Mexico City Hit By Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake

A powerful earthquake has been felt in Mexico's capital, shaking buildings and sending people running into the street.

The magnitude 7.2 quake was centred in the western state of Guerrero, north of the beach resort of Acapulco.

Its centre was 165 miles south west of the capital, the US Geological Survey said.

The quake shook Mexico City for at least 30 seconds. There was no immediate word on damage or casualties.

The earthquake was centred 165 miles south west of the capital

Journalist James Blears, based near Mexico City, told Sky News: "This earthquake had tremendous power - it lasted 30 seconds, instead of just a few seconds.

"Buildings were swaying and thousands of people have evacuated buildings and are standing in the street." 

Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera said on Twitter that authorities were checking the sprawling capital for damage.

"For now we are only seeing evacuations," Mr Mancera said.

People fled from tower blocks as the earthquake hit the capital

Luis Felipe Puente, head of the Mexican government's emergency services, said on Twitter there were no immediate reports of damage.

The US Pacific Warning Centre said it did not expect the quake to trigger a destructive tsunami.

Nevertheless, residents of the capital were shaken by the quake, one of the biggest to hit Mexico in several years.

"I had to hold on to a tree, like a drunk," said Pedro Hernandez, 68, a doorman working in central Mexico City.

"This is really strong," said Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez Chavez, 45, an apartment building guard in central Mexico City.

Families take to the streets in Mexico City

"And I'm accustomed to earthquakes."

Mexico City is vulnerable to earthquakes because much of it sits atop the muddy sediments of drained lake beds that quiver as quake waves hit.

The magnitude 8.1 quake in 1985 that killed at least 6,000 people and destroyed many buildings in Mexico City was centred 250 miles (400 kilometers) away on the Pacific Coast.

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Former Belfast Leader Of Continuity IRA Killed

A former leader of the Continuity IRA in Belfast has been shot dead in the city, according to Sky sources.

The attack happened near the Peter Pan centre in Springfield Road, West Belfast, police said.

The road, one of the main arterial routes in the area, was closed to traffic.

Colin Keenan, a nationalist SDLP Belfast City councillor for the area, said: "A fatal shooting has taken place on a busy through way. The family have just arrived."

The attack happened close to a supermarket on an industrial estate.

The largely-nationalist area of Belfast is mainly made up of tightly-packed terraced housing estates and businesses.

Mr Keenan said it was a horrific scene, with the dead man lying in the grounds of the industrial estate and exposed to view from surrounding residents.

Relatives at the scene are devastated and a priest was praying over the victim, he added.

The councillor added: "We have long hoped that the shadow of death had been lifted from West Belfast.

"Today's event is a terrible, tragic reminder of the violent conflict of the past."

More follows...

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West Ham Striker Dies At 20 After Cancer Battle

Tributes have poured in for West Ham United striker Dylan Tombides, who has died of cancer aged 20.

The Australian player, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer three years ago, died on Friday with his family at his bedside.

His death will be marked by a minute's applause before West Ham's home match against Crystal Palace this weekend.

West Ham announced the player's death on their website

The Hammers' players will also wear black armbands in his memory.

The London club said in a statement: "Dylan was respected by everyone who knew him for his intelligent views on the game and his larger than life character.

"He was a loving son, amazing brother and well-respected member of the West Ham squad. He will be hugely missed by everyone who had the honour of knowing him."

He was regarded as one of the best young players to come out of Australia

The Perth-born forward made his first-team debut for West Ham in a League Cup match against Wigan Athletic in 2012.

He joined West Ham as a 14-year-old after a spell in Hong Kong, and played for Australia at Under-17 and Under-23 level.

"On behalf of the Australian football community, we offer our deepest condolences to Dylan's family, team mates and friends during this extremely sad time," said David Gallop, chief executive of Football Federation Australia.

As tributes were paid to the young star, "RIP Dylan Tombides" became one of the top trending messages on Twitter in the UK.

Chelsea player Nathaniel Chalobah tweeted: "In complete shock about the Dylan Tombides news, shaking. Played against him a few times, such a nice guy, 20 is no age. RIP."

Footballer Eoin Wearen wrote: "Gutted to hear about my friend and ex team-mate Dylan Tombides, who today lost his battle with cancer! Really am speechless....RIP Dyl."

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Ukraine Jews Told To 'Register' In Mystery Flyer

The chief rabbi in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk has told Sky News of his distress at the distribution of a leaflet suggesting Jewish people in the city must "register" with the government.

The leaflet, written in Russian, was apparently signed by Denis Pushilin, a leader of Donetsk People's Republic, but he has denied his organisation is behind it.

Its existence was first reported by the Israeli website Ynet which says 17,000 Jews live in the city.

US Secretary Of State John Kerry branded the leaflet as "grotesque".

The offending leaflet. Pic: The Coordination for Countering AntiSemitism

Rabbi Pinkhas Vishedksi told Sky News he was given the leaflets to distribute earlier this week.

He said: "I am asking all the political leaders in Ukraine - please leave us alone."

On the website of the Donetsk Jewish community he said: "What happened of course smells of a provocation. As to who is behind it - that is an open question."

The flyer calls for all Jews over 16 to register and supply a list of all the property they own.

It suggests if they do not they will have their citizenship revoked, face deportation and see their assets confiscated.

The leaflet carries Russia's national symbol, as well as the Donetsk People's Republic insignia.

It tells Jewish citizens: "ID and passport are required to register your Jewish religion, religious documents of family members, as well as documents establishing the rights to all real estate property that belongs to you, including vehicles."

It also demands a $50 (about £30) registration fee.

Speaking at a news conference in Geneva, Mr Kerry said: "Just in the last couple of days, notices were sent to Jews in one city indicating that they have to identify themselves as Jews.

John Kerry said the leaflet was 'grotesque'

"In the year 2014, after all of the miles travelled and all of the journey of history, this is not just intolerable - it's grotesque. It is beyond unacceptable."

One of the world's main groups fighting anti-Semitism, the US-based Anti-Defamation League, stressed in a statement it too was "sceptical about the flier's authenticity".

"We have seen a series of cynical and politically manipulative uses and accusations of anti-Semitism in Ukraine over the past year," said the group's national director, Abraham Foxman.

Nevertheless, he added, "we strongly condemn the anti-Semitic content, but also all attempts to use anti-Semitism for political purposes."

Russia has repeatedly accused the new authorities in Kiev of being dominated by anti-Semites and fascists following the ousting of Kremlin-backed president Viktor Yanukovych in February.

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Ukraine Separatists Stay Put Despite Deal

Pro-Russian separatists occupying public buildings in 10 eastern Ukrainian cities have been told to leave in the next few days or face "more concrete actions" from the interim government.

Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsia gave no details but  said: "Hopefully, if those people are ready to leave the buildings, to surrender weapons, today, tomorrow, so we can encourage the OSCE (European security) mission to negotiate, to mediate and implement this.

"But if this will not start in a few days, I think that after Easter there will more concrete actions."

Separatists occupying government buildings in eastern Ukraine say they will only leave them if the interim government in Kiev resigns.

Denis Pushilin, a leader of the self-appointed Donetsk People's Republic, said that the insurgents do not recognise the Ukrainian government as legitimate.

Ukraine and Russia agreed on Thursday to take tentative steps toward calming tensions along their shared border after more than a month of bloodshed.

But Mr Pushilin said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov "did not sign anything for us, he signed on behalf of the Russian Federation".

He said that because the deal specifies that all illegally-seized buildings should be vacated the interim government in Kiev, which replaced democratically-elected President Viktor Yanukovich, is occupying public buildings illegally.

Acting Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk told the parliament that a law offering amnesty to all those willing to lay down their arms and leave the occupied government buildings had been drafted.

Sky's Katie Stallard, in Donetsk on Friday morning, said there was no sign of anyone there acting on the deal reached in Geneva at talks attended by the US, Russia, the European Union and Ukraine.

US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

She added: "None of those at the talks directly represented those on the ground, particularly those occupying the buildings."

In Slavyansk, a city that has become a flashpoint in the crisis after men with Kalashnikovs took control last weekend, leaders of the pro-Russian gunmen held a meeting on how to respond to the agreement inside one of the seized buildings.

On the street, there was little change. In front of the Slavyansk mayor's office, men armed with Kalashnikovs peered over sandbags which had been piled higher overnight.

Separatists remained in control of the city's main streets, searching cars at checkpoints around the city.

"Are we going to leave the buildings so that they can come and arrest us? I don't think so," said a man guarding the road to the security office, another building the separatists seized, who identified himself as Alexei.

In the capital, Kiev, people on Independence Square, which was the centre of protests that eventually toppled President Viktor Yanukovich, said the barricades would not come down until the May 25 presidential election.

"The people gave their word to stay until the presidential elections so that nobody will be able to rig the result. Then after the election we'll go of our own accord," said 56-year-old Viktor Palamaryuk from the western town of Chernivtsi.

US President Barack Obama has warned that the West stood ready to impose further sanctions on Russia if no progress was made in defusing the crisis.

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Boy, 7, 'On Fire' In Street: Petrol Involved

A seven-year-old boy is being treated for serious burns after reports that he was "on fire" in a city street.

The child was hurt in the incident in Bedford Avenue, Aberdeen, at around 2pm on Good Friday.

Petrol was involved, police said, and the boy was taken to Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital.

The street was closed to traffic.

A police spokesman said: "A seven-year-old boy is undergoing treatment following an incident in Bedford Avenue in Aberdeen. It was reported to us at 2pm this afternoon.

"The incident involves petrol and the boy has quite serious burns. Police are at the scene and following a positive line of inquiry."

Officers are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information to contact them on 101.

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British Teen Killed In Syria 'No Danger' To UK

The father of a Brighton teenager who was killed fighting in Syria has told Sky News his son was "no danger" to the UK.

Abdullah Deghayes and his brothers Amer, 20, and Jafar, 16, travelled to Syria without their parents' permission, Abubaker Deghayes said.

He found out about the 18-year-old's death on Monday, through a message on Facebook.

Amer was also wounded in the fighting when he was shot in the stomach.

"I think if somebody has a just cause and he believes in it he should do it," Mr Deghayes said.

Mr Deghayes' family say they never encouraged him to fight in Syria

"I think as a Muslim that my son is a martyr."

Mr Deghayes said he had never encouraged his son to go to Syria but that he believed he had gone to protect innocent civilians in the country's civil war.

"I hope this was his intention," said Mr Deghayes. "I hope he is rewarded and I hope he is in peace now."

Abdullah was the nephew of Omar Deghayes, who was held by the United States as an enemy combatant at Guantanamo Bay detention camp between 2002 and 2007 after he was arrested in Pakistan. He was released without charge.

Foreign Secretary William Hague told Sky News the Foreign Office was still looking into reports of the death.

He reiterated that British nationals should not travel to the country because of the "extreme" dangers.

Omar Deghayes, Abdullah's uncle, was once held in Guantanamo Bay

The situation in Syria is currently so volatile the UK does not have a representative there, making it difficult to establish the facts.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "On Monday, April 14, we received information that an 18-year-old Brighton man had been killed in Syria in recent weeks.

"The circumstances of this reported death remain unclear and we are in contact with the family."

The teenager's Facebook page says he was a student at Longhill High School, at Rottingdean, near Brighton.

It adds that he intended to be a University of Brighton student from 2015 and works for Adidas.

Messages on Mr Deghaye's Facebook page suggest he left the UK in February.

On April 4, messages were posted saying "may God protect him".

The Syrian civil conflict has been raging for more than three years

As news of his death in Syria emerged, friends posted tributes on social networking sites.

Finn Langford said: "Feels so weird that your actually gone rip Abdullah Deghayes gone but never forgotten sleep tight mate xxx."

Harry Hall posted: "Never forgett you brother, love ya."

Nezar El-bayouk posted on Twitter: "R.I.P. To My Boy Abdullah Deghayes. Jannah InshAllah!"

Another woman, Miss'Newland, posted: "R.I.P this is such a shock, can not get my head around it. Everyone's gonna miss you Abdullah Deghayes. much love xxx"

Around 400 Britons are believed to have gone to Syria over the last two years, many of them to join the civil war, with an estimated 20 having died.

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Baby 'Left In Car By Forgetful Dad' Found Dead

Police are investigating the death of a nine-month-old baby who was left inside a car all day after his father allegedly forgot about him on his way to work.

The man told investigators that he had forgotten to drop his child off with a babysitter, San Jose Police Department spokeswoman Sergeant Heather Randol said.

The man parked his SUV in a residential street and picked up a van he reportedly uses for work.

The baby remained inside the parked SUV for 10 hours until his father returned to find his son unconscious, ABC reported.

He called police shortly after 7pm on Wednesday, but it was too late.

The boy was pronounced dead a short time later, Sgt Randol said.

One local resident who knows the father and was working near the parked car told local news he had no idea the baby was inside because the vehicle has tinted windows and the child was not crying.

The father left his SUV parked and collected this vehicle for his job

Another neighbour, Kevin Carroll, told the San Francisco Chronicle he had walked by the SUV three times but did not notice the baby. 

Mr Carroll told the newspaper he saw firefighters go into the SUV in the evening and heard one of them say: "The baby is dead".

It is not clear how hot it was inside the SUV. Temperatures on Wednesday were reported at around mid-20sC (mid-70sF) but they might have been significantly higher inside the vehicle.

The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case, but no charges have been filed so far.

The identities of the father and baby have not been disclosed.

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Ferry Disaster: Sewol Captain Faces Arrest

Prosecutors have asked a court to issue an arrest warrant for the captain of the South Korean ferry which sank leaving 25 dead and hundreds missing.

Two other crew members are also being sought after the court appeal on Friday. No charges have been specified.

It comes as it emerged captain Lee Joon-Seok 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 have been on the bridge.

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

A man identified as captain Lee Joon-Seok steps off the sinking ship

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

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.

It has also been revealed the 68-year-old delayed evacuation for half an hour after the distress signal was sent, suggesting more lives could have been saved had he acted sooner.

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

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

About half 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.

A crane arrives at the scene

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.

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

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.

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

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

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."

Anxious relatives take part in a Buddhist ritual

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.

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Vice-Principal Rescued From Ferry Found Hanged

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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Drug Charges For Former Co-op Boss Flowers

Former Co-op Bank boss Paul Flowers has been charged with two counts of possession of a class A drug and one of a class C drug.

The former Methodist minister was arrested in Liverpool by West Yorkshire Police officers last year.

A police spokesman said: "Paul Flowers, 63, of Hollingwood Drive, Bradford, has been charged with two offences of possession of a class A drug and one offence of possession of a class C drug.

"He has been bailed to appear before Leeds magistrates on May 7."

Mr Flowers stepped down as chairman of the Co-op bank in June last year.

Clare Stevens, from the CPS' Yorkshire and Humberside Complex Casework Unit, said: "We have carefully considered a file of evidence gathered by West Yorkshire Police in relation to alleged criminal offences committed by Paul Flowers in Bradford in November 2013.

"Following a review of the evidence, I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to charge Paul Flowers with possession of class A and class C drugs relating to an incident on November 9 2013."

Paul Flowers will appear at Leeds Magistrates' Court on May 7.

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Toddler Found In Claw Crane Machine With Toys

A toddler has been reunited with his mother after he was discovered inside a claw crane machine filled with stuffed animal toys at a nearby bowling alley.

Police say the boy's mother called 911 after her son went missing from her apartment in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Around the same time she made her call, employees at Madsen's Bowling Alley across the street called authorities to report that a small boy had been found inside their coin-operated claw machine.

The coin-operated game was at a bowling alley. Pic: KOLN-TV

Rachell Hildreth, an employee at the bowling alley, took a picture of the toddler inside the machine.

The photo shows the boy appearing quite content as he plays with the pile of soft toys.

Ms Hildreth told local television station KOLN-TV that she and her colleagues were in "disbelief".

The boy somehow made his way through the small prize door. Pic: KOLN-TV

She said: "The only thing we can think of is that he crawled in where the prizes come out, but that still seems a little impossible."

Jim Lakey, a representative from the vending machine company managed to free the boy, who was quickly reunited with his mother.

Mr Lakey told KOLN that the ordeal was a first in his 38 years in the business, adding it must have taken some time for the boy to wiggle his way into the machine.

He said: "It wasn't easy for him to do, let's put it that way."

Lincoln police said there was no indication of neglect by the mother and no charges were filed.

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Ed Balls Facing Police Probe Over Car Prang

Ed Balls is facing a police investigation after hitting a car and driving off without reporting it.

The shadow chancellor was leaving the Labour rooms in Morley during a constituency visit when he damaged the car.

West Yorkshire Police have confirmed officers are making inquiries into a "fail to stop collision".

Mr Balls admitted he caused the damage and has apologised to the owner of the black Peugeot 306.

He said he had turned the car round in a "tight spot" in a private drive beside the Labour rooms and hit another vehicle "parked close by".

In a statement, he said: "The turn took five or seven points and I was aware that at one point the bumpers of the two cars touched.

"I park there all the time in what is a relatively narrow drive.

"But until I was contacted the following Wednesday, I had no awareness at all there had been any damage to the other car."

Mr Balls said he had written to the owner, offering to reimburse them for the damage, and had also contacted his insurance company.

Sergeant Adrian Wright, of West Yorkshire Police, said the damage to the front wing of the car was reported on April 6, the day after the collision occurred.

It is not the first time Mr Balls' driving has come to the attention of the police.

Last year he admitted he was caught "bang to rights" speeding at 56mph in a 50mph zone on the M62 in his constituency.

In 2010 he was fined £60 and given three points on his licence after being caught using a mobile phone while driving on a dual carriageway in Milton Keynes.

At the time, he said: "It was a fair cop."

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Mystery Solved 43 Years After Girls Vanished

More than four decades after two teenage girls went missing in South Dakota, officials have finally solved the mystery.

Pamella Jackson (L) and Cheryl Miller vanished in 1971. Pic: KELO-TV

Cheryl Miller and Pamella Jackson, both 17, disappeared on May 29, 1971, while on their way to a party.

Officials now say they died after driving into a creek near Elk Point, a small town in South Dakota.

The crash site. All Pics: South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation

Their car, a 1960 Studebaker, had been hidden for almost 43 years in the creek and finally resurfaced because of a drought.

The vehicle was found last September but the results of the forensic testing of the skeletal remains were only announced this week.

The car, almost entirely submerged, was found in September

The investigators showed dozens of photographs of well-preserved clothing, Miss Miller's purse and even her driver's license complete with a photograph.

Those personal items and DNA were used to identify the girls, Attorney General Marty Jackley said.

"It's consistent with a car accident," he said.

The car turned up personal items, including Miss Miller's driver's license

"To start with, the forensic pathology and anthropology reports indicate there's no type of injury that would be consistent with or caused by foul play or inappropriate conduct."

Following the girls' disappearance, family members, law enforcement and others searched the area countless times without luck.

The license plate from the vehicle

Miss Jackson's father, Oscar, died on September 18, just five days before the car was found.

The girls' remains will be returned to family members for burial.

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William And Kate Touch Down For Oz Trip

By Paul Harrison, Royal Correspondent

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are in Australia with their son George for the second part of their Antipodean tour.

The royal couple touched down on Australian soil to whoops of delight from waiting crowds.

Many of them had been waiting hours to see the family arrive, with a teenage girl and her mother saying they had come especially from Lebanon "to see Kate, George and, of course, William".

The visit comes as a newly published poll shows the royals are increasingly popular among Australians, with support for a republic in Australia dropping to its lowest level in more than two decades.

The Duchess carried a wriggling baby George down the steps of the aircraft and then handed him over to his father so she could accept a bouquet of flowers.

The couple travelled on to Sydney for the start of their 10-day tour, as crowds of people 10 deep surged forward to greet the royals on their arrival at the iconic landmark on the harbour.

One well-wisher, Ailsa Martin from the Bondi area, had been queuing from the early hours.

George was carried out of the plane by his mother

"We've been waiting for this moment for such a long time. I can't believe they are here at last. Kate even arrived in yellow for Australia."

Australia has seen a resurgence in support for the royal family in recent times, especially among younger generations.

Adam Scott from North Sydney said: "The rest of the world thinks we are against the monarchy. But really we want it as much as places like New Zealand."

In a speech at the reception, William said he and his wife had been looking forward to the visit for a long time.

He reminded his audience of the special place Australia had in the heart of his grandmother, the Queen.

He said: "Her Majesty spoke recently of how, since her first visit here 60 years ago, she has been privileged to witness Australia's growing economy and flowering self-confidence.

"For Catherine, Harry and me, born in the early 80s, we've never known anything else - Australia and Australians have always been for us a beacon of confidence, creativity in the arts and sporting ability."

Crowds turned out to greet the increasingly popular royal family

The proud father could not resist mentioning his firstborn, saying: "I don't think I could finish these brief words to you without mentioning one other family member, George, who is now busy forging his own link with Australia.

"Catherine and I were very grateful for the many kind messages and gifts from across the country that we received when George was born."

The eight-month-old prince is expected to make an appearance on Sunday when his parents take him to Taronga zoo in Sydney, where an enclosure housing bilbys - a rabbit-like marsupial - will be named after him.

William joked: "I suspect George's first word might be 'bilby' - only because koala is harder to say. We really look forward to our time here together as a family."

The Duke and Duchess left the Opera House to screams and shouts as the "Kate effect" took hold.

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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.

Four people have been confirmed dead so far - including a male student, a female crew member and another unidentified man.

The South Korean Coastguard says 174 people have been rescued so far but more than 280 remain unaccounted for.

Rescued passengers are brought ashore

The ferry, with 462 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.

Within two hours it had completely capsized, with only the front part of its hull visible above the water.

A cause has yet to be established, although one witness told television channel YTN there had been a "loud impact and noise" before it began sinking.

95% of the ship is now submerged

Captain John Noble, a marine salvage expert, told Sky News the most likely explanation was the ferry hit a rock.

He added that passengers would have struggled to get off the ferry quite soon after it began listing.

"Once a ship gets beyond 20 degrees it is impossible for passengers to stand up without holding onto something," he said.

Rescue crews set off flares as darkness falls

"Once a ship gets to its side you completely lose your orientation. Those poor people would really have relied on rescuers to get them out.

"It's truly remarkable so many rescue crews got there so quickly."

The 338 pupils and teachers on board were from Danwon High School in Ansan, near Seoul. They were reportedly on their way to the Jeju island for a four-day trip.

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

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.

"As the ferry was shaking and tilting, we all tripped and bumped into each another," he said.

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

Some of those rescued are being cared for in a gymnasium.

The 6,825-ton ship left Incheon port, west of Seoul, on Tuesday evening and ran into difficulties about 60 miles (100km) south of the Korean peninsula.

The news agency AP is reporting 55 injuries, including people with burns, hypothermia and fractured bones. 

A total of 18 helicopters, 87 rescue boats and 160 divers rushed to the scene, according to AP.

459 people were on the ship when it started to sink

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

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

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.

87 rescue boats are at the scene

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

Another passenger said an announcement was made on board telling them to stay put.

"It was fine. Then the ship went 'boom' and there was a noise of cargo falling," said Cha Eun-ok, who was on the deck of the ferry taking photographs at the time.

It took just two hours for the ship to capsize

"The on-board announcement told people to stay put. People who stayed are trapped."

Darkness has now fallen in South Korea and the rescue operation is also being hampered by muddy waters.

"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.

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

There are concerns storms could affect the operation tomorrow.

Those rescued are being taken to the nearby Jindo Island, where medical teams are wrapping them in blankets, checking for injuries and directing them towards a school gymnasium.

Meanwhile, screams of anguish have been heard as parents of the children on board gather at their high school in Ansan, desperate for news.

The ship, Sewol

An official from the company that owns the ship apologised for the tragedy.

"I would like to say sorry to the passengers including a number of students and their parents, and promise that our company will do its best to minimise loss of life. We are sorry," said Kim Young-boong, from Chunghaejin Marine Corporation.

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

More follows...

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Coulson Tells Trial He Heard Hacked Voicemail

Former News Of The World editor Andy Coulson has told a jury he heard voicemail messages hacked from David Blunkett's phone.

The 46-year-old told the Old Bailey the paper's then-chief reporter, Neville Thurlbeck, phoned him to say Mr Blunkett, who was Home Secretary at the time, was having an affair with a married woman.

He said Mr Thurlbeck had told him he "believed the story was true" after listening to voicemail messages.

Coulson, 46, who denies the charges against him, said he was on holiday in Italy when he took the call.

His initial reaction was one of "shock and anger" at a "direct breach of privacy", he said.

During his third day in the witness box, Coulson told the court: "I was on my way to the airport to collect my brother who was coming to stay with us. I was lost, I remember that, and I parked up on the side of the road to take the call.

"Neville told me he had a tip that David Blunkett was having an affair with Kimberly Fortier. He said he believed the story was true because he heard some voicemails.

"I was shocked because he told me he had heard some voicemail messages. I was shocked he was telling me this as well because it was in relation to David Blunkett, the Home Secretary.

"I was quite angry about it. I used reasonably colourful language, words to the effect: 'What on Earth do you think you're doing?'

"My concern was it was an apparent breach of privacy and I was concerned also that this was involving somebody who I knew. He was somebody we were broadly supportive of."

Coulson, who later became Downing Street's director of communications, told the court he ordered the reporter to stop the investigation.

However, he said that on his return, his former colleague went to the News Of The World (NOTW) offices to repitch the Blunkett story, saying it was in the public interest and playing the messages to try to convince him of that point.

The revelations were made as the journalist's barrister, Timothy Langdale QC, asked him about the NOTW's relationship with Mr Blunkett which, Coulson said, was good.

Coulson said the more he listened, the more he started to think there was "some public interest justification" in the story but he wanted time to think about it.

He told the court he later decided it was in the public interest because Mr Blunkett was "distracted" by the affair and, Coulson argued, sharing sensitive information.

Coulson insisted he had no previous knowledge of voicemail hacking, adding: "I remained shocked. This was the first and only time a voicemail had been played to me."

Coulson, of Charing, Kent, denies conspiring to hack phones with Rebekah Brooks and former managing editor Stuart Kuttner.

He also denies conspiring with ex-royal editor Clive Goodman to commit misconduct in a public office.

All seven defendants in the phone hacking trial deny the charges against them and the case continues.

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Ukraine: Nato Bolsters Forces In Eastern Europe

Digging For The Truth Over Russia And Ukraine

Updated: 11:52am UK, Wednesday 16 April 2014

By Ian Woods, Sky News Senior Correspondent

Trying to separate fact from fiction is part of a journalist's job, but in Moscow you have to learn to treat some reports with a large dose of scepticism.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Russian state news channel Rossiya 24 reported that between four and 11 people had been killed when Ukrainian government forces recaptured control of an airfield in Kramatorsk, which had earlier been controlled by pro-Russian protesters. 

Other Russian news agencies reported several deaths.

It seemed as if it might be a watershed moment, likely to trigger a military response from the Kremlin which has pledged to protect ethnic Russians.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing deep concern and saying events were developing into a "worst case scenario."

But later reports filed by international news organisations such as Reuters and the Associated Press revealed a much less serious incident.

True, Ukrainian soldiers had arrived at the scene and took some verbal abuse from protesters.

Warning shots may have been fired and an officer had his hat knocked off in scuffles.

Tension remains and it is always a worrying development when a country's military confronts its own citizens.

But it still seems some way short of the civil war that Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Ukraine was on the brink of.

Equally, those who suggest that everyone who has manned a barricade or occupied a government office in eastern Ukraine is either a Russian agent or cajoled by the Kremlin is also exaggerating.

Yes, there appear to be many examples of men taking charge who display some form of military training, but recent video footage of people forcing a Ukrainian tank to turn around suggests they were angry locals rather than crack troops. 

When the West cries too loudly about Russian influence it can drown out the genuine voices of those Ukrainians in the East who don't like the western-leaning interim government in Kiev. 

The Russian media ridicules the EU and the US for lauding the civil protests which forced elected President Viktor Yanukovych to flee the country, and yet the same governments condemn Russian-speaking Ukrainians supporters for being angry about what they view as an illegitimate coup.

The truth is out there, and the UN has published a version of it, which found claims of attacks on ethnic Russians had been deliberately exaggerated to justify Russian intervention in Crimea last month.

The UN Human Rights report said assaults were not widespread and that reports of nationalist extremists "coming armed to persecute ethnic Russians in Crimea were systematically used to create a climate of fear and insecurity that reflected on support to integration of Crimea into the Russian Federation".

The Russian foreign ministry said the UN report was "one-sided, politicised and not objective", adding: "One gets the impression that the report was fabricated to correspond with conclusions formed in advance."

The annexation of Crimea was popular in Russia because it returned a territory which was historically Russian, but which was ceded to Ukraine during the Soviet era when Moscow still retained overall control.

But there appears to be little appetite among ordinary Russians for trying to seize chunks of eastern Ukraine, even if many of those who live there speak Russian.

Lisa Zelaney, a student at Moscow State University, told Sky News she had friends in Ukraine and, although she supported Crimea returning to Russian control, the current situation was different, and she was dubious about Russian media reports.  

"When you hear people say, 'Yes, we want Russian people to get here and help us get rid of this government, that we don't like it,'  that's not usually the truth.

"I think we should leave this country alone and let them themselves decide what they need."

Pensioner Vladimir Pantileymonovich told us: "By no means should Russia interfere in the eastern Ukraine situation. It's their own business."

And Dina Boulatova added: "We should definitely not get into it, otherwise there will be huge problems for Russia. The two sides there should take a step towards each other."

But another man was more sympathetic to Kremlin policy.

Elizarov Leonid Mikhailovich said: "For me personally everything is very clear. The majority of the population expressed their opinion. They said what they wanted and how they wanted it.

"The methods that the Kiev authorities are using now are horrible. They were elected in a barbarous way.

"I think the majority in Ukraine understand this government does not have a future.

"I may not support Putin or like him but on this issue I completely support him. Russia is strong enough now to support its people."

As for criticism of a foreign government meddling in the affairs of another, the Russian media reported on evidence to confirm their suspicions the interim government in Kiev came to power as the result of an American-backed coup. 

The confirmation by the White House that CIA director John Brennan was a visitor to Kiev at the weekend fuelled Moscow suspicions of the agency's involvement in supporting the Maidan protesters.

The White House said his arrival in Ukraine was simply part of a wider European tour.

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Pistorius Trial: Reeva Bullet Wound Evidence

Oscar Pistorius has buried his head in his hands during a graphic account of how bullets he fired fatally injured his girlfriend.

Forensic expert Roger Dixon, who has suggested neighbours who gave evidence for the prosecution were mistaken in what they heard, gave further evidence on day 24 of the trial. 

Pistorius lowered his head and clasped his hands around his ears as Mr Dixon provided details of the injuries Reeva Steenkamp suffered.

A bullet that hit the model's arm caused such serious damage it was like "an instant amputation", he said.

The witness used a photograph placed on the back of a junior member of the defendant's legal team to illustrate where the Black Talon bullets hit Ms Steenkamp's back.

The court also heard how the bullets and fragments damaged her skull after passing through the toilet door in the athlete's home.

Mr Dixon disputed the prosecution's account that Ms Steenkamp was facing the door when she was shot because the couple were arguing. 

He suggested that if Ms Steenkamp had been facing the door, the shape of the bullet wounds would have been different.

However, he was forced to admit the same Black Talon ammunition had not been used in his gun tests and there was a problem getting hold of them.

Ms Steenkamp's mother June, her agent and friends of the model were in court to hear the graphic evidence.

Pistorius was handed a note by a well-wisher as he arrived at court

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel challenged Mr Dixon's expertise, pointing out he was not currently registered with any forensic body.

The witness admitted he had no idea about the sound expertise of a person who made a recording of a gun being fired, which has been used as evidence.

He also conceded he did not have qualifications in ballistics or pathology, after he called into question the evidence of experienced experts in both fields who gave evidence for the prosecution.

Mr Nel called Mr Dixon "irresponsible" and accused him of giving evidence without having read the post-mortem report properly, after he said he had not seen a photograph of a bruise on Ms Steenkamp's back.

The athlete's lawyers have about a dozen witnesses to call as they try to challenge the state's charge that he shot Ms Steenkamp deliberately.

Earlier, Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled proceedings will adjourn for more than two weeks on April 17 and resume on May 5.

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

He denies premeditated murder and illegally possessing ammunition.

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

There are no juries in South African murder trials, so the athlete's fate will be decided by the judge, assisted by two assessors.

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School Places: Parents Warned About 'Crisis'

Families are facing a "growing crisis" when it comes to getting their children into primary schools, the head of a teaching union has said.

The warning comes as figures indicate tens of thousands of youngsters have missed out on their first choice of school.

One school in Bristol was so oversubscribed it had 4,000 applicants competing for just 40 places.

Council across England have been warned they must increase school capacity by 20% by 2016 if they are to cope with the increasing number of children.

Dr Mary Bousted, of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, accused the Education Secretary Michael Gove of failing to deliver on his main responsibility "to provide school places for the nation's children".

For the first time parents across the country learned whether their children had secured places at the school of their choice on the same day.

Dr Mary Bousted says the Government is failing children

The picture emerging on National Offer Day showed significant disparities across the country, with an expected one in five children missing out on their first choice in areas such as Bristol and London.

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

The increasing squeeze on school places has been blamed on a rising birth rate and the impact of immigration.

Dr Mary Bousted said: "We know there is a growing crisis in primary school places and we know the Government, for all the money they say they are throwing at the problem, simply haven't got the mechanism (or) the ability to plan school provision where it's needed.

"They have divested themselves of the levers to manage this situation."

She added: "It's no surprise there's a crisis in primary school places, because Michael Gove has divested himself of his first key responsibility, which is to provide school places for children."

The Department for Education said it has given councils more than £5bn to establish new school places, with more than 260,000 created already.

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

"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."

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

Bristol Cathedral School received 100 applications for each of its 40 places.

Lou Birbeck, whose twin girls failed to win spaces there, said it was hardly surprising her application had been unsuccessful, given the level of competition.

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