Tito Vilanova: Ex-Barcelona Coach Dies At 45

The former coach of FC Barcelona, Tito Vilanova, has died at the age of 45 after a battle with cancer, the club has announced.

The Spaniard was appointed as manager in April 2012 but was re-diagnosed with cancer of the salivary gland 10 months later.

The ex-midfielder, who was first told he had the disease in November 2011, was forced to step down from the club in July last year.

In a statement, FC Barcelona said it was in "immense mourning", adding: "May he rest in peace".

The club plans to open part of the Nou Camp's main grandstand for fans to express their condolences.

News of Vilanova's death has stunned the footballing community.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said: "Tito Vilanova's passing is a sad day for football, for Barcelona and most importantly for his family and friends."

Manchester City and Argentina star Sergio Aguero said his "heart is heavy", while Atletico Madrid and Spain player David Villa tweeted: "We will never forget."

Manchester United's David de Gea added: "A very sad day. Tito Vilanova has left us but his fight remains an example."

Vilanova was assistant manager at the Nou Camp from 2008-2012 under Pep Guardiola and succeeded the Spaniard following his departure from the club.

He previously managed Barcelona's second team and lower league side FC Palafrugell.

As a player, Vilanova made more than 300 professional appearances, including more than 60 for Valencian side Elche.

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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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South Korea Ferry: All 15 Crew In Custody

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A woman at a memorial outside Danwon High School in Ansan

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

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

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.

"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.

Yage brings on vivid hallucinations and supposedly spiritual experiences

"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.

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.

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

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."

Henry Miller's parents Elizabeth and David, and brother Freddie issued a statement to the Bristol Post, saying: "In the last 48 hours we received the exceptionally sad news that our son Henry has died whilst travelling in Colombia.

"We are being informed of the circumstances through the Foreign Office. He was in the remote Putumayo region.

"We understand that he took part in a local tribal ritual recommended by the hostel that he was staying at.

"The ritual involves a drink made from local plant infusions. We are awaiting further information from the foreign office but it is likely that a reaction to this drink was the cause."

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Canonisation Of Popes To Draw A Million Pilgrims

By Robert Nisbet, Europe Correspondent

Thousands of pilgrims are heading to the Vatican for a historic day in the Roman Catholic Church, when two former Popes will be made saints.

The double canonisation on Sunday will be presided over by Pope Francis in St Peter's Square of the two men he believes revitalised the Church while giving it purpose and direction.

The current pontiff described John Paul II and John XXIII as "wonderful" and "brave men", and bent years of tradition by allowing them to be celebrated on the same day.

A candidate for sainthood would normally have to pass a rigorous test which begins at least five years after their death and includes the verification of two miracles.

John Paul II had his canonisation fast-tracked (as he did for Mother Theresa during his pontificate) while John XXIII candidacy was pushed through without having to clear the hurdle of a second confirmed miracle.

John, who was born Angelo Roncalli, reigned between 1958 and 1963 and is credited with saving the lives of thousands of Jews during the Second World War.

He gave apostolic visas to many Jewish people fleeing Nazi persecution in eastern Europe, and also ended centuries of enmity between religions by rejecting anti-Semitism in the Second Vatican Council which modernised the Roman Catholic Church.

He is also famous for the so-called 'Speech of the Moon' in 1962 when he appeared on the balcony of the Vatican and told the faithful to go home and "hug their children," telling them it came from the Pope.

Some Vatican scholars say the Council, known as Vatican II, caused a rift in the Church between traditionalists and modernisers, which remains to this day.

One of those who decried the attempt to change the Church's stance on a number of fundamental issues was Karol Wojtyla, who became John Paul II in 1978.

John Paul II's canonisation has been fast-tracked

Seen as the most influential Pope of modern times, John Paul made 104 apostolic journeys around the world in his 27 years at the Vatican and created 482 saints of his own.

Vatican scholars believe this double canonisation is an attempt by Francis to heal the Church, while also showing his deep gratitude to the two popular leaders, both from humble origins, who influenced his theology and teachings.

The logistics of the event are extraordinary: 2,500 volunteers were on hand for the morning mass, with 17 giant screens broadcasting the service to those unable to pack into the Square.

On Saturday night a number of prayer vigils will be held across central Rome, with confessions heard in a variety of different languages.

It is estimated one million people will take part in the event.

There has been criticism that the swift canonisation of John Paul II ignores criticism that he failed to tackle the growing problem of priest sex abuse, especially in the United States.

The Vatican says an "information gap" between church officials in America and the Vatican was behind the speed of the response, which meant he was not "living the crisis in real time".

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Ukraine: 'Observers To Be Used As Human Shield'

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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Obama In First US-Malaysia Visit For 48 Years

Barack Obama became the first US president since Lyndon Johnson in 1966 to visit Malaysia when he touched down in the Asian country on Saturday.

His visit to the predominantly Malaysian country was the third-leg of a four-nation Asia tour with the aim of strengthening links with friendly countries.

With so much diplomatic focus having elsewhere in recent months, Mr Obama aims to "rebalance" US attention towards the strategic Asia-Pacific region and push a stalled regional trade pact.

He was met by the King of Malaysia Abdul Halim and Prime Minister Najib Razak, in front of a line of Malaysian ceremonial guards.

The missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 both exposed and reinforced Malaysia's relations with the US, which offered some technical help in the search for the jet.

Soon after arriving, Mr Obama offered further support, the country's transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said.

Mr Obama walks with Malaysia's King Halim and Prime Minister Razak

Mr Hishammuddin said: "He said he knows it is a tough, long, road ahead. We'll work together. There is always support." 

In earlier visits to allies Japan and South Korea, the US leader was forced to deal with the crisis in Ukraine, a faltering Middle East peace process, and North Korea.

Washington wants to improve its relationship with moderate-Muslim Malaysia and, in particular, is keen to overturn perceptions that it is anti-Islamic.

Relations were acrimonious during the 1981-2003 tenure of authoritarian leader Mahathir Mohamad, a harsh critic of US policies.

But trade ties remained solid and Prime Minister Najib Razak is seeking a closer relationship, including on defence.

The US President decends from the steps of Air Force One

Malaysia is among several nations with competing territorial claims in the South China Sea, where Beijing's assertiveness has sparked alarm.

Mr Obama has spoken about his desire to maintain "freedom of navigation in critical waterways" and to ensure nations "play by the same rules" - a clear reference to China.

But Malaysia also is a close trading partner of China and disagrees with aspects of Obama's Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, which also has met resistance in Japan.

The president is expected to try to ease Malaysian concerns on the TPP when he meets Mr Najib on Sunday.

Protests have been taking place in Kuala Lumpur ahead of Mr Obama's visit about both America's 'War On Terror' and support for the TPP.    

In Malaysia, Mr Obama will have to tread a line between courting Najib and acknowledging the huge numbers in the multi-cultural nation who are fed up with the corruption-plagued coalition in power for 57 years.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim called the government a "corrupt and authoritarian regime" in a statement Saturday, urging Mr Obama to stand up for "freedom and democracy."

He leaves Monday morning for the Philippines.

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Five Die As UK Helicopter Crashes in Afghanistan

Five people have died after a British helicopter crashed in Afghanistan, with all those on board thought to be members of UK armed forces.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the victims of the suspected accident in the south of the country were military service personnel.

An investigation has been launched into the circumstances of the incident but the MoD said it could not confirm the nationality of the troops who died.

A spokesman for the ministry said: "We can confirm that a UK helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan today.

"The incident is under investigation and it would be inappropriate to comment further until families have been notified."

Kandahar provincial police spokesman Zia Durrani said the helicopter went down in the Takhta Pul district, around 30 miles from the Pakistan border.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known but it was not believed to have involved any enemy action.

If the victims are confirmed to be British, it would be the worst UK air crash in Afghanistan since September 2006, when a Nimrod surveillance aircraft exploded in mid-air while supporting Nato ground operations near Kandahar.

All 14 servicemen on board that aircraft were killed.

Saturday's incident was the bloodiest day for international troops in Afghanistan this year.

It brings the number of foreign troops killed in the war-hit country in April to seven. A total of 23 have died in 2014.

Nato is preparing to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan at the end of this year, 13 years after the US-led invasion to topple the Taliban for sheltering al Qaeda leaders.

Concerned family members of military service personnel can contact the MoD on 08457 800 900.

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Al Qaeda Chief Calls For Kidnap Of Westerners

The leader of al Qaeda has reportedly called on Muslims to kidnap Westerners, particularly Americans, so they can be exchanged for militants being held in jails.

Ayman al Zawahiri, who was previously the extremist movement's number two until the death of Osama bin Laden, said he hoped it would enable the freeing of an Egyptian convicted of attacking New York landmarks.

"I ask Allah the Glorious to help us set free Dr Omar Abdel-Rahman and the rest of the captive Muslims," Zawahiri said, according to the SITE website monitoring service.

"And I ask Allah to help us capture from among the Americans and the Westerners to enable us to exchange them for our captives." 

Abdel-Rahman, known as The Blind Sheikh, is serving a life term in the US after being convicted in 1995 of conspiring to attack several New York City landmarks, including the United Nations.

Among the offences he was convicted of was seditious conspiracy in the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center.

Zawahiri's interview was posted online. Reuters said it could not verify the authenticity of the Zawahiri tape, but that the voice resembled that of the al Qaeda leader.

Egyptian-born Zawahiri went on to express solidarity with the Muslim Brotherhood which is facing a violent crackdown by the army-backed government in his home country.

Al Zawahiri took over from Osama bin Laden as al Qaeda leader

Asked about the crackdown, Zawahiri answered: "The duty on every Muslims is to deter the aggressor by any means, and especially the oppressed Muslims."

Security forces in Egypt have killed hundreds of Brotherhood supporters and arrested thousands, after the government that replaced them designated the Brotherhood a terrorist organisation last year.

Zawahiri also urged "jihad and overthrowing the criminal al Assad regime" in Syria.

In doing so, he renewed his call to end the growing amount of infighting among jihadists in that country.

As the rebellion against President Bashar al Assad has fragmented, the al Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) had been fighting against rival rebels, as well as against the government.

He added: "The Ummah (Muslim world) must support this jihad with all that it can, and the mujahideen (Islamist militants) must unite around the word of Tawhid (unity).

"So everyone should prioritise the interest of Islam and the Ummah over his organisational or partisan interests, even if he gives up for his brothers what he sees as right."

The recording was said to be the second installment of an the interview, the first part of which was posted a week ago. In that excerpt, Zawahiri insisted al Qaeda was holding strong and was "expanding".

Al Qaeda, which became world famous after 9/11, has been struggling to rebuild after the death of bin Laden who was killed in a US operation in Pakistan where he had been hiding out.

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Father And Son Killed In Kabul Hospital Shooting

Two Americans who were killed by an Afghan security guard in a shooting at a Kabul hospital have been named.

Health clinic administrator Jon Gabel and his father Gary died, and Jon's wife was hurt, when the guard opened fire as the family entered the grounds of Cure International Hospital.

Dr Jerry Umanos. Pic courtesy cure.org

They were visiting paediatrician Dr Jerry Umanos from Chicago, who had worked in the capital for seven years and was also killed in last Thursday's attack.

Jon Gabel ran a clinic at Kabul University providing low-cost medicine and also volunteered to teach computer classes, as well as working for US charity Morning Star Development.

The attacker was a member of the Afghan Public Protection Force assigned to guard the hospital, according to District Police Chief Hafiz Khan. The motive for the attack remains unclear.

The 100-bed hospital specialises in children's and maternal care and is considered one of Afghanistan's leading hospitals.

It is run by the children's charity Cure International, based in Pennsylvania.

The group's chief financial officer Mark Knech told reporters the organisation "remains committed to serve the people of Afghanistan".

The facility is considered one of Afghanistan's leading hospitals

He also asked for prayers for "the families of the victims and those affected by the shooting, as well as the peace in Afghanistan".

Dr Bruce Rowell, from Chicago's Lawndale Christian Health Center, where Dr Umanos worked for more than 25 years, said his former colleague was "for many of us on staff, the paediatrician for our very own children".

He added: "This loss is a great loss for his family, for those of us he worked with as well as for the people of Afghanistan.

"He was a loving and caring physician who served all of his patients with the utmost of respect."

Dale Brantner, President and CEO of Cure International said: "Dr Jerry Umanos had faithfully served the Afghan people as a pediatrician at the hospital for more than seven years.

"My heart is deeply grieved for his wife and family, as well as the families of the other men killed."

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