British Teenager Dies After Tribal Drug Ritual

By Alex Watts, Online Producer

A British backpacker has died after taking a hallucinogenic drug during a tribal ritual in Colombia.

Henry Miller, 19, was in a remote rainforest area, near the town of Mocoa, with other tourists when he drank yage with a local tribe.

The psychedelic drink, also known as ayahuasca, is made from leaves and is used by native people in South America for healing and spiritual purposes.

Mr Miller took the drug on Sunday without any effects. He took it again on Tuesday and was found dead later.

Filip Goematre, owner of Casa del Rio hostel, where the teenager was staying, told Sky News: "Lots of people come to this area to take the yage drug, which is part of an indigenous ritual.

Mr Miller took the drug in a rainforest outside Mocoa, southwest Colombia

"But I am not a fan of it. I prefer people come here to enjoy the Amazon and look at the animals and nature.

"Henry came here last week and heard about the drug from other tourists and got motivated to do it.

"I'm not involved in the drug and do not promote it in anyway. But it's an indigenous ritual and involves drinking juice from a medicinal plant. One of the effects of it is to hallucinate.

"Henry stayed at the hostel for seven days. He did it (the drug) once on Sunday night, and on the Tuesday he was travelling on.

"But he changed his mind at the last minute and decided to do the ritual. There is a police investigation going on and an autopsy is being carried out on his body, but it looks like the drink.

"It's an intoxicant, and hundreds of people do it and a couple of times people die. It's not considered dangerous, but it can happen."

Mr Miller, from Bristol, travelled with a group of eight people to land belonging to a local shaman, according to the Daily Mail.

The teenager had stayed at Casa del Rio hostel for seven days

After taking the drug, he reportedly started "lashing out with his hands and feet" and then "made weird animal noises, pig sounds and at one point he tried to fly".

The shaman's family told the other tourists they would look after him, but when they woke up in the morning Mr Miller was not there, the paper quoted one of the group as saying.

Police arrived and showed them a picture of Mr Miller's body, which was said to have been found by a dirt road.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office told Sky News: "We are aware of the death of a British national on April 23 in Colombia. We are providing consular assistance to the family at this very difficult time."

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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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Russian Fighter Jets 'Enter Ukrainian Airspace'

It Is No Longer A Game For Separatist Militia

Updated: 12:32am UK, Saturday 26 April 2014

By Sam Kiley, Foreign Affairs Editor in Slavyansk

Their rifles were cocked. The safety catches off. Triggers were fingered. The car lurched to a stop.

Shrill nervous orders were barked in Russian. Men in an assortment of camouflage uniforms lay spread eagled on the roadside glaring down their sights.

A quick search followed. Then a man with a new AK74, probably nicked from the local police station, squinted, his face covered with a balaclava, perhaps attempting a faceless smile.

"Sorry for any inconvenience," he said and waved the car through.

The mixed messages of their behaviour, both aggression and politeness, both bravado and fear, point to a wider conundrum - do they really understand what they're getting in to?

One of their comrades had been shot dead that morning about a mile away on the road out of Slavyansk by an Ukrainian army patrol - probably probing the outer defences of these pro-Russian separatist militants.

Four more, the government said, had been killed in other clashes around the town.

They stand accused of kidnapping the city's elected mayor.

They have taken over city hall and are sandbagging it against an attack and yet they often appear to be no more than young or old boys playing at soldiers.

Occasionally one comes across a trained soldier. Fit and quiet they slink in the background of the occupied buildings.

They may be Russian agents, or former Ukrainian police from the disbanded Berkut who were responsible for sniper attacks on revolutionaries in Kiev.

But the ordinary militants, who are led by local politicians and allegedly funded either by Moscow or allied oligarchs, are clearly being used.

They are the teaspoons the Kremlin is using to keep the east of Ukraine swirling with dark rumours of anti-Russian ethnic cleansing.

Allegations of persecution of pro-Russian groups are entirely false.

But while the militants swagger about the streets, take over government buildings and harass their political opponents, they face a crack down from Kiev.

The nervous men at the road block feared an Ukrainian government attack on the bases in Slavyansk.

They were also facing the reality that what may have felt like a nationalistic camping trip with the added spice of gun play, may no longer be a game.

They may fold under a professional attack by Ukrainian troops.

But if they do not, there will be blood.

And if it flows from Putin's local pawns then so may Russian troops pour in from the east.

He may win, but they will not be around to see his victory.

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Health Atlas Reveals Patterns Of Illness

By Thomas Moore, Science and Health Correspondent

A new health "atlas" has for the first time revealed extraordinary patterns in disease across the country.

The series of high resolution maps covering England and Wales show striking variations in the risk of cancer and other diseases in different areas.

Lung cancer is far more common in the North West and North East of England than in mid-Wales and the South West.

And Leukaemia rates are higher in rural areas, with pockets of cases across South Wales, Somerset and Dorset.

The online tool (www.envhealthatlas.co.uk), published by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College London, also maps air quality, levels of sunshine and pesticides, and chlorine by-products in the water supply.

Users can enter their postcode to assess the disease and environmental risks in their neighbourhood.

Researchers will also be able to investigate whether there are links between pollutants and health.

Dr Anna Hansell, lead author of the atlas, told Sky News: "Ideally if we could measure things on every single person in the country we would do that, but we can't.

"By getting to something closer to where people live and work then we hope to understand a bit more about their exposures and how that might relate to health."

The atlas also reveals that skin cancer is most common in the South West of England.

Yet it's the southeast that gets the most sunshine and researchers will now study whether other lifestyle factors may account for the higher risk in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.

Most striking of all is liver cancer, with a dense cluster of cases across Cheshire and Merseyside.

Dr Martin Lambord, a consultant liver specialist at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, said it could be put down to higher alcohol intake, the prevalence of hepatitis or obesity, or a combination of all these things.

He said the maps could be useful for people to make them aware of the issues they face.

"For the current generation it's about 'could I be at risk of liver disease?'" he said. "Have I put myself at risk of liver disease? Should I see my doctor and have a test? 

"I think increasing awareness is important. Once patients are identified as having liver disease or diagnosed to have cirrhosis, it's very important to offer them early diagnosis for cancers.

"The other problem we find is it presents really late and only 5% of those cancers are curable."

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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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Virgin Hijack Scare: Passenger Arrested

A drunken passenger sparked a hijack scare after trying to break into the cockpit of a Virgin passenger plane.

The plane is currently at Bali's international airport and a 28-year-old Australian has been arrested, an Indonesian air force spokesman said.

All 139 passengers are unharmed and have been evacuated from the aircraft, he added.

It is understood the Virgin Australia aircraft was scheduled to fly from Brisbane to Bali.

All passengers were safely evacuated from the Virgin Australia aircraft

Palani Mohan, a passenger on a flight that was about to take off from Bali, said: "The captain of my plane made an announcement saying we were delayed indefinitely.

"He said it was because a hijack was going on in Bali airport, about 150 metres away from us.

"I saw at least five vehicles including military-style trucks, filled with men in uniform, rushing towards the plane.

"Then the Virgin plane taxied away, followed by the convoy of security forces. The flight attendant said it's been taken off to a different part of the airport.

"Bali airport seems to be in lockdown, we've been told no planes will be departing or arriving. The pilot's not allowing anyone off our plane."

The plane was flying from Brisbane and landed in Bali

Indonesian air force spokesman Hadi Tjahjanto told Metro TV television station: "We got information that a 737-800 from Brisbane to Bali has been hijacked".

According to an Indonesian transport official the captain raised the alarm after a passenger tried to enter the cockpit. 

However, a Virgin Australia spokeswoman later denied the plane had been hijacked.

She said: "There are incorrect reports that a Virgin Australia aircraft was hijacked en route to Denpasar. This is not correct.

"The aircraft in question has landed safely and at no point was the safety of our passengers ever in question."

Virgin Australia Airlines, formerly Virgin Blue Airlines, is Australia's second-largest airline as well as the largest by fleet size to use the Virgin brand. 

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'Ukraine A Pawn In US Game Against Russia'

Russia has accused the West of instigating a "revolution" in Ukraine as part of a "geopolitical game" against Moscow.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed the US and EU were behind the uprising that ousted Viktor Yanukovych - the pro-Kremlin president of Ukraine - in February.

"In Ukraine, the United States and the European Union tried to stage - let's call things what they are - another 'colour revolution', an operation to unconstitutionally change regime," the Interfax news agency quoted Mr Lavrov as saying.

"Our Western partners, first and foremost the United States, tried to behave as winners in the Cold War and pretend that one can ignore Russia in European affairs and undertake activities that directly damage Russian security interests."

A pro-Russia activist guards an administrative building in Donetsk

Mr Lavrov reportedly added that Ukraine was being used as a "pawn in geopolitical game" against Russia.

He also said the West had tried to "besmirch the Olympic Games in Sochi through every means possible" as part of "anti-Russian propaganda".

Meanwhile, the Reuters news agency is reporting that Russia's Gazprom has sent an $11.4bn (£6.7bn) gas bill to Ukraine energy firm Naftogaz - five times the original claim.

All this comes as Barack Obama warned Russia could face "consequences" after accusing the Kremlin of not honouring an international agreement aimed at defusing the Ukraine crisis.

The Geneva accord between Russia, Ukraine, the US and EU called for an end to violence in eastern Ukraine and compelled armed groups to surrender weapons and leave official buildings.

Barack Obama warned Russia could face "consequences"

But a week on, the US President said further sanctions were "teed up" in case Russia continued to disregard the spirit of the agreement.

"So far at least we have seen them not abide by the spirit or the letter of the agreement in Geneva," said Mr Obama.                

"Instead we continue to see malicious, armed men taking over buildings, harassing folks who are disagreeing with them, destabilising the region, and we haven't seen Russia step out and discourage it.

"On the other side you have seen the government in Kiev taking very concrete steps, introducing amnesty law, offering the whole range of reforms with respect to the constitution, that are consistent with what we discussed in Geneva."

The West has already issued asset freezes and visa bans targeting Russian officials in response to Moscow's annexation of Crimea. 

The first 150 US troops arrive in Poland

The US is deploying 600 troops to boost NATO's defences in states bordering Ukraine, but speaking in Japan at the start of an Asian tour, Mr Obama again ruled out a military intervention in Ukraine by Western forces.

"We have already applied sanctions that have had an impact on the Russian economy," he said. "We have continued to hold out the prospect, the possibility to resolve the issue diplomatically.

"We've been very clear about the fact that there is not going to be a military solution to the problem in Ukraine."

Mr Obama's warning about sanctions follows an announcement by Ukraine on Wednesday that it was re-launching a campaign against pro-Russia insurgents occupying government buildings.

Ukraine's Interior Minister, Arsen Avakov, used Facebook to report on Thursday that the country's military had liberated a town hall in eastern Mariupol without any casualties.

Mr Avakov also claimed 70 people led by Russian soldiers raided a Ukrainian base at Artemivsk, wounding one soldier.

Sergey Lavrov has also accused Kiev of violating the Geneva deal

Russia reacted to Ukraine's campaign against insurgents by warning there would be a response if its interests in the country were attacked.

Mr Lavrov drew parallels with 2008, when Russia fought a brief war with Georgia. It started after Georgia sent troops into the breakaway region of South Ossetia to regain control from Russian-backed rebels.

In an interview with Russia Today, Mr Lavrov said: "If our interests, our legitimate interests, the interests of Russians, have been attacked directly, like they were in South Ossetia, for example, I do not see any other way but to respond in full accordance with international law."

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Revealed: The 50 Streets With Slowest Broadband

Britain's Best And Worst Broadband Speeds

Updated: 11:21pm UK, Wednesday 23 April 2014

Research by a price comparison website has found huge differences in broadband speeds across the country. These are the streets with the slowest and fastest internet connections, according to uSwitch.com's broadband speed tracker:

:: Slowest broadband speeds

Erw Fawr, Henryd, Conwy, Wales (0.60 Mbps)
Wheatley Road, Corringham, Stanford-le-Hope, Essex (0.60 Mbps)
Station Road, Swineshead, Boston, Lincolnshire (0.65 Mbps)
Kelvin Grove, North Shields, Tyne and Wear (0.74 Mbps)
Maple Crescent, Alveley, Bridgnorth, Shropshire (0.91 Mbps)
Evesham Road, nr Church Lane, Norton, Evesham, Worcestershire (0.92 Mbps)
Meadow View, nr Rectory Road, Castle Carrock, Brampton, Cumbria (0.94 Mbps)
Canal Street, Oakthorpe, Swadlincote, Leicestershire (0.96 Mbps)
Pickleys Lane, Doveridge, Ashbourne, Derbyshire (0.99 Mbps)
Dereham Road, nr Chancel Lane, Garvestone, Norwich, Norfolk (1.03 Mbps)

:: Fastest broadband speeds

Loundes Road, Unstone, Dronfield, Derbyshire (57.58 Mbps)
Spencer Close, Swindon, Wiltshire (50.60 Mbps)
Northam Drive, Ripley, Derbyshire (44.67 Mbps)
Byfletts, Basildon, Essex (41.47 Mbps)
Mill Lane, nr Malvern Close, North Hykeham, Lincoln, Lincolnshire (38.88 Mbps)
Lymington Road, nr Barton Court Road, New Milton, Hampshire (35.70 Mbps)
Littlewood Lane, Walsall, Staffordshire (35.64 Mbps)
Camel Road, E16, London (34.62 Mbps)
Pen-Y-Graig Road, Brymbo, Wrexham (31.91 Mbps)
Giffins Close, Braintree, Essex (30.33 Mbps)

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FBI Hunts For UK Victims Of Paedophile Teacher

British detectives are helping an international investigation into a 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."

Vahey taught at Southbank International School. Pic: Joe Tidy

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.

Parents have been showing "considerable concern" after receiving confirmation that Vahey took part in several field trips while working in London.

Ben and Maria said Vahey was their 13-year-old son's teacher last year at Southbank International School.

The couple said they found out last night about Vahey's crimes.

Maria said: "I couldn't sleep for worrying about it and I had to sit my son down and ask him if anything had ever happened in school.

"Mr Vahey also took my son on a field trip abroad and this is a big concern for us.

"My son is fine though and I would have expected his behaviour to change if anything happened so I don't think anything did.

"I know there are pictures that police have of boys but if my son is on the list, I don't want to know and I don't want him to know."

Another parent told Sky News: "It's massively worrying."

The school's chair of governors and former chief inspector of schools Chris Woodhead told the Guardian that 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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1,000 Pupils Caught With Weapons In Schools

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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Dying Teen Stephen Sutton's Wish Goes Viral

A terminally ill 19-year-old's online fundraising page has gone viral, helping him raise nearly £1m for a cancer charity.

Stephen Sutton, from Burntwood in Staffordshire, was diagnosed with incurable colorectal cancer at the age of 15.

Last year he was told it was inoperable, prompting him to write a bucket list of 46 things he wanted to achieve.

One of his goals is to raise £1m for Teenage Cancer Trust, and he has been using the internet to help him achieve this.

His JustGiving page has since gone viral, helping him raise £250,000 in a day.

So far, more than £850,000 has been donated. 

Celebrities have been retweeting it on Twitter, and the funds keep on coming. 

Stephen has posted pictures on his bucket list on his Facebook page

Piers Morgan tweeted: "What a remarkable, inspiring, courageous young man ... please help him achieve his total."

Stephen also has the backing of comedian Jason Manford, who said on Twitter: "Woohoo we got it trending #stephensstory. Well done everyone. Now keep going, we are so close."

Stephen posted on his Facebook page on Monday about his deteriorating condition, saying: "Currently I am in a very vulnerable position and do not know what will happen next.

"My right lung has collapsed and I am very weak (I'm finding it hard to type this message)

"I will fight as hard as I can, but if the worst happens I just want to say thank you all for sharing the journey with me- it's been wonderful."

On Tuesday, he posted an update saying he was signing off.

Stephen's just giving page

"It's a final thumbs up from me! I've done well to blag things as well as I have up till now, but unfortunately I think this is just one hurdle too far," he wrote.

"It's a shame the end has come so suddenly - there's so many people I haven't got round to properly thank or say goodbye too. Apologies for that.

"That's it from me. But life has been good. Very good.

"Thank you to my mum and the rest of my family for everything.

"Thank you to my friends for being amazing. Thank you to my medical team for the hard work and effort they've continually they've put towards me. And thank you everyone else for sharing this wonderful journey with me. I love you all.  x"

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Bodies Of Three Children Found In London Home

A woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder after three children were found dead at a house in southwest London.

Officers discovered the bodies when they were called to a large, semi-detached home in Thetford Road, New Malden, at around 9.30pm on Tuesday.

Sky sources say the three children - a four-year-old girl and two three-year-old boys - were disabled and had "life-limiting genetic conditions".

The youngsters were found inside a large Victorian house in Thetford Road

The 43-year-old woman arrested is in custody at a south London police station.

Sky's Joe Tidy, at the scene, said a South African couple moved into the house with their four children around six months ago.

They moved in after the £1.2m property was redeveloped with mobility equipment.

Police officers at the scene in southwest London

It is believed the eldest child and his father are abroad, and are travelling back today.

Tidy said officers removed evidence bags from the property this morning.

It is unclear whether the children's bodies are still inside the house.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said: "A 43-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody.

"We are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident."

More follows...

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David Moyes Sacked From Man United: Live

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8:41am UK, Tuesday 22 April 2014

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David Moyes Sacked As Manchester United Boss

Keeping Moyes 'A Bigger Gamble Than Hiring Him'

Updated: 9:28am UK, Tuesday 22 April 2014

By Paul Kelso, Sky News Sports Correspondent

David Moyes lost the faith of Manchester United's owners the Glazer family, and with it his job, because sticking with him represented 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, was 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 Glaswegian 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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Holland Boss Favourite To Fill United Hot Seat

Holland boss Louis van Gaal is runaway favourite to replace David Moyes as Manchester United manager.

Sky Bet ranks the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager as 9/4 to become the next permanent manager of the troubled champions.

He is followed by Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp at 9/2, Old Trafford legend Ryan Giggs at 6/1, and Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone.

Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired at the end of last season, is fifth-favourite at 18/1.

Any move for Van Gaal would be complicated by his commitment to the Netherlands for the World Cup in Brazil - which could keep him tied up until after July 13 if they make it to the final.

Meanwhile Klopp, 46, has repeatedly reiterated his commitment to Dortmund and recently signed a contract extension - but he has had to deal with the frustration of seeing his best talent poached by rivals Bayern Munich.

Giggs has taken over until the end of the season, but it would be a gamble to give such a high profile job to a player with no managerial experience.

Carlos Quieroz, Sir Alex's former assistant at Old Trafford, was once seen as a possible heir to the United hot seat.

He is currently in charge of the Iranian national side, and is 20/1 to replace Moyes.

Pep Guardiola is currently at fairly long odds of 25/1 – partly due to a successful first season at Bayern Munich's helm.

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Peaches Geldof Funeral To Be Attended By Stars

Sir Bob Geldof is expected to pay tribute to his daughter Peaches as a host of stars from the music world attend her funeral.

They will gather to remember Ms Geldof in private at the same church where the funeral of her mother Paula Yates was held in 2000.

St Mary Magdalene and St Lawrence Church in the village of Davington, near Faversham, Kent, is where the 25-year-old married musician Tom Cohen, the father of her children, in 2012.

The church is also where her mother - who died from an accidental heroin overdose - married Boomtown Rats singer Geldof in 1986.

Peaches with her husband of two years, Tom Cohen

Mystery still surrounds the sudden death of Ms Geldof on April 7.

The broadcaster, model and socialite's body was found at the Wrotham, Kent, home she shared with her husband and their children after officers were called "following a report of concern for the welfare of a woman".

Sir Bob paid tribute to his daughter alongside his partner Jeanne Marine, and Ms Geldof's sisters Fifi Trixibelle, Pixie and Tiger, saying she was the "wildest, funniest, cleverest, wittiest and the most bonkers of all of us".

The 25-year-old with her father Sir Bob Geldof and siblings

Her older sister Fifi posted a picture of the siblings together on Instagram and wrote: "My beautiful baby sister ... Gone but never forgotten. I love you, Peaches x".

Ms Geldof had two sons with Mr Cohen - Astala, 23 months and Phaedra, 11 months.

Kent Police said her death was being treated as "non-suspicious" and "unexplained".

An inquest is not expected to be opened and adjourned by the coroner until after the results of toxicology tests are known.

Ms Geldof was 11 when her mother died from an accidental heroin overdose at the age of 41.

Ms Geldof's last tweet included a photo with her mother Paula Yates

The last tweet she posted on the day before she died was a picture of herself as a child with her mother, with the message "me and my mum".

She often spoke about her struggle to cope with her parents' break-up when she was seven and admitted to experimenting with drugs during her teenage years.

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South Korea Ferry Tragedy 'A Murderous Act'

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

More than 80 firefighters have been battling a huge blaze on an industrial estate in Leeds that sent plumes of thick black smoke across the city.

Exploding cylinders made for a "challenging" situation for crews called to the fire at Tradpak, a packaging and recycling firm in the Armley area around 2am.

Witnesses reported hearing loud bangs as the inferno engulfed two buildings in Albion Way.

Witnesses posted photos of the blaze on Twitter

One of the premises was used for storing chemicals and there were also LPG cylinders involved, according to the fire service.

Fifteen fire engines and a number of specialist vehicles attended the blaze. The blaze is now largely under control.

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

Roads around the scene of the fire remain shut

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

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "The matter is being treated as a large building fire by firefighters but, as with any fire producing large amounts of smoke, nearby residents are being urged to keep doors and windows closed while the smoke clears."

The Armley Gyratory road was closed for a time due to the large amounts of smoke from the fire, but has now re-opened.

Other roads around the site on the industrial estate remain shut.

Firefighters are expected to be at the site for the rest of the day

Steve Beckley of West Yorkshire Fire Service told Sky News: "Firefighters worked extremely hard in the first couple of hours to prevent fire spread.

"We saved around three major premises immediately surrounding where the fire was which is fantastic, but obviously there's significant damage to the two that were involved when we arrived.

"What we have got to do now is work our way into the seat of the fire, but we will certainly be here for the rest of the day."

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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.

Tony Caplin was in charge of the PWLB

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 pressed against the police lines.

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.

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

They include a 25-year-old female third mate who prosecutors claim was steering the ferry for the first time through dangerous waters when the accident occurred on Wednesday.

Early reports suggest that the ferry, on a 300-mile (400km) voyage from the mainland port of Incheon to the 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.

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

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.

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.

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

"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."

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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Ukraine: 'Five Killed At Separatist Checkpoint'

Russian state TV has reported that five people were killed at a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

State-run Rossiya 24 news station said the five died when gunmen attacked the post near the Ukrainian city of Slavyansk.

Rossiya 24's correspondent in Slavyansk said three of the dead were with the pro-Russian separatists who control Slavyansk, and the other two were from the group that attacked their checkpoint.

A witness later told Reuters TV that he had seen two bodies at the checkpoint, one of them with gunshot wounds to the head and face.

One of the dead was dressed in combat fatigues and the other in civilian clothes, the witness said.

Police were at the scene carrying out an investigation, he added.

AFP reported a local leader as telling journalists that three pro-Russian militants and one attacker had been killed.

Vyatcheslav Ponomarev said a gunbattle broke out at a barricade put up in a village east of Slavyansk.

Separatist gunmen maintain a firm grip over a string of towns across Ukraine's industrial east despite an international deal signed last week demanding they leave state buildings they are occupying.

A map showing the location of Slavyansk

Authorities in Kiev, which have vowed to remove the separatists, said they have suspended military operations against the pro-Moscow rebels until after the Easter holidays.

Russia, the US, the European Union and Ukraine struck a deal on Thursday aiming at de-escalating the crisis, part of which involves the separatists agreeing to lay down their arms.

The deadline runs out on Monday, after which the US and the EU have said they will consider further sanctions against Russia, which is viewed as having influence over the pro-Russian militia operating in eastern Ukraine.

Russia's foreign ministry said it was outraged by the shootout, describing it as a "provocation".

Earlier, Ukraine's Prime Minister accused the Russian President of Soviet Union ambitions by saying Vladimir Putin has "a dream to restore the Soviet Union".

Arseny Yatseniuk said: "I consider that the biggest disaster of this century would be the restoring of the Soviet Union under the auspices of President Putin."

Meanwhile, the heads of the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox churches traded barbs over the crisis in the country as believers flocked to church for Easter services.

Pro-Russian protesters occupying barricades outside Donetsk's regional administrative building celebrated Easter by sharing traditional treats of pasky (baked Easter cakes) and pysanky (Easter eggs).

In western Ukraine, families had celebrated the festival on Saturday, gathering for the traditional blessing of Easter baskets laden with cakes and eggs, as well as meat, cheese and butter.

Blessing cakes on the eve of Easter is a tradition in Ukraine.

More follows...

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