Mr Jacobsen was held for more than a year

England have

An American held hostage in Beirut by Muslim fundamentalists has been released.

David Jacobsen was set free in the west of the Lebanese capital after 17 months of captivity at the hands of Islamic Jihad.

After his release, Mr Jacobsen, 55, was taken to the American embassy compound in east Beirut.

He was kidnapped in May 1985 as he walked the short distance from his home on the American University Hospital campus to the hospital compound.

He is expected to leave Beirut soon with his daughters and sons who have come to the city to greet him.

Mr Jacobsen's release is being credited to the efforts of the Archbishop of Canterbury's special envoy, Terry Waite.

Soon after the hostage was freed a US helicopter collected Mr Waite from Lanarca in Cyprus where he had been conducting secret negotiations and took him to the US embassy in Beirut.

Mr Waite's intervention in the case of the Beirut hostages comes after success in freeing people held in Iran and Libya.

So far he has helped gain the release of three Beirut hostages after their relatives appealed to him for help.

The US authorities were also involved in the negotiations.

US presidential spokesman Larry Speakes said they could not divulge details because of concerns for the safety of other captives in Lebanon.

"Again we call on the captors of all hostages in Lebanon to release their innocent victims.

"No political goals are or will be achieved by resorting to extortion or terrorism," Mr Speakes said.

The US Government held the kidnappers of the remaining hostages responsible for their safety, he added.

At least two other American hostages are still being held in Beirut as well as several Frenchmen and Briton John McCarthy. 
  

Teachers' unions have welcomed Mr Woodhead's departure

The Department for Education said Mr Woodhead was leaving Ofsted to become a newspaper leader writer with the Daily Telegraph.

A source said he had been discussing such a move for some weeks.

Mr Woodhead's three months' notice period would normally take him to the end of February but he will clear his desk on 30 November.

His deputy Mike Tomlinson will then take over until a new chief inspector is appointed.

The Education Secretary, David Blunkett, paid tribute to Mr Woodhead's role in raising standards in schools.

But he added: "I think anyone who feels their role is better to be played writing for The Daily Telegraph or being a consultant to a PR company has obviously found a different niche in life."

Teachers' unions have greeted the news of his departure with delight.

Nigel de Gruchy, general secretary of the National Union of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers, said it was long overdue.

"I think over the last few months he was on a suicide mission and teachers will breathe a sigh of relief," he said.

Chris Woodhead's resignation comes the day after he was involved in ill-tempered exchanges with MPs on the Commons education select committee.

During his appearance before the committee he rejected allegations that his style detracted from the good work of Ofsted.

Mr Woodhead is unembarrassed by the fuss his comments routinely cause, believing that he should speak bluntly on behalf of parents when he finds that things are not up to scratch.

He has also found his private life at the centre of controversy - in May 1999 it was revealed the former teacher had had an affair with an ex-pupil.

divulge: make known to the public information that was previously known only to a few people or that was meant to be kept a secret（泄露）

niche：a small concavity；recess, recession（小生境；后退）