One dead and three injured in gas blast

Firefighters were last night trying to rescue people trapped inside houses that collapsed after a gas explosion in which at least one man was killed (Hannah Fletcher writes). Two cottages in Harrow, North London, were destroyed in the explosion. A man, who had not been identified last night, was found to have died when the emergency services arrived about 9.40pm.

A 26-year-old man who suffered serious head injuries and a 17-year-old girl with severe burns were recovered from the wreckage and taken to nearby hospital. Another man was treated at the scene. A spokesman for the London Fire Brigade said they believed that more people were trapped inside the two-storey buildings.


‘Big brother’ policing

Thousands of suspects are to be photographed and filmed in Big Brother-style police operations to tackle persistent anti-social behaviour. Suspects will be monitored by officers visiting them day and night and they will be issued with repeated warnings about their behaviour.

Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, will announce the tough approach today as the Government publishes figures showing that it has been unable to reduce the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) being breached.

Ms Smith will also publish figures showing a fall in the number of ASBOs imposed on yobs but an increase in acceptable behaviour contracts and parenting orders.

Iranian group ruling

The Government should remove an Iranian group from its list of banned terrorist organisations. Rejecting an appeal by Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, the Lord Chief Justice, said there was no evidence that the People’s Mujahidin Organisation of Iran was involved in terrorism.

Bluetongue appeal

The Government is to order 13 million additional doses of vaccination for bluetongue, which can be fatal to sheep and cows. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has called for bids to produce the extra eight million vaccines for use in England and five million for Wales.

Singer ‘hit cabbie’

Lee Ryan, the singer with the pop group Blue, punched a taxi driver three times on New Year’s Eve, Redhill Magistrates’ Court in Surrey was told. The incident happened in Oxted, Surrey, after a collision involving Mr Ryan’s girlfriend’s car. Mr Ryan, 25, denies common assault. The trial continues.

Rowling court victory

J. K. Rowling has won a High Court appeal in her fight to protect the privacy of her son from long-lens photography. The Court of Appeal reversed an earlier judgment against the Harry Potter author. The case could result in a landmark ruling that would protect celebrities from intrusion by photographers.

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