Teachers' Strike Possible If Talks Break Down

By Emma Birchley, Sky News Correspondent

Teachers are considering a fresh walkout just weeks after strike action forced schools across England and Wales to close.

Members of the National Union of Teachers (NUT) meeting for their annual conference today will debate the possibility of industrial action next term unless "significant progress" is made in talks with the Government.

NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: "We have a motion that's going to be put to delegates which envisages industrial action in late June if we don't make progress in the talks with the Government in May.

"But the first priority is for a minister to actually come to those talks and we'd like to make progress on a list of things."

That list includes performance-related pay due to be introduced from September, heavy workloads and pensions.

The national walkout on March 26 saw 12% of schools shutting their doors, according to the Government, but thousands more were disrupted.

Any further strike action would be held in the week starting Monday, June 23 after the majority of GCSEs and A Level exams are over. However, some exam boards have papers scheduled for that week.

Teachers gathering for the conference called on Education Secretary Michael Gove to listen to their concerns.

"Certainly I will be thinking about voting to strike," said one. "Where I work people are concerned about the work loads, targets and the pressure Government puts on teachers."

Last month's national walkout organised by the NUT

Another told Sky News: "If Mr Gove would just listen to us and negotiate with us then strike action wouldn't go forward but he has to listen to us."

A poll commissioned by the NUT shows that two thirds of parents support teachers' right to strike.

But for the Lamberti family it smacks of double standards.

Mother-of-two Clare Lamberti said: "We applied for a day's holiday to take the girls away for the weekend and they turned it down.

"They said it would disrupt their education but obviously a day here and a day there for strikes, that's going to disrupt their education.

"One rule for them ... one rule for us obviously."

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) is also holding its conference this weekend.

Both unions will be discussing concerns over the growing number of unqualified teachers taking classes.

Of 7,000 teachers surveyed, 53% told the NASUWT they worked alongside unqualified staff. That rose to 61% in academies.

But in a separate poll by the NUT, 82% of parents said schools should only employ qualified teachers.

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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 Bluefin-21 submersible has already carried out six descents

After nearly six weeks without any sign of the plane, the current underwater search has been narrowed to a circular 6.2-mile (10km) area around the location where one of the pings thought to come from the missing flight's black box was detected earlier this month.

The submersible is likely to take up to a week to cover the refined search area.

The Bluefin-21 has now started its seventh descent to the bottom of the Indian Ocean.

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.

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

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."

Hishammuddin Hussein, acting Malaysia Transport Minister, told a news conference on Saturday: "The immediate search area that the Bluefin-21 is scouring should be completed within the next week.

"All efforts will be intensified in the next few days in regards to the search."

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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Boy, 14, Charged With Raping 10-Year-Old Girl

A 14-year-old boy is due to appear in court charged with raping a 10-year-old girl.

West Mercia Police said the teenager has been charged with rape and attempted rape.

The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will appear at Telford Magistrates' Court later.

It comes after a girl was sexually assaulted at an isolated spot on disused land in Shrewsbury, Shropshire.

The offence occurred near the Arc car wash centre, off St Michael's Street, between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on April 11.

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Captain 'Not At The Helm When Ferry Capsized'

The captain of the South Korean ferry 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.

Investigators are also looking at whether the third officer ordered the vessel to make an abrupt turn, which caused it to tilt severely and take on water, according to prosecutor Park Jae-Eok.

"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.

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

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.

Oh Yong-Seok, a helmsman on the ferry with 10 years of shipping experience, said 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.

A crane arrives at the scene

About half an hour after passengers were told to stay where they were, Mr Lee finally gave the order to abandon ship, according to Mr Oh.

He added he was unsure in the confusion 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.

Lee Joon-Seok was not at the helm when the ship began listing

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 of 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.

Anxious relatives take part in a Buddhist ritual

Of the 29 crew members, 20 people including Mr Lee survived.

After the tragedy, he made a brief, videotaped appearance, although his face was hidden by a grey hoodie.

He said: "I am really sorry and deeply ashamed. 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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Vice-Principal Rescued From Ferry Found Hanged

A high school vice-principal rescued from the capsized South Korean ferry has been found hanged, according to police.

Kang Min-Kyu, 52, was one of more than 300 teachers and students on board the Sewol ferry and was reported missing on Thursday night.

His body was found near the school gymnasium on Jindo island where many of the relatives and rescued people have been staying, according to Yonhap news agency.

One police official told AFP: "The precise cause of death is still under investigation."

The students and teachers from Danwon High School, in Ansan city south of Seoul, were going on an excursion to the resort island of Jeju.

More follows...

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Oscar Pistorius Trial: Judge Warns About Booing

Oscar Pistorius was "wrong" in his version of events about what happened on the night he shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, the prosecution has claimed.

During cross-examination by lawyer Gerrie Nel, forensic expert Roger Dixon appeared to contradict what the athlete told the court about the position of a magazine rack in the bathroom.

In a graphic photograph showing a pool of Ms Steenkamp's blood around the toilet bowl, the witness pointed out a rectangular-shaped mark.

He claimed this shows the magazine rack was in the position it appeared in in a police photograph, something Pistorius rejects.

Mr Nel, who grilled Pistorius for five days, is quizzing a forensic expert

The athlete's murder trial is now in its 25th day - the last before the start of a two-week Easter break.

The day's proceedings started with a stark warning from Judge Thokozile Masipa to people watching the case in an adjoining 'overspill' room, who she said climb over benches and "cheer, boo and do what they like".

"Something disturbing has come to my attention," she said.

The continued cross-examination of Mr Dixon comes after he was branded "irresponsible" by Mr Nel during a dramatic day of evidence on Wednesday.

The witness was accused of addressing the court without having properly read a post-mortem report about Ms Steenkamp's death.

Pistorius, 27, admits shooting his girlfriend but denies a charge of premeditated murder, claiming he mistook her for an intruder.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead at Pistorius' home on Valentine's Day last year

He lowered his head and clasped his hands around his ears as further details about Ms Steenkamp's injuries were read to the court.

Mr Dixon said the shock of the first bullet fired through the bathroom door may have caused her to twist and fall.

He told the court a further bullet hit Ms Steenkamp's head as she slumped to the floor, hitting her back on the magazine rack as she did so.

On Wednesday, Mr Dixon said a bullet that struck the model's arm caused such serious damage it was like "an instant amputation".

As well as premeditated murder, Pistorius, who won two gold medals at the Paralympic Games in London in 2012, denies two further counts related to shooting a gun in public on separate occasions prior to the killing.

More follows...

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Ferry Disaster: Hopes Of Finding Survivors Fade

Rescue teams are battling bad weather conditions as they search 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, while the majority of those who remain unaccounted for are from the same school field trip.

Many of those on board the ferry were school students

So far 179 people have been rescued - among them Kwon Ji-yeon, a six-year-old girl whose parents are still on the missing list.

Strong currents and bad visibility hampered the search as rescue teams hammered on the vessel's hull, hoping in vain for a response.

Twenty divers tried to get inside the wreckage but could not because of the current.

Distraught relatives wait for news in a gym on Jindo Island

A man identified by broadcaster YTN and news agency Yonhap as the ferry's captain has briefly appeared on television, his face covered by a grey hoodie.

"I'm really sorry and deeply ashamed," he said, as he was being questioned at the Mokpo coastguard.

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

The ferry got into trouble on its journey to Jeju

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

Distraught family members are 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.

Coast Guard and rescue teams searching for missing passengers

Some relatives have turned their anger on the government and coastguard, shouting at officials: "The weather's nice, why aren't you starting the rescue?"

Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, who said there was not "a minute or a second to waste", had water thrown at him when he visited the port. 

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, along a well-travelled route, was Jeju island around 60 miles (100km) south of the Korean peninsula.

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.

State broadcaster YTN quoted investigation officials as saying the ship was off its usual course after being hit by strong winds, which caused containers stacked on deck to shift.

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: Desperate Texts During Sinking

Teenagers on the stricken South Korean ferry sent heartbreaking messages to their families as it capsized and sank.

Mobile phone footage and messages from passengers suggest they were advised to stay stay where they were as they vessel listed severely to one side.

But the advice may have effectively sealed the fates of many of those on board, making escape impossible as the ferry sank into the icy depths.

One 18-year-old student messaged his mother on the KakaoTalk messaging app at 9.27am (00.27am GMT)  - shortly after the ferry sent its first distress call.

He wrote: "Mum, I'm sending this because I might not be able to say it later. I love you."

Seven minutes later his mother - unaware of the trouble the vessel was in - replied: "Why? ... I thought you don't check your KakaoTalk messages.

"Me too son... I love you."

There are reports that the young man involved may be one of the lucky 179 survivors rescued before the ship capsized and went under the water.

The search has been hampered by high winds and choppy sea conditions

Another student sent a series of messages to friends in a theatre club just after 9am.

He wrote: "Hey really seriously.

"Love you all for real.

"Looks like we really are gonna die.

"No really the ship's tilting.

"You guys really.

"If I've wronged any of you. Forgive me."

A female passenger, also 18, messaged her father at around 10am (1am GMT) as the ship started to sink.

She wrote: "Dad don't worry too much. I am wearing a life vest and am with other girls."

Relatives of passengers have been desperately hoping for good news

A few minutes later, as the situation deteriorated, she added: "I can't. It's too tilted. Can't move ... it's more dangerous if I move."

Her distraught father wrote back, urging her to try to get out, but it was already too late.

"Dad, I can't. The ship is too tilted. The hallway is crowded with so many people," she responded in a final message.

At 9.23am a 16-year-old called Kim Woong-Ki texted his older brother saying: "Brother, I'm riding a ship to Jeju Island and the ship hit something and it can't move."

After he was asked how bad the damage was, he said: "I don't know about that, since I'm inside. I don't have good coverage and just now the Coast Guards arrived."

The teenager's brother replied: "The rescue will arrive soon. Don't panic. Be calm and strong. You just need to move quickly as instructed. When you have coverage contact me again."

An icon on the brother's phone shows that his last message was not read and Kim was listed among almost 290 unaccounted for.

Some parents managed a last, traumatic phone call with their children as they tried to escape.

"He told me the ship was tilted over and he couldn't see anything," one mother recalled of a panicked conversation with her student son.

"He said 'I haven't put on the life jacket yet', and then the phone went dead," the mother told the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper.

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Thousands To Miss Out On First Choice School

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

Emails and letters will be sent to parents across England but increasing pressures 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.

According to the Local Government Authority some areas - Costessey in Norfolk, Central Croydon and Purfleet in Essex - will see 75% more pupils than school places by next year.

By 2016, councils across England will have to increase school capacity by at least 20% to ensure every child gets a school place.

Parents are now going to 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.

Nearly half had put their children in a nursery linked to a school in an attempt to get their children a place, despite warnings from the schools adjudicator that children should not miss out because the did not attend the right nursery.

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: 295 Missing After Ferry Sinks

Almost 300 people are missing after a ferry sank off the coast of South Korea.

Two people have been confirmed dead so far - a male student and a female crew member.

The South Korean Coastguard says 164 people have been rescued and 295 remain unaccounted for.

Rescued passengers are brought ashore

The ferry, with 459 people and 150 vehicles on board, was sailing to the southern island of Jeju when it sent a distress call at 9am local time (1am UK time) on Wednesday morning as it began listing to one side.

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

A South Korean government spokesman said 95% of the ferry is now submerged.

The ferry ran into difficulties 60 miles south of the Korean peninsula

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

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

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

95% of the ship is now submerged

"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", adding: "I was hurrying, thinking that I wanted to live."

The 6,825-ton ship left Incheon port, west of Seoul, on Tuesday evening, according to the state-run Busan Regional Maritime Affairs and Port Administration.

The ship, Sewol

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

A total of 18 helicopters, 34 rescue boats and a team of elite navy divers have been sent to the area.

The US Navy has dispatched its amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard to aid the operation.

459 people were on the ship when it started to sink

Fishing and other commercial vessels appeared to rescue many passengers before emergency teams arrived at the scene.

Passenger Kim Seong-mok told YTN he was "certain" people were trapped inside as water quickly rushed into the vessel, and the severe tilt of the ferry stopped them getting out.

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

Rescued passengers are wrapped in blankets

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

The rescue operation is being carried out in difficult conditions.

"There is so much mud in the sea water and the visibility is very low," Lee Gyeong-Og, the vice minister of security and public administration, told a press briefing in Seoul.

34 rescue boats are at the scene

Parents of the children on board have gathered at their high school in Ansan.

"I talked to my daughter," one mother told YTN. "She said she had been rescued along with 10 other students.

"They said they had jumped into the water before getting rescued."

A mother reacts to seeing her son on the list of those rescued

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.

More follows...

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Pistorius Trial: Reeva Bullet Wound Evidence

Pistorius' Team To Highlight Police 'Errors'

Updated: 2:42am UK, Wednesday 16 April 2014

By Emma Hurd, Sky News Correspondent, in Pretoria

It felt like a dramatic climax to the murder trial, but Oscar Pistorius' testimony and cross examination in the witness box was just the start of the defence's case.

The athlete's lawyers still have about a dozen witnesses to call as they try to challenge the prosecution's charge that the runner shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, deliberately.

Already, we have seen one expert witness, Roger Dixon, who has suggested the neighbours who gave evidence for the prosecution were mistaken in what they heard. 

A recording of a cricket bat hitting a door was played in the courtroom, the bangs ringing out like bullets as Pistorius covered his ears.

The defence wants to show that the neighbours who said they heard a woman screaming as shots were fired must have heard the athlete screaming as he broke down the toilet door to reach Ms Steenkamp after shooting her by mistake.

The defence is expected to call other neighbours - who lived closer to Pistorius - to show they heard noises consistent with the runner's account of the shooting.

We can also expect an array of experts in the field of crimescene investigation to argue the police misinterpreted and contaminated evidence. 

The "unreliability" of the state's forensic evidence is a key part of Oscar Pistorius' defence.

Unlike the prosecution, the defence does not have to provide a full list of potential witnesses, so we do not yet know if the athlete's friends or relatives will be called to testify about his character or his relationship with Ms Steenkamp. 

Both issues were stressed repeatedly by the defence during his time in the witness box. 

Defence advocate Barry Roux has been keen to portray Pistorius as a man with an overwhelming fear of crime whose disability added to his sense of vulnerability. 

This is important as the athlete has used his "fear" as his explanation for the shooting - saying he was convinced an intruder or intruders had broken into his house. 

The state of his relationship is also a crucial element in the defence's case, particularly after the prosecution claimed Ms Steenkamp was scared of Pistorius and he shot her deliberately after an argument.

The state prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, whose fierce cross examination of Pistorius caused the athlete to contradict and confuse his account of the shooting, will have the opportunity to interrogate all of the defence witnesses.

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Obama To Putin: Get Separatists To Give Up Guns

Barack Obama has urged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to convince pro-Moscow activists to leave the buildings they have seized in eastern Ukraine.

In the pair's first communication regarding the crisis for more than two weeks, the US President stressed irregular forces in the country should lay down their arms.

Pro-Russian forces have taken more than a dozen government offices in recent days in the hope of following in the footsteps of the Crimean Peninsula and forcing a referendum on joining Moscow.

Unrest has engulfed many cities in the east of Ukraine

In a description of the call, the White House said: "The President expressed grave concern about Russian government support for the actions of armed, pro-Russian separatists who threaten to undermine and destabilise the government of Ukraine."

The Kremlin said reports of Russian interference were "based on unreliable information".

The West has accused Russia of being behind the seizures in order to justify expanding its control beyond Crimea, which voted to join the Russian Federation in a referendum last month.

Pro-Russian protesters at a rally in front of a seized office in Luhansk

Moscow denies this and says it has no plans to invade Ukraine.

Interim Ukraine President Oleksander Turchinov has said an "anti-terrorist operation" is underway in the Donetsk region, but will take place in a "considered" way.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during a visit to Beijing, said the use of force against pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine would undermine four-way talks planned in Geneva on Thursday.

He said: "You can't send in tanks and at the same time hold talks, and the use of force would sabotage the opporunity offered by the four-party negotiations in Geneva."

Ukraine is split over its ties to Russia

Sam Kiley, Sky News Foreign Affairs Editor, said "all the cards are being held by Moscow".

He said: "Things will only change if there is a significant increase, particularly in those European sanctions, with regard to Russia so that there is a genuine economic bite, an economic consequence to the Russian activities here in eastern Ukraine.

"On the other side there are very few options open. There is no chance of any kind of military intervention by Nato or allies of the central government in Ukraine, nor is there really anything that can be done other than sanctions in terms of getting the Russians to move their position."

During the call, Mr Putin implored Washington to discourage the Ukrainian government from using force against the protesters.

A deadline from Kiev for armed men to lay down their weapons has passed and been ignored by the activists, who have seized buildings in around 10 locations.

European Union foreign ministers have also agreed to impose asset freezes and visa bans on more Russians, but stopped short of introducing broader penalties on Russia's economy.

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Missing Plane: Mini-Sub Aborts Search Mission

By Nick Martin, Sky News Correspondent, in Perth

The submarine being used to search for the wreckage of missing Malaysia flight MH370 has had to abort its first mission after reaching its top diving depth.

The multi-million dollar underwater drone, called Bluefin-21, was only designed to work at depths of around 3,500 metres and has a maximum operating depth of 4,500 metres, about the same level as the ocean floor. 

Each one of the submarine's missions will take 24 hours

A spokesman for the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) said: "After completing around six hours of its mission, Bluefin-21 exceeded its operating depth limit of 4,500 metres and its built-in safety feature returned it to the surface.

"Bluefin 21 reached a depth of 4,500m in a charted area of 4,400m. This unexpected condition resulted in an automatic mission abort.

"The Bluefin 21 can scan to depths deeper than 4,500m. However, the sonar imaging becomes less effective as the scan depth increases. 

The area of ocean being searched on Tuesday

"There are small portions of the current search area where the actual depth may exceed the charted depth. This is not uncommon in deep ocean search operations.

"The six hours of data gathered by the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle is currently being extracted and analysed."

It is a blow to the mission which is pinning all hope of finding the missing 777 jet on the success of the submersible.

Flight MH370 was carrying 239 people

If Bluefin-21 is unable to work at the correct depth it could hinder the search.

After taking two hours to reach the ocean floor it was meant to spend 16 hours searching for wreckage using sonar and a further four hours at the surface downloading the data.

Its early return to the monitoring vessel Ocean Shield will be a disappointment to search teams.

The Chief Coordinator of the Joint Agency Coordination Centre, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, told Sky News it was likely the batteries in MH370's black box had expired and that the submersible was now a "very promising lead" in the search for the plane.

"We haven't had a single detection in six days so I guess it's time to go underwater," he added.

Nine military aircraft, two civil aircraft and 11 ships are involved in today's search for any sign of the Malaysia Airlines jet, which vanished more than five weeks ago during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing carrying 239 people.

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Oscar Pistorius 'Killed Reeva On Purpose'

Oscar Pistorius' story about the night he shot Reeva Steenkamp is getting "more and more improbable", it has been claimed.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel began the fifth day of cross examination by questioning Pistorius about alleged inconsistencies in his story.

He focused on noises Pistorius claimed he heard in the toilet, shortly before he fired his gun, killing Reeva Steenkamp.

Mr Nel said that Pistorius' version of events was becoming "more and more improbable" as he continued to "tailor his evidence" to suit his story. 

The athlete sobbed again as he was asked to look at a photograph of Ms Steenkamp slumped on the toilet bowl after the shooting.

Asked to describe Ms Steenkamp's position, he said: "She was sitting on the floor, to the right of the toilet, my lady.

"She was seated on her right buttock with her left arm on top of the toilet bowl and her head was on her shoulder."

He was asked why he didn't scream when he saw Ms Steenkamp, 27, injured in the toilet, as opposed to the moments before he found her.

Oscar Pistorius arrives at the High Court today

Mr Nel said: "I find it strange Sir, you've now seen her for the first time, that your panic was not there?"

Pistorius replied: "The state of panic was not knowing - when I saw her there, it was sadness. I was broken"

Mr Nel continued: "When you saw her there, you were not screaming? I would have expected you to scream then, why wouldn't your panic be greatest when you saw her through the door?"

"I was talking to her, I was saying 'baby please hold on, Jesus help'."

Pistorius sobbed as he looked at a photograph of injured Reeva Steenkamp

Mr Nel then accused Pistorius of calling security by mistake and telling them things "were ok" because he didn't want them in the apartment. 

Pistorius said he did not recall speaking to security.

Mr Nel also put it to Pistorius that Ms Steenkamp's jeans were in a mess on the floor because she had quickly got changed to flee the apartment after a row.

The Paralympian is facing a seventh day in the witness box and more questions about the shooting of his girlfriend on Valentine's Day last year.

Pistorius, 27, admits shooting his girlfriend dead - but says he believed that she was an intruder.

He denies premeditated murder and illegally possessing ammunition in relation to Ms Steenkamp's death.

He also denies two further counts related to shooting a gun in public on separate occasions prior to the killing.

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Ukraine To Move Against Pro-Russian Gunmen

A deadline set by the Ukrainian government for armed pro-Russian forces to put down their weapons and leave occupied buildings in the east of the country has passed.

There was no immediate action by either the Ukrainian military or the pro-Russian fighters, who seized government offices in several cities in the Donetsk region.

At least two people were killed and several others injured in the city of Slavyansk in the clashes.

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

Pro-Russian forces detain a man in eastern Ukraine

Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said a "large-scale anti-terrorist operation" would be launched and the Donbass region would "soon be stabilised".

He also said he had no objection to a referendum in the east of the country to run alongside planned presidential elections as he believes the majority of Ukrainians would support an "independent, democratic and unitary Ukraine".

World leaders warned of the violent seizure of the government buildings was a "dangerous escalation" in the crisis.

Burning tyres at a checkpoint in Slaviansk

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 were increasing signs of Russian involvement in orchestrating the violence.

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

"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.

Pro-Russian protesters detain a man in Luhansk

"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".

Hundreds of civilians have come out in support of the activists

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov later demanded explanations after claiming there were reports the head of the CIA was visiting Ukraine.

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."

Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK would "press for a firm and united response".

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Mini-Sub To Join MH370 Search As 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, but that process could take several days.

The slick was found 5,500 metres 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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Oscar Pistorius Breaks Down Again In Court

Oscar Pistorius broke down in court again today amid accusations he was concocting evidence from the witness box.

As he began his sixth day in the witness box, Pistorius was immediately accused of lying in court as he was cross-examined by prosecutor Gerrie Nel.

At one point he broke down and the court was adjourned as he was asked to explain what he had shouted at "intruders" on the night of the shooting.

From the witness box, Pistorius raised his voice and shouted: "I said 'get the **** out of my house, I said get the **** out of my house'," before breaking down into sobs. 

Earlier, Mr Nel said: "Today I'm going to prove your version of events is untrue. That you tailored your version, concocted your story.

"Your version is so improbable that it cannot reasonably possibly be true."

Pistorius spoke softly and appeared low in energy as he replied to the prosecutor's questions.

Mr Nel asked: "Today I pick up that you are not sure about things. Is there anything wrong?"

Pistorius replied: "No."

On another occasion, Mr Nel asked: "Is there something wrong with you? You are touching your eyes."

Pistorius replied: "My eyes are sore."

Mr Nel said: "Why are you touching your eyes now?"

The judge then interrupted Mr Nel, to stop his line of questioning. 

Reeva Steenkamp was shot in the toilet of Pistorius' home

Pistorius admits shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead on Valentine's Day last year - but says he believed that she was an intruder.

On several occasions this morning, Pistorius was picked up on alleged inconsistencies in his evidence.

He was forced to concede that he "must have made a mistake" when he said last week that he "whispered" to Ms Steenkamp to stay low on the night of the shooting.

He admitted that he "spoke in a low tone", rather than whispered. Mr Nel said Pistorius was "tailoring his evidence".

Pistorius spends his sixth day in the witness box today

Pistorius replied: "I don't understand why I would be tailoring my evidence by saying 'whisper'."

He was also asked why he had initially said that he "heard a noise" on the night of the shooting but later changed that to "hearing a window sliding open".

Pistorius explained: "When my bail was done, I was in a holding cell, I was on medication, I was traumatised - it was not made clear to me that it was exhaustive."

During questioning, Pistorius appeared to become irritated as Mr Nel quizzed him about precise details related to items in the Paralympian's bedroom.

Reeva Steenkamp was a model and minor TV celebrity

Mr Nel spent several minutes asking Pistorius about the significance of a blue LED light which was left on, on the night of the alleged murder. 

He also returned to quizzing Pistorius about the position of a fan in the room, as well as a pair of jeans owned by Reeva Steenkamp.

Earlier, Pistorius, 27, was greeted outside the court by supporters with white balloons and Christians, playing and singing music.

One of the supporters clung to his hand for several seconds as he walked into the Pretoria court.  

The athlete's account of the shooting has already been challenged in three days of tough interrogation.

On Friday, Pistorius said Ms Steenkamp did not scream or shout as he grabbed a gun and fired the shots that killed her.

The defendant said he could not explain why she had not shouted out, or screamed.

At one point on Friday the cross examination led an emotional Pistorius to admit he could be giving inconsistent answers because he was tired.

This prompted the judge, Thokozile Masipa, to ask if he was able to continue with his evidence.

Pistorius denies premeditated murder and illegally possessing ammunition in relation to Ms Steenkamp's death.

He also denies two further counts related to shooting a gun in public in separate incidents prior to the killing.

More follows...

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UKIP Poll Boost: Tory And Lib Dem Support Falls

Nigel Farage's UKIP has been given a boost in a new poll which puts support for the party at 20%, four points higher than last month.

It comes after he was said to have come out top in the head-to-head clashes with Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg over Britain's future in Europe.

It is UKIP's highest rating in a ComRes survey, while the Conservatives have scored their lowest rating so far this year at 29%, down three.

In the new poll for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror, the Tories are six points behind Labour which are unchanged on 35%.

The Liberal Democrats have fallen to just 7% - a dip of two points and their lowest since they went into coalition with the Conservatives in 2010.

Mr Farage's personal rating also appears to have received a boost after the recent debates.

Nigel Farage was said to have come out top in the debates

The UKIP chief has enjoyed a seven-point bounce since February, taking him to 27%.

Deputy Prime Minister Mr Clegg is down one point to 12%, while Prime Minister David Cameron has dropped four points to 27% and Labour leader Ed Miliband is down two points to 20%.

Mr Cameron's rating may have been dented by his handling of the expenses furore involving former culture secretary Maria Miller.

Some 62% of voters believe he showed a serious lack of leadership in the way he dealt with the case.

Most voters, 62%, believe constituents should be able to force sitting MPs to defend their seat in a by-election if enough people sign a petition demanding it, the research found.

A second poll also puts Labour in a six-point lead

Sky News Political Correspondent Anushka Asthana said: "We're only a few weeks out from the European elections and UKIP are kind of what the Lib Dems used to be - the party that stands against the establishment.

"They used to just talk about Europe - now it is local, popular issues such as HS2.

"The Conservatives are really badly hit by UKIP rising because that tends to split the right.

"And pollsters say if UKIP get anything over eight points in a general election they would split the right and would stop David Cameron from winning an overall majority.

"So he will be very worried about that."

Meanwhile, a Opinium poll for the Observer newspaper puts the Conservatives on 30%, Labour 36%, Lib Dems 7% and UKIP on 18%.

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