Lebanon: Protests After Beirut Bomb Blast

Protesters in Lebanon have burnt tyres and set up roadblocks amid growing anger over a car bomb that killed eight people, including one of the country's top security officials.

There are fears that the devastating attack threatens to bring Syria's civil war to Lebanon.

Lebanese troops stood guard at road junctions and official buildings in the capital, Beirut, as the Lebanese cabinet held an emergency meeting to decide on what, if any, action to take.

Prime Minister Najib Mikati later said the blast was linked to the civil war in neighbouring Syria and revealed that he had agreed to stay on as premier at President Michel Sleiman's request because of "national interest".

Among the victims of the Beirut blast was Brigadier General Wissam al Hassan, head of a Lebanese intelligence department and an opponent of Syrian President Bashar al Assad.

Politics in Lebanon and Syria are closely connected

Brig-Gen al Hassan, 47, headed an investigation over the summer that led to the arrest of former information minister Michel Samaha, one of Mr Assad's most loyal allies in Lebanon.

Mr Samaha, who is in custody, is accused of plotting a campaign of bombings and assassinations to spread sectarian violence in Lebanon at Syria's behest.

Also indicted in the August sweep was Syrian Brigadier General Ali Mamlouk, one of Mr Assad's highest aides.

Dozens were left wounded in the blast in Beirut's mainly Christian Achrafieh neighbourhood.

Lebanon's fractious politics are closely entwined with Syria's.

The countries share political and sectarian ties and rivalries, often causing events on one side of the border to have a "knock on" effect on the other.

Lebanon's opposition is an anti-Syrian bloc, while the prime minister and much of the government are pro-Syrian.

The civil war in Syria has laid bare Lebanon's sectarian tensions as well.

Many of Lebanon's Sunni Muslims have backed Syria's mainly Sunni rebels, while Shi'ite Muslims have tended to back Mr Assad.

Brig-Gen al Hassan was a Sunni whose stances were widely seen to oppose Syria and Shi'ite Hezbollah, the country's most powerful ally in Lebanon.

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Gaddafi's Ex-Spokesman Moussa Ibrahim Captured

Muammar Gaddafi's ex-spokesman Moussa Ibrahim has been captured - exactly a year after the death of the Libyan dictator.

Ibrahim, who was the mouthpiece of the Gaddafi regime during last year's war, was caught in the town of Tarhouna, 40 miles south of Tripoli.

"Moussa Ibrahim has been arrested by forces belonging to the Libyan government in the town of Tarhouna and he is being transferred to Tripoli to begin interrogation," a statement from the prime minister's office said.

Muammar Gaddafi was captured in Sirte a year ago

Fluent in English, Ibrahim would hold regular press conferences in the luxury Tripoli hotel where journalists stayed during last year's war.

His whereabouts have been unknown since the fall of Tripoli in August 2011 but there have been past reports of his capture.

Saturday marks one year since Gaddafi's capture and death in his hometown Sirte, after he was caught hiding in a drain pipe.

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Cardiff Hit-And-Runs: Police Hunt Mystery Car

Detectives investigating a hit-and-run rampage in which a mother of a disabled child was killed are appealing for information about a mystery car seen driving on the wrong side of the road shortly before the crashes.

Karina Menzies, 32, was killed yesterday and 13 people were injured when a driver brought terror to roads in Cardiff.

As it emerged today that Ms Menzies' child is on a "dream holiday" in Florida and does not know of the tragedy, police revealed new details of the investigation.

Police are continuing to question a 31-year-old man on suspicion of her murder as well as investigating reports that he deliberately knocked people down in the Welsh capital with a white Iveco van.

Detective Superintendent Paul Hurley confirmed reports that the suspect left his vehicle and physically assaulted people between the crashes and also carried a weapon.

Flowers outside the fire station in Ely where Karina Menzies was killed

The officer said: "We are aware the suspect assaulted people outside his vehicle," and he added police were "looking to identify and recover" the weapon.

He said no firearm was involved and there was no suggestion anyone had been stabbed.

Mr Hurley urged witnesses to get in touch and asked for information about a black Renault Clio seen driving on the wrong side of the road of Western Avenue, not far from Cowbridge Road West, where one crash happened.

The horrific events began when police received calls about an incident in Crossways Road in Ely at 3.30pm.

This was soon followed by other reports of hit-and-run collisions in several locations in the west of the city, including Grand Avenue, Cowbridge Road West and the Leckwith Retail Park.

The white van pictured after being stopped by police

There was no full registration details for the Clio but officers said it carried an 05 plate.

Fourteen people were injured in the crashes, nine remain in hospital. Five are children and two adults remain in a critical condition.

Seventy officers are working on the investigation.

Floral tributes were laid at the scene where Ms Menzies was killed.

Among those paying their respects was local Labour MP Kevin Brennan.

Police were called to five locations in Cardiff

He said: "Karina was a well-liked mother who had three children. One of her children is disabled and is currently on a dream holiday in Florida."

Ely sub-postmaster Shady Taha, 29, had just served two girls aged about 10 and a woman in her mid-20s moments before one of the hit-and-runs in Grand Avenue, immediately outside a row of shops.

He said: "All of a sudden I heard a bang. I looked out and across the road one girl was on the floor and the other girl was screaming. I heard a van speed off but I did not see it."

Lynda Paterson, who lives in Cowbridge Road West, described the scene outside her house as chaotic.

"I was going to pick my children up from school and I could see there were police and someone was lying on the floor, on the pavement."

Police examine the scene of one of the crashes

Other eyewitnesses said pedestrians were deliberately targeted by someone driving a white van.

The crime scenes included Ely fire station, an area near the Merrie Harrier pub in Llandough on the outskirts of Cardiff, where the suspect was arrested, and Leckwith Retail Park - next to the Cardiff City Stadium.

It is believed the suspect used a crook lock to assault witnesses.

There were also unconfirmed reports that officers were investigating whether the attacker was involved in a domestic incident before the rampage.

A key part of the inquiry is focused on establishing who owns the white van.

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Two Held After Children Killed In House Fire

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder by police investigating a house fire in which a woman and two children died.

A 20-year-old woman, a boy aged four and a two-year-old girl were pronounced dead by firefighters after the blaze broke out at a property in Maes Y Groes, Prestatyn, on Friday night, a North Wales Police spokeswoman said.

Her 23-year-old partner and her 15-month-old son were taken to hospital by ambulance in a critical condition, she added.

Police confirmed the two people in custody are a 45-year-old man and a 42-year-old woman, who live in a ground floor flat underneath the victims.

Neighbour Adele Gordon described the chaotic moments as the fire took hold: "There were people everywhere. This man came running up the street shouting 'my kids are in there, my kids are in there'.

Fire crews recovered five people from inside the property

"People started smashing the windows but the smoke was mad, I've never seen smoke like it. It was thick black smoke bellowing out of the house."

Another neighbour, Mike Foster said: "I can't believe it. I'm just in shock. I didn't even know them but I'm just so upset."

A joint investigation is being carried out by North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and North Wales Police.

A Welsh Ambulance Services spokeswoman said the man and baby were taken to Glan Clwyd Hospital.

The man was later transferred to Whiston Hospital, Merseyside, while the baby was moved to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

Both were said to be in a serious condition.

Detective Superintendent John Chapman said: "We would appeal for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the Maes y Groes area of Prestatyn yesterday evening to get in contact as soon as possible by calling us on 101.

"We are deploying Family Liaison Officers to work closely with the next of kin at this difficult time.

"There is a team of dedicated officers working on specific lines of enquiry in relation to this incident."

He said a "meticulous" forensic investigation of the house was under way that could take up to three days to complete.

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Killer Has Second Murder Charge Dropped

A man who admitted murdering nightclubber Sian O'Callaghan has had a second murder charge dropped due to police actions.

Christopher Halliwell was jailed for life and will serve a minimum of 25 years behind bars after pleading guilty to killing Miss O'Callaghan during a hearing at Bristol Crown Court.

Halliwell, of Swindon, was also accused of murdering Becky Godden-Edwards but that charge was withdrawn following a ruling by a High Court judge.

It came after one of the country's leading detectives, Detective Superintendent Stephen Fulcher, disregarded legal requirements on the questioning of suspects.

It meant Halliwell's confession to DS Fulcher and the fact he took police to the exact spot where he had buried Ms Godden-Edwards - who had been missing since 2003 - could not be used as evidence in court.

DS Fulcher has recently been suspended from Wiltshire Police in connection with the investigation.

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Beirut Car Bomb: 'Eight Killed' In Explosion

At least eight people have reportedly been killed and 80 wounded by a car bomb in Lebanese capital Beirut.

The rising death toll - following the city's first such attack since 2008 - was reported by Lebanon's state-run National News Agency.

Citing civil defence figures, the agency said the blast in the mainly Christian east Beirut was only 200 yards from the headquarters of the Christian party, the Phalange.

The party is hostile to the regime of President Bashar al Assad in neighbouring Syria, which has been plunged into a civil war that has heightened tensions and divisions in Syria.

But Syrian information minister Omran al Zoabie told reporters: "We condemn this terrorist explosion and all these explosions wherever they happen. Nothing justifies them."

Michael Fish, 25, a British musician visiting Beirut, said he was in his hotel a street away when the explosion happened.

"At first I thought it was an earthquake," he said.

A wounded woman near the site of the explosion

"It shook the whole hotel for a second. I ran down and started filming on my iPhone."

AFP news agency reported that two apartment buildings had been devastated by the bombing in a narrow street off Sassine Square in Ashrafieh. One building was still on fire as Red Cross workers evacuated bloodied casualties.

Balconies were torn off by the force of the blast, windows shattered and cars crushed by falling masonry.

Phalange leader Sami al-Gemayel, a staunch opponent of Mr Assad and a member of parliament, condemned the attack.

"Let the state protect the citizens," he said.

"We will not accept any procrastination in this matter, we cannot continue like that. We have been warning for a year. Enough."

The war in Syria, which has killed 30,000 people in the past 19 months, has pitted mostly Sunni insurgents against Mr Assad, who is from the Alawite sect linked to Shi'ite Islam.

Interior minister Marwan Sharbel was also at the scene of the bombing. The previous such attack in Beirut, in January 2008, killed Lebanon's top anti-terrorism investigator and three other people.

The most high-profile car bombing since Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war took place on February 14, 2005 when a massive blast killed former premier Rafiq Hariri and 22 other people as his motorcade drove along the waterfront.

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Ronnie Barker's Son Jailed For Indecent Images

Adam Barker has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for making indecent images of children.

The 44-year-old was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court in west London for being in the possession of 1,675 indecent images and videos.

He also admitted to 20 counts of making indecent images of children.

Barker had been on the run from the law for eight years, during which time he had lived in Hungary.

He also missed the funeral of his father, the celebrated comedian Ronnie Barker who died in October 2005.

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Police: Torched Car Belongs To Missing Vet

Missing Irish Woman's Last Sighting

Updated: 6:16pm UK, Thursday 18 October 2012

CCTV footage of the last known sighting of a missing Irish woman feared to have been murdered in Wales has been released by police.

Catherine Gowing, 37, was captured on camera in an Asda store in Queensferry, Flintshire, at 8:06pm last Friday.

She had left the veterinary surgery in Mold where she worked at around 7pm wearing blue jeans, a light brown zip-up fleece top with white sleeves and white side panels and plain flat black shoes.

Ms Gowing was also carrying a bright brown saddle bag over her shoulder and was carrying an Asda plastic bag and a pizza-type box.

Her sister, Emma Gowing, appealed for help in finding her "beautiful sister", who is originally from Kinnity, Co Offaly.

In a statement, she said: "We are all so deeply shocked by the events that have unfolded in the last four days.

"Catherine's disappearance has left us all bereft. We are lost without her.

"Catherine is a kind sensitive beautiful person. She is passionate about animals and utterly devoted to her family. She is my best friend and the light of my life and my parents' lives."

Detective Superintendent John Hanson, of North Wales Police, said: "Co-ordinated searches continue at various locations in an attempt to find Catherine, her vehicle and personal items that appear to be missing from her home.

"Our priority is to trace Catherine and we would urge anyone who has seen her or her Renault Clio, bearing the Irish registration plates 00D 99970, to contact the North Wales Police incident room on 101.

"This is totally out of character for Catherine and the public's assistance in the search cannot be emphasised enough."

Ms Gowing is about 5ft 10in and of slim, athletic build. She speaks with an Irish accent.

Police believe that after finishing work, she drove home to Cae Isa, New Brighton, in her work car - a Vauxhall Corsa which has been recovered.

A 46-year-old man from Gwynedd is being held in connection with Ms Gowing's disappearance.

He appeared before Prestatyn magistrates on Thursday morning and a warrant for further detention was granted to North Wales Police, allowing him to be questioned until Friday evening.

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John Terry Punished By Chelsea For Race Abuse

Chelsea say they have taken "further disciplinary action" against John Terry after he decided not to appeal against his four-match ban for racially abusing QPR's Anton Ferdinand.

The club will not reveal what discipline it is taking against its captain, saying the internal sanctions issued "will remain confidential".

"Chelsea Football Club believes John Terry has made the correct decision by not appealing against the FA judgment relating to language he used at the QPR match last October.

"Chelsea also appreciates, and supports, John's full apology for the language he used. The club firmly believes such language is not acceptable and fell below the standards expected of John as a Chelsea player.

"The board has conducted its own investigation into the matter, and considered the various issues involved. The board has taken further disciplinary action in addition to the four-match suspension and £220,000 fine imposed by the FA. In accordance with our long-standing policy, that disciplinary action will remain confidential."

Earlier, Terry apologised for the language he used, announcing he will not challenge the ban and fine of £220,000 issued by an independent Football Association regulatory commission two weeks ago.

Terry's next match will be on November 11

The 31-year-old defender was found guilty by the FA commission of racially abusing Ferdinand during a Premier League match between Chelsea and QPR on October 23 last year.

The three-man panel had ruled there was "no credible basis" for Terry's claim he had only been repeating words he thought QPR defender Ferdinand had accused him of saying, and labelled his defence "improbable, implausible and contrived".

Meanwhile, another Chelsea player Ashley Cole has been fined £90,000 after he admitted an FA charge in relation to a Twitter comment which was improper and/or brought the game into disrepute, the FA has announced.

The commission also questioned why Terry's team-mate Cole had changed his statement to give more support to Terry's story, sparking a furious response from the Chelsea and England defender who described the FA as a "bunch of t***s" in a tweet sent on October 5.

Cole issued a full apology later that day and has since admitted a misconduct charge.

Cole was fined £90,000 by the FA

Earlier, Terry released a statement via his representatives Elite Management earlier, Terry said: "After careful consideration, I have decided not to appeal against the FA judgment.

"I want to take this opportunity to apologise to everyone for the language I used in the game against Queens Park Rangers last October.

"Although I'm disappointed with the FA judgment, I accept that the language I used, regardless of the context, is not acceptable on the football field or indeed in any walk of life."

Terry's statement continued: "As I stated in the criminal case, with the benefit of hindsight my language was clearly not an appropriate reaction to the situation for someone in my position.

"My response was below the level expected by Chelsea Football Club, and by me, and it will not happen again.

"Looking forward, I will continue to do my part in assisting the club to remove all types of discriminatory behaviour from football.

"I am extremely grateful for the consistent support of Chelsea FC, the fans and my family."

Terry has not apologised directly to Ferdinand.

The four-match ban imposed by the FA means Terry can return to action against Liverpool on November 11.

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Missing Ben Needham: New Search In Greece

British police investigating the disappearance of Ben Needham are to search a mound of earth close to where he went missing in Greece 21 years ago.

Ben vanished on the island of Kos in July 1991 when he was 21 months old, after his mother and grandparents moved there from Sheffield.

How Ben might look in his early twenties

Despite a number of possible sightings and a range of theories about what happened to him, no trace of the youngster has been found.

A team of experts will begin examining the grounds of the farmhouse from which Ben disappeared tomorrow, before deciding whether any areas should be dug up.

The search, which is expected to last up to 10 days, will centre on a large mound near the house which is now grassed over.

One theory is that Ben could have been buried beneath building material which was dumped there at the time he went missing.

His mother, Kerry Needham, 41, told the Daily Mirror: "This is an elimination process and that's how I'm dealing with it.

"It's one of the most important things to happen in 21 years."

Mrs Needham has previously said she believes the mound was already there when Ben went missing.

Angela Smith, the MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, told BBC Radio Sheffield: "Hopefully they won't find Ben in that rubble and it closes down another line of inquiry and narrows down the possibilities.

"I know that she [Mrs Needham] will be very keen for this work to be undertaken and rock solid confident, I'm sure, that they won't find Ben there."

South Yorkshire Police, which is leading the operation, said the search, which follows a request from Greek police for extra support, would also involve a forensic archaeologist and search dogs.

A spokesman for the force said: "During the past 18 months, South Yorkshire Police has reviewed all material held by the Greek police in relation to Ben's disappearance in order to support the Greek enquiry.

"We have also obtained Ben's DNA from Sheffield Children's Hospital."

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Greek Police Clash With Austerity Protesters

Violence has broken out in the Greek capital Athens, where protesters have clashed with police during an anti-austerity demonstration.

Campaigners threw petrol bombs and rocks at police officers, who responded by firing tear gas to break up groups of troublemakers.

It comes on the day European leaders meet to discuss the future of the single currency.

Millions of Greeks have joined a general strike in a bid to convince politicians to let up on years of crippling austerity.

The 24-hour walkout, organised by the country's two biggest labour unions, is the twentieth work stoppage since a devastating debt crisis erupted in the country late 2009.

The financial crisis has since spread to other troubled economies sharing Europe's single currency.

A protest at the Greek finance ministry on Wednesday

The latest action targets a fresh batch of brutal budget cuts which Athens must take to unlock some 31 billion euros (£25.1bn) in bailout loans it needs to keep the country paying pension, state salaries and running costs.

From taxi drivers to doctors and diplomats, the strike is expected to paralyse an already suffocating economy.

Ships will remain docked throughout the day, hospitals plan to operate on skeleton staff, and dozens of domestic and international flights face cancellation as air traffic controllers agreed to join the protest.

Aircraft will be grounded - and the country isolated from the rest of the world - for three hours.

Most business and public sector activity is expected to come to a screeching halt and government offices will remain shut.

The focus will be in the capital where organisers have called on protesters to rally outside parliament, a venue of frequent, at times, violent, showdowns between demonstrators and police.

Fearing potential violence, authorities have ordered some 4,000 police to the streets to mind demonstrations planned in the capital.

Steel fences and water cannon have been propped outside parliament to shield the sprawling building.

"Just once, the government should reject [international] lenders' absurd demands," said Yannis Panagopoulos, head of the GSEE private sector union.

The Greek parliament has been a frequent venue for protests

"Agreeing to catastrophic measures means driving society to despair and the consequences as well as the protests will be indefinite."

Opinion polls show eight in 10 Greeks increasingly pessimistic, believing the country was heading down a wrong path of austerity.

Still, with the country running low on cash, the prime minister has said Greece has enough money through November.

But Athens has little leverage against lenders pushing for it to adopt 13.5 billion euro in added austerity.

Earlier this week, demands for drastic labour overhauls, including cuts in wages and severance fees, kicked up a political storm. The government's junior coalition partner threatened to walk out of government if the measures were adopted.

Under the current agreement, Greece has to adopt the cuts through 2014; to ease the pain, however, the government, wants an extra two years, until 2016.

Entangled in its worst economic crisis since World War Two, Greece has seen the recession leave a record 1.3 million people, or 25.1%, jobless.

And so unions have vowed to wage rolling strikes to pressure the government to repeal the latest new labour regulations, which include a reported 15,000 public sector sackings.

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Firefighter's Kick Saves Two-Year-Old Child

Firefighters have dramatically stopped a man jumping to his death while holding a two-year-old child by kicking him through an open window back into his bedroom.

Soldiers and firefighters had rushed to a block of flats in Xining, the capital of China's Qinghai province, after a man threatened to throw himself from a window. 

The man, who at points was crying and screaming, was sat on the ledge while cradling the child.

The man was sat on a windowsill

Rescue workers quickly inflated a safety cushion at the foot of the building in case the man jumped or fell, but at the same time, two firefighters began abseiling down the building from higher windows.

When one was just a few metres above the man's head, he swung himself out from the wall before swinging back in to kick the man back into the bedroom.

Rescuers picked up the child

Rescuers who had entered through another window were there to pick up the child.

The man had reportedly had an argument with his wife.

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Energy Bills: Cameron Promises New Laws

Energy firms will be forced to give customers the cheapest available tariff under new laws, David Cameron has announced.

Amid mounting concern about the soaring cost of power, the Prime Minister vowed to legislate to tackle the often-confusing array of prices.

"I can announce that we will be legislating so that energy companies have to give the lowest tariff to their customers," he told MPs during Prime Minister's Questions.

His intervention follows a string of above-inflation price hikes by major energy companies in recent days.

Ministers have previously encouraged customers to shop around to make sure they have the best deal.

They have also announced moves to require energy companies to inform their customers if they could be on cheaper tariffs.

But the forthcoming Energy Bill will go further by introducing a requirement for companies to give people the best tariff for their circumstances.

The announcement came after consumer body Which? called for an urgent independent review into the rising cost of household energy bills.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said the energy market was "broken".

A review was needed to look at rising prices and whether competition between suppliers could be made to work more effectively to help consumers, he insisted.

With the average bill up 13% since a Government energy summit a year ago, "it is no wonder consumers tell us that energy prices are one of their top financial concerns," he said.

He claimed there was little evidence that the Government was living up to its promise to make energy companies more competitive, with 75% of consumers on the most expensive tariff, and the numbers switching suppliers continuing to decline.

Mr Lloyd said people were questioning whether they were being fairly charged for gas and electricity, as companies blamed wholesale price rises and the cost of implementing environmental and social policies for bill increases.

He added: "The time for action is now. Warm words alone are not enough to keep consumers from the cold this winter."

A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said: "Households facing rising energy bills this winter aren't going to be helped by more inquiries or investigations that could take years to complete and implement.

"We know what the problems are, we want to get on with tackling them now. We're focusing on action, not more words.

"The fact is reforms by Government and Ofgem, including electricity market reform through the forthcoming Energy Bill and Ofgem's ongoing Retail Market Review, offer the quickest way to boost consumer confidence in the energy market."

Shadow energy secretary Caroline Flint said: "Which? are right to say that Britain's energy market is not working in the public interest.

"For too long energy companies have been able to get away with blaming wholesale prices when bills go up, but failing to pass on savings when wholesale prices fall."

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Andrew Mitchell: Miliband Says 'He's Toast'

Labour leader Ed Miliband has mocked Tory Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell during Prime Minister's Questions and declared "he's toast".

Prime Minister David Cameron was forced to defend the senior Tory yet again as his row with a policeman dominated the first PMQs session for more than a month.

Mr Miliband sought to use the affair to show that the Tories are a party of the privileged minority who want to live by different rules to the rest of the country.

"If a yob in a city centre on a Saturday night abused a police officer, ranting and raving, the chances are they would be arrested and placed in the back of a police car and rightly so," he said.

"The Prime Minister would be the first in the queue to say it was right. But while it's a night in the cell for the yobs, it's a night in the Carlton Club for the Chief Whip. Isn't that the clearest case there could be of total double standards?"

Mr Cameron retorted: "He wants to discuss these issues because he has nothing to say about the country."

But the Labour leader continued: "They say that I practise class war and they go round calling people plebs.

"It is good to see the Cabinet supporting him in public but what are they saying in private: 'He's completely undermined, his position is untenable.'

"In other words, he's toast. That is the reality. While everybody else loses their jobs, the Chief Whip keeps his. If you're a millionaire you get a tax cut, if you're anyone else you get a tax rise."

Labour leader Ed Miliband was on the attack

The Prime Minister admitted yet again that his Chief Whip had been wrong but insisted his apology had been accepted by police chiefs and that it was time to move on.

"This Government will get on with the big issues of helping Britain compete and succeed in the world," he told MPs.

Mr Mitchell looked uncomfortable as he watched the clash from the frontbenches. At one point, he appeared to deny having sworn at police.

He shook his head, apparently mouthing "I didn't, I didn't" as Mr Miliband said that people who swear at police should expect to be arrested.

This sparked more raised eyebrows, with Tory MP Michael Fabricant claiming the Chief Whip had reignited the row himself after previously admitting he had sworn.

Sky's Deputy Political Editor Joey Jones says there is now an increasing push to oust the Chief Whip over the affair.

"The constant and agonising undercurrent for the Conservative Party at the moment is about the position of the Chief Whip. It is becoming a huge preoccupation for MPs and ministers," he said.

"Utterly authoritative sources tell me that senior Conservative ministers are beyond despair at the situation, which they can see just dragging on and becoming a huge distraction."

David Cameron insisted it was time to move on

Mr Mitchell faces another serious test later when the 1922 Committee meets and party members are given a chance to state their views.

He will not attend the session but it is believed that he will meet with the committee's executive afterwards where he will be made aware of the mood.

The senior Tory has been clinging to his job, which he only took on in the recent reshuffle, since it emerged he had rowed with a policeman on September 19.

He ranted at the officer at the Downing Street gates when he was told he could not cycle out of the main entrance.

Mr Mitchell has denied calling the police "plebs" during the argument but his account conflicts with the official police record.

He failed to quell the row with a lacklustre apology live on Sky News and then stayed away from the Tory conference last week to avoid being a "distraction".

The Opposition has already tabled a motion calling for Mr Mitchell to be docked £1,000 from his salary - roughly the same amount he would have been fined for swearing at an officer.

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Serbia Racism Row: England 'Victim' Blamed

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has spoken out about racism in football after allegations of racist chanting during an England U21 game.

The 76-year-old avoided commenting directly on claims of racist chanting directed at English players during the game in Serbia on Tuesday night.

But he tweeted twice and called for discrimination to be "eradicated".

He wrote: "Saddened every time I hear about racist incidents in football.

"We must keep fighting to eradicate discrimination from our sport. Kick racism out of football."

It comes after the Serbian FA denied allegations of racist chanting during the playoff game, which England won 1-0 to go through to the European Championship finals.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter said he was "saddened" by racism in football

The Serbian FA also claimed England player Danny Rose behaved in a "vulgar" manner towards its fans. Rose was sent off after the final whistle.

In a statement on its website, the Serbian FA said: "(The) FA of Serbia absolutely refuses (sic) and denies that there were any occurrences of racism before and during the match at the stadium in Krusevac.

"Making connection between the seen incident - a fight between members of the two teams - and racism has absolutely no ground and we consider it to be a total malevolence.

"Unfortunately, after the fourth minute of the additional time and the victory goal scored by the guest team, unpleasant scenes were seen on the pitch.

"And while most of the English team players celebrated the score, their player number three, Danny Rose, behaved in inappropriate, unsportsmanlike and vulgar manner towards the supporters on the stands at the stadium in Krusevac, and for that he was shown a red card."

The Serbian FA said preliminary reports from the match officials made no mention of racism and added: "We expect that the human and sports culture of our football friends from England will win over the spread of misinformation."

Rose was controversially sent off by the referee after responding angrily to the abuse and kicking a ball into the crowd.

The English FA and Prime Minister David Cameron have called for UEFA to investigate allegations that England players were subjected to racist chants and pelted with seats, coins and stones during their European Championship play-off.

England's players were incensed by the racist abuse

In amateur footage of the scuffles that broke out following England's winning goal, monkey chants are clearly audible.

Rose told Sky Sports News: "I just expressed my emotions as soon as we scored.

"Next thing I turned round and all the Serbian players have surrounded me, pushing me, and then a brawl broke out.

"I remember getting slapped twice and then I got ushered away. That's when I kicked the ball and the referee's sent me off.

"As I was walking off there was monkey chanting - but the monkey chanting started long before I got sent off."

He added: "They have to be banned."

Downing Street said Prime Minister David Cameron was "appalled" by the scenes at the end of the match and wants Uefa to impose tough sanctions if racism is proved.

Sports minister Hugh Robertson has also written to Uefa president Michel Platini urging tough action following the "disgraceful scenes".

Captain Jordan Henderson praised his players for their reaction to the alleged racist abuse and called on Uefa to take the appropriate action.

The Football Association reported "a number of incidents of racism" to Uefa after ugly scenes marred a 1-0 win for Stuart Pearce's team in the second leg of their play-off.

FA general secretary Alex Horne said: "We call on UEFA to take the strongest possible action against the Serbian FA, their supporters and anyone found guilty of being involved in the numerous instances of violence and abuse."

Liverpool midfielder Henderson said on www.thefa.com: "There was a lot of racist abuse out there from the stands and a lot going on after the game, which is hard to take for the players."

The brawl broke out when supporters invaded the field moments after Connor Wickham's stoppage-time goal secured a 2-0 aggregate success and a place at next year's finals in Israel.

Henderson added: "The players coped with the abuse really well. It's not nice. They kept their heads and were professional.

"I thought our players were brilliant and conducted themselves very well. The players completely condemn what happened.

"There were also stones, coins and seats getting thrown at us. I didn't understand why Danny Rose was sent off at the end - I didn't see he did anything wrong, other than get abused."

A statement from the FA read: "The FA condemns both the scenes of racism and the confrontation at the final whistle during which time our players and staff were under extreme provocation.

"The FA has reported a number of incidents of racism to Uefa following the fixture.

"These were seemingly aimed at a number of black England players by the crowd. The matter is now with Uefa."

England manager Stuart Pearce said Serbia's technical director Savo Milosevic had visited the England dressing room to apologise.

"I never like to see any football matches end like that," Pearce told ESPN.

"I think there were one or two racist incidents that came on from the crowd. It's in (Uefa's) hands now.

"It's very sad, to be fair, but we're united as a team. I'm very proud of the reaction of our players."

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April Cops: 'We'll Search Until Christmas'

The search for missing April Jones could continue until Christmas and beyond, police have said.

Major search efforts to find the five-year-old schoolgirl are ongoing, and Dyfed Powys Police say the hunt may not end for months.

"We said goodbye to 150 officers this morning and they've been replaced by another 150 specialists," Superintendent Ian John said, speaking from April's home town of Machynlleth.

"Numbers may fluctuate a bit on a daily basis, but whilst we still have viable lines of inquiry, we will continue to search.

"We could still be here at Christmas or the new year, we could be finished in two weeks."

He added: "The numbers involved in searching are always under review.

"Hopefully we will find April soon. We are not going anywhere until we have done our job.

"We are here for the long-term if we need to be."

He said that specialist searches from 16 separate police forces were helping in the ongoing hunt for April.

They were backed up by fire service urban area search and rescue teams, hazardous area search teams and teams from the ambulance service.

Mountain rescue teams were brought back in over the weekend as different terrain was encountered and closely searched.

Specialists capable of working in confined areas such as pot holes, caves ana mine shafts are used when needed.

Hazards for which the experts need to be prepared include encountering gases such as methane which have built up.

While a myriad of tunnels and shafts are explored underground, commercial volunteers are helping with aerial searches.

Private planes full of technology otherwise unavailable to the police have been helping to spot promising areas to search.

Sonar technology and specialist equipment which can pinpoint heat signatures from the air are being used. The data it produces is closely examined and used to target specific areas to search.

April was last seen on October 1 on the Bryn-y-Gog estate where she lived.

The youngster, who suffers from cerebral palsy, was out late on her bike as a treat for getting a good school report earlier that day.

Mark Bridger, 46, from Machynlleth, has been charged with April's murder and abduction.

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Gary McKinnon: May Blocks Extradition To US

Long Wait Over Extradition Ruling

Updated: 12:47pm UK, Tuesday 16 October 2012

Computer hacker Gary McKinnon has been living under the threat of extradition and prosecution in the US for more than 10 years. Here is a summary of the key events in his case:

:: 2001-2002 Between February 1 2001 and March 19 2002, the Glasgow-born computer expert allegedly hacks into 97 US government computers from his home in north London.

He is accused of leaving 300 computers at US Naval Weapons Station Earle in New Jersey unusable immediately after the September 11 2001 terror attacks on America.

US prosecutors also allege he deleted files which shut down the US army's military district of Washington DC network of more than 2,000 computers for 24 hours.

Mr McKinnon later denies causing any damage and says he was only looking for files that would prove the existence of UFOs.

:: 2002 Between March 19 and August 8, Mr McKinnon is interviewed about his hacking by the UK's National Hi-Tech Crime Unit at the request of the US government.

On October 31, the District Court of New Jersey in the US issues a warrant for his arrest before Paul McNulty, the US attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, says on November 12: "Mr McKinnon is charged with the biggest military computer hack of all time."

:: 2004 The US District Court of the Eastern District of Virginia issues another warrant for McKinnon's arrest on August 12 and, on October 7, the US government files a request for his extradition.

:: 2005 On March 31, a warrant for Mr McKinnon's arrest is issued by Bow Street Magistrates' Court and officers from Scotland Yard's extradition unit arrest him at his north London home on June 7.

:: 2006 Then-home secretary John Reid signs an order on July 4 for McKinnon to be extradited to the US.

:: 2007 Mr McKinnon loses an attempt to appeal against his extradition at the High Court on April 3.

:: 2008 The House of Lords, then Britain's highest court, dismisses a further appeal bid by the computer expert on July 30 and McKinnon - who is diagnosed as suffering from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism, on August 25 - also loses his bid to get the European Court of Human Rights to stay the extradition on August 28.

Then-home secretary Jacqui Smith rejects a request from Mr McKinnon's legal team on September 13 to stop the extradition on the grounds of his Asperger's diagnosis.

:: 2009 In January, Mr McKinnon wins permission in the High Court to seek judicial review of Ms Smith's decision and, a month later, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announces that it will not bring charges against him in Britain.

Mr McKinnon makes a bid at the High Court in July to force the Government into allowing a trial in the UK, challenging the CPS's refusal to sanction a trial in this country, but two High Court judges refuse to block his removal.

Then-Tory leader David Cameron joins the growing call for a review of extradition laws in July, saying McKinnon is "a vulnerable young man and I see no compassion in sending him thousands of miles away from his home and loved ones to face trial".

The following month, Mr McKinnon's mother Janis Sharp criticises the then-home secretary Alan Johnson for linking her son to the September 11 terror attacks and the deaths of nearly 3,000 US citizens.

In November, the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee calls for a "comprehensive review" of the controversial treaty under which Mr McKinnon could be sent for trial while Mr Johnson, as home secretary, rejects a last-ditch appeal for him to block the extradition, saying: "I have no general discretion."

:: 2010 Mr McKinnon's mother receives 173 votes when she stands against Jack Straw, who helped agree the extradition treaty with the US, in his Blackburn constituency at the general election in May.

Later that month, the new Home Secretary Theresa May gives campaigners a glimmer of hope by agreeing his case should be adjourned while medical evidence is considered.

Now Prime Minister, Mr Cameron discusses Mr McKinnon's case with US President Barack Obama in July, saying he hopes "a way through" can be found.

It also emerges through leaked documents in November that, as prime minister, Gordon Brown unsuccessfully proposed a deal to allow McKinnon to serve any prison sentence in Britain.

:: 2011 The Government should renegotiate the UK's extradition treaty with the US to ensure British citizens get the same protection as Americans, the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) says in June.

But in October, a long-awaited review of extradition arrangements by retired Court of Appeal judge Sir Scott Baker finds the current treaty between the US and the UK is both balanced and fair. Many MPs and campaigners urge the Government to change the Extradition Act anyway.

:: 2012 The High Court expresses concern in January over the length of time Mr McKinnon's case in taking and attempts to speed matters up by listing it for a hearing in July.

In March, Mr Cameron and Mr Obama agree to review the operation of the controversial extradition treaty, but do not mention any individual cases during talks at the White House.

On October 16, the Home Secretary announces she is blocking Mr McKinnon's extradition on health grounds.

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Stolen Paintings Include Picasso And Freud

Several paintings including works by Picasso, Matisse and Monet have been stolen from a Dutch museum in one of the largest heists in years.

Police said a total of seven paintings were taken from the Kunsthal museum in Rotterdam including Pablo Picasso's Tete d'Arlequin (1971) and Henri Matisse's La Liseuse and Blanc Et Jaune (1919).

Two pieces by Claude Monet - Waterloo Bridge, London (1901) and Charing Cross Bridge, London (1901) - were also stolen.

The thieves also made off with Paul Gauguin's Femme Devant Une Fenetre Ouverte, Dite La Fiancee (1888), Meyer de Haan's Autoportrait (circa 1889 - 91) and Woman With Eyes Closed (2002) by Lucian Freud.

The heist occurred during Monday night or Tuesday morning in Rotterdam.

The total value of the seven pieces has not been revealed but is said to be "considerable", according to Mariette Maaskant from the museum.

"There was a break-in during the night and a few paintings were taken that represent a considerable sum," Rotterdam police spokeswoman Patricia Wessels confirmed.

"A major investigation is under way and forensics are at the scene."

The museum, which opened a new exhibition a few days ago to celebrate its 20th anniversary, will be shut for the rest of the day.

Investigators are now reviewing CCTV footage and appealing for witnesses who might have seen the crime, which is believed to have taken place in the early hours of the morning.

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House Fire Deaths Leave Father 'Inconsolable'

A doctor who lost his wife and all but one of his five children in a suspected arson attack is "inconsolable", a colleague has said.

Dr Abdul Shakoor, who suffered minor injuries as he desperately tried to rescue his family from their Essex home, was seen escaping the inferno with a child in his arms, it has emerged.

The doctor is currently being treated at Broomfield hospital in Chelmsford after being moved there to be closer to his critically ill daughter - three-year-old Maheen, who is fighting for her life in a burns unit.

His wife Sabah Usmani, sons Sohaib, 11, and Rayan, six, and 12-year-old daughter Hira, died in their end-of-terrace house in Barn Mead, Harlow, in the early hours of Monday.

A Ford Focus was found blazing yards away from the house

A third son, Muneeb, nine, later died at the Princess Alexandra hospital, where Dr Shakoor worked and was also being treated until late last night. Police have not said which of the children he was able to bring outside.

One of Dr Shakoor's colleagues, Dr Purnami De Silva, who was leaving flowers near the family home, said: "It's so difficult to comprehend the gravity of what's gone on.

"As you would expect, he's inconsolable."

According to neighbours, Dr Shakoor had to be physically restrained from going back inside the property and police have said he "fought hard" to save his family.

Dr Shakoor with his wife, Sabah

Police, who have started a painstaking forensic examination of the house, are now investigating whether the family were not the intended targets of the attackers.

But they stressed it was an isolated incident and there was no evidence that a serial arsonist was involved. There had been no previous problems with racism in the area.

Dr Shakoor, who reportedly left from a first-floor window as flames engulfed the house, is said to be in "severe shock".

Witness reports suggest between one and four people were in the area at the time of the fire. Such sightings will form key lines of inquiry, police said.

A silver Ford Focus was found burning a short distance from the house when fire crews arrived at the address.

The vehicle was not connected to the family but that fire is also being treated as arson.

Among the flower tributes at the house, one message read: "RIP little angels and your special mummy xxx."

Lesley Lynn, headteacher at Abbotsweld Primary School where Sohaib, Rayan and Muneeb studied, said everybody had been left distraught by the "horrible tragedy".

She said: "They were intelligent and sociable with a good sense of humour, good at sports and much loved by everyone."

The Harlow Islamic Centre has described the family as "much-liked and respected".

Flowers have been left close to the scene

Detective Superintendent Rob Vinson, who is leading the investigation, said the local community could hold the answer to who was behind the attack.

He said: "Nobody expects such a catastrophic incident in their own neighbourhood."

Originally from Karachi, Pakistan, the couple had lived in Saudi Arabia, where the children were born, for more than a decade before moving to the UK.

Parvez Hamid, 43, and Safia Anwar, 38, said they had known the couple since they moved to Harlow and some of their children attended the nearby Abbotsweld Primary School together.

Mrs Anwar said: "They were a wonderful family. Their children were best friends with our own."

Neighbours raised the alarm after being woken in the early hours. It is thought some form of fuel may have been used to start the fire.

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Gold Fields Mine Threatens To Sack Strikers

One of the mining companies suffering amid the spread of industrial unrest in South Africa has issued an ultimatum to 23,500 staff to return to work or face the sack.

South African bullion producer Gold Fields, the world's fourth largest gold miner, has been among the companies facing union demands for better wages.

Disruption to output at its mines in the country has so far cost it 65,000 ounces of lost gold production worth almost £85m.

Its chief executive Nick Holland said: "The company has this morning issued an ultimatum to all striking workers ... to present to work by no later than 1400 hours Thursday 18 October 2012 or face immediate dismissal."

The warning affects two thirds of the company's workforce.

It comes as scuffles continue throughout the country - with dozens of arrests made at Samancor's chrome mine amid reports of rubber bullets being fired by police.  

Around 3,000 people were thought to be involved in the protest, which saw demonstrators clash with authorities.

The site is not far from Lonmin's Marikana platinum facility, where 44 people died in August.

Protests have also spread beyond the mining industry, with some 200,000 council workers due to stop working later this week over issues with pay.

The unrest has damaged confidence among investors and forced Standard & Poor's and Moody's to downgrade South Africa's credit rating.

About 80,000 mineworkers, representing 16% of the mining workforce, are currently striking across South Africa.

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