Boston Residents Rejoice Over 'End Of Terror'

Boston Bomb Suspect In Custody

Updated: 9:57am UK, Saturday 20 April 2013

The second Boston bombing suspect has been captured after he was found hiding in a boat parked in a suburban backyard.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was already wounded from an earlier shootout, exchanged gunfire with police for an hour while holed up in the boat in the neighbourhood of Watertown.

The dramatic stand-off ended with the 19-year-old being given first aid on the lawn next to the boat before he was taken away in an ambulance at around 8.45pm local time.

Dzhokhar remains in "serious condition" at Beth Israel Deaconess hospital, said Boston police commissioner Ed Davis.

Swat teams surrounded the boat after a tip-off from a resident who noticed blood on it, Mr Davis said.

The man lifted the cover of the boat, saw the teenager covered in blood and alerted police.

A police helicopter then used infra-red equipment to confirm there was a human inside the boat.

Dzhokhar had been on the run since his 26-year-old brother and fellow suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev  - known as suspect number one - was killed in a shoot-out with police in the early hours of Friday.

The brothers were believed to be behind Monday's twin explosions at the Boston Marathon which left three people dead and around 180 wounded.

During their getaway attempt, they killed Massachusetts Institute of Technology policeman Sean Collier and severely wounded another officer, authorities said.

A crowd of residents cheered as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev - known as suspect number two - was taken into custody, and the celebrations continued into the night in the city's streets.

Mayor Tom Menino said on Twitter: "We got him".

Boston Police tweeted: "CAPTURED!!! The hunt is over. The search is done. The terror is over. And justice has won. Suspect in custody."

The family of eight-year-old Martin Richard, who died in the bombings, released a statement praising police.  

"Tonight, our family applauds the entire law enforcement community for a job well done, and trust that our justice system will now do its job," the family said.

Martin's mother also sustained brain injuries and his sister lost a leg in the blast.

US President Barack Obama told a news conference the suspect's capture "closed an important chapter in this tragedy".

But he said there were still many unanswered questions about the marathon bombings, including whether the two men had help from others.

As Dzhokhar was being captured, three people in New Bedford, Massachusetts, were also taken into custody for questioning over the blasts.

Lieutenant Robert Richard said two men and a woman were being questioned by the FBI "on the assumption there is an affiliation with suspect number two".

Dzhokhar's capture came at the end of a tumultuous all-day manhunt and house-to-house search by thousands of elite police officers.

As night fell, police announced that they were scaling back the hunt and they had so far come up empty-handed.

But shortly after that statement, a break came in Watertown when the homeowner - who had been indoors all day due to the manhunt - saw the blood on his boat.

The vessel had not been searched before because it was outside of the police perimeter set up during the search.

It has also been revealed that Tamerlan attracted the attention of US authorities two years ago.

The FBI said its agents interviewed him in 2011 at the request of a foreign government, but that the investigation found "no derogatory information", according to an official.

The FBI declined to identify the country involved or the nature of the probe.

The brothers moved to the US a decade ago from a Russian region near Chechnya and had been living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as legal permanent residents.

Their father, Anzor Tsarnaev, told reporters in Russia that he believed his sons had been framed and described the killing of Tamerlan as "cowardly".

Maret Tsarnaev, the men's aunt, said Tamerlan had recently become a devout Muslim who prayed five times a day.

Speaking to reporters at her home in Toronto, Canada, she also said the older brother was married and had a daughter in the US.

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Boston Bombings: Second Suspect In Custody

The second Boston bombing suspect has been captured after he was found hiding in a boat parked in a suburban backyard.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who was already wounded from an earlier shootout, exchanged gunfire with police for an hour while holed up in the boat in the neighbourhood of Watertown.

The dramatic stand-off ended with the 19-year-old being given first aid on the lawn next to the boat before he was taken away in an ambulance at around 8.45pm local time.

This image appears to show the capture of Dzhokhar

Dzhokhar remains in "serious condition" at Beth Israel Deaconess hospital, said Boston police commissioner Ed Davis.

Swat teams surrounded the boat after a tip-off from a resident who noticed blood on it, Mr Davis said.

The man lifted the cover of the boat, saw the teenager covered in blood and alerted police.

A police helicopter then used infra-red equipment to confirm there was a human inside the boat.

Police look around the corner as Dzhokhar was hiding in a boat nearby

Dzhokhar had been on the run since his 26-year-old brother and fellow suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev  - known as suspect number one - was killed in a shoot-out with police in the early hours of Friday.

The brothers were believed to be behind Monday's twin explosions at the Boston Marathon which left three people dead and around 180 wounded.

During their getaway attempt, they killed Massachusetts Institute of Technology policeman Sean Collier and severely wounded another officer, authorities said.

A crowd of residents cheered as Dzhokhar Tsarnaev - known as suspect number two - was taken into custody, and the celebrations continued into the night in the city's streets.

An FBI officer stands in front of the boat

Mayor Tom Menino said on Twitter: "We got him".

Boston Police tweeted: "CAPTURED!!! The hunt is over. The search is done. The terror is over. And justice has won. Suspect in custody."

The family of eight-year-old Martin Richard, who died in the bombings, released a statement praising police.  

"Tonight, our family applauds the entire law enforcement community for a job well done, and trust that our justice system will now do its job," the family said.

Martin's mother also sustained brain injuries and his sister lost a leg in the blast.

US President Barack Obama told a news conference the suspect's capture "closed an important chapter in this tragedy".

But he said there were still many unanswered questions about the marathon bombings, including whether the two men had help from others.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been taken to hospital with serious injuries

As Dzhokhar was being captured, three people in New Bedford, Massachusetts, were also taken into custody for questioning over the blasts.

Lieutenant Robert Richard said two men and a woman were being questioned by the FBI "on the assumption there is an affiliation with suspect number two".

Dzhokhar's capture came at the end of a tumultuous all-day manhunt and house-to-house search by thousands of elite police officers.

Residents cheered after the suspect was caught

As night fell, police announced that they were scaling back the hunt and they had so far come up empty-handed.

But shortly after that statement, a break came in Watertown when the homeowner - who had been indoors all day due to the manhunt - saw the blood on his boat.

The vessel had not been searched before because it was outside of the police perimeter set up during the search.

It has also been revealed that Tamerlan attracted the attention of US authorities two years ago.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev was interviewed by the FBI in 2011

The FBI said its agents interviewed him in 2011 at the request of a foreign government, but that the investigation found "no derogatory information", according to an official.

The FBI declined to identify the country involved or the nature of the probe.

The brothers moved to the US a decade ago from a Russian region near Chechnya and had been living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as legal permanent residents.

Thousands of officers combed the streets of Boston for Dzhokhar

Their father, Anzor Tsarnaev, told reporters in Russia that he believed his sons had been framed and described the killing of Tamerlan as "cowardly".

Maret Tsarnaev, the men's aunt, said Tamerlan had recently become a devout Muslim who prayed five times a day.

Speaking to reporters at her home in Toronto, Canada, she also said the older brother was married and had a daughter in the US.

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China Earthquake: 100 Killed, 2,000 Injured

By Mark Stone, Beijing correspondent

At least 71 people are believed to have been killed and more than 600 injured after an earthquake struck China's south-western province of Sichuan.

Chinese news agency Xinhua said the quake, measured at varying magnitudes between 6.6 and 7.0, struck at 8.02am local time close to the city of Ya'an in Lushan county and the epicentre had a depth of a little less than eight miles (13km).

It started landslides, destroyed buildings, and triggered a major rescue operation involving emergency services and more than 2,000 troops.

Residents take shelter in a public square in Chengdu

The rescue effort is understood to have been hampered by aftershocks and landslides. Some of the tremors which followed the main quake have been almost as strong.

According to local media reports, a vehicle carrying 17 soldiers fell off a cliff and into a river as it travelled to the epicentre. One soldier was killed and seven more injured, three seriously.

But extraordinary stories of survival are already emerging. According to one local media report, a mother managed to lift concrete weighing 50 kilogrammes to rescue her son from the rubble.

Another report described how a woman gave birth at a bike shelter just a few hours after the quake hit. 

According to the People's Daily newspaper, fire-fighters dug out a mother holding her baby in her arms from the rubble. She survived, but her baby sadly died.

Tremors have been felt in neighbouring provinces and in the provincial capital city of Chengdu. Users of Weibo, China's microblogging service, have posted images of damaged buildings and described scenes of panic as residents rushed outside.

Lushan was hit just after 8am local time

A resident in Chengdu said he was on the 13th floor of a building when he felt the quake. The building shook for about 20 seconds and he saw tiles fall from nearby buildings.

Local seismologists registered the quake at magnitude 7.0 while the US Geological Survey (USGS) put it at 6.6.

The USGS said "significant" casualties were likely and "extensive damage is probable and disaster is likely widespread".

"Past events with this alert level have required a national or international-level response," it added.

Collapsed houses on a road leading from Ya'an city to Luzhou county

A Chinese General, flying over one area in a helicopter, told local media that as many as 50 percent of buildings in one area had collapsed.

China's new Premiere Li Keqiang is flying to the region to survey the damage. The quake is the first big test for the new Chinese leadership. Their ability to respond to it is likely to be scrutinised on an ever growing social media forum.

The epicentre is close to the location of the 2008 earthquake which killed 68,000 people. That quake had a greater magnitude of 7.9 but its epicentre was further underground.

Collapsed houses in Luzhou county

The 2008 disaster destroyed large swathes of the province along with areas of neighbouring Shaanxi and Gansu. The government faced significant criticism for allowing badly constructed buildings to be erected and for covering up their failings.

International offers of assistance have already been received.

The Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent China's President Xi Jinping a telegram expressing his condolences and offering help.

An aerial view of damaged houses Lushan county

"The Russian leader affirmed Russia's readiness in case of need to provide assistance in dealing with the consequences of this damaging natural disaster," the Kremlin said in a statement.

Twin tremors in neighbouring Yunnan province last September triggered landslides that left at least 80 people dead.

A 5.5 magnitude quake in Yunnan last June killed four people and injured more than 100.

Another 5.4 tremor the year before near the border with Burma left 25 people dead and injured 250.

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Rolf Harris Questioned By Savile Police

Police have confirmed television star Rolf Harris was arrested in March on suspicion of committing sexual offences.

Police first raided his home in November 2012. He was interviewed under caution a few days later after agreeing to attend a South London police station by appointment. He was then arrested on 28 March.

Harris was honoured for services to entertainment and the community in 2001

The arrest is not understood to be linked to the Jimmy Savile investigation. A statement issued by Scotland Yard said: "An 82-year-old man from Berkshire was arrested by officers on Operation Yewtree on suspicion of sexual offences.

"He has been bailed to a date in May pending further enquiries. The individual falls under the strand of the investigation we have termed 'others'. He has been bailed by Yewtree detectives until a date in May.

Harris was first named as a suspect on Twitter nearly five months ago by former Surrey police detective Mark Williams Thomas. Since then, police have refused to confirm Harris was being investigated.

Reporters have been gathering outside the entertainer's home this morning but the entertainer has yet to appear.

Harris is originally from Perth, Australia but has lived in the UK for fifty years. In 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal for service to entertainment, charity and the community.

In June 2012 Harris was one of the comperes at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace and in October 2012 he began presenting a Channel 5 series based around Liverpool University's Veterinary School called Rolf's Animal Clinic.

Both Harris and his publicity agent have refused to comment on his arrest. He is one of 11 men arrested by Yewtree detectives investigating sexual abuse allegations in the wake of the Jimmy Savile probe.

Others questioned by police include Freddie Starr, Jim Davidson, Dave Lee Travis and Max Clifford.

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Boston Marathon Bombings: One Suspect Dead

One Boston marathon bombing suspect has been shot dead and another is on the loose believed to be "armed and dangerous", police have said.

It follows a shootout in Watertown between the two suspects and dozens of armed officers after a policeman was shot dead at Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, nine miles from Boston city centre.

Boston Police commissioner Ed Davis said: "What we are looking for right now is a suspect consistent with the description of suspect number two - the white-capped individual who was involved in Monday's bombing of the Boston Marathon."

He is described as light-skinned with brown wavy hair and dressed in a grey hooded top.

"You have seen the picture, You all have it. That's the individual we are looking for at this moment."

He added: "We believe this to be a terrorist. We believe this to be a man who came here to kill people."

The suspects carjacked a black Mercedes SUV taking one person hostage near the university campus and drove off towards the residential suburb of Watertown with police in pursuit.

On their way, the hostage was dumped at a petrol station after about 30 minutes, before a dramatic shootout ensued in Watertown.

The New York Times quoted local resident Andrew Kitzenburg, who said he saw the pair, wearing backpacks, shooting at dozens of police officers from behind a black Mercedes SUV.

The 29-year-old said the officers and the men were 70 yards apart and engaged in "constant gunfire".

He said an explosive device was also thrown at the police and went off some 20 yards from where they were shooting from.

One suspect ran at police and was shot at and apprehended. He later died in hospital.

The other, who is said to be badly injured, managed to get away from the stand-off.

Residents in the area have been told to stay indoors and remain vigilant until further notice, with police conducting door-to-door searches and enquiries.

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Boston Marathon Bombings: Suspects On CCTV

By Dominic Waghorn, US Correspondent

The FBI has released new pictures of the two suspects in the deadly Boston marathon bombings.

The photographs show a pair of men investigators described as "armed and extremely dangerous". One is thought to have been killed.

Images released on Friday morning show one suspect wearing dark clothes, a dark cap and sunglasses. He is understood to have been shot dead.

The second suspect - still on the loose - is seen wearing a white baseball cap, which is reversed allowing a clearer view of his face.

A photo of the second suspect was released by police in Boston

Police say he is armed and should not be approached by the public.

The Boston Globe claims that one of the suspects has been captured, while the other remains on the loose.

The man described as 'suspect one' was wearing a black cap

CCTV footage was released of the pair on Thursday, in which they are seen carrying bulky backpacks as they walk the route of Monday's race in the heart of the city.

The men were filmed heading in the direction of the finishing line, moments before both bombs went off seconds apart.

There was panic and confusion in the aftermath of the deadly twin bombing

Three people were killed and more than 180 others injured in the explosions.

Earlier at a moving inter-faith memorial service, Barack Obama joined 1,700 people at Boston's Holy Cross Cathedral to honour the victims - the youngest of whom was eight-year-old Martin Richard, from Boston.

A major manhunt is under way for the remaining suspect

The president promised the killers would be brought to justice, saying: "We will find you.

"We will hold you accountable. But more than that, our fidelity to our way of life - to our free and open society - will only grow stronger."

The bombs were crudely made with explosives, nails and ball bearings packed into pressure cookers, investigators close to the case have said.

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Boston Marathon Bombs: FBI Hunts 'Suspect'

Investigators have revealed they have an image of a potential suspect taken from security footage before the deadly Boston Marathon bombings.

The picture is believed to have come from CCTV video taken before the twin attacks, in what could be the biggest breakthrough in the case.

It apparently shows a man carrying and possibly dropping a black bag at the second bomb scene on Boylston Street, outside the Forum restaurant, and then walking away.

The surveillance video is believed to have been taken at the Lord and Taylor department store between the sites of the two blasts, which were seconds and about 100 metres apart on the same road.

A forensic officer carries evidence from a rooftop near one of the blasts

Mr Obama and First Lady Michelle will attend an interfaith service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross later today in the city.

Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney is also expected to attend.

It comes as police said no-one has been arrested over Monday's bombings, despite reports in the US media that a suspect was in custody.

The Associated Press earlier claimed a law enforcement official had said a person was detained and was set to be taken to the federal court in the city.

The FBI released images of parts of the bombs

Other media outlets also reported there had been an arrest. But the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US attorney's office in Boston and the police disputed that.

"Despite reports to the contrary there has not been an arrest in the Marathon attack," the Boston police department said on Twitter.

The FBI also said there had been "no arrests made," urging the media to "exercise caution".

Boston City Council president Stephen Murphy, who was 50 yards from one of the explosions, warned Sky News this investigation could be long and drawn out.

Martin Richard, eight, was killed in the explosions

He said: "There were tens of thousands of people out there on Boylston Street and so much movement and so much going on and so much to look at, and everybody's emailing, texting tips, to law enforcement.

"People are poring over that."

The explosive devices involved pressure cooker bombs hidden inside duffel bags packed with nails, shards of metal and ball bearings, placed on the ground near the finish line of the race.

Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi was with friends when she was killed

Three people were killed and more than 170 others were injured in the twin blasts on Monday.

Those killed include eight-year-old Martin Richard, who was waiting to give his father a hug as he crossed the finish line; restaurant manager Krystle Campbell, 29, and Chinese graduate student Lu Lingzi, who was studying at Boston University.

Scores of victims remain in hospitals, many seriously injured. Seventeen people, one as young as give, remain in critical condition.

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Texas Explosion: Witnesses Describe Aftermath

A woman has told how she helped clean the blood from local residents after a fertiliser plant explosion rocked a Texas town.

The blast happened in West, near Waco, and was so powerful that it was felt for miles around.

Local woman Julie Zhhirnik said: "I just hurt so much, and just seeing everything that I saw … it's unexplainable. It's just horrifying for everyone.

Residents from a nearby nursing home are triaged in a car park

"I cared for a lot, I do home help and I care and I helped and cleaned a lot of residents' blood and gave them blankets. I just tried to be there."

One firefighter said: "I've never seen anything like this. It's part of the job, sometimes it makes you nervous, but you just have to overcome it for those less fortunate."

Debby Marak said the blast was like being "in a tornado", adding that "stuff was flying everywhere."

The remains of the fertiliser plant burn after an explosion

Resident Cheryl Marich, whose home was destroyed, said: "It knocked me down, it knocked me back. It was like the whole road just picked up."

Jason Shelton told the Dallas Morning News: "It exploded just like the Oklahoma City bomb.

"I live about a thousand feet from it and it blew my screen door off and my back windows. There's houses levelled that were right next to it."

Firefighters check a destroyed apartment complex

Another witness, Bill Bohannan, told the Waco Tribune-Herald: "It knocked us into the car... Every house within about four blocks is blown apart."

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Texas Explosion: Town 'Totally Decimated'

A number of people have been killed and more than 100 injured after an explosion at a fertiliser plant in Texas.

More than half of the town has been evacuated and people are still being pulled from damaged buildings following the blast in West, near Waco.

The explosion - which the US geological survey said had a 2.1 magnitude - was so powerful that a nearby block of flats was destroyed and 130 residents of a local nursing home were injured.

Smoke rises as water is sprayed on the remains of the plant

As many as 75 homes were damaged, as well as a local school.

Local television originally said that 70 people had died but police have not given a specific figure, instead saying that there are "several confirmed fatalities".

A number of people are also suffering from "respiratory distress due to chemical inhalation".

Firefighters check a destroyed apartment complex near the plant

The explosion happened shortly before 8pm local time on Wednesday and could be heard as far away as 45 miles.

A man filmed the initial fire, and captured the moment of the explosion on camera.

His child is heard shouting: "Dad, I can't hear, let's get out of here. I can't hear anything."

This image shows the initial blast Pic: KWTX-TV

The dad says simply: "Oh my god."

Ammonium nitrate is widely used as a fertiliser, but it is also a key component of many explosive devices.

Tommy Muska, West's mayor, said a number of firefighters are unaccounted for.

A photo from Twitter user @TitansHomer shows a destroyed apartment complex

He told CNN: "It's like a nuclear bomb went off."

Sergeant William Swanton, from Waco Police Department, said there were scenes of "extreme devastation".

"We're going house to house, business to business, and we're seeing quite a bit of devastation in the area of the plant.

The injured are treated at a nearby sports field

"They're still pulling victims out, still bringing victims to triage.

"There may be firefighters that are unaccounted for and potentially a law enforcement officer as well."

He also said that a helicopter which was helping with the rescue operation was damaged.

Texas Governor Rick Perry said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of West, and the first responders on the scene."

Debby Marak told The Associated Press she noticed a lot of smoke coming from the area across town near the plant, which is near a nursing home.

She said she drove over to see what was happening, and when she got out of her car two boys ran towards her screaming that officials told them to leave because the plant was going to explode.

Moments later the blast happened.

"It was like being in a tornado," the 58-year-old said. "Stuff was flying everywhere. It blew out my windshield.

"It was like the whole earth shook."

Police officers have reportedly been transporting the injured to local hospitals in their patrol cars.

As many as a dozen helicopters have been sent to the West High School stadium where ambulances are waiting to transport victims to hospitals.

Glenn Robinson, chief executive of Hillcrest Baptist Medical Centre, in Waco, told CNN his hospital had received 66 injured people for treatment, including 38 who were seriously hurt.

He said the injuries included blast injuries, orthopedic injuries, large wounds and a lot of lacerations and cuts.

American Red Cross crews from across Texas are being sent to the site.

The number of people arriving in the town offering assistance has become a logistical problem in itself, emergency workers say.

They are also anticipating further disruption later, with tornadoes and other poor weather forecast in the area.

The explosion comes on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Waco siege - a deadly confrontation between federal authorities and heavily armed locals.

The Dallas Morning News said that the fertiliser company previously reported to the US Environmental Protection Agency and local public safety officials that there was no risk of fire or explosion at the plant.

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Guide To Lady Thatcher's Funeral Arrangements

Tight Security For Thatcher Funeral

Updated: 9:51am UK, Wednesday 17 April 2013

Guests are arriving for Baroness Thatcher's funeral as crowds line the streets, some to show their respects and others in protest.

Four thousands police officers are on duty in central London for the procession and ceremony amid heightened security after the Boston bombings on Monday.

Big Ben has now fallen silent as a mark of respect for one of Britain's most famous prime ministers, and the first woman to hold the role.

Her coffin will shortly be taken from the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in Westminster, where it spent the night, to another church on The Strand.

Transferred to a gun carriage, a procession will then go to St Paul's Cathedral for a service at 11am, before a private cremation later this afternoon.

In the last 24 hours, hundreds of officers have been patrolling the streets of the capital with sniffer dogs trained to detect explosives.

Scotland Yard arrested three men, aged 26, 48 and 55, last night near the Bank of England, as they swept the capital for any troublemakers.

Lady Thatcher, who died on April 8 after suffering a stroke, is having a ceremonial funeral - but the Queen's presence effectively raises it to a state event.

The former politician's family, friends, one-time colleagues and Cabinet foes, as well as dignitaries and figures from around the world will be at the ceremony.

Amid anger at taxpayers picking up most of the funeral bill, David Cameron insisted it would be a "fitting tribute" and urged Lady Thatcher's critics to show respect during the event.

The Prime Minister said that by winning the big arguments, his predecessor had actually settled divisions and declared: "In a way, we are all Thatcherites now."

He added: "She was the first woman prime minister, she served for longer in the job that anyone for 150 years, she achieved some extraordinary things in her life."

The security operation for the funeral and procession will be a mix of plain clothes and high visibility policing, according to former Scotland Yard Specialist Commander Roy Ramm.

He told Sky News: "There will be a lot of activity checking bins and receptacles. There will be spotters on rooftops.

"Uniformed officers on the ground will also be briefed on what to look for: the person who wants to disrupt, shout obscenities, maybe throw something.

"But they'll also be looking for people who perhaps are exhibiting signs that they want to do something much more serious. That will be intelligence driven as well."

One protest group has been granted permission to turn their backs on the coffin as it passes, but officers will also be sensitive to the distress that protests could cause to mourners.

Mr Ramm added: "The police have a duty to facilitate legitimate protest, but where that protest starts to ferment disorder they also have a duty to keep the peace."

Protesters say that because the funeral is a public event, paid for by taxpayers, it is a legitimate platform.

Lawyer Simon Natas, who represents arrested protesters, says the guidance from police has not been clear.

"It's deeply confusing for people who want to protest to be told they may be arrested for being insulting. Political opinion and legitimate peaceful protest cannot be criminalised just because it may upset people. It is protected free speech."

Most of the crowds gathered outside St Paul's, some of whom had been in place since Tuesday, seemed supportive of the late Tory leader.

However, a small group of protesters demonstrated against what they called the "glorifying" of the funeral and cuts to the welfare state.

David Winslow, 22, a student from Durham, held a placard saying "Rest of us in Poverty" and wore a T-shirt with the slogans "power to the people" and "society does exist".

"We plan to turn our backs," he said. "We want to maintain a dignified protest, it's counter-productive to cat call and sing Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead.

"The message is that spending £10m on such a divisive figure in times of austerity, especially when austerity is being imposed on the poor, is wrong, especially when harm is being caused to the disabled and the NHS."

He added: "The Government wants to glorify this. It is a massive propaganda campaign to idolise Margaret Thatcher."

At a Facebook-organised protest in Ludgate Hill, retired social worker Patricia Welsh, 69, expressed her anger at the taxpayer having to foot the funeral bill.

"I am absolutely furious that Prime Minister David Cameron has decided to spend £10m on a funeral when normal people are having to face cutbacks, libraries are closing and the NHS is being cut - for the funeral of a Conservative woman.

"Like anyone else she deserves a decent funeral, but not at the expense of the taxpayer."

The pensioner said 2013 reminds her of living in the 1980s. "If you're on benefits you're made to feel like a scrounger and evil," she claimed.

In stark contrast, Margaret Kittle, 79, flew in from Canada to pay her respects.

She said: "My family came to Churchill's and I wanted to come to Maggie's because they are the two greats of history. We will never see the likes of Mrs Thatcher again."

John Loughrey, from Wandsworth, added: "She saved Britain. She gave my father the opportunity to buy his council house. We had all sorts of problems and Mrs Thatcher put it all back together again. We needed the Iron Lady."

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Boston Bombs: First Pictures Of Devices

US authorities have released the first pictures of the explosive devices used in the twin blasts which hit the Boston Marathon on Monday.

The images show twisted pieces of a metal container, wires, a battery and a small circuit board which exploded close to the finish line at the race.

In another, a piece of charred wire can be seen attached to a small box and a twisted metal lid with bolts.

The FBI said on Tuesday that a pressure cooker may have been used to build the bombs, with nails, ball bearings and other metal packed around the explosive.

The device may also have been hidden inside rucksacks placed on the ground near the finish line.

Richard DesLauriers, FBI agent in charge said the investigation to find those responsible would be worldwide.

He vowed: "We will go to the ends of the Earth to identify the subject or subjects who are responsible for this despicable crime."

More than 1,000 officers are working on the investigation which agents have said in the largest the Boston bureau has ever worked on. 

Pressure cooker bombs have been used in attacks in Afghanistan, India, Nepal and Pakistan, according to a July 2010 FBI report.

But the techniques of making them is understood to be known to domestic US extremists.

Officials said that there was no indication that al Qaeda or other foreign extremist organisations were behind the attack, but they added the investigation was still at an early stage.

It is not yet known what was used to set off the devices.

The damage caused by one of the blasts in Boston

Special agent DesLauriers said experts would reconstruct the devices at the FBI laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.

The FBI also appealed for anyone who was in the area of the marathon or Boston airport in the last few days to send in any pictures they may have taken.

Investigators are already understood to be examining 6,000 movies-worth of CCTV footage from cameras in the area.

Websites and newspapers were already featuring images which they claimed showed people suspected of carrying out the attacks or the devices.

The FBI said it was looking at one sent to a local TV station which appeared to show a bag next to a mailbox in the area where one of the bombs went off.

Jason Pack, FBI spokesman in Boston, said: "We're taking a look at hundreds of photos and that's one of them." 

Three people were killed and more than 170 others injured after the two explosions around four hours into the famous marathon.

Two of those killed were Krystle Campbell, 29, and eight-year-old Martin Richard.

The third is understood to be a Chinese graduate student who has been named locally and in China, but not named officially.

Nine children were among the injured, which were aged between two and 71.

Doctors have revealed the extent of the injuries suffered by those caught in the blasts, including details of a nine-year-old girl who lost her leg and a 10-year-old boy who suffered deep shrapnel wounds.

George Velmahos, of Massachusetts General Hospital, said: "These bombs contained small metallic fragments more consistent with pellets and other small pieces of metal, but also spiked points that resembled nails without heads."

A total of 13 people have had to have limbs amputated and others are at risk of losing legs following the blasts. Seventeen remain in a critical condition.

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Baroness Thatcher's Funeral Procession Begins

Thatcher Funeral: Guests Attending

Updated: 3:43pm UK, Friday 12 April 2013

More than 2,000 invitations to attend the funeral of Baroness Thatcher are being issued. Those who have confirmed their intention to attend include:

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh;

Prime Minister David Cameron;

All the current Cabinet;

Former prime minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie;

Former prime minister Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah;

Former prime minister Sir John Major;

Labour leader Ed Miliband;

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond;

Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones;

Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson;

American Republican politician Newt Gingrich;

Former Australian prime minister John Howard and his wife Janette;

Internet pioneer Sir Tim Berners-Lee;

Actor and singer Michael Crawford;

Classical singer Katherine Jenkins;

Tory donor Lord Harris and his wife, Lady Harris;

Advertising magnate Lord (Maurice) Saatchi;

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe;

Broadcaster Andrew Neil;

Former cabinet minister Michael Portillo and his wife Carolyn Eadie;

Former president FW de Klerk of South Africa;

TV presenter and journalist Jeremy Clarkson;

Lady Thatcher's former foreign policy adviser, Lord Powell of Bayswater;

Former foreign secretary Lord Carrington;

Prime minister Stephen Harper of Canada;

Former prime minister Brian Mulroney of Canada;

Director of The British Forces Foundation Mark Cann;

Archbishop of York Most Rev John Sentamu;

Broadcaster Sir David Frost;

Broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald;

Lyricist and author Sir Timothy Rice;

Actress June Whitfield;

Actress Joan Collins;

Designer Anya Hindmarch;

Dame Shirley Bassey;

Lord and Lady Lloyd Webber;

Lord and Lady Archer;

Former Prime Minister Mahathir of Malaysia;

:: Notable absentees

Former Labour leader Lord Kinnock is at another funeral in Wales;

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev is too ill to travel;

Ronald Reagan's wife Nancy, 91, is sending a representative instead;

Argentina's president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, was left off the guest list after a series of provocative comments about the Falkland Islands;

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch, an admirer of Lady Thatcher, was invited along with other newspaper proprietors, but has indicated he will not be coming.

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Boston Marathon Explosions 'Like A Sonic Boom'

Runners and spectators at the Boston Marathon have spoken of their horror and the chaos that took hold after two bombs exploded at the end of the race.

The twin blasts rocked buildings, shattered windows and gravely injured countless bystanders and runners when they hit in the centre of the city.

Melissa Stanley, who had just seen her daughter cross the finish line, said: "It sounded like a sonic boom. I haven't stopped shaking yet."

Bill Iffrig had been running when one of the bombs exploded, sending him crashing to the ground. "The shockwave must have hit me. My legs felt like noodles," he said.

Rhode Island policeman Roupen Bastajian had just finished the race when the first blast went off.

Police helping a runner injured in the blast

"I started running toward the blast. And there were people all over the floor," he said. "We started grabbing tourniquets and started tying legs.

"A lot of people amputated ... at least 25 to 30 people have at least one leg missing, or an ankle missing, or two legs missing."

Pictures of the scene showed pools of blood on the pavement.

Virginia resident Tim Davey was watching the marathon with his wife, Lisa, and tried unsuccessfully to cover the eyes of their young children as casualties began mounting around them.

"They just started bringing people in in with no limbs," Mr Davey said, as victims were brought to the medical tent that had originally been erected to take care of dehydrated or injured runners.

"They just kept filling up with more and more casualties," Lisa Davey said. "Most everybody was conscious. They were very dazed."

The scene of one of the explosions

"There are people who are really, really bloody," said Laura McLean, a runner from Toronto, who had been receiving treatment for dehydration when she was pulled out to make room for the wounded.

Mark Hagopian, owner of the nearby Charlesmark Hotel, said: "We saw people with their legs blown off. A person next to me had his legs blown off at the knee - he was still alive."

Another witness Dan Lamparello added: "It was very loud. You could feel the ground shake."

The twin explosions went off hours after the winners and many runners had already crossed the finish line but thousands were still taking part, as spectators lined the streets.

"There are a lot of people down," said runner Frank Deruyter of North Carolina.

A Boston police officer was seen being wheeled from the course with a bleeding leg injury.

Runner Mike Mitchell, of Canada, said he had finished the race and turned back to look at the finish line when he saw a "massive explosion" then smoke rise at least 50ft into the air.

Massachusetts resident Brighid Wall, 35, said the windows of the restaurants and shops lining the streets had been blown out, and that she saw victims bleeding heavily.

She said her husband threw their children to the ground when the second bomb went off and lay on top of them. Another man also covered them and warned them not to get up.

Mrs Wall said: "My ears are zinging. Their ears are zinging. It was so forceful. It knocked us to the ground."

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Boston Marathon Explosions: Fears For Britons

Britons are feared to be among the injured following the explosions which rocked the Boston Marathon.

Some 347 of the 25,000 runners taking part in the race were British and several have spoken of the aftermath of the twin blasts.

Abi Griffiths, from London, crossed the finishing line around 10 minutes before the explosions.

The 34-year-old told Sky News she heard the blast while collecting her bag.

She said: "The ground shook and immediately people sort of looked around - it was just too loud to be something that wasn't serious.

"People kind of didn't know what to do. Then all of a sudden it went into a state of chaos. Police were everywhere, we were being evacuated out of the area and it was really eerie.

"It was very, very scary and what should be a major celebration of the achievement of running 26.2 miles suddenly became a frightening scene."

Shattered windows in buildings lining the route of the marathon

She said police had swung into action quickly.

"This is just such an awful scene to have happened," Ms Griffiths continued. "It felt like it may have come from the inside of a shop.

"Suddenly you looked around and there was this cloud of smoke and then people went into gear. There were police everywhere."

Jez Hughes, a firefighter from Morley, west Yorkshire, was walking to the subway with his wife when they heard two explosions.

He had been standing only 100 yards from the finish line with other competitors after completing his 10th marathon but walked around the corner to meet his wife.

An injured man with shredded clothes

He said: "While we were going to the subway we heard two explosions. I said straight away that sounds like a bomb and then we heard a second one.

"My wife is very shook up but we are out here until Thursday evening and no terrorists are going to spoil our day. Don't let them get the better of you."

Darren Foy, 40, from Southampton, his wife Sandra and their two children, missed the explosions by just half an hour after he finished the marathon in three and a half hours.

The chartered surveyor, who is chairman of the Lordshill Road Runners in Southampton and was competing in his fourth marathon, said: "There are reports here that the explosions came from a hotel at the finish line and I walked past there a few days ago to pick up my race number.

"It's such a soft target. There are hundreds of thousands spectators on the streets and 27,000 runners, so we got off lightly."

Mark Jenkin, a 34-year-old sports writer from Barnstaple in Devon, said the explosion had put the race into perspective.

After finishing 138th in a time of 2 hours 24 minutes, he told his paper, the North Devon Journal: "It's a beautiful spring afternoon in Boston.

"The people of the city put on a great race and it's such a tragedy this has happened.

"I was feeling tired and a bit disappointed with my time in the race but all that seems irrelevant now. I just feel grateful to be ok."

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Boston Marathon Explosions: Three Dead

The FBI is leading a terror investigation after three people were killed and more than 140 others hurt in a twin-bombing attack during the Boston Marathon.

Spectators' cheers turned to screams as the explosions ripped through the crowd near the finish line, causing horrific injuries.

An eight-year-old boy is among the dead.

The blasts happened within seconds of each other and about 100m (330ft) apart, blowing out windows and sending smoke and debris into the air.

Emergency workers tore down fencing and carried away seriously injured men and women amid scenes of panic and confusion in the heart of the city.

Of the 144 reported injured, 17 are in a critical condition.

Windows in nearby buildings shattered into the streets

Massachusetts General Hospital said "several amputations" were performed on survivors. Others had limbs torn off by blast forces.

More than 25,000 people were registered as taking part in the race, 374 of whom were British. There were also 108 Irish athletes.

There have been no immediate claims of responsibility for the attack, the most serious in the US since the 9/11 World Trade Centre atrocity. Al Qaeda-linked groups and militant white extremists have attacked targets in America in the past.

The Pakistani Taliban, who have previously threatened attacks in the US, have denied any involvement.

Barack Obama vowed to find and punish those responsible, as a senior White House official said the attacks were being treated as an act of terrorism.

One witness is comforted near a triage tent in the aftermath

Mr Obama said officials "still do not know who did this or why".

But he vowed: "We will find out who did this. We'll find out why they did this. Any responsible individuals, any responsible groups, will feel the full weight of justice."

Bill Bratton, a former head of Boston police who is now based in London, said: "Unfortunately in my country there are no shortage of potential suspects, if you will."

The marathon is held every year on Patriots' Day, a Massachusetts state holiday which commemorates the first battles of the American Revolution in 1775.

The explosions happened on Boylston Street, four hours into the race and about two hours after the men's winner had crossed the line, as amateur runners were reaching the finish.

More than 17,000 competitors had completed the race by the time the blasts struck.

US media reported ball bearings were packed into the bombs

TV helicopter footage showed blood on the ground and the desperate efforts of rescuers in the popular shopping and tourist area known as the Back Bay.

A woman near the second bomb, Brighid Wall, 35, said people had frozen, unsure of what to do.

Her husband threw their children to the ground, lay on top of them and another man lay on top of them and said: "Don't get up, don't get up."

She said she saw six to eight people bleeding profusely, including one man who was kneeling, dazed and bleeding from his head. Another person was on the ground covered in blood and not moving.

"My ears are zinging", she said. "Their ears are zinging. It was so forceful. It knocked us to the ground."

Bill Iffrig, a runner who was filmed falling to the ground as the first blast went off, said "the shockwave must have hit me. My legs felt like noodles". He was able to walk away and speak to reporters and the scene.

The blasts struck close to the finish line in central Boston

Runner Tim Davey, from Virginia, was with his wife Lisa and their children in a medical tent set up for exhausted runners. "They just started bringing people in with no limbs," he said.

Roupen Bastajian, 35, a state police officer from Rhode Island, had just finished the race when he heard the blasts.

"There were people all over the floor," he said. "We started grabbing tourniquets and started tying legs.

"A lot of people amputated ... At least 25 to 30 people have at least one leg missing, or an ankle missing, or two legs missing."

One British runner, Anthony Meenaghan, said he was "safe and well" but added "can't believe what I saw and heard".

Mr Meenaghan, 21, is an architectural technology student from Sheffield Hallam University who is on a work placement in Boston.

He was running with his father, who is also called Anthony.

He tweeted: "Thanks for all messages. I'm safe and well. Can't believe what I saw and heard. Sad day."

A police officer involved in the search in the suburb of Revere

A senior US intelligence official said another two unexploded bombs were found and disarmed near the end of the 26.2mile (42km) route.

There were reports of a third blast at the JFK library a few miles away but that was later confirmed as a fire that was believed to be unrelated to the blasts.

No one has been arrested, although officers searched an apartment in the Boston suburb of Revere as part of the investigation.

A no-fly zone was also put in place over the city as security was tightened and flights bound for Boston's Logan International Airport were briefly held up at other airports.

Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis said the authorities had received "no specific intelligence that anything was going to happen".

At Massachusetts General Hospital, Alisdair Conn, chief of emergency services, said: "This is something I've never seen in my 25 years here ... this amount of carnage in the civilian population. This is what we expect from war."

Police and doctors quoted by US media said ball bearings had been packed into the injuries, causing horrific injuries.

A bomb squad officer inspects a bag along the route

British police are now reviewing security plans for this Sunday's London Marathon - the next major international marathon.

The London race's chief executive, Nick Bitel, said it was "a very sad day for athletics and for our friends in marathon running".

Prime Minister David Cameron wrote on Twitter: "The scenes from Boston are shocking and horrific - my thoughts are with all those who have been affected."

Boston officials said it would "not be business as usual" in the city, with random checks of backpacks and bags on public transport. Security has also been stepped up in Washington and New York.

Boston Police said there is a helpline in the US for concerned relatives: 617 635 4500, and anybody with information about the blasts should call 1 800 494 tips.

The UK consulate in Boston said British Nationals in need of emergency consular assistance should call the Global Response Centre on 1 877 854 6872.

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North Korea Celebrates Amid Missile Threat

North Korea is celebrating the 101st anniversary of the birth of its founding father amid fears its leaders may use the occasion to demonstrate its military capability.

Tens of thousands of people have gathered in the capital Pyongyang to celebrate the unveiling of new statues of Kim Il Sung and the son who succeeded him, Kim Jong Il.

But there are concerns North Korea may launch a medium-range ballistic missile as the Communist state has a habit of linking high-profile military tests with key dates in its calendar.

North Koreans bow to statues of their former leaders

The centenary of Kim's birth last year was preceded by a long-range rocket test that ended in failure.

Earlier on Monday, Kim's grandson and current dynastic leader Kim Jong Un visited the Pyongyang mausoleum to pay "high tribute in humblest reverence" where his grandfather's body lies embalmed, the official Korean Central News Agency said. 

He also visited the embalmed body of his father, who died in December 2011.

And despite North Korea's warnings that the threat of war on the Korean Peninsula is so high it cannot guarantee the safety of foreign residents, it hosted athletes from around the world for its biggest international marathon yet ahead of the celebrations.

Soldiers at statues Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il

After racing through Pyongyang, athletes from 16 nations including hundreds of North Korean runners were cheered into Kim Il Sung Stadium by tens of thousands of spectators.

North Korea's official media said the 26th Mangyongdae Prize Marathon was larger than previous years and that enthusiasm was "high among local marathoners and their coaches as never before".

After the race, competitors then filled a performance hall for a gala concert featuring ethnic Korean performers brought in from China, Russia and Japan as part of the birthday events.

"The feeling is like, I came last year already, the situation is the same," said Taiwan runner Chang Chia-che, who finished 15th.

The Korean peninsula has been in a state of heightened military tension since the North carried out its third nuclear test in February.

Athletes from 16 nations were cheered into Kim Il Sung Stadium

Incensed by fresh UN sanctions and joint South Korea-US military exercises, Pyongyang has spent weeks issuing blistering threats of missile strikes and nuclear war.

Secretary of State John Kerry, in Japan on the last leg of an Asian tour dominated by the crisis, said the US will talk with North Korea if it takes "meaningful steps" towards peace.

"The United States remains open to authentic and credible negotiations on denuclearisation, but the burden is on Pyongyang," he said.

"North Korea must take meaningful steps to show it will honour commitments it has already made."

While in Asia, Sen Kerry has talked tough on the North's "unacceptable" rhetoric, but also sought to lower the temperature by supporting dialogue with Pyongyang.

Sen Kerry tours the Zojoji Buddhist Temple in Tokyo

In Seoul, he gave Washington's blessing to peace overtures made by South Korea's new president, Park Geun-Hye, who in recent days has signalled the need to open a dialogue and "listen to what North Korea thinks".

But the North rejected the overtures as "empty talk" and a "crafty trick" to conceal Seoul's aggressive intentions.

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Pistorius: Johannesburg Night Out Defended

The spokeswoman for Oscar Pistorius has defended the runner after he was reportedly seen downing shots and flirting with women at a Johannesburg restaurant.

Since being released on bail, Pistorius has been staying at his uncle's house in Pretoria while awaiting his murder trial over shooting Reeva Steenkamp on February 14.

The double-amputee, who claims he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder when he shot her, has remained largely out of public view amid intense international interest in his case.

His spokeswoman, Anneliese Burgess, last week said the 26-year-old athlete had been "very isolated" but had begun a process of "interacting with people".

But South African press reports said Pistorius shocked patrons when he turned up, looking "relaxed and happy", at a party at the popular Kitchen Bar restaurant last Saturday.

Reports quoted people at the restaurant as saying Pistorius, sporting a beard, was flirting with several women and "knocking back" shots, which are known as shooters in South Africa.

"He was drinking shooters and he was flirtatious," one woman told the local Sunday Times.

Pistorius was released on bail on February 22

Ms Burgess defended the Olympian, saying Pistorius "strenuously and vigorously denies any inappropriate behaviour towards any people or women present, or 'partying it up' with shooters.

"Oscar did go out last Saturday with friends," she told the Sunday Times.

"It was the first time since the tragic and horrific events of February 14 that Oscar went out with friends.

"He has been out of the house with family, but this was the first time he went out to a restaurant with people other than close family.

"It is regrettable that what was supposed to be a low-key evening reconnecting with friends is now being blown out of proportion for sensational reasons."

Ms Burgess told the paper that Pistorius left the venue when "public interest became overwhelming".

He then went to a bar across the street for a short time, but "left for the same reason", Ms Burgess said.

Last week, the Pistorius family released a statement saying the athlete had been spending time with people who were close to Ms Steenkamp.

"Over the past few weeks, Oscar has found comfort in spending time and sharing memories with many of those whom she loved, in surroundings where shared memories were created," the family said.

Ms Steenkamp was shot dead on Valentine's Day

They said he was traumatised and in mourning over his girlfriend's death.

Ms Burgess said: "There is not a moment in the day that Oscar does not mourn for his girlfriend, and Reeva's family and all those who were close to her are in his thoughts constantly."

Pistorius said he killed Ms Steenkamp, 29, by accident as he thought he was shooting an intruder when he fired through a bathroom door at his Pretoria home.

Prosecutors say he shot her after the couple had an argument.

The runner's agent, Peet van Zyl, has said Pistorius was running on his blades again and his return to regular training was imminent.

Pistorius is scheduled to be back in court on June 4. He could face a life sentence if found guilty of murder.

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Thatcher Funeral: Practice Run Of Procession

A full military rehearsal for Baroness Thatcher's funeral procession has taken place in the early hours of this morning.

Timed to last 19 minutes, Wednesday's ceremonial service will involve more than 700 serving Armed Forces personnel and see Lady Thatcher's coffin carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage from St Clement Danes, the church of the Royal Air Force, down the Strand.

Led by the Band of the Royal Marines, the solemn procession will then slowly travel along Fleet Street towards St Paul's where around 2,000 mourners are expected to attend the service.

Major Andrew Chatburn, the man in charge of choreographing the parade, said the rehearsal "went very well" and claimed it was "vitally important" to stage a trial.

He said the atmosphere of the thousands of people expected to line the streets could obviously not be replicated, but added those involved, including the horses, were used to big occasions with large crowds.

"We'll have a debriefing and we'll take the points from that. We'll address whatever we have to address. If it's additional rehearsals in barracks we'll conduct those rehearsals and we'll get it right on the day," he added.

The band played the funeral marches of Chopin, Beethoven and Mendelssohn as it made its way along the deserted streets.

The military and police wore their working dress and high visibility clothes respectively, but will be in ceremonial uniform on the day.

The pensioners from Royal Hospital Chelsea did not take part in the trial due to the early start, but they will line the west steps of St Paul's for the real event.

The coffin carried on a horse-drawn gun carriage

Amid fears protests could mar the funeral, there was also a large police presence on the streets during the practice run.

Met officers have urged groups to discuss their plans with them so the police can do their job - and they can stage their protests as they are legally allowed to.

Sky's events commentator Alastair Bruce, who watched the rehearsal, said Lady Thatcher "would have wanted to see democracy in action" and that organisers were hoping the protests would not offend mourners or affect the procession.

"The ceremonial has been worked on very hard by the armed forces, and they are doing their very best to represent the United Kingdom. They will want to deliver that duty without interruption," he said.

Some 700 serving members of the Armed Forces took part in the trial run

Lady Thatcher said she did not want a state funeral, but she has been given the next highest honour: a ceremonial funeral with full military honours tailored to her.

With all the the pageantry of a state funeral, it is set to be the largest in Britain since the Queen Mother's.

Downing Street has refused to give details about the cost until after the ceremony but it is expected to run into several million pounds.

The rehearsal came after a poll by ComRes found that only 25% of people think the event should be funded form the public purse and that 60% are against the idea.

But the Government has defended the plans for a lavish ceremonial service.

Tory Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude, one of the organisers, told Sky News the ceremony had to be a "fitting event for a very great lady" and argued that the involvement of the armed forces was "not over the top in any way".

George Galloway will attempt to block PMQs delay so MPs can attend funeral

Meanwhile, Respect MP George Galloway will later attempt to scupper plans to cancel Wednesday's Prime Minister's Questions so that MPs can attend the funeral.

He has said he will try to block a Government motion dropping Commons questions and delaying the start of business to 2.30pm, after the funeral has taken place.

Ministers had hoped the motion, tabled by the Leader of the House Andrew Lansley, would go through "on the nod" at the end of Commons business.

On Sunday night police charged a series of demonstrators at London's Trafalgar Square who were protesting against Baroness Thatcher's legacy and who marked her death with a party.

Scotland Yard said nine suspects had been charged with various offences including assaulting police, affray and drunk and disorderly, and would appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on various dates in the next few weeks.

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