry for the first time after three days of failed attempts due to strong currents and poor visibility.

"At 11.48pm the joint rescue team broke a glass window and succeeded in getting inside the vessel," the South Korean government said in a statement.

Divers have entered the ship for the first time

Officials said the bodies were found inside the ferry but did not provide further details.

Hundreds of government, military and civilian divers have been involved in the search.

It is thought 252 people, most of them children on a school trip, are still missing. There are 174 known survivors.

The 69-year-old captain of the ferry, Lee Joon-Seok, has been arrested on suspicion of negligence and abandoning people in need.

Two other crew members have also been taken into custody, including a 25-year-old third mate who a prosecutor said was steering in challenging waters unfamiliar to her when the accident occurred on Wednesday.

Ferry Captain Lee Joon-Seok has apologised to families of the victims

Early reports suggest that the ferry, on a 300-mile (400km) voyage from the mainland port of Incheon to the Korean resort island of Jeju, may have turned sharply and then listed before capsizing.

Investigators are looking at how the cargo was stowed, the safety record of the ship operator and the actions of the crew.

Witnesses say Lee and other crew members left the sinking ship before many of the passengers and that orders to evacuate were either not given, or not heard.

Lee said he feared that passengers would be swept away by the ferocious currents in the area if they leapt into the sea, but has not explained why he left the vessel.

A man identified as Cpt Lee is seen being rescued from the sinking ferry

In a TV address Lee, who has more than 40 years of experience at sea, said: "I am sorry to the people of South Korea for causing a disturbance and I bow my head in apology to the families of the victims.

"I gave instructions regarding the route, then I briefly went to the bedroom and then it happened.

"At the time, the current was very strong, temperature of the ocean water was cold, and I thought that if people left the ferry without (proper) judgement, if they were not wearing a life jacket, and even if they were, they would drift away and face many other difficulties.

"The rescue boats had not arrived yet, nor were there any civilian fishing ships or other boats nearby at that time. There was a mistake on my behalf as well but the steering (gear of the ship) turned further than it was supposed to."

Family members wait for news from rescue teams in a gym in Jindo

Hundreds of relatives gathered in a gymnasium in Jindo have spent days and nights awaiting news of their relatives on the ship.

Out of all the people on the ferry, 339 were either pupils or teachers from Danwon High School near Seoul.

The vice principal of the school who was on the ferry and survived was found hanged on Friday.

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Missing Plane Search 'Could Take 5 to 7 Days'

By Nick Martin, News Correspondent, in Perth

Australian officials supervising the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight have said that an underwater search for the black box recorder based on "pings" possibly from the device could be completed in five to seven days.

It comes as search teams say the submarine currently scanning the ocean floor remains "the best lead" in finding the plane.

The US Navy-operated Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) has now covered an area of 82 square miles (133 sq km) and has completed six missions.

But its sonar scanners have detected nothing, Sky News understands.

The Chinese ship Hai Xin 01 conducts a search in the southern Indian Ocean

It has now started its seventh descent to the bottom of the Indian Ocean with hopes still high it will find the aircraft's data recorder and wreckage.

It takes two hours for the unmanned submersible to travel more than 4,500m to the seabed where it spends 16 hours at a time using sonar scanners to map the ocean floor. Data is then downloaded at the surface.

But no sign of the plane has been picked up, said search officials based in Perth, Australia.

"Overnight, Bluefin-21 AUV completed mission six in the underwater search area. Data from the sixth mission is currently under analysis. No contacts of interest have been found to date," said an official.

"This is the best lead we have in the search for missing flight MH370."

The underwater hunt is complicated by the depth of the largely unexplored sea floor. The US Navy's unmanned sub has already gone beyond its recommended limit of 4,500 meters (15,000 feet).

Malaysia flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8 bound for Beijing. But an hour into the flight it disappeared from radar. There were 239 people on board, mostly Chinese citizens.

Some families of those on board refuse to believe the aircraft crashed into the sea and have instead denounced the search effort as a cover-up.

Up to 11 military aircraft and 12 ships are assisting the search over the long Easter bank holiday weekend. The total search area is 31,000 square miles (50,200 sq km), across three areas.

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South Korea Ferry Disaster Captain's Apology

S Korea Ferry: Final Contact From Doomed Vessel

Updated: 11:59am UK, Friday 18 April 2014

A transcript of communications between the stricken Sewol ferry and the coastguard has lifted the lid on the final minutes before the order was given to abandon ship.

The conversations show panic setting in on board the vessel, with officers asking for help to "please come quickly" as it began to tilt to the left, three hours from its destination of Jeju Island.

The transcript also appears to back up claims that the evacuation order may have come too late for some passengers as officers said the ship was tilting so much it was "impossible to move" to check on them.

The communication, which begins with the first distress call made by the ferry on Wednesday morning, has been translated by The Associated Press.

It reads:

8.55am

Sewol: Harbour affairs Jeju, do you have reception of The Sewol?

Jeju Vessel Traffic Services Centre (VTS): Yes, Sewol, this is harbour affairs Jeju.

Sewol: Please notify the coastguard. Our ship is in danger. It's listing right now.

8.56am

Jeju VTS: Where's your ship? Yes, got it. We will notify the coastguard.

Sewol: This ship has listed a lot. Can't move. Please come quickly. We're next to Byeongpung Island.

Jeju VTS: Yes, we got it.

8.58am

Jeju VTS: Sewol, this is harbour affairs Jeju. Do you have reception? Sewol, harbour affairs Jeju.

8.59am

Sewol: Harbour affairs Jeju, this is Sewol.

Jeju VTS: Sewol, this is harbour affairs Jeju. Channel 21, please.

9.00am

Jeju VTS: Sewol, this is harbour affairs Jeju.

Sewol: Jeju, Sewol here.

Jeju VTS: What's the current situation?

Sewol: Currently the body of the ship has listed to the left. The containers have listed as well.

Jeju VTS: OK. Any damage of the human life?

Sewol: It's impossible to check right now. The body of the ship has tilted, and it's impossible to move.

Jeju VTS: Yes, OK. Please wear life jackets and prepare as the people might have to abandon ship. 

Sewol: It's hard for people to move.

Jeju VTS: Yes, got it.

9.05am

Sewol: Harbour affairs Jeju, do you have reception of Sewol?

Jeju VTS: Yes, this is harbour affairs Jeju, Sewol.

Sewol: What's going on with the coastguard?

Jeju VTS: Yes, we have notified the coastguard. Currently we are calling Jindo VTS and Wando VTS. Please hold for a moment.

After this, Jeju VTS notified other ships and Wando VTS.

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Obama's Warning To Russia Over Ukraine Deal

Putin Finds Time For A Laugh During Phone-In

Updated: 1:39pm UK, Thursday 17 April 2014

By Ian Woods, Senior News Correspondent

Even in the midst of a crisis, with Russia on the brink of a conflict with Ukraine, there was a chance for some Vladimir Putin humour.

About a quarter of the way through his marathon question-and-answer session, with more than two million phone calls, emails and texts logged, came a question from a pensioner about his plans to push beyond Russia's borders.

"Does the President want to take Alaska as well?"

Mr Putin laughed and said: "What do we want with Alaska? We have enough cold territory."

Sarah Palin can sleep easier in her bed. The former vice-presidential candidate once said her expertise in foreign affairs came from having the Russians as her neighbours.

The exchange lightened the mood of a television marathon which was dominated by Ukraine and Crimea.

The Direct Line with Putin is an annual event in Russia and this was his 12th.

But it was pointed out that in his previous five-hour long session last year, he had not mentioned annexing Crimea as one of his policies.

Mr Putin said it was never a plan. He was simply responding to the wishes of the people of Crimea, he claimed.

The questions about the takeover of Crimea were not all supportive of the President.

Many Russians fretted about the cost to the economy and some wondered whether it would change the character of Crimea.

They were reassured it would not and that no social programmes would be cut to pay for Crimea's return to Kremlin control.

But the questions from an outside broadcast in the Crimean port of Sevastopol were unmistakably in support of Mr Putin.

At one point the crowd who had gathered to take part in the show chanted: "Russia, Russia."

Mr Putin said the situation had allowed Russians to rediscover patriotism.

As for the situation in eastern Ukraine, Mr Putin's answers were familiar.

He denied the Russian military had crossed the border in support of ethnic Russians.

He questioned the legitimacy of the interim government in Kiev, as well as the presidential elections on May 25, which are designed to confer legitimacy on the winner.

He said that when candidates from the East were being beaten up, it could never be a fair election.

And he attacked Nato expansion, saying: "When people move towards our borders, it makes us take steps to respond."

One of the questions came from a former member of the Berkut, the now disbanded Ukrainian special police force, who said he had confronted protesters in Kiev and some of his colleagues had been injured.

He called the deposed President Viktor Yanukovych a "slacker and a traitor" for not ordering tougher action.

Mr Putin defended his former ally, saying the two of them had discussed the dilemma and Mr Yanokovych had been unwilling to sign an order to open fire on his own citizens.

After three hours, just when you thought it might be getting a little boring, up popped a special guest via video-link from an undisclosed location.

Former NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden had been invited to ask a question, which he did so in English, though the President confessed he found it hard to understand his American accent.

Snowden, who was granted in asylum in Russia after fleeing the United States to leak the secrets of America's mass electronic eavesdropping programme, asked if Russia had a similar programme.

Mr Putin, a former KGB officer, spoke to him as one professional to another. And, of course, he said such an operation was impossible because Russian agencies were strictly controlled.

It was an impressive performance from the Russian president, talking fluently and peppering his answers with statistics.

He was supremely confident, as well he might be.

His opinion poll ratings are rising. The number of Russians who say they totally trust Mr Putin has increased from 7% to 16%, and the number of those who are "more likely to trust him" has grown from 50% to 55% over the past year.

The number who say they do not trust him is down from 35% a year ago to 20% now, and 37% of the 1,600 people questioned said they like and even admire him.

But even after the hours of answers, the West is still unsure about Mr Putin's ultimate goal.

How far does he want to push his luck, knowing the response from Europe and America will be limited to diplomatic and economic posturing?

Perhaps we will find out the answer to that question at next year's marathon phone-in.

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Captain 'Not At The Helm When Ferry Capsized'

The captain of the South Korean ferry that capsized with 475 passengers on board was not at the helm of the ship when it capsized, according to investigators.

The third officer was understood to be piloting the ship when the tragedy occurred, an investigating prosecutor told a news conference, and the captain may not even have been on the bridge at the time.

"He may have been off the bridge ... and the person at the helm at the time was the third officer," the investigator said.

"The captain was not in command when the accident took place," he added.

It has also been revealed the captain, Lee Joon-seok, 68, delayed evacuation for half an hour after the distress signal was sent, leading some to suggest more lives could have been saved had he acted sooner.

Family members of missing passengers wait for news at a gym in Jindo

Oh Yong-seok, a helmsman on the ferry with 10 years of shipping experience, said that when the crew gathered on the bridge and sent a distress call, the ship was already listing more than five degrees, the critical angle at which a vessel can be brought back to even keel.

About half and hour after passengers were told to stay where they were, Lee finally gave the order to abandon ship, Oh said, adding that he wasn't sure that in the confusion and chaos on the bridge if the order was relayed to the passengers.

Several survivors have said they did not hear any evacuation orders.

By the time the order was given, it was impossible for crew members to move to passengers' rooms to help them because the ship was tilted at an impossibly acute angle, he said.

Relatives wait for news from the rescue teams in Jindo

It has been suggested the evacuation delay also prevented lifeboats from being deployed in time.

Meanwhile, a crane that will be used to try to salvage the ferry has arrived at the accident site.

The confirmed death toll from the sinking off the Sewol is 25, but that number is expected to rise sharply with about 270 people still missing. Officials have so far confirmed only 179 survivors.

Some 325 of the passengers were students from Danwon High School near Seoul.

Out of 29 crewmembers, 20 people including Lee, survived. After the tragedy, Lee made a brief, videotaped appearance, although his face was hidden by a gray hoodie.

"I am really sorry and deeply ashamed," he said. "I don't know what to say."

Divers are working in shifts to try get into the upturned ship to pump oxygen into the vessel to help any survivors. But their attempts are being hampered by strong currents and freezing temperatures.

The 146-metre (480ft) ship had left Incheon on the northwestern coast of South Korea on Tuesday for the overnight journey to the southern resort island of Jeju.

It was three hours from its destination on Wednesday morning when it began to list for reasons unknown.

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Ferry Disaster: Hopes Of Finding Survivors Fade

The search has resumed for around 290 people who remain missing after a South Korean ferry capsized and sank.

Nine people have already been confirmed dead and the death toll is expected to increase sharply in what could be the country's worst maritime accident in two decades.

The dead include a female teacher, a female member of the crew and three male school students.

Many of those on board the ferry were school students

The majority of those who remain unaccounted for are from the same school on a field trip. So far 179 people have been rescued.

Video footage has emerged apparently showing passengers in life jackets as the boat began to sink.

Passenger Koo Bon-hee, 36, told reporters many people were trapped inside by windows that were too hard to break.

Distraught relatives wait for news in a gym on Jindo Island

Grieving family members have gathered on the quay of Jindo Island, huddled in blankets against the cold as they wait for any news.

"If I could teach myself to dive, I would jump in the water and try to find my daughter," Park Yung-suk told the Reuters news agency.

As coastguard officials arrived for the second day of searching relatives jeered at them, shouting: "The weather's nice, why aren't you starting the rescue."

Relatives huddle together while waiting for any news on their loved ones

Strong currents and bad visibility are hampering the search. Twenty divers tried to get inside the wreckage but could not because of the current.

The ship set sail from the port of Incheon on Tuesday carrying 475 passengers, nearly 340 of them teenagers and teachers from the Danwon school near the capital Seoul.

Its destination was Jeju island around 60 miles (100km) south of the Korean peninsula.

Coast Guard and rescue teams searching for missing passengers

It is not clear why the 6,586 tonne vessel, which was built in Japan 20 years ago, sank in apparently calm waters.

However, some survivors spoke of hearing a loud noise before disaster struck.

The captain and crew are being interviewed by authorities.

The registered owner of the ship, Chonghaejin Marine Co Ltd, has offered an apology but declined to comment further.

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Ferry Disaster: Parents Hire Own Rescue Boats

Parents of missing teenagers aboard the stricken ferry off the coast of South Korea have been hiring rescue boats to join the search overnight.

Many relatives stared out to sea, huddled in blankets, sobbing, as hopes their loved ones would be found alive faded.   

Others expressed their anger, claiming that the rescue operation was botched and choosing instead to go searching themselves. 

Nearly 340 of those aboard the Sewol ferry are believed to have been from the same high school near the capital Seoul, on their way to Jeju island for a field trip.

Relatives are angry that the school initially said all had been rescued

Rescue operations went on through the night, under the light of flares, but divers suspended attempts to find survivors inside the submerged ship until daylight.

"My tears have dried up," said a mother in Jindo, a town near the site of the disaster where many families have gathered.

"I am holding on to hope. I hope the government does everything to bring these kids back to their mothers."

At the dockside in Jindo, women sat and stared out at the black, calm sea before them.

The father of one missing child could not bear to wait.

Divers have suspended searches inside the boat until daylight

He and 10 other parents paid 61,000 won (£35) each to hire a boat to take them to the scene, along with a local reporter and a diver.

"There was no rescue operation going on," he said on his return to Jindo.

"We clearly saw there is none. What they were doing at the time was stopping the oil spill. I'm extremely angry.

"The media says the rescue operation is still going on. It's all a lie. It makes me so furious."

Anger was also aimed at the school, which at one point mistakenly announced that all 338 students and teachers on the field trip had been rescued.

Relatives huddled under blankets waiting for news

Adding to the misery, the Ministry of Security and Public Administration initially reported that 368 people had been rescued and that around 100 were missing.

It later described those figures as a miscalculation, turning what had at first appeared to be a largely successful rescue operation into a potentially major disaster.

For many parents, the agonising wait began at Danwon High School in Ansan, a Seoul suburb, where they gathered in the morning after news of the ferry disaster broke.

Park Seong-ho, father of a missing 17-year-old boy, said: "I have to go now.

"It's as if the world is falling apart. I really want to go now to see my son."

Hopes of finding the teenagers alive faded overnight

Jeong Kyung-mi, mother of another 17-year-old from the school, was more fortunate. She received a text message from her son saying he had been rescued.

"When I heard the news, it felt like my heart had stopped beating," she said.

Parents fought their way on to coaches provided to take them to Jindo, where some were reunited with their children.

Survivors there huddled on the floor of a gymnasium, wrapped in blankets and receiving medical aid.

One woman lay on a bed shaking uncontrollably, while a man across the room wailed loudly as he spoke on his mobile phone.

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Thousands To Miss Out On First Choice School

Thousands of children will miss out on their preferred primary school place in the first National Offer Day.

Emails and letters will be sent to parents across England but increasing pressure on schools mean many will be left disappointed.

Education hotspots Bristol and London will be among the worst affected with one in five children not being admitted to their school of choice.

"There is a shortage of primary school places throughout the country," said Lydia Gibbs, primary teaching and curriculum lead for the Reach Academy in Feltham, West London.

Last year the school had 160 applications for only 60 primary school places.

"There is a sense of competition that parents would love to have their children come to our school. I know that because we were oversubscribed for reception places," she added.

National Offer Day marks the first time councils across England will co-ordinate offers for primary school places.

Demand is believed to be increasing due to higher birth rates and immigration, with the number of children entering reception classes at primary schools this September among the highest in years.

Parents are now going greater lengths to secure places at the most popular schools.

A poll by Netmums revealed more than a fifth of those questioned (21.2%) had bought a house closer to their preferred school, with a further 17% renting nearby.

The survey also found around one in six (16.2%) parents had started thinking about primary schools when their child was still under one, with a further 9.3% considering it when they were expecting and 6.9% thinking

about the issue before they fell pregnant.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) said more needs to be done to ensure every child has a school place.

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South Korea: 'Dozens Missing' After Ferry Sinks

More than 100 people remain unaccounted for after a ferry with more than 400 passengers sank off the coast of South Korea, according to reports.

At least three people have been confirmed dead; two males and a female crew member.

Two of the victims are in their 20s, while the other is a teenager.

Fourteen people have been injured.

Rescued passengers are brought ashore

The Yonhap news agency, which is reporting that dozens remain missing, also said a total of 368 people have been rescued - many of them school students.

The ferry, with 477 people and 150 vehicles on board, was sailing to the southern island of Jeju when it sent a distress call as it began leaning to one side.

Soon afterwards it had completely capsized, with only the front part of its hull visible above the water.

There is no indication yet what has caused the ship to list and roll on its side, but one witness told YTN television there had been a "loud impact and noise" before it began sinking.

Television footage showed the Sewol lying on its port side

The 325 students on board are from a high school in Ansan city near Seoul and were on their way to the island for a four-day trip, according to a relief team set up by Gyeonggi Province.

One student, Lim Hyung-min, told YTN from a gym on a nearby island he jumped into the ocean wearing a life jacket with other students and then swam to a rescue boat.

"As the ferry was shaking and tilting, we all tripped and bumped into each another," he said, adding some people were bleeding.

He said the ocean "was so cold ... I was hurrying, thinking that I wanted to live."

Three people have been confirmed dead so far

The ship left Incheon port, just west of Seoul, on Tuesday evening, according to the state-run Busan Regional Maritime Affairs And Port Administration.

It entered difficulties about 60 miles (100km) south of the Korean peninsula.

A total of 18 helicopters and 34 rescue boats have been sent to the area.

Passenger Kim Seong-mok told YTN he was "certain" people were trapped inside as water quickly filled up inside and the severe tilt of the ferry prevented them from getting out.

The ship completely capsized soon after listing

Some people yelled at those who could not get out, urging them to break windows, he said.

Kim said he felt the ferry tilt and heard it crash into something. The ferry operator made an announcement asking passengers to wait and not move.

One of the dead was found inside the sinking ferry, while the other died soon after arriving at the Mokpo Hankook hospital on the mainland.

Two people are also suffering from minor burns, according to Chang-Kyung-hak, a crew member on a ship sent to help.

He added his vessel was carrying dozens of people and most of them were in a good condition.

More follows...

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Obama To Putin: Get Separatists To Give Up Guns

Ukraine A 'Diplomatic Quagmire'

Updated: 1:14pm UK, Monday 14 April 2014

By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent

What is unfolding in eastern Ukraine is a diplomatic quagmire with governments and international agencies struggling to find purchase.

Along the long border between Ukraine and Russia you have a complicated blend of ethnicities and loyalties in a riven country, being tugged by powerful forces in the East and the West. 

Russia claims the militants occupying local government buildings in several towns are nothing to do with them - just native Russian speakers defending themselves from Kiev's illegal government which seized power in a coup and is backed by fascists and anti-Semites.

The rest of the world detects the hand of Vladimir Putin, manipulating the fears of local people and creating the context for future annexation, which it managed to pull off so effectively in Crimea.

They accuse the Kremlin of "irredentism": using cultural, religious and linguistic similarities in neighbouring countries as a pretext to justify invasion.

But the events unfolding in towns like Slavyansk and now Horlivka have shown how ineffective the global diplomatic architecture designed to calm such angry cross-border incidents really is.

:: The UN Security Council heard plenty of heated debate on Sunday evening, but no action was taken as Russia is a permanent member of the 15-nation body and so could veto any attempt at official censure.

:: Nato is beefing up its military presence in eastern Europe, but won't intervene militarily in Ukraine as Kiev is not a member of the alliance. Furthermore, proving the situation in eastern Ukraine poses a direct threat to its neighbours is difficult.

:: The EU is wary of ratcheting up sanctions because of the effect it could have on member states should Russia seek to retaliate by turning off the tap to its natural gas supplies or imposing tariffs on certain goods.

So we are left with co-ordinated rhetoric, more meetings and stern tweets, which is, in turn, emboldening the pro-Russia militias.

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Missing Plane: Mini-Sub Aborts Search Mission

Missing Plane Search Heads Into The Unknown

Updated: 7:34am UK, Monday 14 April 2014

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent, in Perth

This is the most significant development in the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in more than a week.

The Bluefin-21, a state-of-the-art unmanned submersible, is now being prepared for a mission to one of the deepest parts of the Indian Ocean.

Its journey will take two hours and send it beyond any depth it has been sent to before - 4.5km down.

When it reaches the silty surface of the ocean floor, it will begin its job of looking for the wreckage.

Sonar sensors will map the undulating surface and send that information back to the monitoring vessel Ocean Shield.

It is a remarkable journey under remarkable circumstances and somewhere down there are the crew and passengers of this ill-fated flight.

Around the world, relatives are hoping something will be found.

Search leader Angus Houston told me the black box battery had likely failed.

"It's time to go underwater," he said.

An oil slick has been spotted more than 5km from the search area and a two-litre sample has been sent to the mainland for tests.

"We don't think it's from the ships," Mr Houston said, hinting it could be engine oil from the 777 jet.

But they know results from the submersible could take a long time to come through.

And there are other pressures too, not least the cost.

This international response is hugely expensive and no one knows how long it can be sustained in its current form.

I asked Mr Houston if he thought this was a "long shot".

"I wouldn't say it was," he replied. "It's a promising lead we need to pursue."

They chose their words very carefully here.

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Ukraine Crisis: Surrender Deadline Approaches

World leaders have warned of a "dangerous escalation" in the Ukraine crisis as fatal clashes broke out in the east of the country.

The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting in New York after at least two people were killed and several injured when pro-Russian fighters seized government buildings in the city of Slavyansk.

Armed men that Western leaders claim are Russian forces have set up checkpoints and barricades in six towns in the area.

Ukraine's new government has set a deadline of 7am UK time for pro-Russian forces to put down their weapons and leave occupied buildings.

Pro-Russian forces detain a man in eastern Ukraine

The UK's ambassador to the UN, Sir Mark Lyall Grant, told the Security Council Sunday's bloodshed was a "dangerous escalation of an already dangerous situation".

He said satellite images show between 35,000 and 40,000 Russian troops are massed near the Ukraine border, in addition to the 25,000 "illegally" in Crimea.

Sir Mark said there are increasing signs of Russian involvement in orchestrating the violence.

Burning tyres at a checkpoint in Slaviansk

"We want to use this Security Council meeting to expose that but also warn Russia against using events in eastern Ukraine as a pretext for further military escalation in the region," he said.

Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin told the meeting he is alarmed by Ukraine's announcement of a "full-scale anti-terror operation" to seize back occupied areas.

He denied Western claims that Moscow is behind the violence, and said Kiev has been using neo-Nazi forces to destabilise its eastern region.

Slavyansk and Kramatorsk are among the latest cities to be hit by unrest

"It is the West that will determine the opportunity to avoid civil war in Ukraine," he said.

"Some people, including in this chamber, do not want to see the real reasons for what is happening in Ukraine and are constantly seeing the hand of Moscow in what is going on. Enough. That is enough."

He said Russian-speaking people in eastern Ukraine are "concerned about their future" and "don't want radicals to impose their will on them".

Pro-Russian protesters detain a man in Luhansk

Sky's Hannah Thomas-Peter, outside the UN headquarters, said: "There's more than a little irritation on the part of Western diplomats that Russia, having used its veto position within the Security Council to paralyse that body over any meaningful action on Ukraine, has now decided to call an emergency meeting to put forward its point of view on the escalating crisis in Ukraine.

"But unilaterally America is prepared to act. The US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power has said that sanctions against Russia are already beginning to bite.

"And the White House is willing to tighten those sanctions and to extend them to include sanctions against sectors like the mining sector, financial and energy sectors."

Hundreds of civilians have come out in support of the activists

European Union foreign ministers are holding talks later today to discuss how to toughen sanctions against Russia without losing the support of EU governments worried about Moscow switching off the gas to Europe.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement: "The Russian Federation is urged to call back its troops from the Ukrainian border and to cease any further actions aimed at destabilising Ukraine."

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MH370: Mini-Sub To Be Used As Oil Slick Found

Search teams are preparing to use a mini-submarine to scan the sea bed for wreckage from flight MH370 "as soon as possible".

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, leading the search, told a news conference an oil slick had been found within the current search zone of the southern Indian Ocean.

Speaking at a press conference in Perth, he said: "We haven't had a single detection in six days so I guess it's time to go underwater."

Mr Houston cautioned that the use of unmanned submarine, Bluefin-21, should not raise hopes that debris from the aircraft will be found.

Crew members look out from the cockpit of a P-3K2 Orion aircraft

"Again, I emphasise that this will be a slow process," he said.

He said two litres of oil were found by Australian vessel Ocean Shield in the area where four "pings" possibly from a black box recorder were detected last week.

The oil is being examined to see if it is aviation fuel, and that process could take several days.

The slick was found 5,500 metres downwind and down sea from where the possible signals were detected.

HMS Echo is helping in the search

Eleven military aircraft, one civil aircraft and 15 ships are scouring an area of more than 18,400 square miles (47,600 square km) in today's search.

The centre of the search zone is around 1,400 miles (2,200km) northwest of Perth on the western coast of Australia.

Ocean Shield will stop using its Towed Pinger Locator to try to locate the Boeing 777's black boxes later today.

The submarine will then be deployed from the vessel.

Bluefin-21 was used to find the Air France plane that crashed in 2009

Each of its missions will take 24 hours and the first will cover an area 5km by 8km, Mr Houston said.

The US-manufactured submarine, a 16.2ft (4.93m) long sonar device, can operate at a depth of up to 14,700ft (4,500m), roughly the depth of the ocean floor where the "pings" were detected.

There are fears the plane's black boxes have now stopped transmitting signals, as the batteries last around a month and the plane disappeared more than five weeks ago.

Bad weather is expected to hit the search area this week, making the search more difficult.

The jet, which was carrying 239 people, vanished while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8.

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Mini-Sub To Be Used As Plane Search Narrows

The commander of the Royal Navy ship searching for flight MH370 has told Sky News they are getting close to sending down a mini-submarine to hunt for wreckage.

HMS Echo is working with Australian vessel Ocean Shield to locate the Boeing 777-200's black box before it runs out of power.

The plane carrying 239 people vanished from radar on March 8 and is thought to have crashed in the southern Indian Ocean, around 1,500 miles off Australia's west coast.

Ocean Shield, towing a US Navy device to detect signals from the plane's fading beacons, first picked up two underwater "pings" consistent with those from a black box on April 5.

This was followed by two more in the same area three days later.

HMS Echo is searching the southern Indian Ocean for the missing jet

The crew of HMS Echo are analysing the signals by looking at the currents and ocean depth of around 2.8 miles (4.5km) to try to pin-point the plane's wreckage.

The underwater search zone has been narrowed to around 500 square miles (1,300 square km) - roughly the size of Los Angeles.

Phillip Newell, commanding officer of HMS Echo, told Sky News: "We believe we have come close to that point now where we can move to the next stage and deploy a remote vehicle which can go down to the correct depth and search the sea bed."

The Bluefin-21 can search between 20 and 40 square miles a day

The crew will use Bluefin-21, a mini-submarine used to find the Air France plane that crashed into the Atlantic in 2009, to search the sea bed for debris.

But major hindrances still remain, and it could be years before the Malaysia Airlines jet is found, radar expert Professor David Stupples told Sky News.

The search is also set to be hampered by bad weather this week.

Sunday's planned search area

Eleven military aircraft, one civil aircraft and 14 ships are taking part in today's search, said the Joint Agency Coordination Centre, the international body leading the hunt.

It said there have been no confirmed acoustic detections over the past 24 hours.

The batteries that power signals from the plane's flight data and cockpit voice recorders last only about a month and it has been more than five weeks since the plane disappeared.

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