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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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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US Accuses Russia Of Ukraine 'Deception'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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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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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Women Urged To Stop Britons Fighting In Syria

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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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Blocking Breast Cancer Drug A 'Major Blow'

Moves to block a new breast cancer drug which extends women's lives by almost six months have been described as a "major blow".

Clinical trial results have shown that women on Kadcyla survived 30.9 months compared with 25.1 months on similar treatments.

However, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said in its draft guidance the drug is not effective enough to justify the price the NHS is being asked to pay.

It is estimated that Kadcyla, manufactured by Roche, will cost around £90,000 per patient.

Sir Andrew Dillon, Nice chief executive, said: "We had hoped that Roche would have recognised the challenge the NHS faces in managing the adoption of expensive new treatments by reducing the cost of

Kadcyla to the NHS.

"We apply as much flexibility as we can in approving new treatments, but the reality is that given its price and what it offers to patients, it will displace more health benefit which the NHS could achieve in other ways, than it will offer to patients with breast cancer."

Professor Paul Ellis, consultant oncologist, at King's College, London and lead triallist for the drug in the UK, said: "Kadcyla represents a significant advance in HER2-positive breast cancer, so for Nice to issue negative preliminary guidance is a huge blow.

Jayson Dallas, general manager, Roche Products Limited, said: "Roche is extremely disappointed that Nice has failed to safeguard the interests of patients with this advanced stage of aggressive disease."

Kadcyla, which is only suitable for patients with the defective Her2 gene, is designed to penetrate cancer cells and destroy them from within and, because its action is so precise, a normally toxic form of chemotherapy can be used.

It is currently given to breast cancer patients who have failed on conventional treatment with Herceptin and chemotherapy.

The decision by Nice is now up for public consultation and during this time patients will be able to apply to their local NHS and to the Cancer Drugs Fund (CDF) for the drug.

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David Moyes 'Could Be Sacked Within Hours'

Manchester United manager David Moyes could be sacked within hours, according to Sky sources.

The club are refusing to comment.

A specator in fancy dress mocks Moyes at the weekend. Pic: Action Images

Sky's Sports Correspondent Paul Kelso said it is clear work is going on behind the scenes which will lead to Moyes' removal.

"He's had virtually a whole season, two transfer windows in which to augment a squad that was good enough to be champions last year and results simply haven't been good enough," he said.

While some in the game would like to see managers given time in a "short-term business", he added: "It's quite hard to make the case for a club like Manchester United to continue with a manager who has come up as far short this season as Moyes has."

The Scot, who replaced Sir Alex Ferguson last May, has endured a miserable time in the Old Trafford hot seat.

The reigning Premier League champions are currently seventh in the table and will miss out on Champions League football for the first time in almost 20 years next season.

United will end the season with their lowest points total in Premier League history.

Sir Alex Ferguson and David Moyes in 2012, when Sir Alex was United manager

Supporters' Trust spokesman Sean Bones said: "Supporters have been fantastic to David Moyes and David Moyes has acknowledged it, I think though that it's a results based industry and so far the results have been very very poor."

But former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said Moyes should have been given more time, and called on the club to clarify his situation.

While he acknowledged some of the team's performances this season have been "shocking", Neville told Sky Sports: "I genuinely believe when you give a man a six-year contract that he deserves the opportunity and time and professionally the respect."

The club's share price on the New York Stock Exchange fluctuated all day amid the rumours.

Fans initially backed Moyes but support has waned as results have worsened

At 9pm UK time (4pm local time) when the NASDAQ closed, the price stood at $17.77, having started the day at $17.47.

Manchester United have been owned by the American Glazer family since 2005.

Louis van Gaal, the manager of the Dutch national team, is the early favourite to take the job.

Moyes was given a six-year contract after being handpicked by Sir Alex as his successor when he retired after 26 years in the job.

The post-Ferguson era has been a difficult one for United so far

When Moyes' appointment was announced, Sir Alex said the club "unanimously agreed" he was the right man.

"There is no question he has all the qualities we expect of a manager at this club," Sir Alex said.

Sir Alex's time at Manchester United established them as the dominant force in English football, with a string of league titles and cup successes for fans to celebrate.

Moyes described the opportunity to follow in Sir Alex's footsteps as a "great honour".

"I know how hard it will be to follow the best manager ever, but the opportunity to manage Manchester United isn't something that comes around very often and I'm really looking forward to taking up the post next season," he said at the time.

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Keeping Moyes 'A Bigger Gamble Than Hiring Him'

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

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

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

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

Malcolm Glazer appears to have lost patience with Moyes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The new coach will also mark a new era.

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

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

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Ukraine: 'Five Killed At Separatist Checkpoint'

A gun battle at a checkpoint manned by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine has left five dead, it has been claimed.

Russia's state-run Rossiya 24 news station said the five died when gunmen attacked the post near the city of Slavyansk, which is under separatist control.

A separatist interviewed by Reuters at the scene said three of the dead were with the pro-Russian militia.

The attack had happened at 2am local time, he said.

"We had three dead, four wounded," a fighter called Vladimir told the news agency at the checkpoint, where there were two burned-out jeeps.

But Sky's Katie Stallard, who has been to the scene, said there are inconsistencies in the separatists' accounts and there is no coherent evidence to back up what they are saying.

Reuters TV footage of the scene showed two bodies, one of which appeared to have gunshot wounds to the head and face.

Kiev's interior ministry said one person had been killed and three injured in an armed clash.

It said police were trying to establish more details about what happened.

A map showing the location of Slavyansk

The separatists claimed the attackers were members of Right Sector, a hard-right fringe group that was part of the anti-Russia movement whose protests in Kiev and western Ukraine forced the former president to leave office. 

Right Sector denied being involved, instead blaming Russian special forces in an illustration of the claim and counter claim that has been rife during the crisis.

The event prompted the self-declared leader of the pro-Russian faction in Slavyansk to appeal to Moscow to send in peacekeeping troops.

Ukraine and many in the West fear reports of clashes could provide a pretext for Russia to seize more Ukrainian territory.

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

Pro-Russia separatist gunmen maintain a firm grip over a string of towns across eastern Ukraine, despite an international deal signed last week demanding they leave state buildings they are occupying.

On Sunday afternoon they declared a curfew in Slavyansk.

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.

Authorities in Kiev, who vowed to remove the separatists, said they have suspended military operations against the rebels until after Easter to give the militia time to comply with the agreement.

The deadline runs out on Monday, after which the US and the EU have said they will consider further sanctions against Russia.

Earlier, Ukraine's Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of having "a dream to restore the Soviet Union".

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.

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Assad 'Launching Chemical Attacks With Chlorine'

The French government says there are "indications" Syrian President Bashar al Assad is still using chemical weapons against his own people.

Opposition groups claim chlorine gas attacks on at least three towns left dozens of people injured last week.

"We have a few elements of information, but I do not have the proof," French President Francois Hollande told Europe 1 radio station.

"What I do know is what we have seen from this regime is the horrific methods it is capable of using and the rejection of any political transition."

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told the radio station there were "indications, which have yet to be verified, that there have been recent chemical attacks".

A bomb attack in the Dahra Awad neighbourhood of Aleppo on Sunday

He said they were "much less significant than those in Damascus a few months ago but very deadly", and had taken place in the northwest of the country, near the Lebanese border.

There are conflicting accounts about one attack in the town of Kafr Zita, near Hama, earlier in April, with both Mr Assad's forces and the opposition accusing each other of being responsible.

Activists accused the regime of using lethal chlorine gas - first used at Ypres during the First World War - saying it caused "more than 100 cases of suffocation".

Videos posted on social media by opposition groups show men and children in a field hospital coughing and showing symptoms of suffocation.

Hollande says he has information about chemical attacks in Syria

Asked about the reports, a Foreign Office spokesperson told Sky News: "We need to establish the facts, but are seriously concerned and nothing would surprise us given the regime's history of using chemical weapons.''

The Syrian regime has handed over 80% of its declared chemical weapons stockpile for destruction under UN supervision.

It has until the end of June to destroy its chemical weapon stockpile if it wants to ward off the threat of US air strikes.

The agreement was reached after a chemical attack outside Damascus last August that killed hundreds of people.

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Cameron-Appointed Quango Chief Resigns

By Sophy Ridge, Political Correspondent

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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South Korean Ferry: Ten More Bodies Found

Divers have recovered 10 more bodies inside the South Korean sunken ferry, pushing the confirmed death toll to 46, 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.

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

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

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

More than 265 people, most of them children on a school trip, are missing. There are 174 known survivors.

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

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

Divers have entered the ship for the first time

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Distraught family members wait for news from rescue teams in Jindo

Hundreds of relatives gathered in a gymnasium in the southwestern port city of 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 the capital, Seoul.

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

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